BRAGGING AS ONE OF THE BASIC CONCEPTS OF HIP-HOP DISCOURSE

Statement of the problem. The subculture of hip-hop was formed among the African-American population of the United States during a period of poor socio-economic situation. These conditions for the development of hip-hop build a system of values and knowledge, which acts as the foundation of the discursive space of hip-hop. Hip-hop discourse unfolds around the basic concepts of racism, violence and bragging. The concept of bragging is based on the consequences of living conditions in the segregated society of the United States, when African Americans did not have the opportunity to possess certain goods which are available to the white population. After the restrictions having been lifted, high-priced goods have become an element of hip-hop discourse participants’ system of values. The purpose of the article is to identify and systematize the linguistic means of representing the concept of bragging as one of the basic concepts of hip-hop discourse. The methodology of the research is the analysis and summary of works about the basic concepts on the basis of which the discourse is built. Research results. In the article the most common linguistic means of implementing the concept of bragging are identified. The analysis of the song texts of the hip-hop discourse shows that the studied concept is represented mainly through lexical means. Conclusions. The most common ways of representing the concept of bragging are the lexemes of the semantic fields “jewelry” and “financial well-being”. In addition, precedent names are important for the nomination of companies that produce high-value goods, which represent the attributes of success for the participants of the hip-hop discourse. The concept of bragging acts as a basic concept of hip-hop discourse and reflects the specifics of hip-hop discourse. It also determines the perception of the surrounding world by subculture participants.

Impact of racial differences on the epidemiology and clinical outcomes of atrial fibrillation

: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The overall AF burden is expected to rise over the next decade, and this will have significant implications on the healthcare cost. Current literature on the pathophysiology, epidemiology and management of patients with AF have focused mainly on predominantly Caucasian/white population while published studies in non-white populations have been mainly observational or retrospective in nature. Hence, the implications of AF in terms of management and complications in the non-white population have not been fully appreciated. In this review, we summarized based on the available literature, the racial differences in the prevalence, management and outcomes of patients with AF comparing the white vs non-white population.

“We Ain’t Nothing but White Trash”. The Ethnography of Poor Whites and the Politics of Stigma in Zora Neale Hurston’s Seraph on the Suwanee.

This article aims to demonstrate the documentary value of Zora Neale, Hurston’s descriptions, in her novel Seraph on the Suwanee, of the condition of the poor white US Southerners known as “crackers.” By, depicting a “cracker” woman’s upward social trajectory through, marriage, Hurston reveals the social and existential reality of this, segment of the white population. Her novel presents an objective, analysis of the crackers as a socio-historical group distinct from other, whites. However, Hurston also explores the subjective side of belonging to this discredited group by offering an account of her heroine’s experience of stigmatization.

Race and the regulation of international migration. The ongoing impact of colonialism in the case law of The European Court of Human Rights

In the case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) the right of States to control migration is firmly established despite strong indications that the effects of migration control are not racially neutral. In this article we attempt to understand how it is possible that the doctrine of sovereign migration control is not considered to breach the prohibition of racial discrimination. We argue that the ECtHR’s approach to migration and racial discrimination fits a pattern in the historical development of migration law whereby the right to travel, and the power of States to restrict this right, have been consistently defined in such a way as to protect the interests of the predominantly white population of today's global North. Hence, the ease with which the racialised impact of migration control is accepted as normal and compatible with the prohibition of racial discrimination is consistent with migration law's long history as part of colonial and postcolonial relations.

Reductions in US life expectancy from COVID-19 by Race and Ethnicity: Is 2021 a repetition of 2020?

COVID-19 had a huge mortality impact in the US in 2020 and accounted for the majority of the 1.5-year reduction in 2020 life expectancy at birth. There were also substantial racial/ethnic disparities in the mortality impact of COVID-19 in 2020, with the Black and Latino populations experiencing reductions in life expectancy at birth over twice the reduction experienced by the White population. Despite continued vulnerability of the Black and Latino populations, the hope was that widespread distribution of effective vaccines would mitigate the overall impact and reduce racial/ethnic disparities in 2021. In this study, we use cause-deleted life table methods to estimate the impact of COVID-19 mortality on 2021 US period life expectancy. Our partial-year estimates, based on provisional COVID-19 deaths for January-early October 2021 suggest that racial/ethnic disparities have persisted and that life expectancy at birth in 2021 has already declined by 1.2 years from pre-pandemic levels. Our projected full-year estimates, based on projections of COVID-19 deaths through the end of 2021 from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, suggest a 1.8-year reduction in US life expectancy at birth from pre-pandemic levels, a steeper decline than the estimates produced for 2020. The reductions in life expectancy at birth estimated for the Black and Latino populations are 1.6-2.4 times the impact for the White population.

Sherman’s March to the Sea

Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman’s March to the Sea began at Atlanta, Georgia, on November 15, 1864, and ended thirty-seven days later in Savannah, Georgia. With roughly 60,000 infantry and 5,500 cavalry, Sherman cut a path often sixty miles wide across the state’s most fertile and populated region. He wanted to make war so harsh on civilians that they would demand that the Confederate government abandon the fight. Despite the folklore surrounding the March there was not widespread destruction, but Sherman did succeed in bringing the war to the state’s previously untouched plantation region and to the White population that had not felt any direct effects from the fighting. The March also forever changed the lives of slaves who abandoned their masters to follow Sherman’s soldiers. As a result, the March to the Sea ranks as one of the most significant Union campaigns despite the fact there were no major battles or heavy casualties.

Racial and ethnic inequalities in COVID-19 mortality within Texas carceral settings

ABSTRACTSeveral analyses have highlighted racial and ethnic disparities related to COVID-19 health outcomes across the United States. Less focus has been placed on more localized contexts, such as carceral settings, where racial and ethnic inequities in COVID-19 health outcomes also exist, but the proximal drivers of inequality are different. In this study, we analyzed mortality rates among incarcerated people in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to assess racial and ethnic differences in COVID-19 mortality. We obtained monthly demographic and mortality information of the TDCJ population from April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2021 from TDCJ monthly reports and open record requests filed by the Texas Justice Initiative. We estimated the risk of COVID-19 mortality for the Hispanic and Black population relative to the White population using a Bayesian regression framework, adjusting for sex and age. In the first 12 months of the pandemic, Hispanic and Black all-cause mortality rates were higher than that of the White population, reversing the pattern observed the 12 months prior. Adjusted risk of COVID-19 mortality relative to the White population was 1.96 (CI 1.32–2.93) for the Hispanic population and 1.66 (CI 1.10–2.52) for the Black population. We find that COVID-19 mortality has disproportionately impacted Hispanic and Black individuals within the TDCJ population. As the proximal mechanisms which drive these inequalities are likely different than those which lead to racial inequalities in the non-incarcerated populations, future studies should look to assess and address the specific drivers of COVID-19 related disparities in carceral settings.

Snakebites in Rural Areas of Brazil by Race: Indigenous the Most Exposed Group

Animal stings are environmental hazards that threaten millions annually and cause a significant socioeconomic impact. Snakebite envenoming affects 2.7 million people globally every year, mostly the poorest and rural communities, with approximately 27,000 annual cases in Brazil. This study’s objective is to identify the most exposed racial group for snakebites in rural areas of Brazil and analyze possible differences in the outcome of an accident. A retrospective epidemiological study was conducted using a database of rural snakebite cases from Brazil’s Ministry of Health (2017). Descriptive analysis and a regression model were performed to examine the association of bad outcomes after a snakebite with several covariables. While mixed-race individuals presented the highest number of cases (61.79%), indigenous and white populations were the racial groups with the highest and lowest exposure rates (194.3 and 34.1 per 100,000 population, respectively). The fatality rate was 3.5 times higher in the indigenous population compared to the white population. In the multivariable model, the number of hours between the accident and health care received and the case classification suggested an association with a bad outcome. Snakebite is prominent in Brazil, particularly among indigenous groups. Antivenom is available in the Brazilian Health System; however, efforts need to be made for decentralization.