Studio Production in Contemporary Vietnam

Chapter 5 examines how and why the VOV music ensembles are keeping their red music relevant in contemporary Vietnam. In the reform era, the ensembles were separated into two groups: the national or ethnic music ensemble (nhóm nhạc dân tộc), comprised of traditional instrumentalists and folk singers, and the new music ensemble (nhóm nhạc mới), which performs Vietnamese songs and instrumental music composed for choir and chamber orchestra. Drawing on fieldwork at the radio studios in Hanoi, this research provides an ethnographic account of contemporary music production processes at the station. The first case study examines how recordings by the traditional music ensemble, a versatile group of instrumentalists and folk singers, represent and reify the three major cultural regions of Vietnam. The second explores how productions by the new music ensemble, which reference the musical styles of DRV revolutionary opera, memorialize government achievements, valorize heroes of the past, and are made relevant to the contemporary political context through references to current issues such as territorial claims in the South China Sea. Rather than dismiss these musicians as political puppets, the chapter investigates their creative, pragmatic approaches to the constraints and contradictions of life in a (post)socialist state. Meanwhile, culture brokers working at these national broadcasters are leading the politicization of this intangible cultural heritage, a process they justify with the language of cultural sustainability.

Bridging the gap : immigrant children as language and culture brokers

This paper looks at the role that immigrant children play in translating and interpreting for their parents. Research shows that children pick up language skills and culture faster than their parents do, so they are often put into the position of translating. This paper includes previous literature on the subject, and uses interviews and questionnaires conducted with adults who have had experiences in the role of culture brokers as children. While many of the participants benefited by perfecting language skills and were able to assist their families, they generally did not enjoy their stressful experiences as culture brokers. Currently, Canada does not have any laws in place to govern this activity, and this research calls for the government to implement limitations to the practice of using children is such a role.

Bridging the gap : immigrant children as language and culture brokers

This paper looks at the role that immigrant children play in translating and interpreting for their parents. Research shows that children pick up language skills and culture faster than their parents do, so they are often put into the position of translating. This paper includes previous literature on the subject, and uses interviews and questionnaires conducted with adults who have had experiences in the role of culture brokers as children. While many of the participants benefited by perfecting language skills and were able to assist their families, they generally did not enjoy their stressful experiences as culture brokers. Currently, Canada does not have any laws in place to govern this activity, and this research calls for the government to implement limitations to the practice of using children is such a role.

Interpreting for EFL Speakers in Humanitarian Organizations (MSF- Jordan): Roles and Challenges

This paper sheds light on the subjective experiences of interpreters who work with an international, medical humanitarian organization, namely MSF-Jordan. The paper seeks to explore the role/s that interpreters identify themselves as performing when working with MSF-Jordan, the challenges they encounter when working for such organizations where most of the officials are EFL speakers, and the strategies they adopt to overcome the challenges. The study uses a qualitative method through conducting interviews in the form of a questionnaire that was sent to seventeen interpreters who worked or still working with MSF-Jordan between 2011-2019. The questionnaire used in this study was developed by Stahuljak and its selection is based on its suitability for the purposes of the current study. Eleven interpreters responded, and the data was analyzed considering the research questions. The results show that interpreters identify themselves as performing the roles of conduits, culture brokers, and other. The interpreters identified challenges related to their lack of experience specifically in specialized terminologies, officials' accents, officials’ speaking pace, their feel of lack of recognition, too much work and having additional tasks other than interpreting. The study further shows that interpreters opt for various strategies to overcome the challenges such as asking for help in relevance to lack of knowledge, asking officials to repeat, guessing, and asking the officials to write down what they say to overcome the impediment of EFL.

Conclusion

The art of connection concludes with a discussion of what the experiences of Kenyan traders and culture brokers can tell us about globalization, development, and digital-power divides today. As the application of a Fair Trade sticker obfuscates complex economic realities, talking strictly of a digital divide in Kenya distracts attention from the historical formation of social inequality and masks the actions of certain powerful political, corporate, and development elites. Despite the hype for “Africa Rising,” ethnic and political tensions remain important. But the stories in this book are also optimistic and about innovation and tenacity. They also demonstrate that ethnic networks and the Kenyan government alike have the potential to bring security rather than insecurity. While connecting to the global economy comes with all types of new risks, new ethical branding and NGO aesthetics help Kenyans produce a sense of trust and transparency that is otherwise lacking and, therefore, central to maintaining Africa’s connection to the rest of the world today.