During the last one year, while working on this thesis, I have been asked several times as to how Islam or Islamic fundamentalism makes a communication thesis. The answer is simple: my concern is not Islam as a religion or fundamentalism as a religious or political movement but the way Islam is defined and fundamentalism presented. In the age of communication reality is not just what we see or sense but what we are shown and made to perceive. It would be no exaggeration to suggest that today our dependence on the communication networks is such that even for something that happens in front of us we need interpretations to fully comprehend it. Thus reality without interpretations, in most cases, has come to carry little meaning. Our perception of reality today is not based on our individual experiences only. It is, in fact, the sum total of the reality plus interpretations by the 'public arenas' such as education institutions, mass media, the civil service, parliament, the courts, industry, the research and scientific community, political parties etc. (Cracknell, 1993: 4). This study deals with the interpretations of Islam and Islamic fundamentalism by the Muslim as well as western public arenas. Throughout this thesis I use the word 'Islam' not as a religion but as a symbol of political power and cultural identity. Because, I believe that Islam as a faith is a personal and spiritual matter that for majority of the Muslims, like the believers of any religion, need not be compared with any other religion unless to prove it superior. But as a symbol of political power and cultural identity Islam does need interpretations and has been interpreted in many different ways. What triggered my interest in yet another interpretation was that what I had seen in Pakistan and what I felt the West thought of Muslim societies had no logical connection. For instance, there is a widespread belief in the West that Muslim societies are deeply religious and Islam guides every aspect of the Muslims' life. The reality that I have seen and experienced in Pakistan society, which is ninety-six per cent Muslim, is that few, very few indeed, Muslims may be willing to die or kill for Islam, but will not live according to Islam. The people of Pakistan, in their day-to-day life, are as secular as the people of any other part of the world. They have all human virtues and vices that human beings are capable of anywhere in the world. But still there is no denying the fact that Pakistan, or for that matter any underdeveloped society, is different from the industrialised West. How and why are they different is what I have investigated in this thesis. I have no hesitation in admitting that except for the discrepancy in the reality that I had seen in Pakistan and its perception that I noticed in the West, I had no clear idea about the subject. But I have always believed, as Sartre has said somewhere, that the honourable thing about reading is to let yourself be influenced. I claim to have started this thesis with an open mind, but I do not claim to be an objective writer, unless objectivity is seen as nothing but to be honest to one's self as well as others. All of us live with our subjectivity that is influenced by our individual and collective objective conditions. Most of us are content to live with what we have learnt during our formative phase in life. Some of us are not. I belong to the latter tribe. Through the years I have unlearnt many a thing about religion, culture and human beings that I had learnt from my family, school and society, to accommodate more ideas, opinions and concepts, not less. That process still continues. One thing that I have learnt in life, and which I shall cherish forever, is that human beings must not be frozen in their cultural, religious and social categories; they must not be seen as good and bad without an understanding of their environment.

As a contribution to understanding the Chinese immigrants and their community, this study seeks to explore the factors influencing the formation and development of cultural identity among members of the Chinese diaspora in Australia. These include Chinese community life, family and professional networks, media use and its influences, and the changes that have taken place over the past ten years. Chinese communities in Australia are not homogeneous. Although they may all call themselves Chinese, they differ among themselves according to dialect, subdialect, clan and family, all of which are linked to their place of ancestral origin in China, as well as by country of birth outside of China. The degree to which these differences are considered important varies from individual to individual, but a community, whether it is constituted for social or business purposes, always comprises individuals who share one or more of these secondary characteristics in addition to their collective cultural characteristics. The study focuses on Canberra as a case study. First, it examines the similarities and differences within the Chinese diaspora coming from different geographical origins. It uses interviews and narrative analysis to examine the nature of Chinese immigrants and to assess their social, political and cultural context, with the aim to challenge the monolithic view that only one kind of Chinese community exists. It investigates how cultural background and other factors affect the formation and development of people's identity. In addition, as a point of secondary comparison, this study also analyses the differences between the Chinese diaspora in Canberra and Sydney. The aim here is to assess how the different locations and different characteristics of these cities communication networks affect migrants' adaptation to Australian society. Special attention will be given to differences between Dalu ren (the mainland Chinese), who came to Australia after the events of Tiananmen Square in 1989, and the other diasporic Chinese groups in Australia, which include Taiwan ren (Taiwanese), Xianggangren' (Honkongese), Malaixiya hua ren (Malaysian Chinese), and Xinjiapo hua ren (Singaporean Chinese). Since mainland China has had a different political system and the Communist Party replaced much Chinese tradition, people from the mainland have kept the least Chinese cultural traditions. Chinese from other regions try to keep the Chinese tradition as it was. However, the culture in mainland China has already changed. Therefore, the understanding of the Chinese tradition and culture among the Chinese from different regions varies greatly. This thesis explores the changing understanding within the members of the diasporic community of cultural identity. It attempts to show the strong influence of the notion of an original culture on the Chinese diaspora and how these ideas influence the way that diasporic Chinese community members interact within Australian society. It will investigate the changing characteristics, both social and individual, of mainlanders and other groups of Chinese immigrants in the 1990s, in the context of their professional, social and family networks. It will examine areas such as media use, languages and involvement with community development activities, and whether there are significant differences in their acculturation according to their different gender and places of origins. 1 Although Hong Kong has become part of China since 1997, there have, however, been different political and social systems in Hong Kong and the mainland, so this study researches Hong Kong in a separate category for the purpose of exploring differences.

<p>Abstract</p><p>When immigrants move to Sweden from their native country it is not unusual that they experience some kind of identity crises. Their own experience of their cultural identity can be very problematic and they often lose a part of what they previously saw as their own identity. To handle such crises the immigrants can use different strategies. They can for example accept their disparity, deny it or emphasize it. The aim of this study is to examine how immigrants in Sweden experience that their cultural identity has changed since they moved here from a country that has a culture that is different from the Swedish culture. To reach my goal with this study I interviewed immigrants/refugees from Chile, Lebanon and Thailand. Some of the results are that my presentation of the problem and the aim with the study were not profound enough. I intended to only write about cultural identity but I came to the conclusion that individual identity and different adaptation strategies were no less important. A further conclusion is that these three ingredients are completely different things; an immigrant can have one individual identity, another cultural identity and use a strategy that does not correspond with any of these. Moreover I also found that a person’s identity does not need to change when moving from their native country to Sweden. Finally I want to stress that my study is not about making sweeping statements, it is rather exemplifying. Identity and strategies are different from one person to another.</p><p>Keywords: individual identity, cultural identity, adaptation strategies</p>

Abstract When immigrants move to Sweden from their native country it is not unusual that they experience some kind of identity crises. Their own experience of their cultural identity can be very problematic and they often lose a part of what they previously saw as their own identity. To handle such crises the immigrants can use different strategies. They can for example accept their disparity, deny it or emphasize it. The aim of this study is to examine how immigrants in Sweden experience that their cultural identity has changed since they moved here from a country that has a culture that is different from the Swedish culture. To reach my goal with this study I interviewed immigrants/refugees from Chile, Lebanon and Thailand. Some of the results are that my presentation of the problem and the aim with the study were not profound enough. I intended to only write about cultural identity but I came to the conclusion that individual identity and different adaptation strategies were no less important. A further conclusion is that these three ingredients are completely different things; an immigrant can have one individual identity, another cultural identity and use a strategy that does not correspond with any of these. Moreover I also found that a person’s identity does not need to change when moving from their native country to Sweden. Finally I want to stress that my study is not about making sweeping statements, it is rather exemplifying. Identity and strategies are different from one person to another. Keywords: individual identity, cultural identity, adaptation strategies

This thesis aims to, with the aid of Anthony Gidden¡¦s and Stuart Hall¡¦s theories on modernity and identity, discuss the process of changes initiated by modernity in the societies of V. S. Naipaul¡¦s three Trinidad novels in his writing career: namely, The Mystic Masseur (1957), Miguel Street (1959), and A House for Mr. Biswas (1961). My argument is that in these Trinidad novels, the process of modernization is fragmenting the old and agrarian Trinidadian society, and therefore has caused rupture and discontinuities in people¡¦s life. This fragment is actually a pertinent chance for both the protagonists and Naipaul to regain their genuine self and cultural identity by escaping from the limiting environment. In Chapter One, there is basic historical background information of Trinidad and of V. S. Naipaul. I will list out some key concepts of Anthony Gidden¡¦s ideas of modernity, along with the ones of the importance of self-identity in a modern society. Moreover, Stuart Hall¡¦s concepts of modernity and identity will be presented as well. Chapter Two, with some comparisons with The Mystic Masseur and A House for Mr. Biswas, will mainly focus on Miguel Street and on the impact of modernity on it. The institutional and economical changes caused by modernity lead to rupture and discontinuity in people¡¦s life, and consequently, force them to search for self-identity. Chapter Three will move on to discussion of the self-identity formation of Mr. Biswas in A House for Mr. Biswas. During his growth and struggle in Trinidad, he finally gains his identity as an individual in a modern society. Moreover, his newly established sense of cultural identity will be inherited by his son, Anand. Anand serves an analogy to the boy narrator in Miguel Street whereas Ganesh in The Mystic Masseur is seen as an antithesis to Mr. Biswas. At last, I will define Naipaul¡¦s sense of identity as a Trinidad-born writer.

Female genital mutilation is an important human rights and health issue in both Canada and Africa. The Canadian government has made efforts towards eradicating this practice by making it a criminal offense, a “remedy” popularly used in Africa as well. Despite the efforts made by governments, law enforcement, along with international human rights organizations, female genital mutilation persists among African immigrants living in Canada and is still practiced by some in Africa. Using international and government laws and policies, documents, case study reports and articles, this thesis questions why the criminalization of female genital mutilation has not reduced this practice among Africans and immigrants living in Canada. Using qualitative case study research methodology as well as the theories of cultural relativism and feminist human rights, this thesis suggests that cultural practices are resistant to change, even among families who move to societies where the practices are legally criminalized and socially rejected. As such, the strategy of eradicating this cultural practice through criminalization has been largely unsuccessful because of strong social forces as exemplified in myths, cultural reasons and the medicalization of female genital mutilation. This thesis concludes by proposing the need to address the status of females among groups who perpetuate this practice and adopting other measures to supplement the laws which are already in place. / February 2016

In order to improve international student enrolment, universities have to tackle challenges of ensuring satisfying experience of enrolled international students that is perceived to greatly impact future recruitment. Accordingly, this research aims to provide valuable insights into Chinese international students’ cultural identity conflict that hinders their obtainment of a positive overseas experience. An online survey assessing a range of predictors of cultural identity conflict involving personality traits, ethnic and host cultural identity strength, intergroup factors and strategies of negotiating ethnic and host cultures, and how identity conflict and various identity negotiation strategies influence intercultural competence, was distributed to the entire pool of Chinese students enrolled in a New Zealand university and an Australian university. A total of 255 students completed the survey. Multiple regression analysis revealed that conscientiousness, secure attachment, commitment to ethnic identity, low perceived discrimination, easy access to academic activities with host students significantly protected Chinese students from experiencing cultural identity conflict, whereas preoccupied and fearful attachment, assimilation strategy increased the risk of identity conflict. Additionally, Alternation between cultural demands as one of variations of integration strategy was surprisingly found to exacerbate identity conflict and led to lower levels of intercultural sensitivity, while the other variation, blending strategy significantly resulted in greater intercultural sensitivity. Managerial implications for educational institutions were discussed based on these results. To advance this field of study, limitations of the current research and future research avenues were also presented.

There exists a fundamental difference in how today's Hopi youth are growing up from that of their parents and grandparents--Hopi youth are not acquiring the Hopi language. This sociolinguistic situation raises many questions about the vitality and continuity of the Hopi language.Two key findings emerged from the study of three Hopi young adults. First, the study showed that cultural experiences are key to developing a personal and cultural identity as Hopi, but a linguistic competence in Hopi, especially in ceremonial contexts, is fundamental to acquiring a complete sense of being Hopi. Secondly, the effect of modern circumstances apparent in behavior and attitude among Hopi is evidence of another shift--a move away from a collective maintenance of language as cultural practice to the maintenance of language and cultural practice as a personal choice of use.

This thesis presents a qualitative study of the experiences of a sample of Afghan refugees who have settled in Canada. The concepts of structure and agency, as articulated in Anthony Giddens’s structuration theory have been deployed as the theoretical framework of this study. I focus on the concept of culture, as both an “enabling” and “constraining” structure and the role it plays in the life of the refugees who form the study group for this thesis. The interviews explore how the respondents use culture as a means to express and explore their agency. Several themes emerge from the interviews, which are analyzed in dialogue with the literature on refugee and immigrant settlement. In light of the research findings, the role of the refugees in Canadian immigration policy is discussed, and it is suggested that there is room for a broader and more comprehensive role for refugees within national policy. / The settlement experience of Afghan refugees in Halifax, Nova Scotia

Cemeteries serve as repositories of history and memories of the local community, as well as afford the living population an opportunity to connect and learn about a culture’s past. Accordingly, the cemetery as a place and the rituals associated with death and remembrance that it holds, not only communicate and express the ideals of a collective identity, but also undergo modifications with time and geography. Through the study of burial rituals and funerary traditions of the multicultural community in the City of Richmond in British Columbia, this thesis seeks unifying qualities within the diversity of practices that will offer strategies for the design of ritual spaces that not only communicate the cultural identity within each community, but also serve as a place in which new ritual practices are born and integrated for the greater community of Richmond.