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This study describes the religious meaning of the Olok Gading Bedana dance in Lampung Province. This research uses a qualitative approach with reference to Roland Barthes' semiotic analysis method. This research was carried out by going directly to the field to find out the Olok Gading Bedana dance, and emphasizing the religious meaning that exists in the Olok Gading Bedana dance, this dance was also used in its day as a medium of association and conveying messages (da'wah) to young people in order to practice their religious teachings. This study describes the religious meaning of the Olok Gading Bedana dance in Lampung Province. This research uses a qualitative approach with reference to Roland Barthes' semiotic analysis method. This research was carried out by going directly to the field to find out the Olok Gading Bedana dance, and emphasizing the religious meaning that exists in the Olok Gading Bedana dance, this dance was also used in its day as a medium of association and conveying messages (da'wah) to young people in order to practice their religious teachings.

The changing roles of cities and local governments -- Uncovering administrative, fiscal and political powers of local governments in Kazakhstan -- Administrative urban struggle : Almaty city versus Almaty region -- Fiscal challenges facing Astana and Almaty : fighting for national projects and transfers -- Clash of local deputies versus local bureaucrats in urban transport development -- Reconsidering the role of local governments in the Central Asian context.

The defences available to an agent accused of wrongdoing can be considered as justifications (which render acts lawful) or excuses (which shield the agent from the legal consequences of the wrongful act). This distinction is familiar to many domestic legal systems, and tracks analogous notions in moral philosophy and ordinary language. Nevertheless, it remains contested in some domestic jurisdictions where it is often argued that the distinction is purely theoretical and has no consequences in practice. In international law too the distinction has been fraught with controversy, though there are increasing calls for its recognition. This book is the first to comprehensively and thoroughly examine the distinction and its relevance to the international legal order. Combining an analysis of state practice, and historical, doctrinal and theoretical developments, the book shows that the distinction is not only possible in international law but that it is also one that would have important practical implications.

How do women's rights activists mobilize, in nondemocratic and culturally conservative contexts? Why do some women's movements succeed in securing the policy outcomes they seek while others fail to realize their objectives? Comparing two recent cases of feminist activism in the Middle East/North Africa region-the Moroccan and Iranian campaigns for family law reform-the article demonstrates the way that political opportunity structures shape the strategic options available to activists and influence movement frames. While a political opening is conducive to movement growth and success, including cooperation for legal and policy reform (Morocco), the closing of political space compels extrainstitutional feminist contention and transnational links (Iran). In examining the structure of political opportunity in addition to strategic choices, the paper addresses the interplay of structure and agency in mobilization processes and finds that-to paraphrase Marx-women and men make history, but not under conditions of their own choosing. Adapted from the source document.

The paper examines conflict and migration in different countries couple with the new crisis facing
global governance in battling refugee's problem. The major causes of conflict are irreconcilable differences
between political elites and rebels, bad governance and economic crunch leading to war and refugees
movement. Refugees movement have overpopulated border in some states causing socio- economic disputes
in host state sparking up confrontation between the local people and the migrants. The method used in this
research is secondary and interview of returned migrants to ascertain the patterns of treatment and problems
of migration. The study reveals that the pressure of escaping from their homeland either through war or
seeking for jobs in another country have made migrants to be confrontational whenever they get to border
that security guards are mindless of their long distance suffering. The study recommends that there should
be development centres in both developed and developing countries to accommodate migrants running away
from war-like state to stay for four years before repatriation to a place that demand their services, in doing
so, they would have save for the purpose of investment and at the same time discourage request for permanent
status in host state.

Despite recognition of soil as a major global natural resource and longstanding policy recognition of its importance for understanding environmental systems and stewardship in a rapidly urbanizing world, soil science has been underrepresented in teaching National Curriculum in UK schools. Alongside concerns about declining student participation in science education, a key challenge is how to effectively engage students and address inadequacies in soil education. A UK government–funded initiative led to Soil-Net, an innovative, open, online soil educational Web site resource to support school curricula. Following a decade of online availability, this article analyzes Web site data on the adoption, use, and impact of Soil-Net 2006–2016. First, data analysis based on geoidentification of more than a million and a half users revealed patterns of adoption and usage by territory. Although originally targeted in the United Kingdom, Soil-Net is now being used worldwide in 223 countries and territories. Second, analysis of student scores on soil science knowledge quizzes available to be used alongside school education and curricula assessments provided evidence of student learning supported by Soil-Net resources. Third, analysis based on user ratings and qualitative feedback revealed good satisfaction ratings by primary and secondary school students, teachers, and parents. Usage data analysis offers an initial evaluation of Soil-Net, although further research is required to evaluate support for curricula and student learning. Next steps include development of Web site resources using innovative pedagogies to ensure applicability and sustainability and research to further evaluate how Soil-Net is used in schools and its contribution to soil science teaching and learning.

With the increased use of new media in political elections, I set out to answer two important questions: how does new media affect the relationship among candidates, journalists, and citizens during elections and how will traditional media adapt to the new technology? Since this topic is evolving, I read blogs and news articles during the 2008 presidential election and reflected on past elections to discover key differences. I found that four key distinctions pertaining to new media that made the 2008 election different than previous ones. First was the creation of a virtual town hall, which was illustrated through public participation, such as the YouTube debates. Second was evolution of blogs from a PR tool to a forum for supporters. Third was explosion of social networking sites, such as MySpace and Facebook that enabled candidates and journalists to stay connected with citizens. Finally, there was the increased impact of participatory journalism sites like The Huffington Post's OffTheBus and CNN's I-Report. The conclusion I drew from these four developments is that new media has changed the way campaigns are run by candidates, covered by the press, and engaged by the public. Most importantly, the average citizen has been empowered through the technology as never before. Instead of being passive observers in politics and the press, citizens can now actively participate by communicating with candidates and journalists.

This study addresses the relationship between social capital and political action in the Middle East. The research uncovers indicators of how social capital correlates with democratic action. Using data from the 2005 World Values Survey, the examination centers on indicators of trust and membership in civic organizations and how they relate to political action in the region. The paper concludes with discussion of how trust-building and reciprocity can be interpreted within the political context of the Middle East, and how the relevance of social capital will be an unavoidable consideration in the transition away from autocracy in the region, especially when considering recent events. ; 2011-12-01 ; M.A. ; Sciences, Political Science ; Masters ; This record was generated from author submitted information.

One of the essential postulates of political orientation and determination for the building of stable societies and a functioning political system in its content recognizes and imposes the need to examine the relation of relevant political actors to constitutionalism and human rights as concepts and preoccupations for any modern society. Also, constitutionalism and human rights and freedoms as its inseparable category manifest the political values and the corpus of essential and common political goals and commitments of a particular political community. Political Islam as an ideological political subject has its own sources and a valuable orientation framework through which prisms and perceptions can be interpreted or extracted by individual axiological determinants to certain issues. This paper analyzes exactly the relations of political Islam with constitutionalism and human rights, and similarly to the so-called framework it draws attention to the concepts of power, the mechanisms of control and compliance with the Sharia regulations. At the same time, the importance of human rights and freedoms in the Islamic narrative, their nature and scope, as well as the differences with the western established documents in this area are emphasized and analyzed.

The sequence of US presidential elections from 1964 to 1972 is generally regarded as heralding a fundamental political realignment, during which time civil rights became as important a cleavage as economic rights. In certain respects, this realignment mirrored the transformation of politics that occurred in the period before the Civil War. Formal models of voting (based on assumptions of rational voters, and plurality-maximizing candidates) have typically been unable to provide an account of such realignments. In this paper, we propose that US politics necessarily involves two dimensions of policy. Whatever positions US presidential candidates adopt, there will always be two groups of disaffected voters. Such voters may be mobilized by third party candidates, and may eventually be absorbed into one or other of the two dominant party coalitions. The policy compromise, or change, required of the successful presidential candidate then triggers the political realignment. A formal activist-voter model is presented, as a first step in understanding such a dynamic equilibrium between parties and voters.

In global oceans, circulating current systems called gyres concentrate floating plastic waste into garbage patches far from land. This dissertation describes how the Great Pacific Garbage Patch accumulating between California and Japan comes to matter as an environmental problem and public concern at the turn of the 21st century. It draws on participant observation, interviews, historical and textual analysis to "follow" plastic as it circulates - with water, images, people, knowledge and marine life - from the ocean, through laboratories and beyond. By tracing the intersecting trajectories of multiple materials, I take a problem often blamed on activist exaggeration or media misrepresentation and show how the garbage patch emerges with a diversity of collective practices. The production and sharing of knowledge not only shapes the garbage patch, but also the kinds of solutions and care that are possible in return. For some, the garbage patch becomes a solid 'trash island' twice the size of Texas in need of cleanup; for others, a whole new realm of inseparable associations between synthetics and life called the plastisphere. Plastic, however, continues to escape from these attempts to measure, know, cleanup and otherwise control it, challenging the cultural and political foundations of science and ecology. I argue that caring for the ocean requires responding to plastic in all its natural-cultural relationships, as it transforms humans and environments alike