Sociology of Culture Commons^™

Let Your Head Hang Down: A Narrative Examination Of Cultic & Conspiratorial Romance, Kyle Macy

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

A response to recent cultural trends of radicalization, extremism, and violence in American society, this dissertation, a novel rendered in ephemeral fragments of oral histories, interrogates the romanticist postures that compel a community of musical artists, the so-called “Folk Revival Revival,” toward infamy and tragedy. Where more traditional sociological approaches to cultic formations stress the importance of centralized charismatic authority, and more traditional psychological approaches rely upon a conspiratorial Cold War ethos of cognitive bias and coercive control (i.e. “brainwashing”), this project meets such assumptions with incredulity, asserting instead that cultic and conspiratorial entrancement awakens first from within, and may …

Indigenous Culture And The Path To Democracy: An In-Depth Case Study Of Ghana's Democratization Process, 1992 – Present, Nana Quame Owusu-Nti

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The study sought to ascertain whether introducing democracy has adversely impacted Indigenous cultural practices in Ghana or whether the path to democracy has enhanced, shaped, or strengthened aspects of the country’s Indigenous culture. The study sheds some light on the realistic, symbolic, and pervasive threat(s) that transitional or Indigenous societies like Ghana undergoing the process of democratization face and must deal with. More specifically, the study provides some insights into how traditional societies, where Indigenous values and practices are held with some reverence and esteem, can be integrated into liberal democratic institutions to potentially ameliorate cultural tension and political discord …

Everyone’S A Critic: Processes Of Legitimation In The Video Essay Genre On Youtube, Kendall Nagi

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The rise of video essays as a popular genre on YouTube is a notable development in the media criticism and intellectual work in online spaces. Theorization on criticism as intellectual work and the performance of expertise and credibility is well developed within sociology (Alexander 2004; Jacobs & Townsley 2017) but esearch on YouTube specifically is quite limited within the social sciences. Most existing research on the video essay genre comes from media studies and communications scholarship (McWhirter 2022; Smarandache 2021; Sylvia & Moody 2022). This study seeks to understand how creators working in the video essay genre, and more specifically, …

Education And Religion In Shaping Support For Same-Sex Relations: Considering Differences Over Time And Across Geographical Areas, Amy Adamczyk, Ashely French

Publications and Research

Across the world, attitudes about same-sex relationships have become rapidly more supportive. While education is typically viewed as a liberalizing force, religious beliefs are often seen as restricting more tolerant perspectives and contributing to more conservative attitudes in general. Focusing on the United States this study examines the roles of religion and education, as individual and group properties, for understanding disapproval of same-sex relationships. Drawing on restricted information that makes it possible to identify where General Social Survey respondents lived, we find that graduating from college is associated with more support, but has less of an effect on Evangelicals and …

The Management Of Khon Performance For Foreign Audiences : A Case Study Of The Khon Performance At Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre, Haruna Suzuki

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This independent study explores the management strategies implemented at Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre to adapt the traditional Thai masked dance drama, Khon, for foreign audiences. Khon, recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, faces challenges in maintaining relevance amidst globalization and changing audience preferences. The primary objectives of this research were 1) To identify the methods and approaches used in Khon performances at Sala Chalermkrung for foreign audiences; 2) To investigate the management strategies implemented to balance cultural authenticity with accessibility; and 3) To explore the perceptions of theatre producers, performers, and artists regarding the effectiveness and cultural importance of …

The K-Pop Music Industry Strategy For The Development Of The T-Pop Music Industry For Chinese Audience: (A Case Of Gmm), Zenghui Shen

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The global success of K-pop has significantly influenced the development of T-pop, especially in terms of production model, artist training, visual aesthetics, and digital marketing strategies. However, despite K-pop's rapid global expansion, T-pop's growth, especially in the Chinese market, remains limited. This study explores how T-pop can borrow successful elements of K-pop's business model to enhance its appeal among young Thai Chinese. The study adopted a mixed methods approach, combining quantitative data obtained through an online questionnaire survey of 396 Chinese university students in Thailand and qualitative insights obtained through interviews with five music industry professionals. The results show that …

The School Of SharīʿA Judges: SharīʿA Courts’ Reform And Legal Modernization In Egypt (1907-1927), Yamen Nouh

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis studied the history of the school of sharīʿa judges (1907-1927) as an essential episode of the reform of Sharīʿa courts in Egypt in the early 20th century. The thesis studied the school in connection with the broader context of legal modernization of the Egyptian legal system. The study explored the institutional, pedagogical, and legal aspects of the reform that the school advocated. The study analyzed the impact of the school’s pedagogy on the practice of the Islamic judiciary and the theoretical conception of Sharīʿa. The study used a significant yet understudied historical source: the judicial press. A comparative …

‘Dr Br Ambedkar: Now & Then’ Uses Bahujan Lens To Highlight Stories Of Resistance, Ashna Singh

Popular Media

This is a review of Jyoti Nisha's film, ‘Dr BR Ambedkar: Now & Then’. It argues that the documentary reverses the Brahminical gaze at multiple levels by standing firmly rooted in a Dalit-Bahujan standpoint, neatly portraying Ambedkar as a civilising force in a deeply casteist society.

Pop And Indie: What Do They Mean And Why Does It Matter? Genre And Marketing From Within The Uk Music Scene, Maggie Malin

Faculty Curated Undergraduate Works

This paper aims to explore the evolution of “pop” and “indie” as words and as genres from within the London music scene, and to suggest the most appropriate or effective marketing techniques based on a standard understanding of each genre and its implications. For each of these genres, I establish two definitions: a semantic definition, based on the etymology of the word and the cultural implications of the genre’s origins and history, and a sonic definition, based on any overarching standards of how the genre’s music sounds. In defining each genre’s sound, its history and evolution are considered, as well …

Hating The Haters: Media, Polarisation And Class Conflict’ Media, Emotion, Society And Security Lightning Talks In Response To Dublin Riots, Edward Brennan

Conference Papers

This 5-minute ‘lightning talk’ considered public and media responses to the Dublin riots of 2023, highlighting how hatred towards far-right agitators and rioters permeated not only social media discourse but also broadsheet journalism and government statements. Using Fintan O’Toole’s commentary as a key example, Brennan critiques the moral framing that legitimises hatred against “the haters,” suggesting it mirrors a pre-democratic cultural logic wherein ideas are seen as autonomous, malevolent forces shaping society. This ‘secular superstition’ constitutes an anti-sociology that erases economic and class contexts, replacing them with aesthetic politics rooted in identity, branding and lifestyle logics. The paper warns that …

At Noon: (Post)Nihilistic Temporalities In The Age Of Machine-Learning Algorithms That Speak, Talha Issevenler

Publications and Research

This article recapitulates and develops the attempts in the Nietzschean traditions to address and overcome the proliferation of nihilism that Nietzsche predicted to unfold in the next 200 years (WP 2). Nietzsche approached nihilism not merely as a psychology but as a labyrinthic and pervasive historical process whereby the highest values of culture and founding assumptions of philosophical thought prevented the further flourishing of life. Therefore, he thought nihilism had to be encountered and experienced on many, often opposing, fronts to be fully consumed and left behind. Thus, just as Nietzsche captured the subtle reinventions of nihilism in new forms …

Assessing The Sustainable Development Dimensions Of Environmental Public Policies For Protected Natural Areas In Mexico: A 1970-2018 Perspective, Cielo María Ávila López, José Israel Herrera

Journal of Maya Heritage

Abstract: This abstract discusses the challenges and issues related to the implementation of Environmental Public Policies (EPP) for Protected Natural Areas (PNA) in Mexico from 1970 to 2018. EPPs aim to achieve sustainable development by balancing economic, environmental, and social dimensions while reconciling conservation and the use of natural resources with restrictions on their use and economic compensation to communities. However, the results of this study reveal that the establishment of PNA has been unilateral and without consensus, leading to limitations on communities' use of the environment without granting them economic compensation or productive alternatives. This has resulted in conflicts …

Undergraduate Experiences Of Black Women At Pwi Campuses, Nilsa Laine

Honors Projects in History, Literature, and the Arts

Black women in modern-day American society face various forms of oppression as a result of misogynoir, the disliking of or bias against black women. A smaller society of our modern societies is college campuses. Predominantly white institutions (PWIs) specifically have a structure that results in a unique yet universal cultural experience for Black women. This research will answer the question: are there commonalities between Black women in their undergraduate experiences at PWI campuses? Qualitative research will be conducted with methodology including archival research and interviews to collect data. Intersectionality theory, Invisibility theory, and Black feminist thought/theory will be used as …

Interviews In Global Catholicism: Dr. Petra Kuivala, Petra Kuivala

Journal of Global Catholicism

Interview with Dr. Petra Kuivala, University of Eastern Finland

Taking Dominion To End Dominion: The Mennonite Influence On The End Of Russian Serfdom, H. Michael Shultz Jr.

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Serfdom in Russia was abolished in 1861, only 76 years after the first Mennonites were invited into Russia by Catherine II. By examining the lifestyle of the Mennonites who settled in the agriculturally productive “New Russia” (modern-day Ukraine), as well as the impact that the Mennonites had on the Imperial family, peasantry, and government, it is evident that the Mennonites played a recognizable role in bringing about the abolition of serfdom across the empire.

2023 Diversity Climate Survey Report, Illinois Math And Science Academy

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Resources

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Kings, Conquerors, Psychopaths: From Alexander To Hitler To The Corporation, Tim Bakken

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

The book Kings, Conquerors, Psychopaths is a survey of a vast amount of human wrongdoing. It lays bare the motivations of aggressors who wish to subjugate nations or groups of people and corporate executives and government bureaucrats who make discretionary decisions that harm people. Along with cataloging mass killings by despots and soldiers, the book includes stories about Ponzi-schemers and the deaths of automobile drivers and passengers who were killed by vehicle defects known to the manufacturer. The book posits that “[p]owerful, elite forces are trying to force us backward toward a non-democratic state, one where power, wealth, and prerogative …

An Infamous Tradition: The Real Weight Behind The Confederate Flag In Sport, Connor M. Schmid, Jafrā D. Thomas

International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities

The Confederate Battle Flag is one of the most hotly contested pieces of iconography in the United States, and each opposing viewpoint brings with it a host of reasons, which its adherents feel are valid. The purpose of this essay was to use methods for a critical commentary to analyze polarized viewpoints reported on through mass media (e.g., news articles/videos), as part of a term paper to one undergraduate course on Sport, Media, and American Popular Culture (2021 Fall Quarter). The chosen case material, a 2015 news article titled “NASCAR Faces ‘Southern Thunder’ as Confederate Flags Fly at Daytona,” presented …

Exploring Alternative Approaches To Peace: Traditions, Beliefs And Memories In The Democratic Republic Of Congo, Yvon Muya Cimanga

Peace and Conflict Studies Journal Conference

The paper discusses alternative conflict resolution mechanisms that researchers, conflict management practitioners and policy makers could consider. In countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, political agreements reached in recent years to the sound of drums have continued to show their limits (Autesserre, 2006; Kibisswa, 2015). In addition to the ongoing wars, tensions remain high between some ethnic communities. How can these traditional peace agreements be strengthened, and sustainable peace fostered for the benefit of society as a whole? The research draws on the richness of social and cultural practices within Congolese communities and suggests original models of …

Challenges Of Accessibility Of A Community Heritage Tourist Route: The Route Of The Caste War, Cecilia S. Medina Martín, David E. Tamayo Torres, Margarita De A Navarro Favela, Fredi R. Un Noh

Journal of Maya Heritage

This article presents the results of an accessibility analysis of The Caste War Route (RGC), prior to its commercialization as a community heritage product. The analysis consists of a diagnosis of the resource to establish destination-planning strategies. The accessibility diagnosis goes beyond adapting physical spaces for transit, considering that the resource is accessible to all types of people, including economic, spatial and temporal accessibility, criteria on which the research focuses.

The diagnosis was prepared through a multidisciplinary investigation that collected information from different sectors with qualitative and quantitative tools that combined the recording of data and the opinion of the …