Amazonia Beyond Borders: Indigenous Land Protection for an Indigenous Group in Voluntary Isolation

This article looks at the land protection efforts by the Manxineru, whose lands are affected by numerous actors: state agencies, enterprises and transnational mega-extraction projects. We draw especially from the experiences, activities, and articulation of the Manxineru in protection of the land for the Yine Hosha Hajene (Mascho-Piro), their kin living in voluntary isolation, who circulate more in the Manxineru’s demarcated territory in the Brazilian-Peruvian border area. The article presents Manxineru’s key land protection practices that have been strengthening the social networks of different actors as a go-between with other Indigenous group and authorities of the dominant society, as well as managing better their own forest resource use, gathering economies, and hunting practices for healthy relations of human-environment assemblage. Indigenous knowledge and perspectives for the protection of ancestral land, beyond the borders of the state-set Indigenous reserves and protected areas, have become crucial in creating new governance models. By these methods, the Manxineru have managed to cope with differing economic interests and values in living that oppose and ignore their human-environment relationality and interactions. Yet, as we will point out, the mosaic of different Indigenous areas and conservation still need the implementation of state protective activities by a variety of governmental actors.

“The cripple walked! The cripple talked!”: Contextualising Sign Language and Audism in Memoirs of Deafness

The hegemony of speech has created notions of superiority among the hearing community propagating an audist attitude, which Tom Humphries defines as a form of discrimination towards the deaf in a hearing-dominant society. Deafness as a social phenomenon necessitates a reconsideration of the status of speech and sound. The huge chasm between the hearing and the deaf can be resolved only through the normalisation of every mode of communication. In a close reading of two memoirs of deafness: Henry Kisor’s What’s That Pig Outdoors? (1990) and Madan Vashishta’s Deaf in Delhi (2006), this article examines the similar experiences of the deaf from different linguistic, national and cultural backgrounds. Drawing theoretical insights from Leonard Davis, Neil Stephen Glickman, and Dirksen Bauman, among others, the article argues that these memoirs enable a non-essentialised perception of deafness and question the preconceived stance in relation to language. In so doing, the article also addresses the status of Sign Language as a means of communication in contemporary times.

Diana, the Challenger: A Feminist Figure of Power and Salvation in Hollywood Feminist Fantasy Wonder Woman (2017)

Jenkins (2017) Wonder Woman is a portrayal of the traditional role of feminism, in which masculine traits including courage, strength, leadership, independence, and assertiveness are used to overwhelm male-dominant society, while manhood as a masculine trait is challenged by a woman constantly striving for power and authority. Marriage is shown as a failed philosophy in the movie, while men are shown just a minimal need to procreate. ‘Wonder Woman’ has an extensive gay male and lesbian fan base. This task approaches Wonder Woman with a semiotic and cultural examination to perceive how her character is comprised of some syntagmas that empower this sort of identification like same-sex society, battling bigotry, discovering one's place, and flourishing in transformation. The analysis shows that the virtue of fighting for peace in Diana has been compromised with the amalgamation of feminists’ radical approach. She has been presented as a female rebellion, while the rightful cause of the caretaker feminists has been degenerated by the amalgamating of bad feminism with good feminism. Keywords: masculine traits, male-dominant society, feminism, syntagmas, same-sex society, female rebellion

The Dragonfly Effect: Analysis of the Social Media Women’s Empowerment Campaign

Social media can advocate for social causes and catalyse audience support. To better understand the role of social media in advocacy communication, this article explores how advocates utilised Facebook to advocate for the ‘Taa Marbuta’ women empowerment campaign in Egypt. Our research draws on the dragonfly effect model and muted group theory as theoretical and analytical frameworks. In-depth interviews are conducted with advocates from all campaign partners who were directly involved in planning and managing the campaign. Following the dragonfly effect model, findings show that the campaign has a clear goal and uses various message strategies and pop culture for grabbing audience attention and generating audience engagement; however, there is no clear call for action. Thematic analysis also reveals two emerging themes: customisation of women empowerment communication and a supportive community of women empowerment that can stimulate societal debates necessary for social change. This study contends that including men can mitigate the muted effect on women in a male-dominant society and paves the way towards women’s empowerment. Overall, this study shows how social media helps make the ‘Taa Marbuta’ campaign an icon of women empowerment.

Perpetual Foreigner in One’s Own Land: Potential Implications for Identity and Psychological Adjustment

The perpetual foreigner stereotype posits that members of ethnic minorities will always be seen as the “other” in the White Anglo-Saxon dominant society of the US (Devos & Banaji, 2005), which may have negative implications for them. The goal of the present research was to determine whether awareness of this perpetual foreigner stereotype predicts identity and psychological adjustment. We conducted a series of studies with 231 Asian Americans and 211 Latino/as (Study 1), 89 African Americans (Study 2), and 56 Asian Americans and 165 Latino/as (Study 3). All participants completed measures of perceived discrimination, awareness of the perpetual foreigner stereotype, conflict between ethnic and national identities, sense of belonging to American culture, and demographics. In Study 3, participants also completed measures of psychological adjustment: depression, hope, and life satisfaction. All participants were students at a large, public university on the West Coast of the US. Across studies, we found that even after controlling for perceived discrimination, awareness of the perpetual foreigner stereotype was a significant predictor of identity conflict and lower sense of belonging to American culture. From Study 3, we also found that, above and beyond perceived discrimination, awareness of the perpetual foreigner stereotype significantly predicted lower hope and life satisfaction for Asian Americans, and that it was a marginal predictor of greater depression for Latino/as. These results suggest that the perpetual foreigner stereotype may play a role in ethnic minority identity and adjustment.

MALE HEGEMONY IN THE PLAYS OF VIJAY TENDULKAR

In the sphere of drama, the name of Vijay Tendulkar does not require any introduction. In the galaxy of Indo-Anglo playwrights, Tendulkar is one of the most shining stars. Marathi Theatre is incomplete without the contribution made by Vijay Tendulkar. This Marathi literary figure is a multifaceted personality. He is the one who brought revolution in Marathi Theatre. An avant-garde playwright, Tendulkar has shown versatility by writing several works including one-act plays, children’s plays, short stories, essay collections etc. Vijay Tendulkar is the mouthpiece of the oppressed women in male dominant society. He has deep insight into human nature. He has proved in his plays that it is the male dominant society that does not allow woman to rise from the status of man’s foot. They are exploited, tortured, taunted both physically and emotionally. They are considered inferior to male human beings as male human beings are victims of their superiority complex. Even in some of the societies they are treated as bane while the male child is hailed as boon. His plays depict that women are treated as mere commodities. He has shown how the voice of women is suppressed when they try to voice their concerns against the cruelties. He makes a psychological study of human characters in his plays. An analytical approach to his plays reveals that women are deprived of the life they wish to live. The present research paper focuses on his four plays, to bring to light the enslaved and exploited position of women in society. In ‘Sakharam Binder’ and ‘Kamala’ he brings to light how women are enslaved and exploited. In ‘Silence! The Court is in Session’ and ‘Kanaydaan’ he ascertains the fact that it is male human being who is responsible for the exploitation of women.

ACCULTURATION STRATEGIES OF MIGRANTS IN KONTEXT OF THEIR CROSS-CULTURAL INTERACTIONS

The article highlights that the phenomenon of cross-cultural interactions retains its significance and relevance during the time of rapid globalization and active migration. Intercultural conflicts often lead to social imbalance, alienation, separation, and even to the loss of national identity. Everything depends on the nature of acculturation pathways, i.e. the strategies migrants choose in order to adapt to a multicultural environment. Within the framework of cross-cultural psychology, J. Berry – an influential Canadian scholar in the field of social multiculturalism – proposed the concept in terms of intercultural relations and acculturation strategies. According to the researcher, the latter comprises two components, namely: socio-cultural attitudes and the real model of individual behavior under specific conditions, which rarely coincide. Such strategies as assimilation, separation/segregation, marginalization, and integration have been discussed in the article. By assimilation we mean the refusal from or complete loss of people’s cultural identity, traditions, language, and the consequential unification with the dominant ethnic group. Separation or segregation is defined by the absence of significant relations or contacts with the dominant ethnic group and the preservation of ethnic identity and traditions. This strategy can take the form of either segregation or separation, depending on which group (dominant or non-dominant) controls the situation. Marginalization is characterized by the feeling of alienation, the loss of the sense of identity, and the so-called acculturation stress. This strategy leads to the deprivation of cultural and psychological interactions with both the traditional and dominant cultures due to exclusion or discrimination. Integration is perceived as both the preservation of the cultural integrity of a certain group and the desire to become an essential part of a larger community. Therefore, integration can be considered the middle ground between preserving one's cultural identity and joining a dominant society. In conclusion, the integration strategy is considered the most successful. However, it should also be emphasized that such factors as a relatively low level of social prejudice, positive relationships between different cultural groups, and a wide range of cultural values within a society are vital for the effective implementation of the strategy. In further research, we intend to investigate which of the strategies mentioned international students use most during the process of their acculturation to a foreign academic environment.

Political Subjectivation and the In/Visible Politics of Migrant Youth Organizing in Germany and the United States

In countries of the Global North, migrant youth with a precarious legal status are not commonly seen as political subjects, but as subjects of politics. Against this background, this paper reflects on how migrant youth nevertheless manage to organize themselves and intervene in the dominant society, thereby emerging as unforeseen political subjects. Discussing acts of citizenship and autonomy of migration approaches, I argue for the use of a multifaceted concept of collective political subjectivation. Doing so sheds light on how migrant struggles exceed categorization as protest, moments of rupture, or imperceptible subversion. While drawing on Jacques Rancière's concept of “political subjectivation,” I go beyond his rather narrow focus by highlighting aspects of democracy, transgression, and in/visibility, as well as creative modes of identity-making, which could be further developed in the literature on political subjectivities and migrant struggles. This theoretical reflection builds on two qualitative case studies on migrant youth organizing in Germany and the United States that show the relevance of visible as well as relatively invisible politics. In both cases, I analyze two events that provide insight into this complex notion of political subjectivation: “Coming Out of the Shadows” in the United States and the counter-conferences in Germany.

A History of Marginalization - Africville: a Canadian Example of Forced Migration

The people of Africville, Nova Scotia were removed from their homes and had their community razed in the 1960s during an era of urban renewal. Africville, Nova Scotia will be explored as an example of forced resettlement in Canada. Specifically, this case study will display the extreme racism Black people in Nova Scotia have endured upon settlement and onward. This paper will trace their migration, while highlighting the exclusion from the dominant society – by the colonial government of Nova Scotia, through lack of access to quality land, hence denial of their livelihoods. The racialization of space and the dominance of whiteness theories will be applied to the case of Africville and Blacks in Nova Scotia. The migration of Black people to Nova Scotia is unique, in that they arrived in Canada during the same time as the early European settlers, yet are still treated as the Other.