Social Anthropology - Science topic

Is there literature concerning representation in mobile dating apps from a cultural and social anthropological perspective?

Please help me.

At present, my doctoral is a purely ethnographic study. In criminology, many such studies have been published as books (e.g. the works of Elijah Anderson, Dick Hobbs, Coretta Phillips). However, as regards academic papers/theses, even ethnographic studies seem to all have a component of stand-alone analysis: e.g. content analysis, discourse analyis, using NVivo or other such programs. In short, I'm trying to ask the following: if a thesis aims to purely be an ethnographic study,  what explicit modes of analysis must be used (if at all)? And does this have to include computer-programs for data analysis? 

In my current research on the lived experience of ageing in extreme poverty, I am trying to illustrate something connecting the discursive social process of 'Othering'. But I am struggling to find a term that can best define the reverse process of 'Othering'. What it could be in one/two words? Your contribution is much appreciated.

Social memory is, according to Halbwachs, a social construct. In this sense, the dialogues between social forms and their contents can directly reflect on the modulation of individual and collective memory.

The narrative of memory dialogues with the 'time of the 'experience recorded' and the 'time of the narrative of remembrance'. Paul Ricoeur in "Time and Narrative" indicates the paradoxalities of the hermeneutic circle between the act of narrating the fact (remembered) and temporal dynamics. What can be understood about the plasticity of time in the dialogues of memory? Something that Ricoeur himself will later explore in "Memory, History and Forgetting". But would this temporal plasticity be a relevant factor in the transformation of non-biographical memory into biographical memory?

With a small team we are currently researching on nouvelle Jewish-Israeli cuisine as a worldwide trend and hence as a social-anthropological modern phenomenon. Your contribution could help analyze and describe a complex and ever changing food-culture.

Understanding processes that shape our cultures and identities is key.

Thank you.

Does anyone know of a health provider in Europe, USA, Australia, who documents a cultural assessment of patients based on a specific theory/model?

I am interested to learn how this is done and where.

I am interested in examples of anthropological methods that have been applied across different disciplines, for exmple in mathematics education.

I tried to learn something about the philosophy of technology from several books and anthologies, but I did not find much relevant content in them. Some of those books dedicate a lot of space to Plato and Aristotle; Marx is often held in high esteem, and Heidegger is considered the supreme master. But Plato and Aristotle did not see much of technology, and Marx's discourse is slightly old. Heidegger did not manage to say anything that seems (1) understandable, (2) correct, (3) relevant) and (4) new at the same time. What about communication, surveillance, and intense manipulation which information technology has facilitated during the last years?

It is, nowadays, very popular to present research in a more objective way (With few statistical analysis) rather than documenting, presenting and interpreting crucial observations, experienced during the research.

Fortunately, in field-based studies, researchers get an opportunity to observe certain things and make notes on them. But the observations remain uninterpreted, even unpublished.

I want to take the help of you, academicians, about (1) How I write a proper observation-based research paper?, (2) What are the systematic ways to do so?, (3) Whom to contact and discuss about the same?

Thanks in advance.

I am Dr Sonal Pandey PhD from IIT Kharagpur India. I was interested in some visiting scholar or research position in sociology/Social anthropology

Newbie researcher with a looming research-induced panic attack - I'm in need of some guidance.

My research project is focusing on how social interaction influence the self-management of chronic disease by baby boomers.

I would like to do a mixed methods study with a case study.

Could anyone suggest any robust ways to flesh out this methodology?

How is the democratic act influenced by the level of education? Can the democratic elections and decisions be lucrative and assure a sustainable development (socio-economic) if the quality of general education is low? The role of adult education is to be discussed, parenting process, the influence of media, and marketing of different products and services as to serve the financial interests as well.

Il y a des anthropologues en Inde, en Algérie, au Maroc et dans des pays latino-américains, qui pensent et pratiquent l'anthropologie sociale et culturelle selon le principe de l' Anthropologue at home (être anthropologue chez soi). Ce point de vue. Ce point de vue, bien sûr, n'est pas partagé par tout le monde mais il gagne du terrain.

If i apply the ethnography as my principal method.

What role magnanimity can play in our social upbringing?

The residents satisfaction of the spaces occupied by them have been approached analysing the environment in its physical aspect (objective approach), and studies have expressly shown the abysmal extent of works that have been done in this regard. However, the subjective factors (Users intention, purposes, personality, and how they communicate in and through spaces) that initiate the different variables (such as layout, orientation, acoustics, luminous, thermal, space size, material etc) used for these studies have received little or no attention in Nigeria. This results from the view that changing physical characteristics of environment to user’s satisfaction is easier than intervening in their social and cultural norms (Lu, 1998; Mirmoghtadaee, 2009), and that it is the physical characteristics are seen tangible and measurable (Lu, 1998; Kim et al, 2005). Meanwhile, studies have also shown that the ignored intangibles determines the responsive effective use of the space to be either positive or negative (Wahl et al, 2003; Villarouco et al, 2008). These intangible in this sense are the functional and the psychological aspect that addresses user’s expectation and need through their perception of the space. The study therefore aim to investigate the user perception of physical spatial provision in the residences, evaluating from perception perspective the effectiveness in the use of the residential space and to understand if the space meet their functional and psychological needs.

The study is structured to answer the following questions:

        i.            How do users perceive the residential space designed for their use?

      ii.            What are users true expectation of the spaces provided or to be provided for their use

    iii.            How can user perception inform a design guideline that meet physical, functional and psychological need and expectation of users

1.   In 1897, Durkheim published his seminal work on Suicide using two key constructs – “social integration” and “moral regulation” (emphasising religion, but also mentioned about regulation by law, social norms, etc) to explain that for a society to function (then), these two key constructs need to be in equilibrium.

2.   This framework was developed during rapid changes in lifestyle (at that time) facing European society due to industrial revolution, new economic theory of division of labour, capitalism, some elements of discussion on socialism, free market, individualism, changes in governance, family structure, gender roles, Catholics vs Protestants practice, income disparity, urbanisation, (in context of that time), etc. It seems United States was more concerned on domestic matters during this period. Another feature of Europe at that time was its colonisation and empire building interest. Against this backdrop Durkheim tried to develop his framework for a functioning society – of which there can never be a stable equilibrium all the time.

3.   One of the products of disequilibrium is suicide. To him suicide is a product of society disequilibrium and not just a mental illness. He argued that it is like mortality rate and homicide rate. Naturally at the individual level, there are differences how an individual react to external forces in the society and there are bound to be some groups who are more prone to depression and suicidal behaviour. However, he noted the suicide rate is stable across major European cities then (think the various local governments started to have some statistics gathered sometime in early 19th century in Europe) throughout certain time period, but each country has slightly different suicide rate. To Durkheim, if there is sudden and continuous rise in suicide rate of a country, it shows certain societal forces in work which may make the society in disequilibrium, and if persists for too long a time, may paralyse a society. Thus, as a philosopher and sociology, his focus was not on individual aspects, but on the suicide rate.

4.   We may interpret his framework is more to explain a macro phenomena in the society, something like a macroeconomics framework which can never be quantified and which can never be perfect. However, as I believe at the base of human being, there are certain elements which do not change in time. Lifestyle can change, the way we eat and live, and work can change, our roles can evolve, but certain basic emotions internal to the psychology of a human being remain similar 100 years ago and today … things like joy, sadness, anger, melancholy, depression, etc. Certain so-called human’s tendency like anger, lust, greed, attachment, ego, etc., will also be there, but maybe expressed in different manner. There is also greed for power and influence in the society then and now. I supposed some of the emotions we discussed today in relation to suicide besides mental health, like, hope, meaning in life, purpose of life, faith (whether religiosity or philosophical, or faith in other perspective for those without an official religion), love, usefulness, etc., also remain similar.

5.   Thus, wouldn’t his two building blocks of level of “social integration” and level of “moral regulation” (through certain mix of religion, laws, social norms, etc) which he insisted as something important to sustain a society throughout a period of time important? If we were to reject this notion, then some of his other works build on these two big pillars may be shaky?

6.   Durkheim developed his framework during a period of rapid change brought about by industrial revolution. We are now three to four decades into our so-called information revolution age, driven by advent in technology, IT, internet, and changes in urbanisation, globalisation, changes in family structure, gender roles, work roles, lifestyle, materialism, politics, different forces working against the society, etc. Will these two building blocks of “social integration” (as against social isolation) and “moral regulation” still important building blocks for a society to function today?

Sex detection Tests are creating so many demographic, socio-cultural, economic and legal issues in India. I just want to know, about other countries, if any.

Convergence approach is viewed evermore as an approach to be adopted in scientific research. The life sciences, physical sciences, Engineering, culture & media studies seem to have made major advances with convergence approach. What need the social sciences to do to get out of their departmental ghettos and work in partnership with others? Produce research papers with co-authorship, or use citations from other areas in one's research? In historiography would be necessary to work more along the view of connected histories? 

We are conducting a research on inter-generational relations and we need the information about any types of the measures

Utopia as been called "the adventure of the West". Some scholars limit its analytical relevance to Western modern discourses. They argue that "back-dating" the concept to apply it to discourses anterior to the publication of Thomas More's work (1516) is anachronistic and expanding its scope beyond Western thought is ethnocentric. On the other hand, substantial scholarship sees utopia not as a specific "content" or mode of discourse, but rather as an "impulse" (E. Bloch) or a "desire" (F. Jameson) for social change, found in many societies and in many times. What do you think? 

It is an indigenous group in Chiapas, Mexico.

Dear all,

I'm on my PhD research and I need expert opinion on the appropriate methodology to adopt. Here's my research briefs:

Focus: Income inequality (using Solt, 2014 Gini dataset)

Topic: Financial Reforms, Credit Growth and Income Inequality in Selected African Countries

Scope: 3 SSA countries (2000 - 2013 = 14years)

Conceptual Framework: Financial reforms leads to increase in domestic credit; and increase in domestic credit leads to a fall in income inequality, ceteris paribus.

Estimation technique: No idea?. Using GMM will be inappropriate since N<T

Analytical Software: Stata

Question: is it advisable to use 'simultaneous equation' technique of estimation?

Kindly assist on the best estimation technique fit for a PhD research.

Thank you.

I need to come up with an inventory of scenarios where the white are in advantage compared to people of color in Australia.

My question:

– Do you know of any research concerning possible uses of drones for regional development?

I am looking for research conerning transport, health, culture, recreation, service.

In relation to regional development, political issues, case studies, explorative research...

Thanks in advance!

Best regards,

Carlos Viktorsson

In Africa, most communication derive from symbols. (Tangible and intangible). In view of this, some scholars postulate that African theatre for example, is  "Theatre of Symbols" , and that, all elements of theatre are symbolic in nature for communication. How far are the proponents of this assumption right or otherwise? In communication, what is the role of symbolism?

entering antinatalism or natalism into a search engine and one will find an extensive list of antinatalist position. there is obvious antinatalist bias in academia. antinatalist policies are proving to be very damaging to society. more studies are needed to clarify the difference between antinatalism, and natalism.

One-child policy, official program initiated in the late 1970s and early ’80s by the central government of China, the purpose of which was to limit the great majority of family units in the country to one child each. The rationale for implementing the policy was to reduce the growth rate of China’s enormous population. It was announced in late 2015 that the program was to end in early 2016.Kenneth Pletcher Former Encyclopædia Britannica Editor 

Ethonographers 

Anthropologist

Sociologist

Any advise on the use of PhotoVoice in participatory evaluation? There are some serious limitations of this approach --- how can I overcome those?

I need to rank the various methods, that can be used to improve financial literacy, according to their importance using the Relative Importance Index (RII). Please help by identifying possible ways.

In the northern hemisphere, it is commonly understood that the first day of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter occur with the relevant equinox (for Spring and Autumn) or solstice (for Summer and Winter). Every schoolchild knows this. Yet, in Australia, it is conventional to say that each season begins on the 1st day of a month (eg, Winter begins on 1 June).

It looks to me, as if votings in sciences, politics and here as well are done too easily.

(Consumption attitude: "Votings light")

You like an opinion or you dislike it and immediately there is a vote on this, even when the opinion is just a weak consent "yes" or dissent "no".

But persons who take their time, to put in efforts and knowledge by explaining and communicating, they either get the same vote (if they are lucky) or less votes, as it is another effort to read it and think about it.

What do you think about this? How about this in your own field of work?

.

Which postcolonial theory would be the most suitable to apply to Chinese minority in Vietnam after 1975? 

Some of the arguments are that the researcher who can read his own society in a more serious direction than the others. Obstinate to the fact, outsiders can see everything curiously and document each and everything, even minute facts that natives neglect.Your kind views are solicited please.

I am preparing a course in Territorial Rural Development for the University of Pretoria. I have never been in South Africa, so for me this is a huge challenge. So I would like to get in touch with academics and public officers working in rural territorial (sub-national) contexts. I would appreciate any suggestions and would like to get in touch personally when visiting the country in February-April 2016. Thanks.

Luis Llambí, PhD in Rural Sociology, profesor and researcher, retired from the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research, Department of Social Anthropology, Chair of the Research Group on Rural Territorial Development 

Did you know there are over 6900 languages in the world with a strong correlation between language loss and biodiversity loss? And the exciting thing to me is that if my language frames my worldview then other languages might frame other ways to see the world, adding beauty and knowledge to the human experience, but also adding diversity to how we face challenges. So how many stories are we losing that share a different worldview? And how do we grow connections to value the diversity of the wholeness of our world as a gift, not dividing value between humanity and other? I’ve witnessed that those of us who feel this, and those of us who act to protect biodiversity have trouble talking with people who don’t see the same way we do. Yet the global problems we face will take more than the actions of a few individuals to solve.  And maybe we need to take a look at our own biocultural landscapes, what we’ve created from our world-view and ask what our biocultural landscapes might look like if they mirror the humanity we seek for ourselves before we can understand how to support others in their work.  Therefore I'm looking for stories and images that reflect what we currently think our biocultural landscape is.

This question is actually on behalf of a friend from a different academic background.  She figured that since I was an anthropologist I might have a better knowledge of sources on the topic.

More broadly, does anyone have any good sources for pre-contact gender roles from an anthropological perspective?

I am interested  in social activity of Sammi community in order to detect the impact of local voices into the spatial planning of Norwegian State as mining and hydrocarbon wells are extented.

In your own view can poverty be measured?

Palace ceremonials and court etiquette are an important component of the public and private life of monarchies but it has not been studied thoroughly in recent times.

My research concerns to what extent climate change exacerbate gender inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Time period: 1992-2012. I have climate data for the majority of the selected 30 countries and various control variables,  but am struggling to find gender data. UN:s gender related development index is not sufficient and was therefore aiming to modify the data from the reports and use the 'Relative Status of Women' index (A. Geske Dijkstraa & Lucia C. Hanmer, 2011) http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13545700050076106?journalCode=rfec20.

It seems like there is only complete data in some of the UN development reports. 

I am interested in the emotions research of Mexican mathematics students, I have read some theories of emotions from other countries (e.g theory of cognitive structure of emotions, Ortony, Clore, Collins, 1988) with the intention of adopting one of them for my studies,but I have read that the words used to describe emotions are highly culture specific. I wonder how I can to face this fact: to adopt a theory that is not arising in my culture?

I am looking at how the clothes we wear affect our behaviour and behavior of others towards us as well as factors that affects the choice of clothes that we choose to wear.

i would like to conduct the research regarding inclusive education for students with disabilities in the primary school. i am interested to look at the barriers and facilitating factors to participate into inclusive education from the eyes of parents, teachers and students with disabilities.

What kind of research questions is relevant to the ethnographic research?

May i ask:

What are the barriers to engage children with disabilities in inclusive education?

What are the facilitating factors to engage children with disabilities in inclusive education?

or i should ask questions sound in more sociological? i have no idea how all about the ethnographic research.. Much appreciate to get your guidelines.

It can involve teaching, learning, imitation, emulation, demonstration, etc...

Thank You!

I am especially interested in the Brasilian part of the Amazon, but hints on the neighbouring countries are welcome as well. Thank you.

Trying to build long-term qualitative/ethnographic research site and would like to work across projects without integrating them all into a standard procedure such as joining one atlas.ti/maxqda project. Does anybody have experience with building such data infrastructures (analytical strategy, privacy issues, technology)?

Thanks

I need a book review for Anthony Giddens (1992) The Transformation of Intimacy (Polity). Can anyone help? His book is about sexuality, love, and eroticism in modern societies.

What are its current initiatives and challenges? Does resilient livelihood help in overall resilience of a community?

I'm looking for the methodological grounds, assumptions, steps, rules and criteria of cultural knowledge building/designing after field research in cultural anthropology (social anthropology as well). 

Any ideas of classic key or gifted authors / researchers ?

Please share with me your ideas. 

This is a really simple, and yet profound question. Is there a point to study the sources of law without giving any thoughts to anthropological studies (i.e. Malinowski among others) carried out among the wild tribes? Can we really, sitting behind our desks, discover the nature and 'pedigree' of regal rules?

Jirga system in Pakistan and Afghanistan

Panchayat System in India and South Punjab Pakistan

Dera system in Pakistan

There are many kind of policies , Laws , Rights , Acts which are created to reduce and even eradicate Ethnic conflict and Ethnic problems in a country where there are a multicultural group living all together. But how the country helped in stabilising this peace and harmony for people to live together and prevent this Racial and Ethnic tensions among them ? 

My interest is in Spanish speaking families from Central America, South America and the Caribbean. 

Has anyone done research by using the literary term Strategic Essentialism, coined by Spivak? Do you think this term has any use? I need some opinions...thanks!

Does any body have a suggestion for an effective software for ethnography?

I am investigating the concept of 'trust' as a constructed phenomenon in organizational conversation, in the wider context of knowledge sharing. I am interested in the relationship between trust and knowledge sharing. I have not been able to identity any other studies in this area and wondered if anyone could assist in pointing me to studies that I might have overlooked.

Throughout the centuries and history of mankind, different cultures created the artifacts (in architecture, fine art, applied art, literature, poetry, language [sayings], music)  illustrating the concepts of approaches to disability. 

Do you know in your own or other cultures historical or current artifacts illustrating the direct or symbolic issues of following categories as social inclusion orsocial exclusion of persons with disabilities?

To bring this thread inspired me my dear colleague from RG Ans Schapendonk. 

Please share your comments and optionally photos. 

My dissertation (ongoing) is on a psychological profile of tribes in violent conflict in the Sahara/Sahel. Specifically, I'm interested in exploring (in part) cognitive imprinting on developing cultures based on extremes of geography, geology and climates of deserts, mountain habitats that are threatened with encroachment, war, desertification and the like, and one example of what I am interested in is the Ek tribe in northern Uganda.

Universities have long traditions of offering staff and students the freedom to do research – but what are the pressing issues and perspectives, especially for women? I would be grateful if you can share your experiences, stating in which country you work and in which part of the higher education sector you are a member of staff or a student.

As for Frederick Barth ethnic boundaries is the most appropriate concept when one have an ethnic group living inside a different ethnic society.

Academic culture understood as organizational culture has its artifacts, values ​​and hidden assumptions, according to Edgar Schein (2006).

Definitions of rituals have many dimensions I share one concept:

"The word " ritual " commonly brings to mind images of primitive exoticized others diligently engaged in mystical activities, they can find rituals , both sacred and secular , throughout" modern " society: collective experiences, from the Olympics to the commemoration of national Tragedies ; cyclical gatherings, from weekly congregations at the local church to the annual turkey carving at Thanksgiving to the intoxication of Mardi Gras, and personal life-patterns , from morning grooming routines to the ways in Which We greet and interact with one another.

Ritual is in fact an inevitable component of culture, extending from the largest- scale social and political processes to the most intimate aspects of our self - experience . Yet within this universality, the inherent multiplicity of ritual practices , both between and within cultures , also reflects the full diversity of the human experience " (source: http://www.culanth.org/curated_collections/4-ritual ).

I'm interested in rituals during conferences in the world in many aspects.

I wonder what rituals are present during conference moderation panels, coffee breaks, lunches and dinners?

What ritual is connected with so called scientific "stars" and "celebrities" and their demands on conferences court life?

Do you experience interesting rituals during the conference in different dimensions as:(in material and symbolic) negotiation of access, accommodation of your stay, rituals moderation panel session, ritual of greetings, coffee breaks, meals, etiquette and rituals of social life?

Have you experienced the rituals that were complicated, ridiculous or comic to you?

Images analysis welcome.

Below I share some image from last International Conference I participated as guest speaker in 14-15 May in Warsaw.

Very interesting in my opinion are greetings, presenting self with hand shake to new colleagues, coffee breaks and rituals of meeting friends not seen for months or years and "introductions" to famous Professors, whose books are well known.

I share one photo I made on 14th May during International Conference at Maria Grzegorzewska University in Warsaw, Poland in assebley hall. I found that in time, when many places were taken, some of the were free - but students listening to the speeches preferred to sit on the stairs or upstairs, behind the chairs. What is the ritual (I saw it a few times in different situations) of sitting lower ? I'll think about that.

I'm having a bit of a hard time getting my head around Silverstein's concept of 'indexical order', and how it relates to what Blommaert (2007) and others call 'orders of indexicality'. Both are ways in which indexicality can be ordered (instead of being unstructured), but what are the differences between both indexicality "types"? If someone could clarify that for me, I would be very grateful.

Just a few centuries ago we knew more about an important person because of the letters they wrote with their own hand with their parents, friends and others. Now that we use the e-mail and other messages that we don't have access, how do we are going to know about how a person was? For example, Leonardo da Vinci would be upset if he knew that we read his letters and that we have an idea of his mother relationship, but if Leonardo would use e-mail, how do we know how he felt?

Main foci so far have been literature on resilience, death anxiety, and terror management theory. I'm planning a critical ethnography in acute care setting.

Patterns of Wisdom is a comparison essay that discusses the similarities and differences of The Bible verses The Book of Changes. It seems that within each society no matter how different, the time or the place will arrive at the same truths. It is a matter of trial and error. What I would like help with is to expand and cross reference with a multiple perspective of books of right conduct. Your input would be most appreciated.

I´m an anthropologist so my data are interview transcriptions, observations, field notes etc. Some colleagues have recommended NVivo - others use Atlas. Any tips on the pros and cons of what is available on the market? Do any of the programmes also offer mixed methods analysis support? Thanks for any advice.

I came across Foreign News by Ulf Hannerz, I am interested in other research about journalism as a cultural role and journalists as a community with its tires of passage, socialization processes and self-awareness.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to code audio files without transcribing? Any software suggestions?

There seems to be a dysfunctional gap between learning to succeed within society and learning in order to become a capable and fully functioning adult..

Or are we suffering a particular dysfunction where many people are not being taught well enough, nor are they learning anything. It is argued that by many, they are not being taught at all. People learn in different ways and at different rates. Some people do not learn at school but learn from others within their communities or at other types of learning situations.

I've started to investigate rites, tradition, law, permission, about Muslim burial in contemporary Italy. I'm starting from an explorative sociological point of view. I'd like to compare my ongoing findings to European situations.

In Ecuador the government decides to extract petroleum from the Yasuni, a place with one of the biggest biodiversity in the world who is a natural reserve and intangible zone, a territory of an ancestral indigenous uncontacted population.

I wish to understand social capital in the cultural festival context.

I just finished running a summer participatory research internship with high school and college students. Some youth researchers wrote wonderful qualitative research reports on the topics of drug use, stress, and stereotype among Asian American youth. Can someone recommend journals for publishing their findings and experience?

In some developed countries, functional illiteracy continues to be a very serious problem, partly due to their crisis in education.. Do you think digital technologies might influence an increase in the level of literacy - particularly among children. In countries where illiteracy has historically been a persistent problem, Book publishers have been making efforts to give their books away to poorer children who have access to the internet because they believe that by introducing children to online stories these children will eventually be encouraged to read 'classical' books.

Work of Mary Douglas is one of classics in social and cultural anthropology, yet I presume that it has some impact on other social sciences and humanities as well. Could you recommend any references to other disciplines drawing on Mary Douglas thoughts (particularly on Purity and Danger)?