Living Reflections
Nauvari - a Nine Yard Dream: A Study of the Popularity of the Traditional Saree, a Symbol of Cultural Identity of Maharashtra, India
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Sanjeevani Ayachit
Until a few decades ago, women from the Indian state of Maharashtra were wearing nine yard nauvari sarees from the time they were married at under ten years of age, until they died. Sometime in the twentieth century, the nauvari was replaced by the five yard pachvari saree followed by the salwar-kameez and finally by Western attire. Retention of indigenous dress came to be considered as uncivilized. However, in the last few years, there has been a spike in the use of nauvari sarees by women of all age groups. These sarees are being worn for weddings, festivals, and special occasions. This paper decodes the reasons behind the renewed interest in this ethnic dress. The sample has been chosen through purposive non-probability sampling and data collected through in depth interviews. The study uses an interpretative analytical approach to dissect the experiences of Maharashtrian women while wearing their nauvaris and the meanings they associate with it.
Lights Out on Main Street: Portrayals and Betrayals of the American Small Town
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Dillon Boss
Dotting the highways and back roads of the American panorama are the remains of what is commonly regarded as “small-town America.” These obscure communities, their main streets, and the people who populate them present an intriguing paradox in the pursuit of understanding the evolution of American culture in the twentieth century. Recently, small towns and their place in society have become increasingly relevant as scholars and citizens have sought to understand and preserve them in the new millennium. However, critical questions persist in the current discussion involving the American small town: To what degree has popular perception affected collective attitude toward small towns? Who constructed the small-town American ideal, and when juxtaposed with the less-than-ideal qualitative reality emerging in the 1960s, what can we learn from it? Exploring these bigger questions is the beginning of an important journey to uncover hidden meaning within small-town communities and broaden our understanding of the diverse and intricate American identity. While comparing examples of how small towns are portrayed using fine art and literature and contrasting them with observable evidence of the declining state of the small-town community, this paper offers a response to the broader idea of perception’s effect on the emotional construction of the bucolic Main Street and the simultaneous masking of the convoluted reality that is the small-town living experience. I argue that nostalgic romanticism for the small-town ideal has historically overshadowed the crumbling state of these communities, furthering our complex relationship with small towns in the twenty-first century.
Analysis of the Entangled Evolution Model for the Generation of Sustainability Indicators in Energy Projects
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Nydia Xcaret Valladares Arias, Karla G. Cedano, Manuel Martinez
One of the most used ways to measure progress towards sustainable development is through indicators. That is why, over time, experts have worked on various methodologies and proposed indicators, in aspects that cover the axes of sustainability, that is, economic, environmental, institutional, and social. In this sense, this study shows the selection with entangled evolution algorithms the ideal set of sustainability indicators for energy projects, taking into account the relevant actors. The case study was established in the municipality of Tlaxco, located in the state of Tlaxcala, which has the appointment of Magic Town. The proposed applied methodology incorporates social innovation, starting with the formation of groups of relevant actors defined in society, businessmen, and members of the Municipal Council. A catalog of sustainability indicators was made, to which a footprint was assigned, which is a number to identify them, according to their relationship with the axes of sustainability. The algorithm of entangled evolution was used as an auxiliary tool in the identification of the best set of indicators, for which a survey was carried out to the relevant actors, with the objective of defining the specific scenario according to the perception of sustainability of each group. Finally, the results obtained by the algorithm, opinions of experts in the area, and previous knowledge of the environment, allowed the selection of suitable sustainability indicators for energy projects in the municipality of Tlaxco.
