International conference paper presentations: A multimodal analysis to determine effectiveness

International conference presentations represent one of the biggest challenges for academics using English as a Lingua Franca (ELF). This paper aims to initiate exploration into the multimodal academic discourse of oral presentations, including the verbal, written, non-verbal material (NVM) and body language modes. It offers a Systemic Functional Linguistic (SFL) and multimodal framework of presentations to enhance mixed-disciplinary ELF academics' awareness of what needs to be taken into account to communicate effectively at conferences. The model is also used to establish evaluation criteria for the presenters' talks and to carry out a multimodal discourse analysis of four well-rated 20-min talks, two from the technical sciences and two from the social sciences in a workshop scenario. The findings from the analysis and interviews indicate that: (a) a greater awareness of the mode affordances and their combinations can lead to improved performances; (b) higher reliance on the visual modes can compensate for verbal deficiencies; and (c) effective speakers tend to use a variety of modes that often overlap but work together to convey specific meanings. However, firm conclusions cannot be drawn on the basis of workshop presentations, and further studies on the multimodal analysis of ‘real conferences’ within specific disciplines are encouraged.

El sistema de reserva indígena como organización social de tutela estatal. El caso de Canadá

Este trabajo tiene como objetivo examinar el impacto y las consecuencias sociales contemporáneas del mantenimiento del sistema de organización social denominado reserva indígena en Canadá. Mediante un estudio de caso, se explora cómo la política organizacional y la estructura institucional contemporánea en las reservas indígenas canadienses está alimentando problemas psicosociales y de salud mental como, por ejemplo, abuso de sustancias psicoactivas, depresión, negligencia parental, violencia doméstica... Tres características estructurales son identificadas como problemas inherentes en la estructura organizacional de las reservas contemporáneas: el desempleo estructural, la dependencia a programas de asistencia social y el faccionalismo comunitario.

Postcolonial healing landscapes and mental health in a remote Indigenous community in subarctic Ontario, Canada

The concept of therapeutic landscape is concerned with a holistic, socio-ecological model of health, but most studies have attempted to explore land-health links from a Western perspective. On an Indigenous reserve in Northern Ontario, part of the Canadian subarctic, we explore the importance of spaces and places in creating postcolonial therapeutic landscapes to treat the wounds inflicted by colonialism. The aim of this research is to gain insight from views and experiences of First Nations residents living on reservations that are undergoing a process of regaining traditional spiritual beliefs and teachings to construct therapeutic spaces to face mental health problems caused by legal opioid analgesic abuse. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with Cree and Ojibwe participants to understand how they are reconnecting with earth, spirituality and traditional animist beliefs on their way to recovery. We find that practices such as taking part in ceremonies and ritual spaces, and seeking knowledge and advice from Elders assist with personal healing and enable Indigenous people to be physically and mentally healthy. Our research findings provide important insights into the relationship between space, healing and culture as determinants of health and well-being and document some key factors that contribute to substance abuse recovery.

An Architecture by means of Anthropology. Beyond learning the tools of social science

Los arquitectos y urbanistas tienen una larga tradición en el aprendizaje de las herramientas de las ciencias sociales, especialmente las que les permiten analizar y describir mejor los entornos y las personas para las que trabajan. Esto ha llevado a los arquitectos a desarrollar mejores herramientas de observación y descripción del ámbito social y no sólo el material. Sin embargo, la mayoría de las veces este acercamiento interdisciplinar ha identificado las ciencias sociales, especialmente la antropología, con la etnografía. Este artículo parte de la crítica a esta identificación hecha por el antropólogo Tim Ingold y se centra en lo que él propone como el método central de la antropología, la observación participante. Para después revisar varias propuestas actuales de científicos sociales que tratan de desarrollar una disciplina no representacional y orientada al futuro, un objetivo más cercano al de la arquitectura. El artículo intenta imaginar cómo esta práctica transdisciplinar podría desarrollarse.

Japanese virtual communication survey : a brief analysis of contemporary graphic designers from Japan

To research graphic design in a globalized context it is primordial to consider cultural, social, historical and even anthropological studies to fully understand the aesthetics’ choices made by the designer’s. Being the “Japanese graphic design” a topic still to be better understand in the West, it is mandatory to gather information from primary sources. These data will be analyzed with support of secondary sources of information about Japanese visual communication, social and cultural studies. This paper presents comments about the result of a survey applied to 105 Japanese graphic designers. The survey was designed with 44 questions. The original survey, to better follow this report can be found in www.studiohobo.com/CONVERGENCIAS/Flavio_Hobo_Survey.pdf

Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

v. 57 (1921-1922)

Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

v. 37 (1901-1902)

A guide to reading in social ethics and allied subjects: lists of books and articles selected and described for the use of general readers

by teachers in Harvard University.

Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

v. 52 (1916-1917)

Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

v. 2 (1848-1852)

Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

v. 11, new ser. v. 3 (1875-1876)

Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

v. 24, new ser. v. 16 (1888-1889)

Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

v. 56 (1920-1921)

Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

v. 35 (1899-1900)

Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

v. 36 (1900-1901)