PIPELINES AND TIGHT RHYMES: VIRTUAL MEDIA AND HIP-HOP IN JAPAN & NEW ZEALAND

<p>This thesis looks at hip-hop as a contemporary pop cultural phenomena and its relationship with media in the construction of underground hip-hop communities in Japanese and New Zealand settings. My work on hip-hop in Japan illustrates how global networks influence a traditionally mono-cultural society reckoning with a style connected to African-American experience. A New Zealand setting illustrates how virtual networks allow connections to wider hip-hop culture from a geographically isolated setting and legitimises the local scene. In looking at both settings side-by-side, this thesis underscores the various ways that virtual networks and their increased visibility are used contemporaneously in the construction of local hip-hop scenes as a tool to understand and promote hip-hop music. Based on a mix of virtual fieldwork, fieldwork in New Zealand, as well as fieldwork in Japan, this thesis shows that questions of authenticity in hip-hop have become more complex through different manifestations of hip-hop culture that challenge traditional understandings of the genre’s meaning. This is a result of the varying levels of user-agency in virtual networks. In a Japanese setting, we see an increased importance placed on virtual networks, allowing hip-hop fans and musicians alike to be part of the immediate conversation. Language barriers to hip-hop’s dominant English vernacular mean that this conversation is generally filtered through the most dominant networks and ‘mainstream’ culture. These impressions of hip-hop are the driving forces of style for the Japanese scene, leading to a collapse of the dichotic underground/mainstream divide seen in the earlier generations of Japanese hip-hop. In a New Zealand setting, virtual networks are used to connect with English speaking hip-hop musicians overseas, allowing musicians to operate in ‘underground’ virtual communities that are not physically manifested in New Zealand. By drawing attention to the ways that hip-hop culture is formed, legitimized, and understood in these two geographic and cultural settings, this thesis demonstrates that hip-hop culture exists in an integral relationship with virtual media and explores questions of appropriation, imitation, and authenticity.</p>

PIPELINES AND TIGHT RHYMES: VIRTUAL MEDIA AND HIP-HOP IN JAPAN & NEW ZEALAND

<p>This thesis looks at hip-hop as a contemporary pop cultural phenomena and its relationship with media in the construction of underground hip-hop communities in Japanese and New Zealand settings. My work on hip-hop in Japan illustrates how global networks influence a traditionally mono-cultural society reckoning with a style connected to African-American experience. A New Zealand setting illustrates how virtual networks allow connections to wider hip-hop culture from a geographically isolated setting and legitimises the local scene. In looking at both settings side-by-side, this thesis underscores the various ways that virtual networks and their increased visibility are used contemporaneously in the construction of local hip-hop scenes as a tool to understand and promote hip-hop music. Based on a mix of virtual fieldwork, fieldwork in New Zealand, as well as fieldwork in Japan, this thesis shows that questions of authenticity in hip-hop have become more complex through different manifestations of hip-hop culture that challenge traditional understandings of the genre’s meaning. This is a result of the varying levels of user-agency in virtual networks. In a Japanese setting, we see an increased importance placed on virtual networks, allowing hip-hop fans and musicians alike to be part of the immediate conversation. Language barriers to hip-hop’s dominant English vernacular mean that this conversation is generally filtered through the most dominant networks and ‘mainstream’ culture. These impressions of hip-hop are the driving forces of style for the Japanese scene, leading to a collapse of the dichotic underground/mainstream divide seen in the earlier generations of Japanese hip-hop. In a New Zealand setting, virtual networks are used to connect with English speaking hip-hop musicians overseas, allowing musicians to operate in ‘underground’ virtual communities that are not physically manifested in New Zealand. By drawing attention to the ways that hip-hop culture is formed, legitimized, and understood in these two geographic and cultural settings, this thesis demonstrates that hip-hop culture exists in an integral relationship with virtual media and explores questions of appropriation, imitation, and authenticity.</p>

Whenua Ora: Land Healing. Designing Architecture that Incorporates Nature and Mātauranga Māori

<p>In 2006, 86% of New Zealanders lived in urban centres, a number that is expected to have risen (“Urban and rural migration”). Urban lifestyles have been linked to increased risk of obesity, stress, cardiovascular diseases and cancers among other things (Murray). As this percentage continues to rise, New Zealand faces the challenge of creating urban environ- ments that do not adversely affect mental and physical wellbeing. It can be argued that one factor leading to this loss of wellbeing in urban centres is the disconnection to nature and the healing effects that nature provides. In New Zealand, Māori have developed a strong relationship with the land. The under- standing that nature benefits health is deeply embedded within their culture. This research attempts to address the role of architecture in facilitating urban health and wellbeing is- sues through the incorporation of Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) of healing and nature. The integration of Mātauranga Māori into this thesis comes from the recognition that our wellbeing can be greatly affected by our relationship with nature and that Māori culture best embodies this in a New Zealand context. Currently, Māori knowledge is under- represented in New Zealand’s predominantly western mainstream culture. This research is significant as it explores the role of architecture in facilitating a connection with nature in a bicultural urban environment, an area that is currently underexplored. Incorporating these values into design generates the potential to increase Māori representation in the designed environment as well as expand the architectural knowledge of designing for wellbeing. The chosen site, Birdwood Reserve is an underutilised bush reserve in the suburb of Karori, Wellington. Birdwood Reserve is situated in the nation’s capital, adjacent to Zealandia, an eco-sanctuary that is frequented by tourists. It is a steep valley with access to dense bush and the disturbed Kaiwharawhara stream. Flanked on two sides by environmentally active communities, it offers the potential for community involvement in the healing of the land- scape, helping restore the reserve while healing itself. The intentions of this thesis are addressed through the design of a bicultural wellbeing cen- tre. Through the process of this design, the role of Māori culture in New Zealand architec- ture will be analysed, as well as the potential to reconnect people to nature through design. The final design will explore how to embody the developed framework of bicultural values relevant to architectural design for wellbeing.</p>

Whenua Ora: Land Healing. Designing Architecture that Incorporates Nature and Mātauranga Māori

<p>In 2006, 86% of New Zealanders lived in urban centres, a number that is expected to have risen (“Urban and rural migration”). Urban lifestyles have been linked to increased risk of obesity, stress, cardiovascular diseases and cancers among other things (Murray). As this percentage continues to rise, New Zealand faces the challenge of creating urban environ- ments that do not adversely affect mental and physical wellbeing. It can be argued that one factor leading to this loss of wellbeing in urban centres is the disconnection to nature and the healing effects that nature provides. In New Zealand, Māori have developed a strong relationship with the land. The under- standing that nature benefits health is deeply embedded within their culture. This research attempts to address the role of architecture in facilitating urban health and wellbeing is- sues through the incorporation of Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) of healing and nature. The integration of Mātauranga Māori into this thesis comes from the recognition that our wellbeing can be greatly affected by our relationship with nature and that Māori culture best embodies this in a New Zealand context. Currently, Māori knowledge is under- represented in New Zealand’s predominantly western mainstream culture. This research is significant as it explores the role of architecture in facilitating a connection with nature in a bicultural urban environment, an area that is currently underexplored. Incorporating these values into design generates the potential to increase Māori representation in the designed environment as well as expand the architectural knowledge of designing for wellbeing. The chosen site, Birdwood Reserve is an underutilised bush reserve in the suburb of Karori, Wellington. Birdwood Reserve is situated in the nation’s capital, adjacent to Zealandia, an eco-sanctuary that is frequented by tourists. It is a steep valley with access to dense bush and the disturbed Kaiwharawhara stream. Flanked on two sides by environmentally active communities, it offers the potential for community involvement in the healing of the land- scape, helping restore the reserve while healing itself. The intentions of this thesis are addressed through the design of a bicultural wellbeing cen- tre. Through the process of this design, the role of Māori culture in New Zealand architec- ture will be analysed, as well as the potential to reconnect people to nature through design. The final design will explore how to embody the developed framework of bicultural values relevant to architectural design for wellbeing.</p>

New Mainstream Films and Television Dramas in China: The Construction of Industrial Aesthetics and Consumption of Youth Culture

As a significant industrial and cultural phenomenon, the rise of new mainstream films and TV dramas in China embodies the inclusion of multiple cultures (mainstream culture, grassroot culture, youth culture, etc.) and the respect for diverse audiences. In particular, such trends bring into focus the youth market and explore the image-based expression of youth culture, subculture and fashion culture. However, this author argues that the production of such films and TV dramas also needs to further pursue market-orientated strategies, sustainable development, and conformity to industrial standards. In short, the production of new mainstream films and TV dramas should not revert to the previous production pattern of mainstream films.

The influences of different types of social media activities on ethnic minorities’ acculturation

Adopting the activity-audience framework, this study examined how different social media activities among a group of ethnic minority students associated with acculturation. It took a Qual-Quant sequential design by interviewing 44 secondary school ethnic minority students in Hong Kong first to conceptualize the potential relationships and then surveying 565 students to test the conceptual model. It found that different social media activities associated differently with acculturation; in contrast to the weak association of communication with friends and schoolmate, consuming mainstream culture-related information and interacting with strangers from the mainstream culture were the important determinators of the students’ bicultural competence and bicultural identity. Cognitive appraisal positively mediated the contribution of information consumption, whereas communication with strangers was mediated positively by behavioral appraisal but negatively by affective appraisal. The findings advocate a differentiated approach toward utilizing the affordances of social media activities for acculturation.

Integrative Aspects of Non-verbal Cultural Communication in Europe. Case Study – Pantomime

This article touches on the integrative aspects of non-verbal cultural communication as exemplifi ed by diverse pantomime genres in modern Europe. The starting point being the characteristic features of this form of art, as well as its genesis and functions in the Eastern and Western parts of the globe. Festivals, which have been rapidly developing in the world of pantomime and street art since the beginning of the 1970s, play an exceptional role in European cultural exchange. They are, however, generally ephemeral projects, often placed besides institutionalised mainstream culture, with no aspirations to become part of the EFA for example. Nonverbal cultural communication in Europe is still poorly integrated and yet maintains a remarkable diversity of genres and multi-colour forms. Such decentralisation is also the source of its strength manifested by its ease in reaching an incredibly diverse audience, the ability to obtain feedback from mass audiences, its expansiveness (taking up various spaces), its flexible approach in its quest for answers – but at the same time respecting the rudiments of the rich, native European tradition of popular culture. It seems that EU institutions nowadays notice the signifi cant role of this type of intercultural communication, as evidenced by, for example, the Commissioner Gabriel’s statement regarding a meeting with EFA representatives on 22nd June 2021. The European Union has no harmonisation competences in the area of culture, but rather solely complementary and supporting functions with regards to Member States’ activities – one can count on EU sectoral support funds from the Creative Europe Programme. The subsidisation of festival, confrontation, and meeting movements related to non-verbal cultural exchange can take place (and does take place) through regions, local governments, or cultural institutions.

Gendered Subaltern in Abhi Subedi’s Dreams of Peach Blossoms

This paper examines the consciousness of gendered subaltern in Abhi Subedi’s poetic play Dreams of Peach Blossoms and looks at how Subedi deconstructs the existing historiography to bring forth the issue of gendered subaltern who have been subjected to the hegemony of the ruling class. Drawing on insights and postulations from Subaltern Studies theorists such as Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Partha Chatterjee, Gautam Bhadra and others, this paper examines the pain and agonies of female characters that are glossed over in the grand narrative of the mainstream culture. This paper concludes that while exploring the painful experience of women erased from the pages of history, Subedi is focused on the Maiju culture that began since Bhrikuti’s marriage to a Tibetan King in the sixth century and reveals the injustice of patriarchy against women with an aim to make correction in such distortions of history.

The slanted beam: A critical discourse analysis of anti-Islam and anti-Muslim discourse in China

Adopting the Critical Discourse Analysis perspective, this study investigates the ideology reflected by the anti-Islam and anti-Muslim discourse in China, the power dynamics revealed by such discourse and how social media discourse differs from and utilises the government discourse. Four ways to disguise the anti-Muslims, anti-Islam prejudice are investigated: appealing to patriotism to demand cultural assimilation; claiming to defend secularism; framing Islam as incompatible with mainstream culture; appealing to consumer rights to reject halal food. Non-Muslims and assimilated Muslims (especially the elites) are found to have the prerogative to dictate who belong to the ingroup, what dietary restrictions are legitimate and whom to blame when undesirable situations arise, while Muslim non-elites are at the receiving end of such dictates. This study also argues that social media discourse expresses antagonism of higher intensity than the government discourse does, and may misappropriate the official narratives to express the interlocutor’s hatred towards Muslims.