scholarly journals Mauss and Organ Transplants: Ideas of Connectivity between Recipients and Donors and the “Spirit of the Gift”

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Malcolm Voyce ◽  

This article aims to describe the relationship between donors and their recipients in the context of organ transplants. This analysis is made in the light of Marcel Mauss’s work, offering an expansion on an analysis of his discussion on the “spirit of the gift” and his idea that gifts require reciprocation. It is argued that some recipients of donated organs receive a personal element from the donor in that there is a transfer or sharing of the donors’ personality and spiritual qualities. The article examines the nature of this form of “interconnectedness”. The article considers the qualities of this form of interconnectedness between donors and recipients by examining two specific cases of gift giving. One such case concerns the accounts of the reception of organs by recipients and how they may feel connected with a donated entity. The second case of gifting is the case of Tibetan lamas concerning their funeral ceremonies, where, following cremation, their relics are donated to disciples. This “donation” does not take place by dissecting useable parts of a body for use in another person, but rather by ingestion of the remains of the corpse following cremation. This example shows how such “donations” are seen as incorporating the spiritual qualities and attributes of the donor [1]. The article concludes that while scholars have employed different forms of metaphors to understand the cultural context of organ donations this article analyzes the elements of the “spirit of the gift.” This form of analysis may best be understood in terms of Mauss’s notions of the return of the gift and the creation of a “communal bond”.

2019 ◽  
pp. 79-84
Author(s):  
V. O. Riadinska ◽  
Yu. O. Kostenko

The article analyzes the relationship between the concepts of “gift” and “gift-giving” as categories of modern legislation of Ukraine. It is noted that although the etymological meaning of the words “gift” and “giftgiving” is equal, the legislator uses these concepts as different categories; in various normative acts either gives them different definitions or operates with these two categories as synonyms. Comparing the signs of a gift and a gift-giving, it is determined that a gift can be provided both free of charge and for a fee, but at a price lower than the minimum market price. In the context of gift and gift-giving features, the ratios of “minimum market price” and “symbolic amount” are investigated. It is justified that the minimum market price is less than the market price, but it takes into account the economic costs of production and sale of goods and the minimum profit, while the symbolic price is formed by the prevailing in the society and concerns the free transfer of things. The ratio of “gift” and “gift-giving” categories in the civil and anticorruption legislation is formulated and its features are defined: 1) the concept of “gift-giving” (Civil Code of Ukraine) is narrower than the concept of “gift” (Law of Ukraine “On Prevention of Corruption”); 2) the main feature of giving is that the gift is free of charge, and the “gift” may be given at a price lower than the minimum market price, while the “symbolic fee” is a category that differs from the category of “price lower than the minimum market price”; 3) the decision to accept “gift-giving” depends on the person who is being presented, but the special subject can accept “gift” only if he or she is permitted by the anti-corruption legislation and is obliged to refuse it and implement a set of appropriate measures in case he or she is prohibited or restricted; 4) the categories “gift-giving” and “gift” are not identical, but when a special subject receives “gifts” from close people, they are “gift-giving”. Keywords: gift, gift-giving, anti-corruption legislation, special subject, minimum market price.


Author(s):  
Annarita Teodosio

Abstract: The relationship between Le Corbusier and the visual arts (drawing, photography and cinema) is deep and complex and, although the subject of numerous publications and research since the late 60s, still arouses much interest, as evidenced by the many events organized in the last years - "Le Corbusier. Vue sur la mer ", Maison La Roche, Paris, 2012; "Construire the image: Le Corbusier et la Photographie", Musée des Beaux-Arts, the Chaux-de-Fonds, 2013; or the recent "Le Corbusier and photography", IUAV, Venice, May 2015-. The paper, starting out from the researches already developed, proposes a further reflection on the relationship between the Swiss architect and the photography, paying particular interest to the shooting made in first person. The study analyzes the different approaches and the different subjects photographed in the course of his life and it is proposed to include the work of Le Corbusier in the broader cultural context of the twentieth century, a period in which the relationship between architecture and visual communication, thanks to the many possibilities offered by technological innovations, it becomes increasingly close and inevitable. Resumen: La relación entre Le Corbusier y las artes visuales (dibujo, fotografía y cine) es profunda y articulada y, aunque es objeto de numerosas publicaciones y investigaciónes desde el finales de los años 60es, todavía despierta mucho interés, como lo demuestran los diversos eventos realizados en los últimos años - “Le Corbusier. Vue sur la mer”, Maison La Roche, Parìs, 2012; “Construire l’image: Le Corbusier et la photographie”, Musée des Beaux-Arts, la Chaux-de-Fonds, 2013; o la más reciente “Le Corbusier e la fotografia”, IUAV , Venezia, mayo 2015-. El articulo, a partir desde investigación ya desarrollado, propone una reflexión más sobre la relación entre el arquitecto suizo y la fotografía, prestando especial interés a las realizata en primera persona. El estudio analiza los diferentes enfoques y diferentes sujetos fotografiados en el curso de su vida y se propone de insertar la obra de Le Corbusier en el contexto cultural más amplio del siglo XX, un período en el que la relación entre la arquitectura y la comunicación visual, gracias a las muchas posibilidades que ofrecen las innovaciones tecnológicas, se vuelve cada vez más estrecha e inevitable.  Keywords: Le Corbusier; photography; representation of architecture. Palabras clave: Le Corbusier; fotografia; representaciones de la arquitectura. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/LC2015.2015.947


1983 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 43-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivien Law

Insular Latinity – its origins, characteristics, affiliations and dissemination – has attracted much attention in the last decade. One area which has benefited from this increased interest is the investigation of the Latin grammars written by Insular scholars: consider, for example, the editions of Insular grammatical writings recently published in the Corpus Christianorum Series Latina. But it is noteworthy that the Anglo-Latin grammarians have profited far less from this upsurge in interest than their Irish counterparts. Although Anglo-Latin as well as Hiberno-Latin texts have been among those recently edited, and have been the subject of several specialized studies, they have failed to excite scholarly attention to the same extent as the Irish works. Their origin, history, relationship and cultural context have not yet been satisfactorily established. Studies such as the series of articles by Louis Holtz, tracing the evolution of the study of grammar in Ireland and the relationship of the surviving texts to one another, are lacking for the Anglo-Latin grammarians. Yet the unknown factors in early England are scarcely fewer. To take one example, the fundamental problem of the rôle of the Irish in the creation of an Anglo-Latin grammatical tradition has hardly been touched upon. Indeed, that the Anglo-Saxons can even be credited with a grammatical tradition of their own has been questioned. Too often, the few surviving Anglo-Latin grammars are held up as an isolated phenomenon and contrasted with the prolific outpourings of a diligent host of Irishanonymi. It is the purpose of this article to investigate the evidence for the study of Latin grammar in England south of the Humber up to the time of its best-known manifestations, the grammars of Tatwine and Boniface, in the early eighth century.


2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 513-526 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lamberto Zollo ◽  
Guglielmo Faldetta ◽  
Massimiliano Matteo Pellegrini ◽  
Cristiano Ciappei

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate, through the lens of the gift-giving theory, volunteers’ motivations for intending to stay with organizations. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 379 volunteers from 30 charitable organizations operating in Italy’s socio-healthcare service sector. Bootstrapped mediation analysis was used to test the hypothesized relationships. Findings Volunteers’ reciprocal attitudes and gift-giving intentions partially mediated the relationship between motives and intentions to stay. Practical implications Policy makers of charitable organizations are advised to be more responsive to behavioral signals revealing volunteers’ motivations, attitudes, and intentions. Managers should appropriately align organizational responsiveness with volunteers’ commitment through gift-giving exchange systems. Originality/value The findings reveal that reciprocity and gift giving are significant organizational variables greatly influencing volunteers’ intentions to stay with organizations. Signaling theory is used to explain how volunteers’ attitudes are linked with organizational responsiveness. Furthermore, this study is the first to use an Italian setting to consider motives, reciprocity, and gift giving as they relate to intentions to stay.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 665-674
Author(s):  
Stefan Kesting ◽  
Ioana Negru ◽  
Paolo Silvestri

AbstractHow can gift and gift-giving studies be relevant to the study of institutions and vice versa? This is the question we broadly address in the introduction to this symposium while drawing on the contributing articles and sketching out a possible future research in a perspective of integration between these two fields of study. Is the gift an institution? What types of methodological approaches would be most suitable in view of such integration? We define the gift as transfers underpinned by institutions, including customs and norms. We contend that the institutional thought can employ empirical and qualitative research methods used by anthropology and that there are important and fruitful lines of tension between gift-giving and institutions – from the relationship between freedom and obligation to the role of third sector between state and market – worthy of further research in the future.


2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
May Aung ◽  
Xiying Zhang ◽  
Lefa Teng

Purpose The purpose of this study is to offer a better understanding of contemporary consumer behaviour. This study relates to the complex and value-laden phenomenon of “gift-giving” from the perspective of bicultural consumers. The focus was on the gift-giving practices of Chinese immigrants in Canada within both their current and their past residencies (Canada and China, respectively). Design/methodology/approach Conceptual guidelines for this study embodied the gift-giving conceptual framework of Sherry (1983) and Chinese cultural values on gift giving (Yau et al., 1999). A qualitative research study was implemented. Specifically, in-depth interviews with Chinese immigrant women mainly from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in Ontario, Canada, offered empirical evidence relating to the gestation stage of gift giving. Findings The findings indicate the complexity of acculturation in gift-giving practices. In terms of gift-giving occasions, Chinese immigrants in Canada, for the most part, adopted the Canadian gift-giving occasions. However, the important role of ethnicity in decision-making is found through their strong sense of differentiation between Chinese and Canadian gift receivers. The results also indicate some Chinese cultural values such as relationship, reciprocity and group orientation as being still important in shaping gift-giving practices, even after immigration to a new country quite distant from the homeland. One cautionary note is that some cultural values such as relationship can be common to both Chinese and Canadian cultural groups. Research limitations/implications This research was conducted mainly in the GTA in Ontario, Canada. Future studies could address other large Canadian cities with significant bicultural Chinese populations such as Vancouver in British Columbia and Motreal in Quebec. Practical implications This research extends the knowledge of bicultural consumers by examining the evolving gift-giving practices of Chinese immigrants living in Canada. A good understanding of the cultural values important to bicultural consumers will help marketers to efficiently and effectively allocate their marketing resources in attracting these niche consumers. Social implications This study has contributed to the broader field of marketing research. Specifically, the current study offers the importance of understanding values transference of bicultural consumers and their behaviours in integrating into the mainstream gift-giving cultural context. Originality/value This study has contributed by offering evidence of how a minority consumer group formed complex acculturation realities within a gift-giving consumption context. This contribution can be counted as a step towards theoretical advancement in the field of acculturation and of understanding bicultural consumers.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 174-179
Author(s):  
Silvia Maria Geraldi ◽  
Marisa Martins Lambert

This lecture-demonstration aims to synthesize a creative journey that resulted in the production of the choreographic work Rehearsal on Small Distances: Study to Infinity. This work investigated the relationship between body/space from two main references: the anthropological studies of Edward Hall regarding the use of space by humans within the context of culture and the research on the phenomenological space conducted by the somatic educator Hubert Godard. Communication will be made in the disassembly of the scene, a kind of educational performance, with the intention of making the artistic process visible and promoting a discussion about the structural systems involved in the creation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 122-145
Author(s):  
Tyler McCreary ◽  

This article examines the conflicting subjectivities and space-times of Indigenous and colonial law that underpin the recent shutdown of the Canadian economy as people barricaded railways and ports in solidarity with the Witsuwit'en hereditary chiefs’ blockade against the Coastal GasLink pipeline across their territory. The article argues that this conflict between Canadian and Witsuwit'en law reflects fundamental tensions between their respective foundations in relations of the commodity and the gift. Within settler capitalist society, the value of a commodity is constructed relationally through a political economy of exchange that aims to speed transactions to maximize profits. With an ongoing drive for time-space compression, there is continual pressure in settler capitalism to develop new infrastructure that can speed the circulation of commodities. In Witsuwit'en society, the gift presents a contrasting logic of place-time extension. Rather than focusing on closing transactions to increase profits, gift giving stretches reciprocal obligations into the past and future. Contrasting these distinct conceptions of the relationship between value and time, the article argues that the Witsuwit'en struggle with Coastal GasLink should be understood as conflict between colonial temporal enclosures and a radical promise to open futures different to those engendered by the colonial present.


2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 450-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thyra Uth Thomsen ◽  
Judith Lynne Zaichkowsky

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the random collection of items for gifting which are stored in one’s home in a special place. Traditional gift-giving models suggest gift givers buy gifts for certain recipients on certain occasions. This study ' s journey into gift storage finds that some gift-giving practices are initially acquisition-less, recipient-less and/or occasion-less. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a convenience sample of 111, the main functions and motivations for gift storage are described. From a free elicitation process of gift-closet attributes, a first account of the symbolic meanings that gift storage is embedded in is provided. Findings – Seventy-seven per cent per cent of the sample had a gift closet where they stored gifts for which either the occasion or the recipient was not known at the time of acquisition. According to these gift-closet owners, the main purposes of gift closets are convenience, thrift and to have a place for surplus or shopping items. Social implications – While it makes sense to some consumers to prepare for future gift-giving occasions by stockpiling items in gift closets, the results indicate that storage may affect the symbolic value of the gift and, ultimately, the development of social ties. Consumers who gift from the closet believe that there are few negatives involved. However, people who do not have gift closets and receive gifts which they suspect are from storage may perceive a lack of caring and even feel insulted. Originality/value – Due to the unexplored nature of gift storage, the results reported in this paper represent a first exploratory account of gift storage and its possible effects on the relationship-building capacity of gifts.


LETRAS ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (60) ◽  
pp. 213
Author(s):  
Isabel Cristina Bolaños Villalobos ◽  
Gabriela Cerdas Ramírez ◽  
Jimmy Ramírez Acosta

El estudio desarrolla un análisis de la obra «A Very Short Story», de Ernest Hemingway, desde el punto de vista de lo verosímil. Se efectúa según las propuestas de Todorov, Metz, Jakobson y Matamoro para determinar que esta obra es autobiográfica y que muestra un juego de dinamismo entre el texto y el diálogo interno. Se acude a algunas ideas de Linda Anderson y de Shoshana Felman sobre la autobiografía. Además, se analizan situaciones como la referencialidad y la relación entre la literatura y la realidad, la influencia del contexto histórico y cultural en la lectura de un texto, la interrelación del discurso y la creación de significación y el papel del receptor. This study presents an analysis of the work “A Very Short Story,” by Ernest Hemingway, from the perspective of verisimilitude. Based on the proposals of Todorov, Jakobson, Metz and Matamoro, it can be determined that this story is autobiographical and that a dynamic exchange takes place between the text and the internal dialogue. The ideas of Linda Anderson and Shoshana Felman about autobiography are taken into account. Moreover, issues of referentiality and the relationship between literature and reality, the influence of the historical and cultural context in reading a text, the interplay of discourse and the creation of meaning and the role of the receiver are all analyzed here.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document