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Moments of discomfort: rethinking reflexivity and researcher subjectivities through affect and poststructuralism
No full textThis article examines how discomfort, as an embodied and affective experience, can be theorised through poststructuralist reflexivity to deepen feminist understandings of researcher subjectivity and power in qualitative research. I present two vignettes as illustrative of moments of discomfort conducting research ‘in the field’ which I argue create a sense of unease when shifting subjectivities and regimes of power become more visible. I draw on affective methodologies and poststructural analysis to present a methodology of discomfort. The article offers two contributions: first, it introduces a dual-framework approach that combines affective analysis with poststructural discourse to explore researcher subjectivity and power dynamics. Second, the article provides empirical insights into how moments of discomfort can serve as critical junctures for reflexive inquiry, enriching feminist methodologies in qualitative research
Cloud feedback uncertainty in the equatorial Pacific across CMIP6 models
Get PDFCloud feedback is the largest uncertainty in estimating Equilibrium Climate Sensitivity. In this study we focus on the equatorial Pacific, where CMIP6 model cloud feedback spread is notably large. Cloud radiative effects in this region are relevant for the global climate. Our findings show that models predict a consistent shift towards the ascent regime in response to El Nino‐like sea surface warming. Models diverge in terms of the radiative impact due to differences in cloud characteristics in ascent and subsidence regimes. Using the observed relationship between circulation regime and cloud radiative effect, we find a reduction in the regional mean cloud feedback estimate from 0.77 to 0.22 W m− 2 K− 1, though this does not substantially lessen the model spread in total feedback. Pathways to reduce this spread include: improving confidence in the regional ocean warming pattern, and using observations and models to understand cloud type and circulation interactions
From classroom to screen: exploring motivation, dynamics, and online learning in L2 Mandarin education
No full textThis thesis comprises six peer-reviewed publications exploring L2 Mandarin education in
England and cross-cultural perspectives on higher education, spanning the transition from
face-to-face to online learning during COVID-19. Employing mixed-methods approaches,
the research investigates students’ perceptions, motivations, learning dynamics and
challenges in language acquisition, as well as the broader implications of digital education
for teaching and learning.
The first two papers examine motivational factors in Mandarin learning. Li (2019a)
investigates secondary school students’ engagement with Mandarin through the Mandarin
Excellence Programme (MEP), highlighting cultural interest as a key driver. Li and
Diamantidaki (2021) explore adult learners’ motivation during the pandemic, emphasizing
intrinsic factors such as curiosity and accomplishment.
The next two papers analyse L2 Mandarin classroom dynamics in face-to-face settings. Li
(2019b) focuses on rapport management during conflict talk in a London secondary school,
while Li, Diamantidaki, and Carruthers (2020) delve into asymmetric power relations and
teacher-student interactions, offering practical strategies for educators.
The final two papers address the shift to online learning. Li and Diamantidaki (2020)
evaluate Mandarin students’ online experiences during COVID-19, identifying both
challenges and meaningful aspects of digital education. Kefalaki, Nevradakis, and Li (2021)
provide a cross-cultural analysis of higher education responses to the pandemic, offering
broader insights into online teaching practices and cross-cultural competence in diverse
contexts.
Collectively, these studies highlight shifts in teaching methodologies, student engagement,
and curriculum adaptation, contributing to the evolving landscape of education in diverse
contexts. By documenting this critical period, the thesis advances the understanding of L2
Mandarin learning and online education, offering practical guidance for educators and
policymakers. The research underscores the importance of inclusive, student-centred
approaches in both traditional and digital environments, offering insights for future
innovations in language education and beyond
Post-processing large-scale river discharge forecasts at ungauged locations
Get PDFReliable river discharge forecasts are crucial for effective water resource management and
flood risk mitigation. However, uncertainty in the forecasts is inevitable due to limitations
in hydrological process understanding, errors in the meteorological forcings, observation
uncertainty, and computational constraints. For flood forecasting, this forecast uncertainty
can lead to ineffective or delayed preparatory actions. The primary aim of this thesis is
to improve the actionable information from ensemble river discharge forecasts at gauged
and ungauged locations using post-processing – a technique used to statistically correct the
forecasts and reduce the uncertainty. Post-processing is already part of the forecasting system
of the Copernicus Emergency Management Service’s European Flood Awareness System
(EFAS). The skill of the EFAS operational at-gauge post-processing method is evaluated,
finding that post-processing improves the skill of the forecasts particularly for large rivers for
which hydrological errors dominate. Barriers to the use of the operational post-processed
forecasts are identified via a co-production workshop, including lack of local relevance,
and difficulty accessing the forecasts and associated documentation. A key limitation of
the operational post-processing method is that it is only applicable at gauged locations.
To overcome this limitation, a data-assimilation-inspired technique is developed to propagate
observation information along the river network. Combined with the at-gauge post-processing
method, this new information propagation technique allows the correction of river discharge
forecasts at ungauged locations. This new post-processing method was evaluated and found
to improve forecasts up to a 5-day lead-time. The new method is computationally efficient,
adapts to the flow situation, and is applicable to any ensemble river discharge forecast. By
improving the skill of the forecast at ungauged locations, this work aims to support more
informed decision-making in flood risk management and water resource planning, ultimately
helping to protect people, infrastructure, and economies from hydrological extremes
The Reading Everyday Emotion Database (REED): a set of audio-visual recordings of emotions in music and language
Get PDFMost audio-visual (AV) emotion databases consist of clips that do not reflect real-life emotion processing (e.g., professional actors in bright studio-like environment), contain only spoken clips, and none have sung clips that express complex emotions. Here, we introduce a new AV database, the Reading Everyday Emotion Database (REED), which directly addresses those gaps. We recorded the faces of everyday adults with a diverse range of acting experience expressing 13 emotions—neutral, the six basic emotions (angry, disgusted, fearful, happy, sad, surprised), and six complex emotions (embarrassed, hopeful, jealous, proud, sarcastic, stressed)—in two auditory domains (spoken and sung) using everyday recording devices (e.g., laptops, mobile phones, etc.). The recordings were validated by an independent group of raters. We found that: intensity ratings of the recordings were positively associated with recognition accuracy; and the basic emotions, as well as the Neutral and Sarcastic emotions, were recognised more accurately than the other complex emotions. Emotion recognition accuracy also differed by utterance. Exploratory analysis revealed that recordings of those with drama experience were better recognised than those without. Overall, this database will benefit those who need AV clips with natural variations in both emotion expressions and recording environment
E-commerce development, poverty reduction and income growth in rural China
Get PDFThis research examines the impact of the National Rural E-commerce Comprehensive Demonstration Project (NRECDP) on poverty reduction and income growth in rural China.
The study develops a theoretical framework, which considers the role of geographical, technological, institutional, and cultural factors for the e-commerce poverty alleviation (e-CPA) model. Empirically, this study applies the difference-in-differences (DID) model and the event study approach to evaluate the effectiveness of NRECDP on the basis of large-scale county-level and household-level panel data spanning 2010 to 2020.
The study found that the NRECDP, as a government-led, information and communication technology (ICT)-enabled, market-based programme, has led to a significant increase in per capita output of primary industry employees, as well as in the disposable income of rural residents, especially those in national-level poverty-stricken (NP) counties. The interventions of the NRECDP achieved these positive outcomes through transportation and Internet infrastructure improvement, ICT adoption and human capital accumulation in impoverished towns and villages in remote rural areas. These effects are larger in the eastern region of China, followed by the central region, whereas the weakest effects were found in the western region. However, we found little evidence of the NRECDP increasing household developmental expenditure.
The study findings have important practical and policy implications for rural e-commerce development and self-sustained poverty alleviation solutions. The research revealed the significance of government NRECDP interventions for increasing rural income, reducing living costs, and empowering the rural population in its multiple social roles, namely, as consumers, producers, employees, and microentrepreneurs. The local cultural context may also play a role in ICT adoption and entrepreneurship cultivation with a downstream effect on the effectiveness of e-CPA practices. Policymakers would need to ensure a supportive entrepreneur-friendly environment for rural e-commerce development, and continue implementing progressive policies for poverty alleviation.
This study explores poverty alleviation issues in China by developing for the first time a multi-faceted framework that is subsequently tested by both county-level and household-level large-scale observations. Also, it is the first study to provide nationwide empirical evidence on the effectiveness of e-CPA in narrowing down the spatial and digital divides in China. In addition to the impact of geography, technology, and governmental support, this study also sheds light on the role of culture in the adoption and diffusion of digital technologies and as a source of local entrepreneurial opportunities
Mothers’ perspectives: daily life when your child has sensory differences
Get PDFA child’s sensory processing and sensory integration (SP-SI) differences can be a barrier to participation in daily life for both child and mother. Supporting mothers is advocated for, but little is known about the everyday experiences of these mothers. To gain an understanding of daily life for mothers and their children with SP-SI differences. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with six mothers were analyzed through thematic analysis. Theme 1 described the impact of child SP-SI on daily life, including challenges in occupations across environments, adaptations required, and the lack of knowledge and understanding from social and professional networks. Theme 2 identified what helps: empowering mothers through relationships based on listening, gaining knowledge, and understanding, and adapting the activity and the environment. Mothers report that their child’s SP-SI differences impact daily occupations and social relationships. In addition, supportive relationships, adapting activities, and adapting the environment, support participation
Re-imagining procedural justice in policing sexual violence: centring survivors
Get PDFProcedural justice is recognised as being of substantial value to policing and, increasingly, victim-survivors. However, little research has engaged with the meaning of procedural justice theory in sexual violence, and none have developed an understanding with and for survivors. We conducted consultations with 42 survivors via five diverse expert-by-experience panels in England. We propose the following new conceptualisations of the key principles of procedural justice: dignity and respect, equity and fairness, voice, safety, and trustworthiness. These principles foreground a feminist, situated and intersectional approach, and emphasise the importance of recognition, equity, and the unconditional humanity of survivors. This work offers a new understanding of procedural justice in the context of policing sexual violence, and in institutional responses to gender-based violence more broadly
Responding to platform firm power: differing national responses
Get PDFAware of the power of platform firms and the risks of the platform economy, governments are reconsidering the dominant laissez faire approach in favour of strategies that regulate the power of platform firms. transnational dynamics play an important role in shaping emerging national regimes, but we argue that governments are also influenced by three factors that operate primarily at domestic level: the agency of platform firms, the impact of first-mover US platforms, and domestic politics. We illustrate our approach through an analysis of the trajectories and regulatory measures of four economies: the US, the EU, China, and India. As governance efforts expand to emerging technologies such as AI, our analysis presages broader changes to the structure of what was, with a few important exceptions, a relatively borderless global online economy
Measuring climate-related and environmental risks for equities
Get PDFFinancial regulators and investors are increasingly concerned about the effects of climate change on investments and seek to capture the climate-related and environmental risks of investments. Whilst energy companies have attracted most of the attention due to the contribution of the Energy sector to environmental degradation, climate-related and environmental risks actually affect companies in every sector. In this paper, we propose novel measures termed as climate Value-at-Risk (VaR) and climate Expected Shortfall (ES) that capture the risk attributed to transition risk factors proxied by environmental scores. We compare the average ratio of climate VaR and ES to total risk in various equity sectors, which enables us to identify the sectors in which climate and environmental risk factors contribute most to the total risk. Our analysis considers different risk measurements and various significance levels. Our findings show heterogeneity in sensitivity to climate and environmental risk factors in various sectors. The Health Care sector is the least cost-effective in reducing climate-related and environmental risks, and the Energy sector benefits most from improving the firms’ environmental scores