62880 research outputs found
Sort by
Themes in the globalisation of typeface design
No full textThis chapter sets out and attempts to evidence the hypothesis that a series of developments in the technology of type-making, the environments of typesetting and distribution of texts, and the communities of readers in the last two decades have resulted in identifiable global trends in typeface design that apply across scripts. A secondary hypothesis is made that these trends can be used as a framework to identify the directions of design development of living scripts that are still at the beginning of their typographic adaptation.
The author identifies these developments across the trajectory of typeforms from inception to consumption: reference forms, design vocabulary, type-making tools, typeface market models and distribution channels, developments in document genres, pressures from industrial standards and implied limitations due to technical factors, and changing readership profiles (in terms of literacy levels and document genres). A synthesis of these observations concludes that there are clear and identifiable trends in the line-level and paragraph-level representation of texts across scripts. The implication is that significant developments overarch and frame typeface design, regardless of the script to which they apply.
In the discussion of these observations the author will attempt to connect these trends to education practices and resources, the emergence of regional and global authoritative sources and opinion leaders, and groups that are only marginally aware of typeface design as a discipline with a substantial cultural dimension. The discussion will posit that these resources and the actions of these groups reinforce a script-agnostic approach to typographic development, which prioritises the uniformity of document genres across markets.
The chapter closes with a discussion of the paradox that while typeface design is arguably moving into the mainstream of awareness of communities involved in textual communication, it is doing so at the expense of regional identity, and the formulation of globally identifiable typeface design genres
Geographies of identities: reading gender and space in British Muslim women’s writing
No full textThis thesis examines the interaction between geography and women’s identities and
experiences as portrayed in four texts by British Muslim women writers: Monica Ali’s
Brick Lane (2003), Leila Aboulela’s Minaret (2005), Fadia Faqir’s My Name is Salma (2007),
and Sabba Khan’s The Roles We Play (2021). These novels engage with the concepts of
space and place as fundamental to the construction, negotiation, and contestation of
female migrant identities and everyday experiences in Britain. The thesis draws on
feminist geography to theorise key concepts such as ‘the right to the city’, ‘embodied
identities’, ‘intersectional embodiment’, ‘moral geographies’, and ‘third space’ in
analysing women’s spatial experiences. The discussion of these four texts is structured
around three main lines of argument. First, I argue that gendered spatial relations shape
women’s access to and use of certain spaces, as well as their freedom, behaviour, and
representations of their bodies in public, work, and leisure environments. Second, I
contend that Muslim women’s experiences of space as gendered intersect with other
forms of social inequalities, including class, race, religion, and migration status. Finally,
the third argument focuses on women’s resistance to and negotiation of these
intersecting forms of marginalisation through the construction of new, hybrid, and
creative identities. These in-between spaces are not static blends of two cultures, but
dynamic, ambiguous, and continually evolving contexts for identity formation
Conversations that facilitate change: the interpersonal & intrapersonal effects of high-quality listening
Get PDFPrevious research designed to understand listening has been heavily focused on
factors other than human connection (for example, focusing instead on learning,
comprehension). More recently, researchers have begun to explore listening as a relational
behaviour, but there is scant research into listening in naturalistic contexts with more diverse
groups of participants, and under less optimal circumstances, such as between strangers and
while discussing disagreements – gaps that this thesis aimed to investigate. Evidence suggests
that conversations can facilitate intrapersonal change, such as reshaping attitudes and
behaviour, yet more needs to be understood regarding how these changes come about through
listening, and in particular, considered alongside the relational effects of high-quality
listening. The three studies within this thesis (presented as a collection rather than a linear
progression from the other) employed both qualitative and quantitative methods to develop
theory, but also to determine causal effects of high-quality listening in the context of change
and growth-focused conversations.
I propose a theory of tensions, termed dialectical listening theory, which are
experienced while learning to listen well. Dialectical listening theory describes a tension
between explicit (factual) and implicit (holistic) dual processes of thinking while listening.
When people received high-quality listening by another person whom they did not know,
they experienced optimal relational experiences which occurred during conversations about a
constructive topic (character strengths), as well as while discussing more contentious topics
(opposing social/political views). Importantly, these relational effects created circumstances
which supported further downstream benefits, including a behavioural intention to continue
listening, increased clarity about previously unexplored aspects of the self (self-insight) and
attitude change. Results also suggested a direct relationship exists between high-quality
listening and intrapersonal effects such as self-insight and to a degree, authenticity,
suggesting a more complex dynamic exists between high-quality listening and interpersonal
or intrapersonal listening effects.
Further research directions and methodological improvements for listening research
have been suggested. Suggestions include research which investigates the “dual-process”
(explicit and implicit thinking systems) nature of listening, whether the positive relational
effects of listening can buffer against the negative impacts of listening to stressful content,
and extending beyond listening to explore outcomes when high-quality listening is combined
with other conversational strategies such as questioning and challenging viewpoints
Feel the beat: heart rate variability as a metric of adaptive emotional responding
Get PDFThe ability to flexibly respond to an ever-changing environment charged with
emotional information is essential for effective adaptation and mental health. The
Neurovisceral Integration Model (NIM) posits that shared brain areas overlap to
support autonomic, emotion, and cognitive regulatory processes, with heart rate
variability (HRV) serving as an index of adaptive emotional responding. While prior
research has predominantly investigated heart-brain interactions and flexible
emotional responses at rest, the principal aim of this thesis was to examine the
relationship between HRV and neural and trait affect correlates across both rest and
adaptive emotion contexts. In Papers 1 and 2, we demonstrated that task-related and
resting HRV exhibited associations with functional coupling of brain areas and
dynamic neural networks closely linked to adaptive emotional responding in both
younger and older adults. Relatedly, in Paper 3, we found both task-based and resting
HRV, but not other emotional disposition variables (i.e., rumination and valence bias),
to tentatively predict attentional shifts related to valence aspects of affective flexibility.
Collectively, findings from these papers provide some support that HRV reflects
adaptive, context-appropriate emotional responding and critically highlight the
importance of assessing HRV with associated neural and emotional disposition
correlates to elucidate key mechanisms supporting adaptive emotional responding.
More broadly, a clearer understanding of HRV and associated flexible emotional
responses across contexts has wider implications for HRV as a complementary target
for the prevention and/or management of psychological disorders characterised by
emotion dysregulation, such as anxiety and depression
Participatory approach to research air quality in Lagos State, Nigeria
No full textAir pollution has become an increasingly pressing issue over the past decades. Studies have
now estimated that over 91% of death using data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries,
and Risk Factors Study in 2019. In this regard, the impact of air pollution on human health,
particularly in developing countries, is of primary concern. Despite the serious air pollution in
Lagos, Nigeria, public perception of air pollution and real-time air quality measurement remain
largely unexplored.
In this study, air pollution and air quality in Mushin, Oshodi, Ikeja and Agege metropolis of
Lagos were assessed. Lagos had been experiencing such air pollution problems in all its
severity over the past decades. Most of the identified air pollution in Lagos is associated with
high density of industries and transport networks. Key contributors include vehicular and
industrial emissions, poor waste management practices like open burning, and industrial
activities. This pollution is linked to approximately 11,200 premature deaths annually from
ambient PM2.5, with children under five being particularly vulnerable, and also results in
significant economic costs to the state. The impacts of air pollution include loss of life, chronic
respiratory illness, cardiovascular defects and carcinogen. Other consequences of air pollution
include corrosion to various materials which causes damage to cultural resources, acid rain,
damage of crops and vegetation.
In this research, an anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted online, along with face-to-face respondents, using a structured questionnaire. Focus groups interviews were conducted
with records, which was transcribed to text. The interviews were conducted with designated
participants from the study areas. Air pollutants assessment was conducted, which utilised the
use of Airly low-cost sensors to measure air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM1),
particulate matter (PM25), particulate matter (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3),
temperature, wind speed, pressure and humidity. Both the questionnaire (involving a total of
3,766 respondents) and the interviews (comprising 4 focus groups and 37 individual
interviews) indicated that vehicle traffic, open burning emissions, industrial activities, and
exhaust fumes from electric generators were the most common sources of air pollution in Lagos
State.
This study investigates air pollution dynamics, health risks, and public awareness in Lagos,
Nigeria, using low-cost Airly sensors, surveys, and focus group discussions. Air quality
monitoring revealed persistent exceedances of World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines,
with PM₂.₅ (64 µg/m³ dry; 52 µg/m³ wet) and PM₁₀ (75 µg/m³ dry; 59 µg/m³ wet) far above
annual thresholds, O₃ (85 µg/m³ dry) approaching the 8-hour limit, and NO₂ (42 µg/m³ wet; 39
µg/m³ dry) nearing guideline levels. Seasonal analysis showed dry-season peaks for PM and
O₃ (p < 0.001) and higher wet-season NO₂ (p = 0.016), while diurnal variations revealed rush-hour NO₂ and PM spikes, and midday O₃ surges. A strong negative correlation between NO₂
and O₃ (r = –0.65) confirmed photochemical processes typical of tropical megacities,
contrasting with traffic-dominated cycles in European cities. Spatial mapping identified Oshodi
as a hotspot for NO₂ and PM, and Ikeja for O₃, reflecting traffic, industrial activity, and
meteorological influences.
These findings underline Lagos’s increasing public health and ecological risks, driven by
traffic, industry, and seasonal weather patterns. This study demonstrates the usefulness of low-cost sensors in capturing spatial and temporal pollution trends and stresses urgent policy
actions: expanding monitoring networks, engaging the public through trusted channels,
implementing stricter emission control measures, and conducting seasonal interventions aimed
at dry-season particulate matter and wet-season NO₂.
Survey and focus group findings highlighted limited awareness: 56.3% of respondents were
unaware of air quality regulations, 87.9% expressed dissatisfaction with government action,
and reliance on social media (28.9%) exceeded official channels (5.5%). Health risks were
recognised anecdotally, such as asthma and lung inflammation, but broader impacts, including
cardiovascular disease, were poorly understood. Chi-square analyses established strong
associations between kerosene and gas use and reported health issues (p = 0.000), while
environmental concerns included acid rain (43.5%), vegetation damage (19.4%), and climate
change (16.7%
Monitoring air pollution levels through community-based participation helped to better
understand the exposure levels to air pollutants. This is a novel form of 'citizen science' in cities
of developing countries. Apparently, respondents do not view air quality control and its
management through effective governance as adequate. To obtain useful information about air
quality, it is indispensable to measure air pollution levels using low-cost sensors. The results
of this study suggest that community-based initiatives in Lagos must be enhanced to lower
pollution levels, including education on the harmful effects of poor air quality
Corruption, accounting and consequences for financial institutions: a view from inside
Get PDFWhy do accounting researchers assume that financial institutions and investors care about accounting disclosures, voluntary or mandatory? Why do they assume that employees of financial institutions will choose to act as quasi-enforcers of regulators or standard setters? And who are these homogenous financial institutions and investors, and their model employees? A common argument is that changing sustainability disclosure standards are driven by demands from the mythical investor [Young, J. 2006. Making up users. Accounting, Organizations and Society 31, no. 6: 579–600] or more vaguely by the ‘capital markets’. These ambiguous, powerful but underspecified accounting users appear to be constantly searching for value-relevant disclosures, happy to enforce any disclosure changes that will enable them to make more sustainable decisions, which in turn will change the behaviour of the managers in the companies they hold power over, whilst disregarding the impact on the bottom line that building up or extending disclosures has. The power of financial institutions comes in many forms, and while they undoubtedly have this power, what is it that makes us assume they are able and incentivised to use this power to make the world a more sustainable place? And who specifically are they
Getting hands-on with hedges - does experiential engagement in plant science experiments affect secondary school pupils' environmental perceptions?
Get PDFSocietal Impact Statement. In towns and cities, vegetation growing around streets and buildings can lessen the risks posed by extreme heat, rainfall and poor air quality. However, the urban public(and particularly, youth) have limited awareness of these environmental benefits. Our study engaged 14–15-year-old school pupils in online and in-person learning interventions to enhance their awareness of the environmental benefits of hedges and assess impacts on their attitudes and intentions. We show that enhancing hands-on learning opportunities, exploring how greenery regulates local environments, can shift pupils' perceptions about the value of plants. Such educational activities are increasingly important for today's young people, who need knowledge and understanding to help them adapt to our changing climate.
Summary
• Increasing green infrastructure in cities has the potential to mitigate some of the negative impacts of air pollution and climate change on local population health, but this is currently under-recognised. Urban youth are particularly vulnerable to poor environmental quality, but can limit this by engaging in actions that protect and increase green infrastructure near where they live.
• This paper reports the findings of a preliminary study that assessed the impact of hands-on and online green infrastructure learning interventions on environmental awareness and behavioural intentions amongst secondary school pupils in the United Kingdom. The study also assessed the influence of prior gardening experience on their environmental attitudes. We used a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental research design and statistically analysed the resulting datasets.• Our findings suggest a combination of online and hands-on learning interventions can effectively shift the perceived efficacy of green infrastructure adaptations. In contrast, stand-alone online interventions may be less effective.• Importantly, they also indicate that gardening experience is associated with pro-environmental attitudes in young people, and plant-related learning interventions within schools may particularly influence pupils who have not experienced gardening outside of school
‘They view HRM as obstructive rather than helpful’: HRM devolution in flexibility i-deal negotiations for women in international law firms
No full textFlexible work arrangements (FWAs) have garnered significant attention over the past four decades for promoting work-life integration. This paper extends theorisation of individualised flexible work arrangements (flexibility i-deals), which are bespoke agreements negotiated between employees and employers. While i-deals are associated with benefits such as increased productivity and job satisfaction, the role of human resource management (HRM) specialists and line managers in facilitating these arrangements remains underexplored. Drawing on interviews with 30 female lawyers in international law firms, this study examines the negotiation of flexibility i-deals in a traditionally rigid, gendered, and hyper-competitive professional context. The findings reveal that i-deals often supplement standardised FWAs, which fail to fully address employees’ diverse needs. Enablers such as technological advancements, the billable hour model, and post-pandemic workplace shifts were identified as critical to supporting i-deals. However, HRM is largely excluded from the negotiation process, perceived as obstructive and overly formalised, with line managers and partners taking control of decisions. This research contributes to the literature on HRM devolution and flexible work practices by highlighting negotiation dynamics, the importance of leader-member exchanges, and the need for HRM to adopt a more strategic and supportive role. Practical implications focus on empowering HRM to better facilitate flexibility i-deals, ultimately addressing barriers to female lawyers’ retention and career progression in professional service firms
