Tag: It’s a Small World After All

Preserving the Authenticity of Chinese New Year in Process of Modernization Through Generational Perspectives

Presenter(s): Evelyn Woo—Psychology, International Studies

Co-Presenter(s): Tina Chan

Faculty Mentor(s): Matthias Vogel

Session 5: It’s a Small World After All

This project explores generational gaps in celebrating Chinese New Year, which is arguably the most important holiday in China . Also known as the Spring Festival, traditional rituals include the family reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve, putting up lucky red decorations, handing out red envelopes to children, and setting off firecrackers . In the last decade, many new forms of commemorating Chinese New Year have developed among young people, such as sending virtual red envelopes for online money transfers via WeChat, a popular messaging app, and watching the extravagant Chinese New Year Gala on screens rather than participating in small festivities with family . These technology-driven changes are of particular concern to some elders who think that the younger generation is turning away from traditional family values and customs . The purpose of this project is to examine attitudes toward the Spring Festival and question whether it is losing its authenticity . We debate in how far this transition is indicative of a larger restructuring of Chinese society and contrast different generational perspectives by analyzing Western and Chinese news outlets, social media blog posts, and websites . We expect to find that with China’s rapid urbanization, cultural traditions are not lost but simply changed, which some may see as growth, while others interpret it as a disappearing act . Our project has strong social significance, as it points out schisms in Chinese society and issues China faces in its process of modernization .

The Extent, Contributing Factors and Responses to Depression and Suicidal Ideation in Modern South Korea

Presenter(s): James Taylor—Linguistics

Faculty Mentor(s): Matthias Vogel

Session 5: It’s a Small World After All

The Republic of Korea (Korea) has seen a high rate of economic development in the post-WWII era and is currently the country with the 11th highest GDP worldwide (International Monetary Fund) .At the same time, Korea is beset by a mental health crisis more severe than similar countries in the world . Korea has the highest rate of suicide both in the South-East Asian region and in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), at 26 .6 people per capita as of 2018 (compared to the regional average of 10 .8 people per capita in 2015 and the OEDC average of 11 .4 in 2017) .2-5 Other mental health problems, including depression, alcohol dependence and mood disorders, correlate to suicidal ideation; as a result, the prevalence of these disorders exacerbate the core issue of suicidal ideation . This literary review evaluates the extent of these mental health issues in Korea, identifies correlatory factors relating to mental health, and presents current policies and approaches addressing mental health in part or in whole . In addition, it focuses on the population in general but also through four specific lenses: students, full-time employees, the elderly, and celebrities . The significance of this research mainly focuses on improving the quality of life for people in South Korea by identifying factors associated with mental health and proposing solutions that reduce the frequency and severity of mental health disorders .

The 2008 Economic Crash and the Breakdown in Venezuelan Democracy

Presenter(s): Garret Simmer—Political Science

Co-Presenter(s): Jon Laus

Faculty Mentor(s): Matthias Vogel

Session 5: It’s a Small World After All

This project highlights the economic policies adopted by the Venezuelan government during and after the 2008 financial crisis and its impacts on the stability of democracy in Venezuela . To gain an understanding of the experience of the populace, we trace news reporting on the crisis in Venezuelan daily publications which we contextualize with reporting from an international perspective and academic publications on economic data and social policy . Our study will illuminate how Venezuelan democracy eroded through the breakdown of institutions following economic collapse . This project’s aims are to identify some of the root causes for the Venezuelan economic crisis and the sustained disparity experienced by the Venezuelan people . We are going to show the connection between economic and political issues and their impact on political efficacy in a democracy . Our results show: as Venezuela’s economy experienced greater economic stress, the government was able to take more drastic action threatening its democracy . Political shifts are often the result of economic fluctuations on the national and international scale . When considering relevant concepts such as globalization, media’s influence, and regional issues, it becomes clear that Venezuela’s backslide into authoritarianism was inextricably linked not only to the national economy but the global economy .

Neoliberalism Was Born and Will Die in Chile

Presenter(s): Derek Evans—Sociology and Psychology

Co-Presenter(s): Soren Scheu Porter Wheeler

Faculty Mentor(s): Matthias Vogel

Session 5: It’s a Small World After All

The research being presented will explore the effects, both adverse and beneficial, of the implementation of neoliberal policy and administration, by referring to and drawing from the progression of neoliberalism paired with the regression of socioeconomic equity in contemporary Chile . By delving into the subjects of sociology, cultural anthropology, and political science, we have developed a collection of information that supports and challenges our argument, that neoliberalism is damaging to the people of Chile . In analyzing the resources drawn from all of the subjects listed above, we will be focusing on the development of neoliberal policy, the sustaining of the neoliberal cycle, and the forms of exploitation paired with their damaging effects within society . Our core research focus, and argument, is that Chile and its people would benefit greatly from abandoning its current political regime and opting for a more socialized form of governance . In summary, neoliberal policy and administration have set Chile’s people behind in the world and is only serving to cement their position in the global south .