NUI Maynooth Eprint Archive
Not a member yet
18159 research outputs found
Sort by
An interdisciplinary multi level approach to advance human rights in and through sport
No full textBackground
Sport is a global socio-cultural phenomenon present across the world. Participation in sport-related activities is a human right captured in many human rights instruments. Likewise, sport can be used as a cost-effective tool to advance fundamental rights such as education, health and employment. The relationship between human rights and sport has received significant scholar attention in specific thematic areas, including the organisation of mega sporting events; safeguarding and remedy mechanisms; and athlete’s rights. However, there is little academic engagement in the exploration of more holistic factors such as the impact of sport policies and sport education to advance human rights. This thesis is a contribution to an emerging theme whose demand is increasing across the sport environment: the multi-level implementation of human rights in and through sport.
Objectives
This interdisciplinary multi-level research aims to answer the general research question: How and to what extent are human rights applied to sport policy and practice at international, national and local level? In order to answer this overarching question, the following research questions were devised: a) what is the nature of the relationship between human rights and sport policy in the literature? b) how can those shaping the sport environment increase awareness, understanding, and engagement with human rights treaties to be more accountable for human rights?; and c) what are effective ways to advocate for the application of a human rights-based approach to sport?
In order to answer these research questions, specific objectives for each of the 5 studies included in this thesis were designed.
Methodology
An interdisciplinary multi-level approach to advance human rights in and through sport
The ontological and epistemological approach adopted in this research is based on the critical realism perspective. Five independent but related studies were conducted using mixed methods approaches. The results of the studies were analysed and, through a process of retroduction, a theoretical model was developed to explain key generative mechanisms in the alignment of sport policy, human rights and education.
Study one is a critical narrative literature review reporting on the status of sports policy frameworks in the UN system of relevance to the sport sector generally.
Study two examined the relevance and significance of Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport (PEPAS) in reporting mechanisms related to the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). A systematic document review of State Parties Reports (CEDAW n=100, CRPD= 133); List of Issues (CEDAW n=123, CRPD=84) and Concerns/Observations and Recommendations (CEDAW n=12, CRPD n=23) was carried out. This explorative analysis was undertaken under a macropsychology perspective, which studies how social structures and systems can ultimately promote, or hinder, psychological wellbeing (MacLachlan & McVeigh, 2021).
Study three was also a documentary analysis to explore the relevance of PEPAS in three key document types from the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC) reporting mechanisms: State Parties Reports (n = 104), List of Issues (n = 126) and Concerns/Observations and Recommendations (n = 797).
Study four is a case study based in Mauritius, in which eight semi-structured interviews with sport practitioners were run to learn more about their perception of the achievement of the new National Sport and Physical Activity policy.
Finally, study five used three validated questionnaires on sport and human rights with a sample of 151 sport-related practitioners (56% male, 43% female and 1%
An interdisciplinary multi-level approach to advance human rights in and through sport
preferred not to say) ranging from age 18 to over 65 including teachers, coaches, and academics, with a view of measuring sport 'practitioners' understanding and application of human rights principles in and through sport.
Results
The advent of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, the Kazan Action Plan, the WHO Global Plan on Physical Activity 2018 -2030 and allied developments across the sports movement provides an opportunity for revisiting and realigning the definitions and policy objectives of sport and human rights, as highlighted in Study one.
Study two found that States Parties acknowledge the significance of sport and report to Treaty bodies on some key aspects, but they do not provide enough evidence or data to evaluate the impact of a legal framework into practice. Two causal mechanisms were identified to promote and modulate the implementation of human rights in and through sport: The national mechanism for reporting and follow-up to international and regional human rights bodies; and the socialization of human rights among the sport sector.
Study three identified a low profile of PEPAS in State Party Reports, List of Issues and Recommendations arising from the CRC Committee. The results showed that there is scattered information on structural and process indicators, yet details on outcomes indicators are lacking. For this reason, a set of comprehensive indicators should be developed to ensure that children rights are being fulfilled.
Study four identified six key areas to be considered in the development of an action plan to advance the implementation of national sport policies that are in line with human rights: 1) Sociocultural factors; 2) Sport policy; 3) Ongoing actions; 4) Barriers to participation; 5) Opportunities for improvement; and 6) Professional development.
Finally, study five found that there are significative differences among sport professionals in the understanding and application of human rights in and through sport
An interdisciplinary multi-level approach to advance human rights in and through sport
based on biopsychosocial factors like: gender, age, educational level, personality traits and social dominance orientation. Also, three questionnaires were validated (the RITES-Q, the RITES-SE and the RITES-Challenges) and can be used to assess the knowledge and readiness of sport professionals towards human rights as well as their challenges experienced in applying a human rights-based approach in their practice.
Discussion
Based on the events and mechanisms identified in the previous five studies and the critical review of literature, the Rights In and Through Empowering Sport (RITES) model was developed.
RITES is a theoretical model that highlights key multi-level mechanisms having an influence on the implementation of human rights in and through sport. It is relevant for any stakeholder involved in the field of sport, such as sport educators, managers and policy makers, to ensure that the breadth of their work aligns with human rights ethos. RITES is composed of seven elements that interact at different levels. At the macro level, there are 1) the contextual constraints and influences; 2) a national dialogue on human rights; and 3) sport-related policies. At the meso level, there are 4) monitoring and evaluation mechanisms; 5) capacity development; and 6) ongoing actions. Finally, all these elements take shape and are perceived differently by individuals at the micro level, therefore, 8) intersectionality should be taken into account.
In order to facilitate and support the process of adoption and alignment of practice with human rights principles, two practical resources were developed: the RITES Exploratory checklist, a tool to support sport-related professionals to measure their level of understanding of the main elements of the RITES model; and the RITES Toolkit, a practical resource to reflect and develop capacity for embracing human rights in and through sports-based interventions.
Conclusion
An interdisciplinary multi-level approach to advance human rights in and through sport
The RITES Model and associated resources aspire to encourage coordinated actions towards bridging the gap between sport and human rights. RITES can contribute to the advancement and establishment of a human rights-based approach in the sports environment by activating mechanisms that align forward-looking policies with workable implementation aspects. The broad overview presented in this thesis paves the way to other research initiatives to further explore specific aspects highlighted in this research, as well as to expand the comprehensiveness and application of the RITES model
Negotiating Nationhood through Images: The visual language of French political cartoons from 2015 to 2017
No full textParticularly pertinent given the explosive power of political cartoons that has
been witnessed in Europe in recent years, the central focus of this research is a
decoding of the visual rhetoric of satirical media in France today. These images
are analysed as rich sources of coded content pertaining to concepts of
nationhood and identity, a pressing issue of contention given the current
tumultuous socio-political climate in France. Conceived primarily through an
argument of images and play of metaphor, these political ephemera are powerful
sites of symbolic meaning-making, wherein ‘elite’ concepts of national identity
may be challenged as well as strengthened. With this research, then, I hold that
an exploration of the poetics of political imagery reveals enduring myths about
France and its inhabitants, one that arguably forms part of a wider, nationwide
dispute about citizenship that extends beyond formal, legal definitions. Within
these connoted elite concepts of Frenchness and its corresponding marginalised
Other, the signifying practices of satire, and its purpose and misuse, emerge as
especially significant.
Remarkably central in renewed nationhood debates stoked by the current
identity and ideological crisis felt in France, the satirical political cartoon often
appears to represent an irreconcilability between French and Muslim values. In
such a context, further, the customarily subversive deployment of satire in
contemporary France, whilst ‘punching up’ at threats and intimidation, often
simultaneously appears to align with elite, hegemonic scopic regimes and social
positions, dislocating its proper societal function. For a postcolonial France with
an increasingly fractured populace, the ‘dangerous signs’ of the satirical political
cartoon, then, become disputed space for meaning-making, with its
contemporary application, and the semiotic ideologies contained therein,
entangled with new socio-political implications
Antecedents and consequences of conspicuous green behavior on social media: Incorporating the virtual self-identity into the theory of planned behavior
No full textResearchers advocate incorporating self-identity into the theory of planned behavior for studies investigating
pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs). Although social media facilitates a virtual self-identity construction, surprisingly few, if any, studies investigate virtual self-identity as a determinant of PEBs. This study introduces the
concept of conspicuous green behavior (CGB) to explain social media posts about climate change which convey a
pro-environmental virtual self-identity. We integrate CGB into the theory of planned behavior and investigate the
relationship between CGB and pro-environmental intention and behavior. We propose subjective norms, Like-seeking and narcissism as antecedents of CGB. Using survey design, data from a sample of 436 Instagram
users in the United States were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings show
subjective norms, Like-seeking and narcissism influence CGB. Furthermore, CGB positively relates to individuals’
pro-environmental intentions and behaviors, particularly more conspicuous behaviors. We discuss the implications of these contributions for theory and practice
Girls Interrupted. What is the nature of the barriers and challenges that women face when re-engaging with “interrupted” education?
No full textThe objective of my research was to uncover the challenges and barriers encountered by women when re-entering education after interruptions. The aim of the study was to gain a deeper understanding of women's lives and the factors that often contribute to their unequal access to educational opportunities compared to men. Qualitative data was collected through nine interviews with women who returned to tertiary education at a non-traditional age, and these accounts were analysed through a feminist perspective. The intention was to elucidate how various forms of oppression and disadvantage intersected to create a non-linear educational trajectory for women. By adopting a feminist standpoint, the study recognised the participants' unique positioning as returning learners and highlighted the valuable insights their perspectives, opinions, and experiences provided regarding the gendered power dynamics that influence women's educational outcomes.
The research findings revealed that patriarchal gender norms, class-based stratification systems, and insufficient support to address disadvantage converge to impose limitations on women, often resulting in interrupted educational journeys. The results shed light on how women's private and societal status influences their access to and involvement in education. Women’s education continues to face challenges and barriers caused by a classist, patriarchal society.
This suggests the presence of a power dynamic within the social and structural framework that adversely affects women. While policy changes have acknowledged the necessity of establishing a more equitable educational path for marginalised groups, deeply ingrained patriarchal attitudes and inequitable class practices hinder their complete realisation in the educational sphere. The study emphasised the importance of recognising and acknowledging the burdens placed on women, the resultant challenges to achieving educational equality at both personal and institutional levels, and the need for governmental involvement. This thesis contends that despite the existence of policies and procedures aimed at mitigating educational disadvantages in marginalised groups; for women class, and gender-based disparities persist
Space-Air-Ground-Sea Integrated Networks: Modeling and Coverage Analysis
No full textDue to its potential to enable global connectivity in remote locations, such as rural areas and islands, Space-Air-Ground networks have become an ambitious solution for terrestrial communication in the sixth generation (6G) wireless communication network. In this paper, we propose a novel structure of Space-Air-Ground-Sea integrated networks (SAGSINs) to study and derive the coverage probability (CP) of users who are annotated as surface stations (SSs) on the far-reaching ocean surface that is far away from the coastline. By incorporating different types of relays such as onshore stations (OSs), tethered balloons (TBs), high altitude platforms (HAPs), and satellites (SATs), communication links between the terrestrial core connected base stations (CCBSs) and SSs are established via one of the four types of relay stations. Considering practical scenarios with a random distribution of SSs, we model the channel using the point-to-area model, which is recommended by ITU (for OSs to SS), the Rician model (for TBs or HAPs to SS), and the Shadowed-Rician model (for SATs to SS). When the SS’s distance from the coastline continues to increase from zero, since different channel models are considered, different relay stations will result in specific received signal strengths at SSs. The most powerful relay station will be chosen as the relay at one time. Hence, as we move away from the coastline, the respective strengths of the different types of relay stations vary, and hence, the association preference (among HAPs, OSs, TBs, and SATs) of the SSs changes leading to a CP value high enough even at locations far away from the coastline into the ocean. We analyze the CP using tools from stochastic geometry. Comparisons of CP between the integrated system with four types of relay stations and the single relay station system (only one type of relay station available) are represented. Numerical results verified by Monte-Carlo simulations reveal insights into the applicability of SAGSINs
Suicide and the Hermeneutics of Political and National Community in the Interwar Czechoslovak Republic
No full textAccording to comparative data, suicide rates in Bohemia remained at a statistically high level in comparison to global-figures from the nineteenth-century until late in the twentieth, a matter of grave concern for successive political regimes. In the interwar-republic of Czechoslovakia, patriots were troubled that the high rates of suicide in Bohemia had failed to decline following the transition from the Habsburg empire into the new Czechoslovak state. The article uses sociological works to show how the problem of suicide was negotiated and rationalized in the context of the patriotic culture of the state. This involved eschewing the most compelling explanations of the problem in favor of those better adjusted to the political mood of the times, passing over immediate and apparent problems in favor of explanations that related suicide to the war years or the previous imperial experience. These rationalizations ultimately achieved few concrete solutions, but rather provided an interpretation of the ongoing problem that was compatible with the state-forming patriotism of the day
Irish Ocean Climate and Ecosystem Status Report 2023. Chapter 03: Physical Oceanography.
No full textThis report is intended to summarise the current trends in Ireland’s ocean climate. Use has been made of archived marine data held by a range of organisations to elucidate some of the key trends observed in phenomena such as atmospheric changes, ocean warming, sea level rise, acidification, plankton and fish distributions and abundance, and seabirds. The report aims to summarise the key findings and recommendations in each of these areas as a guide to climate adaptation policy and for the public. It builds on the previous Ocean Climate & Ecosystem Status Report published in 2010. The report examines the recently published literature in each of the topic areas and combines this in many cases with analysis of new data sets including long-term time series to identify trends in essential ocean variables in Irish waters. In some cases, model projections of the likely future state of the atmosphere and ocean are presented under different climate emission scenarios
Investigating the production of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF -a) in 3D hepatocyte and natural killer (NK) cell models.
No full textFinding a Contemporary Voice for Gaelic Art Music in Scotland
No full textThe confluence of Scottish traditional music with contemporary composition is a field of
limited discussion in academic literature despite the increasing interest evident in
performance repertoire and recorded media. This particular confluence is explored in the
research below through a portfolio of new works for various forces with accompanying
contextualisation and commentaries. The contextualisation will build on the research of
John Purser, who traces the developments of both traditional and classical music until
the end of the twentieth century and whose research unearthed the pioneering
compositional synthesis in the music of Erik Chisholm, by addressing the lacuna that
exists in understanding the integration of traditional music with contemporary
composition in works from the past half-century. By surveying scores from within that
period, the emergent devices frequently used by composers will be identified. These
trends (pibroch, Gaelic psalm singing, and ornamentation) will be evaluated by drawing
autoethnographically on the author’s intimate knowledge of traditional music,
subsequently applied in four new compositions. The survey will also inform the author’s
personal critical stance to compositional investigation by understanding the existing
means of achieving such a synthesis. New compositional works will then be presented
which develop a musical confluence using original approaches – thus providing the
potential for much fruitful work in future. Autoethnographic reflection is also employed
in the development of new approaches to notating idiomatic gestures such as
ornamentation, metre, and phrasing. This work will culminate in three umbrella works
which synthesise original, autoethnographically informed material with new-found
compositional approaches established over the course of this research
A Tripartite Smart City Model
No full textLiterary/Dramatic work proposed conceptual model illustrates a holistic vision of urban smartness using an automated text analytics for met synthesis. This model is significant to the ongoing smart cities mission in India