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The Personal is Historical:Journaling About Race
No full textThis chapter explores how alternative forms of assessment might be used to encourage students to think about their own positionality when it comes to engaging with historical struggles for racial justice. Specifically, it examines how journaling can be used as an assignment that has the potential to breakdown personal, social and cultural barriers when it comes to discussing race in the classroom - while also encouraging students to think through the contemporary political meaning of the histories they are studying. Drawing on my own experience as a white educator teaching a survey module on the US Black freedom struggle in the UK, the chapter will address how student journals might be used to help us respond to bell hooks’ insistence on the need to de-centre the professor in the experience of learning, while also making sure that “everyone’s presence is acknowledged” in the spaces where we teach. Encouraging students to articulate their own knowledge of and personal relationship to the history that they’re studying through the act of journaling can prepare the ground work for disrupting racial hierarchies in the classroom. Furthermore, the foregrounding of issues raised in individual journals in the seminar space can help with making the classroom a more communal and equitable environment, where differences of experience can actively inform shared learning experiences
Intensive land use enhances soil ammonia-oxidising archaea at a continental scale
Full text linkArchaea are an important group of soil organisms that play key roles in carbon and nitrogen cycling, particularly in nitrification (ammonia oxidation) and methanogenesis. However, there are knowledge gaps regarding their importance in ecosystem processes relative to other microbial groups and how they may be impacted by land-use and environmental changes. Here, by carrying out a continental-scale sample collection and utilising archaea-specific primers for metabarcoding and shotgun metagenomics, we aimed to decipher the structure and function of archaeal communities across various land-use types in Europe. Metagenomic data reveal that land-use intensification increases the relative abundance of archaea, whereas bacteria and eukaryotes show no increase. Alongside this, ammonia oxidising archaea (AOA) increase as a proportion of the total metabarcoding reads, from 1 % of archaea in coniferous woodland to >90 % in croplands. Functional gene profiles reveal that land-use intensification shifts archaeal communities from adaptive metabolic pathways in forests to specialised, ammonia-oxidising microbes in fertiliser-enriched cropland soils. Our data suggest that land-use intensification may shift archaeal communities toward greater dependence on external nitrogen inputs, with potential consequences for soil fertility and greenhouse gas emissions
A multiple methods study of the SKCIN Sun Safe Schools International Programme 2012-23: Promoting sun safety and empowering behavioural change in primary education
Full text linkBackground Sun protection education in schools is crucial to prevent skin cancer; however, there is a lack of published international literature regarding this topic. The Karen Clifford Skin Cancer (SKCIN) charity developed and launched the online and openly available education programme called 'Sun Safe Schools' (SSS) in 2012. SSS has four steps and is targeted at the English primary school curriculum. Objectives To evaluate the outcomes of SSS by reporting regional distribution and exploring themes from online feedback surveys. Methods Descriptive statistics of school registration data by year and geography were summarized. The free-Text feedback provided by registered schools in the UK from 2017 onwards was analysed using thematic analysis. Feedback was categorized inductively to develop themes for the strengths and challenges of SSS using a grounded theory approach until data saturation. Results During 2012-23, 3389 schools were registered, reaching approximately 845 000 children. Of the 1825 (53.9%) primary schools that agreed to participate in the research, 1477 (80.9%), 161 (8.8%), 64 (3.5%), 9 (0.5%) and 114 (6.2%) were in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and outside the UK, respectively. Four primary themes were identified from the feedback provided by primary schools registered in UK from 2017 to 2023. (i) Clear, accessible sun-safe policy and resources: schools appreciated the practicality and adaptability of the resources provided to promote sun safety both in school settings and at home. (ii) Parent and student engagement: They were actively engaged in activities, assembly discussions and lessons, enjoying elements like songs and quizzes. (iii) Adoption of sun-safe behaviours: students applyied sunscreen, sought shade and wore bucket hats rather than baseball caps. (iv) Responsibility and empowerment: students took the initiative to apply sunscreen in school more independently and shared their knowledge of sun-safe behaviours with their parents. Conclusions The SKCIN SSS programme has promoted sun safety in primary schools for over 10 years, reaching approximately 845 000 children. These findings emphasize its utility in engaging students in sun-safe behaviours and raising awareness. Integrating a mandated sun-safe policy in all schools and ensuring ongoing adherence will provide vital education to help reduce skin cancer and mitigate the burden of cost to the National Health Service
Analytical solution and parametric design of bio-PCM-based passive BTMS for cylindrical lithium-ion cells under lumped model assumptions
Full text linkThe present study proposes a parametric investigation of a passive battery thermal management system (BTMS) utilizing bio-based phase change materials (bPCMs). The thermal network approach allocates to the cell and the bPCM two thermal nodes to accurately capture the surface and core temperatures of the cell as well as the two concentric layers of the bPCM. A novel analytical solution to the thermal network model is introduced for the first time in the context of cell-bPCM configuration. The resolution is implemented through the zero-order hold discretisation technique, which involves piecewise time integration. Validation against experimental and computational fluid dynamics data under variable load demonstrates the model's predictive capability. Notably, this work features an extensive parametric analysis, examining both bPCM and cell thermo-physical parameters, thereby providing new insight into their effects on thermal performance over consecutive charge-discharge cycles. Results indicate that a 6 mm bPCM layer thickness was identified as optimal, providing a balance between thermal performance and system compactness. A lower melting point within the operating range leads to earlier activation of latent thermal absorption. The heat of fusion showed diminishing benefits beyond 200 kJ/kg, while bPCM thermal conductivity mainly improved internal homogeneity rather than peak suppression. Variations in bPCM density showed negligible impact on peak cell temperature but influenced thermal storage capacity. Furthermore, the study encompasses the effects of battery format, where the cell radius was found to be inversely proportional to temperature spikes observed, while cells with higher heat capacity showed improved resilience to thermal spikes. Notably, increasing the ambient heat transfer coefficient from 5 to 100 W/m 2.K significantly enhances heat dissipation to the environment and promotes thermal recovery of the bPCM between cycles, reducing peak cell temperatures by up to 3 °C. Additionally, analysis of the BTMS under realistic driving conditions (WLTC, JC08, CLTC, NEDC, UDDS) underscores the system's ability to maintain the cell operating temperature within its optimal range (<36.2 °C), with temperature differences below 6 °C across all driving scenarios examined. This work provides a scalable tool for BTMS design and sizing, facilitating the integration of sustainable solutions into electric vehicles
“Where are the Gypsies? Gone”:The Development of Roma Genocide Consciousness in 1960s Britain
No full textWhile awareness of the Holocaust in Britain is now widespread, appreciation of the Roma genocide within this remains low. Using a cross-section of social and cultural outputs – materials held by the Gypsy Lore Society, historical publications, and local and national newspapers – this chapter focuses on the emergence of Roma genocide consciousness in 1960s Britain. It begins with a discussion of how, before the 1960s, awareness of the Nazis’ extermination of Roma and Sinti was constrained by piecemeal knowledge of their treatment in Nazi-occupied Europe, and was heavily mediated via stereotypical understandings of the UK’s own Gypsy and Traveller populations. We then demonstrate how the UK’s ‘Gypsy Power’ civil rights movement, advocacy by individual champions such as the Labour MP Norman Dodds, combined with seminal research on the topic – notably by scholar/activists Donald Kenrick and Graham Puxon - and press coverage of the contemporary perpetrator trials, attempted to shift public understanding of this history throughout the 1960s. However, as the chapter discusses in its final section, in the early 1970s awareness remained patchy and failed to permeate popular culture. We conclude by suggesting that a clear connection exists between the unwillingness of the British public to confront and grapple with historic and ongoing discrimination faced by Britain’s Gypsy and Traveller populations and the absence of meaningful engagement with the Roma genocide
R v Uxbridge Magistrates Court, ex parte Adimi
Full text linkR v Uxbridge Magistrates Court and another ex parte Adimi is a foundational decision in the jurisprudence on article 31(1) of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. A decision of the Divisional Court rather than the more senior Court of Appeal or Supreme Court, it is nevertheless a landmark for its comprehensive analysis of the scope of article 31 protection and its realisation in UK domestic law. Article 31 contains an obligation of non-penalisation for refugees unlawfully in the country of refuge, in recognition that refugees are often forced to flee at short notice and without legal documentation and that protection from penalties in such circumstances is essential to ensure access to asylum. The principle of non-penalisation was described by Lord Bingham in Asfaw as one of the three “broad humanitarian aims” of the Refugee Convention. Its importance has become increasingly evident as strict border regimes and an increasing entanglement of criminal law in migration policy have resulted in large numbers of refugees facing criminal and other penalties in precisely the circumstances that article 31 prohibits. This chapter opens in Part 1 with an overview of the facts in R v Uxbridge Magistrates Court and another ex parte Adimi, before exploring three themes emerging from the judgment. Part 2 examines Adimi for its interpretation of the scope and terms of article 31(1). Part 3 considers the impact of the judgment in the realisation of article 31 protection into UK domestic law by way of a statutory defence. This approach has had significant limitations, including a mismatch in scope between the available defences and the text of article 31, and in the practical challenge of reliance on a defence which continues to be poorly understood by prosecutors and defence solicitors. Part 4 considers the afterlife of Adimi in the context of contemporary migration deterrence policies and reflects on the continued importance of article 31 as a bulwark against repressive border regimes
A Longitudinal Multilevel Analysis of Individual- and Contextual-Level Predictors of Cross-Ethnic Friendships in the UK
Full text linkIntergroup contact plays a central role in fostering positive intergroup attitudes; yet factors promoting intergroup contact are less understood. Using three waves of data from a nationally-representative UK household panel study (N=18,807), we applied longitudinal multilevel models to examine how individual- and objective neighbourhood-level indicators jointly predict cross-ethnic friendships. At the individual-level, higher openness and agreeableness, stronger neighbourhood belonging, and a left-leaning political orientation were associated with more cross-ethnic friendships. At the contextual-level, intergroup friendships were more common in neighbourhoods with more structural opportunity for contact (i.e. areas with a lower proportion of same-ethnic residents), and in areas with lower anti-immigration norms (as indicated by local Brexit ‘Leave’ vote share). Crucially, cross-level interactions highlighted the interplay of person and place: neighbourhood diversity fostered more cross-ethnic friendships especially among those with strong neighbourhood belonging, suggesting that people who feel embedded in their community are more likely to translate diverse surroundings into meaningful intergroup ties. Differences between ethnic majority and minority groups also emerged. For example, higher objective area-level racial hate-crime incidence predicted more intergroup friendships among majority members, suggesting a possible repair response, but showed no association for minority members. Findings underscore the multilevel and group-specific pathways to sustained intergroup friendships
Glucocorticoid Prescribing Trends in Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, 2017 to 2023: Glucocorticoid Use in CAH, 2017–2023
Full text linkObjective: This study investigates the utilization of modern glucocorticoid medications (Acecort®, Alkindi®, Efmody®, Plenadren®) for congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency, examining prescribing patterns, barriers to adoption, and geographical and temporal trends. Methods: A two-part study was conducted: a retrospective analysis of treatment regimens from the International Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Registry across 46 centres in 20 countries (2017-2023), and a qualitative survey of 39 centres regarding barriers to prescribing modern medications. Patients included both paediatric and adult populations. Data analysed included regional prescription trends, timing of modern glucocorticoid adoption, and identified barriers. Results: From 2017-2023, 44 of 790 (5%) patients transitioned from traditional to modern glucocorticoid therapy, with the highest adoption in high-income Western European countries. Alkindi® was exclusively prescribed to patients under 8 years, while 97% of Efmody® users were 7 years or older. By 2023, modern glucocorticoid availability varied among centres: Alkindi® (54%), Efmody® (46%), Plenadren® (33%), and Acecort® (15%).. Conclusion: Adoption of modern glucocorticoid medications for congenital adrenal hyperplasia remains limited, with only approximately 5% of patients transitioning from traditional therapies. Significant barriers include legislative approval, supply chain challenges, and elevated costs
Why justice principles matter in long-term coastal adaptation planning for at risk communities
Full text linkFlood and coastal risk management policy in England increasingly promotes coastal adaptation plans that are co-developed by local communities. Using the village of Happisburgh as a case study, this paper adopts an environmental justice lens to explore local resident and policymaker perspectives of managed realignment that may have a bearing on the implementation of community adaptation plans. Perspectives are elicited through a household survey and semi-structured interviews with Happisburgh residents, alongside neighbouring Bacton and Walcott residents. Presented alongside maps of recent geomorphological change, thematic analysis of survey and interview data reveals managed realignment is disputed by local residents where it threatens the integrity and identity of Happisburgh, and if unaccompanied with sufficient practical and financial support. Impacts on community wellbeing, differences of opinion on the practicalities of rollback, and distrust in past community consultations present significant obstacles to community engagement in adaptation at Happisburgh. The insights on financial, practical and wellbeing dimensions to coastal change provide learning on how at-risk coastal communities can be supported in adapting to erosion, but also in a manner that is perceived as just by the communities themselves. Overall, this paper demonstrates that incorporating justice principles into coastal adaptation planning is fundamental for successful community engagement, both to overcome historic environmental justice issues and to facilitate community willingness to adapt to future coastal and climate change