scholarly journals Cultural Islam in Northern Europe

Baltic Region ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 142-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Svetlana Yu. Dianina ◽  
Mona Abdel Malik Khalil ◽  
Vladimir S. Glagolev

In this study, we aim to analyse the position of cultural Islam in Northern European countries. To this end, we examine publications in major print media. Content analysis of relevant publications gives a detailed picture of narratives produced in mass consciousness as a reaction to the presence of Islam at the local and regional level and makes it possible to identify individual trends in the evaluation of such narratives in both scientific and popular analytical literature. The growing secularization of Islamic communities in Northern Europe and changes in the value-driven behavioural algorithms of believers lead both to the polarization of Islam and changes in attitudes to Islam from outside the religion. Studies into the factors affecting the dynamics of this phenomenon have both theoretical and practical significance since they help to evaluate the most promising forms of cooperation within regional collaborations and national programmes for international partnership. The forces promoting the cultural Islam project position it as an antidote for political and radical Islam. At the same time, the main factor preventing the legitimation of cultural Islam across immigrant Moslem groups (or, more precisely, communities, i.e. associations of people originating from countries where Muslims predominate) is the relevant isolatedness of those groups and their commitment to the Ummah. The novelty of research into how Islam and culture interact within those groups is closely associated with the goal of establishing whether cultural Islam is viable as a phenomenon of collective consciousness and whether it meets the following requirements: 1) satisfying the essential need for preserving the tradition and 2) ensuring flexible adaptation to a foreign cultural context. Our analysis of the data obtained has led us to conclude that cultural Islam is gaining ground within immigrant communities and associations. This can be viewed as a practical contribution to studies into the dynamics and mechanisms of adaptation, acculturation, and, perhaps, integration of Muslims and corresponding social groups into the socio-cultural space of Northern European countries.

Behaviour ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 98 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 286-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorma Sorjonen

AbstractIn this study the effects of bird size, genus, habitat, song community and geographical distribution on song structure and singing behaviour of some passcrine species in northern Europe were simultaneously studied. Most species tend to improve their long distance song propagation in their specific habitat and song community. Song propagation correlates strongest with the use of low-pitched elements but not all birds are able to use these because of size limitation. In forest habitats whistles and modulated elements were used to improve song propagation. In open habitats high-pitched elements as well as repeated and trilled syllables were often used for better propagation of acoustic information. In song communities with a great number of species, the birds reduce song interference by other singers, by singing short songs and using modulated elements and long intersong pauses. When the birds greatly profit from effective long distance song propagation, like in northern areas with only short time for pair formation, the birds can segregate in singing time by using the light nights for singing. In these communities with low numbers of species the birds have been freed from song interference and have long songs and short intersong pauses and they can increase in this way their singing rate. The effect of song community on song length, intersong pause and the use of modulated elements in the song is stronger than that of habitat. The effect of the song community increases towards the north.


2021 ◽  
pp. 003022282110421
Author(s):  
Helena Nordh ◽  
Danielle House ◽  
Mariske Westendorp ◽  
Avril Maddrell ◽  
Carola Wingren ◽  
...  

We identify and analyse practices and management regimes around burial and handling of ashes across eight case study towns within six Northern European countries. We analyse management of cemeteries and crematoria gardens, majority practices and provision for minority communities, including various burial types, cremated remains, the re-use of graves, and costs for interments. Comparative data is drawn from analysis of national and local regulations, interviews with stakeholders, and observations at cemeteries and crematoria gardens. The findings show significant variation in national and local regulations and practices for burial and cremation particularly around the re-use of graves, handling of ashes and costs for grave space and cremation. We identify the opportunities and constraints of these variations in terms of accessibility, diversity and equality; and argue for national directions to avoid unequal treatment within nations. Furthermore, we stress the importance of a liberal and inclusive management of European cemeteries and crematoria gardens.


2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (15) ◽  
pp. 2769-2780 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Huseinovic ◽  
A Winkvist ◽  
N Slimani ◽  
MK Park ◽  
H Freisling ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveTo characterize meal patterns across ten European countries participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) calibration study.DesignCross-sectional study utilizing dietary data collected through a standardized 24 h diet recall during 1995–2000. Eleven predefined intake occasions across a 24 h period were assessed during the interview. In the present descriptive report, meal patterns were analysed in terms of daily number of intake occasions, the proportion reporting each intake occasion and the energy contributions from each intake occasion.SettingTwenty-seven centres across ten European countries.SubjectsWomen (64 %) and men (36 %) aged 35–74 years (n 36 020).ResultsPronounced differences in meal patterns emerged both across centres within the same country and across different countries, with a trend for fewer intake occasions per day in Mediterranean countries compared with central and northern Europe. Differences were also found for daily energy intake provided by lunch, with 38–43 % for women and 41–45 % for men within Mediterranean countries compared with 16–27 % for women and 20–26 % for men in central and northern European countries. Likewise, a south–north gradient was found for daily energy intake from snacks, with 13–20 % (women) and 10–17 % (men) in Mediterranean countries compared with 24–34 % (women) and 23–35 % (men) in central/northern Europe.ConclusionsWe found distinct differences in meal patterns with marked diversity for intake frequency and lunch and snack consumption between Mediterranean and central/northern European countries. Monitoring of meal patterns across various cultures and populations could provide critical context to the research efforts to characterize relationships between dietary intake and health.


Intersections ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivana Piterová ◽  
Jozef Výrost

Welfare attitudes are a complex and multidimensional phenomenon. Social solidarity in the sense of interdependence is understood as the first dimension of welfare attitudes, while differentiation – in terms of how people usually make a distinction between groups that results in their attitude about whom to support – is understood as the second dimension. According to their preferred level of social solidarity and social differentiation, four clusters of people can be identified which represent four distinct types of welfare attitudes: social democratic, liberal, conservative, and radical. The aim of this paper is to analyse ESS fourth- (2008) and eighth-round data (2016) to compare three groups of countries: the Visegrad Group, represented by Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary; Northern Europe, represented by Norway, Sweden and Finland; and Western Europe, represented by Germany, France, and the UK, in terms of the level of social solidarity and social differentiation. Based on ESS data we outline that the differences in the welfare attitudes of V4, Western-, and Northern European countries are not so obvious. However, the analysis of the four types of welfare attitudes reveals some significant differences in interpersonal and institutional trust and basic human values, the description of which falls within the scope of this paper


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela Czarnek ◽  
Małgorzata Kossowska

In this study, we investigate the relationship between values and political beliefs and how it varies as a function of cultural context and time. In particular, we analyzed the effects of Conservation vs. Openness to change and Self-transcendence vs. Self-enhancement for cultural and economic political beliefs using data from nationally representative samples of citizens from 34 European countries from eight rounds of the European Social Survey (data spans the 2002–2016 period). We found that the effects of values on political beliefs are moderated by the Western vs. Eastern cultural context and that there is a modest round-to-round variation in the effects of values on beliefs. The relationship between Openness and cultural beliefs was negative and largely consistent across the Western and Eastern countries. Similarly, the effects of Self-enhancement were positive across these Western and Eastern countries. In contrast, the effects of Openness on economic beliefs were positive for the Eastern countries but largely weak and inconsistent for the Western countries. Finally, the effects of Self-enhancement on cultural beliefs are weak for both cultural contexts.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 25
Author(s):  
Souhir Abbes

In this paper, we use the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) to apply decomposition analysis on Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions from transport systems in seven Eastern European countries over the period between 2005 and 2015. The results show that “economic activity” is the main factor responsible for CO2 emissions in all the countries in our sample. The second factor causing increase in CO2 emissions is the “fuel mix” by type and mode of transport. Modal share and energy intensity affect the growth of CO2 emissions but in a less significant way. Finally, only the “population” and “emission coefficient” variables slowed the growth of these emissions in all the countries, except for Slovenia, where the population variable was found to be responsible for the increase in CO2 emissions. These results not only contribute to advancing the existing literature but also provide important policy recommendations.


Author(s):  
Michael Prieler ◽  
Jounghwa Choi ◽  
Hye Eun Lee

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.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Per Egil Kummervold ◽  
Rolf Wynn

The aim of this study was to summarize and analyse findings from four prior studies on the use of the Internet as a source of health information in five European countries (Norway, Denmark, Germany, Greece, and Portugal). A cross-study comparison of data was performed. All the studies included fit with a trend of a sharp and continuous growth in the use of the Internet for health information access in the major part of the last decade. Importantly, the Internet has become an important mass media source of health information in northern Europe. While the use of the Internet for health information is somewhat less common in the south European countries, its use is also clearly increasing there. We discuss the advantages of cross-study comparisons of data and methodological challenges. As the use of the Internet for health information is likely to peak in some countries in the near future, new population surveys on health information access should focus more on the details of information that is accessed and which sites that are most used and trusted.


2005 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcio Aquino ◽  
Terry Moore ◽  
Alan Dodson ◽  
Sam Waugh ◽  
Jock Souter ◽  
...  

Extensive ionospheric scintillation and Total Electron Content (TEC) data were collected by the Institute of Engineering Surveying and Space Geodesy (IESSG) in Northern Europe during years of great impact of the solar maximum on GNSS users (2001–2003). The ionospheric TEC is responsible for range errors due to its time delay effect on transionospheric signals. Electron density irregularities in the ionosphere, occurring frequently during these years, are responsible for (phase and amplitude) fluctuations on GNSS signals, known as ionospheric scintillation. Since June 2001 four GPS Ionospheric Scintillation and TEC Monitor receivers (the NovAtel/AJ Systems GSV4004) have been deployed at stations in the UK and Norway, forming a Northern European network, covering geographic latitudes from 53° to 70° N approximately. These receivers compute and record GPS phase and amplitude scintillation parameters, as well as TEC and TEC variations. The project involved setting up the network and developing automated archiving and data analysis strategies, aiming to study the impact of scintillation on DGPS and EGNOS users, and on different GPS receiver technologies. In order to characterise scintillation and TEC variations over Northern Europe, as well as investigate correlation with geomagnetic activity, long-term statistical analyses were also produced. This paper summarises our findings, providing an overview of the potential implications of ionospheric scintillation for the GNSS user in Northern Europe.


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