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Although liminal theory explains transitional periods in consumers' lives – such as preadolescence – the impact of these transitions on emotionally connected actors and the transformations that the latter endure have been largely overlooked. Through a qualitative study of the mothers of preteen girls, we show that liminality spills over and that mothers transform from fully needed to authoritative-friendly moms. During this process, these mothers engage in spilled-over liminal consumption (SOLC), which comprehends concomitantly loosely and creatively crafted rituals and new and re-signified routines. However, amid the process of assuming a new mother's role and helping their daughters' transformation, these mothers unreflectively reinforce traditional gender norms. Based on our findings, we discuss the process of SOLC and how it ends in reproducing gender and class-based stereotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study takes a process-oriented approach to answer the research question: how may long-standing religious festivals promote sustainable development by modifying various ritual elements? The contribution of one-time events to overarching long-term sustainability goals may be hindered predominantly by their transitory nature. Based on a case study, this research examines a 400-year-old annual Hindu festival, Durga Puja, as a potential contributor to sustainable development. The data comprises online news articles on the Durga Puja published between 2002 and 2022 in the Indian daily, The Times of India. Based on a thematic data analysis, the research findings highlight three processual themes related to altering various ritual elements: artefacts, scripts, performance roles and audience. These themes include subverting the patriarchal, adopting a proactive approach to invitation and facilitation, and incorporating visual storytelling. The study's findings have theoretical implications regarding the broader discussions on sustainability, such as sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the potential of festivals to contribute to them through ritual modifications. As such, festival organisers, policymakers and practitioners may find the study helpful in promoting sustainable development through ritual changes in festivals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The question of the origin of goodness in the Xunzi is an important key to understanding Xunzi’s thoughts. Current interpretation approaches are mainly divided into the sage-centered and Heaven-centered approaches. The sage-centered approach holds that goodness originates from the intelligence or the good potential of the sages. However, this explanation either conflicts with Xunzi’s idea that the gentleman and the petty man have the same endowment or with the theory of bad human nature. The Heaven-centered approach maintains that goodness originates from the Heaven or Dao. However, this approach leads to the problem of the rigidity of moral norms or contradiction with Xunzi’s naturalistic Heaven. In this paper, I point out a third approach, arguing that goodness originates from customs. This interpretation is compatible with Xunzi’s theory of bad human nature and naturalistic Heaven. Also, it avoids the problem of giving special humanity to the sages and the rigidity of moral norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most noteworthy consumer cultures among young Koreans today is the growing interest in and consumption of religious "goods". Interestingly, the consumption of religious goods has been observed to foster interest in religion itself among the younger generation. This phenomenon is undoubtedly significant when viewed in the context of the social climate in Korea, where there is a notable decline in religious interest with age. It can be argued that religious goods possess a deeper significance than that of mere objects of consumption. The objective of this study is to examine the phenomenon of religious goods consumption and to discuss the religiosity that it reflects in the context of the 21st century. Initially, this study examines the significance of religious goods and defines the act of consuming religious goods as a religious ritual. The mediated nature of religious goods is explored in greater depth to ascertain how they are influencing the religiousness of contemporary individuals. By connecting theories of the sociology of religion with the materiality of religions, this study reveals that the consumption of religious goods is a religious activity that extends beyond mere consumption. It also discusses the potential for the kinds of cultural and religious phenomena it could cause to develop in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In architectural heritage research, rituals and human activities are often overlooked but are crucial for maintaining authenticity and reflecting various cultural values. In the Tibetan-Yi Corridor, one of China's most renowned heritage routes, rituals and behaviours around the central pillar or fire pit reflect the shared culture and history of Di-Qiang ethnic groups, serving as critical indicators in studying their origins. A scientific method linking physical spaces with intangible cultural information is essential to preserve these rituals or activities and understand their interactions with architectural spaces. This study introduces a method utilising HBIM technology to document and analyse the 3D structures of Di-Qiang ethnic architecture and the rituals. It deconstructs rituals into bodily movements represented within the BIM space to simulate the behaviours of various roles. This method visualises ritual types and critical information by encoding different rituals and movements through geometric shapes, sizes, and colours, effectively linking architectural spaces with intangible cultural elements. The study's two main contributions are (i) the HBIM archival method for Di-Qiang ethnic architecture, standardising geometric modelling and semantic information recording to digitise Di-Qiang architectural heritage, and forming a foundational 3D model library and semantic database; and (ii) the 3D representation method for ritual movements, which offers a way to manage intangible cultural information and spatially assess cultural behaviours, and evaluates the authenticity and quality of architectural heritage by analysing bodily rituals in space. This approach introduces a novel method for documenting and researching intangible heritage in cultural studies. Additionally, the digital technology-based research method offers a convenient platform for integrating and connecting digital heritage with digital humanities in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research aims to explore the relationship between group identification and emotional synchronization in a series of collective gatherings and evaluate their respective effects on key social-psychological variables. Thirteen studies were conducted in highly varied contexts, studying naturally happening phenomena, and focusing on a wide range of collective gatherings (N = 2,260 participants). The results of factor analyses and a random-model meta-analysis strongly support the idea that group identification and emotional synchronization constitute two differentiated constructs that are systematically positively associated. At the aggregate level, results of multilevel models show that both group identification and emotional synchronization are significant predictors of key social-psychological variables. These findings suggest that an integrative approach is most needed to capture the experience of collective gatherings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Ilahiyat Researches / Ilahiyat Tetkikleri Dergisi is the property of Ataturk University Coordinatorship of Scientific Journals 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 empirical-quantitative study systematically examines lifecycle ritual choices, including the reluctance to celebrate the rituals offered by the church. Observations of the reasons for ritual choices in the German Protestant context illustrate important shifts in ritual culture. These are also occurring in other contexts around the world marked by religious individualization and cultural singularization. This study finds that religious fit, family constellation and biography, conventionality, and institutional attachment determine affinity to church lifecycle rituals. Thus, the interest in infant baptism, church wedding, and funeral can be conceptualized as a four-dimensional value-rational action. In addition, personal contact with pastors and other church personnel builds trust and creates opportunities for ritual requests. The study thus deepens our understanding of contemporary decision-making processes in a changing ritual culture. The empirical findings offer implications for professionals to adapt their ritual practices in both ritual design and marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study traces material movement across human–nonhuman animal bodies (henceforth human–animal) during ritual performances in which patients from Hittite Anatolia spat into an animal's mouth. It explores the transference of pollution through the lens of theoretical approaches that reflect on bodily margins and orifices as potent symbolic points of human bodies, as well as on bodily fluids as substances that can threaten inside/outside, subject/object distinctions. An examination of Hittite compositions from this theoretical perspective suggests that ritual patients were able, through spitting, and spittle, to release evils characterized primarily by being in between corporeality, social, and divine encounters, instead of freeing them principally from physical afflictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the specifics of the implementation of the North theme in the subgenre of modern domestic folk horror using the example of novels and stories by D. Bobyleva, O. Kozhin, L. Lvova, A. Podolsky, M. Romanova. The geography of the North in folk horror includes Karelia, the Arkhangelsk region, Siberia and Yakutia. The work was carried out using motive, cultural-historical, historical-genetic methods. It turns out that this subgenre is built on the basis of the chronotope of locations remote from large cities (towns, villages, settlements), which are associated with the chthonic world and threaten people (the motif of a cursed place). An obligatory element of the poetics of folk horror is the depiction of heroes who are carriers of a pagan worldview: shamans, priests, sorcerers, and the plot is initiatory: an individual, encountering supernatural beings (whose genesis is folkloremythological in nature), joins the archaic culture and becomes its full-fledged part. The author comes to the conclusion that not only supernatural creatures are dangerous to humans, but also nature itself: heroes risk drowning in a swamp, freezing during a snowstorm, etc. Fulfilling the requirements of the genre, writers frighten the reader and make him feel disgust, but at the same time they convey the special attractiveness of the North, reproducing the customs and rituals of autochthonous peoples.

The Cheptsa River has played a significant economic and social role in the history and culture of the Northern Udmurts since the ancient times. There were hunting grounds, pastures and hayfields on the river’s floodplain. The river is a source of drinking and technical (industrial) water, as well as protein products. It serves as a means of a cultural, political and commercial communication. The river is an important mythological symbol, and also an element of sacred topography. The purpose of the paper is to define the role and significance of the Cheptsa River in the traditional religious and mythological worldview of the Udmurts. The research materials include the author’s field data from the late 20th – early 21st centuries, archaeological, folklore and ethnographic literature of the late 19th – early 20th centuries, and the late 20th – early 21st centuries. For the first time, the role of the Cheptsa River in the formation of the ethno-territorial community of the Northern Udmurts is analysed. It is revealed that the river valley is understood and perceived as a common ethnic, family and tribal territory. It is shown that the Cheptsa River performs not only economic and cultural, but also metaphysical, irrational functions in the life of the Northern Udmurts. The semantics of the Cheptsa River is characterized as a symbol of the homeland, a road in real and mythological dimensions, a border between worlds, a means of getting rid of diseases, as a sacred value of local Udmurts. General cultural (stadial-typological) and original (specific) features in the veneration of the river are revealed. Peculiarities of the Northern Udmurts’ worldview are the ideas about the creatures of the aqutic world, the presence of a whole system of rituals and special places associated with the cult of the owners of the water element. It is argued that the anthropomorphic image of the water sphere masters occupied a more significant position in the Udmurt beliefs. Archaic female personifications of these river spirits and other images of water creatures have faded into the background. The author concludes that the Cheptsa River was an important economic, landscape, cultural and mythological object for the Northern Udmurts of the late 19th – early 20th centuries.

Consumer research has established a rich understanding of dominant consumption rituals, yet the tensions that emerge during celebratory rituals remain under-researched. Through the context of hen party rituals, we examine the emergent tensions in consumption rituals. Our insights are developed from in-depth interviews with hen party participants and netnography of Reddit forums on hen party planning and experiences. Our prioritisation of emergent tensions of rituals contributes to richer understandings of consumer ritual performance. We find consumers deploy self-policing as a form of boundary-work to reduce emergent tensions during ritual performance. We identify two forms of self-policing: shielding and remedying. In doing so, we contend that the evolution of hen party rituals can be both a celebration and a burden, steeped in feelings of anticipation and obligation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although rituals are commonplace in marketer-consumer interactions, extant research devotes limited attention to how 'marketplace actors' or MAs (marketers and stakeholders enacting the roles of marketers) leverage these events in the marketplace. We scrutinise this gap by examining literature in the top 50 major marketing journals. We ask: What functions do marketplace rituals fulfil for MAs, as they leverage these rituals when shaping customer experiences? Our analysis finds MAs leverage rituals to support seven broad functional categories that pertain to customer experience: cognitive, cultural, emotive, logistical, relational, social, and transformative. We illuminate how MAs leverage these functions to meet specific goals. We propose an agenda for future research on marketplace rituals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disarmament of non-state groups during peace processes is rarely comprehensive and weapons usually continue to circulate. Nevertheless, disarmament is a normal component of final peace agreements and its modalities are often intensely negotiated by all parties. We unpack the puzzle of why disarmament is seemingly both crucial and not completed by building a novel theory of its role as a symbol of the transformation from war to peace. In doing so, we build upon findings from conflict studies, social psychology, anthropology, and feminist research in order to explore what weapons and disarmament mean for combatants, their armed group, and communities impacted by conflict. We posit that after joining an armed group combatants are socially fused through ritual behavior which often features weapons, and disarmament functions as a symbolic inversion process in which the weapon is transformed into a symbol of peace. This inversion process is observable through language and acts, such as public destruction of arms or turning weapons into works of art. We empirically illustrate our propositions by examining the case of FARC-EP's 2016–2017 disarmament in Colombia. Our theoretical framework pushes existing academic boundaries of war-to-peace transitions in general, and research on disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two groups of Tatars have historically been settled in the eastern regions of the Ryazan Region - Kasimov Tatars and Mishari Tatars, with a total population of 3,071 people (as of 2021). These groups, while maintaining a common Tatar identity, close contacts (and family and marriage ties) have significant differences in ethnogenesis, traditional life, and especially in vocabulary. Most of the Kasimov Tatars are now Russian-speaking, while this ethnographic group is characterized by its archaic dialect, which differs markedly from the Mishar dialect found in neighboring Kasimov districts. Our in-depth interviews with Kasimov Tatars show that they perceive their dialect as an important factor of ethnoidentity, full or partial possession of it is noted as a sign of an indigenous inhabitant of the Tatar settlement of the city or local villages founded back in the era of the Kasimov Khanate. Local vocabulary is also used in ritual practices, becoming an integral part of religious everyday life. The Kasimov Tatars are alarmed by the transfer of vocabulary to young people, teaching them. Within the framework of the urban Tatar cultural center, it is only possible to study in the literary language, which the Kasimov Tatars perceive poorly. At the same time, thanks to the joint activities of community activists and researchers from Moscow and Tatarstan, it became possible to fix vocabulary with the possibility of preparing a dictionary of the dialect and further developments in its teaching. The article also examines the significance of the study of the Kasimov dialect of the Tatar language, conducted by the outstanding Kazan dialectologist, researcher and researcher L.T. Makhmutova in her 1952 dissertation. The article attempts to analyze the role of the dialect as a factor of the ethno-confessional identity of a local group of Tatars, as well as the work of the community in fixing and teaching the dialect.

This paper discusses the Kutau martial arts ritual practiced by the people of Suro Village, Muara Beliti District, Musi Rawas Regency, South Sumatra Province. Kutau is one of the ancestral heritages consisting of a set of rituals. Kutau takes the form of traditional martial arts that has been developed by the Suro Village community. Applying the qualitative approach, this study aimed to systematically document all forms of rituals in Kutau and its functions within the Suro community. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and documentation, which were then analyzed using Victor Turner’s ritual approach and Talcot Parsons’ function approach. Results show that Kutau is a medium of communication between the community and their ancestors to pass down the Kutau knowledge, which is closely related to Suro people’s belief system. Kutau still prevails thanks to the latency function of the Kutau community, so that the whole system is able to survive and adapt to the current society.

Newsworkers have utilised the game format to create innovative storytelling through newsgames, a hybrid form of journalism. Newsgames blend journalism's pursuit of truth with the fictional elements of video games, creating a tension between “fact” and “fiction”. Existing literature lacks sufficient exploration of how this tension is managed in the production and consumption of newsgames. This study addresses this gap by examining how newsgame practitioners navigate truth claims and how players engage with these claims. Through semi-structured interviews with practitioners (n = 27) and gaming sessions with players (n = 28), the study reveals that practitioners take deliberate steps to justify newsgames, while players employ various strategies to evaluate their truth claims. These findings underscore the performative dimension of truth negotiation in newsgames, positioning audiences as active participants at the heart of this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the early days of the COVID‐19 pandemic, people in England stepped outside their doors once a week to clap the National Health Service. What does this have to do with nationalism? On the face of it, nothing much: clapping exercised local, and not, national solidarities. I will show, however, that local solidarities performed in clapping rituals led to the regeneration of national imaginaries via the symbols on display and the national institutions through which pandemic experiences were channelled. My argument has three parts. First, I show that helping practices during the pandemic shaped local solidarities that found collective expression through clapping. Second, I explain how the local experiences of clapping merged with national imaginaries when performed on a national canvas with symbols that marked an imagined community of national clappers. Third, I argue that clapping was subsumed into a nascent national imaginary via nationally scoped institutions that were exercised to fight the pandemic. Whilst the local has long been appreciated as a site and source for nationalism, I have added how non‐national local practices can also be constitutive of nationalism. A global pandemic led to national imaginaries via the local solidarities that were formed by clapping for carers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we conceptualize the days of mourning that followed the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. as constituting a liminal occasion, a moment of in‐betweenness through which we can explore sense‐making in times of transition. How do people navigate through liminal occasions, and are they always transformative? Through a rapid response ethnography (Ninterviews = 64, Nparticipants = 122), we were able to capture the raw moments within which a collective comes together, as part of a national ritual, to transition from ‘here’ to ‘there’. In our data, liminality prompted participants to strategically define British national identity and its future by positioning the Queen as representative of Britishness, her loss as a national identity loss. No longer taken for granted, participants reasserted the value of the monarchy as an apolitical and unifying feature in an otherwise divided society, characterizing the continuity of the institution as an essential part of British identity and society. The analysis illustrates how liminality offers a useful conceptual tool for addressing how temporality and change are negotiated in relation to a shared identity, and how navigating transitional moments brings with it political implications for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Dados - Revista de Ciências Sociais is the property of DADOS 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.)

COVID-19 has changed the way people grieve the loss of their loved ones. Lockdown and social isolation have made it difficult for them to express their grief and connect with others emotionally. Religious beliefs and attitudes towards health recommendations influence the viewpoints of people from various religious backgrounds. The Islamic traditions are the source of Islamic law’s prohibitions on death, yet Muslims across the world observe a range of death ceremonies and traditions. This review article highlights the death rituals, grief, and mourning within the Kashmiri Muslim community amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preservation of sacred forests holds significant implications for environmental sustainability, yet mainstream conservation frameworks often overlook the integration of indigenous knowledge and religious practices. This study explored the preservation of sacred forests among the Abanyom people in Cross River State, Nigeria, and its implications for environmental sustainability. Data was elicited through semi-structured interviews with 15 participants comprising traditional leaders (n=12), clan heads (n=2), and chief priests (n=1), originating from Abanyom's constituent clans—Abanyom (n=8) and Abangork (n=7). Through an investigation into the number, nature, taboos, rituals, and rationale behind the preservation of the sacred forests, the study highlighted the multifaceted significance of these forests to local communities. Findings revealed that the preservation of sacred forests is deeply rooted in cultural practices and serve as repositories of ecological, cultural, and spiritual value. The study emphasized the importance of integrating traditional ecological knowledge into modern conservation strategies. This includes promoting intergenerational knowledge transfer and fostering community stewardship to ensure the long-term protection of sacred forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abundance of research has revealed that religious salience is negatively associated with delinquent behavior, including illicit substance use. However, absent from prior work is a consideration of whether youths' participation in personal religious rituals and acts of devotion might amplify the protective effects of religiosity. Theoretically, it may be expected that these private expressions of belief and identity can strengthen religious commitments and reaffirm membership within specific moral communities. Using data from the National Study of Youth and Religion on a nationally representative sample of adolescents ages 13 to 17 (N = 3,170), these findings reveal that religious salience inhibits cigarette use, alcohol use, drunkenness, and marijuana use, but only among youth who engage in at least some pious practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to provide a "contrastive analysis" of rituals related to 'Mohr Zadan' and 'naming' in Kurdish based on gender factors. Deep interview method applied to gathering data of an adult educated native woman. Based on the collected data on this step, a new non-structured group interview was designed and carried on in a small group of 5 non-educated native speakers aged 60 to 70. Relying on the conceptual blending theory, the present study analyses all recorded narrations. The results suggest that Kurdish culture uses different conceptual inputs- or more significantly- selects different mappings of the same input to regenerate new conceptual spaces to represent the cultural values of two genders. In other words, in Kurdy, cultural gender values play a significant role in conceptual blending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mersin University School of Medicine Lokman Hekim Journal of History of Medicine & Folk Medicine is the property of Mersin University School of Medicine 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.)

One of the oldest contributors to the educational system of different nations, Confucius, was the ancient Chinese philosopher and educator. Implicit in this topic is the idea that Confucius has nursed formidable thoughts concerning education hence the consideration of this paper to discuss the current discourse on education as has been given by the old philosopher. Stressing the person's perspectival self-formation, Confucius called for virtues' ethical cultivation, proper conduct, and of a Master as a role model. His philosophy was anchored on the 'junzi' which referred to the noble personage who was characterized by morality and sense of responsibility. According to Confucian theories educational methods included practices such as: ritualism, individual education, cultivation of the person, and correction of speech that presumptions of role relationship in society. As this paper has sought to establish, integration of Confucian principles provides values that are timeless and relevant in today's education. However, translating these concepts in different cultural settings and the ever-changing society is not easy. Still, the envisaged incorporation of Confucian principles into modern educational paradigms may contribute to the promotion of the human being's harmonious and ethical further development as well as character building as per the purpose of an ethical society. Confucius's philosophy can be seen as confirming the value of education as a way of developing people's ethical characters alongside their learning hence paving way for the guidelines on moral education for educators as well as policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism is a neurological disability characterised by a number of 'deficits' in multiple areas of functioning and everyday life. Or is it? Damian Milton's theory of the 'double empathy problem' attempts to empirically posit that the socialisation and communication difficulties present in autistic people are due to bidirectional differences in ways of communication between autistic and non-autistic people. This Current Issues piece extends said theory to encompass the restricted and repetitive behaviours that are commonly observed in autistic people, arguing that such behaviours may also be present in non-autistic people, albeit in a less stereotypical, more socially acceptable way. Because autism is characterised in part by the presence of restricted and repetitive behaviours, this piece fundamentally challenges the manner in which autism spectrum conditions are diagnosed in individuals and seen far and wide, ultimately promoting the view of cognitive-behavioural difference in autistic people instead of 'deficit'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mediterranea - Ricerche Storiche is the property of Mediterranea-Ricerche Storiche 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.)

Mount Sinabung started to erupt on September of 2010. This event shocked the Karonese living around the mountain. Therefore, they held various rituals to limit bad luck combined with offering sacrifices according to traditional Karonese traditional practices, in the hope that Mount Sinabung would finally calm down. Despite the official prohibition declared by the church, many Karonese Christians still carry out suchrituals. The Karonese people, are an ethnic group from North Sumatra, Indonesia, and they have a very rich tradition of Christian faith, particularly in Protestant denominations. The rituals, for them, are however based on ancestral inheritance, and they believe that rituals can be a way to bring the almighty to provide help for the problems people may face in various situations of often dire stress. Through this paper, the author intends to contemporary literature review to find answers on how Karonese Christians should respond to natural disasters, such as the eruption of Mount Sinabung, especially bearing in mind the role of Christian rituals within a contextual theology approach. Contextual theology utilized local culture to view the problems faced by people in this study. This paper asserts that Christian rituals can indeed assist Karonese Christians in responding to natural disasters by providing spiritual, emotional, and communal support that aligns with their cultural and religious beliefs and practices.

This paper suggests that new directions in mental health and psychiatry are being driven by anomalies within epidemiology, mechanisms, and integration-based cognition. Three contrasting kinds of new work on mental disorder are critically discussed: enactive, ecological and active inference approaches, drawing from work by Varela, Gibson and Friston. These are detailed together with debates about their similarities and differences. All of these positions in fact make common use of ‘affordance’ as a core perception-action mechanism, suggesting promising options for new or enhanced psychiatric interventions. This leads to a critical review of the current state of knowledge on affordances, and their limitations, together with some suggestions as to how this approach might be applied in mental health and psychiatric practice.

The article analyses the changes that occurred during the period of independence of Uzbekistan in the religious life and national values of the population of the capital of the republic – the city of Tashkent, which are associated with family rituals. Based on field data, the author reveals a combination of religious and national aspects in Uzbek family rituals regarding the wedding ritual. The article analyses the views of imams concerning the costs and excesses of its implementation. Through observations of modern Uzbek society, Muslims’ social activities, the analysis of the Muslim clergy sermons at Friday prayers, their work on websites, social networks and instant messengers, the author draws attention to the breadth of discussions by Uzbek imams on family and marriage issues. The influence of the constant efforts of the Muslim clergy on changes in the volume of expenses spent on the ritual life of the Uzbek people is emphasized. It is particularly noticeable in wedding ceremonies. The work reveals transformations in Uzbek family rituals from the point of view of ritual economy.

The article deals with the challenge in migration studies to find a solution to the problem of how to analyse the rapidly emerging and increasing immigration of Ukraine war refugees, which started in 2022 in Latvia as well as in other European Union countries. This topic is important in migration studies to provide national and municipal decision-makers with a scientific perspective and rationale for informed decisions. In Latvia, the humanities, including philosophy, have not yet been used to understand migration processes, although they do supply a wider context, which is necessary to understand the culture, attitudes, values, and peculiarities of an immigration group. The task of integrating and including the immigrant group presupposes knowledge and recognition of its uniqueness, which is best researched with the methods of the humanities, and significantly complements the approaches of economics, sociology and human geography. Thus, the research presented in this article uses a wide range of social science research findings, ritual phenomenology, topological hermeneutics, and solutions from micro-group sociology as data sources to complement the understanding of migration as an object with a perspective that also includes human experience and the intersubjective space in which people meet to create community. The objective of the study is to explore the research hypothesis, based on previous studies and daily observations, that a new social reality is emerging that can be called the newly emerged community of Ukraine in Latvia. This means that communication and reciprocity between most of Latvian society and refugees from the Ukrainian war has been, and is being, established. The article analyses to what extent Latvian society was ready for the reception and inclusion of refugees from the Ukrainian war; how the inclusion of the concept of place can help to address the issue of the formation of new communities; how rituals reveal a new step towards the creation of communion on both sides of the newly formed community; and how rituals and interactivity interact in rituals involving micro-groups and micro-group forming rituals. Thus, factors affecting the genesis of the Ukraine in Latvia community were discovered in the analysis of the interactive rituals that confirm the existence of a social reality aimed at integration and inclusion. Thus, the study reveals the perspectives on the use of resources rooted in culture at the national and municipal levels.

In this study, it is argued that a microhistorical perspective applied to historical archaeologies provides intelligibility to certain mechanisms of exercise of power and forms of resistance in the local sphere. Adopting a microhistorical approach, two primary mechanisms of social order consensus creation and contestation are explored through the creation and negotiation of symbolic capital. Micropolitics are understood as a set of poorly formalised but meaningful practices that define, model, and negotiate forms of social domination by integrating different communicative languages. Infrapolitics shape the forms of resistance and agency of subaltern groups and, by definition, are not easy to track and identify. Through the study of small empirical illustrations from the medieval period in the Basque Country, the aim is to argue that there is a correlation between the intensity and complexity of the political practices that develop in local societies and the forms of contestation of rights and cohesion mechanisms. To carry out this analysis, material, textual, mnemonic, and oral records are used.

Kalaripayattu, a traditional martial art that has evolved over centuries in the southern Indian state of Kerala, offers a rich tapestry of physical practice, ritualistic elements, and philosophical underpinnings. Beyond its function as a combat system, Kalaripayattu embodies a unique ideology that intertwines the body, mind, and spirit. While the philosophical dimensions of other martial arts have been extensively explored, Kalaripayattu remains a largely untapped wellspring of philosophical inquiry. This study identifies the intricate interplay between martial practice, ritualistic performances, and the underlying philosophy of this martial performance. Drawing on Merleau-Ponty's concept of 'lived body/this study explores the nondualistic nature of Kalaripayattu, demonstrating how it transcends the traditional mind-body dichotomy. By examining the various dimensions of this art form, the essay aims to illuminate its significance as a cultural and intellectual pursuit that transcends mere physical combat. This study employs a multifaceted method, combining detailed fieldwork with historical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tribes of Haveri district are categorized into semi-nomadic and settled groups, and have been extensively studied and reviewed. This district is home to tribes such as the Medha, Beda, Gondaliga, Helava, Sudagadusiddaru, and Durugamurugis, all of which are included in this survey. While various studies have been conducted on the tribes throughout the state, a comprehensive study specific to Haveri district has not been undertaken until now. Hence, an attempt has been made to meticulously study the primary characteristics and various aspects of these tribes under the project titled "The Societal Study of the Tribes of Haveri District in Karnataka State." The social and economic conditions of these tribes are quite fragile due to misguided government policies, leading some to become refugees. Despite these challenges, they have managed to preserve their customs, culture, and rituals, as confirmed by this study. The dissertation also discusses the effects of liberalization, privatization, and globalization on the social life and traditions of tribal communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay advances the concept of ritualized nationalism in order to understand the rise of right wing populism in India. It analyzes Narendra Modi's strategy of assigning tasks and seeking sacrifices from citizens in the name of nation building to understand how it has helped make nationalism a pervasive phenomenon that is unprecedented in India's history. The essay utilizes the theory of rituals to claim that the prescribed formats of Modi's tasks and assignments allow those actions to be distinct and mark the doer as "nationalists" in the digital domain as opposed to those not participating. This has further helped foster and inculcate a nationalistic subject who emerges from the ritual of completing the assigned tasks and publicizing its evidence on social media as an agent who embodies the jingoistic and muscular form of nationalism prevalent in India today. By showing how this process plays out across a series of assigned tasks and sacrifices during Modi's era, the essay hopes to both add to explanations about the rise of right wing nationalism in India while also showing that each global iteration of populist nationalism has a distinct trajectory and motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Maetagused is the property of Estonian Literary Museum, Department of Folkloristics 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 study examines and documents the performance rituals, aesthetics, and entertainment in Okpe Traditional marriage performances using still photographs. Traditional marriage performances in Nigeria serve as entertainment, cultural reawakening, and a means of connecting/energizing the relationship between the physical and the supernatural world. While some of these performances have attained visibility through literary documentation, others seek recognition. Okpe marriage performances have the potentials for global visibility. This Study engages Okpe marriage performance aesthetics using ethnographic research and critical participant observation methods. Findings indicate that while the performance and ritual aesthetics in Okpe traditional marriage have continued to serve as source material for modern African drama, still photography has remained a ready tool for documentation of the myriad traditional performances across Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Scientific Development for Studies & Research (JSD) is the property of Journal of Scientific Development for Studies & Research (JSD) 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.)

What is the role of civic norms for social change after traumatic events, and how do those norms shape collective resistance? The present study seeks to address this urgent query by examining Sicilians' culture war against the mafia. Based on rigorous ethnographic research over a period of 7 years (2016–2023), an extensive database was created, which included 77 commemorative events, a guided city tour, 54 interviews with antimafia activists, and 89 audio–visual recordings totaling 1768 min. I introduce two analytical concepts, "informative rituals" and "transmissive rituals," that offer a new perspective on how activists leverage the civic norms of social bonds to realize their objectives. I argue that shifting civic norms in a post‐traumatic society is not only driven by collective resistance but also requires significant time in the presence of an oppressive force. This study proposes that, for a socially traumatized community attempting to shift civic norms, prolonged and strenuous endeavors are required in order to thoroughly permeate those norms among the general public. The findings demonstrate that the consolidation of civic norms within post‐traumatic societies is highly contingent upon its temporal context and sustainability, which explains why culture wars frequently necessitate a long‐term communal investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dinagyang Festival, celebrated in Iloilo City, Philippines, presents a vibrant tapestry of cultural, economic, and social significance. This study employed a qualitative ethnographic approach to explore the nuanced cultural aspects and lived experiences associated with the festival. Data were gathered through participant observation, in-depth interviews, field notes, and document analysis. Findings illuminated the festival’s role in preserving cultural heritage while evolving to remain relevant. The economic potential of the festival was evident, bolstering local commerce and offering opportunities for global tourism. Furthermore, the festival emerged as a platform for cultural exchange, providing rich insights into regional cultural dynamics. Environmental considerations and the importance of sustainable practices were also underscored. The study concludes that the Dinagyang Festival is not just a cultural event but a multifaceted entity influencing community bonds, economy, environment, and academic research. Recommendations include enhancing community workshops, promoting environmental responsibility, and fostering research collaborations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescents in foster care are removed from their families of origin and are placed with foster families for temporary care until they are able to be granted a more permanent placement. This purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the bonding experience of adolescents in foster care = with their foster parents. This study included 10 foster parents who had an African-American adolescent between the ages of 12 to 18 in their care. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. The analysis began with coding to develop an understanding of the bonding experiences between adolescents and their foster parents. Four processes emerged that seemed to influence bonding: communicating in conflict with empathy or assertion, sharing personal time, creating rituals, and offering support. Foster parents appeared to demonstrate the processes when there was a focus on the adolescent being a part of the family. This present study has implications for theory, research, and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on the analyses of the roles of cattle in Kuttaye Oromoo traditional marriage rituals. The aim of the study was to investigate the role of cattle in the traditional marriage rituals of the Kuttaye and to analyze the changes and continuities in relation to the cultural life of the people and their marriage practices. A descriptive qualitative design was used for this study and the sampling technique employed was that of non-probability. From the type of non-probability sampling technique, snowball and purposive sampling were used. Both primary and secondary data sources were used. Secondary sources were used to complement the primary sources that were collected from informants through interviews, key informant interviews (KII) and focus group discussions (FGD). The data collected from the field were analyzed using descriptive method of qualitative research and contextual folklore theory. The findings of this study revealed that cattle in general play major roles in the traditional marriage practices of the Kuttaye Oromoo. Further, the marriage practices become incomplete without the cattle and their products. However, it was found out that cattle rearing and their roles in the traditional Kuttaye marriage rituals have been changing from time to time among the community of the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Group dance to music is a ubiquitous activity performed all around the world. Considering that even our distant ancestors engaged in ritual dancing, joint dances seem to be deeply rooted in human nature. Thus many scholars have hypothesized that group dancing might serve important adaptive roles. Here, we tested this premise by exploring whether group dancing to music does indeed entail social benefits, which could explain the pervasive nature of group dancing. We conducted a non-laboratory experiment among members of the Yali, an indigenous people living in Highland Papua, an Indonesian province. In total, 180 Yali participated in the study (80 in the dance condition and 100 in the control condition), among whom 93 (52%) were women (age M = 30.36, SD = 10.36). The results showed that joint dancing led to greater prosociality, demonstrated by the sharing of a larger sum of money in the Dictator Game, and stronger social identity, shown by a higher level of in-group favoritism. So far as we know, our study is the first to provide ecologically valid and naturalistic evidence, from an experiment in which members of a traditional society participated, that supports the adaptive role of group dancing. We conclude by discussing the potential beneficial effects of group dance, including greater prosociality and a higher level of in-group favoritism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]