Review about neuropsychological processing of tonal attributes of music in the Western context

Many discussions about the music processing have occurred over the years. It is stated, on one hand, the existence of a single joint for grasping the music or any of its attributes by the Central Nervous System. Furthermore, it is claimed also the existence of multiple and diverse systems to understand each aspect of music. In general, model-independent set, studies focusing on the processing of sound components, specifically the musical tones, can significantly clarify the basic functioning of the auditory system and other higher brain functions. In this sense, one of the most prominent approaches in the study of sensory and perceptual processes of hearing, or changed unharmed, has been Neuroscience, which is interested in the interaction between the brain areas corresponding to different cognitive processes. Thus, the purpose of this study was to review the studies that dealt processing models of the attributes of tonal Western music, based on the conception that neuropsychological neural structures are interdependent sensory pathways.

Reverse immigration

This book (256 pages, written in Korean) is a critical essay that reviews, questions, and criticises Korean and Eastern immigrants’ thinking and behaviour styles in Australia from their cultural perspectives, and discuss and proposes a creative cultural dimension for their better life in a multicultural context. Multiculturalism is not supportive of Eastern cultures because of individualistic collection of cultures, while transculturalism facilitates nurture of their culture in a community-oriented way within multicultural circumstances. Korean and Eastern immigrants, sharing oriental cultural systems and values, should approach to the Australian multicultural context with transculturalism which allows creating new cultural values in collaboration with and by participation into local communities. ------------------------------------------------------------ Many Eastern immigrants live in their own ethnic communities without or less interacting with Australian (communities). The author defines this phenomenon as “reverse immigration”. Reverse immigration refers to re-immigrating to their ethnic community in Australia or to their birth country despite they did not anticipate that this would happen to them before immigration to Australia. The author argues that Easterners’ collectivistic culture often devalues individuality and vice versa. Cultural clash between West and East often forces the immigrants to choose reverse immigration because of their lack of understanding of Western culture and their cultural characteristics such as low individuality, high power distance, and high uncertainty avoidance. For example, a vague boundary between individualist and collectivist in a collectivistic context (within their ethnic group) often leads to maladjustment to local communities and enhancement of cultural conservatism. The author proposes that the cultural clash can be overcome by cross-cultural activities named “transculturalism”. To Eastern immigrants, transculturalism can be achieved by acculturation of their two predominant cultures, the third-person perspective and generalised others. In a multicultural context, the former refers to the ability to share another person's feelings and emotions as if they were your own, and the latter does the ability to manage community and public expectations. When both cultural values are used for quality interactions between East and West, they allow Eastern immigrants to be more creative and critical and Australian to be more socially inclusive and culturally tolerant. With these discussions, the author discusses cultural differences throughout the book with four topics (chapters) and proposes transculturalism as a solution to the reverse immigration. ------------------------------------------------------------ Chapter 1 criticises Koreans’ attitudes and methods towards learning English that is less pragmatic and practical, but more likely to be a scholarly study. The author explains that Koreans’ non-pragmatic towards learning English has been firmly built based on their traditional systems and values that Koreans view English as a discipline and an aim of academic achievements rather than a means of communication. Within their cultural context, English can be perceived as more than a language, but something like vastly superior to their language and culture. Their collectivistic culture regards English as an unreachable and heterogeneous one that may threaten their cultural identity, so that “scholarly studying” is only the way to achieve (not learn) it. This discourages the immigrants to engage and involve in daily dialogues by “using” English as a second language. The author further advises the readers to be aware of Eastern collectivistic culture in communication and interaction that sometimes completely reverses private and public topics in a Western context. This leads them to feel that they have no content to talk to natives. ------------------------------------------------------------ Chapter 2 compares between Korea and Australia in terms of their educational systems and values, and proposes how Eastern overseas students can achieve critical and creative thinking within a Western educational setting. Interestingly, this chapter includes an explanation of why Eastern overseas students easily fail assessments including essay writing, oral presentations and discussions. One of the reasons the author explains is that Eastern students are not familiar to criticise others and think creatively, especially when they recognise that their words and ideas may harm the collectivistic harmony. Western educational systems focuses on enhancement of individuality such as self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-expression, while Eastern educational systems foster group-oriented values such as interpersonal relationship, and strong moral and spiritual values. Yet, the author argues that the collectivistic approach to criticism and creativity is often more critical and creative than Western individuals when they know what they are supposed to do for a group (or a community). Therefore, Eastern students need to think their cultural merits and demerits by using an individual perspective rather than generalised others’ perspective. The latter often discourages individual participation in a community, and the generalised others in a Western culture is weaker than Eastern. Furthermore, Western educational systems do not educate students to transform (loose) their individuality to fit into a group or a community. Rather they cultivate individuality for community prosperity. ------------------------------------------------------------ Chapter 3 introduces various cases of reverse immigration in workplaces that many immigrants return to their country or their ethnic community after many trials for acculturation. Reverse immigration is unexpected and not planned before immigration, so that its emotional embarrassment increases such severe social loneliness. Most Eastern immigrant workers have tried to adjust themselves in this new cultural environment at the early stages of immigration. However, their cultural features of collectivism, high power distance, high uncertainty avoidance, and long-term oriented cultures suppress individual initiative and eliminate the space for experiments in ways of acculturation. The author argues that returning to their ethnic community (physically and psychologically) leads to two significant problems: their distorted parenting and becoming more conservatives. The former leads the first generation of immigrants to pressure their children to pursue extrinsic or materialist values, such as financial success, fame and physical appearance, rather than on intrinsic values, while the latter refers to their isolated conservative characters because of their remoteness from the changes of their own country. The author also warns that their ethnic and religious groups actively strengthens immigrants’ social loneliness and systematically discourages immigrants’ interests and desire to be involving into local communities. The ethnic communities and leaders have not been interacting with Australian local communities and, as a result, are eager to conserve outdated cultural systems values. Even they have a tendency to weed out those people who wish to settle down within Australian local communities. They believe that those people can threaten their community’s survival and continuity. ------------------------------------------------------------ Chapter 4 titled multiculturalism argues that Korean and Eastern immigrants should more precisely understand Australia as a multicultural society in a way of collaboratively creating new cultural values. The author introduces multiculturalism with its definitions and history in Australia and argues the limitations of multiculturalism from an Easterner’s perspective. With well known tragedies of the second generations of U.S. immigrants, Cho Seung-Hui, a university student, massacred 32 people on the Virginia Tech before committing suicide and Hidal Hassan, an Army psychiatrist, killed 13 people at Fort Hood and the responses of ethnic community, the author explains that their mental illness may be derived from their parents’ (or ethnic group) culturally isolated attitude and socially static viewpoint of U.S. (Western system and values). The author insists that multiculturalism may restrict Eastern immigrants’ engagement and involvement in local communities. Multiculturalism has been systematically and historically developed based on Western systems and cultural values. In other words, multiculturalism requires high self-confidence and self-esteem that Eastern immigrants less prioritise them. It has been generally known that Easterners put more weight on human relationship than Westerners, but the author claims that this is not true. Within an individualistic culture, Westerners are more interested in building person-to-person connections and relationships. While Easterners are more interested in how individuals can achieve a sense of belonging within a group and a community. Therefore, multiculturalism is an ideology which forces Eastern immigrants to discard their strong desire to be part of a group and does not give a sense of belonging. In a consequence, the author advises that Eastern immigrants should aim towards “transculturalism” which allows them to actively participate in and contribute to their multicultural community. Transculturalism does not ask Easterners to discard their cultural values, but enables them to be a collectivistic individualist (a community leader) who is capable of developing new cultural values in a more creative and productive way. Furthermore, transculturalism encourages Western Australians in a multicultural context to collaborate with ethnic minorities to build a better community.

Understanding the phenomenon of IS success in China through the lens of the IS-Impact model

This study is conducted within the IS-Impact Research Track at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). The goal of the IS-Impact Track is, “to develop the most widely employed model for benchmarking information systems in organizations for the joint benefit of both research and practice” (Gable et al, 2006). IS-Impact is defined as “a measure at a point in time, of the stream of net benefits from the IS, to date and anticipated, as perceived by all key-user-groups” (Gable Sedera and Chan, 2008). Track efforts have yielded the bicameral IS-Impact measurement model; the “impact” half includes Organizational-Impact and Individual-Impact dimensions; the “quality” half includes System-Quality and Information-Quality dimensions. The IS-Impact model, by design, is intended to be robust, simple and generalizable, to yield results that are comparable across time, stakeholders, different systems and system contexts. The model and measurement approach employ perceptual measures and an instrument that is relevant to key stakeholder groups, thereby enabling the combination or comparison of stakeholder perspectives. Such a validated and widely accepted IS-Impact measurement model has both academic and practical value. It facilitates systematic operationalization of a main dependent variable in research (IS-Impact), which can also serve as an important independent variable. For IS management practice it provides a means to benchmark and track the performance of information systems in use. The objective of this study is to develop a Mandarin version IS-Impact model, encompassing a list of China-specific IS-Impact measures, aiding in a better understanding of the IS-Impact phenomenon in a Chinese organizational context. The IS-Impact model provides a much needed theoretical guidance for this investigation of ES and ES impacts in a Chinese context. The appropriateness and soundness of employing the IS-Impact model as a theoretical foundation are evident: the model originated from a sound theory of IS Success (1992), developed through rigorous validation, and also derived in the context of Enterprise Systems. Based on the IS-Impact model, this study investigates a number of research questions (RQs). Firstly, the research investigated what essential impacts have been derived from ES by Chinese users and organizations [RQ1]. Secondly, we investigate which salient quality features of ES are perceived by Chinese users [RQ2]. Thirdly, we seek to answer whether the quality and impacts measures are sufficient to assess ES-success in general [RQ3]. Lastly, the study attempts to address whether the IS-Impact measurement model is appropriate for Chinese organizations in terms of evaluating their ES [RQ4]. An open-ended, qualitative identification survey was employed in the study. A large body of short text data was gathered from 144 Chinese users and 633 valid IS-Impact statements were generated from the data set. A generally inductive approach was applied in the qualitative data analysis. Rigorous qualitative data coding resulted in 50 first-order categories with 6 second-order categories that were grounded from the context of Chinese organization. The six second-order categories are: 1) System Quality; 2) Information Quality; 3) Individual Impacts;4) Organizational Impacts; 5) User Quality and 6) IS Support Quality. The final research finding of the study is the contextualized Mandarin version IS-Impact measurement model that includes 38 measures organized into 4 dimensions: System Quality, information Quality, Individual Impacts and Organizational Impacts. The study also proposed two conceptual models to harmonize the IS-Impact model and the two emergent constructs – User Quality and IS Support Quality by drawing on previous IS effectiveness literatures and the Work System theory proposed by Alter (1999) respectively. The study is significant as it is the first effort that empirically and comprehensively investigates IS-Impact in China. Specifically, the research contributions can be classified into theoretical contributions and practical contributions. From the theoretical perspective, through qualitative evidence, the study test and consolidate IS-Impact measurement model in terms of the quality of robustness, completeness and generalizability. The unconventional research design exhibits creativity of the study. The theoretical model does not work as a top-down a priori seeking for evidence demonstrating its credibility; rather, the study allows a competitive model to emerge from the bottom-up and open-coding analysis. Besides, the study is an example extending and localizing pre-existing theory developed in Western context when the theory is introduced to a different context. On the other hand, from the practical perspective, It is first time to introduce prominent research findings in field of IS Success to Chinese academia and practitioner. This study provides a guideline for Chinese organizations to assess their Enterprise System, and leveraging IT investment in the future. As a research effort in ITPS track, this study contributes the research team with an alternative operationalization of the dependent variable. The future research can take on the contextualized Mandarin version IS-Impact framework as a theoretical a priori model, further quantitative and empirical testing its validity.

Mediators of the relationship between person-organisation fit and individual outcomes

To date, research on P-O fit has focused heavily on the effect of P-O fit on individual and organisational outcomes. Few studies have attempted to explain how or why P-O fit leads to these outcomes. Meglino, Ravlin, and Adkins (1989) and Schein (1985) identified several intervening mechanisms for explaining fit-outcome relationships but only few of these explanations have been tested empirically (Cable & Edwards, 2004; Edwards & Cable, 2009; Kalliath, Bluedorn, & Strube, 1999). This thesis investigates role conflict, cognitive style and organisational justice as three potential mediating mechanisms in the relationship between P-O fit (defined as fit between personal and organisational values – value congruence or value fit) and outcomes including job satisfaction, job performance, service performance, affective commitment and continuance commitment. The study operationalised P-O fit using three measures: subjective fit, perceived fit and objective fit. The mediation model of subjective fit was tested using a Mplus analytical technique, while the mediation models of both perceived and objective fit were tested by modeling the difference between two scores (that is, between personal values and organisational values) using a polynomial regression and response surface analysis (Edwards, 1993). A survey of 558 mid-level managers from seven Brunei public sector organisations provided the data. Our results showed that the relationship between P-O fit and outcomes was partially mediated by organisational justice and cognitive style - for all the three measures of fit, while role conflict had no mediating effects. The findings from this research therefore have both theoretical and practical implications. This research contributes to the literature by combining these theoretical explanations for value congruence effects into one integrated model, and by providing evidence on the partial mediating effects of organisational justice and cognitive style. Future research needs to address and investigate other potential mechanisms by which value congruence affects individual and organisational outcomes. In addition, the study is considered to be the first to test these mediating roles for a value fit-outcomes relationship using three different measures of fit in a non-Western context.

Same but different? Mobile technology adoption in China

Purpose This paper seeks to answer two research questions which are “What are key factors which influence Chinese to adopt mobile technology?” and “Do these key factors differ from factors which are identified from Western context?” Design/methodology The findings from a pilot study with 45 in-depth interviews are used to develop questionnaires and test across 800 residents from the three research cities. The data were analyzed by Structural Equation Modelling together with Multi-group Analysis. Findings Our data suggest eight important concepts, i.e. utilitarian expectation, hedonic expectation, status gains, status loss avoidance, normative influence, external influence, cost, and quality concern, are influential factors affecting users’ intentions to adopt 3G mobile technology. Differences are found between the samples in the three research cities in the effect of hedonic expectation, status gains, status loss avoidance, and normative influence on mobile technology adoption intention. Research limitations/implications: As the stability of intentions may change over time, only measuring intentions might be inadequate in predicting actual adoption behaviors. However, the focus on potential users is thought to be appropriate, given that the development of 3G is still in its infancy in China. Originality/value Previous research into Information Technology (IT) adoption among Chinese users has not paid attention to regional diversity. Some research considered China as a large single market and some was conducted in only one province or one city. Culturally, China is a heterogeneous country.

Recognising Ecological Contexts of Diverse Ethnic Groups: Experiences of British-Indian Adult Children of Divorce

The process of divorce as a family change process including outcomes and consequences has received considerable research attention in the western context. However, the experience of divorce for children within specific ethnic contexts has been rather limited leading to poor planning and practice provision with diverse families. By drawing upon an empirical qualitative study of British Indian adult children, this paper will make a case for recognising diverse needs within specific historical, socio-cultural and developmental contexts. There is a need to acknowledge these contexts in policy design to establish practice that is flexible, accessible and relevant to the needs of different and diverse communities. Results indicate that areas of impact may be similar to those identified by other studies within the literature review. However, the experiences, expressions, implications and larger consequences of impact are located within specific socio-cultural contexts. In support of this, major findings of the study (outlined below) will be discussed - Context: patriarchy, stigma, immigration; Impact: economic, social, emotional, career/education, physical; Coping: psychological strategies, physical strategies, social strategies, sources of support.

O designer como intérprete de cenários de equipamentos

Esta dissertação pretende contribuir para a investigação em design, validando a interpretação como método em design aplicada a meta-projectos de cenários de equipamentos no século XXI. A análise e a avaliação dos dois conceitos - interpretação e cenário - como reflexo da maneira de pensar da contemporaneidade são a base para a estruturação de um meta-projecto aplicado na epiderme da cidade, sustentado pela metodologia projectual da hermenêutica e pela competência da semiótica. Este projecto de investigação organiza-se em duas partes; cada uma desenvolvida ao longo de três capítulos. No primeiro capítulo da primeira parte averigua-se o relacionamento entre a metodologia projectual aplicada por projectistas, desde o séc. XVII até aos nossos dias, e o pensamento filosófico para fundamentar a interpretação como método em design. No segundo capítulo analisa-se o cenário enquanto superfície vertical da cidade definida por um sistema de equipamentos. Por um lado, verifica-se que o equipamento ( équipement , Le Corbusier) é a proposta de ordem construtiva dos anos 20 e que a pattern ( pattern language , Alexander) é a ordem construtiva a partir dos anos 70. Por outro lado, averigua-se que hoje a superfície da cidade é constituída por várias camadas e que a camada superior é a epiderme. Enquanto película de sistema de patterns, a epiderme revela-se apta a deixar-se afectar pela mudança e, consequentemente, a ser trabalhada pelo design. O terceiro capítulo analisa a história da cultura da superfície dos edifícios no contexto ocidental, da Grécia Clássica aos nossos dias, para interpretar a proposta do design da epiderme. Para caracterizar a complexidade do período compreendido entre a acção metodológica de Le Corbusier nos anos 20 e o séc. XXI são comentados cinco momentos temáticos distintos. No primeiro capítulo da segunda parte escolhe-se o exercício do meta-projecto como instrumento de reflexão projectual dialéctico, definidor de uma metodologia projectual. O meta-projecto é analisado na realidade ocidental diacrónica e sincronicamente para fundamentar o conceito de junkspace como nova ordem. Neste sentido, são interpretados conceitos relativos à vivência urbana, reivindicando-lhes uma nova existência: a iluminação, a zona verde como pulmão da cidade, a energia interpretada como competência do cenário envolvente e o junkspace como nova ordem arquitectónica. No segundo capítulo define-se uma estratégia meta-projectual narrativa aplicada ao projecto da epiderme da cidade, destacando a particular importância do relacionamento entre a investigação em design e as empresas como fonte de inovação e de conhecimento. O terceiro capítulo defende um exercício experimental na área do projecto da epiderme dos edifícios como uma oportunidade para desenvolver diferentes propostas, partindo do mesmo brief. São apresentados resultados dos workshops inter-disciplinares entre o contexto académico e a realidade empresarial que alimentam o meta-projecto enquanto processo dialéctico, contínuo e inovador. Conclui-se com o argumento de que o design é uma disciplina com uma participação fundamental na valorização e na transformação das cidades do século XXI.

Double-trouble: Negotiating Gender and Sexuality in Post-colonial Women’s Rugby in Fiji

Although women’s exclusion in sport has attracted significant attention in the western context, similar issues in relation to post-colonial societies have remained in the margins of the sociology of sport. By analysing primary, interview-based evidence, in this article we explore the challenges female rugby players face regarding gender and sexuality in Fiji; a male dominated post-colonial society. In particular, we focus on participants’ resistance to dominant cultural practices and ways in which they (re)negotiate gender norms and sexuality in a double-bind struggle against both traditional and sporting male hegemonies. We argue that the case of Fijian women rugby players illustrates an interplay between a multiplicity of power relations in sport in a post-colonial society and the resilience with which the athletes negotiate and respond to them, as well as the dynamic nature and the transformative potential of their everyday practices.

Le néo-chamanisme de Michael Harner : étude des transformations du chamanisme classique à la lumière de l’analyse des transformations religieuses selon Danièle Hervieu-Léger

Durant le dernier demi-siècle, la religion, comme tous les autres domaines d’activité humaine, a connu plusieurs transformations importantes. La diminution considérable, durant cette période, de la pratique religieuse institutionnalisée est accompagnée de l’apparition d’une multitude de nouvelles formes de spiritualités qui tentent de répondre aux besoins religieux de l’homme occidental. Parmi les multiples manifestations de ce genre, on découvre une spiritualité distincte, appelée néo-chamanisme ou chamanisme urbain, réunissant de nombreuses pratiques contemporaines qui se définissent comme chamaniques. Dans le cadre de ce mémoire, nous nous sommes concentrés sur l’étude du phénomène néo-chamanique de Michael Harner, ex-professeur et directeur du département d’anthropologie au Graduate Faculty of the New School for Social Research à New York, et fondateur de la Foundation for Shamanic Studies (à l’avenir : FSS). La présente recherche a pour but d’analyser le néo-chamanisme de Harner et de définir sa place parmi les nouvelles formes de religiosités. La théorie de la recomposition du religieux de Danièle Hervieu-Léger sert de cadre d’analyse pour cette nouvelle forme de spiritualité. Dans la première partie, nous traitons le phénomène religieux contemporain sous l’angle socioreligieux. Nous présentons un aperçu global des transformations que celui-ci subit en modernité sous l’impact de la sécularisation. À l’aide de la théorie des nouvelles formes religieuses de Danièle Hervieu-Léger, nous mettons en lumière les principales règles selon lesquelles une nouvelle configuration du religieux se déploie dans le contexte occidental contemporain. Dans la seconde partie, nous examinons le chamanisme traditionnel sous l’angle anthropologique. Nous faisons la lecture d’études classiques sur le chamanisme. Il apparaît que le chamanisme classique est communautaire, réservé à quelques personnes choisies par les esprits et que le processus laborieux d’initiation permettant d’accéder à cette fonction implique certains éléments spécifiques parmi lesquels on compte la maladie initiatique, la mort rituelle et la résurrection de la personne. Dans la troisième partie, nous examinons le néo-chamanisme de Harner. Nous rendons compte de son ouvrage majeur La voie spirituelle du chamane : Le Secret d'un sorcier indien d’Amérique du Nord et nous examinons l’expérience chamanique de la Foundation for Shamanic Studies (FSS). Il se dégage de cette étude que l’approche de Harner se veut l’expression d’un chamanisme fondamental et universel adapté à la société contemporaine. La pratique néo-chamanique de Harner se focalise sur le voyage chamanique et sur le contact avec le monde des esprits comme des éléments qui sont au cœur du chamanisme traditionnel. C’est une pratique axée principalement sur l’individu à des fins d’accomplissement de soi et d’(auto)guérison. Elle attire généralement des personnes dont le niveau de scolarité est élevé, disposées à payer pour les services fournis par la fondation. À la fin de notre étude, nous dégageons les conclusions générales suivantes : le néo-chamanisme de Harner s’éloigne de la tradition chamanique et la transforme en une spiritualité nouvelle adaptée aux besoins des Occidentaux; il reflète les transformations subies par le fait religieux pendant la période moderne; il s’adresse principalement à un public en quête de services spirituels ciblés et ponctuels et il favorise une forme de communalisation temporaire et intense; cependant, l’individuation de la pratique chamanique est porteuse de ses effets politiques et néocoloniaux.

Féministe musulmane engagée au Québec : stratégies identitaires et paradoxes politiques : le cas de Salwa, ni kamikaze, ni soumise

À travers l’étude du cas de Salwa, féministe musulmane engagée au Québec, ce mémoire a pour objectif de relever divers facteurs qui contraignent et orientent l’engagement politique d’une féministe musulmane en contexte occidental. Si nous avions au départ postulé que l’intersection de ses identités de « femme » et de « musulman(e) », deux catégories hiérarchiques1 qui nous semblaient alors centrales dans l’élaboration de notre problématique, entraînerait chez Salwa divers paradoxes politiques en raison des tensions existant entre le féminisme et le multiculturalisme dans les démocraties occidentales, l’analyse de la gestion identitaire de ces paradoxes politiques chez Salwa, par notre approche interdisciplinaire et intersectionnelle, a révélé l’existence d’une multitude d’identités non hiérarchiques revendiquées - mais occultées au niveau politique par ce même contexte – qui remet en question la centralité de ces catégories de « femme » et de « musulman(e) ». Ainsi, si nous croyions que le contexte énoncé pouvait orienter l’engagement politique des féministes musulmanes dans un sens réducteur en exigeant d’elles qu’elle priorisent, malgré leur identité de femme et de musulmane, un axe de lutte, entre le sexisme et le racisme, nous voyons qu’une prise en compte, même intersectionnelle, des seuls axes d’oppression interagissant dans la construction de l’identité politique d’un individu peut être tout aussi réductrice. Si l’approche intersectionnelle veut arriver à 1 Nous qualifions ces catégories de « hiérarchiques » en ce qu’elles sont présentées dans notre problématique comme des catégories relationnelles co-construites au sein de rapports sociaux inégalitaires dans un ordre social hiérarchique, en opposition à des catégories « non hiérarchiques » que la théorie et/ou l’empirie ne problématise(nt) pas comme hiérarchiques pour le cas spécifique qui nous intéresse. ii prendre en compte l’imbrication des axes d’oppression agissant simultanément chez un même individu, elle doit aussi prendre en compte la façon dont le contexte occulte l’interaction des identités hiérarchiques et non hiérarchiques en réduisant l’individu à son ou ses axe(s) d’oppression présumé(s).

Winckelmann et ses désirs (presque) secrets : amour entre hommes et idéaux de la masculinité à l’ère néoclassique (1755-1768)

L’étude des œuvres et de la correspondance de Johann Joachim Winckelmann, produites entre 1755 et 1768, offre un regard nouveau sur l’amour entre hommes au 18e siècle et sur sa relation à la construction de la masculinité. Le cas de Winckelmann illustre le caractère construit et changeant de l’érotisme. En effet, l’influence de l’exemple hellénique est visible dans le fantasme homoérotique qu’il élabora dans ses œuvres dans le but de s’expliquer ses désirs. L’Antiquité, par son autorité culturelle, représenta un espace relativement sécuritaire où Winckelmann put exprimer sa sensibilité homoérotique à laquelle le contexte occidental était alors très défavorable : la littérature antique exaltait l’affection entre hommes et sa statuaire, le corps masculin nu. Le fantasme que fit Winckelmann fut capital pour sa compréhension et la justification de ses relations avec d’autres hommes, surtout après son arrivée en Italie en 1755. Loin de se cantonner à la répression de l’homoérotisme par la société européenne des Lumières, le cas de Winckelmann en illustre le potentiel d’intégration partielle. En effet, l’originalité de Winckelmann tient à sa façon de communiquer ses idéaux homoérotiques dans des textes savants, tout en rendant sa perception du beau masculin et son amour des hommes socialement acceptables. Enfin, plusieurs indices dans les œuvres et la correspondance de Winckelmann portent à penser qu’il était conscient de sa différence et qu’il se constitua entre 1755 et 1768 une communauté discrète d’hommes aussi sensibles aux désirs homoérotiques.

Globalisation and the restructuring of higher education for new knowledge economies: new dangers or old habits troubling gender equity work in universities?

This article undertakes a feminist critique of the restructuring of the modern university in Australia. It considers the interaction of the processes of globalisation, corporatisation (through the twin strategies of marketisation and managerialism) and the social relations of gender, and their implication for gender equity work in the academy. The paper locates the reform of Australian universities within their Western context, and considers the gendered effects of the new disciplinary technologies of quality assurance and online learning on the position of women academics. It concludes with some comments about the shift in language from equity to diversity which has accompanied corporatisation, and how this has effectively coopted women's intellectual labour to do the work of the entrepreneurial university.

Perceptions of public security in post-reform urban China: a routine activity analysis

This paper investigates the personal and environmental determinants of public security perceptions across 32 Chinese cities within the risk/opportunity framework of Cohen and Felson's (American Sociological Review 44:588-608, 1979) routine activity theory. Structural path analysis reveals that public security perceptions in China are informed by similar personal and environment characteristics to those reported as important in extant research within Western contexts. However, the frequently reported influence of gender on public security perceptions in the West does not appear to extend to post-reform urban China. The results provide support for the routine activity theory in terms of extending our understanding of the factors that influence perceptions of public security to a non-Western context. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Instâncias da representação imagética hiper-real

The approach that undertakes this work revolves around the emergence of iconic structures on reflecting about the meaning of different methods of image representation through which the contemporaneity reveals itself. At baseline, three aspects are considered looking for an analytical ontology of the act of representation and imagery: the transition of representation in the oral culture of societies for writing, from these to typography, and finally the creation of a representation device. Resorted to, therefore, the argument by some genealogy reference points that technological instances such as writing, printing and photography, the evolution of this process, correspond, in itself, a consequent shift technique, for each representation precedent. In the area of the image, the most salient aspect of this change in foward process is the emergence of hyper-reality: the instances of hyper-realistic representation. In the Western context, the 'simulation of the world' - essential idea of mimesis is the work of an autonomous an conventional system. It should be noted, then the fact that under unreflective of the post-industrial societies, the mass-media image is coating with natural or fake code including - according to Baudrillard - tends to replace the real world in the "perpetuation of a large chain of simulacra." Hence in modern times, in the postindustrial society, during the crisis of the representation regimen and perception, centered in the referent. In this limit, new settings are established by aesthetic representations of imagery in contemporary culture: establishing spaces of simulation [Jean Baudrillard] the spectacle [Guy Debord] and hypermodernity [Gilles Lipovetsky] in which they operate. In these assemblages, saps the emergence of Hyper-reality Representation Instances - as seen in this study aesthetic events to configure itineraries of a new sensibility. It is the nature of this practice sign-iconic, ingrained in the creation of current artistic expression, which this research engaged in peering: the hyper-realistic setting, taking empirical support central to contemporary imagery production, diverse formats of analog representation.

Traditional chinese medicine (phytotherapy): health technology assessment report - selected aspects

Objective: A summary of main aspects from a Health Technology Assessment report on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in Switzerland concerning effectiveness and safety is given. Materials and Methods: Literature search was performed through 13 databases, by scanning reference lists of articles and by contacting experts. Assessed were quality of documentation, internal and external validity. Results: Effectiveness: 43 articles concerning 'gastrointestinal tract and liver' were assessed. The studies covering 7,436 patients were undertaken in China (35), Japan (3), USA (2) and Australia (3); 33/43 being controlled studies. 34/40 show significantly better results in the TCM-treated group. A comparison of studies on results of treatment based on a diagnosis according to TCM criteria and studies on results of treatment according to Western diagnosis shows that treatment based on TCM diagnosis improves the result. The comparison of treatment by individual medication and standard medication showed a trend in favor of individual medication. Safety: TCM training and practice for physicians in Switzerland are officially regulated. Side effects occur, but no severe effects have been registered up to now in Switzerland. TCM medicinals are imported; admission regulations are being installed. Problems due to production abroad, Internet trade, self-medication or admixtures are possible. Conclusion: The evaluation of the literature search provides evidence for a basic clinical effectiveness of TCM therapy. Severe side effects were not observed in Switzerland. Regulations for trading and use of medicinals prevent treatment risks. Further clinical studies in a Western context are required.