Gendering graffiti in Brazil

Gender expressions in a person’s daily rituals or representations in the media are critical in understanding gender relations. Studies on representations have generally focused those presented in textbooks and in advertisements. However, studies rarely examine gender representation in graffiti. In his analysis of advertisements, Goffman argues that advertisers do not create the ritualised expressions they employ but draw upon what we already know, and thus rendering readable images. Using the same logic, I posit that graffiti artists also base their images, at least in part, on socially readable and acceptable representations of gender. This effort may not be conscious and deliberate, but consistent with the social constructionist perspective, is an attempt to draw upon that with which we are familiar. As such, graffiti (like advertisements) become a source of data that we can analyse to examine gender representation. Examining graffiti in Brazil, I find graffiti with human images are present in two forms: cartoons, and life-portraits. Hyper-feminisation and sexualised images of women are prevalent. In contrast, images of men are less sexualised, particularly in terms of nudity. In addition, both the portrayal and interpretation of these images reflect a heterosexual bias.     

Personal Brand in Online Advertisements: Comparing White and Brazilian Male Sex Workers

Abstract

We examine marketing strategies used by Brazilian and white American male sex workers in their online advertisements and the degree to which ethnicity is emphasized as an aspect of personal branding. The results show that both groups emphasize similar aspects that are important in the sex trade, particularly their physical attributes, although emphasis and details vary. The results also suggest that male sex workers are cognizant of ethnic and racial preferences or fetishes and use them to enhance marketability in their online advertisements.     

A Proposed ASEAN Disaster Response, Training and Logistic Centre Enhancing Regional Governance in Disaster Management

The Southeast Asian region is remarkably vulnerable to natural disasters which repeatedly cause devastations to both human lives and properties. However, current disaster relief efforts have not lived up to the high standards. Even worse is that humanitarian efforts have been frequently frustrated by the rejections from national authorities under the name of “sovereignty”. All these problems necessitate a widely accepted, politically neutral, well coordinated and effectively governed organization within the region. We, hereby propose a Disaster Response Training and Logistic Centre under the umbrella of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which aims to mitigate the devastation of disasters, to provide accurate relief assessment, and training for relief team on a regular basis, and to allocate and mobilize humanitarian aid. The Centre will be endorsed through an agreement by all ASEAN governments. The philosophy underpinning the organization reflects a regional approach whereby stronger government involvement and regional integration in disaster relief is indispensable in the context of the Southeast Asian region.      

Are National Cultural Traits Applicable To Senior Firm Managers?

Researchers have applied Hofstede's categorization of national cultural traits not only in studies of 'average' employee samples, from which the categorization was originally derived, but also to élite senior executives, and even to firms, on the assumptions that top management teams (i) are culturally homogeneous with average employees and (ii) directly reflect cultural characteristics in strategic decision-making. Such assumptions are questioned by research finding that country sub-populations are culturally heterogeneous and that individuals' cultural characteristics are moderated by organizational and task contexts. Using the construct of collectivism/individualism, this study tests the applicability of Hofstede's generic national cultural norms to senior executives using Anglo-Saxon and Chinese samples. Results cast doubt on the applicability of Hofstede's classifications to senior manager populations and suggest several avenues for further research.     

Long-Term Care Policy: Singapore’s Experience

Singapore, like many developed countries, is facing the challenge of a rapidly aging population and the increasing need to provide long-term care (LTC) services for elderly in the community. The Singapore government’s philosophy on care for the elderly is that the family should be the first line of support, and it has relied on voluntary welfare organizations (VWOs) or charities for the bulk of LTC service provision. For LTC financing, it has emphasized the principles of co-payment and targeting of state support to the low-income population through means-tested government subsidies. It has also instituted ElderShield, a national severe disability insurance scheme. This paper discusses some of the challenges facing LTC policy in Singapore, particularly the presence of perverse financial incentives for hospitalization, the pitfalls of over-reliance on VWOs, and the challenges facing informal family caregivers. It discusses the role of private LTC insurance in LTC financing, bearing in mind demand- and supply-side failures that have plagued the private LTC insurance market. It suggests the need for more standardized needs assessment and portable LTC benefits, with reference to the Japanese Long-Term Care Insurance program, and also discusses the need to provide more support to informal family caregivers.