Changes in Agricultural System as Farmers Adapt to Economic-Social and Climatic Changes in the Min Upriver Rural Areas in Western Sichuan,Southwestern China

Rapid economic growth in China has brought about great economic-social changes in rural areas, having considerable impact on the society in economy and environment. With a per capita possession of about 0.08 ha of cropland, Chinese farmers in rural areas adopt various ways in response to these changes in a bit to maintain their livelihood, wherein the agricultural system is facing one more options possible. To understand how rural communities have used different mechanisms to adapt to the economic and natural changes, we joined a survey in dry valleys of the Min upriver area under Maoxian county of western Sichuan province, southwestern China and visited the local people. Changes in the main crop cultivation have shown up an important means to keep up their household income. Farm households start seeking economic growth through diversified cultivating of cereal and economic crops in five lines, namely cereal, apple monoculture, apple and vegetables, plum and vegetables, mixed fruits and vegetables. These new lines mirror farmers' flexibility to cope with today's economic-social and climatic changes. The farming operation has changed all the more from a subsistence on grain to special agricultural products. Economic reforms in the early 1980 s motivated theprogress first in conversion of production from grain to fruits, and the desire to increase family income turned out to be an impetus for the subsequent events. At present, more farmers moving out of the rural areas, uneasy availability of labor force, increased opportunity cost of labors and their wages, increased farm size, and the urgent demand for the agricultural labor force, all these combine into the trend of the agricultural system of China on facing further economic-social reforms and reconstruction of the countryside across China.

The Shed People in the Qing Dynasty and Social Changes in Northwest Jiangxi Province

The shed people began to have a presence before the Qing Dynasty.Since the Qing Dynasty,the number of shed people in northwest Jiangxi has increased sharply,which has triggered a series of social problems.This paper delves into the evolution of the relations between the indigenous people and migrant people in northwest Jiangxi after the migration of the shed people.Then,it probes into the changes in state policies resulted from the migration of the shed people and the social and economic changes generated by those policy changes.

The Influence of the Changes in Social Trends of Thought in Japan

The social trend of thought is the trend of thought that is of extensive influence formed in a certain period of time in a given society. It o-riginates from the changes in international environment and domestic social situation, reflecting the interests and demands of a given group of people and producing a great influence on the foreign and domestic policies and the future trend of the society. One prominent feature of

Three Development Stages for the Tibetan Family and Tibet's Modernization——A Survey of Social Changes in Tibet in Last 50 Years

I Since 1990, as a person in charge of key research projects of the China Tibetology Research Center, I have had opportunities almost every year to conduct field surveys on anthropology in Tibet together with my colleagues. Our investigations focus on the family. The purpose of our surveys is to see social changes in Tibet during the 50 years after the Democratic Reform through the study of the family as a social cell.

Identifying the Cultural Shifts and Societal Changes That Facilitated the Rise in Box Office Performance of Chinese Women’s Cinema in the 21st Century

With the gradual improvement of Chinese women’s status in the 21st century,gender studies and gender relations have become one of the hottest topics in Chinese society,which consequently prompted Chinese Women’s Cinema to attract the attention of larger audiences.With regard to the box office performance of Chinese Women’s Cinema,there seems to be a gap in research in finding an association between women’s status and the relevant films’box office performance.The purpose of this research is to outline the underlying reasons for the changes in gender roles and gender representation in the Chinese film industry over the past few decades in order to better understand this expansive social change in the 21st century.This study provides a comprehensive analysis through the use of questionnaires to better understand society’s attitude towards gender representation within the film industry.The questionnaire findings indicate that there is a direct correlation between people’s awareness of women’s changing status and gender equality and their acceptance of materials produced by Chinese Women’s Cinema.At the some time,it highlights that the Chinese government’s support and initiatives for gender equality have had a significant impact on the general popularity of Chinese Women’s Cinema.The significance of this research is to effectively popularize Chinese Women’s Cinema culture and the box office growth by understanding the social attitude towards gender representation in the Chinese film industry and to provide relevant information about the development direction and trend of Chinese Women’s Cinema.Furthermore,this research aims to provide foundational support for gender equality and help to understand the underlying factors that society needs to promote gender equality.

State,Communal,and Individual Identities in Iran

Cultural identity in Iran is comprised of four primary elements,each of which have proven to be highly resonant in the country political history.The vexing issue of modernity,and where individuals and collectivities are placed in relation to it,has been one of the most prominent of these elements of Iranian identity.A second constitutive factor has been the role of the state as a deliberate crafter of cultural,in turn directly influencing the salience,interpretation,extent,and direction of modernity,or its antithesis,in Iran.Equally defining has been the role and significance of religion,which has emerged as a marker of individual and collective,as well as political,identities.Nationalism,and its compelling impulse across Iranian society especially from the early 1900s and continuing until today,has also emerged as an integral and inseparable feature of Iranian identity.Together,these four elements―modernity,a culturally intrusive state,religion and religiosity,and nationalism―constitute fluid yet constant,sometimes complementary and sometimes competing,dimensions of Iranian identity.

The higher grain production, the more social deprivation? A case study of Henan province in traditional agricultural areas of China

This paper examines the spatial-temporal dynamics of inequality from the perspective of social deprivation in the context of continuous growth of grain production using national census data from 2000 and 2010 for Henan province,China.Our analytical results show an overall level of social deprivation that is high and a widening social deprivation gap at the county level.The social deprivation shows great spatiotemporal heterogeneity,the higher deprived counties are mainly distributed in central and eastern Henan province,while counties with lower social deprivation are clustered in northwestern regions,formed a belt-shape spatial differential between the south(higher deprived counties clustered)and northwest(low deprived counties clustered)Henan in 2000,and changed toward a core-periphery semi annular spatial structure in 2010,the low deprived counties surrounded by high deprived counties.The social deprivation shows a"west low and east high"spatial pattern,similar to the grain production in Henan province.Socioeconomic development level was low in most counties in Yudong plain despite of keeping the continuous increase of grain production,meaning the higher grain output did not result in the more social development expected in Chinese traditional agricultural areas,and the regional disparity is expected to increase in the near future if development conditions are not changed,which could inspire more targeted rural governance options.

Theatre Arts as Social Marketing Application Tool： Sustainable Development Approach to Diffuse the Environmental Message to Teenagers in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Often, the word ＂community＂ and ＂sustainability＂ are interlinked in 21st century development approaches. Most development communicators have focused on top-down communication strategies and used various means to diffuse the message to the target community. However, with the change in media landscape today, the challenge is how to select the ＂right＂ communication application to foster the behavioral and cognitive sustainable changes in their own community. This research aims to investigate theatrical performance as sustainable communicative means demonstrating environmental issues and the concepts of sustainable development among high school students and Chiang Mai University students. With the application of ＂Devised Theatre＂, the process provides a space to investigate the attributes, characteristics and development of community theatre on how it reflects the concept of communication for social change. The research, therefore, examines the outcome of this creative social application tool and utilizes Practice as Research （PAR） a research methodology. The result will reveal the following： （1） how dramatic arts can be an effective means of social marketing to raise ＂awareness＂ on environmental issues; （2） how the performance raises environmental awareness in not only physical and psychological phases, but also spiritual dimension as a learning process among the participants, and （3） the sustainability of theatrical social application tool in which the participants of devised theatre project （devisees） can become the devisors in order to form new generation of the devisees--the teenage audience.

Believers for Social Change： Bridging the Secular Religious Divide in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Faith can serve as a source of social change and can bring different groups around common ideas and the common good. Its role can be formal through official faith institutions and informal through the work of individuals who are engaged in civil society organizations. Faith has driven activists in Bosnia and Herzegovina （Bill） to work on bridging and linking believers from various religious traditions, but also non-believers who share similar ideas and concerns for the social wellbeing in their communities. The paper discusses the secular-religious divide through faith-based activism in Bill and how ＂relational dialogism＂ can help in overcoming these divisions. The International Minimum Inhibitory Concentration （IMIC） Initiative ＂Three Monotheistic Voices＂ and TPO＇s initiative ＂A Weltethos in School＂ can serve as examples of how faith-based activists use religious arguments in secular non-governmental settings to pursue dialogue, peace and social change in their communities. Both initiatives gather scholars and practitioners of varying ethnic, religious and non-religious identities from the Balkans. Some of the activists are laity and theologians, while some are scholars and activists who recognize the power of religion to translate ideas of peace, dialogue and development into social and political life.

Confessional Radio Stations and Social Communication for Political Change in Africa

The role of religious groups in the political field has arised in Africa in 1990s and despite being less visible it is still active. In fact, this is the climax of a very old process in Africa. Religion always participates in politics and vice versa. It is therefore not surprising that religious groups take into account political preoccupations in their communication processes. Sometimes they get involved in political debates, particularly when the questions reveal very important choices for the Nation, as it was the case in 1960s and 1990s. But mostly, they get involved in the social field which is, for them, the key to have one foot in political field. However, beyond these considerations, this paper intends to show how the use of media by religious institutions is closely related to their understanding of the relationship between the religion as an institution, and the society.

Centering Marginalized Voices： The Study of Community Radio in India as an Agent of Social Change

Community Radio is a medium which the different threads mingle together brings different social threads together and weaves a vibrant fabric where all without compromising their original composition. Freedom of speech and expression is the cornerstone of this medium. In India, Community Radio started its journey in 2004, with the purpose of bringing different sections of the society together so that they can share their experiences, fears, and ambition. Social intervention has been one of the primary agenda Community Radio. Through various awareness-raising programs, it aims to bring positive social change in the lives of people residing around its transmission zone. It also aims to include different sub-sections of its community who are often excluded from the mainstream media.

Relationship between HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT) Awareness and HCT Uptake among Young People in Nigeria: Implications for Social Change

This study examined the relationship between HIV counselling and testing (HCT) awareness and HCT uptake among young people in Nigeria and their implications for social change. The study is a quantitative research guided by one research question and one hypothesis. The target population comprised young people in Nigeria ages 15 to 24 years because the focus of this study was to identify the factors affecting HCT uptake among young people in this age cohort. The representative sample was obtained from the updated master sample frame of rural and urban zones developed by the National Population Commission in Nigeria. This master sample frame was a national survey that comprised all 36 states in Nigeria. Probability sampling technique was used to obtain a sample of 10,091 respondents (ages 15 to 24 years) for the study. The multistage cluster sampling was used to select suitable young people with known probability. Data were collected throughout Nigeria between September and December 2012 from 32,543 households (rural = 22,192;urban = 10,351) using structured and semi-structured questionnaires. The individual questionnaires asked about household characteristics, background characteristics of the respondents. Data were analyzed by inputting them into SPSS v21.0 for analysis and then coded them for each participant. The data were summed using descriptive statistics. Frequencies and percentages;measures of central tendencies were used to answer the research question while nonparametric tests such as chi-square were used to analyze non-normally distributed data at 0.5 level of significance. The results of the chi-square test of association between HCT awareness and HCT uptake showed that there was a statistically significant relationship between HCT awareness and HCT uptake among young people ages 15 to 24 years in Nigeria, X2 (1, n = 8916) = 306.66, p < 0.001. In other words, knowledge of the availability of HCT services may have influenced the possibility that the participants would use them. Among others, it was recommended that government should examine the efficacy of HCT treatments in Nigeria, along with conducting a demographic analysis of the at-risk population.

Laboratory Life:Twenty Years of Experimental Research with Locals and New Comers in Remote Rural Areas

Through the Latour concept of philosophy of science of laboratory life,the life course of a(geo)ethnographer researcher is analyzed,in order to establish the emotional or more personal dimensions that do not usually appear in research papers,but that have notable relevance in qualitative research.The text is structured in three large parts:A conceptual vision of the new experimental geography;the experimental geo-ethnography in old social,new social and place scenarios;and finally,the most personal and emotional dimension of the research.The first part establishes the geo-ethnographic experimental context and the assumptions in fieldwork,in addition to the geo-ethnographic reconciliation process.In the second part,the main qualitative research problems related to mobility,resistance and dynamics in place are established.Finally,in the third part the research perceptions,the personal experiences,and the emotional dimension of the research in remote rural areas are established.The laboratory life of a researcher,allows one to establish scalar conclusions and rigor in qualitative research.

Sustainable Development, Partnership for the Future

The issue of development as an urgent question is facing future challenges and is recognized along side with the efforts made to promote qualitative changes, aiming at the adaptation, activation, organization, and optimum use of efforts, capacities, and available potentials. So much is said about development, its characteristics, and related considerations. However, main features remain to show in this contest. These include objective participation of society, the endeavor towards adapting the features of advanced societies, together with observing social, economical and environmental specifications, and the changes which aim to fulfill essential needs, together with observing issues emanating from social changes.

Is Tourism the (Only) Best “Choice” for Community Rehabilitation and Development?

Economic conditions,societies,and current changes make many communities in Thailand face changes in occupation and life,especially suburban communities which face loneliness and sluggishness.With this problem,renovation and development of communities ensue.Many communities have changed their image to be the“tourism community”,the result of which is generally perceived as either failure or success.According to this phenomenon,the author would like to present a story through a case study of Pak Nam Prasae Community,Klaeng District,Rayong Province.The author had an opportunity to conduct a participatory action research with collaboration for the main objectives which are to support knowledge body that leads the community out of loneliness and sluggishness and to create tourism activities.Nowadays,this community has become a popular tourist attraction,which is promoted as part of the national tourism by Tourism Authority of Thailand.The author would like to present both sides of the development through the tool called“tourism”which was employed by the community as a new approach to maintain,renovate,and develop the community.Even though in the initial stage,promotion and support from the external network were important,the most important thing is the cost of community in certain aspects that support the community to insist,improve,and connect to new networks by itself.On the other hand,the community will have to face with new different issues and challenges,especially in terms of management and share of benefit gained from using the local resources to develop the tourism in the community.According to these two pieces of information,after all,whether“tourism”is the best tool for development is an important issue that the community has to consider.

The Socio-Economic and Political Structure of the Peasantry in the Tanzimat Reform Era

Modernization occurs through societies adopting and sustaining reforms that have socio-economic and political implications for individuals of that society. It is impossible for reforms that are ineffective on economic and political lives of large social classes, and that even have negative effects on such lives to achieve a social basis. During the Tanzimat era, although the Ottoman society lacked land ownership, small farmers and agricultural labourers who earned their living from the land served the elite class. In other words, the peasantry was the backbone of the Ottoman society. In this paper, the changes of the socio-economic and political structure of the peasantry were investigated during the modernization of the Tanzimat era during 1839-1876. The research was based on descriptive methods consisting of literature and archive reviews. As a result, although the Tanzimat era has modern civilization characteristics, there were no positive effects on social-economic and political conditions of the peasantry and moreover, the conditions for the peasantry greatly worsened.

From "State and Society" to "Institutions and Life" :A Shift in the Study of Social Change in China

The term ＂institutions and life＂ is proposed as an alternative perspective to ＂state and society.＂ Here, ＂institutions＂ refers to formal institutions set up in the name of the state and supporting its agents at various levels and in different departments in the exercise of their functions. ＂Life＂ refers to the everyday activities of social beings, involving not only the interests, powers and rights-based claims of expedient production and life strategies and techniques, but also relatively routine popular mores and informal institutions. The purpose of constructing and applying this perspective is to probe the complex mechanism of the interaction between living subjects and the agents of formal institutions in institutional practice and thereby analyze the actual logic and changing direction of China＇s formal institutions and explore the mechanisms behind changes in mores so as to grasp the main thread running through China＇s modem nation building.

The Constitutional Consciousness of Chinese Citizens over 60 Years of Social Change

Constitutional consciousness is a general term for citizens＇ knowledge, opinions, ideas and thinking about the Constitution. It not only drives the implementation of the Constitution and the development of democratic politics and the rule of law, but also serves as an indicator for the extent of the rule of law. In the course of social change, constitutional consciousness constitutes an inner spiritual force within the constitutional order. It is a force for change in itself, especially as ＂a cultural soft power＂ that remolds normative judgments and value bases. A stable and mature constitutional consciousness provides a foundation for the benign operation of social change. Over the past 60 years, the development of Chinese society has followed a tortuous path, but due to citizens＇ constitutional consciousness the 1954 and 1982 Constitutions were always vehicles and forces for social cohesion and harmony. The way to improve supervision of constitutional implementation is to truly make rule of law thinking centered on constitutional consciousness into the basic value consensus of citizens and different groups at the level of the nation, the government and society. Adhering to the concept of the supremacy of the Constitution and exploring ways and means of adopting a more reasonable, pragmatic and open approach to its implementation will provide a solid constitutional foundation for the full implementation of governing the country according to law and will advance the construction of a rule of law China.