汤亭亭作品中文化符号的双重内涵

文章通过分析美国华裔作家汤亭亭在《女勇士》和《中国佬》中对文化符号的运用,阐释了其作品中的文化符号并不代表中西方传统文化的价值观念,而是被赋予了指涉华裔群体在美国社会中的族裔身份和揭示与华裔密切相关的美国历史和社会背景的真实面貌的双重内涵。     

Understanding academic performance of international students: the role of ethnicity,academic and social integration

More than 3 million students study outside their home country, primarily at a Western university. A common belief among educators is that international students are insufficiently adjusted to higher education in their host country, both academically and socially. Furthermore, several groups of international students experience considerable amounts of stress while adapting to the culture of the host-institute. Several researchers argue that studies on adaptation of international students should widen its focus to the underlying mechanisms that leads towards this “misalignment”. In a cross-institutional comparison among 958 students at five business schools in the Netherlands, differences in academic performance between local and international students were identified by focussing on their levels of academic and social integration. Students’ academic integration was measured with the Students’ Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ), while students’ social integration was measured with a newly developed and validated questionnaire. The results indicate that the degree of academic success of international students is multi-faceted. International students with a (mixed) western ethnic background perform well on both academic and social integration, and also attained higher study-performance in comparison to domestic students. In contrast, international students with a non-Western background are less integrated compared to other international students. Nevertheless, they have a similar study-performance. Finally, academic adjustment is the main predictor of study-performance for Dutch, Western and Mixed-Western students. Social adjustment was negatively related to study-performance. The lack of fit for predicting long-term study success of non-Western students indicates that their academic and social integration processes are more complex and non-linear.     

Promoting cultural competence in counseling Asian American children and adolescents

Asian Americans are commonly perceived as the diligent and high‐achieving “model minority.” This positive stereotype has negative consequences for this ethnic minority group because it trivializes their social and mental health problems. This image of success has made many overlook the true nature of the struggles many Asian American families have to face in the United States. Scientific literature suggests that Asian American children experience major adjustment problems in school including loneliness, isolation, withdrawal, rejection, anxiety, low self‐esteem, and interpersonal distress. Cultural barriers exist between the Asian and the dominant society and influence Asian Americans' cognitive appraisal and coping choices when personal and emotional problems arise. These barriers also prevent clinicians from identifying and subsequently providing effective mental health services for Asian American children and their families. In this article, the authors examine the Asian cultural conceptions of mental health and various cultural barriers in an attempt to promote cultural understanding and competence among clinicians working with Asian American children and their families. Recommendations for clinical practice and future research directions are provided. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Relationships Among Self-Concealment,Mindfulness and Negative Psychological Outcomes in Asian American and European American College Students

Research on Asian Americans and their psychological adjustment is limited. Consisting of two cross-sectional studies, the present investigation examined the relationships among self-concealment, mindfulness, emotional distress in stressful interpersonal situations, and general psychological ill-health in Asian American college students, and in comparison with European American counterparts. In the Asian Americans, self-concealment was found to be positively related to general psychological ill-health and negatively related to mindfulness. In both ethnic groups, mindfulness was found to be negatively related to general psychological ill-health. Findings suggest that, as seen with European American counterparts, both self-concealment and mindfulness may be important concepts in understanding the psychological adjustments of Asian American college students.     

Understanding social learning relations of international students in a large classroom using social network analysis

A common assumption in higher education is that international students find it difficult to develop learning and friendship relations with host students. When students are placed in a student-centred environment, international students from different cultural backgrounds are “forced” to work together with other students, which allows students to learn from different perspectives. However, large lecture rooms may provide fewer opportunities for students to work together in small groups. The purpose of this article is to understand how 191 international students from 34 cultural backgrounds and 16 host students build learning and friendship relations in a large classroom of 207 students. We have used an innovative mixed-method design of social network analysis in a pre- and post-test manner combined with two sets of focus groups. Using multiple regression quadratic assignment procedures, the results indicate that learning ties after 11 weeks were significantly predicted by the friendship and learning ties established at the beginning of the module, (sub)specialisation, and whether students were Chinese or not. Contrary to previous findings, team divisions played only a marginal role in building (new) learning relations. A substantial segregation between Confucian Asian, European international and UK students was present. Follow-up qualitative data highlighted that international students made a conscious effort to build friendship and learning relations primarily outside the formal team, which for some were along co-national lines, while others were pro-actively looking for new perspectives from multi-national students. These results indicate that the instructional design might have a strong influence on how international and host students work and learn together. We believe that this study is the first to provide an in-depth and unique understanding of how international students from different cultural backgrounds build friendship and learning-relationships with other students in- and outside their classroom over time in a large classroom of 200+ students.     

国际学生在美国校园面临的挑战

进入美国高校学习的国际学生人数在逐年增加。他们在身份和文化背景方面存在着很大差异。在关学习期间,他们可能会遭遇到许多因为文化差异所带来的许多问题。同时,在生活和学习中也会遇到各种各样的挑战。     

Yellow and Brown: Emerging Asian American Immigrant Populations and Residential Segregation

This study is an examination of how the ethnic enclaves of Hmong and Vietnamese Americans in California exist as social structures through which patterns of relationships shape postsecondary aspirations and outcomes. Results indicate that Hmong and Vietnamese students faced a number of challenges related to language, linguistic discrimination, poverty, and cultural clashes within and between family and school. Many of the students in this study were forced to use home and school as a dual frame of reference to negotiate expectations at home and at school. The results suggest that the impact of racial and ethnic segregation needs to be examined in the context of language, culture, immigration status, and socioeconomic situations that vary for different subpopulations among Asian Americans.     

Understanding the symbolic capital of intercultural interactions: a case study of international students in Australia

Intercultural interaction plays an important role in contributing to international students’ learning and wellbeing in the host country. While research on international students’ intercultural interactions reveals multifaceted aspects of personal and social factors, there is a tendency to consider language barrier and cultural differences as individual factors that constrain their interactions with the institutional community. Drawing on 105 interviews with international students in Australian vocational education and training and dual sector institutions, this paper examines international students’ intercultural interactions in host institutions and the factors that act as enablers or inhibitors for intercultural interactions. It highlights the social and structural conditions in creating symbolic capital of elitist Anglo-Australian culture and English language, and social differentiation. This paper offers insights into understanding the legitimacy of such elitism, in hope that future conceptualisation, research and practices of intercultural interactions may locate international students within their cultural diversity.     

Personal Network Structure and Perceived Social Support in the Context of Intercultural Adjustment

The connections between an international student’s communication network, perceived social support, and intercultural adjustment are not well understood. This study aims to test the network–support–adjustment path among international students. With data collected from 215 international students studying at a large U.S. university, path model analyses showed that tie strength, a relational characteristic of one’s communication network, was positively associated with perceived emotional support, which in turn was positively related to sociocultural adjustment. In contrast, network density and proportion of U.S. ties were not associated with perceived informational support, although perceived informational support was found to contribute to enhanced psychological adjustment. Therefore, the network–support–adjustment path was only partially supported with the current data. This article discusses theoretical and practical implications of these findings.     

民族地区教师的文化敏感性与教师培训的重构

民族地区教师的文化敏感性即民族地区教师对学生文化背景和生活经验的感知程度,以及在此基础上采取适切的方式帮助学生实现有意义的学习的能力。当前民族地区教师文化敏感性的缺失,很大原因是由于教师培养和培训中忽视当地文化背景的特殊性。民族地区教师培训要把该地区教师发展的文化属性重新还给教师,使教师的教和学生的学植根于当地学校生活的文化土壤。教师培训的内容应包括:正确的民族文化观和民族教育观,当地学生中主体民族的历史文化和风俗习惯,学生的文化背景对其学习和发展的影响,对课程内容进行文化分析和开发民族文化课程资源的能力。     

Cultural factors in decision-making about child physical abuse: identifying reporter characteristics influencing reporting tendencies

OBJECTIVE: This study examined cultural factors that may influence child physical abuse reporting. Relevant cultural factors such as the respondents' ethnic identity and corporal punishment acceptability were investigated as proximal variables of ethnicity that affect child physical abuse reporting tendencies. METHOD: Participants consisted of 378 Caucasian, Hispanic, and African American college students. Participants read 12 vignettes that varied the ethnicity of the child and described a parent using physical punishment with the child. Participants' level of ethnic identity and their acceptance of different discipline practices were also assessed. Data were analyzed using multiple regression procedures. RESULTS: The ethnicity of the respondent was a significant predictor of reporting tendencies for African American respondents only. For African Americans, higher levels of ethnic identity and acceptance of corporal punishment were significant mediators of reporting tendencies, which influenced the relationship between ethnicity and likelihood to report a child of the same ethnicity. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that ethnic minorities may not share similar cultural values and may differ in their degree of adherence to certain cultural variables. These results demonstrate how cultural variables that influence reporting tendencies may not apply across ethnic groups. Therefore, specifying relevant cultural variables is essential to understanding the relationship between ethnicity and reporting tendencies.     

西南地区少数民族传统体育文化资源开发利用的必要性及意义

随着我国对传统文化事业重视程度的不断提高,越来越多的人把目光投向独具特色的少数民族地区。西南地区各少数民族在漫长的历史发展过程中创造了丰富的传统文化,这些曾在当地民族发展中发挥重要作用的文化因素,在现代文化语境下,其原有的社会功能却呈现出一度衰弱的趋势。文章探讨了西南地区少数民族传统体育文化资源开发利用的必要性及意义,以期对当前我国少数民族传统体育文化资源的保护与开发利用有所启迪借鉴。     

Disciplinary enculturation experiences of five East Asian doctoral students in US-based second language studies programmes

This study reports on the non-discursive aspects of the disciplinary enculturation experiences of five international doctoral students from East Asia in three Second Language studies graduate programmes in the United States. Based largely on interview data, this study examined how students participate in their graduate discourse communities and what may contribute to or hinder academic success. It appeared that the kinds of social capital accrued through social ties and networks are key to students' successful disciplinary enculturation, suggesting the importance of establishing positive personal interactions and locating oneself within supportive discourse community contexts. The present study also sheds light on the issue that disciplinary enculturation is an inherent cultural practice, which may not favour students who do not adopt mainstream socio-academic conventions.     

少数民族大学生价值观现状分析

价值观是文化的核心要素。少数民族大学生既是民族文化的传承者和族群思潮的引领者，又是稳固民族地区安宁、促进社会稳定的承载力量，其价值观态势如何直接反映着个体的认知和行为，决定着整个社会的文明程度和发展趋势。通过对少数民族大学生物质价值观、宗教价值观、道德价值观的调查研究，探索他们的价值观表征和形成机理，有利于描述这一群体的情感结构，挖掘影响价值观的变迁因素，塑造和养成一种能真正统摄人心的价值观系统，以便消减“边疆文化塌陷”的威胁，保障国防前线的文化安全。     

Determinants of Complexity in Mexican-American and Anglo-American Mothers' Conceptions of Child Development

Complexity of parental reasoning about child development was studied in mothers who varied in ethnic background and biculturalism. Middle-class mothers from Mexican-American and Anglo-American backgrounds were compared on their level of concepts of development on a scale from categorical to perspectivistic reasoning. Categorical mothers interpreted child development as being caused by single constitutional or environmental factors. Perspectivistic mothers interpreted development as the result of the dynamic interplay between constitution and environment over time and accepted that the same developmental outcome could have multiple determinants. In a comparison among moderately acculturated Mexican-Americans, highly acculturated Mexican Americans, and Anglo Americans, the highly acculturated Mexican-American group scored as more perspectivistic than the other two groups, despite the fact that the Anglo-Americans were the most acculturated. When the 2 Mexican-American groups were subdivided into monocultural (Mexican or American) and bicultural subgroups and compared with the Anglo-American group, the bicultural subgroup of the highly acculturated Mexican-American mothers was the most perspectivistic. These results suggest a complex picture of diversity in Mexican-American mothers who retain values and beliefs from their own culture, as well as taking on values and beliefs of the American culture. Maternal intelligence and adherence to traditional cultural values were not found to correlate significantly with level of developmental reasoning.     

Sport,Ethnicity, and Assimilation

The “melting pot” theory suggests that prolonged interethnic contact leads to the disappearance of ethnic and/or cultural differences in society. Eventually, the argument holds, such contact between minorities and other subcultural groups with the mainstream society leads, first, to the assimilation of, and, then, to the disappearance of, ethnic distinctions. Sport has been perceived as an important mechanism in this process by which ethnic group members could be assimilated into mainstream society. However, recent anthropological work indicates that the melting-pot theory does not hold. Drawing from the works of several social scientists who have analyzed and are currently studying play forms among several ethnic cultures within the United States, this article presents data which challenge the tenability of the melting-pot theory. The data indicate that adopting cultures within the United States transform the nature of typically “American” sport forms to fit their own cultural schema and that the value orientations of the ethnic minority student-athletes reflect the values of their mother culture.     

Burden of Acting Neither White Nor Black: Asian American Identities and Achievement in Urban Schools

Ogbu’s theory of “burden of acting white” has been one of the most frequently cited studies to explain black and white achievement gap. However, emerging studies have argued that Ogbu’s theory may be limited when examining variability of school achievement among black and white students. Research shows that in addition to culture, other social forces, such as class, peer networks, and school context may play a significant role when accounting for minority students’ academic aspirations and achievement. In the midst of this on-going debate, however, there is a limited understanding of how, if at all, theory of “acting white” plays a role for racial groups other than black and white students. By extending the discussion beyond a black-and-white discourse, this research examines how Asian American students in two different social and economic contexts, negotiate their race and ethnic identities. Framed by a prevalent model minority stereotype that conflates Asian Americans with whiteness, the findings show that portrayal of Asian “success” much like black “failure” cannot be explained solely on their cultural orientation. By comparing experiences of two groups of Korean American students—both high- and low-achieving—in different economic and school contexts, this study illustrates how the two groups of Korean American students adopt different racial strategies depending on their socioeconomic backgrounds, peer networks, and school contexts. Using Korean American students in urban schools as a case study, this research complicates and challenges our understanding of the role of culture in school achievement and illustrates how culture intersects with class, race, and schools. Jamie Lew is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Urban Education, Rutgers University-Newark, 110 Warren Street, Newark, NY, 07102-1814, USA     

Value dimensions in american counseling: A Taiwanese-American comparison

This paper is a discussion of prevailing American value dimensions in counseling theory and practice in general and a comparison of Taiwanese-Chinese and American counseling value dimensions in particular. Whereas most studies on cross-cultural issues to date have focused on American majority-minority value conflicts, this paper discusses a new level of value conflict, that between cultures, between nations.Part I discusses differences in cognition and affect between American and Taiwanese-Chinese. We have found that despite decades of American influence on Taiwanese culture, strong value differences persist between both countries, which leads us to believe that culture values are non-negotiable, structural elements of human existence. These basic differences in values influence perception, cognition, and behavior of American and Taiwanese culture bearers and result in predictable cross-culture conflicts.Part II presents a conceptualization of culture values and further discusses the American values embedded in counseling practices. To understand this influence we have identified (using Geert Hofstede's four culture value dimensions) cultural characteristics unique to Americans and Taiwanese-Chinese.Part III specifically discusses the impact of American individualism on counseling theory, and how the strong American belief of the universality of individualism can lead to an inability to validate collectivist cultures.We conclude by suggesting that more longitudinal and historic analysis could generate more in-depth information about culture values. This in turn could make a truly international and inter-cultural theory and practice of counseling a more likely possibility.     

文化适应问题研究:西方的理论与模型

随着全球化进程在20世纪下半期的深化与扩展以及人们跨国及跨地区流动的增加,文化适应问题得到了西方研究者广泛的关注和研究。至今人们已提出了多个不同的文化适应理论和模型,其中影响比较深远的有:Berry的"跨文化适应模型",它区分了文化适应的四种不同类型;Ward的"文化适应过程模型",它描述了文化适应的过程及社会心理层面上的影响因素;还有Danckwortt的"对陌生文化的适应理论",它全面总结并分析了文化适应的特点、领域、过程和阶段。批判地借鉴和发展这三个理论与模型对于推进我国对留学生和少数民族学生的文化适应问题的研究以及本土化文化适应理论的构建,具有十分重要的意义。     

Differences in electronic exchanges in synchronous and asynchronous computer-mediated communication: the effect of culture as a mediating variable

Two hundred and eighty undergraduates from universities in two countries were asked to read didactic material, and then think and write about potential solutions to an ill-defined problem. The writing was conducted within a synchronous or asynchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC) environment. Asynchronous CMC took the form of email exchanges between American learners only, Southern European learners only, and American and Southern European learners together. Synchronous CMC was restricted to dyads consisting of American–American, Southern European–Southern European, and American–Southern European students dialoguing. Additionally, a number of Americans and Southern Europeans were each paired with a content-“mirroring” computer-generated partner to account of the effect of thinking with an unresponsive partner in synchronous CMC. Results revealed that dyadic learners in asynchronous CMC used significantly more reasoning skills to think about solutions to the problem, while dyadic learners in synchronous CMC exchanged significantly more personal knowledge and features of emotion. However, the tendency among dyadic learners to include emotional features in their dialogues was mediated by their cultural background.