A Cultural Rights Approach vs. Nationalist Mobilization: An Applied Anthropological Case Study of the Uyghur Diaspora Community

2011 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 35-38
Author(s):  
Mahesh Debata ◽  
Robert Tian
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Discussion Groups ◽  
Terrorist Organizations ◽  
Political Activities ◽  
Cultural Rights ◽  
The Past ◽  
Local Newspapers ◽  
Political Refugees

We discuss the political activities of a population of Uyghur migrants in the United States who are mainly political refugees. Our interest in this topic was triggered by the activities of Uyghur diaspora organizations over the past decade, and the Chinese government's accusations that some Uyghur overseas organizations are terrorist organizations (Mackerras 2004, Shichor 2007, Tian 2004). We have been involved with different communities at various times between 2004 and 2008. Data collected for this study were gathered through participant observation, personal interviews, local newspapers and online discussion groups. We interviewed a random sample of 25 informants from different regions. We also participated in organizational meetings and community parties. Due to the sensitive nature of the study, all the Uyghur informants' names are pseudonyms. Our aim is to raise awareness and share with other applied anthropologists what we have learned about avoiding the unnecessary misuse of resources.

Transportation Fuel Resiliency: Case Study of Tampa Bay

2021 ◽  
pp. 036119812110416
Author(s):  
Alexander Kolpakov ◽  
Austin Marie Sipiora ◽  
Caley Johnson ◽  
Erin Nobler
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Fuels ◽  
The United States ◽  
Tampa Bay ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Transportation Fuel ◽  
Fuel Supply ◽  
Preparedness Planning ◽  
The Past ◽  
Hurricane Irma

This case study presents findings from an analysis of the emergency preparation and response for Hurricane Irma, the most recent hurricane impacting the Tampa Bay region. The Tampa Bay region, in particular, is considered one of the most vulnerable areas in the United States to hurricanes and severe tropical weather. A particular vulnerability stems from how all petroleum fuel comes to the area by marine transport through Port Tampa Bay, which can be (and has been in the past) impacted by hurricanes and tropical storms. The case study discussed in this paper covers previous fuel challenges, vulnerabilities, and lessons learned by key Tampa Bay public agency fleets during the past 10 years (mainly as a result of the most recent 2017 Hurricane Irma) to explore ways to improve the area’s resilience to natural disasters. Some of the strategies for fuel-supply resiliency include maintaining emergency fuel supply, prioritizing fuel use, strategically placing the assets around the region to help with recovery, investing in backup generators (including generators powered by alternative fuels), planning for redundancies in fuel supply networks, developing more efficient communication procedures between public fleets, hurricane preparedness-planning, and upgrading street drainage systems to reduce the threat of local flooding.

scholarly journals Visiting The Past: A Case Study of Experiential Learning with Young People at Historic Sites

2021 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-358
Author(s):  
Mariona Ferrer-Fons ◽  
Marta Rovira-Martínez
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Spanish Civil War ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Social ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
Memorial Sites

Abstract Learning about the past is becoming a complex issue due to the increasing need to ensure the approaches consider not only the facts, but also the implications for increasingly diverse future societies. This paper studies how experiential visits to memorial sites contribute to young people’s understanding of history from a wider and more inclusive perspective. The article presents a case study of two educational activities carried out at two memory sites related to the Spanish Civil War (1936–39) involving various qualitative techniques such as participant- and non-participant observation, expert interviews and focus groups with young people. The results show that an experiential approach to the past that works with emotions, empathy and dialogue with secondary students (17 years old) and older young people (15–25 years old) is a very effective means of offering a touching interpretation of the past and learning opportunity for youth, regardless of level of previous knowledge. Other findings show that the content needs to be reconsidered so new generations can interact with it. Young people’s worlds are shaped by cultural diversity, globalisation and the need to connect knowledge with the social environment, which enables them to engage in a critical re-appropriation of the past. This may be a new perspective that could be incorporated into the school curricula, and these types of visits could prove very useful for teachers and historical institutions such as museums or memorial sites interested in including young people’s experiences when planning their activities.

scholarly journals Congregational Discernment: One Church Case Study

Religions ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Harris ◽  
Gaynor Yancey ◽  
Selena Steward
Keyword(s):  
Church Leadership ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Specific Reference ◽  
Master Of Social Work ◽  
Difficult Conversations ◽  
Internship Experience ◽  
Christian Congregations ◽  
Academic Year

This case study reflects the congregational practices of members and staff within a congregation in the southwest of the United States which self-identifies as a congregation within the Christian tradition. The congregation has completed processes and procedures that resulted in the congregation self-identifying as a welcoming and affirming congregation to all people. A Master of Social Work intern was embedded for an academic year, as her field internship experience, in the congregation as part of the ministerial staff. The intern examined congregational and denominational processes that included difficult conversations, daily practices, and decisions with specific reference to LGBTQI+ issues as part of a national research study of Christian congregations determining inclusivity in their membership, governance, and leadership functions. The case study included participant-observation by the intern of the lived experiences of church leadership and members as a result of these conversations and decisions specific to the practices of a congregation with membership of approximately 700 people. Findings included a decision for affirmation and inclusion that resulted in the congregation being discharged from the denomination. There was significant impact on the ministry including the loss of membership and finances. Additionally, ministries of inclusion are enhanced as formerly marginalized populations are now central to the congregation.

Personal Disclosure as a Catalyst for Empathetic Agency

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
The United States ◽  
Japanese Americans ◽  
First Person ◽  
The Past ◽  
Willingness To Disclose ◽  
Personal Disclosure

Chapter Two examines the growing willingness of Japanese Americans to engage in personal disclosure regarding wartime incarceration. Taking former U.S. Representative Norman Mineta as a case study, it demonstrates that Nikkei did not undertake such disclosures lightly, but rather recognized the importance of first-person singular modes of address for creating legislative coalitions. With respect to Mineta, that willingness to disclose the particulars of incarceration built on an empathetic engagement with economic and social justice that had informed his career from early on. During the pursuit of redress in the United States, however, what had been an implicit engagement with the past became explicit, so much so that it came eventually to inform Mineta's decisions concerning post-9/11 policy. In this respect, the pursuit of empathetic agency not only changed Mineta; it also changed him, rendering that agency both transmissible and reciprocal.

When Internal Migration Fails: A Case Study of Central American Youth Who Relocate Internally Before Leaving Their Countries

2021 ◽  
pp. 233150242110427
Author(s):  
Angel Alfonso Escamilla García
Keyword(s):  
Central America ◽  
Internal Migration ◽  
Home Country ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Central American ◽  
Executive Summary ◽  
Labor Exploitation ◽  
Central American Youth

Executive Summary This paper examines the experiences of Central American youth who have attempted internal relocation before migrating internationally. Based on interviews and participant observation with Guatemalan, Honduran, and Salvadoran youth migrating through Mexico, this paper shows how youth from the Northern Countries of Central America turn to their domestic networks to escape labor exploitation and gang violence before undertaking international journeys. The paper further demonstrates how those domestic networks lead youth into contexts of poverty and violence similar to those they seek to escape, making their internal relocation a disappointment. The failure of their internal relocation attempts makes them turn to international migrant networks as their next option. This paper sheds light on the underexplored issue of internal migration among Central American youth and that migration's synergy with Central American youths’ migration to the United States. The paper finds that internal relocation is unsuccessful when the internal destination fails to resolve the issues from which youth are attempting to escape. This failure ultimately triggers their departure from their home country.

scholarly journals Roots, Routes, and Routers: Social and Digital Dynamics in the Jain Diaspora

Religions ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 252
Author(s):  
Tine Vekemans
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Digital Media ◽  
Mobile Applications ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Past ◽  
Migration History ◽  
Patterns Of Use ◽  
Ethnographic Data ◽  
Digital Engagement

In the past three decades, Jains living in diaspora have been instrumental in the digital boom of Jainism-related websites, social media accounts, and mobile applications. Arguably, the increased availability and pervasive use of different kinds of digital media impacts how individuals deal with their roots; for example, it allows for greater contact with family and friends, but also with religious figures, back in India. It also impacts upon routes—for example, it provides new ways for individual Jains to find each other, organize, coordinate, and put down roots in their current country of residence. Using extensive corpora of Jainism-related websites and mobile applications (2013–2018), as well as ethnographic data derived from participant observation, interviews, and focus groups conducted in the United States, United Kingdom, and Belgian Jain communities (2014–2017), this article examines patterns of use of digital media for social and religious purposes by Jain individuals and investigates media strategies adopted by Jain diasporic organizations. It attempts to explain commonalities and differences in digital engagement across different geographic locations by looking at differences in migration history and the layout of the local Jain communities.

scholarly journals Learning from the Past in the Transition to Open-Pollinated Varieties

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 4716 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana Freshley ◽  
Maria Mar Delgado-Serrano
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Change Agents ◽  
Hybrid Seed ◽  
The Past ◽  
External Agents ◽  
Hybrid Seeds ◽  
High Yielding Varieties

In Nepal, hybrid seed introduction caused major yield gains in agricultural production, but at high environmental costs. The development of high-yielding open-pollinated varieties has spurred hope for more sustainable production systems. Nepal’s government is interested in boosting their use. This research aimed to identify farmer perceptions on the factors behind the past adoption of hybrid seeds in order to propose guidelines to support the diffusion of open-pollinated varieties. Using in-depth interviews, a focus group and participant observation we explored how the process of hybrid seed diffusion has taken place in Panchkhal valley, a representative case study. Social influencers such as change agents, peers, neighbours and seed sellers, as well as economic gains emerged as major reasons for hybrid seed adoption. We learnt that the role of external agents, on which most of the governmental strategies rely, changed over time as peer-based strategies became essential after the diffusion process started. To boost the adoption of open-pollinated seeds, efforts should concentrate in developing high-yielding varieties, engaging early-adopters among influential caste members and seed sellers, distributing seeds to both disadvantaged and wealthy farmers, and using different instruments, from institutional agencies to NGOs, to deliver training on sustainable farming techniques and their economic and environmental advantages.

The Interplay of American Political Culture and Public Policy: The Sacramento River as a Case Study

1989 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Kelley
Keyword(s):  
Political Culture ◽  
Environmental History ◽  
The United States ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
American Political Culture ◽  
The Past ◽  
History Of ◽  
National Life

Historians of the United States have learned much in the past twenty years about the history of what is now called its political culture, and about its environmental history.1 These two dimensions of national life, however, are rarely, if ever, looked at together. The result is that we little understand how powerfully environmental policy is influenced not simply by everyday politics—of that we know abundantly—but by the long-term political mentalities of the Democrats and the Republicans, mentalities which originate not in abstract theorizing, but which grow up naturally within the cultural worlds to be found among the distinctive groups of peoples who line up within one party or the other and remain there, generation after generation. What I propose here is to put political culture and natural resource management history together and see what happens.

scholarly journals From Apprenticeship to Internship: The Social and Legal Antecedents of the Intern Economy

2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 351-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Frenette
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Minimum Wage ◽  
Government Intervention ◽  
The United States ◽  
School To Work ◽  
Legal Decisions ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Social ◽  
History Of

This article looks towards the future of the intern economy by focusing on its past. What led to recent debates about the intern economy? How did it become legally possible for interns to work for free? Using the United States as my case study, I draw parallels between the current intern economy and its closest historical antecedent, the apprenticeship system. By providing a brief overview of the history of work-based learning and the unpaid internship’s legal underpinnings, this article ultimately frames current lawsuits and debates as a correction to today’s insufficiently scrutinized youth labour regime not unlike the apprenticeship systems of the past. In the attempt to facilitate youth transitions from school to work, yet maintain minimum wage standards, government intervention and—more imminently likely—legal decisions will, I anticipate, eventually transform the intern economy much like the Fitzgerald Act of 1937 drastically formalized apprenticeships in the United States.

scholarly journals Changes of ecological wisdom of Sundanese People on conservation of wild animals: A case study in Upper Cisokan Watershed, West Java, Indonesia

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
SIDIK PERMANA ◽  
JOHAN ISKANDAR ◽  
PARIKESIT PARIKESIT ◽  
TEGUH HUSODO ◽  
ERRI N MEGANTARA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
West Java ◽  
Rural People ◽  
Cultural Aspects ◽  
The Past ◽  
Ecological Wisdom

Abstract. Permana S, Iskandar J, Parikesit, Husodo T, Megantara EN, Partasasmita R. 2019. Changes of ecological wisdom of Sundanese People on conservation of wild animals: A case study in Upper Cisokan Watershed, West Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 20: 1284-1293. In the past Sundanese rural people had a very close relationship with the environment. They utilize natural resources based on traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and is strongly influenced by their perception of nature. This article elucidates the mythology of Sundanese rural people on wild animals and the changes of rural people perceptions and their behavior to wild animals in the rural ecosystem based on a case study in Bojong Salam and Sukaresmi villages, Rongga district, West Bandung, the upper Cisokan watershed, West Java. Method used in this study was qualitative, while some techniques, including observation, participant observation, and semi-structured interview were applied. The result of study showed that in the past Sundanese the rural people of Upper Cisokan watershed, West Bandung, West Java owned myths on some wild animals that is inherited from their ancestor through oral and using mother language. The influence of these myths on wild animals caused the rural people had prohibited to kill these animals and important role for traditional conservation. Nowadays, however, some myths on wild animals of rural people have not eroded or not recognized by young generations. Consequently, some taboos in hunting and catching animal based on myths on wild animals have tended not been applied to conserve wild animals traditionally. Therefore, to develop appropriate nature conservation, the biophysical, the socio-economic and cultural aspects must be holistically considered.

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