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The UK’s Unique Role in Achieving European Security Independence
No full textSignificant doubts have been increasingly raised by senior policymakers and military leaders across Europe concerning the continent’s military preparedness should a much larger war erupt in the relatively near future, specifically with Russia. The invasion of Ukraine pushed Sweden and Finland into the arms of NATO, putting an end to the idea that large-scale peace was to be the default for Europe for the entirety of the 21st century. Like the above-mentioned cases of two EU countries discarding decades of neutrality in favour of joining this military alliance, Russian aggression has pushed the post-Brexit UK and EU more closely together than they otherwise would have been. Political actors on both sides of the Channel have acknowledged the UK still has a valuable role to play in ensuring the security of the continent. The post-Brexit UK occupies a unique role in its relationship with allies in North America and Europe, and has the potential to help realize European security independence that both complements and is distinct from, the US-led NATO alliance to meet a variety of potential threats and, quite possibly distinct European priorities, in the coming years
What Next for Labour Leader ‘Steady Eddie’ Keir Starmer?
No full textWe’re already experiencing the campaign election taking shape, and it’s none too pleasant.
Both sides appear will assume attack is the best form of defence.
However, an election that’ll determine the direction the country takes and, of course, our collective future, there’s a feeling of added gusto
The improvement of block chain technology simulation in supply chain management (case study: pesticide company)
No full textThis research was conducted on industrial agriculture in Indonesia. Risk analysis was carried out based on previous research. One source of risk was obtained, namely raw materials that did not meet specifications, which was then proposed to be mitigated by evaluating supplier performance. This activity involves a lot of data, requiring efficient and effective data storage and access. The level in the simulation layout includes analysing system needs, using problem diagrams, compiling activity diagrams, deciding subprocesses, and filtering information. The analysis is carried out by comparing the use of supply chains with Blockchain and without Blockchain, which is then obtained to determine whether there is an increase. A sequentially stored data scenario describes a situation when the transaction process is in progress and is stored sequentially according to the process that occurs. Storing data in groups explains a problem when a transaction has been completed and stored in groups with similar data, making it easier to track specific data. In this regard, a simulation will be carried out using a website, namely a blockchain demo. The design stage starts with identifying system requirements, creating use case diagrams, compiling activity diagrams, determining subprocesses, and selecting information. The simulation results obtained will be analysed to determine the feasibility of Blockchain as a means of supporting risk mitigation related to data using aspects, including security, trust, traceability, sustainability, and costs
Reporting on Science in the Southern African Context: Exploring Influences on Journalistic Practice
No full textThis exploratory study investigates the journalistic influences on science reporting in Southern Africa, filling the gap that is under explored. South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe are the selected cases. Methodologically, this qualitative study relied on in-depth face-to-face interviews and purposive sampling as designs. The study employed Reese’s and Shoemaker’s hierarchy of influences model as the preferred theoretical framework because it articulates diverse factors affecting news content, categorized from a micro-individual to the macro-social system level. This study found that lack of resources, limited knowledge of science by journalists, and preference for political and economic news have largely affected the quality and frequency of science reporting in Southern Africa
Jewellery’s Circular Economy: Materialising connections through the gifting and wearing of adornments
No full textIt is something of a truism that jewellery connects people and brings them together – playing a role in marking life’s rites of passage and changing relationships – but there is less critical analysis of the mechanics by which this takes place. This paper addresses the question of jewellery’s role in connecting networks of family and friends, by paying particular attention to its inherently social role. It will consider the gifted nature of much traditional precious jewellery, exploring a range of jewellery practices, including selection, commissioning, purchasing, gifting, wearing, re-gifting and bequeathing with and between groups of individuals. Investment in the artefacts themselves – in financial, social and emotional terms – and the relationships they speak of helps to bring people together and cement relationships through practices of exchange and reciprocity.
This draws on primary research (drawn from creative workshops, interviews) carried out as part of my doctoral project, and specifically examines how jewellery worn with various degrees of regularity spans different modalities of embodied consciousness. These modalities might include unconscious wear, in the case of jewellery that is worn so often it is barely noticed, to jewellery that stubbornly refuses wear because it retains meanings that no longer resonate with the wearer. I argue that the practices around the gifting and reciprocal wearing of jewellery allow women to take on board the perspectives of others as they negotiate these different modalities, incorporating others’ views of themselves into their own sense of self. In doing so, I point to the key processes whereby connections between individuals are materialised through the gifting and wear of jewellery, and articulate its highly social nature in coalescing and binding groups of invested individuals
An Architectural Insight into the Role of Personalisation of Homes and its Effects on Residents’ Psychological Well-being
No full textPurpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the importance of personalisation in the relationship between architectural design of homes and inhabitants’ psychological well-being.
Design/methodology/approach
This interdisciplinary mixed-method study first investigates the existence of a link between personalisation and users’ association with home through a quantitative study (n=101), then explores the nature of this relationship through qualitative interviews (n=13) in a sequential explanatory approach.
Findings
The main findings of the study highlight the significance of personalisation in relation to the way people perceive home. A direct link was established between participants’ involvement in the transformation of the home and their satisfaction with the residence, as well as satisfaction with life in general. Further thematic analysis of the qualitative study revealed further conceptualisations of personalisation which together for an umbrella concept called transformability.
Originality/value
The design of homes has a great impact on inhabitants’ psychological well-being. This is becoming of a greater importance in light of the global COVID-19 pandemic that has led to an increase in the amount of time spent in homes. This research contributes to this debate by proposing concepts for deeper understanding architectural influences on the psychology of home.
Implications
The findings underscore the need for embedding flexibility as an architectural concept in the design of residential buildings for improving well-being in occupants
Education Journal Magazine: Volume 4, Edition 2
No full textContents:
Applying Pedagogy and Inclusion Strategies to a Physical Education Rugby Tackling Lesson by Trudi Lewis
An Analysis for the Creation and Planning of a Thematic Physical Education Curriculum in the Secondary School by Eva Johnston
The Experience of Physical Education Through the Lens of Transgender and Non-binary Secondary School Students by Gemma Taylor
Oracy in the Primary Classroom: The Poor Relation in English Policy- Snubbed, Misjudged and Ignored by Mark Stares
Positionality Unmasked: An Autoethnographic Exploration of Identity Formation, Educational Paradoxes, and Socioeconomic Shifts by Jessica Whetton
Shaping my Philosophy: Becoming a Mother, Unbecoming a Teacher, Becoming by Stacy Stacey Johnson
My Philosophy: Becoming a Mother, Unbecoming a Teacher, Becoming Stacy by Stacey Johnson
Embracing Rhizomatic-Nomadism: Exploring Positionality in the Journey of Becoming-researcher. PART 1 by Emma Dempsey
Embracing Rhizomatic-Nomadism: Exploring Positionality in the Journey of Becoming-researcher. PART 2 by Emma Dempsey
Defining Teacher Effectiveness from Traditional to Modern Day Schools in Indian Context in the 21st Century by Sonali Malhotra
How Does the National Curriculum impact Physical Education Curriculums in Special Schools for Children and Young People with Disabilities by Tarandeep Malhi
How Prepared are Primary Pre-Service Teachers when Teaching Physical Education? Do University-based Lectures Effectively Develop PPSTs’ PE Subject Knowledge and Subject Pedagogy? Part Three by Simon Chapman
An Exploration of Modern-day Teaching Practice Through the Understanding of the History and Application of Engestrom’s Activity Theoryby Francesca Clar
Systematic inspection on the interplay between MoNa-induced sodium and the formation of MoSe2 intermediate layer in CIGSe/Mo heterostructures
No full textThe critical impact of sodium-doped molybdenum (MoNa) in shaping the MoSe2 interfacial layer, influencing the electrical properties of CIGSe/Mo heterostructures, and achieving optimal MoSe2 formation conditions, leading to improved hetero-contact quality. Notably, samples with a 600-nm-thick MoNa layer demonstrate the highest resistivity (73 μΩcm) and sheet resistance (0.45 Ω/square), highlighting the substantial impact of MoNa layer thickness on electrical conductivity. Controlled sodium diffusion through MoNa layers is essential for achieving desirable electrical characteristics, influencing Na diffusion rates, grain sizes, and overall morphology, as elucidated by EDX and FESEM analyses. Additionally, XRD results provide insights into the spontaneous peeling-off phenomenon, with the sample featuring a ~ 600-nm MoNa layer displaying the strongest diffraction peak and the largest crystal size, indicative of enhanced Mo to MoSe2 conversion facilitated by sodium presence. Raman spectra further confirm the presence of MoSe2, with its thickness correlating with MoNa layer thickness. The observed increase in resistance and decrease in conductivity with rising MoSe2 layer thickness underscore the critical importance of optimal MoSe2 formation for transitioning from Schottky to ohmic contact in CIGSe/Mo heterostructures. Ultimately, significant factors to the advancement of CIGSe thin-film solar cell production are discussed, providing nuanced insights into the interplay of MoNa and MoSe2, elucidating their collective impact on the electrical characteristics of CIGSe/Mo heterostructures
Towards a Critical Race Criminology: Decolonising Criminological Practice
No full textThis article presents a rationale and strategy for bringing urgent attention to ‘minority’, ‘excluded’, and ‘marginalised’ perspectives within contemporary mainstream criminology. AQ1 Russell (2022) has previously called for the development of ‘Black criminology’, whilst Phillips and Bowling (2003) further argued that there is a need to develop ‘minority perspectives’ within in mainstream criminology. In allyship with these traditions, this article applies a Critical Race Theory lens to provide a rationale for a new criminological perspective presented here as Critical Race Criminology (CRC). CRC is applied here to demonstrate the necessity for centring on ‘race and the racialization of crime’ within the discipline of Criminology specifically, and within a global context more widely. It further calls for the development and articulation of a ‘counter narrative’ around race and crime within the discipline of criminology itself. Achieving this requires transcending the binary of the Global North–South divide, moving towards a unifying ‘Critical Race Criminology’ (CRC)
A Comparison of Generalised Linear Modelling with Machine Learning Approaches for Predicting Loss Cost in Motor Insurance
No full textThis study explores the insurance pricing domain in the motor insurance industry, focusing on the creation of “technical models” which are essentially obtained after combining the frequency model (the expected number of claims per unit of exposure) and the severity model (the expected amount per claim). Technical models are designed to predict the loss costs (the product of frequency and severity, i.e., the expected claim amount per unit of exposure) and this is a main factor that is taken into account for pricing insurance policies. Other factors for pricing include the company expenses, investments, reinsurance, underwriting, and other regulatory restrictions. Different machine learning methodologies, including the Generalised Linear Model (GLM), Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM), Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), and a unique hybrid model that combines GLM and ANN, were explored for creating the technical models. This study was conducted on the French Motor Third Party Liability datasets, “freMTPL2freq” and “freMTPL2sev” included in the R package CASdatasets. After building the aforementioned models, they were evaluated and it was observed that the hybrid model which combines GLM and ANN outperformed all other models. ANN also demonstrated better predictions closely aligning with the performance of the hybrid model. The better performance of neural network models points to the need for actuarial science and the insurance industry to look beyond traditional modelling methodologies like GLM