A critical study on female roles in television commercials of Bangladesh

Media representation of female gender roles in advertising are relentlessly contested themes in a traditional society. Stereotypical representation not only limits the socially accepted traditional roles of gender, but also has an impact on how people perceive women. This study has focused on how women characters are constructed in order to understand reflection of stereotypical gender norms in Bangladeshi television commercials. Stuart Hall’s representation theory has adapted as the framework for conceptualizing the context of this study and scrutinizing the data. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, this paper has explored how such representations constitute unequal gender identities, traditional norms and perpetuate subtle forms of colorism towards women. This study found that dominant patriarchal ideology is deeply embedded in television commercials of Bangladesh; there is a discrimination towards the construction of women's image. Moreover, such media representations generate the ideology of beauty in a negative way and push the concept of colorism towards women.

New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles: A Cultural Map of the Beat Generation

This paper explores the topographical and socio-cultural developments during the Golden Age in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, three Beat Generation epicenters, which determined the deconstruction of traditional norms. Modifications at both city and society levels were represented by the emergence of countercultures, such as the Beat. The visibility received by urban problems, due to the increase in social demonstrations and activism, fostered the formation of a unified front that demanded equality and encouraged social and political movements, such as the Civil Rights and the Second Wave Feminism. The socio-political challenges which the American society was confronted with from the 1950s to the 1970s in these three cities, also reveal a few problems regarding the status of the Beats as well as of minorities in metropolises.

REPRODUCTIVE ATTITUDES OF THE MODERN NEWLYWEDS: REGIONAL ASPECT (ON THE EXAMPLE OF VLADIKAVKAZ)

В статье рассматриваются репродуктивные установки молодоженов в контексте изменения демографической ситуации в стране. Новизна исследования заключается в анализе репродуктивных установок молодоженов г. Владикавказа как региональной модели репродуктивного поведения, необходимой для понимания проблемы неоднородности развития российского социального пространства в целом. Эмпирическую базу исследования составили молодожены как социальная группа, заключившая брак и репродуктивное поведение которой способно обеспечить стабильное положение детей, повысить эффективность их социализации. В процессе исследования применен метод системного анализа, позволивший рассмотреть репродуктивные установки через социально-демографические, экономические и ценностные факторы. Обозначены этапы формирования репродуктивных установок молодоженов г. Владикавказа как части Северокавказского региона в целом. Представлены результаты исследования, проведенного в январе-сентябре 2021 г. среди 180 мужчин и женщин — 90 пар, зарегистрировавших брак в ЗАГСе г. Владикавказа. Дана социально-экономическая характеристика исследуемой группы. Репродуктивные установки рассмотрены как социально-психическое состояние личности, одним из маркеров которого является потребность в детях − идеальном, желаемом и ожидаемом числе детей. В результате анализа эмпирической базы исследования выявлено следующее: вне зависимости от возраста 100% опрошенных молодоженов г. Владикавказа нацелены на рождение совместных детей в барке, это, безусловно, обусловлено традиционными нормами наличия 2-3 детей в семье. Мотивация у современных молодоженов в XXI в. часто связана с обеспечением стабильного экономического положения. The article discusses the reproductive attitudes of the newlyweds in the context of changing demographic situation in the country. The novelty of the research lies in the analysis of the reproductive attitudes of the newlyweds of Vladikavkaz as a regional model of reproductive behavior necessary for understanding the problem of heterogeneity of the development of the Russian social space as a whole. The empirical basis of the study was made up of newlyweds - as a social group that has entered into marriage and whose reproductive behavior is able to ensure a stable position for children, to increase the effectiveness of their socialization. In the course of the study, the method of system analysis was applied, which allowed us to consider reproductive attitudes through socio-demographic, economic and value factors. The stages of the formation of reproductive attitudes of the newlyweds of Vladikavkaz, as part of the North Caucasus region as a whole, are outlined. The results of the study conducted in January – September 2021 among 180 men and women — 90 couples, who registered marriage in the Vladikavkaz registry office, are presented. The socio-economic characteristics of the studied group are given. Reproductive attitudes are considered as a socio-mental state of the individual, one of the markers of which is the need for children - the ideal, desired and expected number of children. Based on the analysis of the empirical base of the study, it was revealed that, regardless of age, 100% of the surveyed newlyweds in Vladikavkaz are focused on the birth of children, which is due to the regional context of traditional norms of childhood. It is concluded that the need for children among newlyweds is overwhelmingly associated with ensuring stable economic conditions.

Thematizing Marriage in Ama Ata Aidoo’s Changes and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple hibiscus: The Dynamics of Modern African Marriage Relationship

The task of this paper is to highlight some of the marriage relationship tendencies that have changed in the modern African Marriage, in relation to the traditional norms, as manifest in two texts of two African Feminist writers. The study thus examines how Ama Ata Aidoo’s Changes and Chimamanda N. Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus explore the marriage institution in Africa and unearth the changing dynamics in it, as it pertains to the modern or post-modern African society. The study concluded that though the dignity of marriage coupled with its necessity as a social institution is unquestionably maintained in our focused African texts, its dynamics, in modern society, must yield to positive change, at least, to reflect the emerging socio-economic trends in African society today.

Globalization vs Localization: the Dialectics of Interaction in the Modern World

The intensification of interest in the local history and regionalism is happening all over the world as globalization processes undermine the specific development of individual countries and their parts. The weakening of the internal social structures of modern states is manifested in the destruction of old and the search for new sources of identification. In the context of methodological approaches to the "spatial paradigm" the article examines the impact of globalization processes on the dynamics and structure of regionalization and localization of modern societies. By expanding the scope of human contacts, globalization creates additional reserves for the socio-economic development of most countries. But at the same time it creates new risks and dangers, because it involves narrowing the possibility of choosing a special, specific path of development. The duality of the process of globalization is manifested in the fact that it unprecedentedly expands and at the same time narrows the space of human life. While the economy is destroying national borders, people, not wanting to lose the feeling of "home", are looking for local spaces with strong ties. Globalization and localization are becoming parallel processes, which is reflected in the new concept of "glocalization". It is proved that the general tendency of globalization to influence the world-system structure is to increase the potential for interconnectedness and interdependence. The boundaries between the internal and external spaces of states, and hence between domestic and foreign policy, are partially blurred. The counter-flows of innovation and inertia, standardization and cultural differentiation create a unique palette of intercivilizational exchanges and interactions – with a corresponding expansion of the "space of opportunities". In response to cultural unification and the pressure of the standard, more and more people are trying to defend their identity, demonstrating a commitment to traditional norms and values. Therefore, the universal tendency to globalization is opposed by the tendency to diversify, which is manifested in the cultivation of their own space of existence, advocating the priorities of cultural, ethnic, religious and other group identities

Discourse of Freedom and Contemporary Greco-Protestantism

In this article, the author provides an analysis of the “discourse of freedom” as one of the foundations for secular and ecclesiastical liberalism. The discourse of freedom receives the name of a “libertian discourse” (not to be confused with libertarianism — a specific political and ideological current). The libertian discourse is studied within its historical origins associated with the legal codes of ancient Rome and the social philosophy of the Enlightenment. The libertian discourse and the related concept of the “natural law”, hardly evolving and unchanged in the 300 years since its inception, has outlived its historical competitors in the form of historical law, Marxism, etc. This phenomenon of libertian fundamentalism refutes the liberal axiom of permanent social progress and modernization, which also applies to the sphere of knowledge. Since the concept of fundamental (generic) rights and freedoms can be neither scientifically proven nor deduced from the traditional norms and values, it should be classified as a metaphysical (in Karl Popper's sense), fundamentalist and quasi-religious doctrine. This article shows the contemporary transformations of the phenomenon of freedom, which results in the libertian discourse becoming an integral part of power practices, an exclusive right to criticize power and a “subtle discourse of power”. The contemporary function of libertianism lies in restricting the freedom of a political opponent in the name of fighting for freedom and in creating a marketable competitive field of political compensation for the restriction of freedoms (stigmatization). The author points to the struggle between two cultural-historical and religious paradigms with different understandings of freedom — the “Roman” (political, elitist) and biblical (social), emphasizing that this struggle generates two versions of the discourse of freedom in the contemporary political space. The author raises the question of the demarcation of freedom paradigms on the same grounds as the more general question of “paradigms of involvement with the transcendent” and the hybrid mixing of different paradigmatic foundations in the modern interpretation of freedom.

651The voice of Indian women on family planning: A qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis

Background This systematic review and meta-synthesis was conducted to explore the views and experiences of women on family planning in India. Methods We included qualitative studies conducted in India and published in English. PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, CINHAL and ProQuest were searched from inception till April 2019. Population of interest were women in reproductive age group. Additionally, husband of the woman and mother-in-law were eligible to be included. Studies conducted among HIV positive, commercial sex workers and drug addicts were excluded. Selection of studies (titles, abstracts and full tests screening), data extraction and methodological quality assessment (using CASP checklist) was undertaken independently by four authors in pairs. Any discrepancies were resolved by discussion until consensus. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data (PROSPERO registration number CRD42018093960). Results We included 39 full texts through database and reference searching. Most of the women were married. Main themes were; ‘family influence’, ‘perceived benefits/harm of son/daughter’, ‘perceived misconception of contraception’, ‘socio-cultural norms’, ‘abortion as a family planning option’, ‘healthcare reach and mistrust’ and ‘demographic dividend’. Conclusion There is a need to include husband and mother-in-law while delivering messages or strategies to women on family planning in India. Traditional norms are deep rooted in the community therefore, family planning strategies should be context and need based. Key message Meta-synthesis is a promising approach to gather evidence of complex health problems that require an understanding of social and cultural determinants of health.

Drivers of Biodiversity Conservation in Sacred Groves: A Comparative Study of Three Sacred Groves in Southwest Nigeria.

Globally, sacred groves represent a traditional form of community-based conservation system, recognized for their capacity to preserve areas that are of cultural and religious importance to local people. In most cases, the entire community takes on a watchdog role to guard against encroachment and unauthorized access either by its members or outsiders who might desecrate such sites. Our paper investigates the effects of different governance arrangements on three sacred groves in southwest Nigeria⎯Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove (UNESCO World Heritage Site); Idanre Hills (Nigerian National Monument) and Igbo-Olodumare (local cultural site)⎯on their socio-economic and religio-cultural benefits and contribution to biodiversity conservation. Using a mixed-methods design of a semi-structured questionnaire (n=167), key informant interviews (n=2), and focus groups (n=7), we collected data from local community members, traditional priests, sacred grove devotees and tourism officials. We found that customary institutions have guided reverence for sacralized spaces and wise utilization of their unique resources. The growing recognition of sacred groves has paved the way for socioeconomic rewards for individuals and government as cultural tourism increases. We found that the involvement of formal institutions alongside customary institutions in sacred grove management reinforces compliance with conservation laws within the sacred groves, especially where traditional norms are weak or may be disregarded. We discuss the implications of these observations and offer suggestions to improve community engagement, uphold traditional ecological knowledge, and develop ecotourism within the groves. We conclude that the co-existence of community-based conservation through a system of established traditional norms and prohibitions as well as formal government legislation and management, offers assurance for the long-term preservation of sacred groves and their biodiversity.