Some critics linked the spread of violence to the rise of political Islam in Turkey despite a carefully cultivated secular political culture.

Until now, despite a thriving culture of myths that lends itself to the art of the comic book, Indian comic books have had poor visual content and production values.

Despite the political peace and stability they initiated, followed by economic expansion and prosperity, including admired public construction projects, and despite a blossoming culture, political dissent was rife, and not confined to Berbers.

Despite a developing global culture, the same facts can be and often are viewed through starkly different historical and cultural prisms and the word "freedom" is defined to fit one's political perspective.

According to Harold Livesay, a professor of business and economic history at Texas A & M University in College Station, Tex., there is now a tendency to view inventors as kooks despite a flourishing culture of entrepreneurship.

Mr. Peters wanted to teach painting, drawing and ceramics to a people who, despite a fascinating culture and dazzling landscapes, seemed to him strangely bereft of pictorial tradition.

"In Japan, nature has been ruined, despite a traditional culture that treated nature as a precious thing."