Suchergebnisse

Where some of the papers in this volume deal with nation building in the democratising former East European states in the wider ideological context of liberal democratic thought, this paper aims to present a view of values and democracy from an alternative, ?Asian? perspective. South East Asian nations, such as Singapore, have attempted to articulate and practise forms of ?Asian? democracy as a response to, and in rejection of, Western liberal democratic models. In these countries, there is not so much a programme of reform and liberalization, as an attempt to evolve a form of democracy suited to an Asian society. To this end, efforts have been made by political leaders to articulate what ?Asian? values are, and some countries have also promoted sets of values that are considered to be congruent with their form of ?Asian? democracy. Singapore is an example of how a government has set about developing a form of ?Asian? democracy. By examining the history texts used in Singapore schools, and comparing the different contexts in which European and ?Asian? values are embedded and used, the paper shows that there is indeed a distinctive form of values and democracy that is taught. But, while this is referred to as ?Asian?, there is in fact a lacuna in terms of the wider values framework and context, and children are in effect being socialised into accepting a rather passive conception of citizenship and a notion of democracy that are arguably distinctive to Singapore. What that Asia stands for is far too diverse, and perhaps there is also, on the part of Singapore and its political leaders, an inclination to make ?Asian? values in their own image, as it were.

"Sexual desire, often understood as personal erotic preference, is frequently seen as neutral, natural, or inevitable. Countering these commonplace assumptions, Racial Erotics shows how sexual partnering within communities of gay men is deeply embedded within larger social structures that define whiteness as desirable and normative while othering men of color. In queer erotic economies this othering may take the form of sexual rejection or fetishization of men of color, but C. Winter Han argues that the real danger of sexual racism is that it creates a hierarchy of racial worth that extends outside of erotic encounters into the everyday lives of gay men of color. In this way, sexual racism perpetuates a larger project of racial erasing that equates gayness with whiteness to secure acceptance for gay white men at the expense of queers of color. With vivid examples from interviews, media representations, and online dating sites, Han highlights the creative means through which gay men of color, cordoned off in spaces both gay and straight, produce alternative frameworks to combat dominant narratives. Racial Erotics offers a new paradigm for understanding the connection of race and queer desire, demonstrating how race profoundly shapes sexual desires among men while racialized notions of desire construct beliefs about belonging"--

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- 1. Being an Oriental, I Could Never Be Completely a Man -- 2. Sexy Like a Girl and Horny Like a Boy -- 3. It's Like They Don't See Us at All -- 4. Asian Girls Are Prettier -- 5. Finding Home in Gaysian America -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- Index -- About the Author

"Geisha of a Different Kind bravely engages with the struggles and triumphs of Asian American gay men as they inhabit American society and its gay mainstream. A lucid study with anunflinching focus on the daily contingencies of these men's lives, this book isan important contribution to the scholarly understanding of contemporary U.S.sex/gender systems and their fraught links to racial formations."--Martin F. Manalansan IV, author of Global Divas: Filipino Gay Men in the Diaspora.

AbstractConsumers in emerging markets are known to have strong preferences for well‐known foreign brands. Drawing on schema and categorization theories, this study empirically investigates how accessible two components of brand foreignness – globalness and country of brand origin – are in consumer perceptions of brand quality in emerging markets. In addition, we argue that brand globalness can be shaped by inferential reasoning and test how consumer perceptions of brand globalness are affected by both a brand's country of origin and its perceived quality. Two different studies were conducted with young‐adult consumers in China. The study found that in their evaluations of foreign brands consumers are more influenced by country of origin than by brand globalness. It also found that consumers tend to perceive a high level of globalness in high‐quality brands and brands from a favorable country‐of‐origin. Further, this tendency was found to differ between well‐known and lesser‐known brands. These findings confirm the predictive validity of country of origin, but contrast with extant literature on the role of brand globalness as a principal quality cue for foreign brands among consumers in emerging markets. Our findings also imply brand globalness can be an inferred attribute of perceived brand quality and country‐of‐origin image. Keywords: brand foreignness, brand globalness, country‐of‐origin effect, emerging markets.

c. winter han on using white as a proxy for normal in gay media.

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how consumer cosmopolitanism (COS) and consumer ethnocentrism (CET) may affect young populations in China (an emerging country) and Korea (an advanced emerging country) on their evaluations of Japanese brands.


Design/methodology/approach
The author hypothesize that the levels and the effects of COS and CET will differ between China and Korea because of their differing levels of economic development and globalization. Surveys were conducted with 311 Chinese and Korean young individuals with comparable sample characteristics.


Findings
The research reveals a few interesting findings. First, the findings show that Chinese young consumers may be more ethnocentric and moderately less cosmopolitan than their Korean counterparts. Additionally, COS was found to have greater effects on evaluations of Japanese brands in China than in Korea. On the other hand, CET played a subdued role in brand evaluations for both countries.


Research limitations/implications
The findings suggest that COS and CET may have reduced influences on future consumers in emerging Asia and other emerging countries as they experience increasing globalization.


Originality/value
This study addresses an under-researched issue of how consumer values may change in emerging Asia experiencing rapid economic development and globalization.

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether or not the strategy of pursuing a global brand identity by leading Asian firms will produce intended outcomes in consumer responses. For this purpose, the study empirically examines whether global Japanese brands (e.g. Toyota) are perceived as global or Japanese by consumers.


Design/methodology/approach
Surveys were conducted with Korean consumers for their evaluations of Japanese automobile brands with varying degrees of globalness. As for brands, the study divides Japanese brands into two groups – those with high brand globalness and those with low brand globalness – and to examine if Japanese-origin effects differ between these two groups.


Findings
In contrast to the hypothesis, global brands were found to be more subject to country-of-origin effects.


Research limitations/implications
The findings contribute to research on consumer choices and brand globalness by showing country-of-origin effects for global brands.


Practical implications
The findings suggest that even when Asian firms emphasize the globalness of their brands, they may still need to attend to country-of-origin effects.


Originality/value
This study examines an unexplored issue of country-of-origin effects for global brands.

A thoughtful, compassionate look at how racism in Canadian GLBT communities affects gay men of color. Giwa highlights the strategies utilized by these resilient men in order to lead strong, effective lives. Racism and Gay Men of Color is required reading for scholars, students, and activists.

A number of countries in Europe, including the UK, have adopted language and citizenship tests or courses as a requirement for granting citizenship to immigrants. To acquire citizenship, immigrants to the UK must pass a test on British society and culture, or demonstrate progress in the English language. For those with an insufficient command of the language, there is the option in the UK of taking an English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) with citizenship course. These language and citizenship tests and courses are seen by governments as a way of encouraging immigrants to develop the competences believed necessary for social integration. Equally, these are seen as a means for immigrants to demonstrate their willingness to integrate. However, two types of criticisms have been made against compulsory tests and language programmes. The first questions the need for these. The second focuses on whether they are a genuine contribution to preparation for citizenship or whether these, in effect, constitute a gatekeeping mechanism, or otherwise lead to social injustice; related to this is the question of whether the emphasis on language as defining of nationhood and citizenship is a move away from multiculturalism towards a policy of assimilation. In addition, there are issues relating to funding. This paper presents the results of a study of a 'skills for life' ESOL course at a community college in London that is specifically intended to help immigrants seeking to qualify for British citizenship. An interview was carried out with staff involved in ESOL at the college, and a focus group discussion was conducted with a student group. The aim of the paper is to provide an account of the experiences of the students in the light of the criticisms that have made against compulsory tests and language programmes. We also examine the impact of policy changes, including funding cuts, on the college and students. Although we found the language and citizenship class to be a positive experience, we note inconsistencies and contradictions in policies and discourses around language. © 2010 Taylor & Francis.