Search results for: traditional culture

Authors: Dicle Aydın, Süheyla Büyükşahin Sıramkaya

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Conservation concept gained importance especially in 19th century, it found value with the change and developments lived globally. Basic values in the essence of the concept are important in the continuity of historical and cultural fabrics which have character special to them. Reuse of settlements and spaces carrying historical and cultural values in the frame of socio-cultural and socio-economic conditions is related with functional value. Functional dimension of reuse signifies interrogation of the usage potential of the building with a different aim other than its determined aim. If a building carrying historical and cultural values cannot be used with its own function because of environmental, economical, structural and functional reasons, it is advantageous to maintain its reuse from the point of environmental ecology. By giving a new function both a requirement of the society is fulfilled and a culture entity is conserved because of its functional value. In this study, functional dimension of reuse is exemplified in Antalya Kaleiçi where has a special location and importance with its natural, cultural and historical heritage characteristics. Antayla Kaleiçi settlement preserves its liveliness as a touristic urban fabric with its almost fifty thousand years of past, traditional urban form, civil architectural examples of 18th–19th century reflecting the life style of the region and monumental buildings. The civil architectural examples in the fabric have a special character formed according to Mediterranean climate with their outer sofa (open or closed), one, two or three storey, courtyards and oriels. In the study reuse of five civil architectural examples as boutique hotel by forming a whole with their environmental arrangements is investigated, it is analyzed how the spatial requirements of a boutique hotel are fulfilled in traditional dwellings. Usage of a cultural entity as a boutique hotel is evaluated under the headlines of i.functional requirement, ii.satisfactoriness of spatial dimensions, iii.functional organization. There are closed and open restaurant, kitchen, pub, lobby, administrative offices in the hotel with 70 bed capacity and 28 rooms in total. There are expansions to urban areas on second and third floors by the means of oriels in the hotel surrounded by narrow streets in three directions. This boutique hotel, formed by unique five different dwellings having similar plan scheme in traditional fabric, is different with its structure opened to outside and connected to each other by the means of courtyards, and its outside spaces which gained mobility because of the elevation differences in courtyards.

Keywords: reuse, adaptive reuse, functional dimension of reuse, traditional dwellings

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Authors: Fatou Cisse

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Depression is one of the most serious health problems experienced by immigrants and refugees, who are likely to undergo heightened political, economic, social, and environmental stressors as they transition to a new culture. The purpose of this literature review is to identify and compare risks associated with depression among young adult immigrants and refugees aged 18 to 25. Ten articles focused on risks associated with depression symptoms among this population were reviewed, revealing several common themes: Stress, identity, culture, language barriers, discrimination, social support, self-esteem, length of time in the receiving country, origins, or background. Existing research has failed to account adequately for sample size, language barriers, how the concept of "depression" differs across cultures, and stressors immigrants and refugees experience prior to the transition to the new culture. The study revealed that immigrants and refugees are at risk for depression and that the risk is greater in the refugee population due to their history of trauma. The Roy Adaptation Model was employed to understand the coping mechanisms that refugees and immigrants could use to reduce rates of depression. The psychiatric nurse practitioner must be prepared to intervene and educate this population on these coping mechanisms to help them overcome the feelings that lead to depression and facilitate a smooth integration into the new culture.

Keywords: immigration, refugees, depression, young adults

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Authors: Elahe Zavareian

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Cinema is a powerful medium that can depict and critique sociological and cultural issues, contributing to the expansion of important societal issues and raising awareness. Family crises and challenges are significant concerns faced by societies worldwide. The family serves as the central core for societal formation, and the challenges experienced within this small social group have implications not only for individuals within a country but also for the wider culture. The concept of the family represents the entire society in relation to other countries, shaping ideas and prejudices regarding interpersonal culture and relationships. The representation of society's problems through cinema influences the formation of cultural schemas within the country producing the films and among the societies that view them.

Keywords: interpersonal culture, representation, society, family, cultural schemas

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Authors: Jui-Chien Wang

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Because of China’s continued economic growth and dominance, increasingly many students of Chinese from western countries are interested in pursuing careers related to China. Unless we do more to teach them about contemporary Chinese society and Chinese cultural codes, however, few will be able to do so successfully. Most traditional language textbooks treat these topics only cursorily, and, because of the rapid pace of China’s social and economic development, what they do cover is frequently outdated and insufficient. However, understanding contemporary Chinese society and Chinese cultural codes is essential to successfully negotiating real-world China. The current paper details one of the main ways in which the presenter has dealt with this educational lacuna: the development and implementation of a series of teaching modules for advanced Chinese language classes. Each module explores a particular area, provides resources, and raises questions to engage students in strengthening their language and cultural competencies. The teaching modules address four main areas: (1) Chinese behavioral culture; (2) critical issues in contemporary China; (3) current events in China; and (4) great social transformations in contemporary China. The presenter will also discuss lessons learned and insights gained during the development and implementation process as well as the benefits of using these modules. In addition, the presenter will offer suggestions for the application of these modules, so that other language teachers will be able to make better use of them in their own classrooms.

Keywords: behavioral culture, contemporary Chinese society, cultural code, teaching module

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Authors: Maria Krambia-Kapardis, Elisavet Charalambous

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Corruption has given rise to extensive discussion due to its notorious consequences. It undermines democracy, brings in inequalities and imbalances and weakens governance. With the recent financial turmoil pinpointing that corruption has played a vital part, lessons have to be learned and actions have to be taken. Regulation can be the means for doing so as it advances transparency and accountability, leaving no space for corruption to flourish. Much depends though on the culture of a state and how determined it is to mark the end of corruption.

Keywords: banking regulation, corruption, culture, European Union

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Authors: Temitope D. Awobusuyi, Eric O. Amonsou, Muthulisi Siwela, Oluwatosin A. Ijabadeniyi

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Provitamin A-biofortified maize has been developed to alleviate Vitamin A deficiency; a major public health problem in developing countries. Amahewu, a non-alcoholic fermented maize based beverage is produced using white maize, which is deficient in Vitamin A. In this study, the suitable processing conditions for the production of amahewu using provitamin A-biofortified maize and the microbial quality of the processed products were evaluated. Provitamin A-biofortified amahewu was produced with reference to traditional processing method. Processing variables were Inoculum types (Malted provitamin A maize, Wheat bran, and lactobacillus mixed starter culture with either malted provitamin A or wheat bran) and concentration (0.5 %, 1 % and 2 %). A total of four provitamin A-biofortified amahewu products after fermentation were subjected to different storage conditions: 4ᴼC, 25ᴼC and 37ᴼC. pH and TTA were monitored throughout the storage period. Sample of provitamin A-biofortified amahewu were plated and observed every day for 5 days to assess the presence of Aerobic and Anaerobic spore formers, E.coli, Lactobacillus and Mould. The addition of starter culture substantially reduced the fermentation time (6 hour, pH 3.3) compared to those with no addition of starter culture (24 hour pH 3.5). It was observed that Lactobacillus were present from day 0 for all the storage temperatures. The presence of aerobic spore former and mould were observed on day 3. E.coli and Anaerobic spore formers were not present throughout the storage period. These microbial growth were minimal at 4ᴼC while 25ᴼC had higher counts of growth with 37ᴼC having the highest colony count. Throughout the storage period, pH of provitamin A-biofortified amahewu was stable. Provitamin A-biofortified amahewu stored under refrigerated condition (4ᴼC) had better storability compared to 25ᴼC and 37ᴼC. The production and microbial quality of provitamin A-biofortified amahewu might be important in combating Vitamin A Deficiency.

Keywords: biofortification, fermentation, maize, vitamin A deficiency

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Authors: Zixuan Yang

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This paper presents an analysis of the necessary consideration culture in distributed design through a thorough literature review and case study. The literature review has identified that the need for understanding cultural differences in product design and user evaluations is highlighted by analyzing cross-cultural influences; culture plays a significant role in distributed work, particularly in establishing team cohesion, trust, and credibility early in the project. By applying approaches of Geert Hofstede's dimensions and Fukuyama's trust analysis, a case study of a global design project, i.e., multicultural distributed teamwork solving the problem in terms of reducing the risk of deep vein thrombosis, showcases cultural dynamics, emphasizing trust-building and decision-making. The lessons learned emphasized the importance of cultural awareness, adaptability, and the utilization of scientific theories to enable effective cross-cultural collaborations in global design, providing valuable insights into navigating cultural diversity within design practices.

Keywords: culture, distributed design, global design, Geert Hofstede's dimensions, Fukuyama's trust analysis

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Authors: Nancy Mackin

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Historically, architects from Aalto to Gaudi to Wright have looked to the architectural knowledge of long-resident peoples for forms and structural principles specifically adapted to the regional climate, geology, materials availability, and culture. In this research, structures traditionally built by Inuit peoples in a remote region of the Canadian high Arctic provides a folio of architectural ideas that are increasingly relevant during these times of escalating carbon emissions and climate change. ‘Green architecture from the Thawing Arctic’ researches, draws, models, and reconstructs traditional buildings of Inuit (Eskimo) peoples in three remote, often inaccessible Arctic communities. Structures verified in pre-contact oral history and early written history are first recorded in architectural drawings, then modeled and, with the participation of Inuit young people, local scientists, and Elders, reconstructed as emergency shelters. Three full-sized building types are constructed: a driftwood and turf-clad A-frame (spring/summer); a stone/bone/turf house with inwardly spiraling walls and a fan-shaped floor plan (autumn); and a parabolic/catenary arch-shaped dome from willow, turf, and skins (autumn/winter). Each reconstruction is filmed and featured in a short video. Communities found that the reconstructed buildings and the method of involving young people and Elders in the reconstructions have on-going usefulness, as follows: 1) The reconstructions provide emergency shelters, particularly needed as climate change worsens storms, floods, and freeze-thaw cycles and scientists and food harvesters who must work out of the land become stranded more frequently; 2) People from the communities re-learned from their Elders how to use materials from close at hand to construct impromptu shelters; 3) Forms from tradition, such as windbreaks at entrances and using levels to trap warmth within winter buildings, can be adapted and used in modern community buildings and housing; and 4) The project initiates much-needed educational and employment opportunities in the applied sciences (engineering and architecture), construction, and climate change monitoring, all offered in a culturally-responsive way. Elders, architects, scientists, and young people added innovations to the traditions as they worked, thereby suggesting new sustainable, culturally-meaningful building forms and materials combinations that can be used for modern buildings. Adding to the growing interest in bio-mimicry, participants looked at properties of Arctic and subarctic materials such as moss (insulation), shrub bark (waterproofing), and willow withes (parabolic and catenary arched forms). ‘Green Architecture from the Thawing Arctic’ demonstrates the effective, useful architectural oeuvre of a resilient northern people. The research parallels efforts elsewhere in the world to revitalize long-resident peoples’ architectural knowledge, in the interests of designing sustainable buildings that reflect culture, heritage, and identity.

Keywords: architectural culture and identity, climate change, forms from nature, Inuit architecture, locally sourced biodegradable materials, traditional architectural knowledge, traditional Inuit knowledge

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Authors: Emma K. Sales, Nilda G. Butardo

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The project was undertaken to determine the effects of modified tissue culture protocols e.g. age of culture and hormone levels (2,4-D) in generating somaclonal variation. Moreover, the utility of molecular markers (SSR and MSAP) in sorting off types/somaclones were investigated. Results show that somaclonal variation is in effect due to prolonged subculture and high 2,4-D concentration. The resultant variation was observed to be due to high level of methylation events specifically cytosine methylation either at the internal or external cytosine and was identified by methylation sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP). Simple sequence repeats (SSR) on the other hand, was able to associate a marker to a trait of interest. These therefore, show that molecular markers can be an important tool in sorting out variation/mutants at an early stage.

Keywords: methylation, MSAP, somaclones, SSR, subculture, 2, 4-D

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Authors: W. Scott Jackson

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This paper explains the declension of Puritan clerical power following the Great Migration up until when Massachusetts lost its charter in 1684. Historian Perry Miller argued that an overall declension in Puritan culture occurred during this period. However, that notion has been dispelled. There is a resurging field exploring declension in areas outside of Miller’s scope of Puritan culture. I determine that colonial New England existed as a functional theocracy by using Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of symbolic capital to explain clerical power through symbolic and religious misdirection and conversion. I explore civil and economic power struggles in colonial New England during the decades following the Great Migration to establish that Puritan culture did not largely decline. Instead, it was the Puritan clergy’s power that waned during this period.

Keywords: Bourdieu, Historical Sociology, Symbolic Capital, Puritan

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Authors: Duangsamorn Rungsawanpho

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The objectives of this paper are to explore the corporate cultures management as determinants of employee retention company in Thailand. This study using mixed method methodology. Data collection using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The statistics used for data analysis were percentage, mean, standard deviation and inferential statistics will include. The results show that the corporate management culture is perfect for any organization but it depends on the business and the industry because the situations or circumstances that corporate executives are met is different. Because the finding explained that the employees of the company determine the achievement of value-oriented by the corporate culture and international relations is perceived most value for their organizations. In additional we found the employees perceiving with participation can be interpreted as a positive example, many employees feel that they are part of management because they care about their opinions or ideas related with their work.

Keywords: corporate culture, employee retention, retention of employees, management approaches

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Authors: Shraddha B. Rai, Mahipatsinh D. Chavda, Bharat S. Trivedi

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The aim of the present research is to study the effect of education and social belonging on well-being of youth. Well-being is one of the most important aspects of human being and the state of well-being can be attained in terms of healthy body with healthy mind. Well-being has been defined as encompassing people’s cognitive and affective evaluations of their lives. Well-being has been interchangeably used with health and quality of life. According to the WHO, the main determinants of health include the social, economic, and the physical environment and the persons individual characteristics and behaviors. WHO lists other factors that can influence the well-being of a person such as the gender, education, social support networks and health services. The main objective of the present investigation is to know the effect of education and social belonging on well-being of youth. The sample of 180 students belonging to Gujarati and English (convent) culture were selected randomly from Guajarati and English (convent) schools of Ahmedabad City of Gujarat (India). General well-being Scale by Dr. Ashok Kalia and Ms. Anita Deswal was administered to measure the Physical, Emotional, and Social and school well-being. The result shows that there is significant different found between Gujarati and English (convent) culture on Well-being in school students. SES is also affect significantly to wellbeing of students.

Keywords: culture, SES, well-being, health, quality of life

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Authors: Alapa Peters Odugbo

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The remarkable but fascinatingly intricate book 'The Lives of Jessie Sampter', by Sarah Imhoff, which describes Jessie Sampter's three different lives as a queer, a disabled person, and a Zionist, served as the main inspiration for this work. Her second chapter of Imhoff, which covers disability in-depth, inspired the focus of my study. This paper critically explores how culture, religion, and medicine contribute to and sustain discriminatory practices against people with disabilities in Nigeria. These practices include continued and often unchallenged stigmatization, unequal treatment, and denial of basic social services, employment prospects, and fundamental human rights. The paper makes crucial recommendations to help combat and eliminate these practices and negative perceptions toward people with disabilities in Nigeria, as well as to safeguard and promote their interests and rights.

Keywords: disability, culture, religion, medicine

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Authors: Zelikha Labbani

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Durum wheat represents an attractive species to study androgenesis via isolated microspore culture in order to increase the efficiency of androgenic yield in recalcitrant species such as in induction embryogenesis. We describe here an efficient method for inducing embryos from isolated microspores of durum wheat. It is shown that this method, associated with cold alone or cold plus mannitol pretreatment, or mannitol alone of the spikes kept within their sheath leaves during different times, has significant positive effects on embryo production. The aim of this study was, therefore, to test the effect of mannitol 0,3M and cold pretreatment on the quality and quantity of embryos produced from microspore culture from wheat cultivars.

Keywords: in vitro embryogenesis, isolated microspores culture, durum wheat, pretreatments, mannitol 0.3m, cold pretreatment

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Authors: M. G. Nasuruddin, S. Ishak

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This paper deals with the traditional Malay healing ritualistic ceremony known as Main Puteri. This non-invasive intervention uses the vehicle of performance to administer the healing process. It employs the performance elements of Makyung, that is, music, movements/dance, and dramatic dialogue to heal psychosomatic maladies. There are two perspectives to this therapeutic healing process, one traditional and the other scientific. From the traditional perspective, the psychosomatic illness is attributed to the infestations/possessions by malevolent spirits. To heal such patients, these spirits must be exorcised through placating them by making offerings. From the scientific perspective, the music (sonic orders), movements (kinetic energy), and smell (olfactory) connect with the brain waves to release the chemicals that would activate the internal healing energy. Currently, in Main Puteri, the therapeutic healing ritual is no longer relevant as modern clinical medicine has proven to be more effective. Thus, Main Puteri is an anachronism in today’s technologically advanced Malaysia.

Keywords: exorcism, main puteri, shamans, therapeutic healing

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Authors: Prachi Choudhary, Jai Gopal Sharma

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Microbial cultures determine the type of organism, its abundance in the tested sample, or both. It is one of the primary diagnostic methods of microbiology. It is used to determine the cause of infectious disease by letting the agent multiply in a predetermined medium. Different bacteria produce colonies that may be very distinct from the bacterial species that produced them. To culture any pathogen or microorganism, we should first know about the types of media used in microbiology for culturing. Sometimes sub culturing is also done in various microorganisms if some mixed growth is seen in culture. Nearly 3 types of culture media based on consistency – solid, semi-solid, and liquid (broth) media; are further explained in the report. Then, The Five I's approach is a method for locating, growing, observing, and characterizing microorganisms, including inoculation and incubation. Isolation, inspection, and identification. For identification of bacteria, we have to culture the sample like urine, sputum, blood, etc., on suitable media; there are different methods of culturing the bacteria or microbe like pour plate method, streak plate method, swabbing by needle, pipetting, inoculation by loop, spreading by spreader, etc. After this, we see the bacterial growth after incubation of 24 hours, then according to the growth of bacteria antibiotics susceptibility test is conducted; this is done for sensitive antibiotics or resistance to that bacteria, and also for knowing the name of bacteria. Various methods like the dilution method, disk diffusion method, E test, etc., do antibiotics susceptibility tests. After that, various medicines are provided to the patients according to antibiotic sensitivity and resistance.

Keywords: inoculation, incubation, isolation, antibiotics suspectibility test, characterizing

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Authors: Mehwish Sarfaraz Ahmad

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Background: There is a prevailing perception in Pakistan that private hospitals offer better services than government hospitals. Unfortunately, Pakistan faces challenges in providing efficient healthcare due to limited resources and management capabilities, resulting in demotivation among healthcare workers. Aim: The purpose of this study was to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the occupational health and well-being of healthcare workers in both public and private sector tertiary care hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan, to compare the well-being of healthcare professionals in these two sectors and investigate the influence of workplace culture and experiences on their overall health. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated International Questionnaire, and data from 440 participants was collected using a stratified random sampling technique from a diverse group of healthcare professionals from the public and private tertiary care hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan. The researcher conducted a comparative analysis using appropriate statistical tests, such as Anova, t-tests, chi-square tests, and regression analysis, to explore potential relationships between various factors. Results: The majority of respondents (70.2%) reported their health as "Good" or "Very good, a small percentage (8.2%) rated their health as "Poor," while 24.1% considered their health as "Fair". 39.6% reported being satisfied with their workplace culture, while a majority of 60.4% indicated being unsatisfied with their workplace culture. Results showed that workplace culture has a positive correlation with the overall health and well-being of healthcare professionals. The study found significant differences in health ratings, prevalence of chronic health conditions, workplace culture, and safety perceptions between healthcare professionals in public and private sector tertiary care hospitals. Conclusion: The study's findings emphasize the significance of promoting a positive workplace culture, ensuring workplace safety, and addressing chronic health conditions among healthcare workers.

Keywords: occupational health and well-being, workplace culture, frequency of fatigue, availabity of benefits

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Authors: A. Zuchowska, A. Buta, M. Mazurkiewicz-Pawlicka, A. Malolepszy, L. Stobinski, Z. Brzozka

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In recent years, graphene-based materials are finding more and more applications in biological science. As a thin, tough, transparent and chemically resistant materials, they appear to be a very good material for the production of implants and biosensors. Interest in graphene derivatives also resulted at the beginning of research about the possibility of their application in cancer therapy. Currently, the analysis of their potential use in photothermal therapy and as a drug carrier is mostly performed. Moreover, the direct anticancer properties of graphene-based materials are also tested. Nowadays, cytotoxic studies are conducted on in vitro cell culture in standard culture vessels (macroscale). However, in this type of cell culture, the cells grow on the synthetic surface in static conditions. For this reason, cell culture in macroscale does not reflect in vivo environment. The microfluidic systems, called Lab-on-a-chip, are proposed as a solution for improvement of cytotoxicity analysis of new compounds. Here, we present the evaluation of cytotoxic properties of graphene oxide (GO) on breast, liver and colon cancer cell line in a microfluidic system in two spatial models (2D and 3D). Before cell introduction, the microchambers surface was modified by the fibronectin (2D, monolayer) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (3D, spheroids) covering. After spheroid creation (3D) and cell attachment (2D, monolayer) the selected concentration of GO was introduced into microsystems. Then monolayer and spheroids viability/proliferation using alamarBlue® assay and standard microplate reader was checked for three days. Moreover, in every day of the culture, the morphological changes of cells were determined using microscopic analysis. Additionally, on the last day of the culture differential staining using Calcein AM and Propidium iodide were performed. We were able to note that the GO has an influence on all tested cell line viability in both monolayer and spheroid arrangement. We showed that GO caused higher viability/proliferation decrease for spheroids than a monolayer (this was observed for all tested cell lines). Higher cytotoxicity of GO on spheroid culture can be caused by different geometry of the microchambers for 2D and 3D cell cultures. Probably, GO was removed from the flat microchambers for 2D culture. Those results were also confirmed by differential staining. Comparing our results with the studies conducted in the macroscale, we also proved that the cytotoxic properties of GO are changed depending on the cell culture conditions (static/ flow).

Keywords: cytotoxicity, graphene oxide, monolayer, spheroid

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Authors: Linhan Sun

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With the gradual strengthening of China's economic development, more and more people around the world are learning Chinese due to economic and trade needs, which has also promoted the research related to Chinese language education for foreigners. Because the Chinese language system is different from the Western language system, learning Chinese is not easy for many learners. In addition, language learning cannot be separated from the learning and understanding of culture. How to integrate cultural learning into the curriculum of Chinese language education for foreigners is the focus of this study. Through a semi-structured in-depth interview method, 15 foreigners who have studied or are studying Chinese participated in this study. This study found that cultural learning and Chinese as a foreign language are relatively disconnected. In other words, learners were able to acquire a certain degree of knowledge of the Chinese language through textbooks or courses but did not gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture.

Keywords: Chinese language education, Chinese culture, qualitative methods, intercultural communication

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Authors: Kuznetsova Tamara, Sametova Fauziya

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Modern period of educational development is characterized by various attempts in higher quality and effective result provision. Having acquired the modernized educational paradigm, our academic community placed the personality development through language and culture under the focus of primary research. The competency-based concept claims for professionally ready specialists who are capable of solving practical problems. In this sense, under the circumstances of the current development of Kazakhstani society, it is inevitable to form the ability to conduct argumentative discourse as the crucial element of intercultural communicative competence. This article particularly states the necessity of the culture of argumentative discourse formation presents theoretical background of its organization and aims at identifying important argumentative skills within educational process.

Keywords: argumentative discourse, teaching process, skills, competency

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Authors: Elahe Zavareian

Abstract:

Cinema is a powerful medium that can depict and critique sociological and cultural issues, contributing to the expansion of important societal issues and raising awareness. Family crises and challenges are significant concerns faced by societies worldwide. The family serves as the central core for societal formation, and the challenges experienced within this small social group have implications not only for individuals within a country but also for the wider culture. The concept of the family represents the entire society in relation to other countries, shaping ideas and prejudices regarding interpersonal culture and relationships. The representation of society's problems through cinema influences the formation of cultural schemas within the country producing the films and among the societies that view them.

Keywords: interpersonal culture, representation, society, family, cultural schemas

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Authors: Biva Samadder, Samita Manna

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India is a melting pot of races, tribes, castes and communities. The population of India can be roughly branched into the huge majority of “Civilized” Indians of the Plains and the minority of Tribal population of the hill area and the forest who constituting almost 16 percent of total population of India. The Kirat community composed of four ethnic tribes: Limbu, Lepcha, Dhimal, and Rai. These Kirat people were found to be rich in indigenous knowledge, skill and practices especially for the use on medicinal plants and livelihood purposes. The “Mundhum" is the oral scripture or the “Bible of the Limbus” which serves as the canon of the codes of the Limbu socialization, their moral values and the very orientation of their lifestyle. From birth till death the Limbus are disciplined in the life with full of religious rituals, traditions and culture governed by community norms with a rich legacy of indigenous knowledge and traditional practices. The present study has been conducted using both secondary as well as primary data by applying social methodology consisting of the social survey, questionnaire, interviews and observations in the Kalimpong Block-I of Darjeeling District of west Bengal of India, which is a heterogeneous zone in terms of its ethnic composition and where the Limbus are pre-dominantly concentrated. Due to their close contact with other caste and communities Limbus are now adjusted with the changing situation by borrowing some cultural traits from the other communities and changes that have taken place in their cultural practices, religious beliefs, economic aspects, languages and in social roles and relationships which is bringing the change in their material culture. Limbu language is placed in the Tibeto- Burman Language category. But due to the political and cultural domination of educationally sound and numerically dominant Bengali race, the different communities in this area forced to come under the one umbrella of the Nepali or Gorkhali nation (nation-people). Their respective identities had to be submerged in order to constitute as a strong force to resist Nepali domination and ensure their common survival. As Nepali is a lingua-franca of the area knowing and speaking Nepali language helps them in procuring economic and occupational facilities. Ironically, present day younger generation does not feel comfortable speaking in their own Limbu tongue. The traditional knowledge about medicinal plants, healing, and health culture is found to be wear away due to the lack of interest of young generation. Not only poverty, along with exclusion due to policies they are in the phase of extinction, but their capabilities are ignored and not documented and preserved especially in the case of Limbus who having a great cultural heritage of an oral tradition. Attempts have been made to discuss the persistence and changes in socioeconomic pattern of life in relation to the social structure, material culture, cultural practices, social relationships, indigenous technology, ethos and their values and belief system.

Keywords: changing social relationship, cultural transition, identity, indigenous knowledge, language

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Authors: Amany Abdelrazek

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Fashion is considered the main feature of modern and postmodern capitalist and consumerist society. Consumer historians maintain that fashion, namely, a sector of people embracing a prevailing clothing style for a short period, started during the Middle Ages but gained popularity later. It symbolised the transition from a medieval society with its solid fixed religious values into a modern society with its secular consumer dynamic culture. Renaissance society was a modern secular society concerning its preoccupation with daily life and changing circumstances. Yet, the late 18th-century industrial revolution revolutionised thought and ideology in Europe. The Industrial Revolution reinforced the Western belief in rationality and strengthened the position of science. In such a rational Western society, modernity, with its new ideas, came to challenge the whole idea of old fixed norms, reflecting the modern secular, rational culture and renouncing the medieval pious consumer. In modern society, supported by the industrial revolution and mass production, fashion encouraged broader sectors of society to integrate into fashion reserved for the aristocracy and royal courts. Moreover, the fashion project emphasizes the human body and its beauty, contradicting Judeo-Christian culture, which tends to abhor and criticize interest in sensuality and hedonism. In mainstream Western discourse, fashionable dress differentiates between emancipated stylish consumerist secular modern female and the assumed oppressed traditional modest religious female. Opposing this discourse, I look at the controversy over what has been called "Islamic fashion" that started during the 1980s and continued to gain popularity in contemporary Egyptian society. I discuss the challenges of being a fashionable and Muslim practicing female in light of two prominent models for female "Islamic fashion" in postcolonial Egypt; Jasmin Mohshen, the first hijabi model in Egypt and Manal Rostom, the first Muslim woman to represent the Nike campaign in the Middle East. The research employs fashion and postcolonial theories to rethink current Muslim women's position on women's emancipation, Western modernity and practising faith in postcolonial Egypt. The paper argues that Muslim women's current innovative and fashionable dress can work as a counter-discourse to the Orientalist and exclusive representation of non-Western Muslim culture as an inherently inert timeless culture. Furthermore, "Islamic" fashionable dress as an aesthetic medium for expressing ideas and convictions in contemporary Egypt interrogates the claim of universal secular modernity and Western fashion theorists' reluctance to consider Islamic fashion as fashion.

Keywords: fashion, muslim women, modernity, secularism

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Authors: Mohamed Haffar, Lombe Ngome Enongene, Mohammed Hamdan, Gbolahan Gbadamosi

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Despite the considerable body of literature investigating the influence of National Culture (NC) dimensions on consumer behaviour, there is a lack of studies comparing the influence of NC in Africa with Western European countries. This study is intended to fill the vacuum in knowledge by exploring how NC affects consumer buyer behavior in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. The primary data were collected through in depth, semi-structured interviews conducted with three groups of individuals: British students, Nigerian students in the United Kingdom, and Nigerian-based students. This approach and new frontier to analyze culture and consumer behaviour could help understand residual cultural threads of people (that are ingrained in their being) irrespective of exposure to other cultures. The findings of this study show that Nigerian and British consumers differ remarkably in cultural orientations such as symbols, values and psychological standpoints. This ultimately affects the choices made at every stage of the decision building process, and proves beneficial for international retail marketing.

Keywords: national culture, consumer behaviour, international business, Nigeria

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Authors: Nahla S. Abdel-Azim, Khaled A. Shams, Elsayed A. Omer, Mahmoud M. Sakr

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Medicinal plants play a significant role in the health care system in Egypt. Knowledge developed over the years by people is mostly unrecorded and orally passes on from one generation to the next. This knowledge is facing the danger of becoming extinct. Therefore there is an urgent need to document the medicinal and aromatic plants associated with traditional knowledge. The Egyptian Encyclopedia of wild medicinal plants (EEWMP) is the first attempt to collect most of the basic elements of the medicinal plant resources of Egypt and their traditional uses. It includes scientific data on about 500 medicinal plants in the form of monographs. Each monograph contains all available information and scientific data on the selected species including the following: names, description, distribution, parts used, habitat, conservational status, active or major chemical constituents, folk medicinal uses and heritage resources, pharmacological and biological activities, authentication, pharmaceutical products, and cultivation. The DNA bar-coding is also included (when available). A brief Arabic summary is given for every monograph. This work revealed the diversity in plant parts used in the treatment of different ailments. In addition, the traditional knowledge gathered can be considered a good starting point for effective in situ and ex-situ conservation of endangered plant species.

Keywords: encyclopedia, medicinal plant, traditional medicine, wild flora

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Authors: Zahra A. Barzegar, Maryam B. Golboo

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In this paper, the manner of obtaining hierarchies and privacy entry of traditional houses in providing a safe place in the city of Shiraz will be evaluated by qualitative–descriptive methods and 6 old houses are the case study. The houses of Shiraz, as the houses in other cities in Iran are a response to climate and physical features. The old part of Shiraz has a compressed and dense texture in which the houses are in narrow and tight alleys. In this regard, the principles of traditional house entrance design have been introduced. The results show that every house has a private entrance. Direction of the entry of most houses is toward the south and with a turn to the South-East side. Entrance to yard path in all the cases is not straight, and this had been done by using 90 degrees rotates of the corridor leading to the yard. Vestibule provides a private place for the house and entrance stairway to the rooftop is located inside it.

Keywords: entrance, components of entrance, hierarchy, frontage, Shiraz houses

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Authors: Boonyarat Chaleephay

Abstract:

The purpose of this research paper was to describe the relationship of acupressure points on the anterior surface of the upper limb in accordance with Applied Thai Traditional Massage (ATTM) and the deep structures located at those acupressure points. There were 2 population groups; normal subjects and cadaver specimens. Eighteen males with age ranging from 20-40 years old and seventeen females with ages ranging from 30-97 years old were studies. This study was able to obtain a fundamental knowledge concerning acupressure point and the deep structures that related to those acupressure points. It might be used as the basic knowledge for clinically applying and planning treatment as well as teaching in ATTM.

Keywords: acupressure point (AP), applie Thai traditional medicine (ATTM), paresthesia, numbness

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Authors: Hannah Jennica P. Ello, Regina Via G. Garcia

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Films are famous expressions of art in the country. As an expression of art, it serves as a medium in which a culture is reflected. This paper studied how films reflected the Filipino culture. In this study, social semiotics was used to analyze the semiotic resources identified in the film. The films studied were 'Feng Shui', 'Sukob', and 'The Healing', which were three of the highest grossing horror films of Chito S. Roño. The objectives of the paper were (1) to identify the semiotic resources in the film, (2) to extract their meanings, and (3) to determine how these resources were perceived in the Filipino culture. The semiotic resources identified in each film are organized into three categories: color, practices and supernatural occurrences. Each semiotic resource is analyzed through the four dimensions of social semiotics, genre, style, modality, and discourse. For color, some of the semiotic resources identified are red, white and blue; for practices, Hagiolatry, and Mariolatry, faith healing and the belief in superstitions; and for supernatural occurrences, haunting ghosts, doppelganger attacks and returning from the dead were identified. The practices that are prominent in the films are Hagiolatry and Mariolatry, belief in feng shui and belief in faith healers and albularyos. The belief of these practices shows that Filipinos have a dual faith; belief in religion and a belief in superstitions. In short, Filipinos highly practice folk Catholicism and because of this, a mixture of different cultures can be seen, as having molded the Filipino culture to what it is today.

Keywords: culture, film, semiotics, social semiotics

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Authors: Raana Babadi Fathipour

Abstract:

Street foods hold a significant place in the tapestry of socioeconomic and cultural norms, beloved across the globe. Serving as a convenient and affordable option for city dwellers seeking nourishment, these culinary delights also serve as a vital source of income for vendors, particularly women. Additionally, street food acts as a mirror reflecting traditional local customs and practices, an element that draws tourists to experience the authenticity of a culture firsthand. Despite its many virtues, concerns have emerged regarding the microbiological safety of street food worldwide. Often prepared and sold in subpar conditions without proper oversight or regulation, street food has become synonymous with potential health risks. The presence of elevated levels of fecal indicator bacteria and various pathogens in these unregulated delicacies further perpetuates anxieties surrounding their consumption. This analysis delves into the intricate microbiological intricacies inherent in street food, shedding light on the pertinent safety concerns and prevalent pathogens. Additionally, it elaborates on the worldwide standing of this vital economic endeavor. Moreover, it advocates for the adoption of molecular detection techniques over conventional culture-based methods to gain a more comprehensive grasp of the true microbial risks posed by street cuisine. Acknowledgment marks the initial step towards resolving any given issue.

Keywords: foodborne pathogens, microbiological safety, street food, viruses

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Authors: Shawn P. Daly

Abstract:

Communities heavily engaged in the tourism industry discover their values intersect, meld, and conflict with those of visitors. Maintaining cultural integrity in the face of powerful external pressures causes stress among society members. This effect represents a less studied aspect of sustainable tourism. The present paper brings a perspective unique to the tourism literature: biculturalism. The grounded theories, coherent hypotheses, and validated constructs and indicators of biculturalism represent a sound base from which to consider sociocultural issues in sustainable tourism. Five models describe the psychological state of individuals operating at cultural crossroads: assimilation (joining the new culture), acculturation (grasping the new culture but remaining of the original culture), alternation (varying behavior to cultural context), multicultural (maintaining distinct cultures), and fusion (blending cultures). These five processes divide into two units of analysis (individual and society), permitting research questions at levels important for considering sociocultural sustainability. Acculturation modelling has morphed into dual processes of acculturation (new culture adaptation) and enculturation (original culture adaptation). This dichotomy divides sustainability research questions into human impacts from assimilation (acquiring new culture, throwing away original), separation (rejecting new culture, keeping original), integration (acquiring new culture, keeping original), and marginalization (rejecting new culture, throwing away original). Biculturalism is often cast in terms of its emotional, behavioral, and cognitive dimensions. Required cultural adjustments and varying levels of cultural competence lead to physical, psychological, and emotional outcomes, including depression, lowered life satisfaction and self-esteem, headaches, and back pain—or enhanced career success, social skills, and life styles. Numerous studies provide empirical scales and research hypotheses for sustainability research into tourism’s causality and effect on local well-being. One key issue in applying biculturalism to sustainability scholarship concerns identification and specification of the alternative new culture contacting local culture. Evidence exists for tourism industry, universal tourist, and location/event-specific tourist culture. The biculturalism paradigm holds promise for researchers examining evolving cultural identity and integrity in response to mass tourism. In particular, confirmed constructs and scales simplify operationalization of tourism sustainability studies in terms of human impact and adjustment.

Keywords: biculturalism, cultural integrity, psychological and sociocultural adjustment, tourist culture

Procedia PDF Downloads 382