Asian Journal of Social Science最新文献

A semantic transformation of the English word “nation” has occurred in recent China. The once popular “ethnic group” connotation of “nation” has been dropped, while the “state-nation” connotation has become increasingly prominent. The change can be attributed to the efforts of Chinese intellectuals who wished to redefine the word—an endeavor which began nearly 100 years ago. The dynamics behind this redefinition has arisen from a nationalist desire to eliminate the threat to the territorial unity of China brought about by the idea of “national self-determination.” By manipulating the politics of meaning, that is, redefining “nation” as “state-nation,” Chinese intellectuals have eventually converted the original separatist slogan into a slogan of maintaining national unity.

Acupuncture, a specialty of Chinese medicine, has become increasingly popular among urban middle-class health consumers in the Philippines in recent years. Professionalized training courses have started up and bio-medical doctors and nurses are the largest group of trainees enrolled in various programs. They are also the largest group of service providers cum trainers in the formal and private healthcare system. Based on a qualitative study approach, this study conducted face-to-face interviews with a questionnaire among trainees and practitioner cum trainers at the Ateneo de Manila University, the SMIC Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the St. Luke Medical Center- Quezon City, and the St. Luke Medical Center-Global City. This study finds that biomedical doctors and nurses from various ethnic groups have switched to practice acupuncture not only because of their fascination with Chinese medicine but also to respond to the market demand. Their entry is driven by a range of factors including, but not limited to: financial incentives, the limitations of biomedicine and the advantages of acupuncture, family tradition, and the idea of holism that is attached to Chinese medicine. The advantages to becoming an acupuncturist appear to be professional, economic and personal despite the challenges regarding the social and political circumstances. This paper concludes that biomedical professionals are in control of Chinese medicine specialties, which are being professionalized in the Philippines, and are making the industry a private multicultural and urban middle-class phenomenon, thus fulfilling the demand created by the market economy.

This paper draws on a qualitative case study conducted between 2018 and 2019 with 34 children aged 6–12 years in two designated child-friendly public spaces in Jakarta, known as Ruang Publik Terpadu Ramah Anak (RPTRA), in the communities of Cililitan and Rawa Badak Selatan (Rasela). This article illustrates ways in which children construct and embed their gender identities through play and within playground spaces. The findings of this study speak the geography and spatial organizations of the public playgrounds in Jakarta that nourish male hegemonic practices, which impacted girls’ participation in play. Interestingly, this hegemonic culture was also reinforced by both the physical features and social structures of the playgrounds. We argue it is time to design and inject gender-sensitive policy into public playgrounds, wherein all children can equally participate in play and access their playground spaces.

Durkheim's Le Suicide outlined four distinct types of suicide, of which three were greatly in detail. The fourth, fatalistic suicide, was developed only within the confines of a footnote in Durkheim's work. In this paper, I propose that the largely neglected concept of fatalistic suicide is a useful model for potentially understanding student-suicide in South Korea. Korea has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, especially among the student-aged bracket. More specifically, I contend that the Korean education system creates a fatalistic social environment for many Korean students. I argue that fatalistic suicide is the most appropriate suicide-type to theoretically classify these suicides when juxtaposed with the other three types. Moreover, this paper discusses fatalism in Korea in relation to its possible socio-emotional and psychological effects on Korean students, making for an approach that attempts to address the gap between social forces and individual behavior.

Introduction

Being one of the first Indian states to come out with a transgender bill in 2015, Kerala's Social Justice Department also implemented various health-based provisions for transgender individuals catering to their physical, mental, and gender-based health. Many of these are still in the process of being set up and transgender individuals will have to wait for smoother access to healthcare.

Aim

This study aims to assess the awareness regarding general transgender issues and health as well as the attitude towards transgender persons among the medical community- especially medical students and doctors who are a critical link for the integration of the transgender community into society.

Method

Responses were collected from 452 medical doctors and students from Kerala through scales that measured awareness level and attitude, including transphobia. The relation of gender, age, years of experience, and specialty of medical personnel to the level of transphobia and awareness about transgender issues was also analyzed using statistical methods.

Result and Discussion

Transphobia levels were moderate in the sample. Women and medical students had lower levels of transphobia than men and practicing doctors respectively. Awareness levels were average for general information about the transgender community, such as its core features and difference from other similar categories but were low on health-related aspects of transgender persons (such as their physical and mental health issues, healthcare provisions, and knowledge on gender affirmation surgery).

Conclusion

More inclusive actions are needed in medical education, legislative actions, advocacy groups, and the formation of multidisciplinary surgical teams to further the cause of the transgender community.

The paper discusses the subjective constructions and lived experiences of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) that are shaped by the ideologies of pro-natalism, pro-genetics and patriarchy prevalent in India. The booming IVF industry is situated amidst the dialectics of pro-natal culture and health policies directed towards population control. Being out of pocket expenditure sans insurance cover, IVF is afforded only by a small minority. Yet their availability is compelling, whereby childless couples feel obligated to try them out in order to absolve themselves of the guilt of not having tried enough. Across India, the fertility of women is celebrated through rites and rituals that commence at menarche and find reiteration at festivals and wedding ceremonies. Hence childless women bear the brunt of stigma, trauma and familial pressures that push them to turn to commercially operated fertility clinics in a bid to overcome childlessness along with guilt and shame associated with it.

This paper explores the academic experiences of women academicians in India during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was collected through online questionnaires from 87 women faculty members teaching in colleges and universities. Findings indicate that increased household work of women due to the pandemic and resulting lockdown has amplified their effort in executing their teaching and examination related duties, but they have ensured that their remote teaching performance has largely remained unaffected. However, the pandemic seems to have had adverse effects on research of women faculty that is likely to impinge on their future prospects of career advancement. Managing the increased demands of teaching and household work and maintaining work-life balance has been stressful for them.