Contemporary Transformations of the Relations between Politics, Culture and Religion in Western Europe. Some Notes on the Spanish Case

According to Tilly, two laws shaped the process of transformation undergone by Western European societies since the Peace of Westphalia until the end of the 20th century: their increasing inner homogenisation and their growing heterogeneity between them. Cultural inner homogenisation affected, fi rst, those ethnic groups living within the territories of the said states. The second phase of homogenisation impinged on those groups that immigrated after World War II. This process followed different models according to the country considered, but the 1973 oil crisis revealed their general lack of success. During the last quarter of the 20th century and onwards, these European societies have been altered by two progressive and contradictory global logics: a process of cultural homogenisation at the world level (rather than society level) and a process of cultural re-creation led by those groups with an immigrant background, who have reacted against their integration shortcomings by searching for new sources of social and personal esteem in their respective cultural and religious traditions. This paper seeks to clarify these processes from a social differentiation and political representation theory perspective. The latter becomes indispensable, as the said processes have happened in a context in which the structure of relations (i.e. communication) between civil society and the democratic political sphere have experienced a radical crisis. In this way, the complex relations that exist between civil society, culture, religion and politics in these Western European societies are depicted.

Análisis de elementos gráficos de contenido occidental en los glifos de los códices coloniales del centro de México: el caso de los antropónimos castellanos

En este trabajo presentamos el estudio de los glifos nahuas coloniales de antropónimos castellanos que contienen algún elemento occidental en su composición. Es decir, analizamos los «prestamos» que los tlacuiloque o escribas indígenas tomaron para escribirlos. Para llevarlo a cabo hemos revisado multitud de códices aunque somos conscientes de que no hemos tenido acceso a todos ellos. No obstante, consideramos que el resultado final recoge la mayor parte de ellos y ofrece datos que nos permitirá en próximos estudios relacionar antropónimos nahuas, topónimos, oficios, cargos, barrios, etc., en los que también se incluyeron elementos culturales occidentales.

La vegetación herbácea vivaz climatófila supra y oromediterránea (Koelerio-Corynephoretea) en Gredos occidental, Sistema Central, España

Se ha realizado un estudio fitosociológico de la vegetación herbácea vivaz climatófila supra-oromediterránea perteneciente a la clase Koelerio-Corynephoretea en el macizo occidental de la Sierra de Gredos. Como resultado del mismo se describen las siguientes subasociaciones: Centaureo ornatae-Stipetum lagascae euphorbietosurn oxyphyllae, Arrhenathero baetici-Stipetum giganteae euphorbietosum oxyphyllae, Leucanthemopsio pallidae-Festucetum elegantis stipetosum giganteae y Thymo zygidis-Plantaginetum radicatae euphorbietosum oxyphyllae. Además se aportan datos de Leucanthemopsio pallidae-Festucetum elegantis typicum y Arenario querioidis-Festucetum summilusitanae.

Contribución al conocimiento del polen y de las semillas del género Spergularia en Andalucía occidental

Se estudia al microscopio óptico y al microscopio electrónico de barrido el polen y las semillas de los nueve taxones del género Spergularia representados en Andalucía occidental. El polen resulta ser variable en tamaño y morfología, por lo que su interés taxonómico es sólo relativo si se compara con el de las semillas, que constituyen un carácter útil para la separación de taxones. Se elabora una clave dicotómica para la separación de las especies en función de los caracteres estudiados.

Aportaciones al conocimiento de la flora de Córdoba y de Andalucía Occidental

Se incluyen en esta nota 24 táxones recolectados en las Sierras Subbéticas cordobesas, la mayor parte de los cuales constituyen novedades para la flora de Córdoba y uno de ellos, Ononis pusilla L., para la de Andalucía Occidental.

Upin & Ipin: Promoting malaysian culture values through animation

Malaysian children lately have been exposed or influenced heavily by digital media entertainment. The rise of such entertainment tends to drive them away from understanding and appreciating the values of Malaysian culture. Upin and Ipin animation has successfully promoted Malaysian folklore culture and has significantly portrayed the art of Malaysian values including Islamic values by providing the platform for harmonious relationship among different societies or groups or religious backgrounds. The focus of this research is to look into the usage of Malaysian culture iconic visual styles such as backgrounds, lifestyles, character archetypes and narrative (storytelling). Therefore, we hope that this research will benefit the younger generation by highlighting the meaning and importance of implicit Malaysian culture.

Places making: participatory construction of scientifi c culture cities

In the framework of the European project Platform of Local Authorities and Communicators Engaged in Science (PLACES), we analyse the articulations between scientifi c communication, public perception of science, processes of citizen participation and apropiation of space, based on a case study of the inhabitants of Teruel city, Autonomous Community of Aragon, Spain. On the interrelationships between these issues, there are a number of contradictions, such as the difference between a high interest for information about science and technology and a low level of recognition and interaction with local institutions involved in those activities, the complex conceptualization of scientifi c space in relation to the “public-private” pair, or an articulation of a claiming civic rethoric and an insuffi cient co-responsibility. We conclude that, in a local context, the dimension of territoriality and, in particular, the identifi cation with the town, is a central mediation for activating citizen participation as part of processes of appropriation of space for setting up cities of scientifi c culture.

Gaze and power. A post-structuralist interpretation on Perseus’ myth

Gaze hierarchizes, manages and labels reality. Then, according to Foucault, gaze can be understood as a practice of power. This paper is inspired by his theories, and it applies them to one of the most powerful symbolic spheres of Western culture: Greek Myths. Notions such as visibility, invisibility and panopticism bring new light into the story of Perseus and Medusa, and they enable a re-reading of this Myth focused on the different ways of power that emerge from the gaze.