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Consumptive Work in Coworking: Using Consumption Strategically for Work
Get PDFConsumption has always been part of the workplace, yet it has traditionally been seen as nonwork—an activity that depletes rather than creates value. In the knowledge and digital economy, however, consumption and work are becoming increasingly intertwined, calling for a relational perspective on consumption’s productive role. We develop this perspective through a four-year ethnography of coworking spaces across Paris and London, supplemented by post-pandemic archival data. We introduce consumptive work as the instrumentalization of consumption activities in the workplace to generate productive value. Consumptive work emerges within a postindustrial societal context where workplace culture is shaped by consumer ideology, leading to (1) customer entitlement in the workplace, (2) consumer desire toward the workplace, and (3) consumer lifestyle aspirations toward work. Consumptive work is characterized by inconspicuousness, boundarilessness, and communal and market exchange. While it can be empowering, it also fosters neo-normative alienation, particularly through performative play and leisure, and the pursuit of productive wellness. Ultimately, consumptive work reinforces evolving consumer desires and aspirations about office work and workplaces. This study advances interdisciplinary research on consumption and consumption ideology in the workplace, workplace alienation, new ways of working, and consumer research connecting work, home, and leisure
Angular-momentum-selective nanofocusing with Weyl semimetals
Get PDFWe investigate the theory of surface plasmon polaritons on a magnetic Weyl semimetal conical tip. We show that the axion term in the effective electrodynamics modifies the surface plasmon polariton dispersion relation and allows all modes with a given sign of the orbital angular momentum to be focused at the end of the tip. This is in contrast with normal metals, in which only one mode can reach the end. We discuss how this orbital angular momentum nanofocusing expands the potential of technologies that use this degree of freedom
Community structured network model based on age differences
No full textThis paper presents a statistical network model that extends the Block Two-Level Erdos–R ˝ enyi (BTER) ´ framework by incorporating node-level attributes, specifically age, as a basis for community formation. To capture broader degree variability, the model integrates an adapted Chung-Lu mechanism for intercommunity links. The resulting structure is particularly suited for analyzing small-sized networks where connections are shaped by age differences between individuals. We calibrate the model using empirical data from a Dutch women’s friendship survey, which captures age-based homophily in social relationships. Through simulation, we generate networks whose degree distributions and clustering coefficients closely resemble those observed in real-world community networks. This approach offers a flexible and interpretable framework for studying how node-level characteristics influence network topology, and provides a useful tool for agent-based modeling applications
Educational journeys: understanding how women commuter students’ daily mobilities can shape their higher education experience
Get PDFHigher education in the UK has traditionally centred on students who relocate. However, an increasing number of students now remain at home and commute to campus instead. This shift might limit academic and social integration, which could hinder student retention and success While extant research notes the difficulties associated with commuting, little is known about the texture of these everyday mobilities. Given the gendered ways in which urban space is experienced, understanding how mobilities influence the educational journey is critical. Our article addresses this gap by drawing on a mixed methods research project conducted between March and April 2024, involving 19 women commuter students. We explore three research questions. First, how do women commuter students attending a city-based university commute to campus and how are these mobilities experienced? Second, how do students negotiate the varied spaces that comprise their everyday mobilities. Third, in what ways might these mobilities shape academic and social integration. Importantly, this study highlights that while the everyday mobilities of women commuter students should not be used to inadvertently reinforce outdated narratives, their experiences nonetheless reveal meaningful tensions between their lifeworlds and education. Universities should draw on these experiences to develop support tailored to this growing population
When academia meets practice: a new hybrid role in community nursing
Get PDFIt cannot be disputed that the NHS is under considerable pressure, with the nursing workforce struggling to meet increasing demands. As the current government is focussing on care closer to home, community nursing needs to consider how it is going to maintain provision of care and attract more staff, particularly newly qualified nurses. Pre-registration programmes often do not focus adequately on community nursing, in both curriculum content and placement availability, and this issue needs to be addressed. In addition, once qualified, community nurses often struggle to embrace evidence-based practice for a number of reasons, which can leave them feeling undervalued and frustrated. The author has been appointed to a unique post, being employed by both a higher education institute and a foundation trust in east London. It is anticipated that this hybrid role will provide insights into the challenges faces in both these areas and strategies can be put in place to address them efficiently
Factors associated with maternal birth-related posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in Brazil: The birth in Brazil national research study
No full textIntroduction: A traumatic childbirth can lead some women to develop birth-related posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), an emotional stress response associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study aimed to identify factors associated with maternal birth-related PTSS in Brazil.
Method: Birth in Brazil I is a perinatal cohort study conducted between 2011 and 2012 with a nationally representative sample of 23,894 women. The first interview was conducted in the maternity ward, followed by two telephone interviews at 6 months and 18 months postpartum. PTSS was assessed using the Impact of Event Scale (IES). Associations between maternal sociodemographic characteristics, individual and obstetric factors and birth-related PTSS were analyzed using Zero-Inflated Poisson models.
Results: Maternal sociodemographic factors (geographic region, maternal age, years of schooling, and type of healthcare service), individual factors (postpartum depression symptoms), and obstetric factors (presence of a companion during birth, type of birth, obstetric emergencies during pregnancy and childbirth, newborn conditions, the use of non-pharmacological pain relief methods, poor quality of care, absence of respectful caregivers, lack of privacy, unclear information, being excluded from decision-making, and physical obstetric violence) were associated with birth-related PTSS.
Discussion/Conclusion: Sociodemographic, individual, and obstetric factors may affect the development of birth-related PTSS. A positive childbirth experience plays a key role in prevention, suggesting that improving the quality of childbirth care can reduce the risk of PTSS. These findings enhance understanding of birth-related PTSS and can support public policies aimed at prevention. Further research is needed to examine additional factors and their interactions with PTSS
Operating Capacity, Pricing and Supply Elasticity in Container Shipping Markets
Get PDFWe investigate the channels through which changes in operating capacity influence freight rates in the container shipping market using a novel dataset to create an operating capacity index at shipping-route level. Our analysis reveals that when supply elasticity is low, an increase in operating capacity tends to drive freight rates upward, as the market faces constraints and cannot easily accommodate additional demand. Conversely, when supply elasticity is high, an increase in operating capacity generally leads to lower freight rates, since additional capacity can be deployed to meet rising demand, preventing price surges. These findings suggest that shipping companies strategically adjust capacity based on market conditions to optimize profitability, shifting between price and quantity competition depending on route characteristics and supply elasticity
Mapping how responsibility for poor diets is framed in the United Kingdom: a scoping review
Get PDFObjective:
To identify and present (i) how responsibility for poor diets in the UK is framed across the public, mass media and the government and (ii) how groups experiencing socio-economic disadvantage are presented within this framing.
Design:
A scoping review of peer-reviewed literature was conducted using six databases. A systematic narrative synthesis guided by qualitative content analysis was applied to summarise the findings.
Results:
Thirty-six articles were included. Studies exploring public perceptions of poor diets acknowledged personal and broader systems drivers, with individual responsibility predominating across studies. Research analysing media portrayals showed similar patterns of individual responsibility among right-leaning newspapers, which focused on individual lifestyle changes. However, left-wing newspapers highlighted the role of the food industry and the government. Studies analysing government policies identified citizens as the primary agents of change through rational decision-making. Framing from socio-economically disadvantaged groups showed a preference for prioritising their own choice, but were limited by household income, food prices and family food preferences. Policies and media portrayals provided limited emphasis on these populations, with individual responsibility narratives prevailing.
Conclusions:
The framing of responsibility for poor diets in the UK centred on the individual, obscuring the powerful influence of food manufacturers and retailers and the role of government in providing safe, healthy environments for all. This review highlights the urgent need to challenge this narrative, with the public health nutrition community working collectively to force a radical shift in public, media and policy framing and incite strong regulatory action by governments
Establishing stuttering instruments for Arabic children: An examination of phonological complexity in disfluent speech
No full textDisorders of speech production, including stuttering, are relatively common and need to be recognized early in childhood. Despite calls for clear symptom definitions when studying stuttering in languages other than English, there is currently no standardized tool available for assessing stuttering in Arabic. The distinct differences between Arabic and English can offer insights into language-specific influences on the manifestation of disfluency. This study investigates the impact of Arabic phonological characteristics on the occurrence of stuttering in children who stutter (CWS). Speech samples were collected from 16 Arabic-speaking children. Findings indicate that words produced with stuttering tend to have greater phonological complexity than those produced fluently. A logistic regression revealed that word shape was the most influential factor in predicting stuttering. The study findings could inform the diagnosis of stuttering among Arabic-speaking populations. The findings are discussed in comparison to previous research, with particular attention to the morphophonological features of Arabic
Concurrent Targeting of Expressive Vocabulary and Speech Comprehensibility in Pre-Schoolers with Developmental Language Disorder and Phonological Speech Sound Disorder Features: A Survey of UK Practice
Get PDFBackground/objectives: Speech sound disorder (SSD) and developmental language disorder (DLD) are common childhood disorders of communication that can also co-occur. This study investigated the reported content, format and delivery of UK speech and language therapists’ (SaLTs) practice when delivering intervention for pre-school children with co-occurring SSD/DLD features when expressive vocabulary and speech comprehensibility are prioritised areas. The findings can be used to inform the development of future interventions and enable reflection on current practice. Methods: A quantitative online survey via Qualtrics enabled the statistical analysis of intervention components from SaLTs from across the UK. The survey questions were based on prior research and the input of an expert steering group. The data were analysed through descriptive statistics. Results: There were 108 full responses from across the UK. For both target areas, the responses highlighted a preference for functional intervention targets, holistic delivery of intervention techniques in different environments, and incorporation of techniques into a variety of activities. Most respondents (97.5%) reported that they would also target phonological awareness (PA), with syllable segmentation being the most commonly reported PA target area for inclusion. Overall, 82.4% of respondents said they would consider dosage when providing their intervention. Conclusions: The findings highlight similarities in UK SaLT practice when targeting aspects of both speech (comprehensibility) and language (expressive vocabulary) concurrently, and an emphasis on functional communication, in addition to being guided by developmental norms. The implications for clinical practice and the development of future interventions are discussed
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