scholarly journals The Male Dancer in the Middle East and Central Asia

2006 ◽  
Vol 38 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 137-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Shay

Within this quotation the reader may find a rich description of historical and even contemporary Middle Eastern attitudes toward dance and male dancers in particular, penned from a native point of view. In this article I address those attitudes, but more importantly challenge several cherished, long-held assumptions and theoretical stances expressed by native elites and Westerners interested in Middle Eastern dance and dancers. First, I challenge the romantic views that many gay men hold that the presence of male dancers and the sexual interest expressed toward them by Middle Eastern men somehow constitutes evidence for an environment accepting of homosexuality and a Utopian gay paradise, where the possibility of unbridled sexual congress with handsome, passionately out-of-control Arabs, Persians, and Turks exists. Thus, they crucially confuse gay or homosexual identity with homosexual activity or behavior. Because of this confusion, I use an important aspect of queer theory that counters “the monolithic alternative of liberationist gay politics” (Bleys 1995, 7) to look at the phenomenon of professional male dancers in a somewhat grittier, more realistic light. In particular, I refer to Stephen O. Murray's groundbreaking article, “The Will Not to Know” (1997, 14–54) which establishes a valuable lens through which to view how the vast majority of Middle Eastern individuals regard homosexual acts.

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 1138
Author(s):  
Rocio de la Torre ◽  
Bhakti S. Onggo ◽  
Canan G. Corlu ◽  
Maria Nogal ◽  
Angel A. Juan

The prevailing need for a more sustainable management of natural resources depends not only on the decisions made by governments and the will of the population, but also on the knowledge of the role of energy in our society and the relevance of preserving natural resources. In this sense, critical work is being done to instill key concepts—such as the circular economy and sustainable energy—in higher education institutions. In this way, it is expected that future professionals and managers will be aware of the importance of energy optimization, and will learn a series of computational methods that can support the decision-making process. In the context of higher education, this paper reviews the main trends and challenges related to the concepts of circular economy and sustainable energy. Besides, we analyze the role of simulation and serious games as a learning tool for the aforementioned concepts. Finally, the paper provides insights and discusses open research opportunities regarding the use of these computational tools to incorporate circular economy concepts in higher education degrees. Our findings show that, while efforts are being made to include these concepts in current programs, there is still much work to be done, especially from the point of view of university management. In addition, the analysis of the teaching methodologies analyzed shows that, although their implementation has been successful in favoring the active learning of students, their use (especially that of serious games) is not yet widespread.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 10-38
Author(s):  
Phillip Joy ◽  
Matthew Numer ◽  
Sara F. L. Kirk ◽  
Megan Aston

The construction of masculinities is an important component of the bodies and lives of gay men. The role of gay culture on body standards, body dissatisfaction, and the health of gay men was explored using poststructuralism and queer theory within an arts-based framework. Nine gay men were recruited within the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Participants were asked to photograph their beliefs, values, and practices relating to their bodies and food. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, using the photographs as guides. Data were analyzed by critical discourse analysis and resulted in three overarching threads of discourse including: (1) Muscles: The Bigger the Better, (2) The Silence of Hegemonic Masculinity, and (3) Embracing a New Day. Participants believed that challenging hegemonic masculinity was a way to work through body image tension.


Organization ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 365-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Rumens ◽  
John Broomfield

Building on emerging research on ‘gay-friendly’ organizations, this article examines if and how work contexts understood and experienced as ‘gay-friendly’ can be characterized as exhibiting a serious breakdown in heteronormativity. Taking the performing arts as a research setting, one that is often stereotyped as ‘gay-friendly’, and drawing on in-depth interview data with 20 gay male performers in the UK, this article examines how everyday activities and encounters involving drama school educators, casters and peers are shaped by heteronormative standards of gay male sexuality. Adopting a queer theory perspective and connecting with an emergent queer theory literature in organization studies, one concern articulated in this article is that heteronormative constructions of gay male sexualities constrain participants’ access to work; suggesting limits to the abilities and roles gay men possess and are able to play. Another concern is that when gay male sexualities become normalized in performing work contexts, they reinforce organizational heteronormativity and the heterosexual/homosexual binary upon which it relies. This study contributes towards theorizing the heteronormative dynamics of ‘gay-friendly’ places of work, arguing that gay male sexualities are performatively instituted according to localized heteronormativities which reinforce contextually contingent, restrictive heteronormative standards of gay male sexuality which performers are encouraged to embody and perform both professionally and personally.


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 234
Author(s):  
Tubus Tubus

This paper aims to examine the making of the contents of wills examined from the point of view of Islamic law, in practice the reality in the lives of many people who have not heed the word basmallah as an incantation in the contents of the will for the followers of Islam. In this study using sociological juridical method, where the primary data obtained directly from field research, while secondary data obtained from the literature. The results obtained that the way of making the contents of the will and the absence of public legal awareness is optimal for the making of the contents of wills in accordance with Islamic law. And there are still weaknesses in the Making and Implementation of the contents of the current will, when the testament is oral, namely: The absence of the sacred intention or the noble intention of the collector must not necessarily occur; unsecured rights of the recipient, in the event of any problems of the future heirs of the pewasiat; there is a difficulty of proof in the absence of witnesses, when the will is brought before the Court. Law renewal in the making of the contents of the will in the presence of a notary in the perspective of Islamic law are: the reconstruction of its value, the Ideal Formation of the Will, the testament is done in writing witnessed by two witnesses and before the Notary. Ideal Construction Format of Testament Creation. The testament is written in the presence of two witnesses or in the form of a Deed or a Notary Deed. At the head of the will or the Deed or Notarial deed is included a sentence “Basmallah”.


Author(s):  
Gerson Luis Schwab ◽  
Simone Tetu Moysés ◽  
Beatriz Helena Sottile França ◽  
Renata Iani Werneck ◽  
Samuel Jorge Moysés

ABSTRACTThis research has a theoretical approach based on the stoic principle that happiness and self-fulfillment are natural consequences of right attitudes. It is possible to change the will to suit the world and live sick and happy, in peril and yet happy, stating an individual desire completely autonomous and deterministic. This presupposes not an apathetic fatalism, but a moral resistance to better face the hardships of life. When faced with setbacks of destiny a stoic believes in an extreme personal freedom to ally with this almost absolute determinism. These are congruent principles to health care models for strengthening and supporting people in chronic conditions. A literature review of three important works of the Stoic School (Encheiridion and The Discourses, by Epictetus, and Moral Letters to Lucilius, by Seneca) was performed. The search words "health, disease, choice, discipline," with its English correspondents, were utilized for the selection of texts, interpreted by discourse analysis. It was sought a contribution to Public Health towards the management of chronic conditions, the silent epidemic of XXI century. As results some principles are presented converging to notions of selfcare and shared care for chronic conditions, primarily focused on the autonomy and discipline of users to manage their health. It is proposed the application of these principles to treatment planning in programs for chronic conditions, whether for ill patients or in special conditions of health, such as adolescence, disabilities, pregnancy, etc. Under this point of view these principles could be extended to health professionals because their work routine also features a chronic condition. That could benefit individuals, healthcare systems and society as a whole.RESUMOEsta pesquisa tem um enfoque teórico, baseada no princípio estoico de que felicidade e realização pessoal são consequências naturais de atitudes corretas. É possível alterar a vontade para se adequar ao mundo e viver doente e feliz, em perigo e ainda assim feliz, afirmando um desejo individual completamente autônomo e determinista. Isto não pressupõe um fatalismo apático, mas sim uma resistência moral para melhor enfrentar as agruras da vida. Ao deparar-se com os revezes do destino um estoico acredita em sua extrema liberdade pessoal para aliar-se a esse determinismo quase absoluto. Tais princípios são coerentes com modelos de atenção à saúde para o fortalecimento e apoio às pesso-as em condições crônicas. Foi realizada uma revisão bibliográfica de três importantes obras da Escola Estoica (En-cheiridion e The Discourses, de Epicteto, e Moral Letters to Lucilius, de Sêneca). Foram utilizadas as palavras de busca “saúde, doença, escolha, disciplina”, com suas correspondentes em inglês, para a seleção dos textos, interpreta-dos por análise do discurso. Buscou-se uma contribuição para a Saúde Coletiva, direcionada para o manejo das condi-ções crônicas, a epidemia silenciosa do século XXI. Como resultados são apresentados alguns princípios convergentes com noções de autocuidado e cuidado compartilhado, focados principalmente na autonomia e disciplina da pessoa usuária para monitorar a sua saúde. Propõe-se a aplicação desses princípios aos programas de atenção às condições crônicas, seja para portadores de doenças ou pessoas em condições especias de saúde, tais como adolescência, inca-pacidades, gravidez, etc. Sob este ponto de vista esses princípios poderiam ser estendidos aos profissionais de saúde, pois sua rotina de trabalho também caracteriza uma condição crônica. Disso poderiam beneficiar-se indivíduos, siste-mas de saúde e a sociedade como um todo.


Author(s):  
Anne Harris

Drawing on the narrative frames of the "road trip" and "lesbian drama," genres which, it could be argued, normatively construct Otherness with all that is Queer, in respect to not fitting in or belonging, this article attempts to draw on queer theory to out gay male and lesbian relationships. Relationships between gay men and lesbians, constructed in and around identity practices, have been troubled by the emergence of queer folk, productively focusing attention on the differences between and within gay male and lesbian identities and communities. Using the metaphor of "road trip" to Queer gay male and lesbian relationships, I reconsider the question of lesbian presences in queer theory and in doing so seek to productively trouble the normalising practices of identity with gay male and lesbian relationships.


Author(s):  
Maia Kotrosits

“What does it mean to live with HIV indefinitely, without knowing whether or not it will kill you?” Tim Dean writes, marking the changing timeline for HIV in the wake of new medical treatments. Exploring the anxiety experienced by some gay men as a result of the new uncertainties around HIV positivity, Dean proposes that this anxiety might tell all of us something about our relationships to time, the future, and mortality. Indeed, death has haunted queer theory from its inception as its implicit telos, either to be embraced or refused. But if death is the telos of queer theory, then it is one that repeatedly and frustratingly refuses to be final. This chapter explores the longing for endings and what might be called a "queer persistence" through Dean’s essay, Eve Sedgwick’s almost incidental description of queer as a “continuing moment,” and the Gospel of Mark, a text that bends or thwarts conventions of beginning, middle, and end. If anything worries us more than death, it seems, it is a lack of resolution.


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