Influences and advice of theatrical consumption. A study about the effect of the theatre critics and other instances of evaluation in the habits of theatre attendance

This article analyses the influence that different criticism stages of proceedings exert in the habits of theatre attendance. The study is based on the survey carried out specifically for this research in which 210 people, who attended a theatrical representation, were interviewed in three different theatres in the city of Valencia. The study has revealed the mouth to mouth importance in the decision of attending the theatre and its stronger influence on the audiences who less frequently go to theatrical representations. The results obtained have also made clear the existence of a narrow relation between the advice effect of the theatre critics and the patterns of attendance to the theatre, just like its bigger influence between theatres with commercial orientation and those which are addressed to the broad audiences.

Valorization of cultural diversity throught Good Practices Dissemination on Art Mediation: sharing experiencies

In this article, as part of the Erasmus+ project “Divercity”, we focus on the collection and analysis of good practices in Spain and other countries in Europe. The project revolves around the development of methods that valorize cultural diversity and in this respect, identifying and sharing best practices on diversity and inclusion through artistic mediation inside museums, culture institutions, our urban walks, forms an mandatory stage of the research process.

Audiovisual Storytelling and Ideological Horizons : Audiences, Cultural Contexts and Extra-textual Meaning Making

Abstract: Audiovisual Storytelling and Ideological Horizons: Audiences, Cultural Contexts and Extra-textual Meaning Making In a society characterized by mediatization people are to an increasing degree dependent on mediated narratives as a primary means by which we make sense of our experience through time and our place in society (Hoover 2006, Lynch 2007, Hjarvard 2008, Hjarvard & Lövheim 2012). American media scholar Stewart Hoover points to symbols and scripts available in the media environment, what he call the “symbolic inventory” out of which individuals make religious or spiritual meaning (Hoover 2006: 55). Vernacular meaning-making embedded in everyday life among viewers’ dealing with fiction narratives in films and tv-series highlight a need for a more nuanced understanding of complex audiovisual storytelling. Moving images provide individuals with stories by which reality is maintained and by which humans construct ordered micro-universes for themselves using film as a resource for moral assessment and ideological judgments about life (Plantinga 2009, Johnston 2010, Axelson 2015). Important in this theoretical context are perspectives on viewers’ moral frameworks (Zillman 2005, Andersson & Andersson 2005, Frampton 2006, Avila 2007).This paper presentation will focus on ideological contested meaning making where audiences of different cultural background engage emotionally with filmic narratives, possibly eliciting ideological and spiritual meaning-making related to viewers’ personal world views. Through the example of the Homeland tv-series I want to discuss how spectators’ cultural, religious, political and ideological identities could be understood playing a role in the interpretative process of decoding content. Is it possible to trace patterns of different receptions of the multilayered and ambiguous story depicted in Homeland by religiously engaged Christians and Moslems as well as non-believers, in America, Europe and Middle East? How is the fiction narrative dealt with by spectators in the audience in different cultural contexts and how is it interpreted through the process of extra-text evaluation and real world2understanding in a global era preoccupied with war on terror? The presentation will also discuss methodological considerations about how to reach out to audiences anchored in different cultural context.

The Mormon Trail: Historic Byway Inventory and Evaluation, 1998

A three-step approach was used to do the study of the Mormon Trail. These involved research, field data collection and evaluation of the project corridors. Step one involved research on the location of the Trail, associated sites and the historic land use near the Trail between 1846 and 1868. The next step involved defining roads to be inventoried and the actual field survey. Step three involved evaluation of the inventoried corridors. This evaluation procedure was based on the methodology currently used by Iowa DOT to evaluate candidate scenic byway routes but involved different evaluation factors. The numeric results of the two analyses can be directly compared. The results of the field survey and evaluation are shown in detail by county. Inventory and evaluation procedures for historic and cultural byways are discussed in Appendix A.

Evaluation of Tottenham Thinking Space Pilot: Final Report. Research Report 11.

This reports summarises research that began in March 2014 and was completed in October 2015 by an experienced inter-disciplinary research team from the Centre for Social Justice and Change and Psycho-Social Research Group, School of Social Sciences, the University of East London (UEL) and included Dr Yang Li from the Centre for Geo-Information Studies, UEL, for the first phase of the study. Tottenham ‘Thinking Space’ (TTS) was a pilot therapeutic initiative based in local communities and delivered by the Tavistock & Portman NHS Foundation Trust and funded by the London Borough of Haringey Directorate of Public Health. TTS aimed to improve mental health and enable and empower local communities. TTS was situated within a mental health agenda that was integral to Haringey’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2012-2015 and aimed to encourage people to help themselves and each other and develop confident communities. On the one hand TTS was well-suited to this agenda, but, on the other, participants were resistant to, and were trying to free themselves from labelling that implied ‘mental health difficulties’. A total of 243 meetings were held and 351 people attended 1,716 times. The majority of participants attended four times or less, and 33 people attended between 5 and 10 times and 39 people attended over 10 times. Attending a small number of times does not necessarily mean that the attendee was not helped. Attendees reflected the ethnic diversity of Tottenham; 29 different ethnic groups attended. The opportunity to meet with people from different cultural backgrounds in a safe space was highly valued by attendees. Similarly, participants valued the wide age range represented and felt that they benefited from listening to inter-generational experiences. The majority of participants were women (72%) and they were instrumental in initiating further Thinking Spaces, topic specific meetings, the summer programme of activities for mothers and young children and training to meet their needs. The community development worker had a key role in implementing the initiative and sustaining its growth throughout the pilot period. We observed that TTS attracted those whose life experiences were marked by personal struggle and trauma. Many participants felt safe enough to disclose mental health difficulties (85% of those who completed a questionnaire). Participants also came seeking a stronger sense of community in their local area. Key features of the meetings are that they are democratic, non-judgemental, respectful, and focussed on encouraging everyone to listen and to try to understand. We found that the therapeutic method was put in place by high quality facilitators and health and personal outcomes for participants were consistent with those predicted by the underpinning psychoanalytical and systemic theories. Outcomes included a reduction in anxieties and improved personal and social functioning; approximately two thirds of those who completed a questionnaire felt better understood, felt more motivated and more hopeful for the future. The overwhelming majority of survey respondents also felt good about contributing to their community, said that they were more able to cooperate with others and accepting of other cultures, and had made new friends. Participants typically had a better understanding of their current situation and how to take positive action; of those who completed a questionnaire, over half felt more confident to seek support for a personal issue and to contact services. Members of TTS supported each other and instilled hope and build community-mindedness that reduced social isolation.

Assessing the resilience of a real-world social-ecological system: lessons from a multidisciplinary evaluation of a South African pastoral system

In the past decades, social-ecological systems (SESs) worldwide have undergone dramatic transformations with often detrimental consequences for livelihoods. Although resilience thinking offers promising conceptual frameworks to understand SES transformations, empirical resilience assessments of real-world SESs are still rare because SES complexity requires integrating knowledge, theories, and approaches from different disciplines. Taking up this challenge, we empirically assess the resilience of a South African pastoral SES to drought using various methods from natural and social sciences. In the ecological subsystem, we analyze rangelands’ ability to buffer drought effects on forage provision, using soil and vegetation indicators. In the social subsystem, we assess households’ and communities’ capacities to mitigate drought effects, applying agronomic and institutional indicators and benchmarking against practices and institutions in traditional pastoral SESs. Our results indicate that a decoupling of livelihoods from livestock-generated income was initiated by government interventions in the 1930s. In the post-apartheid phase, minimum-input strategies of herd management were adopted, leading to a recovery of rangeland vegetation due to unintentionally reduced stocking densities. Because current livelihood security is mainly based on external monetary resources (pensions, child grants, and disability grants), household resilience to drought is higher than in historical phases. Our study is one of the first to use a truly multidisciplinary resilience assessment. Conflicting results from partial assessments underline that measuring narrow indicator sets may impede a deeper understanding of SES transformations. The results also imply that the resilience of contemporary, open SESs cannot be explained by an inward-looking approach because essential connections and drivers at other scales have become relevant in the globalized world. Our study thus has helped to identify pitfalls in empirical resilience assessment and to improve the conceptualization of SES dynamics.

Evaluating the conservation of graffiti based on cultural significance.

Purpose – Graffiti, both ancient and contemporary, could be argued to be significant and therefore worthy of protection. Attaching value is, however, subjective with no specific method being solely utilised for evaluating these items. The purpose of this paper to help those who are attempting to evaluate the merit of graffiti to do so, by determining “cultural significance”, which is a widely adopted concept for attaching value to the historic built environment. The current Scottish system utilised to assess “cultural significance” is the Scottish Historic Environment Policy (SHEP) which shares many common features with other determinants of cultural significance in different countries. The SHEP document, as with other systems, could however be criticised for being insufficiently sensitive to enable the evaluation of historic graffiti due, in part, to the subjective nature of determination of aesthetic value. Design/methodology/approach – A review of literature is followed by consideration of case studies taken from a variety of historical and geographical contexts. The majority of examples of graffiti included in this paper have been selected for their relative high profile, previous academic study, and breadth of geographic spread. This selection will hopefully enable a relatively comprehensive, rational assessment to be undertaken. That being said, one example has been integrated to reflect commonly occurring graffiti that is typical to all of the built environment. Findings – The determination of aesthetic value is particularly problematic for the evaluator and the use of additional art‐based mechanisms such as “significant form”, “self expression” and “meaning” may aid this process. Regrettably, these determinants are also in themselves subjective, enhancing complexity of evaluation. Almost all graffiti could be said to have artistic merit, using the aforementioned determinants. However, whether it is “good” art is an all together different question. The evaluation of “good” art and graffiti would have traditionally been evaluated by experts. Today, determination of graffiti should be evaluated and value attached by broader society, community groups, and experts alike. Originality/value – This research will assist those responsible for historic building conservation with the evaluation of whether graffiti is worthy of conservation.

Evaluating historic graffiti based on cultural significance and definitions of art.

Many examples of historic graffiti have been shown to be worthy of attention and conservation. The examples discussed in this article have been selected for their previous academic study, enabling rational assessment. This work does not suggest that only those examples of historic graffiti that have been subject to academic investigation can be evaluated and classified. This article, the result of a collaboration between two individuals with complementary interests in building conservation and contextual studies in art and design, brings together formal techniques used in the assessment of cultural significance in traditional architectural conservation and established theories in the evaluation of art. It is the purpose of this work to help those who are attempting to evaluate the merit of graffiti to do so. The current Scottish system that assesses cultural significance may be incomplete in its evaluation of graffiti. This necessitates a supplementary investigation of the artistic characteristics and merit of graffiti. Almost all graffiti could be said to be 'art', using established definitions, but not 'good' art. This evaluation may only be undertaken by experts, as with other aspects of identification of cultural significance within the built environment.

Tutors as mediators of exchange student experiences: evaluation of the international student tutor system at the University of Turku

As academic student mobility is increasing, improving the functionality of international operations is recognised as a competitive advantage at tertiary education institutions. Although many scholars have researched the experiences of exchange students, the role of student tutors and their contribution to exchange students’ experiences is still an unknown factor. This research examines international tutoring at the University of Turku, and aims to understand better the way tutoring contributes to exchange experiences and to explore the functionality of the tutor system and discover areas for improvements. To achieve these goals, the research seeks to answer the fundamental research question: What is the role of tutors in mediating exchange experiences? The theoretical framework combines literature on mediating exchange experiences, the phenomenon of studying abroad, the process of adaptation, the importance of cross-cultural communication, and the role of student tutors as mediators. Based on the literature review, a theoretical model for studying the mediation of exchange experiences is introduced. The model’s applicability and validity is examined through a case study. Three methods were used in the empirical research: surveys, participant observations, and interviews. These methods provided extensive data from three major parties of the tutor system: tutors, exchange students, and the international office. The findings of the research reveal that tutoring – instrumental leading and social and cultural mediating – generates both negative and positive experiences depending on the individuals’ expectations, motivations, relationships, and the nature of the tutoring. Although functional, there are a few weaknesses in the tutor system. Tutors tend to act as effective instrumental leaders, but often fail to create a friendship and contribute to the exchange students’ experience through social and cultural mediation, which is significantly more important in the exchange students’ overall experience in terms of building networks, adapting, gaining emotional experiences, and achieving the stage of personal development and mental change. Based on the weaknesses, three improvements are suggested: (1) increasing comprehensive sharing of information, effective communication, and collective cooperation, (2) emphasising the importance of social and cultural mediation and increasing the frequency of interaction between tutors and exchange students, and (3) improving the recruitment and training, revising the process of reporting and rewarding, and finally, enhancing services and coordination.

Evaluation of the risk factors contributing to the African swine fever occurrence in Sardinia, Italy

This study assesses the relation between hypothesized risk factors and African swine fever virus (ASFV) distribution in Sardinia (Italy) after the beginning of the eradication program in 1993, using a Bayesian multivariable logistic regression mixed model. Results indicate that the probability of ASFV occurrence in Sardinia was associated to particular socio-cultural, productive and economical factors found in the region, particularly to large number of confined (i.e., closed) farms (most of them backyard), high road density, high mean altitude, large number of open fattening farms, and large number of pigs per commune. Conversely, large proportion of open farms with at least one census and large proportion of open farms per commune, were found to be protective factors for ASFV. Results suggest that basic preventive and control strategies, such as yearly census or registration of the pigs per farm and better control of the public lands where pigs are usually raised, together with endanced effords of outreach and communication with pig producers should help in the success of the eradication program for ASF in the Island. Methods and results presented here will inform decision making to better control and eradicate ASF in Sardinia and in all those areas with similar management and epidemiological conditions.

Green mitigation strategy for cultural heritage: bacterial potential for biocide production

Several biosurfactants with antagonistic activity are produced by a variety of microorganisms. Lipopeptides (LPPs) produced by some Bacillus strains, including surfactin, fengycin and iturin are synthesized nonribosomally by mega-peptide synthetase (NRPS) units and they are particularly relevant as antifungal agents. Characterisation, identification and evaluation of the potentials of several bacterial isolates were undertaken in order to establish the production of active lipopeptides against biodeteriogenic fungi from heritage assets. Analysis of the iturin operon revealed four open reading frames (ORFs) with the structural organisation of the peptide synthetases. Therefore, this work adopted a molecular procedure to access antifungal potential of LPP production by Bacillus strains in order to exploit the bioactive compounds synthesis as a green natural approach to be applied in biodegraded cultural heritage context. The results reveal that the bacterial strains with higher antifungal potential exhibit the same morphological and biochemical characteristics, belonging to the genera Bacillus. On the other hand, the higher iturinic genetic expression, for Bacillus sp. 3 and Bacillus sp. 4, is in accordance with the culture antifungal spectra. Accordingly, the adopted methodology combining antifungal screening and molecular data is represent a valuable tool for quick identification of iturin-producing strains, constituting an effective approach for confirming the selection of lipopeptides producer strains.

Cultural Values Change in the Rehabilitation of Historic Schools in Portugal

Despite the importance of the preservation of the historic built environment for the benefit of present and future generations, there is a lack of knowledge of the effects of architectural rehabilitation decisions on the cultural significance of historic buildings. Architectural heritage conservation literature has focused almost exclusively on providing principles and guidelines, describing intervention methodologies, and discussing predicted impacts of design on material values. This thesis argues that a focus on the actual effects is needed if the sociocultural sustainability of historic buildings significance is to be achieved. Supported by an extensive literature review and informed by personal insights from the researcher’s everyday practice, an adapted model of the Theory of Change based on Weiss (1995) was designed, providing a tool to evaluate the effects of rehabilitation on cultural significance [ERECS]. Using a selection of six recently rehabilitated historic secondary schools in Portugal (liceus), this research investigated architectural decisions and their effects on the cultural values of this building typology for education, focusing on three objectives, corresponding to three stages of interventions: understanding the existing cultural significance, identifying the design strategies applied and assessing the short-term effects of design decisions on the cultural values. Stressing the role of stakeholders in rehabilitation processes, data were collected from the buildings and architectural projects, the decision makers in the conservation process, and the school community. Although confirming that the evaluation of the effects of architectural decisions on cultural values is a complex task, the findings demonstrate that the historic liceus have historical, architectural and sociocultural values, and whilst strategies did not value social values, material cultural values were generally considered and preserved, contributing to the enhancement of intangible values. The implications of this theory-based and evidence-based research highlight the importance of evaluating actual effects for cultural heritage theory, architectural conservation practice and heritage management policy.

Accelerated ageing methodologies for the evaluation of particulate matter role in the corrosion of outdoor-exposed bronzes

Deterioration phenomena occurring on outdoor cultural heritage have been the subject of several studies, but relatively few works investigated the specific role of Particulate Matter (PM) in the corrosion of metals. This topic is really complex and, besides field exposures, accelerated ageing tests are also necessary to isolate and understand deterioration mechanisms due to PM. For this reason, the development of a methodology that allows to reproduce and analyze the effect of PM on alloys through accelerated ageing in climatic chamber has been started. On quaternary bronze specimens, single salts and a mix of them were deposited via two deposition methods: dry (directly depositing the salt on the surface) and wet (dropping a salt solution and drying it), simulating the initial chemical activation of the salts by RH% variations or by raindrops, respectively. Then, to better mimic the composition of real PM, a mixture containing a soluble salts, a mineral, a black carbon and an organic fraction was formulated and spread on the samples. The samples were placed in a climatic chamber and exposed to cyclic variations of T and RH for three weeks. The ageing cycles were set according to predictions on salt deliquescence/recrystallization through E-AIM model and to the evaluation of regional climatic data. The surface evolution was followed by SEM-EDX, Raman, AT-IR and UV-Vis Spectrophotometry. At the end of the test, mass losses were determined and corroded metals removed by pickling were analyzed by AAS. On the basis of the obtained results, the tested procedures seem to be promising in accelerating and mimicking realistic corrosion phenomena, as under the selected conditions, corrosion products typically found at different exposure time (from days to years) on outdoor bronzes were able to progressively form and evolve. Moreover, the two deposition modes simulating different condition of chemical activation of PM deposits allow to obtain complementary information.

Evaluation of an intervention focusing on children to promote physical activity in the entire community: Feasibility, effectiveness and sustainability over time.

Regular physical activity (PA) during childhood is associated with physical, mental, emotional and social health benefits. The constant practice of PA is considered one of the best buys available in public health. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends to perform at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous PA for children and adolescents in order to obtain health benefits. However, globally, this level of PA is hardly achieved. Children and adolescent who do not reach the recommended levels of PA are defined as physically inactive and nowadays physical inactivity constitutes a new type of pandemic. For this reason, the WHO launched a global action plan addressing physical activity with a goal of reducing physical inactivity in children and youth. The plan also included recommendation to improve individual and community health and contribute to the social, cultural and economic development of all nations. Worldwide, children and adolescents spend a significant amount of time in school and for this reason the school represents a fundamental educational setting that can play a pivotal role increasing students’ PA. Opportunities to be physically active should not be considered purely in relation to when children attend physical education classes but also making physical activity available during the school day, such as physically active lessons, and multicomponent PA interventions. Since school-based PA interventions are quite numerous, the present thesis focused on interventions delivered during school hours and that integrate small doses of PA as part of routine instruction. This type of intervention is called “Active Breaks.” Active Breaks consists of brief 5–15 minutes sessions of PA led by teachers who introduce short bursts of PA into the academic lesson. In light of this the present thesis aims to evaluate the feasibility, efficacy and sustainability of an Active Breaks intervention targeting children to promote PA.

Evaluation Of The Radiopacity Of Esthetic Root Canal Posts.

The radiopacity of esthetic root canal posts may impair the assessment of their fit to the root canal when using radiographic images. This study determined in vitro the radiographic density of esthetic root canal posts using digital images. Thirty-six roots of human maxillary canines were assigned to six groups (N=6 per group): Reforpost (RP); Aestheti-Plus (AP); Reforpost MIX (RPM); D.T. Light Post (LP); Reforpost Radiopaque (RPR); and White Post DC (WP). Standardized digital images of the posts were obtained in different conditions: outside the root canal, inside the canal before and after cementation using luting material, and with a tissue simulator. Analysis of variance was used to compare the radiopacity mean values among the posts outside the root canal and among the posts under the other conditions, and the t unpaired test to compare the radiopacity between the posts and the dentin, and between the posts and the root canal space. There was no statistically significant difference in radiopacity between RP and RPM, and LP and WP. AP posts showed radiopacity values significantly lower than those for dentin. No statistically significant difference was found between posts (RP and AP) and the root canal space. A statistically significant difference was observed between the luted and non-luted posts; additionally, luted posts with and without tissue simulator showed no significant differences. Most of the cement-luted posts analyzed in this study were distinguishable from the density of adjacent dentin surfaces, allowing radiographic confirmation of the fit of the post in the canal. The success of using esthetic root canal posts depends mainly on the fit of the post within the canal.[1] The radiopacity of a post allows for radiographic imaging to be used to determine the fit, an important factor in a clinical perspective.