Culture and Enviornment

This study explores the unique blend of imagery and temporality in the naming of the West Lake Ten Scenes, a renowned set of landscapes in Hangzhou, China. Unlike traditional Western notions of landscape that prioritize visual perception, the naming of these scenes incorporates a rich tapestry of sensory experiences and temporal elements, challenging the pictorial dominance in landscape appreciation. Through a detailed analysis of each scene, this paper highlights how non-pictorial elements such as sound and scent play crucial roles in the experience of these landscapes. Additionally, the concept of temporality is explored through the seasonal, diurnal, and moment-specific conditions under which these scenes are best appreciated. This investigation not only deepens the understanding of traditional Chinese landscape consciousness but also illustrates how these ancient namings convey a multisensory and dynamic appreciation of nature. The study aims to contribute to broader discussions on cultural landscape perceptions and the integration of multisensory experiences in the appreciation of natural beauty.

Many studies have been conducted on the novels of accomplished American author John Steinbeck (1902-1968). His Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath (1939) is about the rural class's profound economic problems during the Great Depression. Steinbeck's interest in the subject is thought to stem from his own real-life experiences as a labourer before becoming an author. On the other hand, despite the fact that Turkish novelist Yaşar Kemal's (1923-2015) novels have been
translated into numerous languages, including English, Russian, French, and Italian, there has been little academic study of them. Kemal, like Steinbeck, supported his family by working as an agricultural labourer. Another thing the two novelists have in common is that they both worked
as journalists later in their lives. In his novels, Kemal weaves together Anatolian legends and contemporary reality. The Legend of The Thousand Bulls (1976) is about Turkey's last nomadic Turkmen tribes, who are desperately looking for a place to settle and spend the winter. The Grapes
of Wrath is about an Oklahoma Dust Bowl family's migration to California and the hardships they face after losing their farm. Both novels contain familiar social criticism elements. From a social realist standpoint, this article compares the novels in terms of new beginnings, migration, representation of state authority, and otherness.

The influence of natural environment of a community and its social and economic development has been of great interest to humanity since time immemorial. And by 1600s, interest in geographical location and its influence on human conditions had developed into theories referred to as geographical or environmental determinism. But the theories have not only failed to explain the reason for such influence, but have also been accused of encouraging racism, colonialism, Eurocentrism, and imperialism. By placing geographical environment within the four elements of culture as shown in Myth Values Theory, this article explains the source of the influence of geographical location of a community on its social and economic development. Myth Values Theory is free of racist innuendoes as it sees each community as an independent unit, pursuing its goals to fulfil the demands of its myth values as explained in the Myth Values Theory.

The present paper  explores the issue about biological diversity in the context of the dramatic compositions of Kalidasa. The term biodiversity stands for the variety of plants and animal life on the earth or in the natural environment. Kalidasa, has minutely observed, all the natural phenomena which come under the purview of biological diversity in the sense of modern science, in his all dramatic compositions. His methodology of observation about biological diversity is more artistic rather than scientific one. The Artist does not investigate reality through reasoning rather he reaches the core of reality by imagination and intuition which is called as Pratibha. The pleasure of reaching the core of sweetness is far greater than the sober pleasure of investigation of reality by reasoning. He points out this very concept in his Sakuntalam that the method of the artist (the honey-maker) is not the method of the scientist,tattvanvesi (the truth maker). According to Kalidasa heaven is by no means as lovely and desirable as the earth and that there is nothing to eat or drink there and beings live there like fish with un-winking eyes. He observes very carefully and significantly in details about the animals, birds, plants and other organisms in his dramatic art.

He deals with many topics, including the creations of universe, all sentient beings, living and non living, and other natural resources. In his compositions he describes various aspects of forest scenery in very beautifully manner and in great details including birds, animals, plants etc. As regards to the general aspects of his compositions it is unique one as every phenomena of nature, such as humans, animals, plants flowers etc. are ensouled by a deity who is a cosmic functionary to whom God has allotted and assigned a functioned for the welfare of all beings. All these concepts show intimate relationship with diverse biological entities and concern for their conservation. One of the necessary cornerstones of ecopsychology and environmental psychology is a contribution to understanding and solving environmental problems which we find in the literature of Kalidasa everywhere. The messages we receive from the teaching of Kalidasaliterature inspired us to protect and conserve all the natural resources. For the conservation of biodiversity is not separate from the ethical code and conduct of human beings. The present paper tries to demonstrate the thought of Kalidasa towards natural resources which provide adequate solutions to the present-age challenges.

The relationship between everyday lives and the climate changed present is layered, complex, and deeply embedded in social context. In the Sundarban region of India and Bangladesh, the entangled web of development, anthropogenic climate change, and so-called climate change adaptation projects (such as concrete embankments, the hardening of coastlines, and brackish aquaculture) have interrupted natural adaptation processes and caused environmental degradation that negatively impacts those who live there. Scholars have called for better frameworks to link between everyday struggles and macro-level processes of climate change and development. Building on a long-term ethnographic engagement and existing theories of everyday adaptations to climate change, I utilize salinity intrusion as a case study showcasing the complicated interlinkages of climate change and development on daily life. I argue that there are three interlinked processes of increases and accumulations of salt: naturally occurring, exacerbated by capitalism and development, and exacerbated by climate change. Residents describe the consequences of salinity intrusion as they materialize in their bodies, evidence of the external imposition on their lives. I argue that although climate change is the cause of environmental transformation, it interacts with local conditions in diffuse ways that social science needs to pay attention to. Looking at the causes and consequences of salinity intrusion in tandem allows us to see past hegemonic thought and makes way for understanding climate adaptation outside of the constraints of neoliberal development paradigms.

Research, part of a Special Feature on Everyday Adaptations to Climate Change

A cricket bat generally consists of two different parts Blade and Handle. These two are generally connected to each other through a splice (MCC, 2017). Here, this invention only related to the handles. So, the handle itself separate into two sections via joint assembly. Section 1 remains fixed with the blade of the cricket bat. Section 2 may be more than one having distinctive lengths and can either be detached or attached with section 1 and then only the handle length could be changed from short to long handle as per the requirement of the batsman (Ali, Murtaza, & Katiyar, 2016).

The improved design of joint assembly & their parts, made up of non wood material are presented. After finding out volume of non-wood material from a referenced handle based on constraint measurement, from which joint assembly would be prepared, with the help of this joint assembly the handle would be attached or detached. The design and manufacturing process of the joint assembly with their parts has been presented in this paper as per the Law 5-the bat of MCC, 2017 which quantify the use of non-wood materials up to only one-tenth part from the total volume of the handle.

The paper offers a contribution to the political account of wonder. The rationale for addressing this problem is provided by Hannah Arendt’s observations on the paradoxical relationship between wonder and politics—wonder appears here as both essential and indispensable to politics as the realm of opinions (doxai). This quandary corresponds to two common-sense uses of the term “wonder”—as an emotion and as an act of judging. It is argued that the political interpretation of wonder should link these two poles. Drawing on Martha Nussbaum’s account of wonder and its reformulation developed by Jeremy Bendik-Keymer, the paper offers such a synthesis by emphasising the environmental and aesthetic dimensions of the concept.

As seniors with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are often segregated from the general society, it's necessary to determine how this affects their episodic memory. This research aims to identify if a statistical difference is present in the evaluated trait of episodic memory for AD patients in the same Alzheimer's Stage between a Thai (inclusive) and American (segregated) environment. It analyzes the variance in episodic memory in both settings to determine the consistency and effectiveness of each type of care. The data is used to investigate if the difference in episodic memory between the two environments changes with the progression of AD. Through a digital Episodic Memory Test (EMT) taken by health care professionals and caretakers of AD seniors in the Phanat Nikhom Hospital and Ed Brown Senior Center, episodic memory could be evaluated in both environments. Seniors in the same AD stage (Mild Cognitive Impairment, mild dementia, or moderate dementia) had their Episodic Memory Test Score (EMTS) compared to limit the external factor of cognitive potential due to AD progression from altering the evaluated trait of episodic memory. The results indicate that a statistical difference was present in episodic memory between the two environments. The data suggests that a greater variance in EMTS exists in American care compared to Thai care. The study shows that for each evaluated AD stage, seniors in inclusive facilities maximized episodic memory potential more than segregated facilities. The findings support the idea that an inclusive environment is more effective, provides greater consistency, and maximizes potential in the trait of episodic memory. Greater inclusion of seniors with Alzheimer's in the United States is the recommendation of this study.

Breaking down the dichotomy between city and wilderness and recognizing that cities are in wilderness.  Wilderness permeates cities.  We see the need for parks, beaches, open spaces but more we see wilderness throughout the city environment. Cites are in fact within the wild, weather we recognize it or not.

Le vodou n'est pas responsable du tremblement de terre à Haïti africultures.com/le-vodou-nest-pas-responsable-du-tremblement-de-terre-a-haiti-9166/ Dianne Diakité, professeur au département de religion d'Emory University à Atlanta, revient sur les propos du pasteur américain Pat Robertson en mettant en exergue la singularité du vodou et les raisons pour lesquelles Robertson lui attribue en filigrane la responsabilité du tremblement de terre en Haiti. Alors qu'un nombre croissant de chercheurs et de lecteurs commencent à revaloriser les cultures religieuses africaines et à reconnaître leur importante contribution aux sociétés de la diaspora, Pat Robertson a ajouté un chapitre sinistre à la fascination de l'Amérique pour le « problème d'Haïti. » Dans cette dernière fiction, déguisée en révélation, Robertson déclare, » il s'est passé quelque chose à Haïti il y a longtemps «. Ce » quelque chose » n'est rien d'autre que l'héritage du vodou. Le tremblement de terre d'Haïti, un événement terrible dans l'histoire de cette île, est exploité par Robertson et la légion de soi-disant chrétiens qui soutient son ministère. Il leur fournit une tribune, une de plus, pour caractériser Haïti comme une nation honnie, destinée à succomber au malheur, un désastre à la suite de l'autre ; une nation sous la malédiction divine ou démoniaque. L'héritage religieux africain Il est indispensable de remettre les pendules à l'heure. Les formations étatiques et les sociétés lignagères en Afrique possédaient chacune leurs croyances, pratiques et institutions religieuses bien avant l'arrivée du judaïsme, de l'islam et du christianisme. Le vodou en faisait partie, un terme à usages infinis et multiples, connoté par une pluralité transcendantale qui inclut aussi bien » dieu « , » esprit » et » mystère «. Il s'agit donc d'une religion qui ne doit en aucun cas être assimilée à un culte démoniaque. Aujourd'hui, il suffit de consulter les ouvrages en la matière pour se rendre compte que le vodou est considéré par les chercheurs sérieux comme une tradition historique et contemporaine appartenant à l'Afrique de l'ouest et à Haïti. L'héritage du vodou lie ensemble Haïti, le Bénin, le Togo et le Ghana à travers plusieurs éléments culturels parmi lesquels il faut inclure des cosmologies, philosophies, langues, thérapies médicales, habitudes culinaires, rites de passage, valeurs éthiques, normes esthétiques, conventions artistiques et technologies qui procurent à plusieurs communautés une identité commune et une grammaire théologique indispensable à leurs sociétés. Cet héritage leur a permis de transmettre leur humanité de génération en génération. Le commerce négrier, une entreprise divine ou diabolique ? Il est vrai que dans l'ensemble les Américains ne comprennent pas grand-chose aux

Oil palm crops have transformed the environment due
to the global demand for raw materials to produce biofuels,
the domestic policies of import substitution and
the agro-industrial development model. This article
presents the main results of a multi-temporal and spatial
analysis in the municipality of San Carlos de Guaroa
(Meta Province, Colombia) with the aim of identifying
and analyzing land use transitions for the years 1985,
2000 and 2016. The change patterns were estimated for
three specific land covers: gallery forests, oil palm crops,
and agricultural areas. Between 1985 and 2016, 19,38%
of the gallery forests disappeared (1.845,45 hectares)
with an average annual reduction rate of 3,22% (59,53
hectares). These forests were replaced mainly by oil
palm crops. The expansion of this crop in the analyzed
period of time was in average 1.312,56 hectares per year.

What role have the processes and institutions of international development played in creating and propagating ideas around the world? This paper demonstrates that networks of development- focused civil society institutions can form global epistemic bridges even where communication technology, global markets, infrastructure, or state services do not reach. Given the penetration of these ‘civil society knowledge networks’ throughout the world, it is crucial to understand how these networks form, and how they create and spread ideas, mediating between global discourses and local needs. This paper builds on a multi-sited case study of one such civil society knowledge network, which includes an international foundation, its partner non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Kenya, and one village where these NGOs run a forest conservation project. The case study provides a closely textured analysis of the mechanisms of knowledge production and consumption in the network, including personality politics, language, technology, political connections and the power dynamics of knowledge flows. It demonstrates the ways remoteness and disconnection are overcome through the epistemic reach of institutional networks involved in development interventions.

T.C. Boyle’s The Tortilla Curtain (1995) begins by paying homage to John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath (1939): Boyle’s epigraph, quoted from Steinbeck’s novel, creates a direct analogy between the Okies and the Mexican immigrants, their (im)migration and their subsequent fate. Indeed, both novels protest against the Californians’ attitude toward the weakened “Other” who struggles to make a living in their home-State. As critics have noted, the parallels between the two novels are visible in various features, structural as well as thematic. Similar themes include the Californian Edenic dream, the economic depression and a critique of consumer culture. I argue that a deeper similarity between the novels is their common preoccupation with filth. This focus, overlooked by scholars, can be read as part of an entire sub-genre which I call “filth-fiction”. Exploring the novels’ shared interest in the racial and socio-economical significations of filth and the latter’s connection to the ecological aspects, my paper demonstrates how Tortilla—like the entire corpus of novels within this sub-genre—carefully follows Steinbeck’s lead despite the fact it depicts a different racial layout. As my analysis shows, the impact of The Grapes of Wrath on contemporary U.S. fiction is evident, both in the representations of filthy “Others” and in the environmental awareness.

ABSTRACT: A review was carried out to identify published work on use of material into the handle of cricket bat for its design and manufacturing. As the time and popularity of the game surprisingly increases, little research had been done for the advancement of the equipments when there is no restriction on the use of materials, such as composite materials, carbon fiber, titanium etc. As the new Law came into effect from 1 st October 2008, all these bats were ruled to be in contravention of the Laws of cricket and have since been withdrawn. And To further improvement in the performance of cricket bat, without violating the rules of the game, advance materials are to be used. And such advancements, together with use of stiff and lightweight composite materials, have engendered many designs would be explored in the future. Innovation is limited in cricket where the rules insist that the use of predominant material in cricket bat must be, for the blades-use of willow (100%) only and for the handles–total (90%) volume of bat handles should consist of cane, wood and/or twine with the other (10%) for other purpose like reducing vibration.

The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints has many revealed doctrines that teach its members how to be excellent stewards over the Earth and its inhabitants. Yet oftentimes these doctrines and their implications for our daily lives are under-discussed. This workshop

Guardians of Nature is a clearly written and very insightful view of the political economic, environmental, and social-cultural transformations reshaping lives and livelihoods on the Tibetan Plateau. Written as a first-hand narrative account of his work over several years with Hashul villagers in Yulshul, Tsering Bum’s perceptive book discusses key issues of contemporary Tibetan pastoralism: mining, the importance of the caterpillar fungus economy, resettlement, co-ops, education policy, human-wildlife conflict, and sacred mountains. It also explores quite new phenomena, such as Tibetan pastoralists hiring Han Chinese and non-local Tibetans as herding laborers while living off of caterpillar fungus income, and the rise of feral dogs as a result of the sharp drop in Tibetan mastiff prices. Tsering Bum’s analysis is informed by critiques of nature-culture binaries and illustrates the many effects of perverse policy incentives. Strongly recommended for anyone interested in understanding Tibetan pastoral areas today.

Guardians of Nature is available  at-cost print versions

http://tinyurl.com/hjw6zr6 (hardback)

http://tinyurl.com/h2lzt33 (paperback)

༼རང་བྱུང་ཁམས་ཀྱི་སྲུང་སྐྱོང་བ། བོད་ཀྱི་འབྲོག་པ་དང་ཕྱི་སྣོད་ཀྱི་འཇིག་རྟེན།༽གྱིས་དེང་སྐབས་མདོ་དབུས་མཐོ་སྒང་གི་སྐྱེ་ཁམས་ཁོར་ཡུག་དང་སྤྱི་ཚོགས་རིག་གནས་ཀྱི་འགྱུར་ལྡོག་གིས་ས་གནས་འབྲོག་པ་མི་དམངས་དང་རང་བྱུང་ཁམས་ལ་ཐེབས་པའི་ཤན་ཤུགས་སོགས་ཞིབ་ཏུ་བརྗོད་ཡོད། ཀླུ་ཚང་ཚེ་རིང་འབུམ་གྱིས་མིའི་རིགས་རིག་པའི་ཁྱབ་ཁོངས་ཀྱི་མི་རིགས་རིག་པའི་ཞིབ་འཇུག་ཐབས་ཤེས་བཀོལ་ནས་རང་བྱུང་དང་རིག་གནས་གཉིས་ལྡན་གྱི་འགལ་ཟླས་གྲུབ་པའི་སྐྱེ་ཁམས་ཀྱི་གནད་དོན་མང་པོ་ཞིབ་བརྗོད་བྱས་ཡོད་དེ། དཔེར་ན། དབྱར་རྩྭ་དགུན་འབུས་བོད་ཁུལ་གྱི་དཔལ་འབྱོར་དང་རིག་གནས་ལ་ཐེབས་པའི་ཤན་ཤུགས། རྩྭ་ས་དོ་དམ་གྱི་གནད་དོན་དང་སྲིད་ཇུས། མི་དང་རི་སྐྱེས་སྲོག་ཆགས་བར་གྱི་འགལ་བ། གནས་རི་དང་ཡུལ་ལྷ་གཞི་བདག་རིག་གནས་ཀྱིས་སྐྱེ་དངོས་སྣ་མང་རང་བཞིན་སྲུང་སྐྱོབ་ལ་ཐེབས་པའི་ཕན་ནུས་སོགས་བརྗོད་ཡོད་ལ། དེ་མིན་བོད་ཁུལ་གྱི་འབྲོག་པ་མི་དམངས་ཀྱིས་གནད་དོན་འདི་དག་ལ་བརྒྱབ་པའི་འགྲེལ་བཤད་དང་དེར་བརྟེན་གྱི་སྐྱེ་ཁམས་སྲུང་སྐྱོབ་ཀྱི་ལག་ལེན་སྐོར་ཞིབ་བརྗོད་བྱས་ཡོད་པས་ན། དེབ་འདི་མདོ་དབུས་མཐོ་སྒང་གི་སྐྱེ་ཁམས་ཁོར་ཡུག་དང་འབྲོག་པའི་སྤྱི་ཚོགས་རིག་གནས་ལ་དོ་སྣང་བྱེད་མཁན་རྣམས་ལ་འོས་སྦྱོར་བྱས་པ་ལགས།

《自然的守护者: 藏地牧民与他们的生态世界》一书讲述了青藏高原数十年来生态环境、经济及社会文化的变迁，以及这些变迁对自然生态和本土牧民生活的影响。作者鲁仓才让本运用人类学民族志的手法，展示了自然、文化二元对立的思维结构造成的社会和生态问题。全书叙述了冬虫夏草经济对藏区经济、文化的影响，草原管理及其相关政策议题，人兽冲突，藏地自然圣境对生物多样性保护的作用，以及藏区牧民对这些问题的解读和应对等内容。谨以此书献给对青藏高原游牧社会、生态环境议题感兴趣的人。