A Dissertation submitted to the School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in the fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts in Political Science by research. Johannesburg, January 2016 / A Tale of Two Temples: An Exploration of Caste addresses the notion of caste in South Africa, specifically among the Gujarati community in Cape Town. Caste within this community has been discussed with regard to the Indian diaspora in general and Natal in South Africa, but there is not a vast amount of literature regarding this phenomenon among Indians in Cape Town. Through the description of a dispute between a caste-based organisation of mochis –those of a leatherworking and cobbler caste- and a non-caste-based organisation predominantly of agricultural patidars over control of the space of worship, the recreation, dynamics and interplay of the caste system are discussed. Louis Dumont’s influential synoptic theory of caste serves as the frame of reference when addressing the system. Dumont focuses on the idea of purity and hierarchy. The system includes four varnas or classes, which are positioned along a pure-to-impure hierarchy. In Cape Town, this hierarchy is not entirely recreated; all four varnas are not represented. Instead patidars or agriculturalists have claimed to be of high status, which is normally attributed to a Brahmin or clerical caste, and have asserted themselves as the reference group for other castes. They perceive the mochis to be of low caste. The mochis have not accepted this and through the influence of the Arya Samaj, they have recreated a new historical narrative classifying themselves as high caste. This new narrative and the empowerment of the mochis created a conflict that escalated as a result of apartheid’s Group Areas Act, which legally enforced racially segregated residential areas. This conflict provides insight into the recreation of caste in Cape Town. Keywords and Terms Cape Town, Caste, Diaspora, Dumont, Durban, Fiji, Gujarati, Indenture, Indian Diaspora, Johannesburg, Migration, South Africa, Trinidad / MT2016

Raja Krishnacandra Ray (1710-1782) was a relatively high-ranking aristocrat in eastern India who emerged as a local culture hero during the nineteenth century. He became renowned as Bengal's preeminent patron of Sanskrit and as an ardent champion of goddess worship who established the region's famous puja festivals, patronized major innovations in vernacular literature, and revived archaic Vedic sacrifices while pursuing an archconservative agenda as leader of Hindu society in the area. He is even alleged in certain circles to have orchestrated a conspiracy that birthed British colonialism in South Asia, and humorous tales starring his court jester are ubiquitous wherever Bengali is spoken. This dissertation explores the process of myth-making as it coalesced around Krishncandra in the early modern period, emphasizing the roles played by classical ideals of Hindu kingship and print culture as well as both colonial and nationalist historiography.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Comparative Literature Department, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Zugl.: Zürich, Univ., Diss., 2006

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Supervisor: Elizabeth C. Pomeroy. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available from UMI.

No description available.

published_or_final_version / Business / Master / Master of Philosophy

The effectiveness of an educational psychotherapy presentation on Asians' therapy expectations and help-seeking attitudes was investigated. Subjects were foreign-born Asian university students. Compared to a non-Asian American normative sample, the Asian group demonstrated significantly less accurate expectations about therapy and less positive attitudes about seeking help for psychological problems. A psychotherapy presentation was used to modify expectations and attitudes. It consisted of an audiotaped lecture on therapist and client roles and the types of problems discussed in therapy. It also included a written transcript of therapist-client dialogues for subjects to read. The experimental group, which received the presentation, was compared to placebo control and delayed-treatment control groups. The psychotherapy presentation did not modify Asians' expectations or attitudes more than the control groups. Instead, all three groups showed improvement at posttest. Because there is a clear need to assess further the therapy expectations and attitudes of Asians, future research was recommended.

Thesis advisor: Thanh V. Tran / Purpose: According to census estimates, Asians are one of the fastest growing immigrant groups in the US, and the fastest growing group among all elderly. This study examines the impact of acculturation, measured as English ability, along with other predictors on health for older Asian Americans. Data Sources: Data from the 2009 American Community Survey and the National Latino and Asian American Study were used to examine large-scale population characteristics of Asian American elderly. Measures: A broad view of health (physical, mental, Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living(iADLs)) was examined using items capturing functional disability. Psychological health was examined using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). Analytical Methods: Confirmatory factor analysis, logistic regression analysis, and path analysis was conducted. Results: CFA suggests scales are reliable for use. Cross-cultural comparability was found for psychological distress, but not for functional disability. Results indicated that English ability predicted lower disability, but had no relationship to psychological distress. Higher levels of intergenerational family conflict increased distress for Asian elders. Perceived discrimination, which represents a form of social marginalization, emerged as a key mediating variable and was consistently associated with poorer mental health. Conclusion: This study provided key insights into the applicability and measurement invariance of two key measures of health for older Asian Americans. While the measures captured health reasonably well, the results suggest confounds for this population, which may be due to perceptions of disability, language, immigration status, social networks, health insurance status, and access to services. Acculturation is a process involving the individual and the family, and can cut across age groups and generations. Policies should emphasize the development of culturally-specific services for Asian American elders. The study highlights that social workers must engage families across generations and the lifespan when working with Asian elders. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2013. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Social Work. / Discipline: Social Work.

Indonesian broadcasters are less than enthused about switching from an analog signal to digital terrestrial television (DTT). The nation’s telecommunications industry appears mostly indifferent, consumers are reluctant to spend money on the necessary new equipment, and electronics producers are pessimistic about the new market. Despite the fact that few stakeholders are in support of this transition, the Indonesian government is moving forward on DTT. Why could this be? Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world, with more than 16,000 islands and a diverse geography that complicates the implementation of new broadcast and telecommunications infrastructure. By taking it as a case study, this project explains why, despite broad national ambivalence, high costs, and uncertain benefits, a developing country might still find itself accepting an externally imposed standard. Primary research questions include: What incentivizes nations to accept new technological standards when domestic enthusiasm is sparse? How do foreign interests and a fear of isolation from an “inevitable” global technofuture reshape civic priorities? Which segments of society are legitimized in this process, and which are ignored? The processes at play are nuanced. Building on the scholarship of Grewal (2008), this dissertation contends that Indonesia’s decision to transition to DTT is understood as neither entirely voluntary nor entirely coerced. Rather, it is the result of a complex web of power plays and rhetorical frames. International bodies seek to impose a universal broadcast standard even in countries where it is counterproductive as certain domestic corporations attempt to influence the process in order to maintain and consolidate their dominance. At the same time, prevailing narratives of “necessity” and “inevitability” obscure policy choices better suited to the Indonesian situation, and hide the reality that DTT is not only a technological issue, but a social one as well.