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Heritage is defined and maintained through complex and changing processes. In what ways might heritage scholars and practitioners understand dynamic complexities theoretically, methodologically and ethically? Through reflections on involvement in environmental and cultural heritage initiatives with Maya communities in southern Belize, this paper argues for an explicit forefronting of community aims and goals in heritage-focused project design and implementation. It demonstrates how cultural anthropologists involved in collaborative projects with archaeologists, non-governmental and/or community organisations may use ethnographic approaches to push collectively towards decolonial, community archaeologies. The challenges of ethnographers and archaeologists working together to document heritage past and present are critically and reflexively analysed, using frameworks rooted in environmental anthropology to capture the fluid and negotiated nature of heritage constructions by exploring what it means to live a 'good life' in Maya communities in Belize. The insights generated for developing a decolonising approach for future work of this type are also considered. By challenging what constitutes project 'success', and discussing the questions simultaneously posed and revealed by the long-term community projects detailed here, the paper argues for a more collaborative, nuanced and fluid conceptualisation of what constitutes heritage, and who is served by its documentation and dissemination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How does social complexity depend on population size and cultural transmission? Kinship structures in traditional societies provide a fundamental illustration, where cultural rules between clans determine people's marriage possibilities. Here, we propose a simple model of kinship interactions that considers kin and in-law cooperation and sexual rivalry. In this model, multiple societies compete. Societies consist of multiple families with different cultural traits and mating preferences. These values determine interactions and hence the growth rate of families and are transmitted to offspring with mutations. Through a multilevel evolutionary simulation, family traits and preferences are grouped into multiple clans with interclan mating preferences. It illustrates the emergence of kinship structures as the spontaneous formation of interdependent cultural associations. Emergent kinship structures are characterized by the cycle length of marriage exchange and the number of cycles in society. We numerically and analytically clarify their parameter dependence. The relative importance of cooperation versus rivalry determines whether attraction or repulsion exists between families. Different structures evolve as locally stable attractors. The probabilities of formation and collapse of complex structures depend on the number of families and the mutation rate, showing characteristic scaling relationships. It is now possible to explore macroscopic kinship structures based on microscopic interactions, together with their environmental dependence and the historical causality of their evolution. We propose the basic causal mechanism of the formation of typical human social structures by referring to ethnographic observations and concepts from statistical physics and multilevel evolution. Such interdisciplinary collaboration will unveil universal features in human societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tourism & Management Studies is the property of Escola Superior de Gestao, Hotelaria e Turismo, Universidade do Algarve 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.)

This article is devoted to the problem of cultural heritage used in support of national narratives by governments and/or dominant groups. The article outlines seven case studies within three contextual categories. Special attention is brought to inclusive narratives within the context of national identity and collective memory. I argue that cultural heritage is used in the service of power both by dominant and minority groups and is vital for cultural survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultures in Mediterranean climate zones (MCZs) around the world have long been reliant on groundwater and springs as freshwater sources. While their ecology and cultural sustainability are recognized as critically important, inter-relationships between springs and culture in MCZs have received less attention. Here we augmented a global literature review with case studies in MCZ cultural landscapes to examine the diversity and intensity of cultural and socio-economic relationships on spring ecohydrogeology. MCZs are often oriented on western and southern coasts in tectonically active landscapes which control aquifer structure, the prevalence of westerly winds, and aridity, and generally expose associated habitats and cultures to harsh afternoon sunlight. Cultural appreciation and appropriation of springs ranges widely, from their use as subsistence water supplies to their roles in profound traditions such as Greco-Roman nymphalea as well as Asian and Abrahamic spiritual cleansing and baptism. The abandonment of traditional ways of life, such as rural livestock production, for urban ones has shifted impacts on aquifers from local to regional groundwater exploitation. The commoditization of water resources for regional agricultural, industrial (e.g., mining, water bottling, geothermal resorts), and urban uses is placing ever-increasing unsustainable demands on aquifers and spring ecosystems. When the regional economic value of springs approaches or exceeds local cultural values, these irreplaceable aquatic ecosystems are often degraded, over-looked, and lost. Sustainable stewardship of springs and the aquifers that support them is a poorly recognized but central conservation challenge for modern Mediterranean societies as they face impending impacts of global climate change. Solutions to this crisis require education, societal dialogue, and improved policy and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been significant critical literature on the concept of civilization as intertwined with the concepts of progress and evolution since the 19th century. However, the early work of anthropology does not seem to have received enough attention in the debate on the concept of civilization. The approach of Franz Boas, an important and influential anthropologist who wrote extensively on primitivism, culture and evolution, is noteworthy in this context. This article aims to contribute to the debates around the concept of civilization and to the Turkish literature on Franz Boas by examining how he criticizes the evolutionist-progressivist paradigm. Boas, who thought that the concept of civilization was not identical to the West, rejected the concept of race based on the idea of biological determination and emphasized the relative influence of cultural elements. Thus, against the idea of unidirectional and uniform evolution, he argued that each culture should be explained from within itself. After discussing Boas's ideas, the article also evaluates the main criticisms against him. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender, difference and uniformity of gender rules are considered as fundamental concepts of anthropology of gender. The present research is an attempt to examine Farhad Hassanzadeh's evidences (particularly in the ages of D and H) so as to analyze them based on post structuralism anthropology. Having confirmed the customary insight, understandable expressions, the ideologies that governor on traditional Cultural structures, One pole is the center and the other one is margin. However, as the matter of fact, the mentioned binaries (the two mentioned polars) are not superior to each other. This research, via considering the viewpoint of giving centrality or having one of two poles in nature/culture binary and female/male, analyzes whether the rate of centrality had been given to Female pole and in whose one it has been given to male pole, in which literally work centrifugal has been happened and in which ones it has not. This research shows, in the most discussed fiction centrality of writer characterization is based on male pole and looking manner to women’s character has not been kept a loof from past traditional stereotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term rûaḥ (plural: rûḥôt) is usually translated into English as 'wind', 'breath', or 'spirit'. With such a wide semantic range, scholars have debated the meteorological, anthropological, and theological nuances of the term. This article surveys five themes in the history of that scholarship: (1) diachronic approaches to mapping the meaning of rûaḥ ; (2) attempts to track two modes of rûaḥ : the so-called life-giving vs. empowering aspects; (3) distinctions between the meanings of rûaḥ and nepeš ; (4) the functions of rûaḥ in designating ecstatic experience; and (5) the role of rûaḥ -language in describing notions of human subjectivity and moral agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidst the contemporary diasporic landscape in Sinophone literature, this research critically examines the nexus of language, culture, and identity. The study aims to analyze literary pieces composed in Sinophone languages across diverse diasporic communities and uncover the impact of language and cultural elements on the articulation and comprehension of diasporic identity. This paper used the following. comparative and typological research, an in-depth analysis of three Sinophonic texts, and contextual analysis. The subject of the study was three texts: The Joy Luck Club (Amy Tan), Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (Dai Sijie), and The Woman Warrior (Maxine Hong Kingston). The results showed that In The Joy Luck Club, language and cultural facets unveil the characters’ dual identity struggles due to living abroad, exemplified through code-switching’s psychological tension. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress utilizes language and cultural details to underscore the significance of preserving heritage within the diaspora, with literary allusions amplifying this endeavor. In The Woman Warrior, language and cultural elements reflect the heroine’s inner conflict as she navigates her dual cultural allegiance. This scholarly revelation deepens comprehension of how these aspects influence identity formation in the diaspora. These findings broaden the understanding of Sinophone diasporic literature, spotlighting shared trends in identity portrayal through language and culture. The research has theoretical value for literary, cultural, and anthropological studies and practical significance, potentially informing educational initiatives on diasporic literature and cultural diversity. This study’s outcomes hold relevance for students, researchers, and cultural scholars exploring the role of language and culture in diasporic identity expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding past and present relationships of traditional cultures with biodiversity through biocultural research can help inform inclusive conservation policy and planning in a country seeking to undo past injustices such as South Africa. This review of 326 articles published between 1990 and 2019 maps the methodology employed in biocultural research, the focus of this research niche, ethical conduct and research recommendations to understand the state of biocultural research and make recommendations for biocultural research that is representative of South Africa’s diverse cultural landscape. This systematic review of original research articles indexed on the Scopus database found South African biocultural research to exclude Swati and Ndebele cultures while having an unevenly strong focus on plants, human health sciences, rural areas, and three of the country’s nine provinces. Some of this unevenness is likely because of utility of plants in human health and association of traditional practices with rural areas. Using a systematic review approach for this study not only ensured replicability but it also introduced a limitation of the results only being applicable to peer-reviewed articles indexed on the Scopus database. Conservation implications: Biocultural research’s strong focus on utilitarian use could encourage conservation policy that favours utilitarian use of wildlife. An even focus in biocultural research is recommended to avoid the knowledge pool for conservation policy being mostly focussed on utilitarian value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Signa is the property of Editorial UNED 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.)

This paper discusses the necessity of proposing an epistemological approach that focuses on both essential and empirical features of culture. Phenomenology, as we find in Edmund Husserl, is introduced as the main methodology enabling us to establish invariant or essential principles of human culture. We explain how phenomenology analyzes consciousness and its structures, showing a different approach from empirical studies of culture, such as cultural anthropology. Despite these epistemological divergencies, we argue that phenomenology and anthropology should collaborate, and we illustrate this through an analysis of particular Jewish rituals, as an instance of anthropological descriptions and phenomenological analysis. In the first part of the paper, we provide a brief introduction to phenomenology, by outlining the most important concepts to understand this methodology, such as intentionality, constitution, and experiential layers. In the second part, we will use the previous essential analysis of culture as guidelines to analyze a concrete culture, like Judaism, with a focus on specific rituals. While analyzing Judaism unavoidably requires empirical observations in their various forms, phenomenology provides us with a method through which enucleating universal principles underlying contextual and historical elements, which need to be considered as invariant in each human group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Community Connections: Studies on Education, Culture / Közösségi Kapcsolódások: Tanulmányok Kultúráról és Oktatásról is the property of Szeged University 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 Pensamiento Americano is the property of Corporacion Universitaria Americana 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 Psychosozial is the property of Psychosozial-Verlag GmbH & Co. KG 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.)

In September-October 2023 in the Hermitage-Siberia center of the Omsk Region Museum of Fine Arts. M. A. Vrubel hosted the exhibition «Siberian Seasons of the Leningrad Philharmonic. To the 80th anniversary of the 1943 tour»; the project had great public outcry. The exhibition featured unique documents, restored at the St. Petersburg Institute of History of the Russian Academy of Sciences, related to the stay and creative activities of the Philharmonic in the Siberian rear. A conversation with Yu. Z. Kantor, the curator of this museum project, that took place in October 2023, is devoted to its significance and substantive features.

This article is based on research conducted in rural areas of the Polish Jurassic Highland by first-year ethnology and cultural anthropology students as part of their first field exercises. One of their tasks was to keep fieldnotes, which provided an insight into the young anthropologists’ experiences. Based on an analysis of these notes, I decided to inscribe the process of becoming an anthropologist into the pattern of the rite of passage according to the model proposed by Arnold van Gennep. The purpose of the article is to analyze and interpret the students’ notes and present the point of view of a young researcher – including myself, the author of this article, who participated in this research – on the Polish countryside and the role of the field in the “anthropological initiation.” Making fieldnotes is not only a technique or method of producing anthropological knowledge, but also a source of information about the researcher’s inner experiences during their professional initiation. The article investigates how the specificity of the rural areas of the Polish Jurassic Highland (as the first research field) influenced the process of the symbolic transformation of a student into an anthropologist.

The term in the title is intended to suggest that today’s increasingly diverse, alternative forms of belief related to religion are less easily captured by the terms religion and spirituality. In addition to explaining the difficulty of defining these two terms and discussing similar, previously proposed, and useful concepts to overcome this difficulty, I present the process of creating of the term “religionesque” and its proposed use in empirical research. During my empirical fieldwork, I experienced the need for the missing term, which I believe should be introduced not only because of the analysis of certain alternative forms, but also because it nicely translates a term that already exists to some extent in the Hungarian language.

In conjunction with other research methods, cultural anthropology is employed to investigate social and cultural transformations. It involves examining the ideological aspects of texts and speeches and the vocabulary and elements that imbue them with meaning. The selection and usage of specific words and phrases in proverbs reflect people's perspectives, attitudes, and thoughts toward various events, phenomena, situations, and social issues. In orally transmitted stories, the geographical and environmental culture of the narrator and the primary storyteller, whether known or anonymous, play a pivotal role in shaping the narrative's structure. This article compares two versions of the Sheikh San'Aan story (the Kurdish narrative by Mam Ahmad Lotfi Mahabadi and the Persian narrative by Attar) from a cultural anthropological standpoint to explore the cultural similarities and differences between the two works. The analysis reveals that both narratives feature Sheikh San'Aan and his daughter as the main characters, with disciples playing subordinate roles. Customs and traditions are mentioned in both works; however, a distinction lies in the presence of a character named Hazrat Ghaws, rooted in mystical and regional beliefs concerning spiritual leaders. The role of the father figure is also significant, reflecting the influence of fathers on the institution of the family and patriarchy, particularly evident in the Kurdish narrative where the Christian daughter introduces herself and Sheikh to her father. Both narratives contain customs related to Christianity, which Sheikh San'Aan must adhere to for conversion. Nevertheless, there are variations in customs and traditions between the Kurdish and Persian narratives, such as the Khanqah ceremony and wedding rituals. Clothing is another cultural element featured in both works, described as Kurdish attire in the Kurdish narrative and Sufi clothing in the Persian narrative due to its literary nature.

The transformation due to climate change of the high Alpine mountains is intensifying. A real disruption in the perception of this milieu and in the ways of interacting with it is ongoing, as evidenced by recent funeral ceremonies organised for disappearing glaciers. The investigation and documentation of the alternative interactions with mountain entities, such as glaciers, is challenging the very existence of the “Great Divide” that modernity has supposedly created between humans and non-humans. Through ethnographic observations and semi-directed interviews, the conducted study uncovers in the Valais Alps and in the Mont Blanc massif the hidden relationships developed with their environment by high-mountain people, such as glaciologists, mountain guides, or crystal hunters. It shows how they relate with specific glaciers or rock walls, listen to them, see them as living and dying, and build up new attention schemes and forms of attachments. It, therefore, allows a first characterisation of what may be akin to a form of animism in a Western context, reputedly naturalistic.

Cultural Anthropology and Linguistic Anthropology are two vital subfields within anthropology, each offering unique insights into the diverse and complex ways in which human societies operate. When these disciplines converge, a profound synergy emerges, providing a richer and more holistic understanding of the cultural, linguistic, and social dimensions of human life. This article explores the interplay between cultural and linguistic anthropology, revealing how their synergy enhances our grasp of the intricacies of human existence. The fields of cultural and linguistic anthropology have long been distinguished by their unique focuses, methodologies, and research interests. Cultural anthropology delves into the intricacies of human societies, exploring cultural practices, beliefs, and social structures, while linguistic anthropology focuses on the role of language in culture and society. However, a synergetic paradigm is emerging that seeks to bridge these two disciplines, recognizing the intricate connection between language and culture. This paradigm acknowledges that linguistic and cultural anthropology are not mutually exclusive but, instead, complementary lenses through which to view the complex tapestry of human societies. Cultural and linguistic anthropology, though distinct in their focuses, share a fundamental interest in understanding the dynamics of human societies and cultures. When it comes to exploring shifts in value systems, these two subfields of anthropology often employ similar research methods. In this article, we will delve into the methods that cultural and linguistic anthropologists commonly share in their investigations of evolving value systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the intricate relationship between globalization and local adaptations through a cultural anthropological lens. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the dynamic interplay between global influences and local cultures has emerged as a focal point of study. The abstract delves into the nuanced examination of how globalization, characterized by the flow of goods, information, and people across borders, intersects with the unique cultural landscapes of local communities. Cultural anthropologists navigate the tension between cultural homogenization and diversity, investigating the ways in which global consumer culture shapes local identities and consumption patterns. The impact of global media on local narratives and cultural representation is analyzed, along with the role of social movements in adapting and responding to global issues at the local level. The article discusses both the challenges and opportunities presented by globalization, offering a comprehensive exploration of the complex processes that shape cultural dynamics in our interconnected world. This cultural anthropological perspective not only contributes to a deeper understanding of global-local interactions but also encourages critical reflections on the role of culture in shaping the trajectory of our globalized society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transformation due to climate change of the high Alpine mountains is intensifying. A real disruption in the perception of this milieu and in the ways of interacting with it is ongoing, as evidenced by recent funeral ceremonies organised for disappearing glaciers. The investigation and documentation of the alternative interactions with mountain entities, such as glaciers, is challenging the very existence of the "Great Divide" that modernity has supposedly created between humans and non-humans. Through ethnographic observations and semi-directed interviews, the conducted study uncovers in the Valais Alps and in the Mont Blanc massif the hidden relationships developed with their environment by high-mountain people, such as glaciologists, mountain guides, or crystal hunters. It shows how they relate with specific glaciers or rock walls, listen to them, see them as living and dying, and build up new attention schemes and forms of attachments. It, therefore, allows a first characterisation of what may be akin to a form of animism in a Western context, reputedly naturalistic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco 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.)

The present article is based upon information gathered in the Sălaj villages, analyzed from an anthropological point of view. In the old traditional homes, wall carpets (a broadloom carpet on the wall) were fitted instead of paintings, greetings, or words of wisdom. This naïve combination of words and images meant to call to action or to praise speaks of the history of an era, of the evolution of textile techniques and industry, about the unspoken history of women and their place, about sawing and embroidering skills but also about the traditional mentality or the atmosphere in those households – about family, weds, love, cleanliness, hygiene, cooking skills or Christian holydays. We see here a cultural phenomenon that transcends ethnography or the study of traditional fabrics and opens horizons of study in the field of cultural and historical anthropology, sociology, private life history and even interior design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding past and present relationships of traditional cultures with biodiversity through biocultural research can help inform inclusive conservation policy and planning in a country seeking to undo past injustices such as South Africa. This review of 326 articles published between 1990 and 2019 maps the methodology employed in biocultural research, the focus of this research niche, ethical conduct and research recommendations to understand the state of biocultural research and make recommendations for biocultural research that is representative of South Africa’s diverse cultural landscape. This systematic review of original research articles indexed on the Scopus database found South African biocultural research to exclude Swati and Ndebele cultures while having an unevenly strong focus on plants, human health sciences, rural areas, and three of the country’s nine provinces. Some of this unevenness is likely because of utility of plants in human health and association of traditional practices with rural areas. Using a systematic review approach for this study not only ensured replicability but it also introduced a limitation of the results only being applicable to peer-reviewed articles indexed on the Scopus database. Conservation implications: Biocultural research’s strong focus on utilitarian use could encourage conservation policy that favours utilitarian use of wildlife. An even focus in biocultural research is recommended to avoid the knowledge pool for conservation policy being mostly focussed on utilitarian value.

Purpose of the Study: This research aims to investigate the intricate relationship between communal identity, rituals, and dreams within the Festino di San Silvestro rite in Troina, Sicily. It focuses on understanding how shared dreaming, facilitated by the Social Dreaming Matrix (SDM), reflects and shapes communal engagement with cultural myths and collective identity during a traditional rite of passage. Methodology: Employing a qualitative approach, the study integrates participant observation, thematic analysis of dreams collected through SDM sessions, and semi-structured interviews with participants of the rite. This methodology allows for an in-depth exploration of the symbolic and metaphorical content of dreams and their relevance to the community's cultural practices and identity. Main Findings: The research uncovers that dreams shared during the rite act as semiophores, mediating the dialogue between individual and communal psyches, thus reinforcing communal bonds and cultural heritage. The liminal phase is identified as crucial for communal transformation, wherein rituals and shared dreams catalyze the redefinition of communal identity and the reinforcement of ties to cultural and spiritual roots. Applications of This Study: The findings have broad implications for cultural anthropology, community psychology, and ritual studies, offering a novel perspective on using shared dreaming as a mechanism for community building and identity formation. This study suggests practical applications for SDM in fostering community cohesion and understanding the dynamic process of anthropopoiesis in various communal settings. Novelty/Originality of This Study: This research contributes a novel perspective by integrating SDM with rites of passage, offering fresh insights into communal uses of dreams for navigating identity and heritage. Its exploration of dreams as semiophores in a communal ritual context marks a unique contribution to the fields of cultural and psychological studies, highlighting the SDM's potential in uncovering collective unconscious processes and supporting the dynamic construction of communal identity.

Based on the analysis of unpublished sources (documentation of military institutions, public organizations) and materials of the regional periodical press, the charitable activities of the military in the cities of Western Siberia in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries are characterized, which, despite the great attention of the scientific community to the phenomenon of charity, did not has become the subject of special research. From the standpoint of cultural anthropology, the main directions, forms, motives of army charity are defined and characterized. The study emphasizes that the activities of the military in the field of charity are active, diverse, it is dominated by gratuitous labor and a lot of organizational work, which drew public attention to topical social problems and the development of urban culture.