Tungus-Manchu Traditional Beliefs. Part 2: Zoomorphic Complex

This article describes the zoomorphic complex of Tungus-Manchu beliefs refl ected in mythology, ritual practices, shamanism, and decorative and applied arts. Those beliefs are regarded as a coherent whole within the cultural system. The typology of the zoomorphic complex shows that the key fi gures were the serpent-dragon, the deer, the bear, and the tiger. In traditional worldviews and rituals, they were related to cosmogony, ancestor cult, hunting and fi shing rituals, healing, and initiation shamanic complexes. The semantics of animal images depended on their place in the cultural system, religious ritual, and artistic communication. Comparative analysis demonstrates both ethno-cultural specifi city and universal archetypal characteristics, as well as connection with ancient regional beliefs. The Tungus- Manchu zoomorphic complex originated within the East Asian traditions, having been infl uenced by cultures such as the Old Chinese, Korean, and Jurchen.

Moko Symbolization As Socio-Religious Harmony of Alor Society in East Nusa Tenggara

The understanding of moko is related to the identity of the Alor people. Historically, moko was brought from Vietnam and became a heirloom which was passed down from generation to generation. In practice, moko can be used as a dowry of marriage, clan identity, musical instruments, and several other uses. This study provides novelty on the moko symbolization as a socio-religious harmony of Alor society. The problem to be resolved in this research is “how does the moko symbolize socio-religious harmony in the people of Alor, East Nusa Tenggara?” The theoretical concept used in this article is Geertz’s ‘religious as the cultural system” which is paired with Epicurus' opinion about the three levels of harmony. This study used the phenomenological method of Edmund Husserl. The results of this study are moko symbolization as a rhythmic leader of musical instruments related with social messages in the ownership it and the function of moko as a dowry of marriage. In addition, the results of the study also show that the symbolization of moko becomes a part of the harmony embodiment in the life of the Alor people. This symbolization process occurs at the level of ideas and manifests in behavior. The novelty in this research is the characteristics of the Alor community as a heterogeneous society place the symbols of a set of conventions. Moko as part of the convention symbol embodies social harmonization. This part becomes an interesting character because moko is not an original object from the Alor community, but it has been adopted as a cultural symbol. Social harmonization occurs at the level of ideas which are adhered to customary law. This really depends on the values held in society.

Lithuanian Literature in Search of Historical Truth: Three Decades of Independence

The article focuses on the beginning of the Singing Revolution in Lithuanian culture and tries to identify the most significant dominant features in order to understand the entirety of the new changes in literature. In the face of political upheaval, such a dominant feature was the question of truth; however, the well-established poetry tradition – romantic, neo-romantic, modern neo-romantic, which coexisted with social realism in Soviet times, and experimental – did not raise such questions of truth but only reflected the nation’s collective expectations. The evolution of Lithuanian literature, which was highly fragmented during all the decades of the Soviet occupation, united the country through the expatriate poet Bernardas Brazdžionis while he was visiting Lithuania in the summer of 1989. Poetic texts predominated during the first demonstrations of Sąjūdis (the Reform Movement), but while trying to understand their position in the general Lithuanian culture and literature discourse, one needs to acknowledge the leading nature of poetry throughout the Soviet times: having its niche in the cultural system, poetry posed a large number of vexed questions, sought philosophical profundity, and was able to constantly address the deepest metaphysical questions even in strict censorship conditions. Lithuanian prose, which evaded the requirement by the doctrine of social realism to portray the world and characters engaged in class struggles, also found support in the poetry system and created a non-linear but coherent narrative where metaphors prevail. Lithuanian prose poetry became a sign of esthetic quality in independent Lithuania too, where the question of truth, which was important for achieving independence, found a way similar to that of poetry – through memoirs and essays to esthetics and little prose. At the beginning of independence, poetry, which had fed Lithuanian prose with its ideas, themes, conception of the world and esthetic solutions, also merged with memoirs and essays, thus being part of the discourse of telling the truth.

Research on the Improvement of Teachers’ Artistic Accomplishment Based on the Status Quo of Contemporary Aesthetic Education

Contemporary aesthetic education is one of the educational methods under the contemporary cultural system, which includes contemporary educational ideas, methods, and countermeasures of art. Teachers under contemporary aesthetic education must take on the responsibility of improving their artistic qualities in this process, express differences through perceiving life, and reshape aesthetics by regulating oneself. Teachers need to be concerned about the society, and based on the present, with independent thinking, capture the essence of life and conform to the laws of art, maintain a vigilant and critical edge, advance with the times in teaching and life, as well as embody their own educational philosophies and value judgments.

EFFECT OF THE CULTURAL SYSTEM ON CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DISCLOSURE IN THE ENERGY SECTOR

This study examines the effect of the cultural system on the disclosure of corporate social responsibility by companies in the energy sector. The survey analyzed a sample of 62 leading energy companies from 25 countries. The dependent variable is the level of environmental disclosure of the companies. The independent variables are composed by the cultural system of the analyzed countries, according to the Hofstede cultural dimensions. The data were analyzed using descriptive, inferential statistics, correlation, and regression of panel data. The findings show that in more individualistic and masculine cultures, companies disclose more CSR information. It was found that companies based in cultures with a higher level of indulgence and with a greater orientation for the long term tend to have greater environmental disclosure. The results show that the level of disclosure of corporate social responsibility is different depending on the country's cultural system. There are institutional pressures, which encourage companies to publish a more complete sustainability report. The results of this study have academic and managerial implications.

Meritology versus meritocracy as a factor of culturalization

Currently, in the socio-cultural system, as well as in the educational one, some ideologies based on merit are elaborated: the ideology of selection, of a liberal nature, and the ideology of the refusal of selection, of a democratic nature. Discussions on meritology are part of socio-cultural issues and are seen as a symptom of democratization and equalization of opportunities for socio-cultural ascension. The essence of the ideal of meritology is that if everyone has equal chances, then the winners deserve their success. In the modern school, everything must be articulated in the basis of equality and merit. Meritocracy and meritology are principles of justice. The main concern of meritology involves a series of beliefs: belief in education and in justice, and as a result, in non-discrimination. Meritology provides the chance for the student to demonstrate his abilities. Today, the school faces a series of problems that it must face from a socio-cultural perspective. When we talk about equal opportunities for all students, this does not mean that everyone is equal, but that they can strive and compete in all social positions based on equal opportunities. Merit selection and acceptance of merit-based inequality presupposes, in fact, a real equality of opportunity.

Acculturation in the Inheritance Law of the Dayak Ngaju community

The Dayak community, as an agrarian community, respects and upholds the noble values of their ancestors. These values strongly affect their social and cultural system, including the customs and traditions of inheritance settlement. This research is descriptive-analytic using a phenomenology approach. The aim is to identify the uniqueness of the traditional heritage of the Dayak Ngaju tribe in Palangka Raya through the perspective of acculturation theory of culture and law. The study shows that the acculturation model that occurs in Palangka Raya is an adjustment model, in which the process of adjustment and adaptation of one culture to other cultures occurs without forming a new culture. In addition, this study also finds that the community kinship system also influences the application of inheritance law among the Ngaju Dayak indigenous people, Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan.

Thirukkural Virtues and the Fruits of the Spirit of the Bible

Charity literatures are essential in the literature that traces the history of ancient Tamil civilization. Virtues work to make human beings better or to make them live in accordance with the norms of the socio-cultural system. Thirukkural is found in Tamil charitable texts to have the reputation of being the world’s public secret. In society, human beings establish various moral values within themselves. They enlighten people naturally and in a state of mind. Virtues began to emerge from the time when humans began to process and eat food.

Java Philosophy in Internal Control (Study on the Berkarya Foundation in Paiton)

This study wants to explore in-depth Internal Control in Javanese Philosophy at the Berkarya Paiton Foundation, and to be contemplation for all of us so that we always remember the messages of our ancestors which are our provisions in living a noble life. With the spiritual-religious paradigm, the researcher uses a case study research design. The results of the study show that the Berkarya foundation implements its family and cultural system so that the concept of internal control is applied by the family of the foundation was: Berbudi bawa leksana, aja dumeh which emphasized simplicity, and setya wacana. It is common knowledge for all of us that simplicity is an attitude of Javanese life.