In this paper the author will try to discuss the experiences and narratives of three different categories of families living in Merdivenkoy, Fikirtepe, the oldest settlement and suburban area of the Anatolian side of ...In this paper the author will try to discuss the experiences and narratives of three different categories of families living in Merdivenkoy, Fikirtepe, the oldest settlement and suburban area of the Anatolian side of Istanbul, on the backdrop of urban transformation that will change the area soon. In life story narratives, these three examples give us information about the history, economic linkage, and life styles of neighboring families. The first category basically consists of the families that live in the area for a very long time, over some decades or more. Even one of them mentioned that, their family is living there for hundreds of years. The second category, which represents the biggest group living in the area, consists of families migrated from Sivas, a central Anatolian city, in the 1950s. Third category consist of Kurds migrated from eastern Anatolian villages and cities such as Mardin. Each category has different kinds of nostalgia about the past. Interviewees from the first category talk about family narratives related to the small village Merdivenk6y, Fikirtepe and the area. Mostly, they have a story of a ＂well off＂ family, structured and detailed narratives about the family history, including relations with the Ottoman Palace such as doing some sort of production for it. They seem very sensitive about the local cultural characteristics and what＇s going on in the area; realistic about and reconciled with what will happen as a result of slum clearance. Interviewees from the second category mostly emphasize the hardship of settling in a muddy suburban area, where once ＂muddy lands＂ now turned out to become valuable urban properties on which new and modem neighborhoods, shopping malls and office buildings will be built. They are expecting to get maximum gain out of the exchange of their small property, since they are desperately in need, because of the financial crisis situation. Although their houses with small gardens near the small industrial area are small, old, and neglected for years, they expect the most. Relatively newcomers, Kurdish people in the area talk about the good old days on the one hand and the painful stories about migration and settling on the other hand. They do not think about going back to their native lands, since here it is easier for them to find jobs in the informal economy as they live very close to central parts of the city. As a part of a larger research study focused on the experience of urban transformation, we made more than 50 interviews, trying to make a general outlook of the area, working on the dynamics of change before and after the urban transformation that had been started in June 2010. By using oral history research techniques and social science methodology, we conducted in-depth interviews with the people living in the neighborhood, made observations in the neighborhood and took photographs. The author＇s work is about the reflections of nostalgia in their family histories and experiences of different categories of families living in the area referring life story narratives. As far as the author can see in each group he works on, there are different contradictions related to their position in the city and conception of the area. The urban transformation presented and is perceived as a fortune for all of them, but it will have contradictory outcomes in reality for each as indicated in other examples in the world.展开更多
Hip-hop dance originated in the Black neighborhood of New York popular global youth cultures in an unprecedented fashion. As in the 1970s and developed as one of the most a global youth culture, it was introduced to C...Hip-hop dance originated in the Black neighborhood of New York popular global youth cultures in an unprecedented fashion. As in the 1970s and developed as one of the most a global youth culture, it was introduced to China's Mainland 30 years ago, underwent a series of rises and falls, and gradually transformed into a local scene under the influence of neighboring countries and regions. As hip-hop dance localizes in China, it has incorporated local ingredients such as Chinese traditional culture. Meanwhile, its function such as bodybuilding is also strengthened but the features such as competitiveness are weakened. The localization of hip-hop dance in China's Mainland reflects the globalization of the youth culture, which is featured by local hybridity, multicultural interactions, and conflicting interdependence with public media and commerce. This trend endows the global youth culture with a richer and more complex style and also shows that youth play an active part in generating the new forms and new styles of youth culture.展开更多
Numerous legends are known in Eurasia, in which one or more hunters are trying to get a stag, and then the hunters will find a new homeland, or establish a new cathedral at the location where the deer appeared earlier...Numerous legends are known in Eurasia, in which one or more hunters are trying to get a stag, and then the hunters will find a new homeland, or establish a new cathedral at the location where the deer appeared earlier. According to the structure of the legend, the Eastern legend type is more ancient. In its most archaic version the sole hero spots a doe, who later turns out to be the daughter of a king, later marrying the hero and then they found a new homeland where his people may reproduce. This totemic tradition of the origins can he seen in the Hungarian myths of origin, as well as in the oral ritual texts related to wedding ceremonies which connect Central Eurasia with Europe through the Hun origin myths. The doe appearing in the Eastern Legends is the symbol of the Sun and the ancestress of the culture hero＇s nation. And this symbolic role descends to the cultural heritage of the Christian era later in the person of Virgin Mary. The aim of the paper is to find whether there are any correspondences between the two branches and if there are, the sort is to be determined; furthermore, the purposes of the Hungarian legends are to be sought out about the Miracle Stag in possible relation to the deer legends on the two continents linked together by the Eurasian steppes.展开更多
Chinese Cultural Week Opens in Spain A cultural exchange event aimed at showcasing China's colorful culture opened on May 17 in Pozuelo de Alarcon,a city near the Spanish capital of Madrid.
As one of the representative contemporary Asian American poets, Li-Young Lee in his two poetry collections entitled Rose and The Cify in Which 1Love You, recuperates his fragmented family history of immigration, and r...As one of the representative contemporary Asian American poets, Li-Young Lee in his two poetry collections entitled Rose and The Cify in Which 1Love You, recuperates his fragmented family history of immigration, and reconstructs a dynamic relationship with remembrance of the past that writes about him and defines his sense of self. This paper from the multicultural perspective argues that understanding the past through understanding his godlike father, Lee not only negotiates the formation of his subjectivity and identity, but also establishes a spiritual origin and belonging not merely with his ethnic communities but with all the immigrants as well. The paper finds that the strategy he employs in his articulation of his self is marked by his excellent execution of poetic epiphany, and metonymic cannibalism.展开更多
This paper investigates social dimensions in the Libyan family and their relationship to the common practice of bribery. In Libya, bribery is most noticeable in administrative contexts where other practices such as fa...This paper investigates social dimensions in the Libyan family and their relationship to the common practice of bribery. In Libya, bribery is most noticeable in administrative contexts where other practices such as favouritism, fraud and forgery are also found. The paper aims to make an original contribution to knowledge in a little-researched area by examining social dimensions and cultural practices. The paper is based on the basic assumption that there is a relationship between accepting bribes and social dimensions surrounding the family in Libya and will thus also examine bribery as a social culture, by means of a set of variables such as gifts, promises, assistance and loans. The study took place in Benghazi, Libya, where the number of employees exceeded 200. The study was conducted using an interpretative epistemology and a quantitative method. Data were collected using quantitative research instruments and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences （SPSS） was used to analyse the data. The findings of the study suggest that there is a relationship between family relationships, social status and the commission of the crime of bribery except for variables of social status and cultural background, in addition to the social relationship＇s effect on administration.展开更多
Due to the advent of the 1994 democratic constitution particularly sections 32 and 33 which provide for every person＇s right to freedom of conscience, religion, belief and thought, and also to academic freedom Malawi...Due to the advent of the 1994 democratic constitution particularly sections 32 and 33 which provide for every person＇s right to freedom of conscience, religion, belief and thought, and also to academic freedom Malawi has significantly witnessed mushroom development of tribal organizations, aiming at preserving and protecting local religious beliefs and cultural practices. The Chewa Heritage Foundation （CHEFO） and the Muhlako wa Alhomwe （MWA） are among the well-known numerous ethnic organizations through which the traditional beliefs, cultural and religious practices enjoy significant respect from Chewa and Lhomwe people. Although the new Constitution has cleared a road for the establishment of these ethnic organizations, it seems activities of all ethnic associations are significantly promoting tribalism and nepotism, in addition to being used as campaign tools by political parties. This article intends to critically assess and evaluate the role and the impact of the Chewa Heritage Foundation and Muhlako wa Alhomwe on rule of law, govemance and culture in Malawi. The following question will guide the discussion： Why are the Chewa Heritage Foundation and Mulhako wa Alhomwe cultural associations while exercising their constitutional rights promoting tribalism, regionalism and nepotism and used as campaign machinery by both opposition and ruling political parties？ Its hypothesis is, in spite of preserving protecting cultural practices as guaranteed in constitution, tribal organizations need to be watchful so that they should not promote tribalism, nepotism and being used as campaign tools by crooked and opportunist politicians.展开更多
International culture communication is a new discipline which arouses people＇s attention and becomes more and more popular among the researchers from different countries. A comparative study of proxemics phenomenon b...International culture communication is a new discipline which arouses people＇s attention and becomes more and more popular among the researchers from different countries. A comparative study of proxemics phenomenon between China and America finds that those two countries have a great differences. American seems especially sensitive to their body spaces, and Chinese don＇t care much about it. In the book The Silence Language, Edward hall first uses the term proxemics, and he has given a detailed analysis of proxemics. Proxemics is the study of spatial distances between individuals in different cultures and situations. Cultural factors for proxemics has a great influence, and the factors such as gender and religion also has a profound significance on proximics. This thesis will mainly analyze this phenomenon in the way of the definition and theory ofproximics, especially, the ways how people deal with the international culture situation. In order to improve the readers cultural accomplishment and ability to communicate, prevent the errors in the protocol, this paper will further explain how to solve these cross-cultural problems in cross-cultural context, especially for Chinese learners. With some fresh insights into international culture communication research, hopefully the readers may benefit from this paper and communicate with foreign people in a better way.展开更多
The broad objective of this study was to establish the moderating effect of corporate culture on the relationship between intellectual capital and organizational performance of firms listed on Nairobi Securities Excha...The broad objective of this study was to establish the moderating effect of corporate culture on the relationship between intellectual capital and organizational performance of firms listed on Nairobi Securities Exchange. The review of literature provided conceptual and empirical gaps that formed the basis of the conceptual hypotheses. Two hypotheses were deduced from general objective： Intellectual capital has a significant influence on corporate performance; corporate culture moderates the relationship between intellectual capital and corporate performance. A cross-section research design was adopted. A survey questionnaire was the main tool of data collection and was distributed to the 50 heads of human resource departments in the different firms＇ period covering four financial years from 2009 to 2012. The study also utilized secondary data obtained from Capital Market Authority Statistical bulletins and Nairobi Securities Exchange Handbook 2012-2013 to collect data on financial performance （ROA, ROE, and Dividend Yield）. Data were tested for reliability results showing that study dimensions were reliable, apart from task-oriented culture that had a Cronbach alpha of 0.262, thus being not considered for further analysis; thus the study relied on employee-oriented culture as a measure of corporate culture. The hypotheses were tested using multiple regression analysis and hierarchical regression respectively. Multiple regression analysis showed that intellectual capital had a significant influence on non-financial performance and no significant influence on financial measures of performance （ROA, ROE, and Dividend Yield）. Test for moderation showed that the interaction term was not significant and thus, employee-oriented culture did not moderate the relationship between intellectual capital and corporate performance. The study demonstrates importance of the influence of intellectual capital on non-financial performance of firms listed on Nairobi Securities Exchange. The results show that interplay among human capital, social capital, and organization capital is important for firms listed on Nairobi Securities Exchange and that the firms should nurture the employees into sharing their knowledge by creating internal and external networks and also creating support system within the organization to retain the knowledge.展开更多
China＇s pre-modern legal system enjoyed a continuous history of more than four thousand years. In the course of this long process, it developed distinctive legal traditions, including a tradition that prioritized agr...China＇s pre-modern legal system enjoyed a continuous history of more than four thousand years. In the course of this long process, it developed distinctive legal traditions, including a tradition that prioritized agriculture, a stress on criminal law at the expense of civil law, an ethical orientation that stressed the five Confucian relationships, an approach to the legal traditions of different ethnic groups that embraced diversity in unity, and a Confucianized legal system based on virtue and ritual. These legal traditions were all based on the accretion of a deep-rooted legal culture which embodied the wisdom and creativity of the Chinese people. At the same time, they bore the stamp of China＇s national conditions： an economic structure dominated by agriculture, an autocratic political system, a multi-ethnic national structure, the preeminent position of Confucian thought, the uneven development of politics, culture and the economy, etc.展开更多
The article examines history of diplomatic relations Poland and People＇s Republic of China, starting from official recognition of Chinese People＇s Republic of China on 7 October 1949, through worsening of cooperatio...The article examines history of diplomatic relations Poland and People＇s Republic of China, starting from official recognition of Chinese People＇s Republic of China on 7 October 1949, through worsening of cooperation between both countries in the sixties and isolation of China during Cultural Revolution in particular （1966-1976）, till present day. The article discusses Polish-Chinese relations on many basis; political, economical（ examples of mutual agreements and functioning polish-Chinese enterprises） , cultural, educational and social. What the article does emphasize, is the growing importance of China on international arena and necessity for Poland to become more engaged in relations with this country.展开更多
文摘In this paper the author will try to discuss the experiences and narratives of three different categories of families living in Merdivenkoy, Fikirtepe, the oldest settlement and suburban area of the Anatolian side of Istanbul, on the backdrop of urban transformation that will change the area soon. In life story narratives, these three examples give us information about the history, economic linkage, and life styles of neighboring families. The first category basically consists of the families that live in the area for a very long time, over some decades or more. Even one of them mentioned that, their family is living there for hundreds of years. The second category, which represents the biggest group living in the area, consists of families migrated from Sivas, a central Anatolian city, in the 1950s. Third category consist of Kurds migrated from eastern Anatolian villages and cities such as Mardin. Each category has different kinds of nostalgia about the past. Interviewees from the first category talk about family narratives related to the small village Merdivenk6y, Fikirtepe and the area. Mostly, they have a story of a ＂well off＂ family, structured and detailed narratives about the family history, including relations with the Ottoman Palace such as doing some sort of production for it. They seem very sensitive about the local cultural characteristics and what＇s going on in the area; realistic about and reconciled with what will happen as a result of slum clearance. Interviewees from the second category mostly emphasize the hardship of settling in a muddy suburban area, where once ＂muddy lands＂ now turned out to become valuable urban properties on which new and modem neighborhoods, shopping malls and office buildings will be built. They are expecting to get maximum gain out of the exchange of their small property, since they are desperately in need, because of the financial crisis situation. Although their houses with small gardens near the small industrial area are small, old, and neglected for years, they expect the most. Relatively newcomers, Kurdish people in the area talk about the good old days on the one hand and the painful stories about migration and settling on the other hand. They do not think about going back to their native lands, since here it is easier for them to find jobs in the informal economy as they live very close to central parts of the city. As a part of a larger research study focused on the experience of urban transformation, we made more than 50 interviews, trying to make a general outlook of the area, working on the dynamics of change before and after the urban transformation that had been started in June 2010. By using oral history research techniques and social science methodology, we conducted in-depth interviews with the people living in the neighborhood, made observations in the neighborhood and took photographs. The author＇s work is about the reflections of nostalgia in their family histories and experiences of different categories of families living in the area referring life story narratives. As far as the author can see in each group he works on, there are different contradictions related to their position in the city and conception of the area. The urban transformation presented and is perceived as a fortune for all of them, but it will have contradictory outcomes in reality for each as indicated in other examples in the world.
文摘Hip-hop dance originated in the Black neighborhood of New York popular global youth cultures in an unprecedented fashion. As in the 1970s and developed as one of the most a global youth culture, it was introduced to China's Mainland 30 years ago, underwent a series of rises and falls, and gradually transformed into a local scene under the influence of neighboring countries and regions. As hip-hop dance localizes in China, it has incorporated local ingredients such as Chinese traditional culture. Meanwhile, its function such as bodybuilding is also strengthened but the features such as competitiveness are weakened. The localization of hip-hop dance in China's Mainland reflects the globalization of the youth culture, which is featured by local hybridity, multicultural interactions, and conflicting interdependence with public media and commerce. This trend endows the global youth culture with a richer and more complex style and also shows that youth play an active part in generating the new forms and new styles of youth culture.
文摘Numerous legends are known in Eurasia, in which one or more hunters are trying to get a stag, and then the hunters will find a new homeland, or establish a new cathedral at the location where the deer appeared earlier. According to the structure of the legend, the Eastern legend type is more ancient. In its most archaic version the sole hero spots a doe, who later turns out to be the daughter of a king, later marrying the hero and then they found a new homeland where his people may reproduce. This totemic tradition of the origins can he seen in the Hungarian myths of origin, as well as in the oral ritual texts related to wedding ceremonies which connect Central Eurasia with Europe through the Hun origin myths. The doe appearing in the Eastern Legends is the symbol of the Sun and the ancestress of the culture hero＇s nation. And this symbolic role descends to the cultural heritage of the Christian era later in the person of Virgin Mary. The aim of the paper is to find whether there are any correspondences between the two branches and if there are, the sort is to be determined; furthermore, the purposes of the Hungarian legends are to be sought out about the Miracle Stag in possible relation to the deer legends on the two continents linked together by the Eurasian steppes.
文摘Chinese Cultural Week Opens in Spain A cultural exchange event aimed at showcasing China's colorful culture opened on May 17 in Pozuelo de Alarcon,a city near the Spanish capital of Madrid.
文摘As one of the representative contemporary Asian American poets, Li-Young Lee in his two poetry collections entitled Rose and The Cify in Which 1Love You, recuperates his fragmented family history of immigration, and reconstructs a dynamic relationship with remembrance of the past that writes about him and defines his sense of self. This paper from the multicultural perspective argues that understanding the past through understanding his godlike father, Lee not only negotiates the formation of his subjectivity and identity, but also establishes a spiritual origin and belonging not merely with his ethnic communities but with all the immigrants as well. The paper finds that the strategy he employs in his articulation of his self is marked by his excellent execution of poetic epiphany, and metonymic cannibalism.
文摘This paper investigates social dimensions in the Libyan family and their relationship to the common practice of bribery. In Libya, bribery is most noticeable in administrative contexts where other practices such as favouritism, fraud and forgery are also found. The paper aims to make an original contribution to knowledge in a little-researched area by examining social dimensions and cultural practices. The paper is based on the basic assumption that there is a relationship between accepting bribes and social dimensions surrounding the family in Libya and will thus also examine bribery as a social culture, by means of a set of variables such as gifts, promises, assistance and loans. The study took place in Benghazi, Libya, where the number of employees exceeded 200. The study was conducted using an interpretative epistemology and a quantitative method. Data were collected using quantitative research instruments and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences （SPSS） was used to analyse the data. The findings of the study suggest that there is a relationship between family relationships, social status and the commission of the crime of bribery except for variables of social status and cultural background, in addition to the social relationship＇s effect on administration.
文摘Due to the advent of the 1994 democratic constitution particularly sections 32 and 33 which provide for every person＇s right to freedom of conscience, religion, belief and thought, and also to academic freedom Malawi has significantly witnessed mushroom development of tribal organizations, aiming at preserving and protecting local religious beliefs and cultural practices. The Chewa Heritage Foundation （CHEFO） and the Muhlako wa Alhomwe （MWA） are among the well-known numerous ethnic organizations through which the traditional beliefs, cultural and religious practices enjoy significant respect from Chewa and Lhomwe people. Although the new Constitution has cleared a road for the establishment of these ethnic organizations, it seems activities of all ethnic associations are significantly promoting tribalism and nepotism, in addition to being used as campaign tools by political parties. This article intends to critically assess and evaluate the role and the impact of the Chewa Heritage Foundation and Muhlako wa Alhomwe on rule of law, govemance and culture in Malawi. The following question will guide the discussion： Why are the Chewa Heritage Foundation and Mulhako wa Alhomwe cultural associations while exercising their constitutional rights promoting tribalism, regionalism and nepotism and used as campaign machinery by both opposition and ruling political parties？ Its hypothesis is, in spite of preserving protecting cultural practices as guaranteed in constitution, tribal organizations need to be watchful so that they should not promote tribalism, nepotism and being used as campaign tools by crooked and opportunist politicians.
文摘International culture communication is a new discipline which arouses people＇s attention and becomes more and more popular among the researchers from different countries. A comparative study of proxemics phenomenon between China and America finds that those two countries have a great differences. American seems especially sensitive to their body spaces, and Chinese don＇t care much about it. In the book The Silence Language, Edward hall first uses the term proxemics, and he has given a detailed analysis of proxemics. Proxemics is the study of spatial distances between individuals in different cultures and situations. Cultural factors for proxemics has a great influence, and the factors such as gender and religion also has a profound significance on proximics. This thesis will mainly analyze this phenomenon in the way of the definition and theory ofproximics, especially, the ways how people deal with the international culture situation. In order to improve the readers cultural accomplishment and ability to communicate, prevent the errors in the protocol, this paper will further explain how to solve these cross-cultural problems in cross-cultural context, especially for Chinese learners. With some fresh insights into international culture communication research, hopefully the readers may benefit from this paper and communicate with foreign people in a better way.
文摘The broad objective of this study was to establish the moderating effect of corporate culture on the relationship between intellectual capital and organizational performance of firms listed on Nairobi Securities Exchange. The review of literature provided conceptual and empirical gaps that formed the basis of the conceptual hypotheses. Two hypotheses were deduced from general objective： Intellectual capital has a significant influence on corporate performance; corporate culture moderates the relationship between intellectual capital and corporate performance. A cross-section research design was adopted. A survey questionnaire was the main tool of data collection and was distributed to the 50 heads of human resource departments in the different firms＇ period covering four financial years from 2009 to 2012. The study also utilized secondary data obtained from Capital Market Authority Statistical bulletins and Nairobi Securities Exchange Handbook 2012-2013 to collect data on financial performance （ROA, ROE, and Dividend Yield）. Data were tested for reliability results showing that study dimensions were reliable, apart from task-oriented culture that had a Cronbach alpha of 0.262, thus being not considered for further analysis; thus the study relied on employee-oriented culture as a measure of corporate culture. The hypotheses were tested using multiple regression analysis and hierarchical regression respectively. Multiple regression analysis showed that intellectual capital had a significant influence on non-financial performance and no significant influence on financial measures of performance （ROA, ROE, and Dividend Yield）. Test for moderation showed that the interaction term was not significant and thus, employee-oriented culture did not moderate the relationship between intellectual capital and corporate performance. The study demonstrates importance of the influence of intellectual capital on non-financial performance of firms listed on Nairobi Securities Exchange. The results show that interplay among human capital, social capital, and organization capital is important for firms listed on Nairobi Securities Exchange and that the firms should nurture the employees into sharing their knowledge by creating internal and external networks and also creating support system within the organization to retain the knowledge.
文摘China＇s pre-modern legal system enjoyed a continuous history of more than four thousand years. In the course of this long process, it developed distinctive legal traditions, including a tradition that prioritized agriculture, a stress on criminal law at the expense of civil law, an ethical orientation that stressed the five Confucian relationships, an approach to the legal traditions of different ethnic groups that embraced diversity in unity, and a Confucianized legal system based on virtue and ritual. These legal traditions were all based on the accretion of a deep-rooted legal culture which embodied the wisdom and creativity of the Chinese people. At the same time, they bore the stamp of China＇s national conditions： an economic structure dominated by agriculture, an autocratic political system, a multi-ethnic national structure, the preeminent position of Confucian thought, the uneven development of politics, culture and the economy, etc.
文摘The article examines history of diplomatic relations Poland and People＇s Republic of China, starting from official recognition of Chinese People＇s Republic of China on 7 October 1949, through worsening of cooperation between both countries in the sixties and isolation of China during Cultural Revolution in particular （1966-1976）, till present day. The article discusses Polish-Chinese relations on many basis; political, economical（ examples of mutual agreements and functioning polish-Chinese enterprises） , cultural, educational and social. What the article does emphasize, is the growing importance of China on international arena and necessity for Poland to become more engaged in relations with this country.
