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1. The Role of Mass Media Propaganda in Shaping American Culture: A Study on the Torches of Freedom

Author:
Oğuz Kartav and Mikail Uğuş
Publication Date:
01-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
The Rest: Journal of Politics and Development
Institution:
Centre for Strategic Research and Analysis (CESRAN)
Abstract:
This study examines the profound impact of mass media propaganda on American culture, with a particular focus on the iconic Torches of Freedom campaign. Originating in the late 19th century and led by Edward Bernays, this campaign aimed to reshape social norms surrounding women and smoking. Initially, a societal taboo prevailed, suggesting that respectable women did not smoke. Although tobacco consumption was common in America during the late 19th century, women were neither expected nor permitted to partake in the consumption of tobacco products until 1929. Women were eventually allowed the option to smoke discreetly, but even then, it was considered taboo by American society due to its perceived unfeminine nature. Particularly in North America and Europe, women’s smoking had long been associated with immorality and questionable sexual behaviour. Through the analysis of historical documents, media artefacts, and scholarly literature, this research examines the multifaceted impact of the Torches of Freedom campaign on American culture. It explores how mass media, through carefully crafted messages and imagery, played a significant and influential role in shaping public perceptions and behaviour. By examining the campaign’s relationship with dominant cultural ideologies and its effects on gender roles, the research aims to illuminate the complex interplay between propaganda, cultural values, and social change. The study focuses on advertising, consumerism, and cultural practices in the United States by examining the strategies employed in the Torches of Freedom campaign through the lens of propaganda.
Topic:
Mass Media, Culture, Propaganda, and Advertising
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

2. Bahraini Artists Across Borders

Author:
Marwa Al Khalifa, Mashael Alsaie, and Jaafar Al Oraibi
Publication Date:
01-2024
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Middle East Institute (MEI)
Abstract:
The Middle East Institute Arts and Culture Center invites you to a panel conversation about the arts in Bahrain with three artists featured in its current exhibition, The Sea of Life: Modern and Contemporary Art from The Kingdom of Bahrain. The panel is part of the ongoing programming around the exhibition, which runs until March 26, 2024.https://youtu.be/yVusVFiYmbo?si=hFNLCpbgB6cDWt9v Marwa Al Khalifa, Mashael Alsaie and Jaafar Al Oraibi will discuss their work, the vision that drives their practice and how their art is part of a conversation that is shaping Bahrain's local arts scene, pushing its boundaries and exploring new artistic expressions. The Sea of Life features fourteen artists spanning different generations and art forms exploring their connection to their natural and built environment through painting, photography, sculpture, video and installation, co-curated by Bahrain-based Hayfa Aljishi and MEI Arts and Culture Center Director Lyne Sneige.
Topic:
Arts, Culture, and Borders
Political Geography:
Middle East and Bahrain

3. The Young Readers of the Argentine Right

Author:
Ezequiel Saferstein and Analía Goldentul
Publication Date:
04-2024
Content Type:
Commentary and Analysis
Institution:
The North American Congress on Latin America (NACLA)
Abstract:
As the world of “politically incorrect” books moves from niche to mainstream, the radicalized right’s culture war attracts a new generation of followers.
Topic:
Culture, Ideology, Radical Right, Culture War, and Books
Political Geography:
Argentina and South America

4. United States, UNESCO, and International Relations through Cultural Heritage

Author:
Neel Kamal Chapagain
Publication Date:
08-2024
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
East-West Center
Abstract:
Dr. Neel Kamal Chapagain, Professor at Ahmedabad University's Centre for Heritage Management, explains that "[c]ultural heritage is becoming a more prominent vehicle for building international ties" and "support for or opposition to global cultural heritage campaigns, like UNESCO, have been used [in US presidential campaigns] to make political statements."
Topic:
International Relations, Diplomacy, Culture, Heritage, UNESCO, and Emerging Powers
Political Geography:
Japan, China, Asia, South Korea, and United States of America

5. Book Talk. "Avant-Garde Post– Radical Poetics after the Soviet Union"

Author:
Marijeta Bozovic and Mark Lipovetsky
Publication Date:
03-2024
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
The Harriman Institute
Abstract:
What does leftist art look like in the wake of state socialism? In recent years, Russian-language avant-garde poetry has been seeking the answers to this question. Marijeta Bozovic follows a constellation of poets at the center of a contemporary literary movement that is bringing radical art out of the Soviet shadow: Kirill Medvedev, Pavel Arseniev, Aleksandr Skidan, Dmitry Golynko, Roman Osminkin, Keti Chukhrov, and Galina Rymbu. While their formal experiments range widely, all share a commitment to explicitly political poetry. Each one, in turn, has become a hub in a growing new-left network across the former Second World.
Topic:
Arts, Culture, Leftist Politics, Soviet Union, and Poetry
Political Geography:
Post-Soviet Europe

6. The Art of War: PRC Weaponizes Culture to Galvanize the People

Author:
Arran Hope
Publication Date:
11-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
China Brief
Institution:
The Jamestown Foundation
Abstract:
The Party sees culture as a tool to achieve its strategic ambitions both inside and outside the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Speeches, articles, and conferences portray it as central to achieving national rejuvenation. Party discourse on culture is shot through with militaristic terminology. Not just echoing Mao-era rhetoric, this reflects Beijing’s desire to “engineer souls” in pursuit of a strong nation. Artists, culture workers, and academics are perceived as pawns in a project to present the PRC globally as peaceful and prosperous, but the Party is aware of the deficiencies of its soft power.
Topic:
Arts, Culture, Soft Power, Academia, and Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
Political Geography:
China and Asia

7. New Textbook Reveals Xi Jinping’s Doctrine of Han-centric Nation-Building

Author:
James Leibold
Publication Date:
05-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
China Brief
Institution:
The Jamestown Foundation
Abstract:
Another cultural revolution is in full swing in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). This is not the purported class revolution Mao advocated in the past, but rather a wave of Han cultural and racial nationalism. Xi’s new approach to ethnic minority policy repudiates the Party’s past promise to allow minority nationalities to exercise political and cultural autonomy, becoming “masters of their own house.” Following more than ten years of incremental change, a new textbook from scholar-officials articulates the discourse, ideology, and policies associated with a new Han-centric narrative of China’s past and future. In this conception, the sovereignties and homelands of the Tibetan, Uyghur, Mongol, and other indigenous minorities are erased and replaced with a seamless teleology of the Han colonial and racial becoming.
Topic:
Education, Culture, Political Parties, and Xi Jinping
Political Geography:
China and Asia

8. Emin Alper'in Kurak Günler Filmine Bakhtinyen Bir Yaklaşım

Author:
Baran Barış
Publication Date:
12-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
AURUM Journal of Social Sciences
Institution:
Altinbas University
Abstract:
Bakhtin, çeşitli sanat dallarında oluşturulan anlatıların incelenmesi için Einstein’ın Görelilik Kuramı’ndan ödünç aldığı kronotop kavramını geliştirmiştir. Bu kavram çerçevesinde yapılan anlatı çözümlemelerinde zaman ve uzam kurucu öğe kabul edilerek birlikte ele alınmaktadır. Bakhtin’e göre zamansal ve uzamsal belirlenimler, duygu ve değerlerin izlerini taşır. Yüzyıllara bağlı olarak değişen kronotopları yazınsal metinler üzerinden sınıflandıran araştırmacı yol – karşılaşma kronotopu, şato kronotopu, kesişme kronotopu (misafir odası ve salon kronotopu, sokaklar, kentler, kırsal bölgeler ve taşra kasabaları) ve eşik (kopuş) kronotopu olmak üzere dört temel kronotop belirlemiş; on dokuzuncu yüzyıl metinlerine kadar sürdürdüğü çözümlemelerinde ulaştığı kronotop türlerinin yanı sıra farklı ülkelerin yazınsal metinlerinde ve farklı dönemlerde başka kronotopların da saptanabileceğine dikkat çekmiştir. Kronotop kavramı, günümüzde yazın dışındaki sanat dallarında üretilen anlatıların çözümlenmesinde de kullanılmaktadır. Emin Alper’in Kurak Günler (2022) filmi açılış sekansından itibaren zaman ve uzamın kurucu öğe olarak karşımıza çıktığı bir anlatı sunmaktadır. Bu yapısı, filmin kronotop kavramı çerçevesinde incelenmesine olanak sunmaktadır. Suç ile güç arasındaki ilişkiyi irdeleyen, linç kültürünü besleyen kodların nasıl yeniden üretildiğini ortaya koyan ve izlekleriyle anlatıdaki zaman ve uzam öğelerine ilişkin obruk vb. imgeler arasında doğrudan bağlantı kuran Kurak Günler filmindeki kronotopların saptanmasının ve anlatıdaki işlevlerinin çözümlenmesinin amaçlandığı bu çalışmanın araştırma soruları şöyledir: (i) Filmde hangi kronotoplar bulunmaktadır? (ii) Bu kronotoplarla Bakhtin’in belirlediği dört temel kronotop arasındaki benzerlik ve farklılıklar nelerdir? (iii) Filmde tespit edilen kronotoplar, anlatının yapılandırılmasında hangi işlevlere sahiptir? Yapılan incelemelerde filmdeki kronotopların Bakhtin’in dört temel kronotopuyla büyük ölçüde benzerlik gösterdiği tespit edilirken anlatının kronotoplarla filmin temel izlekleri arasındaki ilişkinin koşutluğu üzerinden yapılandırıldığı görülmüştür.
Topic:
Arts, Culture, Film, and Chronotope
Political Geography:
Global Focus

9. Kök Ailenin Evlilikte Partner Seçimine Etkisi

Author:
Isik Özel, Ilayda Dikmen, and Hacı Tuğberk Yılmaz
Publication Date:
12-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
AURUM Journal of Social Sciences
Institution:
Altinbas University
Abstract:
Kök aile, hayatımız boyunca yaşantımızı, davranışlarımızı, yönelimlerimizi ve birçok tercihimizi etkileyen temel unsurlardan biridir. Partner seçiminin de kök aileden etkilenen önemli alanlardan biri olduğu düşünülmektedir. Bu açıdan, partner seçiminde ağırlıklı olarak ele alınan karşı tarafı çekici bulma, erişilebilirlik ve beğeni/karşılık görme faktörlerinin dışında, kök ailenin etkisinin de ele alınması, yapılan seçimin doğasına dair daha detaylı sonuçlar elde etmek açısından oldukça önemlidir. Bu fikir ve bulgulardan hareketle Türk kültüründeki aile yapısının farklı boyutlarının, bireylerin partnerlerini seçerken hangi alanlarda etkileri olabileceği araştırma sorusunu oluşturmaktadır. Araştırma, iki farklı ölçeğe dayalı anket soruları kullanılarak 18-64 yaş aralığındaki 306 katılımcıyla gerçekleştirilmiş; sonuçlar ağırlıklı olarak regresyon ve korelasyon analizleriyle elde edilmiştir. Bu doğrultuda, Türk aile yapısının işlevselliği ile partner seçimindeki kısıtlayıcı inançlar arasında negatif ve anlamlı bir ilişki gözlemlenmiştir. Türk aile yapısı, aile içi güç dengesi ve sosyal algılar, evlilik için aşkın yeterli olduğu inancını ve zıt partnerlere çekilme eğilimini etkilemektedir. Türk aile yapısının modern kalıplarda gelişmesinin, tek doğru partner ve bu partneri bulmanın doğal bir süreç olduğuna dair inanca negatif yönde etkisi mevcuttur. Evlilik öncesi birlikte yaşama düşüncesi, dini ve kültürel değerler nedeniyle ön planda değildir. Ancak, dini değerlere verilen önemin artması partner seçimi için aşkın yeterli olduğu düşüncesini desteklemektedir. Sonuç olarak, incelenen alt boyutlar arasında pozitif ve negatif yönde anlamlı ilişkiler saptanmış, Türk kültürü çerçevesinde kök ailenin partner seçimi üzerindeki etkisi vurgulanmıştır. Araştırmanın bulguları, ilgili literatür kapsamında ele alınarak tartışılmıştır.
Topic:
Culture, Family, Marriage, and Mate Selection
Political Geography:
Turkey and Middle East

10. AURUM Journal of Social Sciences (Volume 9, Number 1) - Full Issue

Author:
Meltem Yilmaz, Büşra Alparslan, Arzu Uğurlu Kara, Mesut Özcan, and Ceyhun Ilsever
Publication Date:
07-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
AURUM Journal of Social Sciences
Institution:
Altinbas University
Abstract:
The first article of this issue is on the field of law. The study is titled “A Street Law Course Experience for Raising Human Rights Awareness”. This study by Meltem Yılmaz aims to examine the contribution of ‘street law’ type legal clinic courses to increase of human rights awareness among both law students and society. As a result of the study, the author finds that giving street law-type law clinics as elective courses in the last years of faculty of law education is the most efficient option; in addition, the importance of enhancing the courses in terms of active learning methods and techniques was emphasized in order to increase efficiency concerning high school and secondary school students’ achievements. The second study in this issue is “War and Peace in Game of Thrones as An Epic Narrative”. This study from the field of psychology was conducted by Büşra Alparslan. The aim of the study is to investigate to examine the war and peace themes in the TV series Game of Thrones, which can be considered as an epic a popular culture narrative. This study’s results reveals that Game of Thrones somewhat differs from traditional epic narratives. Although classical themes like “just war discourse” pops on and off throughout the show, it is also emphasized that, unlike the traditional approach, war is not a glorious act. The third study in this issue is from the field of human resources titled “Adaptation of the “Design Thinker Profile” Scale into Turkish” by Ayça Uğur and Kemal Özkan Yılmaz. As the title suggests, the aim of the study is to adopt “Design Thinker Profile” scale developed by Chesson (2017) to the Turkish and to assess its validity and reliability. The results show that the scale has validity and reliability in Turkish. Another study in our journal is titled “Development of Maritime Public Transportation in Istanbul in the Framework of Organic Transportation Approach”. The study conducted by Ceyhun İlsever and Ayşe Buse Cılız aims to make concrete suggestions for the development of urban maritime public transportation in Istanbul in line with the principles and criteria of organic transportation, which is developed as one of the approaches to integration, accessibility, and governance in transportation. As a result, the authors propose some suggestions under specific headings to increase the demand for maritime transportation in Istanbul. The last study in this issue is from the field of psychology. The article by Ecem Kıran, Yaren Erdoğdu ve Naci Can Sümengen is titled “Examining the Relationship Between Eating Attitudes and Self-Compassion”. As its title suggests, this study aimed to examine the relationship between eating attitudes and self-compassion and to investigate the prevalence of this relationship in a non-clinical sample by evaluating it in terms of chronic and psychological disorders. As a result, a statistically significant negative relationship between disordered eating attitudes and self-compassion levels is found; in addition, results shows that the self-compassion levels of participants diagnosed with a psychological disorder were significantly lower, while participants with a chronic disease had eating attitudes that were significantly disordered compared to participants without a psychological disorder. In addition to the research articles briefly summarized above, we have also included a book review in this issue. Ahmet Tuğşad Doğukan and Fatih Dağ reviewed Thomas Piketty’s “Nature, Culture et Inégalités” book. According to the reviewers, in this book, Piketty examines the complex dynamics of socioeconomic disparities, questioning traditional assumptions that can be characterized as deterministic and offering an innovative perspective on the causes and evolution of inequality. While traditional assumptions emphasize natural factors such as individual abilities or resource endowments, Piketty argues that contrary to these factors, political and social forces have been more influential in the course of inequality throughout history.
Topic:
Development, Culture, Law, Human Resources, Social Science, and Public Transportation
Political Geography:
Turkey and Global Focus

11. Russian Propaganda Efforts: Historical Continuities Accompany Technological Changes

Author:
John Katzka
Publication Date:
02-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
American Diplomacy
Institution:
American Diplomacy
Abstract:
As public affairs officer at the US embassy in Moscow, I had the opportunity during the last years of the Soviet Union to engage with and at times respond to its propaganda efforts. My personal impressions and the conclusions I drew from them form the basis for the observations below. Whether something constitutes propaganda often depends on your point of view. The Oxford English Dictionary defines propaganda as “information that is often biased or misleading, used to promote a political cause or point of view.” Propaganda, in other words, is not analytical, although it may pretend to be. It seems to me that any one-sided presentation is in its essence propagandistic. The promotion of US foreign policy may be as propagandistic as that of any other country. Ours is “good” propaganda only because we are on the side of the angels. There are three overarching influences on the role of propaganda in a particular country: first, that country’s underlying culture; second, its form of government (in the case of Russia, authoritarianism); and third, the role of media-related technology.
Topic:
Science and Technology, Culture, Authoritarianism, Propaganda, and Soviet Union
Political Geography:
Russia and Eurasia

12. Satchmo, the Duke, and the Count: Representing America at its Best Despite Having Experienced its Worst

Author:
Larry Tye
Publication Date:
05-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
American Diplomacy
Institution:
American Diplomacy
Abstract:
Exuberant crowds in New Orleans had crowned Louis Armstrong the pretend King of the Zulus during Mardi Gras in 1949. But in 1960 when he visited the Belgian Congo, not far from the fountainhead of the Zulu people, the Congolese feted him like the real thing. Tom-tommers drummed a greeting reserved for tribal chiefs and hailed him as “Ambassador Extraordinary of the United States.” Grass-skirted tribesmen painted in violet and ochre carried him through the streets of Leopoldville on a homemade throne mounted on poles, a company of police and soldiers leading the way. His hosts had hoped to draw 1,500 people to his concert at King Baudouin Stadium, but so popular was Satchmo that 10,000 churning fans packed the stands. While they chanted “Satcheemo,” he shouted back, in wretchedly accented French, “Merci beaucoup, beaucoup.” His proudest triumph during his twenty-four-hour trip defied even the power of diplomats and kings. As he told it, “There was fighting, and they stopped the war because I played there that night.” That wasn’t merely Satchmo telling tales. The Congo was embroiled in a deadly civil conflict, with civilians caught between rampaging troops. But as one headline hollered, “They Called Truce To Dig Louis.” The Associated Press trumpeted, ‘“Wizard’ Satchmo Unites the Congo!” The warring sides, the AP explained, “joined forces to provide a heavily armed cordon ‘round Satchmo and his party.” They actually danced and cheered side-by-side at that night’s concert, although they resumed their bloody fighting once Louis left the country.
Topic:
Diplomacy, Culture, Soft Power, Memoir, and Music
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

13. Pakistan’s quest for soft power status: A case study from 2018 to 2022

Author:
Faiza Idrees and Azhar Shahbaz Khan
Publication Date:
12-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Political Studies
Institution:
Department of Political Science, University of the Punjab
Abstract:
In international politics the impression of the state is significant in order to achieve a convincing position. Soft power helps a state to establish its image globally. This article analyses how Pakistan is striving for Soft power status. The time period under study is from 2018 -2022. It also highlights the Role of state and individuals in pursuing the status of Soft Power. To answer the questions the researcher has explained the efforts of different government institutions and various individuals and the outcomes of their activities, especially during a time when the nation is frequently labeled a "failed state." Through a careful academic analysis, a case for the potential of soft power to transform Pakistan's international reputation has been presented.
Topic:
Religion, Food, Tourism, Culture, Soft Power, and Music
Political Geography:
Pakistan and South Asia

14. A Call for Space-Domain Intelligence Training

Author:
Genelle M. Martinez
Publication Date:
03-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Advanced Military Studies
Institution:
Marine Corps University Press, National Defense University
Abstract:
U.S. Space Force intelligence initial skills training (IST) currently occurs via U.S. Air Force pipelines. However, as the Space Force matures, it must take ownership of its training programs. Consolidating guardian intelligence initial skills training under the purview of the newest Service fosters a critical space-domain focused mindset and guardian culture at the outset of a member’s career.
Topic:
Intelligence, Culture, Armed Forces, Space, Training, Space Force, and Identity
Political Geography:
United States of America and Space

15. Informe sobre el estado de la Cultura 2024: Los derechos culturales ante los retos contemporáneos

Author:
Jorge Fernández León, Juan Arturo Rubio Arostegui, Jesús Prieto de Pedro, Carlos Garriga, and Nuria Lloret Romero
Publication Date:
10-2024
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Fundación Alternativas
Abstract:
El Informe sobre el estado de la Cultura 2024, que elabora el Observatorio de Cultura y Comunicación de la Fundación Alternativas, cumple once años. En esta ocasión, nuestro análisis descansa sobre el horizonte de los principales desafíos que a la cultura presentan las legislaturas española y europea. La cultura, bien público esencial, nace y se desarrolla gracias a la intervención de un conjunto de sujetos. La cultura tiene unos creadores, que están en sus raíces. Su destino y objetivo es comunicar las obras culturales – arte, literatura, música, etc.- a las y los ciudadanos. Entre estos dos polos, creadores y consumidores de la cultura, hay un conjunto de intermediarios agregadores y transmisores de las obras culturales. Son indispensables. Hablamos de las industrias culturales, elemento central de la comunicación cultural y de su dimensión económica. La cadena de creación, comunicación y participación cultural no puede ni debe desarrollarse fuera del servicio público. Los gestores políticos que lo dirigen son, en España, según nuestra Constitución, el Estado y las Comunidades Autónomas. En la primera comparecencia del ministro de Cultura ante la Comisión de Cultura del Senado, Ernest Urtasun centró su intervención en los derechos culturales. A todo ello se dedica el presente Informe.
Topic:
Culture and Public Policy
Political Geography:
Europe and Spain

16. MENA Music and More!

Author:
Danny Hajjar and Fadi Nicholas Nassar
Publication Date:
01-2023
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Middle East Institute (MEI)
Abstract:
On today's episode, Middle East Focus kicks off the new year with Danny Hajjar, whose newsletter Sa'alouni El Nas brings diverse music and perspectives from the MENA region to inboxes worldwide. Interviewing Danny is Fadi Nicholas Nassar, U.S.-Lebanon Fellow at the Middle East Institute, Director of the Institute for Social Justice and Conflict Resolution, and Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at the Lebanese American University (LAU).
Topic:
Arts, Culture, and Music
Political Geography:
Middle East and North Africa

17. Government Courtesans in the Northern Military Areas -- A Lecture with Hyun Suk Park

Author:
Hyun Suk Park and Jungwon Kim
Publication Date:
04-2023
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University
Abstract:
A 45-50-minute talk followed by Q and A. Professor Hyun Suk Park will discuss the courtesan culture of Chosŏn Korea by reflecting upon the intersections between state power, gender politics, and literary culture through travel writings and literary works.
Topic:
Politics, History, Culture, State, Literature, Power, Gender, and Military
Political Geography:
Asia and Korea

18. Reading The Backstreets in Ürümchi: Translation as Ethnographic Method and Practice of Refusal

Author:
Darren Byler and Andrew J. Nathan
Publication Date:
02-2023
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University
Abstract:
While conducting ethnographic fieldwork in Northwest China in 2014, anthropologist Darren Byler found that a Uyghur language novel, The Backstreets, helped Uyghurs to narrate their own stories. By shifting the frame of the narrative of colonial violence away from the authority of the state toward the work it takes for the colonized to live, this difficult, absurdist fable gave young Uyghurs a way to articulate experiences of dehumanization and rage. With its English-language translation and publication, it also gave the novelist, Perhat Tursun, a way of refusing his own silencing through censorship and, ultimately, imprisonment. The Backstreets in Ürümchi is a novel by Perhat Tursun, a leading Uyghur writer, poet, and social critic from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Perhat Tursun has published many short stories and poems as well as three novels, including the controversial The Art of Suicide (1999), decried as anti-Islamic. In 2018, he was detained by the Chinese authorities and was reportedly given a sixteen-year prison sentence. Byler was a cotranslator with ‘Anonymous,’ who disappeared in 2017, and is presumed to be in the reeducation camp system in northwest China. This event would be meaningful to students and faculty in many different areas of the university including the above proposed cosponsors, and students of China and Inner Asia.
Topic:
Culture, Minorities, Ethnography, Literature, Language, and Uyghurs
Political Geography:
China, Asia, and Xinjiang

19. "Rompamos El Silencio"

Author:
Julio Ramírez
Publication Date:
05-2023
Content Type:
Commentary and Analysis
Institution:
The North American Congress on Latin America (NACLA)
Abstract:
The recent dismantling of the Cuna Nahuat Indigenous language program in El Salvador is the latest in a long history of erasure for Salvadoran Indigenous communities.
Topic:
Civil War, Culture, Minorities, Language, and Indigenous
Political Geography:
Latin America, Central America, and El Salvador

20. A Monumental Relationship: North Korea and Namibia

Author:
Tycho van der Hoog
Publication Date:
03-2023
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
East-West Center
Abstract:
Visitors to Windhoek, the capital city of Namibia, will quickly learn a remarkable fact that is well-known among the local population—much of the capital’s architectural landscape is designed and constructed by North Korea. In recent years, North Korean nationals have built the official residence of the president of Namibia, the State House; the national cemetery for the fallen heroes of the liberation struggle, the National Heroes’ Acre; the national history museum, the Independence Memorial Museum; the Ministry of Defense headquarters and other buildings. The Namibian government thus uses North Korean aesthetics for some of the most important aspects of its power: the president, the history, and the army. This analysis explores the relationship between Namibia and North Korea by providing historical and political context to the aforementioned buildings. Today, Namibia often has the reputation of a quaint and sometimes sleepy destination, tucked away in the southwestern corner of the African continent. Yet, Namibia was at the center of geopolitical tensions for most of the twentieth century. The complicated decolonization process of Namibia, or “the Namibian question,” as it became known in the corridors of the United Nations (UN), had its roots in the aftermath of three decades of German occupation between 1884 and 1915. German South West Africa, the area that became modern Namibia, was transferred to South Africa as a League of Nations mandate territory and renamed “South West Africa.” South Africa viewed the territory as an unofficial fifth province and introduced brutal apartheid legislation. Internal opposition against the South African regime resulted in the formation of nationalist organizations, of which the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) became the most prominent.
Topic:
International Relations, Economics, Politics, Arts, and Culture
Political Geography:
Africa, Asia, North Korea, and Namibia

21. How Poster Art of the “Long 1960s” Fueled International Solidarity

Author:
Lincoln Cushing
Publication Date:
03-2023
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Brown Journal of World Affairs
Institution:
Brown Journal of World Affairs
Abstract:
With internet and cell phone connectivity enabling instant worldwide dissemination of information, many individuals presume that communication between international social justice activists during the twentieth century was tedious, insular, and ineffective. Yet analysis of the vast output of published graphics from that period reveals a different story, one of dynamic interchange and cross-national support.
Topic:
Cold War, History, Arts, Culture, Solidarity, and Internationalism
Political Geography:
Global Focus

22. Culture clash: Russia, Ukraine, and the fight for the European public

Author:
Pawel Zerka
Publication Date:
05-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR)
Abstract:
Russia’s war on Ukraine is a test of Europe’s values of openness, freedom, solidarity, and individual responsibility. According to ECFR’s research, European sentiment is strong in the EU today; the public holds positive attitudes towards the EU and Europe; and most governments are dedicated to European cooperation. European citizens and governments have shown unprecedented support for Ukraine, but European leaders face various dilemmas about how to handle Russian culture, disinformation, and people in the context of the war – and their responses to these challenges have consequences for European sentiment. Their approach can either reassert European values, helping to sustain European unity and support for Ukraine. Or it can undermine these values, presenting the EU as weak and hypocritical, and eroding Europeans’ confidence in the EU and solidarity with Ukraine. Rather than follow their protective instincts, European governments should display confidence in liberalism and in the European civil society which, over the past year, has demonstrated its resilience.
Topic:
Culture, Public Opinion, Disinformation, and Russia-Ukraine War
Political Geography:
Russia, Europe, and Ukraine

23. Café Evropa: European commemoration of the Shoah and the fight against anti-Semitism

Author:
Barbora Jehličková
Publication Date:
04-2023
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Europeum Institute for European Policy
Abstract:
A debate on the European commemoration of the victims of the Shoah and the fight against anti-Semitism took place as part of the Café Evropa debate series. What is the path to a Czech national strategy to fight anti-Semitism and is a European culture of Shoah remembrance possible? You can read a summary of the outcomes of the individual guests in the report written by our intern Barbora Jehličková.
Topic:
History, Culture, Holocaust, Memory, and Anti-Semitism
Political Geography:
Europe and Czech Republic

24. Gross National Happiness Policy Outputs in Bhutan from 1972 to 2014*

Author:
Michael Givel
Publication Date:
10-2023
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Bhutan Studies
Institution:
Centre for Bhutan & GNH Studies (CBS)
Abstract:
In 1972, Bhutan’s Fourth King declared Gross National Happiness (GNH) more important than Gross Domestic Product. But what was the nature of GNH legislation policy outputs before and after the adoption of the written 2008 Bhutanese Constitution that required that Bhutan to promote GNH as a national policy goal? This study examines from 1972 to 2014 (six years after the adoption of the Bhutan Constitution) GNH policy outputs. There were two stages related to Bhutan’s four pillars that include sustainable and equitable economic development, good governance, cultural preservation, and environmental protection. In the first stage lasting to the 1990s, Bhutanese policy outputs emphasized preserving traditional culture. In the second phase from the 1990s to 2014, Bhutanese policy outputs emphasized Buddhist modernism in which all four pillars balanced traditional Buddhist values with modern issues like health care and illiteracy.
Topic:
Culture, Constitution, History, Legislation, Public Policy, and Gross National Happiness (GNH)
Political Geography:
South Asia and Bhutan

25. The 21st Century Global Crisis: Laying out the Foundations for a New World Civilization

Author:
Jorge Armand
Publication Date:
10-2023
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Bhutan Studies
Institution:
Centre for Bhutan & GNH Studies (CBS)
Abstract:
The article focuses on principal traits of modern culture, i.e., on what we term the foundational cultural myths of Modernity, and to examine the role these myths have played in the contemporary crisis. A set of new epistemological insights is outlined that would be needed to understand and to act upon the root causes of this crisis, such as the oneness of Reality, the diversity within the oneness of Reality, the impermanency of all phenomena and the relativity of time and space. In this context, the actual functionability of modernity’s myth is questioned (the Myth of Eternal Progress) and its concrete manifestation as a model of social development based on the perennial increase of economic growth, i.e., industrial production and consumerism, in detriment of fundamental values, which we believe are the origin of both that existential system and the current global crisis. As a substitution, a model of development, Optimizing Homeostatic Paradigm, is proposed. This implies dismantling all policies of unrestricted economic growth and the replacement of Gross Domestic Production (GDP) as the standard measure of social development and human progress. The criticism that limitation of economic growth would reduce economic activity and would foster loss of employment, therefore more poverty, is refuted. In this theoretical framework, the concepts of human freedom, development and technology are revised, and new ones are proposed. Finally, Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness (GNH) index is shown as an example of alternative model of development, and inspiration for a new kind of world civilization.
Topic:
Culture, Crisis Management, Modernity, and Gross National Happiness (GNH)
Political Geography:
South Asia and Bhutan

26. Russia’s Cultural Heritage Can Be a Bridge to the Future

Author:
Robert Cox
Publication Date:
02-2023
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
American Diplomacy
Institution:
American Diplomacy
Abstract:
Russia has become Europe’s ogre. Beyond the brutality of Moscow’s onslaught on Ukraine looms a harsher ideological backdrop. Too many Russian citizens have been enticed into seeing this invasion as a defence of Russia’s security, national pride and identity, history, Weltanschauung, international standing, and imperial stature. They eulogise Russia’s national church as a defensive shield despite its abuse of spiritual humanity, its soldiers as crusaders. Europeans, in response to this baggage respond with a mixture of fear or unease. Anger, too, along with frustration and ultimately something akin to hatred. With all this comes an inclination in the western world to reject everything Russian. This rejection of a rich culture risks tarnishing our mindset and that of our children. Russian orchestras, dancers and sopranos have been banned from western stages—largely on the pretext that they have not condemned Putin and his acolytes. Ultimately Russian culture risks being airbrushed out of western European mentalities. It is worth pausing for a moment and just looking at what we are rejecting, perhaps unconsciously. Hitherto—and for many Europeans still —Russian culture has had an important place in our education and upbringing. Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Rimsky Korsakov, Shostakovich and the sublime Prokofiev have delighted our concert audiences for decades. Marc Chagall’s imagination has stimulated ours. Ballet in Europe—or the US, for that matter—would not be what it is without the great influence of the ballet russe. Nor, in a related world, would we be so intellectually rich without the heritage of Russian scientists, physicists and mathematicians.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Culture, Literature, and Russia-Ukraine War
Political Geography:
Russia, Europe, and Eurasia

27. On Food and Sustainability: A conversation with Moza Al Matrooshi and Christian Sleiman

Author:
Lyne Sneige, Moza Al Matrooshi, and Christian Sleiman
Publication Date:
04-2023
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Middle East Institute (MEI)
Abstract:
Lyne Sneige, Director of the Arts & Culture Program at the Middle East Institute, speaks with artists Moza Al Matrooshi and Christian Sleiman about their works that are featured in MEI's current exhibition, Perceptible Rhythms/Alternative Temporalities. The conversation provides greater detail on the relationship between each artist's works and the themes of food and sustainability.
Topic:
Arts, Food, Culture, and Sustainability
Political Geography:
Middle East and North Africa

28. Art in Dialogue with Nature: An Exploration of Saudi Arabia’s New Valley of the Arts

Author:
Iwona Blazwick, Manal Al Dowayan, and Kate Seelye
Publication Date:
06-2023
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Middle East Institute (MEI)
Abstract:
Wadi AlFann ('Valley of the Arts') is a new global cultural destination in Saudi Arabia, where monumental contemporary artworks are being commissioned for AlUla’s majestic desert landscape. Curator Iwona Blazwick and participating Saudi artist Manal Al Dowayan speak with MEI's Senior Vice President Kate Seelye about Wadi Al Fann's permanent art commissions and the impact of the Kingdom's investment in the arts as part of Saudi Vision 2030 on local communities and the international art scene.
Topic:
Arts, Culture, and Investment
Political Geography:
Middle East and Saudi Arabia

29. "Music is the very essence of European Cultural Identity"

Author:
Jorge Chaminé
Publication Date:
07-2023
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Robert Schuman Foundation (RSF)
Abstract:
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, you initiated a chain of solidarity. What does it consist of? The night of 24 February 2022 shocked me because it showed just how fragile peace is. I felt the need to do something and decided, with the Centre européen de musique, to help and facilitate the reception of Ukrainian musicians in Europe, but also to work to preserve the dialogue between Ukrainian, Russian and Belarusian musicians. At the beginning of the conflict, there were moves to censor the Russian repertoire, and concerts were cancelled because the programme included works by Tchaikovsky - an absolute absurdity! Within this chain of solidarity, links are being forged, with musicians playing not only the repertoire of their own country but also that of countries with which they are at war. In an increasingly violent and divided world, music can be an instrument of peace, integration and inclusion. That's why I've worked so hard in theatres of war. For over fifteen years, I regularly travelled to the Middle East to work on musical projects. After the Taliban took power, we also supported Afghan musicians and the Institute of Afghan Music, now based in Braga, Portugal.
Topic:
Culture, Interview, Music, and Identity
Political Geography:
Europe

30. Pashtun Cultural Transition between the Militants and Military

Author:
Syed Wasif Azim and Muhammad Naveed Akhtar
Publication Date:
11-2023
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Review of Human Rights
Institution:
Society of Social Science Academics (SSSA)
Abstract:
This article aims at discussing the violent conflict and its inter-relationship with militants and military in Swat, Pakistan. It argues that the term Badal may be recognized as having multiple forms and meanings. This paper demonstrates that in the initial phase of the conflict people used militant’s ‘tag’ while in post-military-operations period took the benefit of their ties with the military to take revenge from their opponents. This study underscores that this phenomenon has impacted the socio-cultural symbols and practices of badal negatively and has further defamed socio-cultural norms and values of the society. The study for being empirical in its methodology is based on 45 open-ended in-depth interviews, 05 focus group discussions and ethnographic observation, in Swat, Pakistan.
Topic:
Culture, Violence, Military, Pukhtuns, and Pashtuns
Political Geography:
Pakistan and South Asia

31. Shaping the Words of a Culture: Heydar Aliyev’s Lasting Impact on the Identity of a Country

Author:
Elnur Gajiev
Publication Date:
04-2023
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Baku Dialogues
Institution:
ADA University
Abstract:
How can literature shape the voice of a people? How may it invite the rediscovery and reclamation of centuries’ old tradition while simultaneously orienting a nation towards an uncertain, though desperately future filled with hope? How might words, poems, stories, and songs reveal an identity long repressed, yet now bold enough to form itself anew? It would not be a surprise if a similar strand of inquiry kept Heydar Aliyev company as he envisioned the future for his fledgling nation through a time of great tumult and transition. For he was no stranger to the significant role of the arts in sustaining, developing, and proliferating the merits of culture, particularly one with roots as deep as the literary arts of Azerbaijan.
Topic:
History, Culture, and Identity
Political Geography:
Azerbaijan and South Caucasus

32. Chengdu Youth

Author:
Zhang Feng and Andrew J. Nathan
Publication Date:
12-2023
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University
Abstract:
Zhang Feng is an influential blogger and bookstore owner from Chengdu, who closely observes trends among urban youth. In his city, there is far more independent thought and activism among young people than is generally recognized in the outside world. The "White Paper Movement" that occurred last November to protest strict Covid-19 lockdown measures was a rare public manifestation of deeper and longer trends. Young people are resisting the politicization, ideological rigidity, and organizational rigidity of Chinese life, and pursue their own lifestyles with an emphasis on aesthetics. The fact that they worked out ways to support friends who were arrested for the White Paper Movement is a sign of how urban culture is evolving. Zhang Feng will describe the mood among middle class citizens and youth in Chengdu during and after the Covid lockdown in that city
Topic:
Culture, Youth, Ideology, COVID-19, Activism, and Politicization
Political Geography:
China, Asia, and Chengdu

33. Book Talk with Jessamyn Abel, Author of "Dream Super-Express"

Author:
Jessamyn Abel, Takuya Tsunoda, and Ariana King
Publication Date:
10-2023
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University
Abstract:
A symbol of the "new Japan" displayed at World's Fairs, depicted in travel posters, and celebrated as the product of a national spirit of innovation, the Tōkaidō Shinkansen—the first bullet train, dubbed the "dream super-express"—represents the bold aspirations of a nation rebranding itself after military defeat, but also the deep problems caused by the unbridled postwar drive for economic growth. At the dawn of the space age, how could a train become such an important symbol? In Dream Super-Express (Stanford University Press, 2022), Jessamyn Abel contends that understanding the various, often contradictory, images of the bullet train reveals how infrastructure operates beyond its intended use as a means of transportation to perform cultural and sociological functions.
Topic:
History, Infrastructure, Sociology, Culture, Economic Growth, and Book Talk
Political Geography:
Japan and Asia

34. Rise From the Fall, Unmasking the Vietnamese-American Identity: A Conversation with Author Lan Cao

Author:
Lan Cao and Naja Pham Lockwood
Publication Date:
10-2023
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University
Abstract:
This Asia in Action Speaker Series event revolves around the life and literary journey of Lan Cao, a Vietnamese American writer. It begins with her early life in Vietnam and her migration to America in 1975, as depicted in her novel Monkey Bridge, emphasizing themes of exile, loss, and hope. It then delves into the significance of authentic Vietnamese storytelling through her work The Lotus and the Storm, offering a unique perspective on the Vietnam War. The discussion also touches on Vietnam's economic transition with Doi Moi policies and its reflection in Three Seasons, while exploring its impact on Lan Cao's identity as a Vietnamese American and refugee. Finally, her latest book, Family of Six Tones: Refugee Mother and American Daughter, is introduced, along with her ongoing literary journey and future projects.
Topic:
Immigration, Culture, Vietnam War, Identity, and Storytelling
Political Geography:
Vietnam, North America, Southeast Asia, and United States of America

35. The Heart of Arabs. Emirati Songs for Egypt

Author:
Edyta Wolny-Abouelwafa
Publication Date:
06-2023
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Nowa Polityka Wschodnia
Institution:
Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Abstract:
Creating patriotic songs in the Arab countries is very common. They can represent different types of music, can be connected to special occasions or be created without them, just from the ‘need a heart’. The author of the article has been doing research on contemporary Egyptian patriotic songs for years. On the basis of her results, she has decided to divide all the analysed songs into the those created by Egyptians for Egyptians and in addition created by other artists for Egypt and its citizens. The job of the latter she calls ‘patriotic songs’ as well and divided them into two main groups which are connected with the way they identify themselves. The article presents the results of the analysis of selected songs released by United Arab Emirates’ artists for Egypt. The article’s author’s goal was to check the songs’ topics and which one of the previously mentioned groups they represent. She also mentions the figure of Hussain Al Jassmi, the most popular, in recent years, Emirati singer creating patriotic songs for Egypt. She analysed the songs on the basis of the songs’ topics and combined it with the contemporary relations between United Arab Emirates and Egypt while mentioning their origins historically. All of this allowed her to reach the conclusions presented in the article.
Topic:
Culture, Arab Countries, Music, and Identity
Political Geography:
North Africa, Egypt, and United Arab Emirates

36. Cultural Security in the Context of the Analysis of the Religiosity of Belarusian Students

Author:
Viktoryia Baretskaya
Publication Date:
06-2023
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Nowa Polityka Wschodnia
Institution:
Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Abstract:
Religion can become an instrument of manipulation and destabilization in society, everything depends on people who have access to the levers of power, the position of Church hierarchs and the level of religious literacy of the population. The article is devoted to the study of the concept of the correlation of national identity and Christian universalism, as well as the model of Church–State relations in the modern social teaching of the Russian Orthodox Church, in the context of the analysis of some aspects of the religiosity of the Belarusian student youth, namely quantitative indicators of trust in the Church, attendance of divine services, and confessional affiliation.
Topic:
Security, Religion, Culture, Students, and Identity
Political Geography:
Eastern Europe and Belarus

37. Introducing the Research Project “Sacred Narrative – The Political Dimension of Japanese Mythology"

Author:
Klaus Antoni, Julia Dolkovski, and Louise Neubronner
Publication Date:
06-2023
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Nowa Polityka Wschodnia
Institution:
Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Abstract:
The Kojiki and Nihon shoki have been integral to the formation of Japanese identity, especially since the 18th century. As such, they were constantly exposed to processes of sacralization and desacralization, i.e., the attribution and removal of authority. The research project “Sacred Narrative – The Political Dimension of Japanese Mythology” is concerned with how certain systems of thought or ideology used these texts in a way that raised them to an elevated position or deprived them of it. Organized in three focus areas, the project delves into the topic of the historical change the Kojiki and Nihon shoki underwent in terms of interpretation and instrumentalization from the Edo period up to modern-day Japan. These investigations are integrated into the research group “De/Sacralization of Texts” at the University of Tübingen that started its work in January 2022. In this interdisciplinary context, “Sacred narrative” seeks to promote the integration of East-Asian textuality into general theory formation.
Topic:
Politics, Culture, Identity, and Mythology
Political Geography:
Japan and Asia

38. Migration and trust: Evidence on assimilation from internal migrants

Author:
Diego Marino Fages
Publication Date:
07-2023
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Nottingham Interdisciplinary Centre for Economic and Political Research (NICEP)
Abstract:
I study whether internal migrants assimilate culturally to the locals. Investigating this question with observational data has been challenging because it requires disentangling assimilation from sorting and because data on immigrants before migrating is typically not available. I overcome this challenge by studying the Swiss context, which provides an ideal setting for two reasons. First, as a result of its history, Switzerland presents substantial cultural differences between its regions. Second, the Swiss Household Panel tracks individuals for a long period before and after they move. I exploit these two features to compare early and late migrants in a difference-in-difference framework. I focus specifically on trust in strangers, one of the most important components of culture and which has been shown to predict growth and other desirable economic, social and political outcomes. I find a statistically and economically significant evidence on assimilation of migrants moving to higher and lower trust cantons, and this assimilation starts in the first few years. Finally, using the Sorted Effects Method, I find that assimilation is driven by the youngest immigrants, which is in line with the impressionable years hypothesis in psychology.
Topic:
Migration, Culture, Assimilation, and Internal Migration
Political Geography:
Europe and Switzerland

39. MIT X TAU Series: Africa's Forgotten Heroes

Author:
Kudzanai Chiurai and Claude Grunitzky
Publication Date:
05-2023
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
MIT Center for International Studies
Abstract:
The fifth webinar in the third annual webinar series focused on various aspects of sustainable development in Africa. Featuring: Kudzanai Chiurai is a Zimbabwean artist and activist. His repertoire of art combines the use of mixed media which involves the use of paintings, drawings, videos and photographs to address and tackle social, political and cultural issues in Zimbabwe.
Topic:
Development, Culture, Sustainability, and Activism
Political Geography:
Africa

40. From opportunity to impact – Assessing the economic, societal, and cultural benefits of YouTube in Canada in 2022

Author:
Hamilton Galloway and Alice Gambarin
Publication Date:
06-2023
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Oxford Economics
Abstract:
This study presents an updated assessment of YouTube’s contribution to Canada’s GDP and employment, and its broader impact on society and culture. Every day, YouTube helps Canadian users to learn new skills, connect with others, and enrich their lives. It also provides a platform for a diverse range of content creators to share their interests and passions with audiences within Canada and beyond, creating opportunities to build new careers and businesses. This supports substantial economic value for creators who receive income from the platform, for example as they are paid a share of the revenues from advertising placed alongside their videos. Creators may also earn revenues from other sources that are helped by their YouTube presence. These revenue sources not only support jobs and income for the creators themselves, but also wider activity in their supply chains, and through workers’ spending. In total, our economic modeling suggests that YouTube’s creative ecosystem contributed more than $2 billion CAD to Canada’s economy in 2022 and supported more than 35,000 full-time equivalent jobs. In this report we provide further details of our economic analysis, as well as the findings of wider survey research to investigate how YouTube can sustain careers for content creators; help businesses grow; build skills; amplify Canadian talent; and drive cultural diversity. Alongside the findings from our economic modeling and surveys, the report presents a series of case studies to highlight the personal stories of successful Canadian content creators, ranging from financial literacy to cross-cultural cuisine.
Topic:
Economics, Culture, YouTube, Society, and Revenue
Political Geography:
Canada and North America

41. 2023 EAI-Genron NPO Korea-Japan Joint Public Opinion Poll: Japan and the ROK-Japan Relations

Author:
East Asia Institute (EAI)
Publication Date:
10-2023
Content Type:
Commentary and Analysis
Institution:
East Asia Institute (EAI)
Abstract:
East Asia Institute (EAI) and Genron NPO conducted the 11th Korea-Japan Joint Public Opinion Poll in August and September 2023 to gauge the attitudes of people in both countries regarding their bilateral relations. EAI has presented the survey findings in chart format within the "EAI Public Opinion Briefing." According to the results, citizens of both South Korea and Japan assessed that their bilateral relations have advanced and expressed positive opinions about strengthening cooperation in areas like security and economics, both bilaterally and multilaterally. However, there were contrasting viewpoints between Koreans and Japanese on whether this progress and the importance of bilateral relations have resulted in favorable perceptions of each other`s countries.
Topic:
Security, History, Culture, Public Opinion, Economy, and Perception
Political Geography:
Japan, Asia, and South Korea

42. Culture as a Weapon of Struggle: The Medu Art Ensemble and Southern African Liberation

Author:
Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research
Publication Date:
12-2023
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research
Abstract:
This dossier focuses on the Medu Art Ensemble (1979-1985) and its role in organising cultural resistance in the struggle for liberation in South Africa and the region.
Topic:
Apartheid, History, Arts, Culture, and Political Movements
Political Geography:
Africa and South Africa

43. Music as weapon: Heroic lyrical epics as tools in the PKK’s struggle

Author:
Moustafa Mohammad
Publication Date:
09-2023
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Clingendael Netherlands Institute of International Relations
Abstract:
Long-form narrative songs of the genre ‘heroic lyrical epics’ have helped preserve Kurdish history and culture. They also represent a repertoire of ideals, values and inspiration to resist injustice and exclusion. The PKK has tapped into this rich musical history from its early days and used heroic lyrical epics to spread the party’s ideology, broadcast its struggle with Turkey, facilitate recruitment and create an archive to preserve the names of its foremost fighters. Moreover, the PKK has both popularized and professionalized heroic lyrical epics. By acting as a new patron for such music – in addition to the customary notables and village ‘dîwanxane’ (meeting places) – the PKK helped make heroic lyrical epics more accessible to Kurdish publics. By creating its own modern music industry (e.g. artists, studios, re-introducing past folklore elements, publishing houses), the PKK also aligned heroic lyrical epics with the spirit of modern times and the tastes of today’s youth. Professionalization especially took flight in northeastern Syria after 2011. Logically, the PKK’s motivations are less socio-cultural in nature than that they are centered on maintaining public support in its fight against Turkey.
Topic:
Culture, Kurds, Music, and PKK
Political Geography:
Turkey, Middle East, and Syria

44. Urban Politics in the Middle East

Author:
Mona Harb, Marc Lynch, Jillian Schwedler, Gehad Abaza, and Munqeth Othman
Publication Date:
10-2023
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
Project on Middle East Political Science (POMEPS)
Abstract:
Urban politics has received growing attention in the anthropology, sociology, and political science of the MENA region. In line with global trends, questions of scale, territory, flows and connectivities and materialities have come to the fore, with a wide range of creative and novel lines of inquiry connecting the global to the hyper-local and every scale in between. In February 2023, POMEPS partnered with the Beirut Urban Lab at the American University of Beirut and The Policy Initiative think tank for a workshop in Beirut to bring together an interdisciplinary group of young scholars from across the region to explore questions of urban life, politics, and culture. The papers moved beyond more traditional political science topics such as municipal government, decentralization, clientelistic voting, protests, and clientelism. While those themes certainly operated in the background, the authors assembled in Beirut pushed to shift the lens towards multi-scalar ethnographic modes of inquiry, highlighting the materialities and relationalities of the hyper-local, examining sites and places which concentrate power dynamics.
Topic:
Economics, Migration, Politics, Race, Religion, Sectarianism, Culture, Syrian War, Mobility, Urban, Trade, Music, Transportation, Cities, Heritage, Resistance, Labor Market, Domestic Work, and Urbicide
Political Geography:
Iraq, Iran, Middle East, Tehran, Baghdad, Algeria, North Africa, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Beirut, Cairo, Tunis, and Aqaba

45. Sport Diplomacy: An Old Frontier Rediscovered

Author:
Heather L. Dichter and Maame Quakyi
Publication Date:
09-2023
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Brown Journal of World Affairs
Institution:
Brown Journal of World Affairs
Abstract:
Dr. Heather L. Dichter is Associate Professor of Sport Management and Sport History at the Inter- national Centre for Sports History and Culture at De Montfort University in Leicester, UK. Her publications include Bidding for the 1968 Olympic Games: International Sport’s Cold War Battle with NATO (Massachusetts, 2021) and two edited books: Soccer Diplomacy: International Relations and Football Since 1914 (Kentucky, 2020) and, with Andrew Johns, Diplomatic Games: Sport, Statecraft, and International Relations Since 1945 (Kentucky, 2014).
Topic:
Diplomacy, Culture, Sports, and Interview
Political Geography:
Global Focus

46. The Impact of Colonization on Language Policy in Indigenous Languages

Author:
Elisa Loncon
Publication Date:
09-2023
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Brown Journal of World Affairs
Institution:
Brown Journal of World Affairs
Abstract:
On 18 December 2019, in its 50th Plenary Session, the United Nations Gen- eral Assembly proclaimed the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032) to draw attention to the endangerment and erasure of indigenous languages and to assemble states to allocate funds to revitalize and promote languages.1 This piece will discuss the linguistic policies applied to indigenous peoples and how they have influenced the abandonment of native languages to favor Spanish. Since the Spanish set foot on the lands of the continent, they began to exterminate indigenous languages. The dispossession of the people’s wealth was not only territorial—it was also linguistic and cultural. This piece reflects on the political nature of languages and explains how racism, as part of the colonial paradigm, has contributed to the reduction in the importance of languages and limited our understanding of them to a cultural artifact or folklore.
Topic:
Politics, Culture, Language, Indigenous, Colonization, and Language Policy
Political Geography:
Global Focus

47. Between Tradition and the Law: Artisanal Firearm Production in West Africa

Author:
Julien Joly and Aline Shaban
Publication Date:
11-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Small Arms Survey
Abstract:
Craft firearms are deeply embedded in West Africa’s culture and history, often being used for hunting, livestock protection, and in traditional ceremonies. However, these firearms are increasingly being used in crimes and civil disturbance. Between Tradition and The Law: Artisanal Firearm Production in West Africa—a new Briefing Paper from the Small Arms Survey’s Craft Weapons in Africa: State of Play and Regulatory Approaches project—provides an overview of regional trends about the production of craft firearms, and their regulatory frameworks. It also calls for further additional research on the methods of production as well as on the trafficking dynamics of these types of weapons.
Topic:
Arms Control and Proliferation, Culture, Regulation, Weapons, and Trafficking
Political Geography:
West Africa

48. Cultura de la seguridad pública en Europa

Author:
Diego Torrente
Publication Date:
12-2023
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal on International Security Studies (RESI)
Institution:
International Security Studies Group (GESI) at the University of Granada
Abstract:
La cultura puede entenderse como un sistema de adaptación humana al entorno. Cuando éste cambia, aquella tiende también a evolucionar. Sin embargo, existen inercias culturales que permiten entender algunas pautas en las conductas de la población, incluso en contextos de cambio acelerado como el actual. Identificar los rasgos culturales de los países europeos en el ámbito de la seguridad pública es el propósito del presente artículo. Para ello, en primer lugar, se propone un sistema de indicadores que parte de una revisión teórica. Los mismos recogen aspectos de pensamiento y de conducta. En segundo lugar, se aplican esos indicadores buscando los mejores datos comparados disponibles de acuerdo con una serie de criterios de calidad. Se utilizan series temporales amplias para identificar las tendencias que se mantienen en el tiempo y que pueden resultar de inercias culturales. La principal aportación del presente estudio respecto a otros previos es utilizar un abanico geográfico, temporal, y de dimensiones culturales más amplio. Con ello, se logra un dibujo más afinado de las distintas representaciones y conductas de la Europa de la seguridad. El texto comienza por revisar cómo se ha definido y abordado el concepto de “cultura de la seguridad” en la literatura internacional. A continuación, se identifican sus dimensiones clave, se propone un sistema de indicadores para cada una de ellas, y se seleccionan un conjunto de fuentes europeas de datos sobre seguridad pública. El trabajo tiene un carácter más descriptivo que explicativo de las diferencias culturales. Al dibujar, de forma comparada, la cultura de la seguridad pública en Europa, este artículo contribuye también a entender mejor la situación actual en España, y a anticipar posibles escenarios en un contexto de fuertes cambios en los riesgos, como los que se analizan en las distintas contribuciones a este número de la revista.
Topic:
Security, Culture, Public Security, and Comparative Analysis
Political Geography:
Europe

49. Chinese Soft Power

Author:
Robert Edmund Łoś
Publication Date:
01-2023
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
China’s modern power is based on traditional sources: territory size, demographics, economy, and army. An important factor of power is soft power, which is based on culture, foreign policy (including economics), and values. Chinese soft power resources have an old tradition and the possibility of using them is large, and most importantly, in the current international environment, they can use them to gain and maintain an advantage over competitors. The article presents the elements of China’s soft power that determine its advantage over other countries and the weaknesses that may limit its influence. It largely determines the research methods used: statistics and system analysis. The latter method makes it possible to determine the scale of China’s influence and the chances of using them in the 21st century.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Culture, Soft Power, and Values
Political Geography:
China and Asia

50. Cultural Transmission and Political Attitudes: Explaining Differences between Natives and Immigrants in Western Europe

Author:
Jérôme Gonnot and Federica lo Polito
Publication Date:
05-2023
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Centre d'Etudes Prospectives et d'Informations Internationales (CEPII)
Abstract:
This paper uses data on individual political opinions from the European Social Survey to study the role of horizontal cultural transmission on immigrants' political assimilation in Western Europe. We analyze five key political issues: redistribution, gay rights, EU integration, immigration policy and trust in political institutions. Controlling for individual socio-economic characteristics, we document that immigrants show identical support for redistribution as natives, display more conservative attitudes towards gay rights and more liberal views on the other three issues. These differences widen with the cultural and religious distance between immigrants' background and Western European norms, and decrease with the number of years since migration. Among immigrants that have spent at least 10 years in their host country, attitudes towards migration policy catch up with those of natives and the migrant-to-native gap on political trust is reduced by 80\%. In contrast, differences on EU integration and gay rights remain stable while immigrants' views on redistribution becomes relatively more conservative. These attitude-specific patterns are also salient when studying political preferences at the regional and sub-regional level. Our results strongly point towards the transmission of cultural values from natives to immigrants on matters of immigration policy and political trust, whereas attitudes towards redistribution seem immune to cultural influences at destination.
Topic:
Immigration, Culture, European Union, Assimilation, and Political Attitudes
Political Geography:
Europe and Western Europe