• International Journal of Costume and Fashion
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.29-45
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• 2014

In the contemporary world, fashionable bodies are socially constructed in light of current idealized images. Media portrayal of such images can have negative health implications. This issue has long been problematic for women. Nowadays, men are subject to more scrutiny regarding their bodies, although male body image has been studied far less than female body image. In this position paper based on a review of the major studies that have been conducted on men and body image, we summarize the findings from these state-of-the-art studies that have been recently published in academic journals. Three themes related to male body image were extracted: socio-cultural ideals, masculinity, and minority men. This study adds to the literature I that it demonstrates that men experience and view their bodies differently from women, though some behaviors, such as disordered eating, are similar. Other behaviors, such as the drive for muscularity, are couched in the context of the social construction of gender and power. Most of the studies were done on white, heterosexual populations of young men, and nearly all used quantitative research methods. Little research has been conducted on ethnic and sexual minorities. We conclude with a discussion of what we need to know, and to that end, we suggest future avenues of research.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.17-28
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• 2011

This study was conducted to analyze the status of the traditional medicines registered by the Chinese state as intangible cultural heritages, and of Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion registered by UNESCO as world intangible cultural heritages in 2010, in connection with the need to have Traditional Korean Medicine skills similarly registered as world intangible cultural heritage items. Since UNESCO's adoption of the Convention on the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritages in 2003, the Chinese government has pushed ahead with efforts to explore and protect intangible cultural heritage items and have them registered as world intangible cultural heritages. Thus, Benchaogangmu (本草綱目) and Huangdineijing (黃帝內經) were listed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register while Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion were registered as world intangible cultural heritage properties. For Traditional Korean Medicine skills to be listed as world intangible cultural heritage properties, steps should be taken first to include the skills in the list of domestic intangible cultural heritage items and to make further explorations in the sector. Such efforts are also important in terms of the need to establish the legitimacy of Traditional Korean Medicines.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.44
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• pp.177-212
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• 2023

In this study, discussions of the suppression of cultural diversity in communities was conducted. First, based on the studies conducted so far and recent changes, the oppression that exists between the Chinese government and ethnic minorities was considered. The visible suppression mentioned was the expansion of Han Chinese Mandarin language education, sanctions on minority languages, and the expansion of higher education at the exclusion of minority identities. In terms of 'invisible' oppression, urbanization, urban development with modernization at the forefront, and the use of officials from minority ethnic groups educated by the central government were items that were discussed. Next, the case of Latin America was examined. In particular, attention was paid to the theory of resistance against Europeans and European culture. Based off of the worries and experiences of Latin American intellectuals who have underwent oppression as individuals from culturally diverse backgrounds, a mature theory was formulated that could be used to defend Chinese minorities in the future. There is a specificity to the problem of Chinese minority communities. However, from a large perspective, experience and self-critical exploration in Latin America serve as an opportunity to expand the specificity of Chinese minority communities. Their situation resembles previous situations in Latin America when native cultures were being culturally eroded by Europe. Thus, as Latin American scholars argue, a shift in perception is necessary. In addition to this, in the text, it is likewise necessary to reflect on diversity, freedom, and mutualistic respect. There are proposals advocating for the realization of Heyibutong (和而不同 harmony but not through sameness) based on the situation in China. In the process of this consideration, much thought was given about what the observed communities are like and what a hypothetically desirable community would be like. This extends not only to Chinese minority communities and native residents of Latin America, but also to Asians in the United States and foreigners in Korea. Through this, it is hoped that desirable communities characterized by cultural diversity can be skillfully pursued.

• The Southeast Asian review
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.83-120
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• 2018

For Singapore, 2017 was an uneasy year. The presidential election was fraught with controversy since the revised Presidential Election Act allowed only one candidate to be eligible for the election. The bitter feud between Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his siblings shocked many Singaporeans. Succession planning for the next top leadership is still veiled in obscurity. The anti-globalization trend and the increasing pressure to raise the tax have become major challenges for Singapore's economy to overcome. China's continuous diplomatic pressure has called into the question Singapore's pragmatic foreign policy. Although its relations with China were back to normal, Singapore, the ASEAN chair in 2018, is still facing intractable problems in safeguarding ASEAN centrality in the growing US-China rivalry. In the meantime, Singapore has pursued its diversity and equality, heading toward a more matured multi-racial and multi-cultural society in 2017. The first female president, Halimah Yacob, served as a symbolic epitome of Singapore's emphasis on diversity and harmony among different ethnic groups and minorities. This great milestone, however, has largely been questioned by Singaporeans, as it seemed to be a political gesture that only utilized Halimah's double minority in the level of ideologies. The election of the Malay president has led Singaporeans to think about the real equity and equality among minorities, while strongly motivated to move toward a more inclusive society. In 2018, Singaporean leaders will try to resolve many challenging problems by reaffirming leadership succession planning, which is expected to lead Singapore to pursue a more integrated society.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.348-354
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• 2023

A tattoo is a cultural form that has been handed down to mankind for a long time. Traditional tattoo customs that have been handed down and developed in the various cultures of mankind have the important value of academic research in various fields such as history, art, society, etc. The Derung people, one of the minorities living in Yunnan Province and nearby areas in the southwest of China, have 'facial tattoo' customs. The traditional culture of the Derung people, which had maintained the form of primitive society until 1949 when the People's Republic of China was established, was passed down through oral tradition, so there are no preserved materials about their tattoo culture, showing the need for research on the culture. Therefore, it was conducted in two ways: a research on modern and contemporary literature and a field trip to Yunnan Province. The exact reason and time of facial tattoo customs are unknown, but the customs disappeared after being banned in 1966 due to the Chinese Cultural Revolution. The symbols and functions of facial tattoos can be largely divided into four categories, including religious worship, coming-of-age ceremonies, aesthetic decorations, and ethnic and social history, through an on-site survey and research by modern and contemporary scholars. And, it is known that women of the Derung People get tattoos from the age of 7 to 8. The design of facial tattoos became more complicated for upper-class women and simpler for lower-class women depending on the area they live. Tattoos are mainly performed by relatives, and mainly bamboo skewers and lixivium extracted from the bottom of the pot are used as the materials. Currently, there are fewer than 25 women of the Derung people with facial tattoos, and most of them are elderly. Therefore, they seem to disappear altogether within a few decades. Therefore, it is urgent to have documentation on the unique facial tattoo culture of the Derung people.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.612-622
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• 2017

This paper is about on the most representative ethnic of China Mongolian as the research object, through the questionnaire survey to establish the understanding of national cultural symbol and the system of national identity, and lay a theoretical foundation for the application of Mongolian communication and design in the future. In order to achieve the objectivity of the data, so a questionnaire survey was conducted on 300 populations of Mongolian and other nationalities. The result is that the majority of the Mongolians believe that as the Mongolian people have a sense of pride, and the Mongolian nationality is a representative of china. Mongolian is a kind of aesthetic, creative, reliable, aggressive and like the decoration of the nation. The cultural symbols for design elements are cyan, Gen Gi Khan graphics, agate, and peaceful meaning and so on. The cultural symbols are used for celebration, as well as clothing accessories. The symbol of culture has played a positive role in the establishment of Inner Mongolia identity and the propaganda of the nation. The construction of Mongolian cultural symbol system plays an important role in the establishment of Mongolian national identity. To combine the meaning of nation and the mission of culture with national cultural resources. It is not only to help the development of minority culture, but also to promote the sense of pride of ethnic minorities.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3799-3804
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• 2013

Background: Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in Malaysia. The prognosis of the disease is excellent if detected at an early stage, but the majority of Malaysian patients present at late stages. We aimed to assess the awareness of cancer warning signs and anticipated delay in help-seeking as possible contributors to this phenomenon. Materials and Methods: A population-based cross-sectional survey using the Colorectal Cancer Awareness Measure was initiated in Perak, Malaysia. A total of 2,379 respondents aged 18 years and above were recruited using a multi-stage sampling in five locations. Analysis of covariance was used to examine independent sociodemographic predictors of scores for symptom awareness. Results: Younger age, being female, a higher education, and higher income were significantly associated with better scores for both recall and recognition of warning symptoms. Among the ethnic groups, Malays had better recognition of symptoms whereas Chinese recalled the most symptoms. Passing bloody stool was associated with the least anticipated delay and unexplained anal pain had the highest anticipated delay. Conclusions: The level of awareness across all ethnicities in Malaysia is generally low, especially among minorities. Targeted public education, which is culturally and linguistically appropriate, should be developed to encourage early help-seeking and improve clinical outcomes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.1429-1441
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• 2010

This study examines the post-national trends of the $21^{st}$ century fashion that has embraced multiculturalism. This study conducted a literature view to explore the concept of multiculturalism and the background of post-national phenomena appearing in contemporary fashion. In addition, as a case study, the author used local and foreign fashion magazines and collections published between 2000 and 2009, in addition to other related materials available on the Internet. The objective was to analyze photographic materials in which post-national features are reflected. From this study, the post-national trends in $21^{st}$ century fashion that adopted multiculturalism are as follows: The first is that oriental culture is more actively embraced. In the past, the tendency of embracing the oriental culture was mainly developed with a focus on China and Japan, but recently the tendency has spread to Southeast Asian countries and national/ethnic minorities that include Mongolians and Tibetans that is present in more active ways that reflect oriental sentiment and philosophy as well as adopts simple images. Second, $21^{st}$ century fashion based on multiculturalism broadens the interest in the understanding of nations in the regions of Africa, Middle East, and South America and uses regional folk costumes or indigenous characteristics to create new things instead of staying within a fixed paradigm. Third, as horizontal transfer is involved in ways of looking at culture, $21^{st}$ century fashion shows a post-national tendency to use regional cultures and folk costumes of the occidental world that includes North and West Europe in addition to non-mainstream regions (as considered so far). Fourth, dress elements of many heterogeneous national cultures are combined to create multinational images difficult to define in terms of a specific national culture or clothing style.

• Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.271-295
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• 2018

Information inequality has been differently conceptualized and defined in national laws. While the information inequality increases, library policy and informational service has lagged behind in meeting the needs of the society and the state. This paper aims to provide a preliminary research on information inequality, in terms of conceptualization, the legal base, terminology, index development based on the level of digital information. The paper also highlights cases on library services for solution of the difference. It compares library services designed for the disabled, ethnic minorities and the aged. The paper reviews the existing literature and project data. As a result, there are a number of processes and tasks that needs to be developed, including policy development, supporting organization, human capital, cooperating network, supporting facilities and service, and data.

• The Southeast Asian review
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.135-179
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• 2013

This study explores the study experiences of Southeast Asian students at a reputable Korean private university in Seoul. In particular, this study focuses on difficulties and coping strategies of both non-native speaker of English and native-speakers of English who are working for their undergraduate or postgraduate degrees. Interviews of fourteen students from five Southeast Asian countries were collected and analyzed by NVivo 9. Thematic analysis result shows that many students, particularly non-native speakers of English, had much more difficulties than their counterparts, in contemporary Korean university context, where internationalization indices-driven strategies including expanding courses conducted in English language. Also, this study observes and documents contrasting patterns of different degree of difficulties experienced by students, depending on their degree levels and majors. Undergraduate students in science and engineering majors had the greatest degree of difficulties among all. In contrast, their graduate counterparts seem to have less difficulties. This might be related to the fact that graduate students in science and engineering majors are mostly working with their peers in their own labs, which provides institutional support. Coping strategies of students show that international students, facing unfavorable or unfriendly treatments by their Korean peers, developed innovative strategies, including using the internet technology to catch up with the classes that they could not fully understand. As a whole, adaptation process of international students do not seem to be passive or one-way. This study also provides policy implications for international students, particularly, who can be categorized as linguistic and ethnic minorities.