Germanic Mythology in Music: Cultural Memory and Conflict within the Framework of Modern Globalization

The multi-layered enactment of a national past in music has been strongly intertwined with the usage of mythological elements. Having often been compiled as a coherent narrative during the emergence of the European nation-states (like the Finnish Kalevala), the mythological material has often been perceived as a form of historical truth and national justification. This focal role is also apparent in various music genres ranging from folk revival to metal in post-1989 Europe. Within the globalized context, however, local-national interpretations can collide with earlier nationalist appropriations. This complex and sometimes politically conflicting situation becomes particularly evident with groups falling back on symbols and narrations that had previously been employed by Nazi-Germany. While Nazi-Germany had, among others, tried replace the Christmas tradition with elements and songs from Germanic (and other) mythological sources, modern Neo-Nazi music groups often employ central mythological names (like Odin or Tyr) and iconic elements (like Vikings and warriors) in song lyrics and CD cover designs. However, while many covers and lyrics are legally forbidden in Germany, Scandinavian and Baltic groups (like the Faroese Viking metal group Tyr and the Latvian pagan metal band Skyforger) employ similar elements of Norse mythology, which are often combined with traditional material. Discussing selected case studies, this paper highlights central discursive points of colliding historical-national associations and individual interpretations of the mythological elements in musical contexts. How far can the material be disassociated from the earlier historical political usage and instrumentalization? Is this necessary ? And how can the specific global-local conflict points be approached by a theoretical framework ?

A summative evaluation of a HIV/AIDS Early Childhood Care, Education and Development Teacher Training Workshop in Mongu, Zambia

Objective. To conduct a summative evaluation of an Early Childhood Care, Education and Development (ECCED) Teacher Training Workshop in Mongu, Zambia by assessing changes in knowledge, attitudes and intent to use the information. ^ Study design. A matched cohort survey design was used with additional qualitative data collected by structured observation of workshop sessions, daily facilitator and participant debriefs and participant interviews. ^ Results. Matching pre and post tests were completed by 27 individuals in addition to daily debriefs, structured workshop observation and participant interviews with 22% of the group. The participant population was predominantly female individuals aged 15-44 years old that had completed high school and additional post-secondary training, been teaching children aged 0 – 8 years for 2-5 years in the Western Province and received other HIV/AIDS and ECCED education. Pre-tests indicated a strong understanding of ECCED principles and misconceptions regarding HIV transmission, prevention and the disease's impact on early childhood development. The workshop was found to significantly increase the participants' knowledge of topics covered by the curriculum (paired t-test, N=27, p = 0.004, 95% CI 1.8, 8.6). Participants began with a more limited understanding of HIV/AIDS than ECCED, but the mean gain was much greater at 7.4 +/- 12.3 points. Significantly more participants believed at post-test that HIV/AIDS education should increase for future educators. The 77.8% of participants that increased their knowledge scores at post-test expressed significantly less fear of having a child with HIV/AIDS in the classroom (Independent Samples t-test, N= 27, p = 0.011). Overall participant fear decreased 15.5%. 92.6% and 88.9% of participants planned at post-test to respectively use and share the taught information in their daily professional lives and reported on innovative strategies to communicate with the community. ^ Conclusions. Teacher training workshops can significantly increase HIV/AIDS awareness and promote positive attitudes in educators working with children affected by HIV/AIDS. Using participant suggested teaching techniques such as poems and songs and translating the materials to the local language could assist future facilitators to both culturally and professionally relate to the workshop audience as well as increase participant capacity to share the information with the local community. ^

Acoustic and neural bases for innate recognition of song

In behavior reminiscent of the responsiveness of human infants to speech, young songbirds innately recognize and prefer to learn the songs of their own species. The acoustic and physiological bases for innate recognition were investigated in fledgling white-crowned sparrows lacking song experience. A behavioral test revealed that the complete conspecific song was not essential for innate recognition: songs composed of single white-crowned sparrow phrases and songs played in reverse elicited vocal responses as strongly as did normal song. In all cases, these responses surpassed those to other species’ songs. Although auditory neurons in the song nucleus HVc and the underlying neostriatum of fledglings did not prefer conspecific song over foreign song, some neurons responded strongly to particular phrase types characteristic of white-crowned sparrows and, thus, could contribute to innate song recognition.

Russia in Serbia – soft power and hard interests. OSW COMMENTARY No. 150, 2014-10-29

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Serbia on 16 October has demonstrated Moscow’s willingness to secure its interests in the Balkans and use Belgrade in its confrontation with the West. It seems, however, that Russia does not have much to offer to Serbia’s authorities, which are reluctant to make more concessions towards Russia. However, Moscow has already gained a strong position in Serbia, which is due to the country’s dependence on Russian natural resources and, in particular, strong support for Russian policy on the part of Serbian elites and society. The traditional pro-Russian attitudes have been strengthened as a result of a series of Russia-inspired, wide-ranging soft power initiatives which have proved so successful that a large part of society has begun to believe that Russia’s interests are consistent with Serbia’s. Russia’s increasingly active policy towards Serbia and the Serbian minorities in the neighbouring countries – Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Kosovo – has been part of a larger plan aimed at hampering the integration of the Balkan states with the Euro-Atlantic structures and maintaining an area of instability and frozen conflicts in the EU’s near neighbourhood. Russia’s policy is also becoming increasingly effective due to the EU states’ diminishing support for Balkan countries’ European integration.

Schwedische Volkslieder der Vorzeit /

Mode of access: Internet.

An eighteenth century miscellany; the classics of the eighteenth century which typify and reveal an era: Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, John Gay...[and others]

Swift, Jonathan. The Drapier's letters.--Pope, Alexander. The Dunciad.--Gay, John. The beggar's opera.--Chesterfield, Earl of. Selected letters to his son.-- Sterne, Laurence. A sentimental journey through France and Italy.--Walpole, Horace. The castle of Otranto.--Sheridan, R. B. The school for scandal.--Gibbon, Edward. Memoirs of my life and writings.--Blake, William. Songs of innocence and songs of experience.

The life and works of Alfred, lord Tennyson.

"Chronology of works": v.1, p. xix-xxvii.

Die Lieder aller Völker und Zeiten : aus 75 fremden Sprachen, in metrischen deutschen Uebersetzungen und mit Quellenangaben versehen. Nach dem Vorbilde von J. G. von Herders "Stimmen der Völker" /

I. Hymnen- und Heldenbuch.--II. Familienbuch.--III. Lieder in Freude und Leid.--IV. Balladen und Romanzen.

Poems of home and travel/

"Californian ballads and poems": p. 131-165.

The collected poetical works of Algernon Charles Swinburne.

"First printed (Chatto), 1904; reprinted 1904, '09, '10, '12, (Heinemann) 1917."

A kindergarten book of folk-songs. [music] /

With piano accompaniment.

The works in verse and prose,

Sketches of the life, character and writings of the late Robert Treat Paine, jun., esq. -- Monody on the death of Robert Treat Paine, jun., esq. -- Columbia's bard. -- Tributary lines, on the death of Robert Treat Paine, jun., esq. -- pt. I. College exercises.--pt. II. Miscellaneous poems.--pt. III. Odes and songs.--pt. IV. Prose writings.--Notes.

An address delivered before the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association, October 4, 1827, being the anniversary for the choice of officers, and the seventh triennial celebration of their public festival. ...

Pages [41]-48 contain hymns and songs sung at the celebration.

Sagen, Legenden, Mährchen und Erzählungen aus der Geschichte des sächsischen Volkes in einer Reihe von Romanzen, Balladen etc. /

Mode of access: Internet.

The novels and tales of Robert Louis Stevenson.

XVI. A child's garden of verses. Underwoods. Ballads.--XVII. Vailima letters: correspondence addressed to Sidney Colvin.--XVIII. Memoir of Fleming Jenkins. Records of a family of engineers.--XIX. In the South seas. A foot-note to history.--XX. Weir of Hermiston. The plays of W.E. Henley and R.L. Stevenson. Fables.--XXI. St. Ives: being the adventures of a French prisoner in England.--XXII. Sketches. Criticisms., etc.--XXIII-XXIV. Letters to his family and friends, selected and ed. ... by S. Colvin.-- ... XXV. New Letters, selected and ed. by S. Colvin.