Symbolic Accoutrements of Power: Appropriation of Culture within the British Managerial Elite

2011 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 456-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Warde

AbstractThis paper arises from a study examining cultural participation, knowledge and taste across the British population. The study includes in-depth interviews with a small number of individuals occupying prestigious positions in British business, politics and administration. A managerial elite, they exhibit a significant degree of homogeneity of cultural attachment and invest heavily in participation in many cultural activities. Their pattern of cultural consumption is described in terms of three principles: plenitude, proficiency and capability. This paper focuses on a number of mechanisms of acculturation, which are identified and illustrated. Differences associated with social trajectory are emphasised. The everyday routine nature of intensive and selective cultural consumption for this section of the population is noted and it is shown how culture is embedded in social life through social connections. Implications for the status and changing character of legitimate culture are considered, leading to reflections on the demise of the British “Establishment” and the changing role of culture in elite formation.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Olivos ◽  
Peng Wang

Sociological research has long shown that cultural participation is socially stratified. We build on this literature to discuss the role of the subjective and objective dimensions of stratification, and how they are linked to practices of social distinction through cultural consumption. The aim of this study is to understand (1) the effect of subjective and objective social status on patterns of cultural participation, and (2) the implications of the status inconsistency between objective and subjective social status. We use a probabilistic and representative sample of the Chilean urban population over the age of 18. Latent class analyses show that a significant proportion of Chileans can be considered cultural omnivores. Multinomial diagonal reference models suggest that omnivorousness is positively predicted by subjective and objective social status. Moreover, regarding inconsistency, objective social status is prominent in the explanation of omnivorousness for both status-underestimating (SSSOSS). These findings provide important insights for discussing the implications of status inconsistency on cultural consumption.


2014 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 182-187
Author(s):  
Clare Southall

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the changing role of OD practitioners. Given the many significant challenges faced by organisations and their leaders, never has the role of OD been more important; it is vital that OD practitioners are able to identify the paradigm shift that is required if they are to provide the relevant challenge and support that organisations and leaders need. Design/methodology/approach – The OD role is explored through the Challenger pattern of behaviour known as Witnessing the Establishment – the ability, and the willingness, to see things as they really are, not as we wish them to be. The authors are often so much a part of the organisational system ourselves that the underpinning assumptions, beliefs, routines and rituals that exist are so transparent we can not see them for what they are. Findings – This paper focuses on one of the six patterns of behaviour identified in Challenger leaders in the book “Challenger Spirit: Organisations that disturb the status quo” by Khurshed Dehnugara and Claire Genkai Breeze, LID Publishing, 2011. Research limitations/implications – This is not an academic paper but instead a consultant/practitioner perspective grounded in day-to-day work with leaders and OD professionals in client organisations. Originality/value – A number of suggestions are given for applying the perspectives discussed, through a series of questions, diagnostic processes and models. These are directly applicable to OD practitioners themselves and can also form the basis of further conversations with the leaders and colleagues.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 369-385
Author(s):  
Welhendri Azwar

The system of values, norms and some stereotypes attached to women are one of the factors that giving influences on the position and relationships of women with men in the existing social structure. Each person embraces the system of values or norm which is a consensus and constructed by the community itself than from generation to generation. The emergence of social construction on the status and role of women is the result of the perspective of a community towards their biological differences between men and women. The perspective which then results in oppression, exploitation, and subordination of women in social relations are contextually strongly related to socio-cultural conditions at that time. This section will discuss how women are positioned in the social life and the perspective of the culture of its subordination. Next, it is also described how the emergence of patriarchal ideology, a system that accommodates the interests of men to dominate and control women, as a consequence of the understanding of the nature of women which biologically different to men. The hegemony of patriarchal ideology brings the social awareness for women to accept the conditions of subordination as a natural thing, which is wrapped by the products of culture and tradition. It includes how patriarchal ideology is giving the effect on the system and the tradition of marriage.


Oryx ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 643-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justine Shanti Alexander ◽  
James McNamara ◽  
J. Marcus Rowcliffe ◽  
James Oppong ◽  
E.J. Milner-Gulland

AbstractThere is little information on the changing role of bushmeat hunting in the agricultural areas of West Africa. We assessed the status and role of bushmeat hunting and rural consumption in three communities in Ghana, through household surveys (n = 250), and interviews with hunters (n = 69), eatery owners (n = 18) and bushmeat traders (n = 3). Hunting was embedded within dynamic livelihood strategies, with two broad categories of hunters identified: a large group who targeted pests on their own farms using traps, and a smaller group of professional hunters. The professional hunters included a group of young men who hunted with dogs, and another group of older firearm hunters who tended to be members of Hunters’ Associations. All professional hunters reported a decline in bushmeat availability and expressed concerns about the viability of hunting as a livelihood. The frequency of consumption of bushmeat increased with distance from the region's main urban centre, Kumasi, but bushmeat was not found to be a major component of the diet in any of the villages. Few men self-identified as hunters, although bushmeat hunting continued to play an important role in the rural economy, primarily for crop protection. Conservation efforts need to consider the full spectrum of hunting behaviours. Specific measures should target forest-based hunters, who are more likely to damage forest ecosystems than crop pest hunters but also show more concern for the sustainability of hunting, and commitment to hunting as an institution.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 55-80
Author(s):  
Nasrullah Qureshi ◽  
◽  
Hadi Bux Chhijan

Describing the status of the Quranic Education in Sindh's Government Institutions is an important matter which will be resolved according to suggestions of well-versed and experts of education. Thus I made a little struggle about above topic. So I expect to authority to give full attention to this issue so that we may be able to improve our education in new generation, and there will be appeared many benefits in society.Firstly the importance of The Quran and its need in the social life of the society has been discussed shortly. Next, the research highlights the role of the institutions in the betterment of the education and character building of the pupil. Moreover, a brief study of the Quranic syllabus of the institutions and its teaching practices has been mentioned. After the study of the syllabus and a survey of schools, the research identifies the merits and demerits of the syllabus and suggests some viable solutions to make Quranic teaching better in the province. Finally, the study recommends some effective measures in order to increase the interest and inclination of society through making Quranic teaching easier and more focused.


Author(s):  
Jennifer Kyker

The Shona chipendani (pl. zvipendani) is among dozens of musical bows found throughout southern Africa. An understanding of where the chipendani fits into the larger space of Zimbabwe’s musical and social life is markedly thin. Other than Brenner’s observation that the chipendani may occasionally be played by adult men while socializing over beer, descriptions of the chipendani seldom go further than remarking on theinstrument’s associations with cattle herding, and reducing it to the status of child’s play. In this article, I argue that conceptions of the musical and social identity of the chipendani must be expanded beyond its conventional portrayal as a herdboy instrument, since other groups of people have been actively involved in performing the instrument. I further maintain that the social role of the chipendani extends beyond providing accompaniment for a singular activity—that of cattle herding—into other contexts. By challenging Tracey’s conception of solo bow playing as “self-delectative,” my account of chipendani music opens up space for new readings of other musical bows throughout southern Africa.


CLEaR ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-60
Author(s):  
Mahuya Bhaumik

Abstract Bollywood, being one of the biggest film industries of India, is an interesting area of research to understand the socio-cultural perspectives of today’s India. My paper will focus on the changing role of Indian woman. It will argue if the change is merely superficial or the Indian woman has been successful to negotiate with and challenge the patriarchal social structure. These multiple issues will be discussed with special reference to two of the latest Bollywood movies, namely, English-Vinglish and Queen. The focus on these two movies is because both concentrate on emancipation of woman. Sashi, the central character of English-Vinglish, despite facing all kinds of humiliation in her own family and finally learning English (her inability to speak in English being one of the primary reasons for her being ridiculed in her family) comes back to her family at the end. Queen showcases a different kind of emancipation where Rani, the leading lady of the movie, being dumped by her fiancé, decides to go for her honeymoon trip all by herself and recognises herself anew. These two movies are examples of the changing role of woman who does not need a male to rescue her from danger or to console her in her tears. She is a self-sufficient woman who does not forget her roots. Both the movies generate thought-provoking questions about the status of woman in present India and can be employed as lenses to see through the multiple layers of the gendered Indian society.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-162
Author(s):  
C C Shuttleworth

Owing to a highly competitive global market, economic crises and changes in manufacturing and information technology, organisations are compelled to improve their financial planning and control functions. These and other changes have contributed to the evolving role of the management accounting function in organisations. Whereas cost accounting’s main focus was on finding the cost of manufacturing products, the objective of management accounting is to use financial and non-financial information to assist management with decision making. Although management accountants have long played multiple roles in organisations, there is a definite shift towards a more strategic approach, opening up new vistas of opportunity. However, this widening scope of the changing practice of management accounting demonstrates a lack of a recognisable and coherent occupational identity. The objective of this study was to determine whether prospective accounting students and accounting teachers are aware of the changing role and status of management accountants. This study presents the results of a survey among fi rst-year accounting students as well as interviews with accounting teachers to assess their perceptions of the current role of management accountants in organisations. This study exposes a lack of knowledge of the status of management accountants and their strategic role in organisations. Recommendations are made for tertiary institutions to alleviate this information gap and for further research on this issue.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 15-20
Author(s):  
M.Y. Spirin ◽  

The status of formal sources of law is considered from the point of view of their definition and the possibility of creating a list of these sources, enshrined at the legislative level. The problem is posed of the need for the existence of an official list of formal sources of law in the national legal system. The phenomenon of digitalization of social life and legal means necessary for its effective regulation is investigated. The main trends in the digitalization of the legal system of society are determined on the basis of the digitalization of the system of formal sources of law, the necessary conclusions are drawn about the nature of this process, its direction, as well as about those positive and negative aspects that are associated with it. Particular attention is paid to the problem of compliance of “reference” texts of normative legal acts and other formal sources of law, enshrined in the official means of the content of legal information, and “digital” shells of these regulatory prescriptions that function within the framework of commercial legal reference systems. Based on the analysis performed, the main problems of modern digitalization of formal sources of law are determined. The issue of self-reproduction of law is touched upon, attention is drawn to the ethical problem of creating law to regulate social relations using digital technologies. Conclusions are made about the dual, objective and subjective nature of digitalization of formal sources of law and the role of the collective human mind in the creation and implementation of law.


Author(s):  
Larisa N. Chernova ◽  

The article examines the place and role of women in the social life of London in the 14th–15th centuries based on the material of the original sources. It is shown that, despite the restrictions fixed by custom and laws on the social activity of women, the range of occupations of the townsmen –wives and widows – was unusually wide. It is craft and trade, including the right to take apprentices, real estate transactions, and financial deals. Women did not just help men in the craft or trade shops, but also worked independently. The status of women, especially married women, who chose to participate in trade or in town production as their main occupation, was never fully developed. A significant degradation in the position of women in the public sphere in London occurred in the 16th century. The author concludes that, despite all the difficulties, a new type of woman was gradually developed in the city – energetic, enterprising, educated, who acts in society as an independent head of the family and business.


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