Sociology of Culture Commons^™

Female Genital Cutting In Somaliland: Baseline Assessment, Katy Newell-Jones

Reproductive Health

This report summarizes research findings into the prevalence and attitudes around female genital cutting (FGC) in 20 communities across five regions of Somaliland. There was a specific focus on young people, who accounted for 47 percent of the interviewees, and also on the role of schools in promoting abandonment of cutting. This research found that the prevalence of FGC in the five regions studied is 98.9 percent across all age groups in city, semi-city, and village communities. The findings indicate that decisionmaking in relation to FGC has less to do with having accurate knowledge, and more to do with the …

Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting In Kenya: Is Change Taking Place? Descriptive Statistics From Four Waves Of Demographic And Health Surveys, Bettina Shell-Duncan, David Gathara, Zhuzhi Moore

Reproductive Health

Nationally representative survey data on female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in Kenya are available from four waves of Demographic and Health Surveys. These survey data provide a rich and detailed picture of when, where, and how FGM/C has been carried out, and trends in changes in the practice. National prevalence data from successive waves of surveys show a steady decrease in the prevalence of FGM/C among women aged 15–49. While the data reported here are descriptive, they provide useful insights on the progress of FGM/C abandonment at national and subnational levels. These findings are useful for policymakers in steering discussions on …

Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting In Nigeria: A Scoping Review, Blessing U. Mberu

Reproductive Health

This report’s overarching objective is the examination of key trends in the evidence base of female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C) and gaps in knowledge for Nigeria, building on a scoping review of peer-reviewed and "grey" literature along with quantitative analysis of relevant data. What is clear from prevalence levels identified over the last 15 years is how widespread different types of FGM/C are, in Nigeria’s different ethno-geographical zones, and the little change that has taken place over time, despite increased international, and renewed national, political commitment to eradicate the practice. The findings show that much work remains to be …

Modeling And Mapping Of Girls' Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (Fgm/C) In The Context Of Economic, Social, And Regional Disparities: Kenya Demographic And Health Surveys 1998-2014, Ngianga-Bakwin Kandala, Damaris Kinyoki, Ahmed Sarki, David Gathara, Paul Komba, Bettina Shell-Duncan

Reproductive Health

The aim of this research study is analysis of successive household data for estimating and revealing trends, similarities, and differences in geographic patterns for the burden of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and related risk factors among girls ages 14 and younger in Kenya. This Evidence to End FGM/C study, from a coalition led by the Population Council, is intended to contribute to a deeper understanding of the recent burden of FGM/C among the girls within this very young age group, and to enhance knowledge of the geographic distribution of this practice over time. The report will inform current elimination efforts …

Rapid Evidence Assessment: Quality Of Studies Assessing Interventions To Support Fgm/C Abandonment, Tammary Esho, Jamlick Karumbi, Carolyne Njue

Reproductive Health

The last decade has seen increased focus and investment in interventions to eliminate female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), along with the need to accelerate its abandonment. The UK Department for International Development (DFID) commissioned the Evidence to End FGM/C: Research to Help Girls and Women Thrive project to: 1) assess the quality of studies that have evaluated different interventions for the prevention of FGM/C, and 2) describe the FGM/C interventions that were evaluated by high-quality studies. The quality of evidence on the effectiveness and impact of FGM/C interventions is generally moderate to low. In addition, few baseline surveys are conducted prior …

Chinese International Students In A Northwest University: Investigating Cultural Academic Learning And Teaching Preferences, Michael L. Bevis

Theses and Dissertations

As Chinese international students on American university campuses continue to rise, the importance of these institutions to accommodate the students in adapting to a different academic culture has become more critical. On a public, coeducational research university located in the Pacific Northwest, a concurrent triangulated mixed method research design was implemented to investigate cultural factors with preferred learning and teaching styles of Chinese international students along with what corroborative descriptions these students provide as effective learning experiences in American college classrooms.

The study brought attention to Chinese international students’ differing cultural values from the previous literature understanding, it supported previous …

A "Dying Breed"? Exploring Logger Identity After The Decline In The Timber Industry In Hayfork, Ca, Sheri L. Harrison

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The rapid decline of timber operations in the late twentieth century had an immense impact on rural communities whose economy was dependent on logging and lumber mills. The voices and concerns of timber-dependent communities and timber workers have been marginalized by broader forces that focused on political, economic, and environmental issues throughout the Pacific Northwest timber conflict and the subsequent deindustrialization of the timber industry. This study examines the social impacts on loggers, their families, and the broader community in Hayfork, California, through the framework of identity theory. The formation of logger identity and the broader processes that have impacted …

“My Lesbian Space Rock Show”: Representations Of Intersectional Identities In Steven Universe, Heather L. Clark

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This research is based on a content analysis of the meaning making in Steven Universe cartoon fandom forum threads, media message board comments, and online reviews posted between November 2013 (the show’s initial air date) and November 2016. My analysis examines the fan negotiations of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class from an intersectional feminist perspective. Unlike other qualitative analyses of cartoons that focus on researcher analysis of media messages, this research focuses on meaning making and identity formation among fans. I found that Steven Universe provides fans with opportunities for meaning making and validation, especially underrepresented populations. Fans negotiate …

Cultural Integration Of Urban Refugees Into Thai Society: A Case Study Of Pakistani Refugees In Bangkok, Seubboon Chaiyasit

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The study of Cultural Integration of Urban Refugees into Thai Society: a case study of Pakistani Refugees in Bangkok aims to identify the institutional factors that affects the cultural integration for Pakistani refugees into Thai society while temporarily residing in Thailand and examine the individual and community factors including Thai people attitude towards refugees that hinder or support the cultural integration of Pakistani refugees into Thai society. The research methodology is comprised of 1) The documentary research used as the fundamental information to understand the broad perspectives relevant to the urban refugee issues in Bangkok area including the information, policies …

Thai Massage And Commercial Sex Work: A Phenomenological Study, Elizabeth Monk-Turner, Charlie G. Turner

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Many researchers have suggested that commercial sex work in Thailand has gone into massage establishments. This paper explores how the experience of receiving massage in Thailand differs by four types of establishment (street front, massage schools, spas, and high-end resorts) and whether or not unsolicited sexual services are offered. The current study aims to expand our understanding of both massage and prostitution in Thailand and the relationship between these activities. In order to explore this research question, we utilize a phenomenological approach and aim to relate the essence of the massage experience and whether or not unsolicited sexual services were …

Professional And Personal Social Networking And Enhancement Of Social Capital In Young Adults, Maria Malu H. Roldan, Janejira Sutanonpaiboon, Richard Burkhard

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL SOCIAL NETWORKING AND ENHANCEMENT OF SOCIAL CAPITAL IN YOUNG ADULTS

ABSTRACT

This study compares the use of personal and professional social networking sites by young adults for social capital enhancing activities. The research is based on a survey of college-age adults (n=292) who were asked about their use of two social networking sites of contrasting architectures: the more interactive, social/personal\-oriented site Facebook, and the relatively less interactive, professional/business-oriented site LinkedIn. Data were analyzed to determine the relationships among demographic and technology experience factors, and respondents’ use of these sites for social capital enhancing activities. Findings suggest that …

“I Wonder What You Think Of Me”: A Qualitative Approach To Examining Stereotype Awareness In Appalachian Students, Chelsea G. Adams

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Historically, Appalachia has been stereotyped as being a culture bred in poverty and ignorance. Much research has shown that stereotyping reveals a pattern of behavioral change and an impact on psychological well-being for the stereotyped (e.g., Pinel, 1999; Woodcock, Jernandez, Estrada, & Schultz, 2012), and has largely been centered on race and gender (e.g., Byrnes, 2008; Tuckman & Monetti, 2011). Less is known about the development of culture-specific stereotypes such as those related to Appalachians – a highly stigmatized group (Daniels, 2014; Otto, 2002). The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of how adolescents in rural Appalachia …

Accounting For Taste In Irish Traditional Music, Eryn T. Wagnon

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Although it is self-evident that people care about music, we don’t know how they make sense of their taste in it. In this study, I will explore how individuals explain their taste in music. I will specifically be focusing on the genre of Irish traditional music (ITM). One way to explore how people account for their taste in this genre is through a qualitative content analysis of online comments. I hope to demonstrate the vocabulary of motives for music preference, by focusing on how individuals account for their taste in Irish traditional music online. Also, this study will help show …

Savannah's Ethnic Irish Neighborhoods In The Nineteenth Century: A Historical Multimethod Examination, Sarah A. Ryniker

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to identify residency patterns and neighborhoods for Savannah-Irish immigrants in the mid-nineteenth century. Using a multimethod approach, this thesis explores historical, social, and economic factors that influenced settlement patterns and cultivated the conditions for an Irish-American identity, particularly in two neighborhoods, Old Fort and Yamacraw. Guided by Yancey et al.’s (1976) emergent ethnicity theory, this study uses archival materials, as well as chi-square tests for association, and the 1860 Federal Census of Chatham County, Georgia, to geolocate Irish immigrants. With an emphasis on County Wexford, Ireland, the results suggest residency was associated with Irish …

Barbie Doesn't Have Bruises: Gendered Images Of Anxiety And Avoidant Attachment Relationships In Film, Claudia G. Chiang-Lopez

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

Viewers’ interpretations of romantic relationships portrayed between those with anxious and avoidant attachments can affect their opinions on what constitutes appropriate relationship behavior. I conducted a literature review on media impacts and offer an interpretation of the implications of the language used to describe characters, relationships and characters’ ends. The films studied - Sunset Boulevard, Sid and Nancy, and The Hustler - showed a pattern where in a relationship between an anxious and an avoidant character, the anxious character was punished, absorbed by their relationship, abandoned, trapped in their life, and cut off from the world. Viewers watch films to …

ปัจจัยที่ส่งผลต่อการตัดสินใจในการเลือกเรียนโขนนอกวิทยาลัยนาฏศิลป์ ในเขตกรุงเทพมหานคร, กันต์ จามรมาน

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การวิจัยครั้งนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อศึกษาปัจจัยในการเลือกเรียนโขนนอกวิทยาลัยนาฏศิลป์ในเขตกรุงเทพมหานคร โดยมีกลุ่มเป้าหมายเป็นนักเรียนที่เลือกเรียนโขนและศิลปะแขนงอื่น ๆ จำนวน 331 คน จากการสุ่มเลือกแบบเจาะจงกลุ่มจากโรงเรียนทั้งหมด 10 โรงเรียน โดยใช้รูปแบบการวิจัยเชิงสำรวจ มีแบบสอบถามและการสัมภาษณ์เป็นเครื่องมือในการเก็บรวบรวมข้อมูลจากกลุ่มตัวอย่าง ผ่านการวิเคราะห์ระดับปัจจัยที่ส่งผลต่อการตัดสินใจในการเลือกเรียนโขน ผลการวิจัยพบว่า 1) ปัจจัยที่ส่งผลต่อการตัดสินใจในการเลือกเรียนโขนนอกวิทยาลัยนาฏศิลป์ ในเขตกรุงเทพมหานคร ประกอบด้วยกลุ่มปัจจัย 7 กลุ่ม ได้แก่ (1) ประโยชน์ของนาฏศิลป์โขนที่มีต่อตนเอง (2) ความสามารถทางโขน (3) ความคุ้นเคยเกี่ยวกับโขน (4) ความสอดคล้องเหมาะสมต่อตนเอง (5) สิ่งตอบแทนจากภายนอก (6) ทัศนคติของคนรอบข้าง (7) อาจารย์ผู้สอนและสถาบัน 2) ปัจจัยภายนอก 3 ตัว คือ สิ่งตอบแทนภายนอก ทัศนคติของคนรอบข้าง และอาจารย์ผู้สอนและสถาบัน ได้ส่งอิทธิพลไปยังปัจจัยภายใน ได้แก่ ความคุ้นเคยเกี่ยวกับโขน ความสามารถทางโขน ความสอดคล้องเหมาะสมต่อตนเองและประโยชน์ของนาฏศิลป์โขนที่มีต่อตนเอง 3) ปัญหาและอุปสรรคในการเรียนโขนสำหรับผู้เรียนนอกวิทยาลัยนาฏศิลป์ ในเขตกรุงเทพมหานคร พบว่า (1) อาจารย์ผู้สอนและสถาบันเน้นที่การแสดงเป็นหลัก (2) โรงเรียนหรือสถาบันไม่มีอาจารย์ผู้สอนที่เป็นผู้เชี่ยวชาญด้านโขนโดยตรงหรือมีอาจารย์ผู้สอนไม่เพียงพอ (3) ขาดความต่อเนื่องสม่ำเสมอในการพัฒนาทักษะการแสดงโขน (4) โอกาสในการแสดงความสามารถมีน้อย (5) สถาบันขาดการยอมรับจากสังคมว่าเป็นสถาบันที่ดีมีคุณภาพ

Conflicted Commons: A Local Makerspace In The Neoliberal City, Caitlin Cunningham

Theses and Dissertations

The commodification of culture, space, and resources is incentivized by neoliberal urbanism. In response, we have seen an attempt to develop collectively organized, oppositional spaces within urban places. The tensions that arise when considering the production of commons in the development of the neoliberal city are the central focus of this paper. As I will observe, these spaces are subjected to commodification as they become increasingly de-politicized through neoliberal ideologies. In order to theorize about these contradictory elements, I observe a makerspace in Richmond, Virginia called HackRVA. Specifically, I consider HackRVA as an urban commons. Through in-depth interviews and participant …

Avoidance In Negative Ties: Inhibiting Closure, Reciprocity, And Homophily, Nicholas Harrigan, Janice Yap

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Theorising of negative ties has focused on simplex negative tie networks or multiplex signed tie networks. We examine the fundamental differences between positive and negative tie networks measured on the same set of actors. We test six mechanisms of tie formation on face-to-face positive (affect/esteem) and negative (dislike/disesteem) networks of 282 university students. While popularity, activity, and entrainment are present in both networks, closure, reciprocity, and homophily are largely absent from negative tie networks. We argue this arises because avoidance is inherent to negative sentiments. Avoidance reduces information transfer through negative ties and short-circuits cumulative causation. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. …

Back To Africa In The 21st Century: The Cultural Reconnection Experiences Of African American Women, Marcia Tate Arunga

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the lived experiences of 18 African American women who went to Kenya, East Africa as part of a Cultural Reconnection delegation. A qualitative narrative inquiry method was used for data collection. This was an optimal approach to honoring the authentic voices of African American women. Eighteen African American women shared their stories, revelations, feelings and thoughts on reconnecting in their ancestral homeland of Africa. The literature discussed includes diasporic returns as a subject of study, barriers to the return including the causes of historic trauma, and how Black women as culture bearers …

Desire And Fantasy Between Commercialism And Personal Room, Yukimi Otagiri

Theses and Dissertations

I apply two aspects of my life history to my art; my childhood experiences and my advanced studies in sociology. My work therefore combines a highly personal reading of my experiences of social interactions and my ongoing analysis of the nature of capitalism and socialism, commodification and media, especially in regard to the experiences of women in particular and consumers in general.