Sociology of Culture Commons^™

Autotopography: Graffiti, Landscapes, & Selves, Deirdre Heddon

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

[First paragraph]

For some time now I have been interested in autobiographical performance -- some form of the theatrical, in which performers explicitly use personal material in their work. Within this general field of autobiography and performance, one area of research concerns performances that are dependent on being located in personalised space -- what could be called, then, site-specific autobiographical performance. A recent example of this would be the performance Bubbling Tom (2000), by the UK based performer Mike Pearson, which saw Pearson return to the village of his childhood, to reflect upon and re-enact certain memories, events and persons …

Rorty's Complicit American Neo-Pragmatism, Haidar Eid

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

[First paragraph]

Despite the obvious French origin of poststructuralism, its paradigmatic resonance can be found in the American philosophical scene, an essential part of which is Richard Rorty's neo-pragmatism -- the theoretical basis of American (post)modernism. However, different from poststructuralism's apparent antagonism to the authoritarian establishments, Rorty adopts the Derridean poststructuralist motifs of the decentering of the subject, and the disappearance of meaning and truth in order to defend the establishment -- or rather, the status quo.

On Guillermo Gomez-Peña's El Mexterminator And Cyber Vato, Michael Benton

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

[First paragraph]

While attending Bowling Green State University in 1997 I had an experience that changed my worldview. I was a teaching assistant in the Popular Culture department and part of my responsibilities included teaching Introduction to Popular Culture (POPC 100) and Introduction to Mass Media (POPC 165). I had been struggling to engage my students in examining the way in which social reality is represented to them through popular entertainments [2]. The majority of my students were white, middle class students from the surrounding Northern regions of Ohio. My students were well-versed in the ongoing controversy over whether or …

The Ruse Of The Social: Human Waste And The Gated Community, Liam Mcnamara

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

[First paragraph]

One of the central problems of contemporary society is that of “the social”: how it is defined, constituted, conjured into existence, and supported. Jean Baudrillard has employed the term “the social” in his work, but it is never explicitly defined; it is best understood as a form of simulation that has sprung into existence in the absence of symbolic social relations. The social is constituted of all the phenomena that are generally studied by sociology, so is therefore ideologically conceived of as an organic structure that is waiting for analysis. The “social” is society, both as it stands …

On Steven Duncombe's Cultural Resistance Reader (2002), Adam Reed

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

[First paragraph]

While the debates over the dis/connections between theory and practice have become essentially metaphysical, it is still useful to distinguish between micro, grassroots struggles and macro, ideological political agendas. In a world in which one of the Left's (old, new and contemporary) main achievements has been to merge the micro and macro in the popular imaginary, this distinction helps one appreciate the myriad of forces affecting social change that are condensed in primarily ideological narratives. A similar perspective is called for when one turns to cultural forms of resistance, which are usually erased by political narratives or mystified …

Ideology And Public Sphere: A Preliminary Bibliography, Giorgio Bertellini, C. Paul Sellors

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

Bibliography accompanies Bertellini & Sellors article Breaking the Mimetic Contract: Notes on Ideology, Intersubjectivity, and Film Theory

Kajian Imej Etnik Lain Dalam Cerpen-Cerpen Mahua (1970an-1990an), Kok Keong Ng

Student Works (2000-2009)

Sastera Mahua adalah sastera yang unik. Keunikan bukanlah sahaja terletak pada fungsinya sebagal penyampai dan cermin hasrat serta fikiran masyarakat, sebaliknya ia mempamerkan pelbagal cirl-clrl yang lstimewa berbandlng dengan sastera China. Salah satu faktor perlu dltegas, ialah tempat kelahirannya yang berlatarkan struktur masyarakat majmuk dengan bahasa, budaya serta agama sesama etnik berbeza, secara semula jadi telah menyediakan sumber-sumber penulisan yang subur bagi penulls Cina di Malaysia. Apabila suatu fenomena hendak dipapar ataupun perasaan hendak diluah, mahupun mesej hendak disampai oleh karyawan Cina, secara tidak langsung sudah pasti mereka tldak dapat lari dari realltl masyarakat Malaysia yang merangkuml semua perbezaan ahli …

Hikayat Bahram Syah : Transliterasi Dan Analisis Teks, Zahariah Zainuddin

Student Works (2000-2009)

This dissertation is based on the textual study of Hikayat Bahram Syah. It has six chapters which discuss certain aspects that attempt to signify Hikayat Bahram Syah as an important literary work rich with universal humanistic values. Chapter I presents the identification of the research problem. the summary of the problem. the rationale of the study, the limitation of this study, previous research related 10 this study, the position of Hikayat Bahram Syah in Malay literature, the theoretical framework, methodology, concept and conclusion in order to initiate a more elaborate discussion towards other aspects of this research. Chapter ll focuses …

An Interview With Sandra Harding, Stephanie Urso Spina, Mike Roberts, Patricia Ticento Clough

Publications and Research

Harding’s position has been critiqued as more postmodern than feminist, as viable without nasty entanglements in feminism, as too concerned with established Eurocentric, scientific discourses, and as appealing to foundational innocence by her concern with realism. But what seems to drive Harding’s choices more than anything is a conscious attempt to be effective in intervening in existing systems of power, whether empiricist and postmodern. By taking this position, Harding undertakes a difficult task. Its difficulty, however, is compensated for by the conversations she generates. As a voice not restricted to one intellectual school, Harding demands attention from many with opposing …

(Review) World History For Behavior Analysts: Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, And Steel, Stuart Vyse

Psychology Faculty Publications

The article examines two important messages for behavior analysts contained in the book "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies," by Jared Diamond. It provides an environmentalist explanation of the different fates of the world's cultures that are compatible with the views of many behavior analysts. It details ways for behavior analysts to investigate the neglected forms of individual behavior.

Geek Culture: An Annotated Interdisciplinary Bibliography, William L. Svitavsky

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

[First paragraph]

In recent years, there have been numerous studies on science fiction fans, role-playing games, comic book fans, and the culture of those strongly interested in computers. When a study profiles a group engaged in one of these activities, it is not unusual for the group's participation in the other activities to be mentioned as well. In popular culture (as opposed to studies of popular culture), this overlap has been recognized all along. Each of these groups has been ridiculed as geeks or nerds, and each has subverted those terms into proud self-identification. In his work on media fandom, …

Review Of Punktown, By Jeffrey Thomas, Matthew Wolf-Meyer

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

No abstract provided.

Review Of: Preventing And Controlling Cancer In North America: A Cross- Cultural Perspective (Diane Weiner, Ed.), Hunter Yancey

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)

Review of the book: Preventing and Controlling Cancer in North America: A Cross-Cultural Perspective (Diane Weiner, ed., Praeger Publishers 1999). Illustrations, Introduction, Concluding Remarks, Bibliography, Index, About the Contributors. ISBN 0-275-96180-X [245 pp. $72.50 Hardbound, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881.]

Traditional And Non-Traditional Dispute Settlement In The Federated States Of Micronesia, Kris Tina Yurgin Cummings

Dissertations and Theses

The current U.S. mediation system is founded on a paradigm of individual focus and Western values. This model may fail to represent the various cultural components disputants from more collective cultures may bring to the mediation process. In addition, the U.S. mediation system relies on the collaboration of two or more disputants to confront the issues between them. Again, this model presupposes that confrontation is an appropriate means of conflict resolution.

The purpose of this study is to offer a different perspective of dispute settlement as practiced in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). Cultural values that emphasize the social …

Webbing Egypt: An Ethnographic Insight Into Levels Of Imagination Surrounding The Production Of Web Sites, Ivan Panovic

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an ethnographic description of practices of the producers of Egypt-based and Egypt-related websites.

An Examination Of Female Inmates' Homosexual Behavior In A Southern Correctional Facility, Mary Koscheski

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by Mary Koscheski on May12, 2001.

The Effects Of Experiential Therapy On Adolescent Self-Esteem, Blair Kemp

Graduate Theses

The present study attempted to determine the effects of Experiential Therapy on emotional intelligence and self-esteem in adjudicated males and females aged 13 to 17. Twenty-four individuals participated in the study and were randomly assigned to either an experimental or control group. It was predicted that participants in the experimental group would display improvements in general self-esteem and emotional intelligence. The individuals in the experimental group received approximately 40 to 45 hours of Experiential Therapy. The control group continued with the normal JCC program. The Culture Free Self-Esteem Inventory 2 (CFSEI-2) and the BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version (BarOn …

Review Of An Invitation To Social Construction, Philip Manning

Sociology & Criminology Faculty Publications

Reviews the book "An Invitation to Social Construction," by Kenneth J. Gergen.

Collapsing Australian Architecture: The Aboriginal Tent Embassy, Gregory Cowan

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

No abstract provided.

Teori Strukturalisme Genetik : Penerapan Terhadap Novel-Novel Pramoedya Ananta Teor, Azman Ismail

Student Works (2000-2009)

KEDUDUKAN Pramoedya Ananta Toer dalam konteks perkembangan sastera moden Indonesia khususnya di era Angkatan 45 telah diteliti dari pelbagai perspektif oleh sarjana-sarjana Indonesia, Malaysia dan Barat. Sumbangan besar dalam mengubah hala tuju sastera kotemporari Indonesia selepas perang telah memberi kesan penting khususnya dari aspek gaya, pendekatan dan tema. Novel-novelnya sebagai contoh, merupakan pandangan kesedaran kelompok masyarakat bawahan Indonesia dalam mcmperjuangkan kepentingan mereka. Pembahasan dalam tulisan ini dengan menggunakan teori Strukturalisme Genetik oleh Lucien Goldmann akan melihat bagaimana aspek-aspek kesedaran kolektif masyarakat bawahan dalam tiga era diketengahkan. Menerusi disertasi ini, penerapan teori Strukturalisme Genetik ke dalam novel-novel Pramoedya dibahagikan kepada enam …

Winks, Blinks, Squints, And Twitches: Looking For Disability And Culture Through Our Son’S Left Eye, Philip M. Ferguson, Dianne L. Ferguson

Education Faculty Articles and Research

In this article, we argue that while an appreciation of disability's cultural context is fundamental, we should be careful not to replace one essentialist version of disability with a new one. We look at the relational patterns that emerge from the specific circumstances of significant intellectual disability. This article follows Clifford Geertz’ well‐known account of the multiple layers of cultural context and interpretive richness raised by even a seemingly simple act such as winking. By exploring the meaning of son's ability to wink, we argue that intellectual disability may be interpreted as the absence of culture. The article goes on …

An Assessment Of The Alternative Rites Approach For Encouraging Abandonment Of Female Genital Mutilation In Kenya, Jane Chege, Ian Askew, Jennifer Liku

Reproductive Health

Maendeleo Ya Wanawake (MYWO), with technical assistance from the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), has been implementing an Alternative Rite of passage programme as part of its efforts to eradicate the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) in five districts in Kenya. This study addressed the factors that influence some families and individuals to adopt the Alternative Rite while others, exposed to the same messages discouraging FGM, decide not to. It also evaluated the effect of the training component of the Alternative Rite on the girls who participated.

Islam Di Keningau : Sejarah Dan Kesannya Terhadap Budaya Perkahwinan Masyarakat Bumiputera Kadazandusun, Siti Suriyani Sulaiman

Student Works (2000-2009)

SJTI SURIYANI BINTI SULAJMAN. Islam In Keningau : The History And The Effect To The Marriage Culture Of The Kadazandusun Bumiputera Community. Thesis, Kuala Lumpur : University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2001. Information of the arrival of Islam in Sabah is not sufficient, likewise the history of Islam in Keningau is not definite. Based on the information from reliable sources, Islam was spread after the World War Two. Although Islam has changed the belief of Kadazandusun Bumiputera Community, their lifestyle certainly have not change. Customs and prohibition arc assimilated with Islamic way. To see the effect of the arrival …

Levels Of Acculturation Of Children Of Mexican Descent As Perceived In Their Kinetic Family Drawings, Kevin Adolfo Rosado

Dissertations

Problem. Information on Hispanic children and their families is limited. More research activity is crucial in the light of the rapidly expanding population of Latino/Hispanics. Mexican families present a particular challenge to clinicians and to treatment settings, as well as to researchers. The impact of acculturation on psychological assessment instruments is largely unknown. This study sought to use the Kinetic Family Drawing (KFD) as a tool to gain information about how differences in acculturation are reflected through drawings done by children of Mexican descent.

Method. Private and public schools with representation of Mexican-American and Caucasian children from rural, semi-rural, small …

Recreational Birdwatching, Empire, And Gender In Southern Ontario, 1791-1886, Kirsten Aletta Greer

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This thesis addresses the historical and cultural development of the recreational birdwatching in southern Ontario, 1791-1886, and the efforts of empire and gender on birdwatchers’ identities and ideas about birds. By deconstructing recreational ornithological discourse, I suggest that recreational birdwatching reproduced the imposition of British colonial rule in Canada, together with condescension towards aboriginal peoples and non-British immigrants; and the reinforcement of British, middle-class, gendered identities in southern Ontario. This research therefore shows that recreational ornithological texts provide a medium to deconstruct the impact of birdwatching on people’s lives in their gendered approach to the activity.

Out Of The Ordinary: Law, Power, Culture, And The Commonplace, Naomi Mezey

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Review of The Common Place of Law: Stories From Everyday Life by Patricia Ewick & Susan S. Silbey (1998).

Sometimes a work's intellectual influences reveal both its strengths and its shortcomings. This is certainly the case with Patricia Ewick and Susan Silbey's The Common Place of Law: Stories From Everyday Life, and its indebtedness to the thinking of Michel Foucault and Michel de Certeau. Taken together, Foucault and de Certeau's work suggests that investigations of law's power are most fruitful not at the level of legal institutions and the state but at the level of lived experience, where we …

Cultural Policy In Singapore: Negotiating Economic And Socio-Cultural Agendas, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In this paper, I examine the role of cultural policy in a newly industrialised economy, which is at the same time a state with a short history and only nascent beginnings in nation-building and efforts to construct a distinctive cultural identity. Using Singapore as the site of analyses, develop an understanding of the intersection between the economic and socio-cultural agendas behind cultural development policies. I illustrate the hegemony of the economic, supported by the ideology and language of pragmatism and globalisation. At the same time, I explore the reception of and attempts to negotiate (and at times, contest) state policies …

Mass Media And Violence: Science As Ideology, Ideology As Science, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article critiques a commonly promulgated belief that mass media-conveyed violence induces commensurate behavioral violence in its recipients.

Social Neglect Of The Inequality Of The Native American Peoples, Loretta K. Carroll

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts Sociology by Loretta K. Carroll on January 19, 2000.

The Professional Academic And Hubris: The Case Of Yongyi Song, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article describes a reification of academic activities in a world where there may be many kings. This reification is often employed as a vehicle to support human and civil rights initiatives. Unfortunately, this vehicle may mitigate against such rights.