Community Bonding for Developing Life-Affirming Skills of Children: A Qualitative Case Study of Tole Reading Group in Kaski, Nepal

Based on a qualitative case study of a community reading group in a village of Kaski district, this paper explores how community bonding facilitates children's life-affirming skills. It argues that the networks based on communal values of reciprocal benefits are assets that promote sensitisation among themselves and the children’s learning. A local teacher and a School Management Committee member from the community facilitate as mediators for bridging school and the community meaningfully. It highlights that community members' informal and autonomous engagement in the collective reading and learning of children is more sustainable than the rigid, structured, and controlled mechanisms. Further, the paper claims that the school as an isolated institution with imported global values may not fit in a particular community. Thus, it is essential to respect and value the community bonding with contextual values to bridge the school and community and enhance meaningful reading and learning activities and quality education.

CULTURE SHOCK AMONG FOREIGN STUDENTS: A CASE-STUDY OF THAI STUDENTS STUDYING AT UNIVERSITAS MUHAMMADIYAH PALEMBANG

The phenomenon of culture shock has some impacts on foreigners (i.e. psychological impact and intellectual impact), especially for foreign students studying in a new country. This research is aimed at figuring out the dominant aspects of culture shocks faced by the three Thai students studying at Universitas Muhammadiyah Palembang and how they cope with it. Descriptive-qualitative method was used in this research.To collect the data, the researchers used interview and questionnaire. Coding technique was used in analyzing the data. The results showed two dominant aspects of culture shocks found, namely: academic shocks (i.e teacher’s role and attitude, poorly organized program and classroom organization, and local students’ attitude). and social shocks (i.e.women-men relationship, community bonding, habits in social gathering). Generally, the three Thai students coped with the shock by preparing mental and psychology, as well as learning academic destination.

Diálogo de saberes en la vinculación comunitaria: Aportes desde las experiencias y comprensiones de los estudiantes de la Universidad Intercultural de Chiapas

Este escrito vierte sobre el diálogo de saberes en los procesos de vinculación comunitaria realizados por estudiantes de la carrera de Desarrollo Sustentable de la Universidad Intercultural de Chiapas. Este tema se analiza desde el enfoque de la interculturalidad crítica y los planteamientos que surgen de la teoría decolonial y la epistemología del Sur. A partir de las experiencias y comprensiones de los estudiantes sobre sus prácticas de vinculación, se definen tres dimensiones analíticas —axiológica, epistemológica y de la acción finalizada—, interconectadas entre sí en una espiral del diálogo de saberes. Con base en estas dimensiones se presentan los análisis de los estudiantes sobre las prácticas de vinculación comunitaria llevadas a cabo a lo largo de su carrera, y se definen aportes que retroalimentan el modelo educativo de las universidades interculturales y los procesos de vinculación que se llevan a cabo en la Universidad Intercultural de Chiapas. Dialogue of knowledge in the community bond: Contributions from the experiences and understandings of the students of the Intercultural University of ChiapasAbstractThis article pours about the dialogue of knowledge in the processes of community bonding carried out by students of the career of Sustainable Development of the Intercultural University of Chiapas (UNICH). This topic is analyzed from the approach of critical interculturality and the approaches that arise from decolonial theory and epistemology of the South. From the students' experiences and understandings about their linking practices, three analytical dimensions are defined - axiological, epistemological and finalized action - interconnected in a spiral of the dialogue of knowledge. Based on these dimensions, students 'analyzes of community engagement practices carried out throughout their careers are presented, and contributions are defined that provide feedback to the intercultural universities' educational model and the bonding processes that are carried out at the UNICH.Recibido: 27 de febrero de 2018Aceptado: 25 de junio de 2018

Death and dying in a Karen refugee community: An overlooked challenge in the resettlement process

This paper explores death and dying in a settling refugee community. I use ethnographic description to explore an overlooked practical challenge of resettlement – funerals. The focus of research is the Brisbane Karen community, from Burma and/or Thai-Burma border camps. Death and dying as a theme of resettlement research is inadequate. Yet we ought to consider death and dying as a settlement challenge, just as we consider language, employment, or housing (for example). Death and dying traverses the practical challenges of settlement, to deeper ontological questions associated with spiritual existence, rituals and community bonding. The paper provides practical insights into the basic boundaries of Australian funeral practice, which can speak to other minority groups practising burial rites that depart from the mainstream. It comments on how those boundaries can bump up against cultural practice brought from elsewhere. It also demonstrates transnationalism in the Brisbane Karen community.