Armenian Involvement in the Latin-Mongol Crusade: Uses of the Magi and Prester John in Constable Smbat’s Letter and Hayton of Corycus’s “Flos historiarum terre orientis,” 1248-1307

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandr Osipian
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Ruling Elite ◽  
Positive Image ◽  
Mongol Empire ◽  
Narrative Techniques ◽  
Louis Ix

Abstract This paper examines the issue of how Armenians and Nestorians in the Mongol service used the Western legends about the Orient to influence the crusading plans of the Latin Christians between 1248 and 1307. In particular, it considers the role of the ruling elite of Cilician Armenia as mediators between Mongols and Franks in Outremer, first discussing the Letter of Cilician Constable Smbat (1248), and then examining the treatise “Flos historiarum terre orientis” by Hayton of Corycus (Het’um/Haitonus, 1307) with the crusading proposal contained in it. This article examines the narrative techniques used by Smbat and Het’um to produce a positive image of the Mongols/Tatars for Western readers in a wider cultural context of contemporary European perception of the Orient. In particular, it researches how Smbat incorporated the stories about the Magi and Prester John into the description of the Mongol Empire and the spread of Christianity within it. Special attention is given to a comparison of Armenian sources written for internal (Armenian) and external (Frankish) readers. This article also develops a hypothesis that Armenian diplomacy used Louis IX of France’s letter and his envoy William of Rubruck to enforce the position of the Cilician king Het’um I at the Mongol court in 1254.

ІНТЕРПРЕТАЦІЯ КАТЕГОРІЇ РОЗВИТКУ В СУЧАСНІЙ ПСИХОЛОГІЇ

1970 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-30
Author(s):  
Анжеліка Шамне
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Developmental Psychology ◽  
Structure And Dynamics ◽  
Modern Psychology ◽  
Development Site ◽  
Approaches To Study ◽  
Methodological Approaches ◽  
Self Motion

У статті розглянуто сучасні підходи до інтерпретації категорії розвитку, розкрито теоретичні  та методологічні підходи до вивчення категорії розвитку у сучасній психології, визначено її психологічний  зміст,   моделі,   структуру   та   динаміку.   Категорія   розвитку   розглядається   як   епіцентр   наукової  проблематики у психології та як поняття інтегративного типу. Розвиток проаналізовано як категорію,  явище і проблему психології розвитку в різних аспектах аналізу. Розглянуто місце розвитку в системі  споріднених психологічних понять. У статті також аналізуються психологічні аспекти теоретичних та  методологічних  постнекласичних  тенденцій  вивчення  природи,  характеру  та  визначення  психічного  розвитку. Постнекласична парадигма та плюралістична методологія пізнання визначають розмитість  дисциплінарної мови  та  врахування  ролі  соціокультурного  контексту  при  вивченні  психологічних явищ.  Важливими тенденціями сучасного теоретико-методологічного стану психологічних досліджень розвитку  також є визнання неефективності моністичного підходу до його вивчення, взаємозв'язок теоретичних ідей  та   спроби   створення   метатеоретичних   схем,   постнекласичне   розуміння   розвитку   як   принципово  незавершеного   процесу   саморуху,   актуалізація   антропологічного   діапазону   проблем   та   посилення  спрямованості на роль культурного контексту в дослідженні розвитку людини.  The article deals with the modern approaches to the interpretation of the category of development, reveals  the theoretical and methodological approaches to study of development in modern psychology, its psychological  content, patterns, structure and dynamics. Category of development is viewed as an epicenter of scientific issues in  modern  psychology  and  the  concept  of  the  integrative  type.  Category  of  development  is  considered  as  the  phenomenon  and  the  problem  of  developmental  psychology  in  various  aspects  of  the  analysis.  Analyzed  the  development site in the related psychological concepts. The article analyzes the psychological aspects of theoretical  and methodological postnonclassical contemporary trends in the study of nature, character, and determination of  mental  development.  Postnonclassical  paradigm  and  pluralistic  methodology  of  knowledge  determine  the  disciplinary blurring and increase of the role of the analysis of socio-cultural context in the study of psychological  phenomenon. The important tendencies of modern theoretical and methodological state of psychological researches  of development are facts of inefficiency of the monistic approach to its study, interconnection of theoretical ideas  and   attempts   of  creating   metatheoretical   schemes,   postnonclassical   understanding   of   development   as   a  fundamentally  uncompleted  process  of  self-motion,  actualization  of  anthropological  range  of  problems  and  strengthening of focus on the role of cultural context in research of human development.   

Becoming the Demon Woman

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Per Faxneld
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Silent Film ◽  
Femme Fatale ◽  
Individual Level

Chapter9 analyses individuals who, both on and off the stage, actively assumed the role of the demon woman. Three persons are considered in detail: Sarah Bernhardt, the Italian marchioness Luisa Casati, and silent film actress Theda Bara. They chose—or, in Bara’s case, were chosen—to embody the (more or less supernatural or occult) femme fatale, as constructed mostly by male authors and artists. Seemingly, they felt this was empowering or useful for commercial, subversive, or other purposes. The analysis attempts to tease out some of the implications this enactment of a disquieting stereotype had on an individual level as well as in a broader cultural context. This also applies to the unknown women who wore jewellery depicting devils, demons, or Eve—a rebellious token clearly drawing on motifs familiar from Satanic feminism.

scholarly journals Afro-Communitarianism and the Role of Traditional African Healers in the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luís Cordeiro-Rodrigues ◽  
Thaddeus Metz
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Capital ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Healthcare Systems ◽  
Traditional Healers ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Special Role ◽  
Ethical Perspective ◽  
The Face

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant challenges to healthcare systems worldwide, and in Africa, given the lack of resources, they are likely to be even more acute. The usefulness of Traditional African Healers in helping to mitigate the effects of pandemic has been neglected. We argue from an ethical perspective that these healers can and should have an important role in informing and guiding local communities in Africa on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Particularly, we argue not only that much of the philosophy underlying Traditional African Medicine is adequate and compatible with preventive measures for COVID-19, but also that Traditional African Healers have some unique cultural capital for influencing and enforcing such preventive measures. The paper therefore suggests that not only given the cultural context of Africa where Traditional African Healers have a special role, but also because of the normative strength of the Afro-communitarian philosophy that informs it, there are good ethical reasons to endorse policies that involve Traditional Healers in the fight against COVID-19. We also maintain that concerns about Traditional African Healers objectionably violating patient confidentiality or being paternalistic are much weaker in the face of COVID-19.

scholarly journals “Only I Am the Brahma”: Religion and Narrative in the Netflix Thriller Series Sacred Games (2018–2019)

Religions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 478
Author(s):  
Ana Ashraf
Keyword(s):  
Gain Control ◽  
Political Ideologies ◽  
Nuclear Attack ◽  
Narrative Techniques ◽  
The Way

Sacred Games (2018–2019), based on Vikram Chandra’s novel of the same title, is India’s first Netflix crime thriller series. This series shows how the lives of a Sikh policeman, Sartaj Singh, and a powerful gangster, Ganesh Eknath Gaitonde, weave together in a mission to save Mumbai from a nuclear attack. The series immediately received critical acclaim and viewers’ appreciation, but the way the series represents the (mis)use of metanarratives of religious and political ideologies, as they come to influence Gaitonde’s life, needs further perusal. For this purpose, this article investigates how Gaitonde’s life, and its abrupt end, are shaped and challenged by the larger ideological and religious metanarratives of his milieu. At the same time, this article examines Gaitonde’s ability to gain control over his own narrative despite the overwhelming presence of these metanarratives. More specifically, Gaitonde’s transgressive will and his desire to tell his story are brought under scrutiny. Along with the analysis of Gaitonde’s character, this article also examines how the use of various cinematic and narrative techniques heightens self-reflexivity and metafictionality in Sacred Games and emphasizes the role of mini-narratives as unique, singular, and contingent, in contrast to the generic, universal, and permanent tones of metanarratives.

scholarly journals The Relationships among Self-Worth Contingency on Others’ Approval, Appearance Comparisons on Facebook, and Adolescent Girls’ Body Esteem: A Cross-Cultural Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 901 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Prieler ◽  
Jounghwa Choi ◽  
Hye Eun Lee
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Body Esteem ◽  
Asian Country ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Self Worth ◽  
Appearance Comparison

The present study examined the relationship between appearance-related social comparison on social networking services (SNSs) and body esteem in a cross-cultural context (three European countries, i.e., Austria, Belgium, and Spain, versus one Asian country, i.e., South Korea). The role of self-worth contingency on others’ approval was considered to be a psychological and cultural factor. Utilizing a large-scale cross-national survey of early and middle adolescents in 2017, the responses of female adolescents (N = 981) were analyzed. The results generally support the findings from previous studies but also reveal cultural differences. Appearance comparison on Facebook negatively influenced girls’ body esteem in all European countries, but not in South Korea. Self-worth contingency on others’ approval negatively influenced girls’ body esteem across all four countries. Finally, a positive relationship between self-worth contingency on others’ approval and appearance comparison on Facebook was found in all European countries, but not among Korean girls. These findings suggest the importance of self-worth contingency on others’ approval and cultural contexts can be used to study the effects of body image-related SNS use.

scholarly journals Place Attachment and Household Disaster Preparedness: Examining the Mediation Role of Self-Efficacy

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 5565
Author(s):  
Ziyi Wang ◽  
Ziqiang Han ◽  
Lin Liu ◽  
Shaobin Yu
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Place Attachment ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
General Social Survey ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Disaster Experience ◽  
Confounding Variables ◽  
Household Preparedness

Household preparedness is essential for resilience-building and disaster risk reduction. Limited studies have explored the correlations between place attachment, self-efficacy, and disaster preparedness, especially in the east Asian cultural context. This study investigates the mediating role of self-efficacy between place attachment and disaster preparedness based on data from the 2018 Shandong General Social Survey (N = 2181) in China. We categorized the preparedness behaviors into three specific clusters: material, behavioral and awareness preparedness. Multiple linear regressions and the Sobel Goodman tests were employed to estimate the correlations with the control of necessary confounding variables such as disaster experience, socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. The results demonstrate that both the place attachment and self-efficacy are correlated with higher degrees of overall preparedness and all three types of preparedness, and self-efficacy plays a mediating role between place attachment and disaster preparedness. These findings highlight the importance of promoting place attachment and self-efficacy in the advocacies and outreach activities of disaster preparedness.

Facilitators, challenges and usefulness of an asthma educational programme

2020 ◽  
pp. 001789692098162
Author(s):  
Muhammad Naeem ◽  
Hamad Ghalib Dailah
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Educational Programme ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Long Period ◽  
Breathing Techniques ◽  
Educational Programmes ◽  
Asthma Patients ◽  
Programme Content

Background: This study explored the role of hospitals, specialised doctors and staff in developing patient awareness, participation and motivation concerning asthma control. It also looked at the challenges that undermine the value of asthma educational programmes, especially in an Arab cultural context. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 30 asthma patients who had been living with asthma for a long period of time. Results: Findings highlight how an asthma educational programme can increase patient knowledge about the causes of asthma. Following the programme, patients had a better understanding of levels of medication, breathing techniques and rest and relaxation. Awareness of support from health professionals for managing depression and frustration also increased. However, some patients felt that the asthma educational programme content and delivery was not very interactive and was too lengthy. Conclusion: Findings can help policy makers, researchers, hospitals, doctors and the national Ministry of Health improve the content of future asthma educational programmes. They can also inform the development of a research framework to extend understanding of relevant issues in an Arabian context.

How abusive supervision climate affects team creativity: the contingent role of task interdependence

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenghao Men ◽  
Lei Yue ◽  
Huo Weiwei ◽  
Bing Liu ◽  
Guangwei Li
Keyword(s):  
Collective Efficacy ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Group Identification ◽  
Abusive Supervision ◽  
Task Interdependence ◽  
Positive Relation ◽  
Paired Data ◽  
Team Creativity ◽  
Content Type

PurposeDrawing on theories of social information processing and social identity, the authors explore how abusive supervision climate affects team creativity in a Chinese cultural context. The authors propose that this relation will be mediated by collective efficacy and group identification and moderated by task interdependenceDesign/methodology/approachThe study conducted a confirmatory factor analysis and hierarchical regression to analyze the paired data from 67 research and development (R&D) teams involving 378 employees and employers in a Chinese cultural context.FindingsResults demonstrate that abusive supervision climate was negatively related to team creativity, fully mediated by collective efficacy and group identification in a Chinese cultural context. In addition, task interdependence strengthened the positive relation between collective efficacy and team creativity, as well the positive relation between group identification and team creativity.Originality/valueAlthough research has explored how abusive supervision climate influences individual creativity, few studies have investigated the relation between abusive supervision climate and team creativity in a Chinese cultural context. This study is one of the first to explore how abusive supervision climate affects team creativity in a Chinese cultural context and examine the moderating role of task interdependence in the relation between abusive supervision climate and team creativity.

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