“The Miami Sound”: A Contemporary Latin Form of Place-Specific Music

The concept of place-specific music, including its characteristics and formative dynamics, is introduced in this case study of the Miami Sound, a contemporary form of Latin commercial music that emerged in south Florida and has diffused rapidly since the mid-1970s. By analyzing musical components, it is concluded that the Miami Sound is a fusion of Latin, especially Cuban, musical influences with North American popular music formats and elements.     

Architecture of Commercial Redevelopment in Post-War Britain

The architectural styles associated with the redevelopment of British central business districts since World War II are described, largely through an examination of two provincial centers, one an administrative, commercial and industrial town and the other a suburban town. The influence of the historical legacies with which the two centers entered the post-war period is emphasized and the succession of styles, especially neo-Georgian, modern and post-modern, is discussed in relation to the characteristics of the owners and architects of buildings. Owner-occupiers tended to adopt new architectural fashions more rapidly than speculative developers. After the mid-1950s increasing influence from outside the study centers was channelled primarily by national property companies, with the financial backing of insurance companies. Architectural styles diversified after the late 1960s, and within individual centers, though not nationally, they were the responsibility of a greater range of firms, mostly operating countrywide.     

Mapping narratives: the 1992 Los Angeles riots as a case study for narrative-based geovisualization

In this paper, I demonstrate that narrative-based geovisualization contributes to a broader understanding of complex social and inherently spatial phenomena, such as riots, when combined with other data. Past spatial scholarship on riots has analyzed point-distribution data representing damaged structures caused by fires and vandalism. Although this approach is insightful, the analysis of damaged structures engages with just one type of many other significant occurrences during a riot. Since riots are a result of human actions, I am interested in representing other significant occurrences through the eyewitness, on-the-ground accounts—or narratives—that reveal individual observations and experiences. Using the 1992 Los Angeles riots as a case study, I combine point-distribution data and narrative data as a complementary, multiple-methods approach to investigate human actions during riots.     

Cross-Cultural Interpretation Planning in the Canadian Arctic

Facilities that interpret local cultures to tourists can promote positive host-guest relations. However, developing these facilities can be challenging because of the cross-cultural context in which the planning must take place. A participatory approach to planning must be used so that the local residents can determine how their culture is to be portrayed to visitors. However, the planner should be familiar with both the cultures of the hosts and the guests so that the local culture is authentically presented, in a way which is appropriate for visiting tourists. Often interpretation planners from "western" cultures are brought in to coordinate the development of such facilities. These planners, as well as the agencies which sponser them, must be committed to working closely with residents of the community over long periods of time to develop the necessary understanding of the host culture, as well as to cultivate an atmosphere of cooperation.     

Analysis of resinous material present on an alabaster lid excavated from Nabataean Moa in the Arava valley

An alabaster lid with a resinous accretion burnt or stuck next to the handle and on the base was uncovered in the Nabataean rest stop in Moyat Aawad (Moa) in the Arava valley in Israel. The analysis of this resin sample utilising GC‐MS revealed several types of compounds. The chemical analysis revealed compounds typically present in pine tar and plant lipid material (probably oil). The use of pine resin, tar and pitch derived from plant resins is documented in antiquity, not only as a sealant or caulking material but also as medicines, antiseptics and ritual balms.