9782 research outputs found
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Hope, Nihilism, and Faith in the World of Professional Wrestling and Its Data- Driven Monetization
No full textA world filled with new technologies, global challenges, and evolving social values gives rise to the philosophical strands of humanity, hope, and nihilism. Disparate yet deeply related, these concepts allow us to address the paradoxes of human existence. Humanity denotes the common sentiments, values, and responsibilities that define us as social beings. It signifies compassion, collaboration, and advancement, which aids in forming moral and social structures. While hope, in contrast, fuels motivation and creativity, even in the bleakest of times. It is the confidence of better outcomes that drives people and nations. On the contrary nihilism, which denies existence or any meaning and purpose, illustrates the disenchantment that emerges in the absence of functioning systems, collapsing ideologies, or unresolved essential inquiries
Kuldeep Singh Sengar case shows why POCSO must recognise legislators as public servants
No full textOn December 29, the Supreme Court stayed the Delhi High Court’s order granting bail to former UP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar under the POCSO Act, 2012. The bench noted, “There are substantial questions of law involved, which require consideration by this Court”. The intervention by the apex court has rightly shown its judicial discomfort with the High Court’s limited interpretation of “public servant” in the POCSO Act.
The High Court relied on R S Nayak v. A R Antulay (1984), where the Supreme Court held that an MLA is not a “public servant” under Section 21(12)(a) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). That decision was rendered in the context of section 2 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947, which expressly tethered the meaning of “public servant” to Section 21 IPC. That judgment should be looked through the eyes of the constitutional position of legislators vis-à-vis the executive. To mechanically transpose that reasoning into POCSO without interrogating the distinct object and structure of the statute is legally impermissible
Influence of Virtual Reality as a Channel of Communication for Health Education among Media Audiences in South West Nigeria
No full textVirtual reality as a channel of communication for health education among media audiences is a unique modern-day technology that has the potential to change the way health information is communicated and learned. This study examines the influence of virtual reality as a communication channel for health education among the media audience in Southwest Nigeria. The study employs a survey research method, gathering data from the population of Lagos residents. Copies of the questionnaire are administered to a sample size of 400 respondents in Lagos State to elicit information from them. The study reveals that high awareness of virtual reality, moderate cultural relevance, and significant influence on health behaviours, although challenges such as cost and access remain barriers. The high level of awareness suggests that the media audience is beginning to understand new digital developments in health communication. Statistical analysis reveals that cultural relevance has significant predictive power for the educational impact of virtual reality. In conclusion, the study affirms that virtual reality is a transformative health education tool when culturally adapted and adequately supported by infrastructure and awareness. Therefore, being exposed to virtual reality health content changes life choices and improves health behaviour. This study indicates that virtual reality can effectively transpose cultural significance when integrated and presented, and when relevant and accessible, can reduce barriers and communicate to audiences with different literacy levels
Income Inequality and the Aging--Inflation Nexus: evidence from emerging and developing economies
No full textThis study examines the role of income inequality in shaping the aging-inflation nexus using data from 95 emerging and developing economies (EMDEs) over the period 1990–2023. These economies have experienced both rising income inequality and a gradual increase in share of the older population. The results show that population aging exerts a deflationary effect when income inequality is high, and this finding remains robust across multiple specifications. To explain this relationship, we discuss two underlying mechanisms: first, the decline in labor supply associated with aging reduces the natural rate of output and inflation; and second, the growing of political influence of older populations can foster preferences for lower inflation. Our findings contribute to the broader discussion on macroeconomic stability in the context of demographic transition and inequality. Policy implications include raising the retirement age to enhance labor force participation among the elderly, thereby mitigating income inequality and supporting more balanced macroeconomic outcomes
Savings and Investment Behaviour in Rural India: An Impact Assessment of Investor Awareness Program
No full textThe article examines the impact of the government’s Investor Awareness Program (IAP), which aims to enhance financial literacy and promote savings and investment awareness in rural India. The findings are based on primary data collected through a telephonic survey across 16 states, supplemented by a field survey in three states. The research shows that the programme has led to increased awareness of government schemes, insurance and investment policies. While limited earnings prevent significant savings and investments, participants have begun budgeting, making small savings and investing in livestock and post office savings schemes. Notably, the programme has helped rural investors, who often rely on chit funds, recognise fraudulent schemes, thereby protecting their limited income
Innovative Supply Chain Effect on Value Creation by Mediation of AI Technology in the Horn of Africa
No full textThis chapter explores the relationship between value creation and innovative practices within supply chain management. Drawing on data from 390 supply chain professionals across diverse industries, the study employs a quantitative research design using structural equation modeling to analyze the interconnections. The findings reveal that innovative supply chain practices significantly enhance value creation, with artificial intelligence (AI) technologies serving as a key mediating factor. The results suggest that organizations integrating AI into their supply chain operations can achieve higher productivity levels and greater customer satisfaction. The chapter concludes by recommending future research directions, including the long-term effects of technological integration, industry-specific variations, and the human factors influencing innovation adoption. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of the evolving dynamics of supply chain management in the digital era
Caste, Occupations, and (Im)mobility in Modern Indian Industry, 1870-2006
No full textThis paper analyses the occupational patterns in Mumbai's textile mills from 1870 to 2006. It utilises British colonial census data from 1872 to 1941, the 1940 Bombay Mill Owners Association Survey, and original survey data collected in 2009 from 924 former mill workers. The study reveals how caste norms influenced occupational mobility and access to employment. Workers from higher castes, such as Brahmins & Rajputs, dominant Maratha castes, and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) demonstrated occupational flexibility, transitioning between the least desirable roles in the Ring and Spinning departments and the most desirable, prestigious, higher-paid positions in the Weaving department. Dalits (untouchables) were explicitly prohibited from entering the weaving departments and faced severe restrictions. Even Dr B.R. Ambedkar's efforts during the 1928 strike to secure Dalit access to these departments faced strong resistance from Maratha workers and indifference from mill owners. The exclusion of Dalits from weaving jobs was enforced through the invocation of caste-based notions of "purity" and "pollution." Despite the persistence of structural discrimination throughout the twentieth century, urban industrial settings provided Dalits with opportunities for monetary compensation and political mobilisation that were not available in rural areas. The study demonstrates the marginalisation of Muslim weavers, particularly Julaha-Ansaris, who, despite their traditional weaving skills and initial dominance, were progressively excluded from the 1960s onwards through communal tensions, technological changes, and discriminatory hiring practices
(Dis)empowerment and Constitutional Court Resilience: A Conceptual Framework and Explorative Evidence from the Slovak Constitutional Court
No full textThis article conceptualizes constitutional court (dis)empowerment as a process impacting constitutional court resilience. It introduces a two-dimensional typology of mechanisms of exogenous and endogenous empowerment and disempowerment that points to the centrality of judicial and broader political community agency to an extent independent from formal competences of the constitutional court. Subsequently, the article explores the applicability of the four mechanisms in the case of the Slovak Constitutional Court. In Slovakia, the success of an illiberal majority in the 2023 general elections amplified concerns over the Constitutional Court’s capacity to resist de-democratization. These concerns spread despite Slovakia having overcome a period of semi authoritarian regime in 1994–1998, whereby the formally powerful Constitutional Court was seen as a pivotal institution contributing to such an outcome. The Slovak political development yields lessons for constitutional court resilience amidst de-democratization. Proposing a combination of research methods (contextual analysis and insights from semistructured interviews) for collecting and analyzing empirical data to study the four mechanisms, the article emphasizes endogenous disempowerment as the least studied mechanism so far. The findings highlight several gradually self-imposed limits by the Slovak Constitutional Court, that may be amplified due to its continuing – albeit decreasing – degree of closedness to international and non-doctrinal scrutiny. Ultimately, the pivotal cases reaching the Court after the 2023 elections due to the attempts of power concentration by the illiberal majority show indications of a critical juncture testing the SCC’s resilience
AI and Legal Labels: How Algorithms Shape Criminal Justice
No full textThe paper analyses the impact of artificial intelligence on the creation and utilization of categories in the law of criminal justice. It combines the concept of Prototype Theory, the German concept of Typizitat (typical offence), and labelling theory to demonstrate that algorithms too produce their own types, including a high-risk defendant. When these labels get into the digital systems, they begin to appear objective. This has the effect of creating a technological-legal lock-in, in which the label becomes difficult to challenge when it is necessary to have flexibility in interpreting a case. The translation of the legal concepts into code is also explained in the paper. This one is not a neutral translation. It simplifies elaborate legal concepts to a small number of data points, and this may conceal significant presumptions regarding behaviour, risk, or fairness. To address such issues, the paper provides a model named algorithmic typification. It has two parts. The diagnostic component assists us in testing whether the categories of an algorithm make sense the way humans typically think, whether they consider the circumstances, and whether the system can reason its answers. The normative section suggests precautionary measures, including translation audits, increased explanation responsibility, and judicial control, in order that the labels of the algorithms are not substitutions of human interpretation. The paper demonstrates how computational tools can redefine legal meaning through the treatment of outputs of algorithms as semiotic sign as opposed to objective data. It also provides the practical measures to render the algorithms in criminal justice more transparent, accountable and law-friendly in terms of interpretation
Child public health interventions for conflict-affected populations: A systematic review
Get PDFArmed conflict causes pervasive harm to children, and humanitarian responses to support them face significant challenges. This review aims to summarise the evidence on the effectiveness of interventions to treat, protect, and promote child public health in conflict-affected populations. A systematic review was performed, with searches of major databases and the grey literature from 1 January 2012 – 20 February 2025. Included studies provided data on child or caregiver outcomes associated with interventions to support children affected by armed conflict. Studies on nutrition and perinatal interventions were excluded. Data were extracted on the setting, population, intervention design, study type, and findings. The searches yielded 3,601 records. 51 intervention studies met inclusion criteria, 39% of which were trials. Studies were mainly from Africa (51%), the Middle East (25%) and Asia (18%). The majority of studies focused on mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) (N = 29, 57%). MHPSS, child protection, and/or parenting interventions were the focus of trials as well as intersectoral interventions. Somatic child health interventions (N = 19, 37%) focused on immunisation, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, toxic stress, and telemedicine services. Five studies measured development outcomes and one intervention targeted children with disabilities. Over half of the studies were carried out amongst displaced populations. Intervention design varied widely within and between sectors. Studies showed promising results, particularly for non-specialist MHPSS interventions. Only 20% of studies assessed intervention safety. The evidence for child public health interventions to support conflict-affected populations is increasing, with increased numbers of studies over time, and improved study design, execution, and reporting. However, the evidence remains poor, limited to a few topic areas and with continued geographical disparities. There are notable gaps in evidence on the safety of interventions, their medium- and long-term impacts, sustainability, and interventions for child development and children living with disabilities