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Fuel fixers: <i>imported petroleum and the fragility of grift in contemporary Lebanon</i>
No full textEMBARGOED – expected end date 04.02.2029</p
Conceptualizing personality traits as ‘resource catalysts’: an extension to the conservation of resources (COR) theory
No full textThe Conservation of Resources (COR) theory is one of the most widely cited models for understanding stress and motivation at work. Yet, a definitional problem remains when it comes to discerning what constitutes a resource, with personality trait constructs being particularly difficult to fit. In this paper, we assert that a resource should be conceptualized as (i) commonly valued, (ii) something that can be lost, depleted or withdrawn, and (iii) unidirectional, whereby worth resides in one direction and loss or absence is indicative of a deficit. Using this criteria, we argue that personality traits – notably the Five-Factor Model (FFM) traits - are constitutionally different from resources, conceptualizing these instead as a new category of ‘resource catalysts’ within COR. Resource catalysts (epitomized by FFM personality traits) are constructs that (i) serve other resources, have (ii) contextual and (iii) bidirectional value, and (iv) cannot be lost through use. Resource catalysts operate under different boundary conditions to resources, and, when activated, will be used to galvanize, prioritize and protect different resources in specific situations. We now encourage scholars to incorporate our (re)classification of resources and resource catalysts in future COR research to advance understanding of resource-related activity at work.</p
Contextual aspects of implementing an intervention to mitigate podoconiosis-related stigma in Musanze district, Rwanda
No full textBackgroundEffective interventions rely on understanding complex contextual aspects of care. We focused on health promotion intervention that increases on podoconiosis awareness to mitigate podoconiosis-related stigma. We applied context and implementation of complex interventions (CICI) framework to evaluate the contextual factors for an existing health promotion intervention aimed to reduce podoconiosis-related stigma in Musanze district, Rwanda.MethodsWe applied an exploratory mixed-methods design to evaluate the contextual domains, which included epidemiological, geographical, political, legal, ethical, socio-economic and socio-cultural conducted from October 2022 to March 2023. Quantitative data was collected through a household survey with 48 patients and 329 unaffected people. While, qualitative data was obtained through 36 in-depth interviews (24 with people affected with podoconiosis and 12 community members), six key informant interviews and four focus group discussions, six field observation visits and document analysis. The quantitative data were analyzed using Stata version 17 software. The qualitative data were managed with NVivo version 11 software.ResultsKey successes within the sociocultural domain were improved early diagnosis whereby three-quarters sought care at a nearby health centre. Increased podoconiosis awareness among people affected with podoconiosis and community members with response differences: walking barefoot on volcanic soil (97.9% vs. 44.4%), witchcraft (35.4% vs. 24.4%) and hereditary (35.4% vs. 27.4%). Levels of experienced enacted stigma such as being insulted about condition (66.7%), excluded from social events (53.2%) or church (35.4%) were slightly lower than those of felt stigma manifestations such as unsatisfying life (83.3%), don’t want to meet with other people (68.8%) and do not deserve to live (62.5%). The politico-legal domains were initiation of NTD programmes, effective teamwork but relied on external funds. Challenges from geographic and economic domains were hilly terrain, long travel distances, denial of loans and discrimination against female patients, respectively.ConclusionThe CICI framework was a useful guide to identify key contextual factors that might affect implementation of the intervention in a new environment. We suggest that when implementing new programs consideration should be paid to sociocultural, economic, political, geographic context and how they interact and influence one another.</p
The deployment of automated facial recognition (AFR) and privacy implications under the SDG 16: building effective and accountable institutions for data governance
No full textAutomated Facial Recognition (AFR) has a wide range of benefits as well as legal implications. It risks undermining the rule of law and perpetuating systemic injustice unless countervailing measures are taken. The way facial images are collected and processed can have, for instance, a negative impact on privacy. It is essential to ensure the responsible use of AFR for the protection of the fundamental right. However, neither national nor international laws are adequate to address the global challenge. This chapter will look at laws to safeguard AFR-related privacy concerns across jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom (UK), China, United States (US), and the European Union (EU). With principles of necessity, and proportionality examined, it will focus on building effective and accountable institutions under the SDG 16. The chapter will further explore how to establish an AFR infrastructure that is characterised by legal commitments, and addressing the privacy concerns while harnessing the technology.</p
‘We are citizens too’: LGBTQIA+ claims for human rights in postwar Guatemala
No full textIn 1996, when Guatemala’s Peace Accords were signed, the country reaffirmed its commitments to ending gender inequality and promoting women’s human rights as part of its postwar development agenda, and in keeping with its obligations to implement the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA). However, LGBTQIA+ rights were excluded: rather, LGBTQIA+ activists and development practitioners persistently fight for recognition of their human rights. Indeed, in the 30 years that have followed the BPfA, LGBTQIA+ groups across Guatemala have increasingly mobilised, working with, through, and sometimes in contestation with the state to challenge persisting and problematic gendered inequalities and violences. Moreover, the LGBTQIA+ community encounters extreme backlash, threats, and violence for doing so. This paper will explore the possibilities and challenges the BPfA affords for LGBTQIA+ activists and development practitioners in postwar Guatemala. Drawing on qualitative field research funded by a British Academy Knowledge Symposia follow-on award, and informed by queer feminist political economic perspectives, I will explore how LGBTQIA+ groups both engage with and challenge socially conservative and often exclusionary state institutions, to claim space within the realm of human rights agenda articulated by the BPfA. I will also illustrate how Guatemala’s commitment to human rights is instrumentalised by LGBTQIA+ to challenge conservative backlash. Ultimately, I will argue that LGBTQIA+ groups leverage Guatemala’s commitments to the BPfA to challenge unequal power structures, and to disrupt the cis- and hetero-normativity embedded within them, illustrating both the constraints and possibilities of working within, through, and against the state for a more equitable country.</p
The Mock Phallus: Laughter and queer imagination in 1950s and 1970s Italy
No full textNo description supplied</p
[Comment] Support without identification: a regressive shift in neurodevelopmental care?
No full textContrary to English and Scottish Government policies, which convey an expectation that people who might be neurodivergent can request an assessment through the National Health Service (NHS), services in some areas of the UK have paused or stopped new referrals for assessment and diagnosis (hereafter called identification) for children and young people. Other services are preparing to follow. The proposed replacement (support without identification) is sold as a needs-led approach or as de-medicalising neurodivergence but is more likely a response to long waiting lists and overstretched services. For the purposes of this Comment, we define neurodivergence as encompassing divergent neurotypes (eg, autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], or tics among others), which began in early childhood and persist throughout life. We argue that failure to identify neurodivergence might constitute a harmful change to child health-care delivery, risking deepened inequity, poorer outcomes, and the undermining of children's rights.</p
Biomarker recall and understanding among people living with metastatic breast cancer – results from an international patient survey
No full textBackground: Scientific advancements have increased the use of biomarker testing for metastatic breast cancer (mBC) treatment decisions, adding complexity which may impact patient understanding. This study assesses patient recall and understanding of biomarker information and barriers to understanding diagnosis. Materials and methods: An online, multi-language, 15-question multiple choice survey was distributed to people with a self-reported diagnosis of mBC through the Advanced Breast Cancer (ABC) Global Alliance. Data collected included patient demographics, disease history, information seeking behaviour, and barriers to learning about their breast cancer subtype. Results: Across 36 countries, 1064 respondents completed the survey. 81% recognised that their breast cancer subtype influences treatment decisions, though there was wide variation in patient recall of terminology used by their healthcare professionals (HCPs). Recall of the term ‘biomarker’ was low (8%). Geographical differences existed in patient recall of specific biomarkers used to describe mBC diagnosis; ‘hormone receptor-positive (HR+)’ recall was significantly higher for patients from North America (73%), compared with other regions (14%–56%). One-third (33%) of patients did not understand their breast cancer subtype and what it means. Only 44% of patients felt HCPs had given them sufficient information about their breast cancer subtype. A subset of patients (7%) reported not wanting to learn more, with the highest proportion from Latin America (17%). Conclusions: Findings demonstrate limited patient recall and understanding of breast cancer biomarkers and subtype, with significant variation based on geography. Results may be used to improve two-way communication and patient understanding regarding biomarker status, to facilitate shared decision-making.</p
Combining social and private information: How ants use pheromones and learnt cues to navigate
No full textAnts exhibit remarkable navigational abilities, flexibly integrating private information such as path integration and learnt visual cues with social information in the form of trail pheromones. Far from being simple or rigid directional signals, pheromone trails serve diverse, context-dependent roles in navigation. For instance, they can act as scaffolds during early foraging trips, tethering naïve ants to the nest while they acquire spatial knowledge. Pheromones also function as reassurance signals, confirming that a forager is on the correct path, and as a fail-safe when other cues become unreliable. Additionally, they appear to support multi-vector way-pointing through gating part of the path integrator expression, enabling ants to segment complex routes and to leave and re-enter trails. The regulation of pheromone laying itself is also influenced by private information streams, including internal state, prior foraging success, and navigational memory, highlighting the nuanced interplay between individual experience, environmental cues, and social signals. Together, these findings reveal the trail pheromone is not merely a recruitment or directional signal, but is an integral component of a sophisticated, multimodal navigational system, interwoven with private memories and the individual’s internal state to support flexible navigation.</p
Paving the path to a sustainable food system? Examining circular business model innovation in Rwanda's agri-food sector
No full textAfrican economies are susceptible to global food market shocks and price volatility. Incorporating circular and regenerative strategies into domestic agricultural production and export markets has been identified as a possible solution to improve resilience and market competitiveness. However, lessons from circular innovations are limited to examples from advanced economies, focusing mainly on industrial value chains. In particular, circularity in agribusinesses remains an underexplored topic in emerging and developing economies. This research addresses this gap by assessing various circular business model innovations observed in agribusinesses in Rwanda. The study employed a two-phase mixed-methods design. In the first phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with agribusiness firms and a business association to examine their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding circular business models. In the second phase, a roundtable discussion involving a broader set of agri-food sector stakeholders was convened to validate and further contextualize the findings. Key findings indicated that current circular practices are predominantly centered on reusing, repairing, and repurposing materials, and regenerating soil fertility. Key challenges include low consumer awareness and limited demand for circular products and services, stringent export requirements for packaging materials, and the lack of coordinated policies to support integrated circular initiatives. More concerted industry coordination, leveraging the existing business hubs and incubator networks, and collaboration with universities could help build beyond the international consortium efforts in funding circular economy research and innovation.</p