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1 – 10 of over 13000Anna Cronin de Chavez, Helen Louise Ball and Martin Ward-Platt
Overheating is considered a modifiable risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The purpose of this paper is to explore differences in infant thermal care beliefs…
Abstract
Purpose
Overheating is considered a modifiable risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The purpose of this paper is to explore differences in infant thermal care beliefs between mothers of South Asian and white British origin in Bradford, UK.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employed face-to-face interviews with semi-structured and structured questions with 51 white British and 51 South-Asian mothers in the Bradford District, UK.
Findings
White British mothers were more concerned about overheating causing SIDS whereas South-Asian mothers were more concerned about cold causing respiratory infections. However concerns around hypothermia and chills causing colds were expressed in both groups. White British mothers were significantly more likely to be concerned about their infant getting too hot than too cold and South-Asian mothers about both heat and cold (p0.001), but white British mothers on lower incomes and with poorer education expressed concern about cold more so than their better off, better educated peers indicating a possible link to fuel poverty.
Research limitations/implications
It was not possible to observe actual night-time practices and that South Asian as a cultural category is limited because could be regarded as too broad.
Practical implications
Whilst there guidance available to prevent infants overheating to prevent SIDS there is little or none about infants getting cold and how temperature affects other conditions.
Social implications
Thermal care behaviours and beliefs differ between ethnic groups. SIDS and overheating is only one concern for mothers in providing thermal care for their infants. More policy and research is needed to explore the wider impact of thermal care on infant health and survival.
Originality/value
This topic is rarely addressed despite the wide ranging implications of heat and cold to infant well-being.
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Baljit Kaur Rana, Carolyn Kagan, Suzan Lewis and Usha Rout
Even though an increasing number of British South Asian women have moved into paid employment over the years as a reflection of social and cultural mobility and change, their…
Abstract
Even though an increasing number of British South Asian women have moved into paid employment over the years as a reflection of social and cultural mobility and change, their work‐family experiences are not widely reported. This paper examines the experiences of British South Asian full‐time managerial or professional women combining work and family life. A qualitative study based in the north‐west of England was conducted utilising semi‐structured interviews with 17 women. Five themes are discussed: cultural influences on domestic responsibilities; additional responsibilities and commitments to extended family and community members; work‐family priorities and “superwoman syndrome”; stereotypes of roles and responsibilities at work; and experiences of discrimination. Managerial or professional British South Asian women are subjected to the same cultural family commitments and expectations as other non‐professional British South Asian working women. Practical implications of the findings are related to managing diversity approaches and organisational culture change.
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Aisha K. Gill and Aviah Sarah Day
In May 2012, nine men from the Rochdale area of Manchester were found guilty of sexually exploiting a number of underage girls. Reporting on the trial, the media focussed on the…
Abstract
In May 2012, nine men from the Rochdale area of Manchester were found guilty of sexually exploiting a number of underage girls. Reporting on the trial, the media focussed on the fact that eight of the nine men were of Pakistani origin, while the girls were all white. It also framed similar cases in Preston, Rotherham, Derby, Shropshire, Oxford, Telford and Middlesbrough as ethnically motivated, thus creating a moral panic centred on South Asian grooming gangs preying on white girls. Despite the lack of evidence that the abuse perpetrated by some Asian men is distinct from male violence against women generally, the media focus on the grooming gang cases has constructed a narrative in which South Asian men pose a unique sexual threat to white girls. This process of ‘othering’ South Asian men in terms of abusive behaviour masks the fact that in the United Kingdom, the majority of sexual and physical abuse is perpetrated by white men; it simultaneously marginalises the sexual and domestic violence experienced by black and minority ethnic women. Indeed, the sexual abuse of South Asian women and girls is invisibilised within this binary discourse, despite growing concerns and evidence that the men who groomed the young girls in the aforementioned cases had also perpetrated domestic and sexual violence in their homes against their wives/partners. Through discourse analysis of newspaper coverage of these cases for the period 2012‒2018, this paper examines the British media's portrayal of South Asian men – particularly Pakistani men – in relation to child-grooming offences and explores the conditions under which ‘South Asian men’ have been constructed as ‘folk devils’. It also highlights the comparatively limited newspaper coverage of the abuse experiences and perspectives of Asian women and girls from the same communities to emphasise that violence against women and girls remains an ongoing problem across the nation.
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Bidit Lal Dey, John M.T. Balmer, Ameet Pandit and Mike Saren
The purpose of this paper is to examine how young British South Asian adults’ dual cultural identity is exhibited and reaffirmed through the appropriation of selfies.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how young British South Asian adults’ dual cultural identity is exhibited and reaffirmed through the appropriation of selfies.
Design/methodology/approach
The research adopts a qualitative perspective and utilises a combination of in-depth interviews and netnographic data.
Findings
The appropriation of the selfie phenomenon by young British South Asian adults reifies, endorses and reinforces their dual cultural identity. As such, their dual cultural identity is influenced by four factors: consonance between host and ancestral cultures, situational constraints, contextual requirements and convenience.
Research limitations/implications
In terms of the selfie phenomenon, the study makes two major contributions: first, it analyses young British South Asian adults’ cultural dualism. Second, it explicates how their acculturation and their dual cultural identity are expressed through the appropriation of the selfie phenomenon.
Practical implications
Since young British South Asians represent a significant, and distinct, market, organisations serving this market can marshal insights from this research. As such, managers who apprise themselves of the selfie phenomenon of this group are better placed to meet their consumer needs. Account, therefore, should be taken of their twofold cultural identity and dual British/Asian identification. In particular, consideration should be given to their distinct and demonstrable traits apropos religiosity and social, communal, and familial bonding. The characteristics were clearly evident via their interactions within social media. Consequently, senior marketing managers can utilise the aforementioned in positioning their organisations, their brands and their products and services.
Originality/value
The study details a new quadripartite framework for analysing young British South Asian adults’ acculturation that leads to the formation of their dual cultural identity and presents a dynamic model that explicates how cultural identity is expressed through the use and appropriation of technology.
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Reports findings from a qualitative study using focus group discussions and individual interviews, about diet and cuisine among family members from a range of South Asian origins…
Abstract
Reports findings from a qualitative study using focus group discussions and individual interviews, about diet and cuisine among family members from a range of South Asian origins in Scotland. Most participants ate British style breakfasts and lunches but evening meals were eclectic in culinary styles. The widest ranges of cereal, pulse and vegetable foodstuffs were associated with South Asian style cuisine, British style cuisine was more likely to be associated with simple or convenience foods. Parents and some young people were very strongly committed to South Asian cuisine.
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Kuljit Heer, Michael Larkin and John Rose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of culture in shaping the caregiving experiences of British South Asian families caring for a child with developmental…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of culture in shaping the caregiving experiences of British South Asian families caring for a child with developmental disabilities in the UK. In particular it explores how the coexistence of two distinct cultures (British/South Asian) impacts upon these caregiving experiences.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative design using in-depth interviews and interpretative phenomenological analysis was used with seven parents identifying as British South Asian who had been born in the UK or had moved to the UK as young people.
Findings
Three master themes emerged: living with loss, uncertainty and overwhelming responsibility; learning about disability and facing stigma; and having to cope.
Research limitations/implications
Using a relatively homogeneous sample of carers this study provides an insight into how exposure to two different cultures shapes the understanding and adaptations of British South Asian carers in the UK.
Social implications
Issues in the acculturation of these parents emerge which demonstrate the tensions they face in relating to both South Asian and Western cultural influences. The study makes recommendations for how services can work with such families in order to help them make sense of their children’s disability, access culturally appropriate support and cope with the numerous demands of being a caregiver.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to a growing literature on the experience of South Asian parents who care for children with intellectual disabilities. It has important messages for workers about how to support these individuals most effectively.
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Nusrat Husain, Nasim Chaudhry, Mohammed Husain and Waquas Waheed
Background: suicide prevention is a priority for health services in England. A high rate of suicide in South Asian women and a dramatic rise in young Afro‐Caribbean's has been…
Abstract
Background: suicide prevention is a priority for health services in England. A high rate of suicide in South Asian women and a dramatic rise in young Afro‐Caribbean's has been reported in the UK.Aims: the aim of this selected review is to present the cultural context of suicidal behavior and possible preventive strategies for the South Asian and Afro‐Caribbean's living in the UK.Methods: relevant data about the cultural context of suicidal behavior in the two ethnic groups is reviewed.Findings: our findings suggest that socio‐cultural factors in women of South Asian origin and social risk factors and situational stress in Afro Caribbean's appears to be related to acts of self‐harm.Conclusions: we could not identify any published studies of effective suicide prevention strategies or on any treatment programmes for the two ethnic minority groups. Addressing the cultural, linguistic and religious need of these groups should be of paramount importance.
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Gill Hague, Geetanjali Gangoli, Helen Joseph and Mary Alphonse
This paper looks at the experiences of first‐generation South Asian women who entered the UK to marry and then suffered domestic violence. It is based on an innovative and…
Abstract
This paper looks at the experiences of first‐generation South Asian women who entered the UK to marry and then suffered domestic violence. It is based on an innovative and collaborative trans‐national project, carried out in two stages. In the first stage, a range of immigrant South Asian women, who had experienced domestic violence, were consulted. This consultation aimed to ascertain what they believed would have been useful information, if available prior to immigration, about the UK and the life they might expect there, including what might happen in cases of marital discord and difficulties. The second stage of the project consisted of feeding that information back through meetings and consultations to relevant women's and state agencies in India, including the police, the media and women's organisations. While there is no evidence to suggest that immigrant black, minority ethnic and refugee women experience more domestic violence than majority white women, their experiences of abuse are different due to cultural factors, language, immigration status and lack of contact with natal families. The paper makes key recommendations on policy developments that would assist women in this situation, raising the voices of South Asian immigrant women in the UK, and highlighting their views and advice for policy‐makers and for other women considering such marriages.
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The British East India Company (EIC) made connections between the Malay Archipelago and Bengal and established a penal settlement at Bencoolen, followed by the Straits Settlements…
Abstract
Purpose
The British East India Company (EIC) made connections between the Malay Archipelago and Bengal and established a penal settlement at Bencoolen, followed by the Straits Settlements for the Indian convicts. The convicts from different parts of South Asia today were generally described as “Indian”, such generalisation often hides the identity of specific convicts from South Asia. Among the Indian convicts, the Bengalis were transported to Bencoolen and the Straits Settlements. However, the generic term has made it difficult to reconstruct the history of Bengali convicts’ experiences and pathos. Therefore, this paper attempts to “rediscover” the afterlife of transportation of Bengali felons in the Malay Peninsula.
Design/methodology/approach
By examining a range of archival records and current scholarships, this article shows the inclusivity, diversity and accessibility of convict labourers with mainstream society. This study will open up a new avenue of convict histories and subaltern studies on Asia.
Findings
The Bengali convicts in the Straits Settlements, one of the oldest migrant sections, have largely been ignored in historical literature. Though the Bengalis, among other South Asian convicts, constituted a significant portion, they were categorised under the generic term “Indian” (Rai, 2014). Their manual labour was invaluable for the colonial economy and the development of the Straits Settlements.
Research limitations/implications
Researcher faced difficulties to get the descendant of Bengali convicts.
Originality/value
This article is a research paper based on mostly archival records; therefore, it is an original contribution to the existing knowledge on the convict history.
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This Research Watch aims to summarise two recent research papers on social exclusion and mental health within minority Asian population groups in the UK and USA.
Abstract
Purpose
This Research Watch aims to summarise two recent research papers on social exclusion and mental health within minority Asian population groups in the UK and USA.
Design/methodology/approach
A search was carried out for research papers with a mental health and social inclusion focus published within the past 12 months.
Findings
The first paper summarises 12 recent research papers on the experience of British South Asians of accessing health care for long term physical conditions and depression. Gaining access to health care was a complex process of negotiation between those seeking it and health service representatives. This process was hampered by lack of fit between patients' and clinicians' cultural context and understandings. The second paper summarises 14 questionnaire‐based research studies of the relationship between discrimination experiences and mental and physical health in Asian Americans, finding significant links between discrimination and mental and physical health.
Originality/value
The first paper's authors used recently developed, rigorous methods of summarising findings from multiple interview and focus group studies, arriving at a new understanding of the processes experienced by British South Asians when accessing services for health conditions, including depression. The second paper extends existing knowledge about links between discrimination and poor physical and mental health in American minority groups to Asian Americans, a group relatively overlooked hitherto.
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