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This study explores the formation of a hybrid body image among white cisgender males practicing Wushu at the Siberian Chinese Martial Arts Center. Grounded in Social Identity Theory and the concept of bicultural identity, the research employs narrative interviews with 12 participants. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes: the creation of a hybrid identity blending Chinese martial arts traditions with Russian cultural backgrounds, conceptualized as judanren; the challenges associated with this identity in both Russian and Chinese contexts; and the role of Wushu uniforms in reconciling these cultural contradictions, serving as a "second skin" for practitioners. The findings contribute to a more inclusive understanding of body image and identity formation in a multicultural, non-Western context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinatowns in Canada and the United States are marked by cultural hybridity, where the translation of various types, verbal and non-verbal, takes place to produce distinct urban meanings. On the basis of an ethnographic observation, this article reveals the role of translation in the signification and imagination of Chinatowns. Cultural diaspora in relation to multimodal translation is designed as a theoretical framework, under which linguistic, aesthetic and cross-cultural tensions are explained. It argues that the urban meanings of Chinatowns are generated through an omnipresent practice of translation enacted by the interplay of text, image and culture across time and space. In the meantime, Chinatowns have evolved from ethnic enclaves into cosmopolitan prototypes for future cities. A translational perspective on Chinatowns incorporates visual semiotics into verbal languages to unpack cross-cultural relations, which informs a great deal about the nature of translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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How migrants negotiate and adjust to new cultural settings and how they transmit culture to their children are key questions for migration researchers. This paper explores how culture is experienced and negotiated among Russian-speaking migrants, drawing on interviews and observation data collected in Perth, Australia, and Madrid, Spain, together with online forum data and documents. Analysis reveals that long-term socio-historical processes taking place within the post-Soviet space generate certain similarities among its inhabitants. These shared features, which Norbert Elias (1996) called 'national habitus', include internalised dispositions and behavioural patterns evident and reproduced in everyday life, such as hygiene and healthcare practices, norms of conduct in public places, and practices and beliefs related to the control of children's behaviour and discipline. Many migrants come to realise that they are bearers of these similarities only in the process of the migration experience. This process of recognition of their habitus, including realising the cultural nature of certain standards of behaviour perceived as 'civilised' and 'rational' in the past, and the making of decisions about what is important to keep and what is not, we refer to as 'cultural continuity dilemmas'. Participants resolve these dilemmas in three main ways: reinforcing their cultural classification systems through condemnation or attempts to correct; adopting the new standards; or adjusting perceptions to find a compromise. In these processes, certain practices and norms may come to be recognised as Soviet in both positive and negative senses, as being acceptable, or outdated remnants of a totalitarian system. Solving such dilemmas creates a unique combination of practices, forming a common cultural hybridity and generating new awareness of cultural and national identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I examine some ways in which Indian artists explore tradition and modernity by fusing devotional music and spiritual themes with popular music. This is illustrated through examples such as ‘Krishna’ (1996) by the indipop group, Colonial Cousins, as well as works such as ‘Aathma Raama’ (2012), ‘Vaishnava Jana To’ (2019), and ‘All Divine’ (2022) by hip-hop artist Brodha V. My analysis draws upon established theoretical frameworks including cultural hybridity, globalisation theory, transculturation, and modernity. While spiritual motifs appear to be inextricably linked with traditional Indian musics, this is rarely viewed through the lens of modernity. Through a series of case studies, I explore key instances indicative of sonic conversations negotiating the global and local, emphasising the role of language and global cultural flow in facilitating both resistance and transculturation. Beyond uncovering contemporary engagements with spirituality, case studies reveal how Indian modernity is increasingly characterised by a manner of hybridity. Ultimately, the analysis contributes to our understanding of hybrid modernities and postcolonial identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ever-growing fusion of popular culture into belief systems has produced a twenty-first-century rise in commercialized religious and spiritual by-products. Subsequently, faith-based practitioners are also simultaneously consumers of mainstream entertainment. From comics-themed sermons and graphic adaptations of the Bible to the influences of Disney and cultural fairy tales onto occultism, spiritual practices now offer a welcoming gateway for modern generations who feel affection toward pop culture fandoms. This article explores various ways that religion and spirituality have commercialized and celebrated beloved fictional stories--especially in approaches that exemplify contemporary audiences' deep fascinations toward villains. This exploration spans three topics centered on religious-associated commercialized experiences and products: The evolution of contemporary stained glass from religious architecture to entertaining décor, collaborations between popularized fictional villains and contemporary Christianity, and the rise of mainstreamed occultism through a focus on the exponential expansion of pop culture--themed divination decks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, opposing criticisms are presented as juxtapositions to the successful proliferation of secularized spirituality, commercialized consecration, and fusions of faith and fandom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on qualitative interviews with K-pop fans in Lima, Peru, this study explores how Latin fans think about and negotiate K-pop industries' citations of Latin pop music tropes. It addresses the ways in which K-pop's practices of citing other cultures are perceived by the audience whose culture is cited. The Peruvian fans in this study suggest that the citations of other cultures observed in K-pop offer versatile entry points for them to easily engage in the cultural genre. For them, K-pop is a novel cultural genre that has become an alternative yet intimate cultural resource, especially compared to hegemonic American pop music. By providing an analysis of Latin K-pop fans' lived experiences through the lens of cultural hybridity and appropriation, this audience study contributes to the field of transcultural media research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The internet and digital media have significantly changed the way information is produced, disseminated and consumed, which has had a profound impact on cultural, social and political dynamics. Social media, such as Twitter (now known as X), enable immediate and delayed interaction with a wide audience. Online personas of political figures, such as the X account @aniesbubble, are in the spotlight in the 2024 election campaign, especially in attracting the attention of potential young voters in Indonesia. This research aims to ana)lyze the critical multimodal discourse on X @aniesbubble account in the context of the 2024 election political campaign. The main focus is to understand how multimodal ele-ments are used to shape opinions and interactions with audiences, as well as the implica-tions of using this strategy in cultural and political contexts. This research uses a qualita-tive method with a multimodal critical discourse analysis approach. The main data was taken from the X @aniesbubble account in the time period before the general election until the determination of the election winner. The analysis was conducted based on Norman Fairclough's theory, which includes three levels of analysis: text (micro), discursive practice (meso), and social praxis (macro). Additional data was obtained from relevant books, news articles, and journal articles. The research found that the @aniesbubble X account succeeded in creating an authentic and attractive political persona for the younger generation through the use of glocalization and cultural hybridity strategies. The account also demonstrates the dynamic interaction between global and local influences, and is able to convert social capital into economic capital through the active participation of fans. The findings suggest that social media plays an important role in shaping political and cultural narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Revolutionary newspapers and periodicals have generally taken a confrontational stance towards the established power and the dominant ideology. In this sense, Guangdong Qunbao (The Social), the first daily newspaper run by the Chinese Communist Party in the early 1920s, was an interesting exception. From the beginning, its founders strove to strike a balance between becoming an influential mainstream newspaper and committing to revolutionary propaganda. This article examines its cultural strategies for the cultivation of socialist culture and explores how Qunbao engaged with the existing local cultures and developed a nuanced approach to socialist propaganda. It argues that, although the Qunbao’s editors hoped to promote a new ideology that was at odds with the prevailing ones, they did not rebel against the mainstream media; instead, they followed the model of modern print capitalism and creatively exploited indigenous cultural forms for the sake of socialist propaganda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In structuration theory, Giddens emphasises the importance of social practices in shaping and reproducing social structures, believing that the constitution of agents and structures represents a duality and advocating that structure is both a medium and outcome of the reproduction of practices. The traditional culture and customs embodied in Macanese cuisine can be considered as a structured process. Macanese cuisine reflects the unique food culture and customs of Macao society, presenting an irreplaceable way of life and cultural value. Macanese cuisine has developed based on the traditional customs and practices of the Macanese. It is recognised as an important intangible cultural heritage, receiving protection and promotion from the government. However, high‐speed modernity challenges the guarantee for continuity of Macanese traditional customs. Debates continue regarding how to promote the sustainability of Macanese cuisine. This study adopts Giddens' structuration theory to understand the evolutionary process of Macanese cuisine. It reveals the significance of individual agents' initiatives in promoting the rebirth of Macanese cuisine, and preserving the distinctiveness and self‐assertion of the Macanese community. Furthermore, the fusion culture that underlies Macanese cuisine can moderate the high‐speed modernity of gastronomy tourism and promote this cuisine's sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractEmploying the Third Space as a theoretical framework, the present study explores how the teacher and transnational students co-constructed a transformative Third Space in their fifth-grade Korean heritage language classroom. The teacher implemented transnational literacy practices and transformative pedagogy by embracing the students’ linguistic hybridity and cultural diversity from their dynamic transnational lifeworld. The findings reveal that transnationally inclusive literature works as a great medium and a powerful pedagogical tool for the students in utilizing their transnational funds of knowledge, incorporating translanguaging, and (re)constructing their multifarious identities. The fluid classroom discourses during their literature discussions provided possibilities and opportunities for the Third Space to be established and developed in the classroom as a hybrid, transformative, and democratic learning space. This study provides educators and researchers insights into the unique ways that both teachers and students can collaboratively create Third Spaces in learning contexts to offer hybrid, transformational, and democratic educational experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the representation of postcolonial identity and cultural hybridity in Salman Rushdie's later works, focusing on novels published from 1995 to 2015. The research problem investigates how Rushdie's narrative techniques and thematic concerns reflect and critique the complexities of identity in a postcolonial context. Utilizing a combination of literary analysis, close reading, and theoretical frameworks from postcolonial theory and cultural studies, the study examines five key novels: The Moor's Last Sigh, The Ground Beneath Her Feet, Shalimar the Clown, The Enchantress of Florence, and Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights. The analysis reveals that Rushdie's later works intricately depict fragmented and multifaceted identities shaped by historical and global forces, employing cultural hybridity to address themes of displacement and cultural fusion. The findings indicate that Rushdie's narrative style evolves to reflect contemporary issues of globalization and cultural synthesis. The study concludes that Rushdie's exploration of postcolonial identity and hybridity offers profound insights into the dynamic interplay between tradition and modernity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a world marked by increasing interconnectedness and cultural exchange, questions of identity and belonging have become central to discussions of literature and society. Writers such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Zadie Smith have emerged as prominent voices in exploring these themes through their works. This study explores the theme of cultural hybridity in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah and Zadie Smith's White Teeth. Through a comparative analysis of these two novels, this study closely examines how Adichie and Smith portray the complexities of cultural identity, migration, and belonging in contemporary multicultural societies. Drawing upon theories of diaspora studies, postcolonial theory, and cultural studies, this article investigates the ways in which Americanah and White Teeth challenge essentialist notions of culture and nationality, foregrounding the fluidity, and complexity of identity formation in a globalized world. By examining the cultural tapestry woven through these narratives. This study sheds light on the ways in which literature reflects and interrogates the complexities of contemporary multicultural societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Karma is a short story by Indian author Khushwant Singh. In this short story the writer has deftly mastered the skills of criticizing the Indians who hate or demean their own culture, especially the diaspora ones. Diasporas are the people who migrate from their motherland to other countries for various purposes. (Bill Ashcroft et. al. 2013) Exposure to multiple cultures make them ambivalent. They feel themselves lost in diverse cultural encounters. They suffer in inferiority complex. Being in different high cultural atmosphere they tend to hide their own selffelt low cultural identity. This cultural hegemony leads them to dilemma- a state of ambivalence in them. This identity crisis results in seer mimicry of the western culture. Mimicry is the process of reproducing as the almost same but not the quite. (Homi Bhabha, 1994) Through mimicking they alienate themselves from their own culture. The protagonist Mohan Lal is the exemplary instance of all the matters of discussion. This paper will investigate that the central character Sir Mohan Lal is an anglophile and a mimic man who through showing positive attitude towards British culture drives himself far from his own Indian culture. This cultural hybridity and alienation bring untold miseries and troubles to him at the end. Mohan Lal, a hybrid, lost his identity in the long run and was thrown away for despising his own culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article pays tribute to Keith Hollinshead, a prominent figure in the field of tourism studies. The authors share their personal experiences and reflections on Hollinshead's work and influence, highlighting his unique writing style and contributions to qualitative research in tourism. They discuss his emphasis on cultural diversity and the need to challenge conventional thinking in tourism studies. The authors express admiration for Hollinshead's brilliance and kindness, acknowledging the profound impact he had on their own understanding of tourism. They describe his legacy as a source of inspiration for future scholars. [Extracted from the article]

This article serves as a preface to a special issue of the Journal of Ethnology & Folkloristics that focuses on the religion of the Finno-Ugric peoples, specifically animist religiosity and its contemporary expression. The authors highlight the lack of research on the original religious practices of the Finno-Ugric peoples, which are often overshadowed by the focus on shamanism. The special issue aims to address this gap by exploring the preservation and resilience of traditional ceremonies and practices in Finno-Ugric communities, even in areas where other religions have been adopted. The authors also discuss the challenges of terminology and the need for more neutral and accurate terms to describe these practices. The collection of papers in this special issue provides insights into the complexity of living animism in the Finno-Ugric world, with a focus on interactions between different religions, syncretism, and the persistence of non-Christian elements within predominantly Christian practices. Additionally, the article "Buying a God in Paris: Cultural Hybridity in the Thinking of Yuri Vella, Forest Nenets Intellectual" explores the concept of cultural hybridity through the perspective of Yuri Vella, a Forest Nenets intellectual. It delves into Vella's experiences and reflections on the intersection of traditional Nenets beliefs and the influence of Western culture, particularly during his time in Paris. The article offers valuable insights into the dynamics of cultural exchange and the challenges faced by individuals in maintaining their cultural heritage while engaging with other cultures [Extracted from the article]

How might 'agency' be practiced in the meeting of performer and text? What are the ethical concerns of how these two materials might merge? The analysis draws on the author's research at the Norwegian Theatre Academy with students of diverse backgrounds. It traces notions of agency from the institutional context to the specifics of studio exercises: acknowledging these as interconnecting systems which affect each other. It proposes a trans-aesthetic approach which foregrounds agency as primary mode of learning. The work contributes to the field by developing an analytical strategy of overlay and simultaneity: exploring how different methods may co-exist. It considers text and body as heterogeneous hybrids: bodies as texts and texts as bodies, drawing on Camilleri's research on hybridity and the bodyworld, Barad's intra-action, Crenshaw's intersectionality, Meizel's multivocality, Cahill's hesitation and Russel's glitch feminism, among others. It grounds the practical exploration in existing approaches such as Stanislavksi and Viewpoints, discussing how these methods expand to meet 2024; and aiming to speak to students and teachers whose work spans a range of methodological backgrounds. In relation to text and body as merged hybrids, this article explores examples such as: exploding the text, code shifting, aesthetic hybridity, glitching - all as examples of heterogeneous sonic world-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As global mobility surges, Mexico City has emerged as a favored destination for remote-working professionals due to its unique fusion of cultural allure and economic convenience. This paper explores the interplay between macroeconomic trends and quests for self-actualization among lifestyle migrants, informed by interviews and other fieldwork conducted in Mexico City in early 2023. It unravels the complex interplay of factors shaping attitudes, behaviors, and collective identity among these lifestyle migrants and how their conscious embeddedness dissolves as geographic arbitrage imbues them with new privileges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2022, the University of Saskatchewan's University Library in Saskatoon, Canada launched the Creative Write-Ins program, which invites creative writers from the university and the broader community to come to the university library to work on their projects. The two-hour, monthly program adopted an informal community of practice (CoP) model, since it allowed for multi-directional learning along the spectrum of participants, from experienced writers to hobbyists. This paper will discuss the intrinsic case study of these hybrid creative write-ins through the lens of Wenger et al.'s (2002) CoP model. Reflections include the lessons learned, areas for improvement, perspectives on how academic libraries can collaborate with external partners, and reflections on how this program demonstrated the potential for multi-directional learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the historical and contemporary significance of African print fabric known as chitenge in Zambian dress practices, critically scrutinizing sartorial choices and developments. We explore and unravel chitenge's multifaceted meanings for contemporary Zambians, in terms of gender, class, religion, and urbanity vs. rurality through a critical cultural hybridity approach with oral history, ethnographic, and digital qualitative methods. Our research reveals conflicting perceptions—from being labeled as backward to its proud representation as national dress during special occasions, chitenge in Zambia reflects wider global trends of local dress positioned as "traditional" contrasting with Western styles perceived as "modern." Chitenge is desirable when tailored into Western-style attire customized for individual use, highlighting its role as a sign of conspicuous consumption, instead of its more versatile wrapped form that could be worn in multiple ways, shared, and repurposed into various other uses ranging from a baby carrier to household décor. Beyond our findings, this study also contributes to epistemic justice as one of the first studies on sartorial practices in Zambia by a Zambian scholar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have seen a significant surge in the global popularity of Chinese webnovels as an emerging form of participatory transcultural storytelling. This research combines computational and interpretive textual analysis to map the cultural features embedded in webnovel content, aiming to identify the genre elements, common lexicon, and story themes of 4040 translated Chinese webnovels on global platforms. The analysis shows the hybridisation of Chinese cultures, digital cultures, and genre fiction elements in webnovel storytelling, contributing to the growing spectrum of diverse voices in international self-publishing. Simultaneously, webnovels depict a varied mosaic of imagined China, based on both cultural sharing and nonsharing within today's complex Chinese society and beyond the notion of 'Chineseness' rooted in common heritage or official values, amplifying diverse perspectives like subcultures and resistances in transcultural storytelling. While webnovels bear witness to China's cultural outreach and digital prowess converging in a new storytelling form, this research posits that their cultural production remains bound within a material process where borderless digital cultures collide with the imposed boundaries of platformed publishing and government control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the demographics of the Anglican Communion have shifted to the Global South, it has to adopt a postcolonial and polycentric model of mutual relationships. Postcolonial theory helps us examine Anglican history and theology through the lenses of colonialism and empire. This essay offers several examples of postcolonial critique of Anglican theology and elucidates the concept of hybridity in theology. It analyzes the revisions of the Book of Common Prayer in New Zealand/Aotearoa and Brazil as attempts to contextualize liturgy and proposes visions for theology in the Anglican Communion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Situated in the unique historical context of Hong Kong—a contact zone between East and West—this study explores how Christianity's introduction through British colonialism and missionary efforts has intertwined with and influenced Chinese cultural traditions. By examining selected works of Xu Dishan and Chen Zanyi, this study reveals the dynamic negotiations of identity and values between these two cultural and religious traditions. These literary works not only depict the complexities of cultural hybridity but also provide insights into the evolving nature of cultural identity in Hong Kong, illustrating how global religions and local traditions can merge and transform each other. This study contributes to understanding the intricate dance of religious exchange, conflict, and compromise in Hong Kong's cross-culture setting, suggesting that such literary explorations can bridge Christianity with the socio-economic, cultural, and historical fabric of Chinese society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slavic folk culture is a fusion of Christian and of pre-Christian, pagan beliefs based on magic. This article is devoted specifically to ancient pre-Christian ideas about death and posthumous existence and the associated magical rituals and prohibitions, which persist to our time. It considers the following interactions between the living and the dead: 1. the measures taken and prohibitions observed by the living to ensure their well-being in the other world; 2. the measures taken by the living to ensure the well-being of their dead relatives in the other world (including funeral rites; memorial rites; cemetery visits; providing the dead with food, clothes, and items necessary for postmortem life; and sending messages to the other world); 3. communication between the living and the dead on certain days (including taking opportunities to meet, see, and hear them; treat them; prepare a bed for them; and wash them); 4. fear of the dead and their return and the desire to placate them to prevent them from causing natural disasters (hail, droughts, floods, etc.), crop failures, cattle deaths, diseases, and death; 5. magical ways for protecting oneself from the "walking dead"; 6. transforming the dead into mythological characters—for example, house-, water-, or forest-spirits and mermaids. The material presented in the article is drawn from published and archival sources collected by folklorists and ethnographers of the XIX and XX centuries in different regions of the Slavic world, as well as from field recordings made by the author and his colleagues in Polesie, the borderland of Belarus and Ukraine, in the 1960–1980s, in the Russian North and in the Carpathian region in the 1990s. It shows that the relationship between the living and the dead in folk beliefs does not fit comfortably within the widespread notion of an "ancestor cult". It argues that the dead are both venerated and feared and that the living feel a dependence on their ancestors and a desire to strictly observe the boundary between the two worlds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tourism industry is the world’s largest industry and is being utilized for economic development and rapid growth in many developing countries. In Tanzania the tourism industry is growing at an annual rate of almost 5% and contributes 17% to GDP. Tanzanian tourism is based on wildlife tourism which requires not only programs for the conservation and protection of flora, fauna and the environment but also for job and wealth creation for the indigenous population who often pay a cost in lost land usage for conservation and tourism. The analysis encompasses a comprehensive examination of the myriad ways in which the vibrant tapestry of Maasai culture is artfully woven into the fabric of tourism activities. From immersive cultural encounters to the vibrant portrayal of traditions, this article scrutinized the techniques through which Maasai culture has become an integral facet of the visitor experience. The manifold benefits that this cultural fusion bestows upon the local community, catalyzing positive economic and social change within the Maasai population. Balancing the imperative of safeguarding Maasai culture's integrity with the necessity of meeting the ever-evolving demands of the tourism market represents an intricate and continuous endeavor in the dynamic landscape of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a response to a lecture by folklorist Tok Thompson on postnational folklore. The author praises Thompson for raising important questions about global issues and the need for global governance. They also discuss the cultural and semantic meanings of terms like "nation" and "global" from a non-Western standpoint, highlighting the complexities and conflicts that arise from their translation into different languages. The author concludes by questioning the feasibility of achieving equality and diversity in a global governance system and expresses concerns about the actions of influential players in world affairs towards UNESCO conventions. The text explores various responses and inquiries prompted by Thompson's lecture on posthuman folklore and global governance. It questions the practicality and consequences of modeling the UN for global governance and raises concerns about the dominance of certain ideologies and groups in shaping global communities. The role of technology, particularly internet communication, in shaping global communities and politics is also examined, with a focus on potential negative impacts and the influence of digital media. The text further explores the relationship between language, translation, and global communication, as well as the evolving concept of human rights in a global context. The author acknowledges the thought-provoking nature of Thompson's ideas and expresses appreciation for the opportunity to consider new perspectives. [Extracted from the article]

This essay reads Zadie Smith's Swing Time (2016) as generating innovative and insightful conversations between literary criticism and dance studies. Smith's novel explores the onstage and offstage performative experiences and challenges of hybridized bodies and hyphenated identities in a transcontinental context. The novel sets up an interactive dancefloor for its leading characters—the unnamed female narrator and her childhood friend Tracey—both of whom are biracial and live in the working-class neighborhoods of Northwest London. Drawing from cultural studies and dance theories, this essay considers the narrator's and Tracey's practices and experiences of dance to discuss the swinging connections and disconnections between selves, bodies, and cultures carried through the protagonists' challenged expressions of agency and mobility in glocal and transnational contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyzes Xiaomi's social media posts on Facebook and Weibo, addressing three different audiences: the global audience, the Egyptian audience, and the Chinese audience. Its primary aim is to dissect Xiaomi's strategies in employing local, global, or glocal approaches within its intercultural brand communication. To achieve this, the study employs a multimodal framework that integrates brand communication and linguistics, allowing for a comprehensive examination of Xiaomi's digital marketing strategies through brand personality appeals and the strategic use of linguistic features. The paper finds that Xiaomi displays an exciting personality on its global and Chinese social media pages, while it reflects a competent personality on its Egyptian social media page. The study also finds that Xiaomi employs culture-specific linguistic features in its social media posts, including intimate address forms for its Chinese audience, colloquial expressions for its global audience, and codemixing and dialect for its Egyptian audience. These insights not only affirm the existing literature's observations of cultural disparities in intercultural marketing but also contribute to our understanding of how global brands strategically adapt to diverse cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research article examines the complex interplay of hybridity, identity, and resistance in Mohsin Hamid’s novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Through the protagonist Changez, the narrative explores the dichotomy between traditional Pakistani culture and Western modernity. The analysis delves into Changez’s struggle with his dual identity, shaped by his Pakistani roots and American education. The novel highlights the tension between cultural assimilation and resistance as Changez navigates the stereotypes and expectations imposed by both societies. His journey underscores the impact of colonial education and the lingering effects of colonialism on identity formation. The article also addresses the broader implications of cultural hybridity, emphasizing the challenges of maintaining a cohesive identity amidst conflicting cultural influences. This study contributes to the understanding of post-colonial identity and the ongoing struggle for self-definition in a globalized world. Future research should explore similar themes in other contemporary works to further elucidate the dynamics of cultural hybridity and resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the aspect of cultural hybridity and specifically how this impacts characters and the choices they make in the novel 'The Writing On My Forehead' by Nafisa Haji. In the dynamics of cultural hybridity of the characters, the purpose of the work is to identify the background in the characters' choices and life experiences. In the novel, characters are presented as individuals with intricate self-images. Applying this analytical perspective shows the main character, Saira Qader, is an ideal candidate for understanding how cultural identity and personal agency interact. The idea of technology as representative of a dual identity destabilizes the show's unique narrative of a Pakistani woman, temporarily erasing the cultural complexities of the character's identity. To achieve this study, the use of a qualitative analysis method was deemed most appropriate regarding the narrative techniques used in the novel particularly the dialogue used in character development. Thus, it only could be identified that Saira's actions are informed by her multicultural background and the same applies to other characters. Culture is one of the most important aspects that can be considered both as the people's enemy and the basis for their development, affecting the characters' development and their relations. Consequently, further research should employ broader ranges of investigation to encompass comparative analysis with other works that touch on cultural mestizaje. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims at exploring the issues of third space, hybridity, and the identity crisis of Pakistani people gvivil in the West, especially in the United States of America, in light of the analysis of Mohsin Hamid's The Reluctant Fundamentalist. s'vHbaHB iK imoH vreiHsbHi eHi vcrHo i eH ioHKeeiHioerHioHi eHi esceiv igHbci'e scaHisHiiig oeHi eHiedi Ha According to the study of Mohsin Hamid's The Reluctant Fundamentalist, the greatest hindrance to natural and mutually beneficial connections across many nations and cultures is American society's hatred and lack of acceptance for individuals from other cultures. Moreover, the study underscores the stark truth that Pakistani citizens, notwithstanding their sincere efforts, ultimately find themselves trapped in a liminal space that exists between their native culture and the host culture, rendering those aliens in both. This heightened degree of alienation is manifested in the characters' hardships, which illustrate the enormous obstacles they face when attempting to assimilate into a culture that frequently sustains feelings of estrangement and exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rich history of migration of people to New Zealand paved the way for the multicultural environment that it has today. As individuals from different countries with various cultures move to a new environment, they encounter transformations that commence contact and communication with members of the new environment. The constant interaction of both New Zealanders and migrants creates changes in feelings, perceptions, and lifestyles that can be analyzed along with the development of cultural adaptation theories. Social science researchers explained how individuals manage changes within themselves and in the environment and proposed working concepts on adaptation. This paper provides a literature review on the cultural adaptation experiences in New Zealand acculturation, cultural adaptation, and cultural fusion using Berry (1970, 2003, 2005, 2006), Aycan and Berry (1996), and Sam and Berry (2010) on acculturation, Kim (2001, 2017) on cross-cultural cultural adaptation, Kraidy (2005) on cultural hybridity, and Croucher and Kramer (2017) on cultural fusion theory. Discussions are centered on the interplay of concepts and empirical studies in understanding different perspectives on the process of adaptation in New Zealand through a communication lens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cinema is a powerful tool for depicting and critically addressing the dual nature of identity (composed of both individual and social traits). This article analyses two underrated titles of the post-2005 wave of Basque-language cinema: Pikadero (Sharrock 2015) and Oreina (The Deer) (Almandoz 2018). In both films, certain liminal third spaces – the 'non-places' coined by Augé and the 'in-between' spaces formulated by Bhabha – seem to interact with the misfit characters, who live between rootedness and lack of belonging within a new social context created by the influx of migrants and the economic crisis in the Basque Country. The article argues that these on-screen third spaces (mainly the railway station and the peripheral marshlands in Pikadero and The Deer, respectively) become a kind of resilient deuteragonist in their own right, i.e. witnesses or accomplices to the protagonists' wanderings and their shallow and fleeting relationships. There is, however, a difference between the non-places featured in Pikadero, which mainly evoke solitude and similarity, and those in-between spaces present in The Deer. The latter appear as metaphorical hybrid places that can harbour otherness and foster collective solidarity, thus playing a role in shaping the new centrality of Basque identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses Samantha Kelly's book, "Translating Faith: Ethiopian Pilgrims in Renaissance Rome," which focuses on the Ethiopian community at Santo Stefano, a church near St. Peter's in Rome, during the sixteenth century. The book challenges prevailing notions of early modern Catholicism by highlighting the autonomy and agency of the Ethiopian community in shaping their own religious practices and discourse. Kelly's study emphasizes the importance of understanding the Ethiopians' perspective and examines their interactions with Europeans, as well as the papacy's support for Ethiopian pilgrims. The book also addresses the role of race in these cross-cultural encounters and highlights the interconnectedness of different cultures in shaping the early modern world. [Extracted from the article]

"Personal Names and Naming from an Anthropological-Linguistic Perspective" edited by Sambulo Ndolovu explores the cultural significance of personal names across diverse societies. The book delves into how names reflect social roles, religious beliefs, and historical transitions, emphasizing the intrinsic connection between names and culture. While the book offers a comprehensive examination of the intersection of names, language, and society, some weaknesses include limited depth of analysis in individual chapters and a need for clearer thematic connections throughout the text. [Extracted from the article]

The fusion of mammalian gametes requires the interaction between IZUMO1 on the sperm and JUNO on the oocyte. We have recently shown that ectopic expression of mouse IZUMO1 induces cell-cell fusion and that sperm can fuse to fibroblasts expressing JUNO. Here, we found that the incubation of mouse sperm with hamster fibroblasts or human epithelial cells in culture induces the fusion between these somatic cells and the formation of syncytia, a pattern previously observed with some animal viruses. This sperm-induced cell-cell fusion requires a species-matching JUNO on both fusing cells, can be blocked by an antibody against IZUMO1, and does not rely on the synthesis of new proteins. The fusion is dependent on the sperm’s fusogenic capacity, making this a reliable, fast, and simple method for predicting sperm function during the diagnosis of male infertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

K-pop products generally avoid cultural particularity, but they speak to specific neoliberal aspirations of middle-class urban audiences in Asia, even if such dreams are a distant reality in working-class regions in Thailand. This paper features the popular "Deksorkrao" YouTube channel, produced by a group of K-pop fans in Thailand's northeast. We provide a discourse analysis of their home-made cover of Blackpink's "Pink Venom" that incorporates symbols particular to agricultural life. We argue that this form of creative participatory engagement is a uniquely authentic expression that speaks to a familiar discourse in Thai life, but uses K-pop as its vehicle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though seemingly romanticized, Alexander McCall Smith's popular No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series reckons with the gendered realities of postcolonial Botswana by creating a paradox that resists a simple reading of gender and feminism in the locale it inhabits. The series' heroine, though traditional, defies gender roles, practicing a situated and culturally specific version of women's empowerment. Indeed, when discussing gender in postcolonial Africa, we should not apply Western notions of feminism. Homi Bhabha's notion of hybridity, which recognizes locality, fluidity, and mutual influence in the construction of postcolonial identity, is a useful lens through which to understand the series' paradoxes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the global diffusion of Black Lives Matter (BLM) as digitally networked connective action. Combining social network analysis with qualitative textual analysis, we show that BLM was hybridized in different ways to give voice to local struggles for social justice in Brazil, India, and Japan. However, BLM's hybridization stirred right-wing backlash within these countries that not only targeted local movements but BLM too. Theoretically, we argue that both transnational contiguities and intra-cultural tensions shape the construction of meanings—or "action frames"—as connective action crosses cultural borders. Resonant frames, which are in harmony with the values of the movement, amplify the features of the global movement that resonate with local concerns or hybridize it with a local struggle. Reactionary frames, which are hostile to movement values, may also target the global movement or its hybridization. We theorize the different roles of global and local crowd-enabled elites in transnational connective action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When applied to Pentecostalism in Zimbabwe, the concept of cultural hybridity provides a framework for understanding how global religious movements can adapt to and incorporate local cultural elements. This process results in a unique form of religious expression characterised by convergence and syncretism, reflecting cultural and religious identity's dynamic and fluid nature. This hybridity in religious practice is a testament to the ongoing, interactive cultural exchange and adaptation process. This article delves into the intricate cultural hybridity, convergence, glocalisation and syncretic tendencies within the characteristic features of New Religious Movements (NRMs) in Harare, Zimbabwe, illuminating their multifaceted role in addressing spiritual and material needs. Through a comprehensive exploration of selected NRMs that emerged from the Catholic Church in Zimbabwe, including Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries and Grace Oasis Ministries, this article unravels the central role of prophets and pastors in shaping the fundamental ethos of these religious entities. A striking and thought-provoking parallel emerges between the hallmark features of these NRMs and the tenets of African Traditional Religion and many other religious traditions. This parallel extends to practices such as exorcism, worship, healing, and deliverance, thus manifesting a profound form of religious expression informed by cultural hybridity, convergence, syncretism, and glocalisation. While there are ambiguities around scholarly debates on the definition of these terms, the article delves deep into the intricate religious elements embedded within the NRMs' characteristic features, such as hymns, modes of worship, healing rituals, and deliverance ceremonies. These elements are tangible manifestations of their unique position at the crossroads of diverse belief systems. The cultural hybridity, convergence, syncretism, and glocalisation tendencies within NRMs offer gateways to invaluable networks, fostering social cohesion and the sharing of critical information. Consequently, these characteristics have become instrumental in the holistic development of individuals and communities within the vibrant religious landscape of Harare. Thus, this article provides profound insights into the nuanced dynamics of NRMs in Zimbabwe, shedding light on their various dimensions. It contributes substantially to our comprehension of the intricate interplay between spirituality, material prosperity, and the rich tapestry of religious traditions in Harare and the broader context of religious studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As art history begins to take seriously the imperative to decolonize, one of the most vexing areas of resistance to change is the conventional periodization of art historical epochs. Even while acknowledging that spatial divisions like West and Non-West are deeply problematic, as are geographic divisions per se, we continue to honor the “history” in the discipline’s nomenclature by insisting on temporality as a primary organizing category. The period commonly designated as “modernist” (roughly 1860 to 1960) is particularly difficult to divorce from Western ideals of progress as defined both by technological “advances” and by the heroization of artistic “innovation”. When the modernist moment attempts to open itself up to global narratives, its structuring undercurrent is a particular vision of the art of the West. In this essay, I read the conventional narrative of modernism through a decolonial lens and revisit the reception of Impressionism in the 1910s and 1920s in Mexico to consider how an artistic idiom widely seen as retrograde at that moment became the basis for a radical rethinking around the democratization of art. My analysis exposes how, because of its championing of novelty and its inherent Eurocentrism, the category of modernism obscures and suppresses artists and narratives that fall outside of its limited purview. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Women and children have often been affected by conflicts taking place in India's Northeast. Although human rights abuse by armed forces and militias has been addressed in academia time and again, the weaponisation of 'rape' has not declined in the region as evinced by the recent incident in Manipur. As such this essay argues that solidarity among women can not only prevent such heinous crimes but can also dismantle the patriarchal structures that breed rape cultures. Further, literature can work as an agency through which such consciousness of protest and solidarity can be generated. By taking into account the political and cultural discourses of this region and its manifestation in literary works with reference to Arupa Patangia Kalita's novel The Story of Felanee the essay argues that ethnic assertions diminish the rights of women due to the patriarchal nature of these societies. Since the inter-ethnic conflicts are engineered by the patriarchs of a community in which the women are hapless sufferers, Felanee's resilience, like the grannies of Shaheen Bagh, exemplifies resistance against oppressive structures. The essay explores the literary representation of patriarchal conditioning of ethnic resurgence, its contestation with cultural hybridisation, and the subsequent dehumanisation of women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functioning as "precedent" and "templates" for future transfers, the Greco-Turkish population exchange and the Lausanne Treaty) are undoubtedly events of world-historical significance. But they are also crucial in the genesis of the subfield of historical research we now call "World History": they provided the backdrop against which Arnold Joseph Toynbee (1889–1975) began sketching his magnum opus, A Study of History and developed the foundations of this subfield of history writing. This article revisits the so-called "Toynbee Affair" and places it in its intellectual and political contexts. First, it revisits the British classicist scholarship that provided the backdrop and initial inspiration for Toynbee as it shifted its gaze from ancient Rome to Greece, which was put forward as a better model for foreign and imperial policy. Next, it examines Toynbee's wartime activities and shows that his attitudes towards the new states of Central Europe were based on principles that often stood in tension with his activities and views connected to the Middle East. During these years, Toynbee was an active participant in a discourse concerning the need to manage "mixed populations," which moved to the forefront of a new form of internationalism, while also exposed to the writings of authors such as Oswald Spengler and Frederick J. Teggart, who pushed him to advance a new type of historiography. Third, the article looks at the uneven reception of Toynbee's ideas after 1945, including his views on the US, the "Muslim civilization," and his controversial views on Jews and the politics of the Middle East. The article concludes by arguing that his views, which rested on a deep suspicion of liminal hybridity or cultural mestizos, failed to transcend the basic logic of separation developed in Lausanne. Entirely on the contrary: Toynbee's story offers us a case in which we can recognize the making of the interwar "cultural imaginaire" and "reinvention of differences," which continues shaping our view of "the West's" supposed borders to this day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arts and culture gained multiple presence in individual and social life, with economic presence gaining relevance. We focus on social enterprises (SE) in arts and culture standing between the economic-oriented focus on arts and culture, and its socio-political and cultural roles and embeddedness. SEs are characterized by the centrality of a social mission instead of profit and participatory governance. We asked what are SEs in arts and culture and how they are influenced and aim at influencing institutional contexts. We place the research in the context of the Portuguese cultural mix. Based on five in-depth case studies of organisations oriented to the promotion of arts and culture that have social and community interventions, organisations where arts and culture are the main tools for social intervention and social welfare organisations with arts and culture projects, we describe their trajectories and organisational social, economic and governance characteristics. We argue that there is a mix of institutional entrepreneurship, public policies (and their lack) and societal trends influencing SEs pathways towards hybridisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the poem "Colossal Roots" (거대한 뿌리, 1964) by Kim Suyŏng and his translation of selected passages from the book Korea and Her Neighbours (1897) by Isabella Bird Bishop. The analysis is from a postcolonial perspective, drawing upon Homi K. Bhabha's concepts of the third space, enunciation, mimicry, and hybridity. The article argues that Kim's work can be understood as an act of enunciation in the third space, as he questions and undermines the Orientalist prejudices that Bird promotes. Through mimicking Bird's Orientalist gaze, he challenges and subverts the Orientalist stereotypes she perpetuates and situates himself in a space where the remnants of Japanese colonial rule, the new hegemonic power of the U.S., and North and South Korea converge. The article presents a fresh perspective on the controversy surrounding tradition and Orientalism, particularly examining the paradox inherent in the famous line from "Colossal Roots," "Traditions, no matter how filthy, are good," and the shift in perspective that Kim experiences during his translation of Korea and Her Neighbours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the trauma of the Second World War, Hong Kong, under British governance, enjoyed considerable economic and political freedom to establish a local entertainment industry. Musical films became a major genre of Hong Kong's film releases in the 1950s. Local melodramas, Hollywood musicals, celebrities, and ideals of female beauty were all present in the growth of Hong Kong musical films, which culminated in a glorious display of cinematic art. This article aims to provide insight into the popularity of Chinese-speaking musical films by examining the social, economic, and political complexity of 1950s Hong Kong, including post-war migration and colonial censorship. An in-depth analysis of Li Han-Hsiang's The Kingdom and the Beauty demonstrates how Hong Kong studios adapted the Hollywood musical to tell Chinese stories and how Hong Kong musical films incorporated Chinese literature and music to represent cultural memory, local identity, and modern aesthetics. This case study sheds light on the localization of a Hollywood genre and the hybridization of Chinese and Western entertainment forms to appeal to a Chinese audience, thereby broadening the definition of cultural hybridity and informing the practice of Hong Kong's musical filmmaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]