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A relational understanding of strengths-based practice in social work
No full textAlthough principles underlying the concept of strengths-based are not new, approaches to social work grounded in this ethos have emerged as a priority in practice and policy in recent years. There are, though, relatively poor theoretical and empirical evidence bases to guide implementation, the lack of evidence in part due to the theoretical deficit. In this article, we articulate a more robust theoretical basis to strengths-based practice (SBP) from a relational social science perspective. The emergent nature of agents and structures through their relationality is examined. We discuss this understanding regarding (1) identity and authenticity; (2) agency, power, and empowerment, and (3) relational goods to elaborate this relational understanding of strengths-based social work. In doing this, we set more robust theoretical underpinnings for future development and evaluation of SBPs
Crisis and resilience in the Bristol–West India sugar trade, 1783–1802. by Peter Buckles, Liverpool University Press, Liverpool, 2024, xvi + 232 pp, illus., maps, £100 (hardback), ISBN 9781802078831 (Hardcover)
No full textArtivism for cleaner air? An exploration of the artistic representation of “haze” in Southeast Asia
No full textArt has long mediated human-non-human relationships. As anthropogenic environmental change intensifies, a new phenomenon of art-based activism, otherwise known as "artivism”, is emerging, though much of the literature on the topic focuses on Western contexts. Comparing two art exhibitions in Chiang Mai and Kuala Lumpur dedicated to ‘haze' – a recurrent air pollution phenomenon in Southeast Asia – our paper offers the first analysis of the role ‘artivism’ plays in the public environmental discourse in a non-Western context. By examining the curation, artworks (n = 144), and media coverage of these exhibitions, we found that haze artivism simultaneously instigates material, affective, and idealist pathways for driving social change. We show that art has successfully transcended the otherwise seasonal, episodic nature of the haze experience to advocate for environmental action even when skies are clear. The exhibitions create physical, cognitive, and political spaces in which progressive and critical opinions can be voiced publicly. They bridge grassroots environmentalism and mainstream environmental politics in otherwise censored and regulated civil societies in Southeast Asia. We argue that art holds the power to navigate Southeast Asia's challenging landscape in environmental politics, and much could be learnt from the region as climate-hostile politics gain traction internationally
Limits of ChatGPT's conversational pragmatics in a Turing test on ethics, commonsense, and cultural sensitivity
No full textDoes ChatGPT deliver its explicit claim to be culturally sensitive and its implicit claim to be a friendly digital person when conversing with human users? These claims are investigated from the perspective of linguistic pragmatics, particularly Grice's cooperative principle in communication. Following the pattern of real-life communication, turn-taking conversations reveal limitations in the LLM's grasp of the entire contextual setting described in the prompt. The prompts included ethical issues, a hiking adventure, geographical orientation and body movement. For cultural sensitivity the prompts came from a Pakistani Muslim in English language, from a Hindu in English, and from a Chinese in Chinese language. The issues were deeply cultural involving feelings and emotions. Qualitative analysis of the conversation pragmatics showed that ChatGPT is often unable to conduct conversations according to the pragmatic principles of quantity, reliable quality, remaining in focus, and being clear in expression. We conclude that ChatGPT should be promoted as a machine and not a faux human and not be presented as a global LLM but be subdivided into culture-specific modules
Contracts and constraints: how long-term power purchase agreements undermine carbon pricing in India’s electricity sector
No full textMarket-based instruments like carbon pricing are increasingly being adopted in developing countries to mitigate carbon emissions. However, institutional features such as long-term electricity contracts and regulated tariffs may mute their effectiveness. I explore this question in the context of the electric power sector in India, where electricity is transacted primarily via long-term bilateral contracts and state-owned distribution utilities self-schedule contracted power plants to meet their demand. The absence of a centralized and dynamic market-based economic dispatch mechanism generates short-run misallocation in electricity dispatch and distorts long-run investment decisions, such as the incentive to invest in flexible generation capacity and energy storage to complement renewable-based capacity. Using panel data on coal price schedules and monthly plant-level operations from 2012 to 2020, I construct a predicted delivered coal price index to estimate the elasticity of plant utilization with respect to fuel prices. I find that the demand for electricity from coal-fired power plants with a higher share of capacity allocated under long-term bilateral contract(s) is less sensitive to changes in coal prices, implying that the existing market design could erode some of the environmental benefits of carbon pricing
Iran’s ministry of intelligence: a concise history by Steven R. Ward, Washington DC, Georgetown University Press, 2024, 226 pp., 7 figures. US26.95 (paperback), ISBN: 9781647125110
No full textIran's grand strategy: a political history by Vali Nasr, Princeton, NJ, Princeton University Press, 2024, 408 pp., UK£ 30.00 (hardback), ISBN: 9780691268927
No full textBarómetro do poder local
No full textOver time, as democracy was slowly and steadily consolidated, municipalities and parishes became vital actors for implementing local public policies and building territorial cohesion. How do the people rate the quality and effectiveness of local policies? How much confidence do people living in Portugal have in local authorities? What characteristics do voters value most in their choice of a mayor? FFMS has launched a new barometer that looks at what people living in Portugal know, believe and think about local government. Chief among the main conclusions of this research are that the people living in Portugal tend to look positively at local government, particularly outside large towns and cities, and trust in the local authorities and the level of satisfaction with local democracy are higher in non-urban municipalities. However, the data show that civic participation is low: 54% of the people interviewed have never taken part in meetings or events organised by the local authorities. More than half of the people interviewed are in favour of decentralisation and regionalisation, and 62% of them believe that investments and public services should be adapted to regional circumstances and needs. The people interviewed are of the opinion that the mayor is the main symbol of local government: over 60% believe the mayor is the most influential figure when it comes to defining the policies adopted. The barometer also concludes that votes in local elections are more personal than party political. This is because the decisions of the voters are heavily influenced by the performance of the Municipal Council and by the personal characteristics of the candidates, with an emphasis on ethical integrity. This factor was seen to carry more relative weight (27%) in the choice of a mayor
Credit substitution in sustainable finance: an achilles heel?
No full textSustainable finance has become mainstream, with governments and stakeholders relying on financial players/channels to prod real economy firms into addressing environmental and social issues. An overlooked, yet significant problem with this idea is credit substitution—where firms replace their ‘exiting’ creditors or investors. This significantly weakens the effect of ‘exit’ and results in the migration of problems or risks associated with lending and investment to new entrants. This article examines credit substitution in theory and practice, focusing on its implications for sustainable finance. It argues that the current regulatory framework and broader ecosystem for financial institutions worldwide create conditions highly conducive to credit substitution. Key factors include substantial cross-jurisdictional differences in approaches towards sustainable finance among major financial centres and cross-sectoral differences within jurisdictions—particularly in the EU—where sustainable finance regulations vary between bank-based and market-based financing. These conditions undermine the effectiveness of sustainable finance policies. If the aim is to address environmental and social impacts in the real economy, such policies are diluted; alternatively, if focused on managing financial risks associated with lending to and investing in firms causing these impacts, the result is only migration, rather than mitigation, of risks. The article concludes with policy implications