Category: Culture

Introduction

Brazil is the largest country in South America. It has a variety of cultures that incorporates European, African and Native American cultures. In addition, religious flexibility of Brazil makes it highly hospitable for a vast majority of people. This paper focuses on the various aspects of Brazilian culture.

Religion and other belief systems

Brazil is a multi-religious state. These religions have great influence on the countrys culture. Most of the cultural practices have been integrated in religion and vice versa (Blore & Vries, 2010).

The major religion in Brazil is Roman Catholicism, which has 75% of the entire population as its faithful members. This large number of Catholic faithfuls influences state decisions, and therefore can be considered as the orthodox doctrine for which other religions base their standards. For example, many non Catholics undergo Catholic rituals such as infant baptism in Catholic churches. In addition, any decision passed by the government cannot be in violation with the doctrines of the Catholic Church.

The other religions include Jehovahs Witnesses, Muslims, Methodists, Buddhists, Hinduism, Rastafarians, Eastern Orthodox Christians and Protestants. These religious entities play a vital role in culture diversification.

Aesthetics

Brazil has a diverse musical culture. Its music incorporates the traditional Portuguese viola playing and African thrilling rhythms with modern elements of pop music.

The initial forms of music in Brazil were the lundu and the modinha which were African tunes that were sung as they played the native reed flutes. Later music was adopted as a means of passing religious doctrines to the natives. The tunes were the retained, but the original words of the songs were substituted with translated religious words.

Music is also used in modern Brazilian festivity and religion. For instance, the famous Brazilian Carnival. The Brazilian Carnival is a 5 day event that embraces both European and African traditions. It takes place before Lent. The event is full of drama; in which women wear outstanding costumes and people sleep on beaches. It is conducted in streets of Brazil and incorporates all Brazilians irrespective of age or social status

Diet and Nutrition

The staple foods in Brazil consist of black beans, flour, and white rice. They are prepared in different styles depending on the locality of a group. In most cases, these foods are served with chicken, fish and red meat. Moreover, Brazilians have a national dish and other popular food stuffs such as okra, peanuts, cheese bread, and chourico.

Majority of Brazilians are slum dwellers and hence cannot afford quality food. As a result, most families have children who suffer from malnutrition. However, government interventions and increased incomes from exports have contributed to better lifestyle. In addition, the number of people consuming animal products has increased in the recent years.

Housing

The type houses constructed in Brazil mainly depends on cost and available material for construction. In urban areas, brick houses are more common because they are cost effective to build. In the cities, stoned apartments and skyscrapers. However, in rural areas wooden and prefabricated houses are common due to the availability of timber and lack of cement in such localities.

The greater population in Brazil is made up of poor persons. In urban areas most people rent houses since they cannot afford mortgages or even buy their own houses. However, in rural areas people can afford to purchase and rent cheap houses. Although the cost of housing is cheaper in rural areas, people prefer living in slums provided they are urban areas. The city dwellers mostly live individual as opposed to rural dwellers who reside by their families

Clothing

Though its claimed that the Bahiana is the national dress, Brazilians have no specific national dress. This is because of their cultural diversity and hence each region has its preferred dressing mode. However, most of them prefer to wear bright colored and relaxed type of modern clothing.

This is because of the hot weather condition in most of the time in Brazil. For official purposes or work related functions, Brazilians observe etiquette similar to that in USA i.e. suits for men and women. However, women are also allowed to wear dresses, ornaments and have manicure. This form of dressing is common in most urban areas.

Recreation, Sports and Other Leisure Activities

Brazil has many recreational activities. This recreation activity depends on the location and time of year. However, there are some recreational which are independent of season. In urban slums, samba schools are popular for teaching dancing, costume creation and song writing. Along seaside cities, beach activities such as summer sunbathing are common. They also have soap operas that are televised every evening to keep the population entertained.

The major sporting activity in Brazil is soccer which has the highest number of fans. Thus, they have invested heavily in building stadiums in every city to encourage the development of the sport. As result, many Brazilian footballers, renowned for their astonishing skills, play in major football leagues worldwide. Other sporting activities in Brazil include beach volleyball.

Healthcare

The government health facilities accounts for approximately 20% of the total countrys health institution. The small number of health facilities, free medical care policy and poverty results in overstretching the available health facilities.

The government has attempted to mitigate over the situation by paying handsomely doctors who are posted in the harshest conditions in Brazil. This has significantly reduced the mortality rates and increased life expectancy of the Brazilians. However, this has strained the health sector budget. In addition, the rural health facilities are under-equipped, understaffed and are in wanting conditions hence they are incapable of handling common diseases such as malaria and parasitic skin infections

Social Security

Brazil has a large number of people who are very poor. Therefore, it is impossible to for the countrys social security system assist such a large number of persons. Thus, the system in place is structured to benefits only the citizens and foreigners who contribute to it.

Conclusion

Brazil is rich in cultural resources. These resources, if properly marketed to attract a large influx of tourists. Hence more income can be generated by the state to support the struggling citizens.

However, the governments effort is not sufficient enough to successfully eliminate the problem of poverty that rocks the country. Therefore more stake holders are required to work hand in hand with the government to successfully eliminate poverty in Brazil. In addition, decentralization of services should be done to discourage large influx rural -urban migration.

Reference

Blore, S. & Vries, A. (2010) Frommers Brazil. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons

Abstract

The Chinese living in Taiwan have adopted cremation due to a number of reasons. To assess the factors leading to cremation amongst these Chinese, this study delves into Chinese traditions as well as their attitudes towards death and bereavement.

As such, the study is in a position of highlighting the causes of cremation, and this, in turn, helps us to understand the attitude towards burial practices among Chinese living in Taiwan. The findings were attained through an ethnographic study in Taiwan, which was carried out in three interviews sessions. The study involved acquiring qualitative information from the three focus groups: the Chinese students, religious leaders, and the community.

This study is consistent with DS Sutton findings, as it affirms that burial practices are highly affected by the Asian cultural values, since their values highly emphasize on hierarchy, filial piety, as well as family centrality^[1]. More so, Buddhism plays a key role in cremation amongst the Chinese living in Taiwan^[2]. This information brings to light the rationale behind carrying out a culturally sensitive burial arrangement and practice amongst the Chinese in living in Taiwan.

Introduction

The practice of cremation is a contentious issue that is characterized by the gradually evolving ideas. While some Chinese argue that the traditional approach to burial practice is appropriate, the Chinese from Taiwan believe that new cultural values and social context need to be integrated into the practice, thus reflecting their attitude towards cremation.

In this respect, Fielding and Cecilia put a point across that burial practices are more inclined to peoples cultural beliefs as opposed to their gender, age, or even their education status^[3]. However, a clear understanding of cremation amongst Chinese in Taiwan can be achieved if burial practices were observed in a dynamic manner, as this would help to put to light the present culture values observed by the community.

This can only be attained through observation of burial practices over a given period since this facilitates knowledge on the past as well as the evolving values within the community, and hence improving the understanding of the grief resulting from death amongst the Chinese living in Taiwan. In turn, this facilitates building a culturally sensitive intervention during burial practices.

Problem Statement

The perception of Chinese relation with other people and institutions in the Taiwan helps us to understand their cultural values. However, this is faced with a challenge during burial ceremonies because burial ceremonies are considered as private affairs; hence, according to Xu Yu, little publicity is made to the people outside the family of the deceased^[4].

But even though handling a discussion on burial ceremony is sensitive to this culture, it is of paramount importance to carry out a qualitative research on this issue with an aim of clearly understanding the behaviors as well as the thoughts of Chinese living in Taiwan.

Without such a study in place, a clear understanding of the Chinese living in Taiwan and their cultural belief system with regard to burial ceremonies cannot be achieved. This study, in turn, helps us to understand that the attitude of Taiwanese towards cremation highly depends on integration of their cultural values with the Buddhist practices.

Objective

This research study aimed at creating an environment of defining the causes of cremation among the Taiwan community in China. With this study in place, the researcher was in a position of finding answers to a number of complex issues that revolve around cremation in the Taiwan community.

These answers, in turn, helps to supply more answers as to what extent the cultural values affect the practice of cremation in the Taiwan community. The guiding question was to ascertain the condition under which the Chinese living in Taiwan change their culture. Hence, the research was able to highlight multiple cultural practices in Taiwan and to highlight the conditions under which the Chinese in Taiwan uphold their ethnic identity.

Justification

The study concerning the Taiwan community is paramount because it brings to light a clear understanding of their culture, hence enhancing interaction with them. More so, learning cultural diversity facilitates cohesion, because one is able to accept cultural views of other people from diverse communities without necessarily calling for debates or criticism.

The diverse knowledge on the practice of cremation facilitates understanding of the factors that lead to a change of cultural values within a given community. With this information at hand, one is able to analyze the degree to which the Chinese community is influenced by external cultural values.

Research methodology

Study Design

The study uses both quantitative and qualitative designs, with a set of dependent and independent variables. The dependent variable included participants attitude towards death and burial ceremonies. The independent variables, on the other hand, included education, while the demographic variables included age and race/ethnic group of the participants. The validity and reliability of the study were carefully checked in order to ascertain that the study holds a clear objective in answering the research question.

The qualitative study was achieved through a close analysis of materials that were grounded with theories of cultural values of Chinese from a historical point of view. The quantitative study, on the other hand, emanated from a sample size of Chinese living in Taiwan. The study was designed in such a way that it created room for an effective analysis of the content in various textbooks and journals, and this formed the basis of question that were used in the ethnography study.

Participants

A sample population of 600 participants was taken out of more than one 1000 people living in Taiwan. The sample size for the Chinese participants was based on random sampling in order to ensure that all Chinese in Taiwan were well represented. The study also consisted of a sample size of 80 religious leaders, who were also selected in a random manner.

It turned out that a vast majority of the religious leaders were from Buddhist religion. In addition, the study included 200 social community workers of Taiwan. These groups were subjected to interviews and focus groups, in which the facilitators were able to acquire in depth knowledge on experience about death and burial ceremonies amongst Chinese.

The students were given an opportunity to elicit their childhood experience in the Taiwan community. The religious leaders were given an opportunity to express their views concerning burial ceremonies. The social community workers were also given an opportunity to air their views, as they offer detailed services to the deceased family during the mourning period.

Research tools

The researcher organized the ideas collected from the textbooks and journals articles. This information helped to determine the scope of the research and to define the extent to which death and burial ceremonies are affected by cultural values within the Taiwan community. This was followed by determining the evidence that demonstrates the challenges facing cremation within the Chinese community. The journals consist of content that bring rise to various questions that called for answers as the study advanced.

Therefore, the information obtained from the journal articles was properly organized, and it served as the basis of coming up with the questionnaire that was used in the ethnography study. The participants were then provided with the discussion question after they were assured of their anonymity rights within the research study. The guiding research question within the focus group was to identify the circumstances that led the Chinese living in Taiwan to adopt cremation.

Data collection

The participants were subjected to the interview process, which was divided into three parts. The first part collected the demographic variable of the participants, namely, age, gender, race/ethnicity, as well as the education background; the second part collected the participants attitude towards death and burial ceremonies; and the third part of data collection, which was done shortly after the participant attended a cremation ceremony, was able to collect participants attitude towards cremation.

To increase the validity of the study, the focus groups were offered a questionnaire that was designed in a manner that accommodated diverse responses from the participants. The assessment of the participants attitudes was also based on observing the participants as they attended the cremation ceremony. Data from the three focus groups was successfully collected, and the statistical information was later entered in the computer system for analysis.

Data Analysis

Having data scanned into temporary database and verifying it using SPSS package helped to obtain the mean of the three focus groups. The SPSS package helped to analyze the data in the form of percentage, and the ANOVA test was used to compare the mean between the three focus groups.

Besides getting the differences between the three focus groups, the qualitative information from the ethnographic study was successfully attained through domain analysis of the Chinese living in Taiwan. This information facilitated a clear understanding of the factors that have led to an increase in the practice of cremation, as well as the impact of cremation on the Taiwan community.

Data presentation

Data analysis was handled in a manner that facilitated proper interpretation of results in addressing the objectives of the study: the causes of cremation among the Taiwan community in China. Additionally, the presentation facilitated an accurate understanding of the questions emanating from the study: how the cultural beliefs system and values affect the practice of cremation in the Taiwan community. The SPSS Software enhanced data interpretation through application of statistical tests and generation of graphs.

Discussion

The findings in the study show that the attitude towards cremation does not discriminate against age, gender, as well as the educational background of Chinese community living in Taiwan. More over, there lacks a significant difference between the three focus groups, namely, the students, the religious leaders, and the community, as their attitude towards cremation remains positive. This is portrayed through a close mean value between the groups, as well as the standard deviation within the groups as illustrated in table A. below

Table A.

From the participants responses, it is apparent that the Chinese community in Taiwan embraces some form of traditions related to death and burial ceremonies. Key among them includes refraining from wearing white clothing because this practice has a connotation with death^[5].

More so, the findings are consistent with DS Sutton allegations: that the people of Taiwan believe in the filial piety, meaning that death does not terminate a persons life, and as such, due respect must be accorded to the deceased^[6]. Additionally, many of the religious leaders were in accord with the Chinese culture, which affirms that the deceased can only be shown due respect by burning his/her property, because this facilitates acquisition of wealth in his/her life after death^[7].

And with the presence of Buddhism in the Taiwan community, it is a common phenomenon to see a Chinese being enticed by their practices, especially cremation because it is associated with the act of burning. The fact that Chinese living in Taiwan are committed to Buddhists religion makes it easy for them to adopt cremation in the place of traditional burial ceremony, which involved burying the body in a casket.

Conclusion

The results of the study can be generalized because they were based on a large sample size. According to the findings, it is imperative to note that a number of factors, some of which come from the Buddhism religion, influence burial ceremonies in Taiwan. Hence, there exists a clear way of carrying out burial ceremonies due to introduction of mainstream burial ceremonies amongst the Chinese.

However, even though the findings have a great impact on understanding the cremation within the Taiwan community, the study should be replicated in order to address matters concerning the conditions as well as the period of time the Chinese would maintain integration of mainstream burials with the traditional burial practice within their domain.

Works Cited

Fielding, Richard, and Cecilia L. W. Chan. Psychosocial Oncology & Palliative Care in Hong Kong: The First Decade. Aberdeen: Hong Kong University Press, 2000. Print.

Lobar, SL, JM Youngblut, and D Brooten. Cross-cultural Beliefs, Ceremonies, and Rituals Surrounding Death of a Loved One. Pediatric Nursing. 32.1 (2006). Print.

Sutton, D S. Death Rites and Chinese Culture: Standardization and Variation in Ming and Qing Times. Modern China Beverly Hills. 33.1 (2007): 125-153. Print.

Yu, Xu. Death and Dying in the Chinese Culture: Implications for Health Care Practice. Home Health Care Management & Practice. 19.5 (2007): 412-414. Print.

Appendix

Summary of the Ethnography

The first part of the interview process involved collecting participants data concerning their demographic variables:

Gender: ( ) Male ( ) Female

Age: ( ) less than 35 years ( ) 35 years or more

Race/ethnicity ( ) Chinese ( ) Non Chinese

Education: ( ) University/ college Graduate ( ) A school drop out

The second and the third part of the interview process involved collecting participants data concerning their attitude towards death and burial ceremonies:

1. What constitutes an appropriate burial ceremony?
2. What is the significance of color during burial ceremonies?
3. What are the consequences of failing to carry out an appropriate burial ceremony?
4. How long should burial ceremony take before one becomes certain that it is done appropriately?
5. What is the driving force of the practice of cremation amongst the Chinese living in Taiwan?
6. Is cremation related to therapy?
7. What are the spiritual benefits of cremation?
8. Is it possible to distinguish the Chinese eligible for cremation from the Chinese who are non-eligible for cremation practice?

The participants were then asked to support their answers by providing an explicit explanation in an effort of acquiring qualitative information on the practice of cremation.

Endnotes

1. DS Sutton, Death Rites and Chinese Culture: Standardization and Variation in Ming and Qing Times, Modern China Beverly Hills 2007, 33.1: 125-137.
2. DS Sutton 141
3. Richard Fielding and Cecilia L. W. Chan, Psychosocial Oncology & Palliative Care in Hong Kong: The First Decade (Aberdeen: Hong Kong University Press, 2000) 226.
4. Xu Yu, Death and Dying in the Chinese Culture: Implications for Health Care Practice, Home Health Care Management & Practice 2007, 19.5: 412-414.
5. SL Lobar, JM Youngblut, and D Brooten, Cross-cultural Beliefs, Ceremonies, and Rituals Surrounding Death of a Loved One, Pediatric Nursing 2006, 32.1.
6. DS Sutton 146
7. DS Sutton 153

Introduction: Conflict Background

Working in a diverse environment is an exciting and inspiring yet admittedly difficult task. The lack of experience in conversing with the members of other cultures may easily lead to the development of a misunderstanding that will, later on, become a cross-cultural conflict. Although the conflict to be described below was technically caused by the lack of contact and agreement between the participants, the actual reason for the problem to have taken place was the difference between the cultural characteristics of the participants.

The conflict under analysis was sparked among the members of a multicultural team operating in the food industry in 2017. While partnering with the members of an Australian organization in an attempt to work on a new concept of a product, the members of the American organization started identifying a peculiar pattern. In the course of communication, most of the Australian team members avoided direct eye contact, which their American colleagues immediately assumed was an attempt to conceal certain information.

As a result, mistrust was planted in their relationship, although the problem was rooted in the specifics of the Australian culture. Particularly, direct eye contact is regarded as impolite in the Australian culture (Cunningham and Turnbull 23).

Conflict Analysis: Co-Cultural Theory

From the perspective of the Co-Cultural Theory (CCT), the specified phenomenon can be seen as a result of the elements of a dominant culture affecting the quality of the conversation. Particularly, based on the principles of the CCT, the White culture currently dominates the social, economic, political, and cultural landscape of the U.S. (Castle et al. 22).

Thus, when establishing a connection with the members of the Australian culture, the team members from the specified organization took the issue of language, and especially the language of nonverbal communication, for granted. By applying the principles of their dominant culture and dismissing the possibility of any other interpretation of the identified nonverbal elements (particularly, the eye contact), the team members from our company failed to develop a bond with their Australian colleagues (Han and Price 29).

Conflict Analysis: Dominant Group Theory

Approaching the issue from the perspective of the Dominant Group Theory (DGT), one should keep in mind that the specified framework helps determine the role of the dominant group in the conflict (Sterzing et al. 85). Particularly, when applying the framework to the conflict described above, one must admit that the introduction of a negotiation strategy based on the principles of multiculturalism and compromise would have helped resolve the crisis (Ladson-Billings and Tate 31).

Particularly, the members of the dominant culture should have focused on the active use of the communication tools that would help them gain a better understanding of the verbal and nonverbal communication elements that would seem as inappropriate in the specified context. Instead, the participants of the communication process that were related to the dominant culture preferred to use a more aggressive approach toward handling the communication process, which ultimately resulted in a failure (Orbe and Batten 26).

Conclusion: A Look Back at the Conflict

When establishing a multicultural dialogue, one must keep in mind cultural differences that may lead to a cross-cultural conflict. The representatives of the dominant culture should be especially careful in the choice of communication tools. Furthermore, an in-depth analysis of the needs of the target population must be conducted. The comparison of the communication specifics of both parties and the identification of the strategies that will allow for an efficient conversation must be deemed essential. As a result, communication goals will be achieved.

Works Cited

Castle, Gina B., et al. From Laying the Foundations to Building the House: Extending Orbes Co-Cultural Theory to Include Rationalization as a Formal Strategy. Communication Studies, vol. 66, no. 1, 2015, pp. 1-26.

Cunningham, Stuart, and Sue Turnbull. The Media and Communications in Australia. Allen & Unwin, 2014.

Han, Eun-Jeong, and Paula Groves Price. Communicating across Difference: Co-Cultural Theory, Capital and Multicultural Families in Korea. Journal of International and Intercultural Communication, vol. 11, no. 1, 2018, pp. 21-41.

Ladson-Billings, Gloria, and William F. Tate. Toward a Critical Race Theory of Education. Teachers College Record, vol. 97, no. 1, 1995, pp. 21-41.

Orbe, Mark P., and Colin J. Batten. Diverse Dominant Group Responses to Contemporary Co-Cultural Concerns: US Intergroup Dynamics in the Trump Era. Journal of Contemporary Rhetoric, vol. 7, no. 1, 2017, pp. 19-33.

Sterzing, Paul R., et al. Sexual Orientation, Gender, and Gender Identity Microaggressions: Toward an Intersectional Framework for Social Work Research. Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work, vol. 26, no. 1-2, 2017, pp. 81-94.

The variation in the multitude of global languages reflects the diverse states of intercultural communication, which is amplified by the increase in tremendous leaps in technological advancements. Global technology allows for open access to a wealth of information, resources, and influence that can encourage change in cultures and societies. It is implemented in a variety of settings, from educational establishments to business ventures, but serves a primary purpose of clear and effective communication between communities of differing backgrounds. To better understand the effect any form of communication, be it through technology or other means, has on two cultures in interaction, it is first important to identify ways in which two parties can be distinct.

Cultures are comprehensive but not mutual in their acceptance of certain behaviors or beliefs in all cases. All cultures are subject to potential change but may resist such processes, often in response to something like the influx of information from a foreign source. Essentially, at its core, a culture is a social system created from ideas, beliefs, and customs which can hold an extensive list of components, such as laws, speech, and more (Dumitra_cu-Bldu & Dumitra_cu, 2019). Language is a primary component of any culture, it is the method by which much of the cultures essence is taught or shared. This process of passing components of culture to the next generation can be stifled or lost in situations in which language itself experiences a change. Such a shift creates a changed perspective in the ways culture is interpreted, learned, and recorded. Global technology can be a catalyst of such change, an influence that alters some components of culture when two cultures interact on a global scale. It can be identified as another side effect of globalization, and as such, holds both benefits and consequences for all parties involved.

It is impossible to identify the rise of intercultural communication through global technology as either detrimental or entirely favorable. The substantial impact of limitless databases and communication tools have implemented both betterment and disadvantages on the global, national, and local scale. The positive impacts of global technology can be observed through the lens of business, which has prospered tremendously due to the inclusion of employees from more diverse backgrounds and an increase in communication that is not blocked by unfamiliarity with a number of cultures. Much of the business industry, especially the IT-focused sectors recognize professionalism in terms of communication as the primary priority of a successful project or firm.

Appropriate use of global technology for intercultural communication encourages worldwide competitiveness, a mark of an industry experiencing growth. Such forms of intercultural communication can appear as company strategies with universal and inclusive factors, awareness of employee backgrounds, and availability of information, tools, and resources. Much research notes on the different ways intercultural communication or the need for it is perceived, such as European regions proving to be more informed than their Asian counterparts on the matter (Pikhart, 2019). As such, the issue of appropriate intercultural exchanges has room for improvement, especially in business sectors. However, technology remains the most convenient method for solving sensitive issues of culture clashes and inclusivity. Specific methods proposed in IT-sectors include eLearning courses, apps, websites, or other platforms targeting the resolution of workplace conflict. Similar methodology is applied in learning environments as well. Essentially, the implementation of global technology has proven to invigorate competitiveness and economic growth through the assembly of teams which have higher levels of competence and are no longer blocked by communication barriers.

Despite a myriad of advantages, the rapid increase of global technology in an effort to improve intercultural communication has also seen a number of significant drawbacks, if not backlashes. This is primarily because the misuse of intercultural communication tools can lead to situations in which parties may feel disrespected, hostile, ostracized, or as if the technology has become a threat to their traditions. First, Eurocentric bias plays a large role in both globalization, technological communication, and resources available in large databases on the internet (Ferri, 2018). Both resources and interaction is limited for individuals of non-European or Western backgrounds especially when translation or language assistance is unavailable. This is primarily because English remains the lingua franca of most international relations, business or otherwise. This requires non-native speakers to invest additional resources into language learning, which some cannot afford. Additionally, this process promotes Eurocentric values inherently, with emphasis on particular definitions of success, skills, or other factors.

Second, generalizations are often essentialized, meaning that individuals or groups are often defined and reduced to their ethnicity, culture, or nationality in order to fit the parameters of a more influential culture. Though it may appear to be a simple solution when managing large groups, it is often dismissive and icorrect like most cases of generalization. Third, the initial assumption of differences can stir much conflict when two cultures are first becoming acquainted on a global scale, but is quite easy to overcome if the individuals in the interaction are open to learning and reconsidering previous assumptions. Fourth, much of previously selected literature and information on the effects of intercultural communication in regards to global technology has been gathered from small groups or simple interactions of every-day settings. Though this form of data gathering is effective and helpful, it is not complete and cannot be claimed to be universally true. Unfortunately, such information can be used incorrectly by those that use the data gathered from small sample groups as a universal truth of a culture and apply it to every individual from the culture. While other factors exist that threaten the tradition and communication on an intercultural level, the majority have a solution which can assist with creating a better international landscape for individuals from all backgrounds.

Past decades have shown a significant increase of what can be seen as American-centric values in daily life, work, or education. It was a side effect of globalization in a time where media, news outlets, and other forms of widespread communication reinforced a Western ideology of what success, ethics, and other values should be. However, in the past decade, a substantial number of ethic, cultural, and ideological groups have begun to retrace and return to their roots. Though it can be argued that they are reinforcing their older values in exchange for new global values, it can also be said that they are creating a coexistence for both forms of culture. Global technology continues to improve, and by that logic, older values should continue to disappear in exchange for newer cultures. Despite this thought process, a return to older traditions, values, and cultures has been noted with the assistance of communication provided by global technology.

References

Dumitra_cu-Bldu, I., & and Dumitra_cu, D. D. (2019). Intercrural communication and its challenges within the international virtual project team. MATEC Web of Conferences, 290, 1-13.

Ferri, G. (2018). Intercultural communication: Critical approaches and future challenges. Springer.

Pikhart, M. (2019). Aspects of intercultural communication in IT: Convergence of Communication and Computing in the Global World of Interconnectedness. Advanced Multimedia and Ubiquitous Engineering, 251-256.

Culture is one of the central concepts in sociology, and it incorporates material and non-material elements. Culture can transform due to social alterations, which can be rapid or slow. For example, intense scientific and technological development is both exciting and frightening for humanity. Three theories that help explain social change are known: evolutionary, functionalist, and conflict (Schaefer, 2019). The evolutionary theory states that society is improving, while functionalists believe the community wants to maintain stability (Schaefer, 2019). Conflict theory claims the importance of change to correct inequality and injustice.

However, social change may be met with resistance because some groups are accustomed to a particular lifestyle and do not want innovations. Such opposition is caused by the gap between the actual change and emotional adjustment of people to it. This gap is known as the cultural lag, which results when people, groups, organizations, and social structures experience problems in mastering the challenges created by this lag & that occurs between material and non-material culture (Ruggiero, 2018, p. 2). One of the prominent examples of cultural lag is a refusal of older generations to accept freedom of self-expression in social media.

The appearance of various social media platforms where young people could openly discuss their thoughts and share pictures became disturbing for the older generation. Indeed, the Internet and digitalizations freedom revolutionized peoples understanding of communication and expression (Schaefer, 2019). For example, my grandparents still cannot understand why youth share every minute of their lives on Instagram and how they create large audiences for culturally empty profiles. Furthermore, my grandparents, born in the late 1940s, are very responsible about posts they make on their Facebook pages which I helped them create.

Although the older generation accepted the comfort of technological advancement, many of them still resist approving online behavior. This response can be considered as culture lag because of the inability of their beliefs and values to adapt to changes (Schaefer, 2019). Three years ago, my grandparents and their peers created a group that offered to introduce parental control over Instagram posts and stories of teenagers and young adults in our city. However, these attempts to convince the municipal government were unsuccessful because, after multiple meetings, they concluded that social media posts became an essential part of modern society.

The social restructuring that came with the invention of social media can be considered as a conflict change. Indeed, social media removed the borders between classes, allowing all people to post their understanding of beauty, share thoughts about political and social issues, and even see the lives of famous public figures. These new privileges were not available to older adults; thus, they perceive them as immoral behavior because transitioning peoples lives to an online mode erased the borders of privacy.

This situation is an example of how cultural change can lead to social change (Schaefer, 2019). However, not all older generations reacted equally to the societal transformation. For example, baby boomers in our neighborhood had an overall positive view of social media development because they are active users of these platforms, too. Moreover, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube opened broader job opportunities for people who want freedom of creative expression, stable income, and a flexible work schedule.

Digitalization has some hidden disadvantages that are not related to cultural degradation that concerns the elderly. According to Schaefer (2019), social platforms simplified violation of peoples confidentiality for criminals, for-profit organizations, and governmental agencies. Specifically, the spread of malware that can retrieve personal data became easier now: The ever-present cell phone enables the most pervasive and sophisticated attacks on peoples privacy and anonymity (Schaefer, 2019, p. 313).

Furthermore, censorship of social media profiles is another example of culture lag among countries leaders. Considering the fact that most governments consist of older adults, this lag is understandable. Although surveillance is a valuable method for preventing terrorist attacks and other criminal activity, the personal lives of the citizens are affected. Indeed, the Court of Appeals agreed on the lawlessness of the U.S. mass surveillance, exposed by whistleblower Edward Snowden in 2013 (Satter, 2020). Overall, the need to control peoples thoughts shows that the old generation is still resistant to cultural and social change caused by social media.

In summary, cultural and social transition are interrelated concepts that may elicit a positive or negative response. Specifically, conflict theory of change suggests that societal alterations can cause a disturbance, but they result in eliminating inequality and injustice.

Indeed, rapid technological development removed sharp social boundaries, allowing people of different classes to have equal access to information exchange. However, older generations, our grandparents and lawmakers, appear to remain in cultural lag. For example, many of them want to censor Facebook and Instagram posts to protect people from potential material and non-material threats, which indicates the reluctance to accept these social changes. Still, the digitalization age brought more benefits than disadvantages to humanity because it allowed millions of people to connect their interests and created freedom in peoples lives.

References

Ruggiero, J. A. (2018). Culture, change, and cultural lag: A commentary and a challenge. Sociology Between the Gaps: Forgotten and Neglected Topics, 3(1), 1-3.

Satter, R. (2020). U.S. court: Mass surveillance program exposed by Snowden was illegal. Reuters. Web.

Schaefer, R.T. (2019). Social movements, social changes, and technology. In Sociology matters (7^th ed., pp. 296-317). McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

Summary of the Case

Siemens is a telecommunications company based in Munich, Germany but serves across the world. In 2006, the company was involved in a corruption scandal that led to approximately 2.6 billion euros in fines and penalties. There were investigations from international investigators and law firms. From the reports, it was found that 80% of senior employees serving as the chief executive officer (CEO), chief finance officer (CFO), and staff in human resource (HR) management were corrupt (CGMA, 2014). 70% of the next management level and 40% of the junior staff were also said to be corrupt (CGMA, 2014). It took the efforts of Peter Loscher 2007, who came as the CEO, to change the organizations culture.

Dozens of employees in Siemens then used bribes and embezzled millions of funds to win company contracts. From the investigations done, there was a massive corruption scandal that had altered the telecom units of the company to almost $128 million, as reported by the German Focus magazine in 2006 (Blanc et al., 2017). The reports showed more than 80 million euros in the bank accounts of executives in Greece and Austria. The money was said to be part of the slush fund used to give bribes to the contractors who placed bids on the security systems at the 2004 Olympic Games held in Athens (Blanc et al., 2017). Members of the board and other employees were nubbed and held in custody after police raided the offices in Munich, Germany.

The company faced charges from US authorities and German authorities due to bribery allegations. The giant engineering company parted with $800 million and an additional 395 million euros after pleading guilty to corruption charges. The reports indicated that the company had paid officials about 4,000 times to the extent of parting with 1.3 billion euros between 2000 and 2006, whereby the goal was to win contracts globally (Blanc et al., 2017). The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigated the company in collaboration with the Department of Justice. According to the researchers, the record penalty levied in the US is 800 million dollars, almost 20 times more than any other foreign firm had come across in the US in corruption issues (Blanc et al., 2017). Three hundred ninety-five million euros paid to Germany was due to the lack of control in terms of business tasks (Vernand, 2018). The company faced tough as there was a fine of 201 million euros (Vernand, 2018). The money was levied against the German judges in 2007 for the misappropriation of the funds at the telecommunications group.

There were specific people mentioned as the key drivers for the corruption allegations. They include Thomas Ganswindt, the manager in charge of the telecoms division, and Johannes Feldmayer, a board member (CGMA, 2014). Heinrich von Pierer, the head of Siemens supervisions, and Klaus Kleinfield, the CEO, were also found to have grossly violated the companys monetary policies despite denying the investigators wrongdoings.

Ethical Violations Involved in the Case

The major ethical violation involved in this case was corruption. The reason is that corrupt officials showed a lack of integrity and transparency, which are requirements when holding such offices (CGMA, 2014). The issue undermined the democracy of the firm and eroded the economy in the market, as well as caused instability in terms of resources. It is against ethics to conspire to fraud a company for malicious gains, and therefore, the people involved deliberately organized to embezzle the funds contrary to the companys policies (Blanc et al., 2017). They also violated the need to have transparency and fairness in undertaking its activities while serving in their respective offices.

Siemens Response to the Recovery

The company made a raft of changes in the administration and the roles played by the key people serving in the giant engineering company. First, the companys CEO, Klaus Kleinfield, and the chairman Heinrich von Pierer resigned (CGMA, 2014). There was the appointment of Peter Loscher, who announced that employees were to come forward and testify against any charges. There were more than 40 informers who gave incriminating evidence, which led to the replacement of the previous board. Siemens appointed Michael Hershman, the co-founder of Transparency International, who came to advise hence, making a move as a leading anti-corruption expert (Blanc et al., 2017). The firm established strict regulations on anti-corruption whereby there were 500 full-time compliance officers to spearhead the recovery (Blanc et al., 2017). The new CEO led to training and education programs on anti-corruption for staff (CGMA, 2014). The company also started working with Interpol to assist in any required investigations.

Ethical Guidelines Implemented by Siemens

The company started training employees on avoiding corruption and being accountable for any resource. By 2008, Siemens had offered training to 0.4 million employees globally on anti-corruption matters (Vernand, 2018). In this case, Loscher ensured the commencement of complex matrices to streamline the companys financial divisions (CGMA, 2014). All finance officers were required to produce bank account statements and all the documents involved in transactions from that time. All employees were required to be head high in whatever departments they served to ensure no loopholes that enabled company funds loss (CGMA, 2014). Each staff was required to have a valid certificate from the ethics agencies showing that they had not participated in any fraud or misappropriation of funds.

Basic Principles of Ethics Related to the Case

1. Trustworthiness- the CEO, CFO, and HR were not trustworthy since they conspired against Siemens to fraud its funds through bribery in securing lucrative foreign contracts.
2. Respect- the companys officials failed to respect the terms and conditions and policies set against the misappropriation of resources.
3. Responsibility- the employees lacked the responsibility to highlight corruption cases and scandals at the ground level, which led to a global escalation of the matter.
4. Fairness- The company was fair in relieving duties for the members found guilty and replacing them with competent people who would recover the lost resources from the previous regime.
5. Citizenship- Embezzling a multi-global company means economic and political instability ensued, thus, causing a state of scarcity and lack of developmental opportunities in countries where Siemens had reached operations.

Boundary Crossings and Violations

The boundary crossing in the case study is the deviation from normal operations that do not have embezzlement of resources, that which does not exploit the company and supports the companys objectives (Blanc et al., 2017). The boundary violation, in this case, was the bribery done to secure contracts using the companys money. The illegal exploitation of Siemens caused economic sanctions after the company was fined heavily by the US and Germany.

Recommended Model for the Ethical Dilemma

The appropriate model for solving this ethical dilemma would be the Rion model. In this model, people would ask why the situation bothers the normal working environment and whether or not the decision needs input from other parties (Robert, 2017). Through Rions framework, it is easy to know the specific problem to solve, and it calls for being true to the situation and getting options from the external parties watching from other perspectives (Robert, 2017). Therefore, the model would meticulously deal with the dilemma by making a decision that would be fair to the perpetrators of the rules as well as the company itself.

References

Blanc, R., Cho, C., Sopt, J., & Branco, M. (2017). Disclosure responses to a corruption scandal: The case of Siemens AG.Journal of Business Ethics, 156(2), 545-561. Web.

CGMA. (2014). Rethinking the value chain  Ethical culture change at Siemens: a case study [PDF] (pp. 2-6). AWCPA. Web.

Robert, C. (2017). Theoretical models in identifying & resolving ethical dilemmas. Bizfluent. Web.

Vernand, B. (2018). Lessons from the Siemens corruption scandal ten years on. News24. Web.

Introduction

Culture is a state of life exhibited by a certain group of people, which is passed from generation to generation. It is mostly considered as a societal norm which every member of that given society has to adhere to. Two sociologists viewed it from different perspectives. They included Matthew Arnold and Raymond Williams. Matthew Arnold in his famous book Culture and Anarchy argues that culture is an inbuilt thing in an individual. It is through its practice throughout ones life that it comes to exist. Furthermore, he points out that culture contains one great essence, and it s that of sweetness and light (as cited by Super 47).

Main body

The greatest of it all being that of making it prevail. By practicing it, its the only sure way of ensuring the literature of that given individual is plummeting and growing to be famous. He argues out that culture is born within a person. Even if one tries to Impose his culture to others who have theirs it wont nourish as it erodes slowly by slowly and later on cease to exist. The definition he gives on culture he says is trying to perfect ones self and ones mind as part of oneself to bring us light.

That culture is a privileged principle of authority to help one counteract the tendency to anarchy which seems to threaten him or her. Culture in its broad aspect is an enemy of anarchy and if man is to bring to maturity anything precious or lasting for now or for the future, a firm and settled course of public order is requisite (as cited by Storey 205). On the other hand, a Whelish-born sociologist, Raymond Williams, had his own definition of the word Culture. In his book Culture is Ordinary he defines it as the whole way of ones life, in the anthropological sense synonymous with everyday life.

Raymond argues that culture is ordinary and it is the first fact, and that every human society has its own shape, meaning and purposes and expresses it in its institutions and arts and learning. According to him, one adopts any culture that comes his way. He compares it to the old days at Cambridge where different social classes were adopted by various scholars at the teashop (Storey 234). Culture is easy to learn and any human being can be able to. He points out that everybody has his own definition of the word and none should be disregarded.

Conclusion

Like the Marxists, Raymond says said culture must be interpreted in relation to the underlying systems of production. Culture is made and remade in ones life in the course of living and anyone who thinks he or she can jump into the future without undergoing through it must have illusions. As he highlights in this book, he brings out the element of the prevailing state affecting or influencing someones culture. A good example being the industrial revolution bringing about new educational and commercial culture which changed the way people were living in England. Explicitly, he notes that good common culture can be made. But, first of all we must get rid of ourselves of a legacy from our most useful critics, that is, legacy of two false equations, one false analogy and another false proposition. Comparing the two, it is arguable that William gives a more lexical explanation of culture, which is more practical to our lives.

Works Cited

Storey, John. Cultural Theory and Popular cultures. New York: Harvester Wheat Street, 1974. Print.

Super, Robert. Culture and Anarchy with Friendships Garland and Some Literary Essays, Volume V of The Complete Works of Matthew Arnold. Ann Arbor, MI: The University of Michigan Press, 1965. Print.

The difference between anthropogenesis and other branches of anthropology is that anthropogenesis studies variations in the structure and development of the human organism that unfolded in time. In this field, time is understood as the entire period of human existence on Earth, which is the last 4-5 million years. Humans are understood as members of the hominid family. The concept of the human sphere was introduced in the 30s of the XX century simultaneously in different countries by several scientists (including Vernadsky). This is the concept of the noosphere (anthroposphere). At the very center is the biological mass of all mankind. The next circle is society. Human sociality is an absolutely special phenomenon unrelated to the sociality of other animals. By now, the stages of human evolution have been considered by scientific sources in terms of bio-cultural changes, taking into account a growing set of social factors.

In Explorations: An Open Invitation to Biological Anthropology, the authors compiled a detailed overview of all the stages of human ancestral change that led to the emergence of Homo Sapiens. The researchers point out that an important step in evolution was the direct appearance of the genus Homo, the first representative of which was the able man (Homo Habilis), which existed 2.3 million B.P.  1.5 million B.P. ago. It was characterized by the ability to make stone and bone tools, omnivorousness, and by the rapid growth of brain size. He had a more advanced body structure, with smaller teeth than Australopithecus (Chapters. Explorations: An Open Invitation to Biological Anthropology). Occurred in South and East Africa. Founded the Olduvai culture, the oldest on Earth. Beginning to build simple dwellings.

It was replaced 1.6 million years ago by the lycanthropes, the most ancient humans. Their group included the Asian upright man (Pithecanthropus and Sinanthropus (but Sinanthropus is much more advanced)  its local variants) and its African version, the working man. The authors of The History of Our Tribe: Homini note that a significant change in morphology distinguished them: tall, long legs were accustomed to living in open spaces. There was a tendency for the final humanization of teeth; the brain grew considerably (The History of Our Tribe: Hominini). Moreover, lycanthropes had fire. With them began the Stone Age, the Ashelian culture.

The classic representative of paleoanthropes, ancient humans, was the Neanderthal (200-24 thousand years BC). Middle and Upper Pleistocene (ice age). Predator. Already possessed almost human-like features of structure and behavior but differed from us primarily in the massiveness of the skeleton and skull. The article Anthropology claims that probably many features of the Neanderthals in Europe have formed under the influence of the severest conditions of the Ice Age about 70-60 thousand years ago (Anthropology). The authors believe that some representatives of Homo Neanderthalensis had a brain volume exceeding the values typical of modern humans (Anthropology). They had religion, fire, technology was not inferior to Cro-Magnons, and there was art. At the same time, most modern scientists believe that this is a dead-end branch of evolution that coexisted with the Cro-Magnon man, our ancestor. For reasons unknown to science, most likely warming, the disappearance of mammoths  the main food of Neanderthals  they went extinct about 24,000 years ago. Thus, among numerous changes within the evolutionary development, scientists make an emphasis of those which were connected with the social and cultural aspects.

Works Cited

Anthropology. ScienceDaily, 2019, Web.

Chapters. Explorations: An Open Invitation to Biological Anthropology. Web.

The History of Our Tribe: Hominini. Milne Open Textbooks, Web.

Religions are incredibly important cultural and philosophical frameworks that ground human longing for greater meaning and act as stabilizing factors in societies. Reflective of the internal feelings of faith, religion provides appropriate institutions, rituals, and scriptures that enrich the religious beliefs and aid in its manifestation. For each believer, their religion is sacred, deeply personal, and, frequently, the only possible choice. The said choice is informed by their cultural background and is often, but not always, linked to the country of origin. Hence it is reasonable to say that the religious beliefs of a person are most often singular and perceived as the truest possible worldview.

Consecutively, any strong religious belief has the potential of becoming exclusionary and intolerant towards the members of other religions. Across different religious traditions, the core values tend to remain similar, but other parts of canon differ drastically. Scriptures of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and other religions have different origin stories for their respective Gods and the creations of said Gods. And when one begins researching beyond monotheistic faiths, the differences grow exponentially.

I think that any believer, independently of their religion and cultural background, would benefit massively from exploring and studying the beliefs of other religious groups. The more you learn about different perspectives on the divine forces, the more understanding you are of the ways other people perceive the world around them. This would tangibly improve our quality of life by making society more tolerant and accepting. Becoming acquainted with the fundamentals of others worldviews would make us not only more informed but better people in general.

Due to the complicated and bloody history of the relationships between major religions, the popular perception of the role of faith and religious practices in history is severely misplaced. To truly serve its role as a facilitator of peace and mutual understanding, any major religion should enrich and update its knowledge of the ones it has to co-exist with. This awareness is crucial for building respectful and lasting relationships with members of other cultures. The more one knows about doctrines and scriptures of the other religious traditions; the deeper is the understanding of the traits those religions share with ones own. It arms the well-informed person with cultural competence and enables them to have an open and mutually respectful dialogue that is beneficial in all areas of life.

Due to Christianitys close, historical ties to colonial oppression, the believers of the Christian religious tradition might in particular benefit from said cultural competence. As the European colonizers of the past identified with the Christian faith, they brought their religious practices with them. Due to the unfairly superior perception of themselves in comparison to the colonized nations, Europeans not only disregarded local faiths but often engaged in cruel acts of extermination. Needless to say, none of these inhuman acts are actually in the nature of Christian core values. Yet, the dark legacy might live on in ways several scholars of the Christian faith believe themselves to be morally and intellectually superior to those of the other traditions.

In practice, these harmful views often transform into laws, regulations, and codes of conduct designed solely around Christianity, often on the highest levels of authority. Such rules ignore the cultural and spiritual heritage of the non-Christian countries, making them inapplicable to the residents and nationals of said countries. Therefore, they are objectively barely usable in the modern global world and should be replaced with more inclusive and better-informed alternatives.

The continuity of generations assumes that every subsequent generation accepts and develops the culture of its ancestors as these ties help to understand history, relationships with other nations, and plenty of other vital issues. Umm al-Nar can be regarded as one of the most important locations in Abu Dhabi that represent the features of that epoch, namely, Umm an-Nar culture, including its traditions, people, and life in general. This report aims at revealing the essentials of the Umm al-Nar site along with its significance in the framework of cultural heritage and tourism to understand the role of this geoarchaeological complex in nowadays national and global contexts.

Umm al-Nar Site

Umm al-Nar refers to the bronze age that existed during 2600-2000 BC of archaeology and is located on the territory of the modern United Arab Emirates. It was the place of the first archaeological excavations on the coast of Abu Dhabi when such tombs as Tomb A, Tell Abraq, Mowaihat, Al Sufouh, and Shimal were detected (Umm al-Nar, n.d.).

Even though Umm al-Nar is currently under the protection of the government, it is located on the border of two countries, in particular, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. At the same time, this site is the United Arab Emirates center of oil refinery and construction of power plants that, in their turn, limit the access of citizens and tourists to this cultural heritage representation (Umm al-Nar Culture, 2016). However, according to the recent data, the government of the United Arab Emirates conducts negotiations concerning the expansion of access to this monument complex.

Maps and Images

Both print and electronic resources offer a great variety of images and maps illustrating Umm al-Nar outside, inside, and from the cosmos. A series of visual representations of Umm al-Nar can be found below.

History of the Site

The designation of Umm al-Nar can be regarded as mother of fire (Umm al-Nar Culture, 2016). This site consists of two parts, namely, tombs and settlement. Previous to Umm an-Nar culture, it belonged to the Ubaid period (5000-3800 BC) and the Hafit culture (3200  2600 BC) accordingly (Umm al-Nar Culture, 2016).

The Ubaid period is characterized by the onset of trade with foreign countries, especially Mesopotamia that embraced parts of modern Turkey, Syria, and Iran. In its turn, the Hafit culture is best known for the appearance of beehive burials. The Wadi Suq period (2000-1600 BC) followed the Umm al-Nar epoch. The last phase of the bronze age period (1600-1300 BC) is represented by a small number of settlements and the overall decline of Umm an-Nar culture. However, it is Umm al-Nar that was marked by a cultural splash of this area that occurred due to the trade with other countries.

The first archaeological excavations began in 1959 when the expedition from Denmark explored the site and identified several specific stone mounds. The subsequent expeditions conducted during 1959-1995 discovered more tombs and cultural artifacts (Corfield, 2011). It is necessary to note that not only Danish experts but also those from other countries led excavations. For example, Shah Al Siwani, a former member of the Antiquities Director in Baghdad, and his team of archaeologists reconstructed the tombs that were identified earlier by their Danish colleagues (Umm al-Nar Culture, 2016). The exploration of the Umm al-Nar area can be observed nowadays as well.

The Settlement of People

Despite the findings that will be mentioned below, scientists are not sure of the nation that lived here. Nevertheless, it is evident that those people were fishing and had extensive trade relations (Umm al-Nar Culture, 2016). One of the enigmas relates to the finding of illustration of camel bones and camels on the tombs as this settlement arose long before the domestication of these animals.

Another fact is that there was no freshwater, and the area might seem unfavorable for the formation of the village at the dawn of civilization. It is also a thought-provoking fact that Professor who visited the site in 1958 identified several flint flakes. According to Corfield (2011), these date long before 2700 BC and would lead one to think that maybe there is a still earlier settlement site to be found somewhere in this region (par. 14).

This proves that Umm al-Nar settlement may be even older and more developed than scientists used to consider. According to the recent bioarchaeological study conducted by American scholars, a young non-local woman was identified in the Tomb of Tell Abraq (Fig. 1. Top Left: The Umm an-Nar tomb at Tell Abraq, located 10 m west of a fortification tower, 2016).

The images of this study can be found in Figure 5. Exploring this skeletons strontium, oxygen, and carbon isotope values, scientists determined that it was a young woman aged between 18 and 20 years who immigrated and thus was exposed to the increased immunological risk (Fig. 1. Top Left: The Umm an-Nar tomb at Tell Abraq, located 10 m west of a fortification tower, 2016, par. 1). Besides, the mentioned discovery confirms the existence of close relations of Umm al-Nar with other cultures and countries.

It seems essential to emphasize that due to the lack of freshwater, the island remains uninhabitable, yet there is a well-developed technological structure of production. In particular, a big factory on oil refining was built as well as a few plants that feed the city of Abu Dhabi (Potts & Hellyer, 2012). Except for employees working on factories, various scientists try to resolve all the mysteries of this outstanding island and understand the life of ancient settlements in the area. However, Umm al-Nar remains a mystery to many of the countrys best minds.

The Findings

The archaeologists determined that Umm al-Nar was a village with stone buildings and tombs erected on a rocky plateau where only fifty of the latter were preserved till nowadays. The rounded tombs are rather roomy as each of them has more than one room that was covered with stone vaults (Corfield, 2011).

The facades of these buildings are lined with stone carvings with animal motifs. Inside them, archaeologists discovered several attention-grabbing artifacts  pottery delivered from Mesopotamia (Corfield, 2011). Being a pioneer among the archaeological discoveries in the United Arab Emirates, Umm al-Nar was full of jewelry and weapons. During their excavations and research, scientists repeatedly found unique items both in tombs and settlement buildings, among which there is amazing pottery from overseas and nearby areas, a weapon that was made of copper alloy, and beads with Indian and Syrian ornaments.

Importance to the Cultural Heritage

Speaking of the cultural heritage, it is crucial to pinpoint that Umm al-Nar represents a great part of the bronze age epoch and thus serves as an encyclopedia of that period. Potts and Hellyer (2012) state that it is an outstanding example of a type of architectural ensemble that illustrates a significant period in Arabian history and culture. At the same time, Umm al-Nar is a valuable example of a traditional human settlement, representing the interaction between people and their relation to such universal notion as death.

In particular, there is an extensive demonstration of the funeral architecture. During the conducted excavations, scientists identified tombs and settlements that are unique and specific to the Arabian Gulf (Settlement and cemetery of Umm an-Nar island, n.d.). Even though some houses were restored to some extent to protect them from rain and another environmental impact, Umm al-Nar remains authentic.

How Geoarchaeological Projects Contribute to the Development of Cultural Heritage?

The value of the geoarchaeological projects in the framework of the cultural heritage cannot be overestimated as they bring an essential impulse to the development of the latter. According to Potts and Hellyer (2012), modern society realizes the highest potential of the cultural heritage as well as the need for its conservation and efficient use as one of the most important resources of the socio-economic development of the world. At this point, the geoarchaeological projects help to discover new objects, identify the peculiarities of those that were already detected, and preserve both of them.

It becomes evident that the loss of the cultural heritage objects is irreplaceable and irreversible. Any loss of this type of heritage will inevitably be reflected in all areas of the life of present and future generations, leading to spiritual degeneration, rupture of historical memory, and the impoverishment of society as a whole. It seems necessary to pinpoint the fact that they can be compensated neither by the contemporary culture nor by the creation of new cultural objects.

Why Is It protected by UNESCO?

Umm al-Nar is an object of universal value. This architectural ensemble is protected by United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as it meets the criteria of authenticity and integrity that are required to be included in the list of this international organization (Settlement and cemetery of Umm an-Nar island, n.d.).

It should be stressed that by offering some of the sites for inclusion in the World Heritage List, the corresponding government takes responsibility for its integrity and expresses its will to comply with all applicable rules of international protection. Therefore, the fact that Umm al-Nar is included in UNESCO is not only a significant and solemn moment but also the onset of a long and very responsible way that is associated with the adoption of all possible measures for the conservation of this cultural heritage representation.

Furthermore, the fact that there is a risk of destruction of Umm al-Nar under the impact of irreversible changes requires UNESCO to protect it (Settlement and cemetery of Umm an-Nar island, n.d.). Umm al-Nar must have been the capital of the Arabian Gulf, acting as a center of cooper trade and fishing that is now forgotten. The foreign elements which demonstrate the nature of trading links are of international significance as well (Settlement and cemetery of Umm an-Nar island, n.d., para. 15). In particular, trading relations were detected with such countries as Baluchistan, India, Mesopotamia, and Arabia.

Benefits to the Society Through Cultural Heritage

It is always beneficial for a country to have properties of UNESCO and sites of the cultural heritage on its territory. First of all, it attracts global attention to these objects and makes them prominent, thus contributing to their preservation (Settlement and cemetery of Umm an-Nar island, n.d.). The continuity of generations is an integral part of a culture and, in particular, the Arabian culture that assumes the deep respect for ancestors.

Second, the object of the cultural heritage benefits the population of the country as it raises awareness of people of their past that is especially important for children and adolescents who learn their history and are expected to lead and enhance their country in the future. The significant quantity, quality, and structure of objects of cultural heritage contribute to a harmonious balance of the societys development. Namely, the presence and recognition of these objects provide an opportunity for a wide range of activities for the enhancement of the cultural function as a special sphere of the social sector. Furthermore, tourism advantages for the society that involve various research and traveling opportunities can be noted.

Benefits to the Economy Through Tourism

Visiting the Umm al-Nar site, tourists can learn about the history and cultural traditions of the country. Being a cultural and ethnographic village, it introduces all visitors to the national way of life and cultural heritage of the United Arab Emirates. In this regard, the fact that that it shows an example of unification that occurred as a result of solidarity and fruitful cooperation for the benefit of the state should be noted (Settlement and cemetery of Umm an-Nar island, n.d.). During some incomplete forty years, it has reached such prosperity in the desert which many countries cannot even imagine and thus earned their sincere respect.

At the same time, the economy of the United Arab Emirates undoubtedly benefits through tourism. Precisely speaking, tourism plays a considerable role in the formation of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the creation of new jobs, and the provision of employment (Potts & Hellyer, 2012). Tourism has a huge impact on such key economic sectors as transportation, construction, and communications, thus acting as a stimulus for the socio-economic development of the country.

The role of tourism as a source of foreign exchange earnings and the expansion of international contacts is constantly growing. There are two types of economic benefits: visible trade is related to the import and export of services, while invisible trade is composed of the spendings of foreign tourists, including their tickets and other services provided by the host country.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is appropriate to emphasize that Umm al-Nar is an essential representation of the bronze age in the period of 2600-2000 BC. Being under the protection of UNESCO and thus acting as an object of the universal value, it is characterized by the fishing and trade capital of the Arabian Gulf. At the same time, the identity of people lived on this site cannot be discovered as the scientists encounter various controversial facts that confront their research.

However, it is possible to unhesitatingly affirm that the Umm al-Nar population was famous with other nations and countries and effectively collaborated with them. Thus, representing a part of the history and culture of the United Arab Emirates, this architectural complex grabs national and international interests related to tourism and economy as well as cultural exchange and preservation.

References

Corfield, D. M. (2011). Umm Al Nar. Web.

Fig. 1. Top Left: The Umm an-Nar tomb at Tell Abraq, located 10 m west of a fortification tower. (2016). Web.

Potts, D. T. & Hellyer, P. (2012). Fifty years of Emirates archaeology. Web.

Settlement and cemetery of Umm an-Nar island. (n.d.). Web.

Umm al-Nar. (n.d.). Web.

Umm al-Nar Culture. (2016). Web.