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Smallholders and pastoralists are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to their high reliance on socio-ecological systems for their livelihood. Building their resilience to these adverse effects of climate change is crucial for mitigating their vulnerabilities, especially in remote and fragile ecosystems. This study aims to assess the climate change livelihood resilience of smallholders and pastoralists in the Indian Himalayas. We build a livelihood resilience index, using the three dimensions of resilience, namely assimilative capacity, autopoiesis and cognitive ability, and weighed using entropy-TOPSIS approach The dimensions of resilience was estimated through indicators by a household survey of 289 randomly selected respondents across the three districts of Garhwal Himalayas. The results showed that the livelihood resilience of smallholders was greater than pastoralists. Among pastoralists, settlement brought positive changes to their livelihood, opening the gateway to access basic facilities. Key findings of the study indicate that public policy should focus towards information accessibility, encouraging environmental awareness and conservation, promoting social inclusion and cooperatives, and fostering grass root organization structures like forest-level organisation through informality to strengthen the resilience of communities to climate change., Competing Interests: All authors declare no conflict of interest. The manuscript does not have any commercial products., (© 2024 The Authors.)

We tested the hypothesis that discriminatory behaviors against religious or ethnic minorities are largely governed by culturally specific intergroup norms that are tied to a given social context. In Study 1 (N = 733), we compared participants from five countries and identified "new secularism" as the culture-specific norm predominant in the target country, France. In Study 2 (N = 296) and Study 3 (N = 135) conducted in France between November 2014 and January 2016, we assessed the effects of several distinct normative contexts on discriminatory behavior under high or low time pressure, and examined for the first time, the effect of a deadly terrorist attack on anti-Muslim discrimination. As predicted based on Study 1, the experimentally induced new secularism ("nouvelle laïcité" in French) normative context had a major effect on discrimination on its own, and in interaction with the terrorist attack, whereas no effect was found for the three normative contexts (assimilation, multiculturalism, and colorblindness) that have been the focus of research in social psychology over the last 40 years. These results support the claim that intergroup behaviors are highly sensitive to variations in the social context and that culture-specific intergroup norm play a causal role in the emergence of discrimination. The implications of the findings for the scientific value of exact versus conceptual replications in social psychology are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers suggestions on how to overcome challenges of high-risk screening for Classical Galactosemia (CG) for supporting women from the travelling community Irish Travellers in Ireland to breastfeed. It offers information on the use of lactose- or galactose- free diet from birth for the infant for treatment of CG.

• Gender relations in Himalayan farm management are influenced by men's out-migration. • Competing gender norms simultaneously enable and constrain women's social practices. • Women can decide on farm but are discouraged to engage in markets and public spheres. • Men have a role in all social spheres, but the female gender role is more restricted. • Caste, class, age influence women's ability to negotiate and alter local gender roles. Gender relations in Himalayan farm management are influenced by differentiated social expectations of men and women. How people negotiate their gender role space and how they relate to explicit and tacit gender norms, shape gendered patterns of decision-making in agriculture. In this case study from the Nepali Middle Hills I argue that there are two competing sets of cultural gender norms at work, in contrast to Sherry Ortner's classical theory of a gender hegemony, where she describes a hegemonic collection of cultural logics, meanings and practices related to gender. In this case, modern development ideas of women empowerment and gender equality currently challenge traditional gender norms, but there are also areas of conjunction between the two. Traditional gender norms constrain women's decision-making power to mostly within the household and farm. While men increasingly migrate for work, women take over more of the agricultural labor, and temporarily, all farm-management decisions. When both spouses stay at the farm they often decide together, contrary to common assumptions that men mostly decide in agriculture. However, cultural conflicts arise when women engage in social spheres outside the farm and household, such as in financial, public, or political matters. How people through social practice relate to competing gender norms, and to what extent they either feel caught in a cultural conflict or have a sufficiently strong social position to take advantage of the situation and alter local gender roles depends not on gender per se , but on other markers of social prestige such as caste/ethnicity, wealth, age, and marital status. Interactions between modern development norms and traditional gender norms inspire cultural change at the local scale, which has implications for women's participation in financial and market spheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to illustrate the importance of cultural norms for marital satisfaction among young married Taiwanese couples. Data are taken from the Taiwan Youth Project, a longitudinal panel since the year of 2000, with 401 married couple data completed in 2015. Based on the resource theory and contextual cultural perspectives, results confirm that both resources and cultural factors produce significant effects on young couple's marital satisfaction. As proposed, cultural norms have greater impact on wife's marital satisfaction. The patrilocal coresidence between generations is especially harmful for wives with full-time job, while negative in-law relations reported by husbands produce more powerful negative influence on the couples. However, gender of the child does not attain expected significance. Findings suggest that both continuity and change of family dynamics is occurring in Taiwan. Future studies need to consider both cultural norms and individual resources in analyzing marital relations in changing East Asian societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: Persons with learning disability who live in Malta, especially women, feel they do not have as many opportunities to make friends and form relationships as other persons who do not have a learning disability.Persons with learning disability feel lonely but wish they had the opportunity to do the things non‐disabled people do, such as have relationships, get married, live on their own and have children.At times, their parents and people who work with them do not help them with this.It is important that persons with learning disability from a young age are supported and empowered so that they can exercise their sexual rights. Background: This paper explores the sexuality of young persons with learning disability in Malta with respect to their opportunities and the constraints they experience. Materials and Methods: Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to decode qualitative data collected from persons with learning disability. Results: Findings reveal a context of disabling social attitudes, stereotypical gender imagery and exclusionary social practices. In addition, youth with learning disability experience a lack of community support and social networking, thus calling for platforms and spheres where they can form and maintain friendships and relationships. Conclusions: It is concluded that Malta lacks the fundamental social acceptance that persons with learning disability are sexual beings, with the right to express their sexuality and to form relationships. Overcoming such cultural hurdles will empower persons with learning disability to establish and express their sexual identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Espacios is the property of Talleres de Impresos Oma and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Espacios is the property of Talleres de Impresos Oma and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

• We study the interplay of network structure and countries' prosocial norms on charitable giving. • We analyze Twitter and donation data from the 2013 Movember fundraising campaign in 24 countries. • Campaign network decentralization and size increase average donations amount. • Prosocial norms did not affect the effects of size and centralization on average donation amount. • Prosocial norms did affect the relationship between density and average donation amount. This study examines how the interplay between an online campaign's network structure and prosocial cultural norms in a country affect charitable giving. We conducted a multilevel analysis that includes Twitter network and aggregated donation data from the 2013 Movember fundraising campaigns in 24 countries during 62 campaign days. Prosocial cultural norms did not affect the relationship between network size and average donations raised, nor did they affect the relationship between network centralization and average donation amount. Prosocial cultural norms did affect the relationship between network density and average donations raised. However, this effect was negative and contrary to our expectation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Second generation migrants with a high fertility have larger families. • Decisions about when to have a first child are not influenced by cultural norms. • Second generation migrants tend to abandon economically costly cultural norms. • Fertility norms operate partly through religion and selection of a non-native partner. I analyze the interplay between culture and economic incentives in decision-making. To this end, I study fertility timing decisions of second generation migrant women to France and the US. While I confirm that originating from a high fertility country correlates to having larger families, I also find that it does not predict earlier entry into motherhood. I propose a model that rationalizes these findings in which decisions are the result of a trade-off between an economic cost-benefit analysis and a cultural norm. The model predicts that decisions with a higher cost of deviation from the economic optimum should be less prone to cultural influence. This is consistent with substantial evidence showing that the timing of the first birth bears much larger costs for mothers in terms of labor market outcomes than that of subsequent births. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article I explore some contributions of queer theory to the provision of lactation support services. In doing so, I also undertake an intersectional analysis of queering lactation, recognizing that forms of oppression do not impact all individuals equally or in the same ways. While recognizing the history of tensions between queer and feminist politics and activism, I argue that queering lactation holds significant benefits for supporting lactation among LGBT families, as well as opening up possibilities for rethinking gender and possibilities for gender equality more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnographic descriptions suggest that cultures differ in the extent to which they value physical touch and its acceptability in different kinds of social relationships. For example, compared to European American (EA) culture, Mexican culture is described as placing greater emphasis on warm interpersonal interactions, in which touch may play an important part. We tested this notion empirically by assessing attitudes about touch among 271 Mexican American (MA; 208 female) and 578 EA (434 female) college students. Specifically, we examined potential ethnic group differences in (1) participants' perception of the acceptability of affectionate touch (AT) within their cultures, depending on the relationship (close others vs. acquaintances) and setting (private vs. public) in which the touch occurs; and (2) participants' own personal comfort with AT. Among MAs, we examined associations between touch attitudes and acculturation. As predicted, MAs reported greater cultural acceptability of AT with acquaintances (but not close others) and in public (but not private) settings than did EAs. Participants' own comfort with AT was greater for both MA men and EA women than for EA men. Further, higher perceived cultural acceptability of AT predicted greater personal comfort with AT in both ethnic groups. Finally, among MAs, greater acculturation predicted less comfort with AT. Together, these results lend support to the notion that MA ethnocultural norms encourage AT in nonintimate contexts to a greater degree than EA norms, particularly for men, and that personal attitudes about AT are largely congruent with these norms. They also call attention to cross-cultural similarities in attitudes about touch in more intimate contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Researchers have shown beneficial influences of exclusive breastfeeding for women and infants. Therefore, the World Health Organization recommends exclusively breastfeeding infants for the first 6 months following birth. In Bhutan, researchers have found, through survey research, variable exclusive breastfeeding rates at 6 months. They have not, however, explored the experiences and views of participants in relation to breastfeeding. Research aim: The aim was to explore first-time mothers' views, intentions, and experiences related to exclusive breastfeeding. Methods: A qualitative, prospective, longitudinal, descriptive study was undertaken using semistructured, audio-recorded interviews at two points of time with first-time mothers prenatally during late third trimester (n = 24) and at 6 weeks after birth (n = 22). The framework approach to analysis was used to identify themes. Results: Two themes (breastfeeding, but uncertainty about achieving exclusive breastfeeding and acceptance that breastfeeding is painful) were identified from interviews at term. Five themes were identified from interviews at 6 weeks after birth (lack of timely breastfeeding information and support from health professionals, misconceptions about exclusive breastfeeding, being unprepared for the reality of breastfeeding, limited control or choice over feeding, and adoption of cultural and traditional practices). Conclusion: The participants breastfed but did not practice exclusive breastfeeding due to a lack of timely breastfeeding information and inadequate breastfeeding support. While family elders supported breastfeeding, they also promoted the adoption of certain traditional and cultural practices, which affected exclusive breastfeeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study found that less than half of the respondents are willing to blow the whistle. The results reveal that a lack of protection with regard to the whistleblower's identity, the tedious investigative process, and the notion of avoiding confrontation, which is more apparent in Asian cultures as compared to the West, are among the reasons why individuals who witnessed misconduct chose to remain silent. Adhering to the Asian cultural upbringing where the young must respect the old, those of lower rank must obey those with higher authority, and subordinates do not question the actions of their superior, has become a norm even in the working environment. Therefore, emphasize the need for better protection for whistleblowers including using experienced individuals with a research ethics background to handle allegations from whistleblowers. In addition, established guidelines and procedures for whistleblowers with regard to voicing their allegations against colleagues engaged in research misconduct is still lacking or, to a certain extent, is still unknown to researchers. Thus, the concern indicates a need for institutions to create awareness among researchers regarding the existing platform for whistleblowers, or to develop a systematic and clear procedure which is reliable and independent to promote professionalism in academia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given that curriculum materials serve as cultural artefacts, this study addresses the need for more research on curriculum materials in different contexts. Most studies concerning curriculum materials have been conducted in US and, therefore little is known about the nature of materials in other cultural-educational contexts. The aim of this paper is to identify the underlying cultural norms of potentially constructed classrooms, by analysing recurrent activities in the most commonly used Finnish teacher guides at primary-school level. We identified three norms embedded in them: (1) creating opportunities for learning through a variety of activities and communication; (2) keeping the class gathered around a specific mathematical topic; and (3) concurrent active involvement of teachers and students. The results add to knowledge about both teacher guides and the Finnish educational context. Moreover, it adds to the growing body of methodologies, as our analytical approach is novel in the context of textual analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While certain In international business negotiations, having the knowledge of cross-cultural communication is essential especially in global business environments and thus, many researchers have spent numerous years to investigate how culture influences Asian business negotiation which has contributed to negotiation outcome. This article provides critical insight into the theoretical link of cultural dimensions of culture for international business negotiations. The proposed model suggested in this study helps to identify effective communicative behaviours in business negotiations which are useful insights for international business practitioners.

Chronic hepatitis B infection (HBV) disproportionately affects African Immigrant (AI) communities in the U.S., with a reported infection rate of 15%. HBV screening rates within these communities are low. This study sought to better understand the socio-cultural determinants associated with low HBV screening among AI communities and identify potential strategies to help inform the development of effective HBV education and screening interventions. Seventeen in-depth interviews were conducted with community health experts working in AI communities throughout the U.S. Interviews explored the potential impact of culture, perception of health, awareness of HBV, religious practices, current screening practice, provider relationship, and behaviors towards general prevention. Interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Religious preferences and cultural norms affect health care access, perceptions towards prevention, awareness of HBV, and contribute to myths and stigma within this population. Participants reported a lack of HBV knowledge and awareness and barriers to health care access including, cost, language, racism, understanding of Western Medicine, and usage of traditional medicine. This study elucidates the role of religious and cultural beliefs as barriers to HBV screening and care. Results can contribute to public health efforts to increase awareness, screening and vaccination efforts within AI communities.

In the introductory part, the author defines the basic terms used in the article: culture, cultural norms, language-communication skills, knowledge and its deficits, intercultural communication in Polish-Russian relations and the concept of defective communication. The purpose of this article is to describe the various causes of defective communication in Polish-Russian relations. In the following sections of the article, the author describes and exemplifies symptoms of defective communication, the over-ethnic causes of communication failures, the ethnic Polish-Russian determinants of defective interpersonal communication related to knowledge deficits, Russian language skills and stricte cultural determinants of unfortunate communication in selected spheres of life.

With the increasing number of overweight and obese people, there is a growing public health concern and focus on body size and lifestyle issues, especially in the media. Young adult women comprise a vulnerable group regarding issues of weight balance and appearance. The aim of the study was to examine the experiences of young women on how this focus influences their attitudes concerning weight changes, appearance, and health. We conducted 12 interviews with young women from two different weight groups about the attention on overweight issues. The results from the in-depth interviews were scrutinized through content analyses. The main findings indicate that young women experience a considerable focus on overweight issues with a trend towards appearance rather than health. Overweight and obesity are sensitive topics, and participants expressed strong views on the cultural definitions of normal body size and appearance. The squeeze between cultural norms and young women's perceptions of their own body and health was described as a possible negative factor influencing well-being as well as motivation for lifestyle changes. A more relaxed focus on overweight issues and especially on appearance is necessary when addressing weight-balance issues and lifestyle changes in young adult women.

Background: The Sami in Norway have a legal right to receive health services adapted to Sami language and culture. This calls for a study of the significance of language choice and cultural norms in Sami patients’ encounters with mental health services. Objectives: To explore the significance of language and cultural norms in communication about mental health topics experienced by Sami patients receiving mental health treatment to enhance our understanding of linguistic and cultural adaptation of health services. Methods: Data were collected through individual interviews with 4 Sami patients receiving mental health treatment in Northern Norway. A systematic text reduction and a thematic analysis were employed. Findings: Two themes were identified:(I) Language choice is influenced by language competence, with whom one talks and what one talks about.Bilingualism was a resource and natural part of the participants’ lives, but there were limited possibilities to speak Sami in encounters with health services. A professional working relationship was placed on an equal footing with the possibility to speak Sami.(II) Cultural norms influence what one talks about, in what way and to whom.However, norms could be bypassed, by talking about norm-regulated topics in Norwegian with health providers. Conclusion: Sami patients’ language choice in different communication situations is influenced by a complexity of social and cultural factors. Sami patients have varying opinions about and preferences for what they can talk about, in which language, in what way and with whom. Bilingualism and knowledge about both Sami and Norwegian culture provide latitude and enhanced possibilities for both patients and the health services. The challenge for the health services is to allow for and safeguard such individual variations within the cultural framework of the patients.

Sofia Quintero Romero graduated as a medical doctor at Universidad del Rosario, Bogotà, Colombia, in 1977. She spent a compulsory rural year working in a remote indigenous community in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Columbia. In 1979 she worked in Bolivia for Terre des Hommes and Oxfam, evaluating their health projects with the Aymara Indians and in the tin mines. She had to leave Colombia for political reasons and went to England, where she obtained, in 1981, an MSc in Community Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). That's where she met her husband, Adriano Cattaneo. She then worked in Mozambique and Nicaragua where she was in charge of maternal and child health services at the regional level. Since 1990, she devoted her time to the protection, promotion, and support of breastfeeding. Sofia obtained a PhD in Maternal and Child Health at the University of Bologna, Italy, and a Diploma in Breastfeeding Theory and Practice at the Child Health Institute in London UK. She taught hundreds of breastfeeding courses for health professionals and peer counsellors in Italy and in dozens of countries abroad, using the World Health Organization/United Nations Children's Fund (WHO/UNICEF) manuals. In the past 15 years, she changed her approach for breastfeeding education to biological nurturing. Sofia has been a member of the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) since 1992 and coordinated the Nestlé Boycott in Italy. She retired in 2018., Competing Interests: Disclosures and Conflicts of InterestThe authors declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: MA was an Assistant Editor for JHL at the time this interview was conducted. She also is ILCA’s delegate to Codex Alimentarius and the World Health Assembly. She is the BFHI coordinator for Luxembourg.

This narrative review article comprehensively explores the multifaceted landscape of social egg freezing, delving into its medical, ethical, societal, psychological, legal, and cultural dimensions. Oocyte cryopreservation, a developing procedure, gives women the chance to match their life goals with fertility goals. Informed decision-making, morally sound guidance, and open communication are all stressed by ethical considerations. Family planning practices, workplace cultures, and gender equality all have an impact on societal dynamics. The process's emotional toll and associated coping mechanisms are highlighted by psychological elements. Legal and policy frameworks need constant ethical reflection and understanding of the regulatory environment. Religious and cultural views highlight the variety of perspectives that influence attitudes toward this practice. For responsible practice to ensure individual liberty while navigating the evolving landscape of reproductive options, it is essential to comprehend how these aspects interact., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Lahoti et al.)

Understanding the complexities surrounding cervical cancer prevention methods and hesitancy among conservative Muslim American women is crucial in addressing health disparities. This qualitative study aimed to delve into the religious, behavioral, and socio-cultural factors influencing Muslim women's decisions regarding cervical cancer screening (CC-S) and HPV vaccination (HPV-V) in Virginia, USA. Through interviews with 10 Muslim women residing in Virginia, qualitative data were collected as part of a mixed-method cross-sectional study conducted between August and September 2021. Findings revealed that participants had limited knowledge about cervical cancer, CC-S, and HPV-V, with notable themes emerging, such as cultural influences, misconceptions, language barriers, and challenges posed by the intricate US healthcare system. Future research should focus on exploring these barriers to mitigate the impact of cervical cancer within the Muslim population., (© 2023. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

The U.S. discourse regarding the practice of genital cutting differs depending on the perceived sex of the body. The authors understand this difference as crucial to the construction of gender normative body projects in the contemporary United States. Using a content analysis of 172 randomly sampled newspaper articles in the United States, we present differences in not only the value position of media but in the framing of genital alteration across sexes or genders and national contexts. We find that U.S. media overwhelmingly exhibits a positive viewpoint regarding the circumcision of male bodies and considers the question to be a fundamentally medical one. Our analysis suggests that while personal narrative is employed to center the personhood of females who have been circumcised, the device is also used to normalize parental choice when discussing male circumcision. Our analysis shows that U.S. media engages almost exclusively white male voices as experts in the discussion of normative male body presentation, while a relative diversity of opinions is deemed legitimate for female bodies and genitals. Given these findings, we argue that media-driven discourse is key to perpetuating the currently normative body projects that undergird conceptions of bodies as fundamentally different dependent on gender role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The percentage of female population in our country is more than fifty percent, and the main cause of suppression against women is the joint family system in which the head of the family is the father of the husband instead of husband himself. Our society is dominated by men, and due to this a huge majority of the women in Pakistan are not able to take their own decisions, even to decide their own marriages. In this research paper we will look at the cultural barriers against women empowerment in our country. The sample data for this research paper has been taken from married women of District Jamshoro and the method used is purposive sampling. In this research we will explain the number of different factors for example environment of the family, family background, cultural norms, and approaches towards such norms, moderate attitude, and the dissatisfaction with the society. These factors have been the main causes of the dominance of the male in our society and culture. We also discuss the attitude towards women and subordinate treatment of the females in our society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Popularly encapsulating the world economic integration process, globalization has also served as a useful analytical tool to understand vital shifts and changes occurring in the political and cultural realms. In its political dimension, the contemporary notion of state sovereignty and the ascendance and global standardization of a universal principle as well as regime of human rights constitute the main strands of political globalization. Along with process of global standardization of markets and consumer items, cultural norms and ideas have the tendency to acquire universal character. Modernization, westernization, inter-nationalization and universalization have complex inter-connectedness. If there is universalization of cultural norms and ideas like human rights then to what extent the specific particular and localized spheres of cultures and ideas survive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Immigrants in the USA are confronted with health disparities, including childhood obesity and obesity-related chronic diseases. We aimed to identify perceptions of childhood body weight, approaches to raising healthy children and desires for supportive programmes of Somali, Latino and Hmong (SLM) parents in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA.Design: Using community-based participatory research, ten focus groups (FG) were conducted with sixty-seven parents (n 28 Somali, three FG; n 19 Latino, four FG; n 20 Hmong, three FG) of 3-12-year-old children in their native language. Demographic information was collected.Results: SLM parents perceived that health is not necessarily weight-based; childhood obesity is caused by overeating, eating unhealthy foods and sedentary activities; traditional foods are generally healthy while American foods are generally unhealthy; and healthy children are inherently physically active. Parents identified their goals as feeding children so they would be healthy and happy, helping them be active and safe, and teaching them to cook traditional foods to be self-sufficient and maintain their cultural identity. Parents were challenged by children's unhealthy food and sedentary preferences, their own uncertainties about healthy foods and behaviours, and structural factors. Parents thought interventions could help them with these challenges, including information about healthy foods, age-appropriate portion sizes, safe places to be active and strategies tailored to their cultural norms.Conclusions: SLM parents are trying to raise healthy-weight children based on their understanding of children's health, weight, diet and physical activity, while dealing with social, economic and environmental challenges and trying to maintain cultural identity and traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reflects on the changes and continuities in the cultural values and norms of young men and women with regard to gender relations and roles in five Arab Mediterranean countries: Algeria, Morocco, Lebanon, Tunisia and Egypt. To do this, attention is given to the processes and practices of cultural innovation that have arisen among the region's generations of young people since the 2011 uprisings. The empirical analysis is based on qualitative and quantitative data gathered through the multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork and international survey of the SAHWA research project. The analysis reveals young people who are social actors able to confront structural limitations and mechanisms of exclusion; at the same time, it describes the distinct way young men and women in the region inhabit the ambivalent condition of "waithood". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The normalisation movement calls for more recognition of the sexual rights of people with intellectual disabilities to challenge classically paradoxical cultural beliefs: 'hypersexual' versus 'asexual'.Aims: This meta-ethnographic qualitative synthesis aimed to explore the voices of people with intellectual disabilities in regards to their experiences and perceptions of sexuality using a Coordinated Management of Meaning framework to derive new conceptual understandings of how their sexuality exists within multiple contexts.Methods and Procedures: A systematic literature search and quality assessment yielded 16 studies that met the inclusion criteria and were synthesised following the method of meta-ethnography.Outcomes and Results: Four core themes were identified; 'Sociocultural Norms'; 'Under Others Power'; 'Sexual Identity' and 'Sexual Experience'.Conclusions and Implications: Application of the hierarchical Coordinated Management of Meaning model suggested caregivers contextual beliefs about people with intellectual disabilities' sexuality inhibited or facilitated positive expressions of sexuality over and above individual needs and desires. Rights-based cultural messages provided the only context that led to positive sexuality outcomes and research that explores sexuality within this context is much needed. The Coordinated Management of Meaning model identified by this research may act as a framework to support the reflective-practice of caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the influence of independent and interdependent self-construals and social context on decision-making using a set of hypothetical scenarios. Following the methodology of Sinha et al. (J Psychol 37(5):309-319, 2002. 10.1080/00207590244000124), a sample of Canadian undergraduate students was presented with 16 decision-making scenarios. Scenarios were divided into two clusters depending on interaction target: nine scenarios related to conflict between personal needs versus family and friends, and seven scenarios related to conflict between personal needs versus community or society. Participants were asked to choose one of five responses: collectivist behaviour with collectivist intent, individualist behaviour with individualist intent, collectivist behaviour with individualist intent, individualist behaviour with collectivist intent, or a mix of collectivist and individualist behaviours and intentions. Participant self-construal was measured orthogonally using Singelis’ (Personal Soc Psychol Bull 20(5):580-591, 1994) Self-Construal Scale. The results suggest that a complex mix of self-concept, situation, and interaction target influenced participant behaviours and intentions. Biggest differences were observed between participants who scored high on one construal and low on the other: those who were more independent were more likely to choose individualist behaviours and intentions, and those who were more interdependent tended to choose more collectivist options. Interdependent self-construal was found to curtail individualist intentions, but not behaviour. Both independent and interdependent participants made collectivist choices towards family and friends as opposed to the greater community. The results have implications for studying the influence of self-concept and cultural norms on behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite having one of the most inclusive and progressive constitutions in the world, South Africa (SA) has one of the highest rates of sexual offences globally. This article measures the extent of sexual violence, causes, developments and challenges in research, policy and practice in relation to sexual violence against women. It analyses the causes and responses to sexual violence in a largely South African context. Through different reports and literature reviews this paper will analyze the role that social traditions and norms play in the commission of sexual violence. By analyzing a prominent rape case, the author will deliberate on why law reform alone can be limiting in comprehensively dealing with sexual offences. It will also discuss how weaknesses in the governments' responses to sexual violence have led to it being perpetrated with relative impunity. This paper will further emphasize the need for an integrated response to eradicating sexual violence. In addition to presenting a brief explanation of legislative developments relating to sexual offences, the extent to which the South African judiciary has enforced the constitutional right to freedom from violence through relevant case law is also briefly discussed. In reinforcing violence against women as a human rights violation, it will be attempted to underscore the critical links between the law, public policy and service provision to victims of gender-based violence. Finally, this article will provide recommendations in changing attitudes, beliefs and to improve services to victims of sexual violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior literature has utilized many theories to explain an organization's post-adoption technology use of social media platforms, but none of the common models include status as either a primary or a moderating variable. This is a significant gap in the literature because status is a structural enabler and inhibitor that determines acceptable and unacceptable behavior in a given setting. In an empirical study of Twitter and the cultural norm of retweeting for a sample of US colleges and universities, the authors demonstrate the following: (1) middle-status institutions had a higher likelihood of following the retweeting cultural norm relative to their high- and low-status counterparts, (2) middle- and lowstatus institutions who followed the retweeting cultural norm in a manner consistent with their status experienced greater post-adoption success relative to those institutions who did not, but the reverse was evident for high-status institutions (who appear to be rewarded for deviation from this cultural norm), and (3) the negative effect of deviating from retweeting cultural norms on post-adoption success is more pronounced with decreasing status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have identified the importance of the attitude in the association with advertising appeal. However, the factors involved in direct and indirect effects of attitude remain unaddressed in the advertising appeal literature. This article aims to provide insight of the theoretical framework that addresses cultural norms based on Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) cultural dimensions as the moderating factor in explaining the association between the advertising appeal and behavioral intention. In addition, this paper explores the possibility of the mediating role of the attitude in the association between advertising appeal and intention which may be studied further to determine the empirical finding based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We document the norms and practices of a "casual raiding guild" pursuing a balanced approach to World of Warcraft gaming under the banner "offline life matters." Confirming insights in the problematic online gaming literature, our ethnography reveals that some guild members experience gaming distress. However, this guild's normative culture helps its members better self-regulate and thus protect themselves from, among other things, their own impulses to over-play and thus compromise their offline lives. We suggest that cognitive anthropological "culture as socially transmitted knowledge" theories-combined with ethnographic methods-illuminate how socially learned gaming patterns shape online experiences. Our approach helps us refine theories judging socially motivated Internet activity as harmful. We affirm the potential for distress in these social gaming contexts, but we also show how a specific guild culture can minimize or even reverse such distress, in this case promoting experiences that strike a nice balance between thrill and comradery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Culture and education are inextricably linked and education is one of the spheres in which an individual person or a collective may practise their closely-related rights to culture and freedom of expression. Different role players in education all have cultural rights and culture can have a beneficial or negative effect on the functioning of an educational institution and, consequently, on the realisation of cultural and educational rights. Because culture is an emotional issue linked to a person's concept of self-worth and may be misused to discriminate against people, members of a school community could easily feel that their cultural rights are threatened and culture-based conflict often ensues. A culturally homogeneous country is not as prone to endemic cultural conflict as a culturally deeply diverse country like South Africa. In South Africa, cultural rights and the expression and practice thereof are regulated by constitutional and other laws designed to ensure harmony in this regard. Nevertheless, cultural conflict often arises in South African schools and is sometimes even escalated to the courts. The functioning of schools is sometimes disrupted by culture-based conflict, of which the recent protests about the regulation of girls' hairstyles in some schools is an apt example. The well-known Pillay case ensued from disciplinary measures a well-known girls' school took against a girl who wore a nose stud contrary to the school's dress code to demonstrate her solidarity with her cultural heritage. In this Constitutional Court case the school's action was set aside. In the judgment, Chief Justice Pius Langa said that the exercise of religion and culture in schools was something to be celebrated and not feared. He said that the more learners feel free to express their religions and cultures in school, the closer we come to the society envisaged in the Constitution. To his mind the display of religion and culture in public was not a "parade of horribles" but a pageant of diversity which will enrich our schools and also our country. The celebration of diversity in all schools sounds like an attractive proposition but it is most likely not as easy to achieve as the Chief Justice might have hoped. I will discuss the problems associated with the achievement of the Chief Justice's idea by firstly discussing some of the dimensions of the elusive concept culture, using legal and other perspectives. I refer to the National Policy on the South African Standard for the Principalship (2016) of the Department of Basic Education which declares that all good South African school principals embrace and practice the principles of ubuntu in their management and leadership practices. This preference could marginalise all other cultures in the leadership and management cultures of South African schools. I surveyed the literature and came to the conclusion that, regarding cultural diversity, one may distinguish a Western and an African culture (in the form of ubuntu) in South African society without discriminating unfairly or encouraging conflict. I discuss the implications of the assumption that one may distinguish two broad cultures in South Africa despite the fact that there are countless variations of each and that one probably needs to speak of forms of ubuntu instead of referring to this notion in the singular. In particular, educational leaders are sometimes confronted by a choice between obeying the norms of a culture or legal principles when they have to handle conflict emanating from culture. Naturally, this causes tension and one can understand why some managers sometimes choose cultural principles over legal ones, especially in light of the fact that there do not seem to be many legal consequences for doing so. In conclusion, I discuss a case study from the literature. The case deals with the sexual abuse of girls by educators and asks why parents and educators remain silent about this phenomenon even though they know it is an infringement of several rights of the girls in question. The case is also an illustration of the fact that the rights of vulnerable minority groups (in this case, school girls in a rural setting) can be violated because people make decisions informed by cultural norms and not by the law. Such decisions inevitably impinge on the girls' rights to education and to have their best interests guide decision making in education and they also indicate that people may sometimes offer or use culture as a defence against allegations of wrongful deeds. From the case study, it is clear that educators and parents sometimes deliberately choose to obey cultural and not legal norms even though their decisions will undoubtedly have deleterious effects on the girls' futures. I hope to discuss more instances of the problematic conundrum of culture, the law and the educational interests of children in a follow-up article. I believe, that much needs to be done before Chief Justice Langa's ideal can be attained. Many people will have to be empowered in many ways before justice can be done to the expression of cultural rights in education. It is clear to me that we will have to traverse a proverbial minefield without a roadmap to reach the ideal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article is a perspective on aging from a younger woman of color. The author reflects upon her identity, normative assumptions of aging, how they relate to other values that inform her culture and ethnicity, and how she sees older women in her community responding to the dominant culture. The author centers upon the experiences of her grandmother and mother as a way of anchoring her inquiry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than having a focus on performance and rational decisions, supply management studies need to emphasise the effects of managers' social relations to implement sustainability. These social relations can be explained by the micro-level analyses and shape managers' behaviours. Therefore, we explore in this paper whether and how local managers experience sustainability decisions through social capital theory. A qualitative research study involving clothing supply players operating in an emerging economy was developed that relied on semi-structured interviews and secondary data as data sources. Data were inductively analysed using NVivo software and organised into three categories: individuals, interrelationship and structure. The results show that the micro level of sustainability implementation is better explained when cognitive and relational capital are related to experience (e.g. awareness of sustainability scandals) and agency elements. However, structure capital as a component of the micro level triggered unexpected opportunistic behaviours (e.g. misconduct and naturalised child labour). This paper contributes to both theory and practice since it shows how micro-level decisions interfere in sustainability implementation based on (1) actions resulting from existing close relational ties and (2) the influence of the operating context. Unlike previous research, this paper is original by showing that a local supply can generate unexpected consequences, such as opportunistic behaviour camouflaged as cultural norms. • The micro-level analysis explains how to implement sustainability. • Relational ties can lead to unsustainable behaviours. • Operating context plays a key role towards sustainability implementation. • Opportunistic behaviours are camouflaged as cultural norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing evidence in the field of child labour has identified social norms among the key antecedents. Social norms regulate actions of people within the social order. Where social norms are institutionalized and legitimized, people conform to them out of a sense of duty. It is argued that legitimate, deep-rooted, and institutionalized social norms are difficult to change. Yet, there have been some significant improvements in research suggesting that normative change programs can effectively shift deep-rooted social norms. In this study, we explored a pathway to change social norms that underpin child labour practices in four major hubs of cocoa and sea fishing. We employed a bottom-up practice research approach to co-design the study, and implemented it through narrative vignette interviews. Using vignette stimulus, we interviewed parents (n = 40), with 20 of them perceived to have engaged their children in child labour, and stakeholders in the communities (n = 10). Findings from the narrative interviews revealed norms on informal apprenticeship, inheriting family business, and hard work, among the core child labour norms. We unraveled the constitutive procedural norms that legitimize and justify the child labour norms in the communities. Based on this, a normative change framework has been designed and supported with suggested intervention programs to shift the social norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]