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‘Fish wives’ in UK Parliament: Discursive intersections of (un)respectability, class and gender in newspaper representations of Angela Rayner.
Full text linkThis research develops an intersectional understanding of UK Newspaper coverage of White, working-class origin women politicians through a single case analysis of the reporting of Angela Rayner and her supposed attempt to “distract” the UK Prime Minister. A Dual process discourse analysis was conducted on 74 UK newspaper articles (47,000 words) whose main topic was Rayner and the alleged incident. The two overarching discourses identified - unrespectable “fish wives” and respectable “working-class heroes”– functioned to both confer and revoke gendered and classed notions of the (un)respectable politician to reproduce the “elite male as norm” and class the gendered double bind. The discourses also functioned to restrict working-class women’s ability to adopt, reject, or demolish elite, masculine standards and caution against working-class women politicians by framing class markers as inherently dangerous (e.g., “inner fishwife”) and unrespectable (e.g. uncouth and hyper-sexualised) compared to White middle-class feminised standards. Finally, these discourses worked to reassert classed and gendered boundaries via portraying working-class women politicians as unworthy and potentially dangerous and normalising (White) masculinised power and privilege. This technology of governance has implications for voting decisions, our shared understanding of the overall appropriateness of working-class women in positions of power as well as our treatment towards them
Participative Multilingual Identity Construction in Higher Education: Challenging Monolingual Ideologies and Practices
Full text linkThis theoretical paper builds on the authors’ existing scholarship exploring the value of incorporating multilingual identity-focused pedagogical practice into language learning at the secondary school level, by establishing the rationale for extending such practices to the tertiary level, both in language learning specifically and in tertiary education more generally. We previously reconceptualised multilingualism as an all-encompassing concept that one can lay claim to, regardless of proficiency levels in multiple languages, dialects, and other communicative modes, and outlined a pedagogical framework for “participative construction of multilingual identity in the language classroom”. In establishing a rationale for applying this framework and its underpinning conceptualisation of multilingual identity to the (increasingly linguistically diverse) tertiary education sector, this current paper critically examines the literature on attitudes towards multilingualism in higher education; and on evidence for the value of identity-focused pedagogies. We outline approaches to embedding awareness-raising of multilingual identities, and related identity-focused pedagogical approaches. At a time when the English language remains powerful at the tertiary level, these proposals are deemed important for challenging the ongoing dominance of monolingual ideals in higher education, especially in Anglophone contexts, where increasing numbers of international students with varied multilingual identities and repertoires are perceived as deficient when judged against monolingual, native-speaker norms. Finally, the next steps in the research agenda are recommended
Proposing a Linguistic Repertoires Perspective in Multilingual Higher Education Contexts
Full text linkAnglophone Higher Education Institutions have embraced cultural diversity but continue to approach linguistic diversity through a deficit perspective, often treating multilingualism as an obstacle rather than a resource (Preece et al., 2018). This paper argues for the adoption of a linguistic repertoires perspective in learning development to leverage students' full linguistic capacities, thereby enhancing cognitive engagement, fostering inclusivity, and contributing to the decolonisation of academic spaces. Drawing on Cummins (2007), I explore how linguistic repertoires function as cognitive tools, aiding comprehension and critical thinking. Additionally, insights from Park and May (2025) and Preece (2019b) illustrate how integrating linguistic repertoires in learning development promotes inclusion and challenges linguistic discrimination. Finally, inspired by Wei and García (2022), I position linguistic repertoires as central to a decolonising agenda in higher education. I call upon learning developers to create pedagogical frameworks that recognise linguistic diversity as an asset, facilitating equitable and enriched educational experiences
Extracellular vesicles from different endometrial receptivity states influence the early embryo transcriptome (Abstract only)
Full text linkConfiguring international entrepreneurial orientation and dynamic internationalization capability to predict international performance
Full text linkIn recent years, the dynamics of international business have changed. This has largely been attributed to uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and global trends towards individualistic behaviours. To remain competitive, international entrepreneurial firms (IEFs) renew their behaviours and reconfigure their capabilities. However, scholars have hitherto not uncovered the configurational interplay connecting behaviours and capabilities between the pre-and-post-COVID periods. Drawing on the configurational perspective of dynamic capability theory, we explored the configurational specificities of dynamic internationalisation capability and an international entrepreneurial orientation (IEO) as the behavioural aspect of IEFs. Adopting a longitudinal approach, we applied fsQCA to data drawn from Malaysia. Results show that whereas, in the pre-COVID period, IEFs exhibited an IEO along with threshold and disruption capabilities, in the wake of the pandemic, they are gingerly manifesting an IEO with an overwhelming priority on value-adding and consolidation capabilities suited to weather crises and secure international performance
Stuck in the middle with you: the role of senior leaders as third space professionals
Full text linkThis collaborative opinion piece offers the perspective that senior leaders must move beyond their traditional places within the academic or professional services spaces to act as hybrid professionals or translators. We take five perspectives as senior leaders and build a collective opinion of our view of the role of senior leaders as third space professionals. Senior leaders must move across boundaries, becoming third space professionals and by actively taking a liminal or neutral position between defined spaces, they share and communicate their expertise or service in a way that encourages collaboration and improved communication between groups. This conceptualisation of role and approach reinforces the notion of a single university community which supports individual, team, and organisational goals for the primary benefit of the student members of the community. Our collective opinion is that effective senior leaders in higher education will: actively occupy the third space; understand different needs to reach common goals; value all types of expertise; and communicate, communicate, communicate
Profile of outer membrane proteins of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacilli in Ghana
Full text linkObjective: Carbapenem resistance is a major global health threat, but insights on its molecular determinants are scanty in sub-Saharan Africa, the predominant global antimicrobial resistance hotspot. This study aimed to profile outer membrane proteins (OMPs) of 111 carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria recovered from a broad spectrum of clinical specimens from Ghana. Results: The OMPs of Pseudomonas aeruginosa produced decreased amounts of OprD or the porin was completely lost, except in 5.9% (n = 3) of the isolates which had high-level porins. For Acinetobacter baumannii, 96.8% (n = 30) expressed loss of OprF. One carbapenemase non-PCR-positive isolate with high-level porin expression was observed. In A. baumannii, the major and significant band on SDS-PAGE was ~ 35 kDa. There were substantial numbers of unrelated porin expression among the isolates. Particularly, OmpC/F or OmpK35/37 expression was deficient. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis for Escherichia coli, Klebsiella aerogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and other Enterobacterales had OmpC and OmpF absent or markedly reduced compared to the control strains. Overall, porin loss was a major mechanism underlying carbapenem resistance among the isolates, suggesting that in carbapenem-resistant organisms that seem to lack known carbapenem resistance genes, porin loss may be the underlying carbapenem resistance mechanism
Exploring the Transformational Role of Regular Nature-Based Adventure Activity Engagement in Mental Health and Long-Term Eudaimonic Well-Being.
Full text linkThis article investigates the transformative impacts of regular nature-based adventure activity engagement and its long-lasting effects on eudaimonic well-being (EWB), specifically mental health. Although extant research highlights a wide range of well-being and mental health benefits from participation in such pursuits, less is known about experienced outdoor adventure enthusiasts for whom adventure is a fundamental and transformational part of their lives. The study builds on an existing conceptual framework that synthesizes pertinent research concepts on nature-based activity engagement and subjective well-being benefits. It presents key findings from 40 semi-structured in-depth online interviews with respondents from the UK, Germany, and Serbia. Interview data were collated and analyzed using a thematic framework approach. The findings highlight the importance of outdoor adventure activity engagement for respondents’ mental and physical health and long-term well-being. Regular activity participation can be transformational in reducing feelings of ill-being and enhancing EWB. It can improve self-efficacy and identity development and promote the fulfilment of psychological needs, facilitated by key transformational catalyzers. Continually entering a liminal state, experiencing emotions, and overcoming challenges and risks during engagement are crucial to “successful” long-lasting transformation. Further research should continue to explore adventure’s transformational and EWB benefits to develop long-term data
The role, scope and utilisation of the imaging support workforce in England: A qualitative framework analysis
Full text linkIntroduction: Effective utilisation of the unregistered support workforce is essential to counter a well-documented imaging workforce crisis, yet it is unclear how imaging departments deploy their support staff. As part of a wider explanatory mixed methods study, this research explored models of support workforce deployment across England, identifying the factors which may encourage or inhibit implementation of these models. Methods: Imaging support workforce deployment at regional and place (NHS Trust) level was investigated using Framework Analysis to combine interviews with Imaging Network representatives and Radiology Service Managers (RSMs) alongside workforce establishment data. Purposefully selected imaging services represented varying regions, sizes and support workforce proportions. Results: Forty-two interviews represented 18 (81.8 %) Imaging Networks, and 24 imaging services (17.5 % eligible NHS Trusts). Additional workforce data was supplied by 18 RSMs. Three themes (Deployment Rationale and Decision-Making, Innovations in Support Workforce Activities, Stability and Sustainability of the Support Workforce) demonstrated the pivotal role enacted by the imaging support workforce. Extensive variations in role utilisation, deployment, scope of practice and pay rates were recognised, alongside inconsistently implemented Assistant Practitioner roles with a limited scope of deployment. Conclusion: This is the first research to explore support workforce deployment at regional and place levels. The imaging support workforce in England is operationally managed rather than strategically planned, exposing services to local variation with deployment models developing in isolation. This pivotal workforce can support greater service capacity development but requires a more consistent approach to utilisation and deployment. Implications for practice: National alignment of roles and competencies is urgently required. At regional and place levels, deployment models should be interrogated as a first step towards longer term workforce planning for this essential, yet under-utilised, workforce