110830 research outputs found
Sort by
Educating Future (Re)Generations : Foregrounding Sustainable More-than-Human Approaches in Design Pedagogy
No full textImproving sustainable education and expertise amongst next generation designers is crucial to redressing our planet’s climate emergency. Unfortunately, the environmental, social and economic importance of studying design remains hugely undervalued. For example, in the UK context, there has been a near 70% decline in pre-college/university pupils choosing design-oriented subjects since 2010. Further, whilst there is a gamut of existing Sustainable Design related pedagogic scholarship, much of it speaks to realising such strategies in commercial and organisational settings, as opposed to embedding said knowledge and skills into educative forums. Using UK undergraduate Design teaching as its context, this paper explores how the interrelated approaches of Regenerative Design and More-than-Human-Centred Design can be harnessed as a substrate for next generation Sustainable Design teaching and learning. The paper argues that by doing so, tutors can begin to pedagogically support students in developing critical, creative proposals that more sustainably and inclusively negotiate the implications of today’s pervasive digital technologies
Queer fantasy economy : Rethinking queerbaiting through Thai Y-series drama and industry
No full textThis article introduces the concept of “queer fantasy economy” as a compelling framework for analyzing the production, representation, and reception of commercially produced queer media. Taking the Thai Y-series drama—a rapidly expanding genre that originated in Thailand and has gained widespread popularity in non-Anglophone regions from Asia to Latin America—as a case study, we examine the recurring allegations of queerbaiting in the transnational fandom. By exploring the intricate dynamics of the Thai Y-series industry, including its queer representation, as well as audience engagement and marketing strategies, we interrogate simplistic critiques of queerbaiting and advocate for more nuanced, contextualized perspectives. The “queer fantasy economy” approach illuminates the interplay between economic imperatives, creative worldmaking, state power, and the affective economies of queer visibility. Ultimately, we argue that “queer fantasy economy” provides a nuanced lens for understanding queer media as an expedient strategy for queer advocacy and representation, and for rethinking queer media’s transformative potential in societies where civic space for gender and sexual diversity is limited or shrinking
Show me the Data
No full textThis comment examines the rapidly evolving ecosystem of historical research data in the United Kingdom, where cultural heritage collections are increasingly digitised, commercialised and fragmented. Historians face growing challenges in discovering, accessing and reusing data as resources move behind paywalls, and repositories remain scattered, without a national infrastructure to ensure long-term preservation or discoverability. Drawing on examples from major digital initiatives, we analyse the life cycle of historical research data and highlight the complex interplay of commercial, institutional and scholarly interests that shape access. We distinguish three types of data that emerge from historians’ typical engagements with digitised collections: derived, enhanced and aggregated data. We argue that historians must actively participate in the practices relating to the creation, maintenance and reuse of such data. This will involve new forms of citation, favouring open datasets, improving digital skills and building communities around shared resources. The comment concludes with proposals to improve discoverability, sustainability and reuse, urging the discipline to establish common standards and infrastructures to secure an equitable data commons for future research
Monitoring amphibians in a changing climate : conservation assessment of Natterjack Toad Epidalea calamita using ecoacoustics
No full textAmphibians are experiencing global population declines, with the Natterjack Toad Epidalea calamita facing significant range contraction and breeding failures across its European range. Effective conservation of this priority species requires robust, long-term monitoring, yet traditional survey methods are often labour-intensive and limited in scope. This study presents the first application of passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) to assess Natterjack Toad breeding activity. Acoustic recorders were deployed at multiple breeding ponds within the Caerlaverock Wetland Centre, Scotland, over three seasons (2022–2024). Acoustic data revealed consistent diel patterns, with peak calling activity around 22:00, and a seasonal peak between late April and mid-May. Interannual variation in calling onset and intensity was observed, likely influenced by temperature and rainfall. Spatial variation in call detections highlighted key breeding sites and local differences in habitat suitability. Due to weather patterns and resourcing limitations, traditional surveys detected minimal evidence of breeding activity, preventing statistical correlation with acoustic data; however, this disparity underscores the value of PAM in detecting presence and breeding behaviour when other methods are constrained. Our findings demonstrate that PAM is a scalable, non-invasive tool capable of capturing fine-scale temporal and spatial patterns in amphibian activity. This approach offers significant potential for long-term monitoring, particularly under changing environmental conditions, and should be integrated into conservation strategies for Natterjack Toad and other threatened amphibians
Greening the Blue Economy : The Turquoise Economy & the Challenges of Sustainable Growth in Small Island Economies
No full textSmall economies face significant growth challenges owing to the constraints imposed by their size. In the decades preceding the 2007-08 global financial crisis and 2020 COVID-19 pandemic however, many successful small economies enjoyed strong growth and rising living standards through specialisation in offshore financial centres and international tourism. These core activities are now under threat owing to their heavy dependence on environmentally-damaging medium- and long-haul airlinks along with the tightening of international regulation on tax havens. The Blue Economy is regarded in certain key international policy circles as a potential growth panacea, particularly for small island economies given their limited potential for diversification. Many of these economies are also islands and therefore guardians of very substantial Economic Exploitation Zones (EEZs); notably, the overseas territories of France, the UK and the US. Increased policy emphasis on promoting Blue Economy activities therefore represents a major threat to remaining pristine oceanic resources and bio-diversity and runs counter to international sustainability efforts – notably Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water) and the ratification of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (the BBNJ Agreement). This chapter provides an original contribution in terms of its analysis of the nexus between the twin objectives of small island economies in achieving sustainable growth while also maintaining living standards for their citizens. It provides a brief overview of current thinking regarding the concept of the Blue Economy and argues that the concept has been compromised and diluted by commercial interests such that it now represents a potential existential threat to environmental sustainability. There is therefore a pressing need for its scope to be ‘greened’ to restore its original environmental objectives to achieve a truly Turquoise economy. Secondary statistical data is used to demonstrate the extent of the EEZs of small island economies, both sovereign and non-sovereign territories of the major metropolitan (former colonial) powers, many of which possess disproportionately large EEZs. As such, they are critically important guardians of both inshore and oceanic marine environments. Some 103 small island economies, 33 sovereign states and 70 non-sovereign territories, are responsible for 39.6% of the global EEZ area, rising to almost 51% when the small island territories’ metropoles are also included. It is argued that small island states and territories, along with their metropoles, have a global responsibility to co-operate and ensure the implementation of a more sustainable Turquoise policy agenda that, at the very least, greens the unsustainable elements of the Blue Economy as it is currently defined. Building upon previous research by the author on the growth challenges of small economies, the chapter demonstrates that these economies are at the forefront of the critical policy dilemma of simultaneously maintaining living standards and ensuring environmental sustainability. While many small island economies have long been conscientious guardians of their extensive EEZs and advocates of environmental sustainability, they are under increasing pressure to monetise their marine resources to assure their future growth and prosperity
Explainer 005 Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Human Employment
No full textIn this explainer, we first focus on Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), specifically its impact on the future of human employment. We begin by describing what GenAI is. We then review news articles on multinational companies that have started or plan to replace jobs with GenAI, followed by implications for Trust, Identity and social resilience. We add a brief section on the knowledge economy, highlighting how GenAI reshapes knowledge-intensive work differently from prior industrial or agrarian automation. We conclude with governance frameworks, compensation models, and other AI forms (Agentic AI, robots, and human-AI teams.)
