Malay Kingship in Kedah : Religion, Trade, and Society

The book probes and examines traditional sources of royal power and control, as well as indigenous socio-political systems in the Malay world. It is focused on the north-western Malaysian Sultanate of Kedah which is acknowledged as the oldest unbroken independent kingship line in the ‘Malay and Islamic world’ with 1,000 years of history. Little scholarly attention has been paid to its pre-modern history, society, religion, system of government and unique geographic situation, potentially controlling both land and sea lines of communication into the remainder of Southeast Asia. It will thus provide the first comprehensive treatment in English, or other languages, on Kedah’s pre-modern and nineteenth century historiography and can provide a foundation for comparative studies of the various Malay states which is presently lacking. The proposed book also sheds much needed light on a range of important topics in Malay history including: Kedah and the northern Melaka Straits history, colonial expansion and rivalry, Southeast Asian history and politics, interregional migration and the influence of the sea peoples or orang laut, traditional Malay socio-political and economic life, Islamic influences and the course of Thai-Malay relations. The book attempts to offer a new understanding, not only of Kedah, but of the political and cultural development of the entire Malay world and of its relationships with the broader forces in both its continental and maritime settings. It argues that Kedah does not seem to follow, and in fact, often seems to contradict what has been commonly been accepted as the “typical model” of the traditional Malay state. Thus it concludes that the ruling dynasty has historically exploited a wide range of unique environmental conditions, local traditions, global spiritual trends and economic forces to preserve and strengthen its political position. The scope and theme of book The Kedah Sultanate is the oldest unbroken independent kingship lines in the “Malay world” with 1,000 years of history, and arguably one of the oldest in the Islamic world. In this study I examine key geopolitical and spiritual attributes of Malay kingship that have traditionally cemented the ruler, the peoples, and the environment. Brief description of the primary audience for the book: There is little written in English or Malay on Kedah’s pre twentieth century history. The available sources only look at certain aspects of Kedah’s history, are outdated or are confined to a specific period often outside the scope of the book. It is therefore anticipated that the readership and market for the book includes: • Scholars of Southeast Asian history, Islam, kingship, trade. • Academics & Historians (including: Asian, Thai history, Islamic, Maritime, Persian, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Colonial) • Libraries • Students, particularly those in Malaysia (especially the states of Kedah, Perlis and Penang), Thailand and Singapore. • Universities • Scholars and students in Political Science & International Relations

Cognitive dissonance and the effect of acceptance of methodology, beliefs about religion, religious orientation, and dogmatism on the success of university students in a religious studies course

The problem investigated was negative effects on the ability of a university student to successfully complete a course in religious studies resulting from conflict between the methodologies and objectives of religious studies and the student's system of beliefs. Using Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance as a theoretical framework, it was hypothesized that completing a course with a high level of success would be negatively affected by (1) failure to accept the methodologies and objectives of religious studies (methodology), (2) holding beliefs about religion that had potential conflicts with the methodologies and objectives (beliefs), (3) extrinsic religiousness, and (4) dogmatism. The causal comparative method was used. The independent variables were measured with four scales employing Likert-type items. An 8-item scale to measure acceptance of the methodologies and objectives of religious studies and a 16-item scale to measure holding of beliefs about religion having potential conflict with the methodologies were developed for this study. These scales together with a 20-item form of Rokeach's Dogmatism Scale and Feagin's 12-item Religious Orientation Scale to measure extrinsic religiousness were administered to 144 undergraduate students enrolled in randomly selected religious studies courses at Florida International University. Level of success was determined by course grade with the 27% of students receiving the highest grades classified as highly successful and the 27% receiving the lowest grades classified as not highly successful. A stepwise discriminant analysis produced a single significant function with methodology and dogmatism as the discriminants. Methodology was the principal discriminating variable. Beliefs and extrinsic religiousness failed to discriminate significantly. It was concluded that failing to accept the methodologies and objectives of religious studies and being highly dogmatic have significant negative effects on a student's success in a religious studies course. Recommendations were made for teaching to diminish these negative effects.

Discourse practice gaps in work life balance : comparative case studies in the Australian construction industry

Perspectives on work-life balance (WLB) reflected in political, media and organisational discourse, would maintain that WLB is on the agenda because of broad social, economic and political factors (Fleetwood 2007). In contrast, critical scholarship which examines work-life balance (WLB) and its associated practices maintains that workplace flexibility is more than a quasi-functionalist response to contemporary problems faced by individuals, families or organisations. For example, the literature identifies where flexible work arrangements have not lived up to expectations of a panacea for work-home conflicts, being characterised as much by employer-driven working conditions that disadvantage workers and constrain balance, as they are by employee friendly practices that enable it (Charlesworth 1997). Further, even where generous organisational work-life balance policies exist, under-utilisation is an issue (Schaefer et al, 2007). Compounding these issues is that many employees perceive their paid work as becoming more intense, pressured and demanding (Townsend et al 2003).

The Hofstedian approach : suggestions for a conceptual development of comparative journalism studies

In recent years there has been a burgeoning amount of research comparing journalistic practices in a wide range of countries around the world. Much of this literature has tended to focus on identifying what the similarities and differences between these different journalistic cultures are. Most importantly, research has focused on answering the question of whether, particularly in the age of globalisation, ‘a journalistic culture’ may exist. While there has been some evidence that there may indeed be a convergence of journalistic cultures, studies have at the same time found that important differences still persist. However, most of the literature has so far still tended to concentrate purely on the differences and similarities, without examining in detail why these exist. In this context, the author argues that employing a cross-cultural approach rooted in anthropology can at least partially trace the development of particularly the differences by linking them to the wider concept of cultural differences between countries. Specifically the paper here evaluates the usefulness of applying the value systems appraoch, as designed by Dutch anthropologist Geert Hofstede, to journalism research. By examining some of the few studies that have employed Hofstede’s approach, the paper argues that value systems can provide a classification on a conceptual level for investigating how journalism is practiced around the world. In the light of complaints in the Asia-Pacific region that the imported Western models of journalism are not in line with cultural values, this approach can also provide some basis from which to develop future approaches to journalism education.

Comparative drift studies on streams in lower Austria (Flysch, gneiss and chalk formations) [Translation from: Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Hydrobiologie 30 138-185, 1968.]

Seasonal changes and flooding have an extraordinarily great influence on the drift of organisms. The free water space plays the main part in the provision of food for some fish (Salmo trutta - trout): drift and content of the stomach are balanced here (Simuliidae): whereas others (Thymallus vulgaris) only selectively chose certain animals living at the bottom (molluscs). The total drift, drift of organisms and drift of organic material and minerals, plays a main role in the rate of production in streams. Besides the biology of the organisms living on the river bed, also the geological and hydrographical situation of the area plays a very important role for the composition of the drift. During the years 1964-1966 three streams in the characteristical geological formations flysch, gneiss and chalk of lower Austria were studied in regard to their drift. The Tulln (above St. Christopen), the Krems (above Senftenberg) and the Schwarza (above Hirschwang) seemed to be ideal for this comparative study because they are easy to reach. After summarising the hydrography and chemistry of examined rivers, the author examines the relationship between water level and total drift and the stratification of the total drift before analysing the drift of living organisms. Also considered are seasonal changes of drift of organisms and drift of exuviae.

Comparative effectiveness studies to improve clinical outcomes in end stage renal disease: the DEcIDE patient outcomes in end stage renal disease study.

BACKGROUND: Evidence is lacking to inform providers' and patients' decisions about many common treatment strategies for patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD). METHODS/DESIGN: The DEcIDE Patient Outcomes in ESRD Study is funded by the United States (US) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality to study the comparative effectiveness of: 1) antihypertensive therapies, 2) early versus later initiation of dialysis, and 3) intravenous iron therapies on clinical outcomes in patients with ESRD. Ongoing studies utilize four existing, nationally representative cohorts of patients with ESRD, including (1) the Choices for Healthy Outcomes in Caring for ESRD study (1041 incident dialysis patients recruited from October 1995 to June 1999 with complete outcome ascertainment through 2009), (2) the Dialysis Clinic Inc (45,124 incident dialysis patients initiating and receiving their care from 2003-2010 with complete outcome ascertainment through 2010), (3) the United States Renal Data System (333,308 incident dialysis patients from 2006-2009 with complete outcome ascertainment through 2010), and (4) the Cleveland Clinic Foundation Chronic Kidney Disease Registry (53,399 patients with chronic kidney disease with outcome ascertainment from 2005 through 2009). We ascertain patient reported outcomes (i.e., health-related quality of life), morbidity, and mortality using clinical and administrative data, and data obtained from national death indices. We use advanced statistical methods (e.g., propensity scoring and marginal structural modeling) to account for potential biases of our study designs. All data are de-identified for analyses. The conduct of studies and dissemination of findings are guided by input from Stakeholders in the ESRD community. DISCUSSION: The DEcIDE Patient Outcomes in ESRD Study will provide needed evidence regarding the effectiveness of common treatments employed for dialysis patients. Carefully planned dissemination strategies to the ESRD community will enhance studies' impact on clinical care and patients' outcomes.

Parallel Time Series Analysis and Income Inequality: A New Approach to Comparative Case Studies

This case study deals with the role of time series analysis in sociology, and its relationship with the wider literature and methodology of comparative case study research. Time series analysis is now well-represented in top-ranked sociology journals, often in the form of ‘pooled time series’ research designs. These studies typically pool multiple countries together into a pooled time series cross-section panel, in order to provide a larger sample for more robust and comprehensive analysis. This approach is well suited to exploring trans-national phenomena, and for elaborating useful macro-level theories specific to social structures, national policies, and long-term historical processes. It is less suited however, to understanding how these global social processes work in different countries. As such, the complexities of individual countries - which often display very different or contradictory dynamics than those suggested in pooled studies – are subsumed. Meanwhile, a robust literature on comparative case-based methods exists in the social sciences, where researchers focus on differences between cases, and the complex ways in which they co-evolve or diverge over time. A good example of this is the inequality literature, where although panel studies suggest a general trend of rising inequality driven by the weakening power of labour, marketisation of welfare, and the rising power of capital, some countries have still managed to remain resilient. This case study takes a closer look at what can be learned by applying the insights of case-based comparative research to the method of time series analysis. Taking international income inequality as its point of departure, it argues that we have much to learn about the viability of different combinations of policy options by examining how they work in different countries over time. By taking representative cases from different welfare systems (liberal, social democratic, corporatist, or antipodean), we can better sharpen our theories of how policies can be more specifically engineered to offset rising inequality. This involves a fundamental realignment of the strategy of time series analysis, grounding it instead in a qualitative appreciation of the historical context of cases, as a basis for comparing effects between different countries.

African Nazarites : a comparative religious ethnography of Rastafari and Ibandla lamaNazaretha

Deux mouvements théologiques et culturels actuellement en croissance rapide suscitent un intérêt mondial, Ibandla lamaNazaretha et les Rastafari. Fondé par le Zulu prédicateur Isaiah Shembe pendant les années 1910, Ibandla lamaNazaretha prend son origine d’une église hiérarchique célébrant dans des temples extérieurs dans la province de KwaZulu-Natal et inclut maintenant un certain nombre de factions regroupées autour de la péninsule de l’Afrique du Sud. Le groupe des Rastafari, quant à lui, né en Jamaïque, a commencé comme une idéologie à plusieurs têtes qui a fleuri dans des zones éparses de l’île des Caraïbes. Il découle des interprétations d’une prophétie généralement attribuée à Marcus Garvey, concernant un roi devant être couronné en Afrique (circa 1920), et qui fut appliquée aux années 1930, avec le couronnement de Ras Tafari Makonnen comme Haile Selassie I, 225e empereur d’Éthiopie. Les adhérents et sympathisants de ces deux mouvements se comptent en dizaines de millions et ils exercent plusieurs types d’influences, tant aux niveaux politique, théologique, social que culturel, en particulier en Afrique et dans les Caraïbes aujourd’hui. Cette thèse soutient que les deux, Ibandla lamaNazaretha et les Rastafari, perpétuent un amalgame entre le « Naziréat » de l’Ancien Testament (Nombres 6:1-8) et le « Nazaréen » de l’évangile de Matthieu (2:23), à travers la dévotion à un seigneur contemporain: Haile Selassie I dans le cas du mouvement Rastafari et Isaiah Shembe dans le cas du mouvement Ibandla lamaNazaretha. Dans ce cadre théologique, à la fois les Rastafari et Ibandla lamaNazaretha ont réanimé les anciens rites de purification judaïques du naziréat jusque-là disparus, et les ont également adaptés, dans le contexte du messianisme, aux préoccupations postcoloniales de l’autochtonie. Grâce à la persistance de l’autochtonie, l’influence des idéaux indiens de résistance non-violente, et l’appropriation des différents thèmes bibliques, les deux mouvements africains noirs ont habilité avec succès leurs membres « dépossédés ». Ils l’ont fait par la création de communautés liminales, alors que des modes de vie agraires et auto-suffisants s’épanouissent en dehors des auspices d’une élite dominante : une herméneutique du nazaritisme unifie les diverses racines hybrides africaines, judaïques, chrétiennes, indiennes, et européennes.

Religious Philosophy and ultimate questions : GCSE Religious Studies for AQAB.

La filosofía de la religión ha sido tradicionalmente estudiada en el contexto Judeo Cristiano Sin embargo, la filosofía no trata de religiones específicas, sino que trata de conceptos. Este libro trata de los conceptos y anima a los alumnos a pensar que les rodea. Consta de seis capítulos sobre la existencia de Dios, la Revelación, el problema de los males y los sufrimientos, la inmortalidad, los milagros, y un debate entre la ciencia y la religión. Los estudiantes deberían ser capaces de crear sus propios ejemplos de las ideas expuestas, ellos pueden recoger, añadir comentarios y dar su propia opinión.