When A Father Goes to Jail: Legal Latitude and the Implications of Cross-Cultural Issues

1999 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-12
Author(s):  
Bahira Sherif

The following article represents my testimony in a federal court case held in October 1994 in Philadelphia, PA. At the point when I was asked to participate in the case, the defendant had already been found guilty but was asking for leniency in sentencing under a clause in the law that allows for the consideration of cultural factors. I, in my capacity as a cultural anthropologist with an expertise in the Middle East, was called on as an expert witness to testify on the possible consequences of a father's incarceration on the lives of his daughters. This paper illustrates how anthropologists can contribute to legal proceedings that incorporate a cultural defense.

2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 234-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel A. Verdugo ◽  
Cristina Jenaro ◽  
Isabel Calvo ◽  
Patricia Navas

Abstract Implementation of disability policy is influenced by social, political, and cultural factors. Based on published work, this article discusses four guidelines considered critical for successful policy implementation from a cross-cultural perspective. These guidelines are to: (a) base policy implementation on a contextual analysis, (b) employ a value-based approach, (c) align the service delivery system both vertically and horizontally, and (d) engage in a partnership in policy implementation. Public policy should be understood from a systems perspective that includes cross-cultural issues, such as how different stakeholders are acting and the way they plan and implement policy.


2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Chow ◽  
Stephen Yortsos ◽  
Najmedin Meshkati

This article focuses on a major human factors–related issue that includes the undeniable role of cultural factors and cockpit automation and their serious impact on flight crew performance, communication, and aviation safety. The report concentrates on the flight crew performance of the Boeing 777–Asiana Airlines Flight 214 accident, by exploring issues concerning mode confusion and autothrottle systems. It also further reviews the vital role of cultural factors in aviation safety and provides a brief overview of past, related accidents. Automation progressions have been created in an attempt to design an error-free flight deck. However, to do that, the pilot must still thoroughly understand every component of the flight deck – most importantly, the automation. Otherwise, if pilots are not completely competent in terms of their automation, the slightest errors can lead to fatal accidents. As seen in the case of Asiana Flight 214, even though engineering designs and pilot training have greatly evolved over the years, there are many cultural, design, and communication factors that affect pilot performance. It is concluded that aviation systems designers, in cooperation with pilots and regulatory bodies, should lead the strategic effort of systematically addressing the serious issues of cockpit automation, human factors, and cultural issues, including their interactions, which will certainly lead to better solutions for safer flights.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Blomstrand ◽  
J. Karlsson ◽  
M. Fagevik Olsén ◽  
G. Kjellby Wendt

Abstract Background The Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire—MHQ—is a well-known self-assessment questionnaire, where patients’ own perception in terms of recovery, pain and the ability to return to activities of daily living is assessed. The purpose of the study was to translate and culturally adapt the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire to Swedish and to test the validity and reliability in patients with surgically treated distal radius fractures. Methods The cross-cultural adaptation and the translation process were conducted according to predefined guidelines. Seventy-eight patients with surgically treated distal radius fractures completed the translated version of the questionnaire on their six-week follow-up visit. Results The translation and cross-cultural adaptation process revealed no major linguistic or cultural issues. The internal consistency of the MHQ-Swe ranged from 0.77 to 0.94 at test 1 and from 0.81 to 0.96 at test 2 for all subscales, which indicates good internal consistency in the subscales. The hand function subscale revealed the lowest results and work performance the highest. The ICCs showed excellent test-retest reliability, ranging from 0.77 to 0.90 on all MHQ subscales and 0.92 on total score. The highest results for the ICC were seen in the satisfaction subscale (ICC = 0.90), while the lowest were seen in the aesthetic subscale (ICC = 0.77). The correlation analysis between the MHQ-Swe, PRWE and VAS showed a generally moderate to high correlation for all the subscales. Conclusions The Swedish version of the MHQ, the MHQ-Swe, showed good validity and reliability and it is therefore an appropriate and relevant questionnaire for use in patients with surgically treated distal radius fractures. Trial registration FoU i VGR, Projectnumber: 208491, registered December 9, 2015.


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