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What is Digital History?
Get PDFDigital history is a field that escapes easy definition due to its incorporation of an ever-growing variety of methods, disciplines and endeavours. However, this slim volume – part of Polity’s What is History series – provides a solid introduction to the terrain as it lies at the start of the third decade of the twenty-first century
The Irish Carnegie Community Engagement Classification Pilot: A critical analysis on culture and context from a community of practice approach
Get PDFThis article provides a reflective critique of the process undertaken to pilot the Carnegie Community Engagement Framework in Ireland between 2015 and 2016. Of particular interest to the authors is the cultural specificity of employing a US-centric self-assessment data capturing tool in a heterogeneous Irish context. Taking the reader through from conception of the idea to its execution and post-pilot reflections, we examine the cultural appropriateness and translatability of the tool to Irish higher education. To frame the discussion of the process, we employ the concept of a community of practice, as defined by Wenger (1998). This was adopted to promote a culture of collaboration in an ever-growing neoliberal system that promotes competition between institutions, rather than facilitating their co-construction of knowledge. In the analysis, we demonstrate how forming this community of practice allowed for a cohesive assessment of the challenges and opportunities that arose through the pilot process. This was particularly important since each participating institution had different motivations for engaging with the pilot. Reflecting with some distance, we consider the value that comes from operating as a community of practice, as well as some shortcomings that we identified as specific to this pilot
Prioritizing partnership: Critical steps towards relationship development for sustaining community-university partnerships
Get PDFThe increase in undergraduate programs in public health within liberal arts institutions in the United States creates an opportunity for community-engaged research with local public health organisations. This type of engagement is one way to connect community members, agency representatives, students, staff, and faculty around social justice organizing efforts that impact entire communities. Authentic relationships and partnerships can reduce real barriers to building bases of support for intervention development, local advocacy efforts, and policy change, to achieve a more just and equitable society.
This practice-based article describes key steps to partnership development between a private, engaged-teaching liberal arts institution and a local public health nonprofit located in central North Carolina. The partnership was formed to use community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches to address health equity. To create an authentic CBPR partnership, an intentional partnership development process took place with key steps that were integral to the formation. Structured learning experiences and mentorship provided by previously established CBPR partnerships were critical to partnership development. Shared capacity building experiences, consistent meetings and goal setting facilitated progress. This partnership has lasted since 2015 and continues to grow. Partnership development is an important foundational activity for CBPR and is feasible for local community organizations and undergraduate public health studies departments outside of Schools of Public Health
Australian local government’s contribution to good governance on major projects: increasing information, participation and deliberation
Get PDFDecision-making for major projects is often outside the legal remit of local governments in Australia. Nevertheless, local governments are the legitimate representatives of their communities and as such, can potentially make an important contribution to the decision-making process. However, little is known about how they may do so. This paper addresses that gap by analysing two case studies: Coal Seam Gas projects in northern New South Wales and the proposed East West Link tunnel in Melbourne. The research finds that local governments can contribute to good governance by increasing the quality and availability of information, community participation, and opportunities for local deliberation. However, this study also found a number of barriers to local governments making these contributions, which can disincentivise and limit local advocacy. The paper suggests there may be a range of benefits to be gained by reducing those barriers
Localising the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa: implementation challenges and opportunities
Get PDFAt the point of adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Africa’s starting point on almost all dimensions of development was much lower than that of other regions of the world. Thus, SDG progress on the continent determines to a large extent whether the global SDG commitment to ‘leave no one behind’ remains rhetoric or becomes reality. Local government action is critical to the achievement of the SDGs, as most services provided at the local level have a direct impact on SDG indicators. This paper reflects on the first quadrennial review cycle of the SDGs, and highlights challenges encountered in localising the SDGs in sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, the paper contributes to the ongoing strategising for the remaining timeline of the SDGs and analyses the opportunities for local governments to contribute to SDG implementation. The paper also seeks to inform policy action to strengthen local capacity to drive the SDGs agenda in the ‘Decade of Action’ (2020–2030)
Moral Responsibility and Wholeheartedness: A Source of Cohesion in Javanese Society
Get PDFIn social life, humans cannot be separated from social interactions with others. This is based on the fact that humans are social creatures, which in their lives cannot live alone but need help from others. This makes people need help and assistance in solving problems in their lives. In Javanese culture, collaboration that is carried out collectively is known as soyo. Soyo is carried out as an effort to be able to lighten work and is evidence of harmonious life in a community. This study examines the soyo phenomenon from a social and cultural perspective. The findings show that social learning is important in the continuation of the soyo tradition and that moral responsibility and wholeheartedness are essential features of engagement in the practice
Influence of Internal Organizational Factors and Institutional Pressures on Construction Firms\u27 Performance
Get PDFA significant number of empirical studies have reported contrasting results regarding the effects of certain internal organizational factors (Leadership Style - Team competency and Skills - Effective Communication) on construction performance. As a result, generalizations remain sketchy, and a better understanding is needed. This study lends a voice to the literature\u27s debate by introducing the part played by institutional pressures. The aim is to evaluate the impact of internal organizational factors and institutional pressures on a Syrian construction firm\u27s performance outcomes, with institutional pressures playing a mediator\u27s role. Data were collected using a questionnaire instrument from a sample of 197 building experts working in large public construction companies in Syria and analysed using the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results reveal that leadership style and effective communication have a significant and positive effect on construction firm performance outcomes. However, the effect of team competency and skill was not supported; nonetheless, providing institutional pressures as a mediator into the relationship made it significant, thus, providing a vital theoretical contribution worth considering in future research. Practically, this study is the first attempt at evaluating organizational factors and institutional pressures as a critical determinant of organizational performance that should interest management at organizational levels
A Project Life-Cycle Readiness Approach to Manage Construction Waste in Jordan
Get PDFThe construction industry is well-known for generating the largest amount of waste amongst other industries, which significantly pollutes the environment. This study, therefore, examines the causes and sources of waste in construction projects, considering activities, inputs, and outputs of each phase of the construction projects’ lifecycle (i.e., concept, definition, deployment, and transition). Thirty semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionals in construction projects in Jordan, including architects, contractors, and project administrators. The findings reveal that waste resulting from construction projects passes across several organized operations from generation to final disposal. Furthermore, waste is generated in small amounts at the early stages of the project construction but grows as the project progresses towards the end. This paper’s key contribution is to supplement the literature on waste management solutions by providing a holistic approach to tackling waste at its root by including waste management strategies across the project lifecycle phases, not only during the construction phase. This is done with a management readiness view to develop a suitable strategy for construction waste minimization and improve the management of construction projects. This study’s practical implication is providing a holistic waste management framework for practitioners to adopt in the early stages of the project
Evaluating the Efficacy of a Dedicated Last Planner® System Facilitator to Enhance Construction Productivity
Get PDFConstruction unknowingly plans for poor levels of productivity with substantial waste, inefficiency, and rework stemming from a proliferation of non-value-adding activities embedded within traditional delivery processes. This approach negatively influences construction’s economic and environmental sustainability. Last Planner® System (LPS) is a key tool of Lean Construction (LC) and is lauded as a value-add process that prioritises flow efficiency by addressing workflow variability and waste elimination on construction projects. This research evaluates how the presence of a dedicated knowledgeable and competent LPS Facilitator, enabling a complete LPS implementation, contributes to improved construction flow, efficiency, and productivity.
The study adopted a mixed-methods approach utilising case study design and data collected from a literature review, site observation diary, site documentation analysis, and semi-structured interviews. Limitations exist around small survey size, lack of generalisability, and potential bias of researchers. Findings posit considerable productivity increase; more reliable, predictable, and stable workflow; enhanced team collaboration; as well as accrual of safety, quality, cost, and schedule benefits. Embedding a knowledgeable and competent LPS Facilitator appears to assist successful implementation of LPS with sectoral and societal value-add opportunities.  
Flying Below the Radar: Civil Aviation Heritage in Australia\u27s Northern Territory
Get PDFAustralian government administrators and private enterprise took full advantage of the opportunities made possible by civil aviation in Australia’s Northern Territory. Yet, there is a common perception among Territorians that there is more on display and known about the defence aviation heritage of the Territory. Considering the long-term impact civil aviation has had on Territorians and their way of life, this paper queries this representation of its aviation past. This is achieved through a heritage audit, alongside an exploration of primary and secondary historical resources, and other forms of presentation. This paper highlights existing gaps in the representation of civil aviation heritage in the Northern Territory and suggests a way forward so that this significant historical narrative is not forgotten
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