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Rooms of light: bearing witness to the Azerbaijani hospitable being
Get PDFThis thesis makes the claim that Azerbaijani ways of life are shaped by deep paradigms of hospitable being, an ontological hospitality. Qonaqpərvərlik, the Azerbaijani concept of ‘hospitality’, is described as a state of co-existence within which hospitable persons entrust one another with preservation of hospitable conditions. These conditions are experienced by Azerbaijanis as a shared commitment to interpersonal attentiveness and availability with the aim of assuring that hospitality roles are possible. Developed within the disciplinary stream of existential anthropology, this work is structured around an anthology of Azerbaijani hospitality encounters, developing and employing the phenomenological methodology of narrated ethnography. The hospitality roles of host, guest and witness, within Azerbaijani ways of hospitality, are described, providing insights into the manner in which Azerbaijanis live invitationally, negotiating needs and capacities within sustained conditions of gracious trust. The mobility of the Azerbaijani hospitable being is presented, revealing a formation of self as one continually on the way towards others. The process of seeking respite from challenges faced by the hospitable being due to experiences such as war and rapid social change, is explored. In the face of these challenges, the role of hospitable witness is shown to be vital for maintaining cohesion and coherence within Azerbaijani ways of hospitality. Attentive co-presence, life lived in faithful observance of others as well as pursuit of opportunities to engage them hospitably, is the unifying function played by the hospitable witness. This written presentation of research is an act of existential witness, to the persons Azerbaijanis are and become in their ways of hospitality, by the person into whom I have been transformed through encounters with these ways. It is based on more than twenty-five years, sharing ways of life with Azerbaijanis, eight of which were spent on this focused research, from 2014-2022
Collective capabilities for organizational democracy: the case of mutual social enterprises
Get PDFDemocratic forms of enterprise and economic governance are needed to help address urgent societal challenges where hierarchical decision-making and governance approaches are clearly failing. There is insufficient understanding, however, of the capabilities needed by enterprises to implement and sustain organizational democracy in pressurised operational contexts. We focus on the role of collective capabilities which arise from interactions between individuals to create collaboration and collective benefits. Interview evidence from 12 mutual social enterprises – organisations that trade with a social purpose – is used to explore the learning processes that underpin the generation of collective capabilities for organizational democracy. The analysis leads us to a theoretical model of collective capabilities development that responds to three fundamental areas of challenge: (i) Adaptive design of governance structures and processes, to balance ‘bottom-up’ democracy with ‘top-down’ stewardship control; (ii) Embedding, extending and revitalizing democracy, by supporting the voice, capabilities and confidence of workers and users to participate in collaborative governance; (iii) Fostering deliberative learning, to navigate tensions and conflict between plural perspectives and achieve collective aims. In concluding, we reflect on some institutional and cultural barriers to organizational democracy and the case for more concerted policy action to realize its potential as a crucial component of economic democracy
Developing, delivering, and evaluating an online course on socially assistive robots in culturally competent and compassionate healthcare: a sequential multiphase, mixed-method study
Get PDFObjective
Artificially intelligent socially assistive robots are a growing technology. There is no evidence-based, theory-informed, open access training targeting health and social care professionals on this advanced technology. This collaborative, international European project – the IENE 10 study – developed, delivered, and evaluated the first Massive Open Online Course on socially assistive robots.
Methods
A sequential mixed-method design with five phases: (1) literature review; (2) development of the Transcultural Robotic Nursing curriculum model from the care ethics principles of cultural competence and compassion; (3) development of modules, learning units, and assessments; (4) choice of the digital platform, e-facilitators’ training, and definition of the evaluation strategy; (5) recruitment campaign. The methodology was collaborative among the six European partner institutions, who all contributed to each phase, from planning to the outputs. All project outputs and MOOC contents were translated into the four languages of the partners.
Results
Training needs identified included: knowledge about social robots’ functionality; how to operate them; legal, ethical, and human rights' issues. The course had four modules: Awareness, Knowledge, Sensitivity and Competence, with four learning units each. E-learners (n = 240) were mostly based in the project partners’ countries and with no previous training on social robots. Graduated e-learners (n = 185) found their knowledge and skills enhanced, both in relation to social robots and cultural competence. The learning units and the overall quality of the course were rated between good and excellent.
Conclusions
The IENE 10 project pioneeringly addressed the training needs of health and social care professionals in the era of AI social robots. The collaborative and sequentially phased design proved useful in the integration of a care ethics model. This work reflects the holistic approach needed for preparing professionals for the complexities of contemporary healthcare
‘I had no choice’: adult neutralisation of online sexual engagement with children
Get PDFThis study explores sexual contact between adults and minors on live internet chat websites like Omegle using the five-point framework of neutralisation to better understand how this behaviour is justified and rationalised by adult participants in such acts. A thematic content analysis was performed based on a sample of 100 requests for advice posted by anonymous users on two open-source platforms from legal professionals. These requests were all from unidentifiable adults. The key themes identified were ‘denial and minimisation of responsibility’, ‘the motivated poster’, ‘awareness of behaviour’, ‘child sexual abuse (CSA)’, and ‘content moderation and censorship’. The results highlight several processes of blame-shifting and neutralisation that are commonly used by adults when describing incidences of sexual contact with minors on Omegle. It enhances our understanding of sexual interactions occurring on live chat platforms, including those that are harmful and illegal, and presents opportunities for proactive intervention and moderation
Action learning in higher education: reflections on facilitating AL in leadership development programmes
Get PDFThis account of practice offers reflections and insights on facilitating Action Learning (AL) in Leadership Programmes within the Higher Education context. The account shares our reflections and key observations as practitioner academics, facilitating AL Sets within three higher education leadership programmes. We draw on our knowledge and expertise as facilitators of learning and development in the AL and leadership space. Our reflections have highlighted two key themes in our facilitation experience. First, autonomy of learning and the significance of AL participants’ voice. Second, creating a shift from task-focus to people-focus through use of metaphor and visualisation as a means of enquiry. This account will be of relevance to practitioner and academics engaged in leadership development and those involved in the facilitation of AL who may consider adopting AL as a part of a managerial leadership programme
Firefly algorithm for movable antenna arrays
Get PDFThis letter addresses a multivariate optimization problem for linear movable antenna arrays (MAAs). Particularly, the position and beamforming vectors of the under-investigated MAA are optimized simultaneously to maximize the minimum beamforming gain across several intended directions, while ensuring interference levels at various unintended directions remain below specified thresholds. To this end, a swarm-intelligence-based firefly algorithm (FA) is introduced to acquire an effective solution to the optimization problem. Simulation results reveal the superior performance of the proposed FA approach compared to the state-of-the-art approach employing alternating optimization and successive convex approximation. This is attributed to the FA's effectiveness in handling non-convex multivariate and multimodal optimization problems without resorting approximations
Using ratio data in strength and conditioning: component parts hold the key
Get PDFIn strength and conditioning, ratio data are made up of more than one component part and are now commonplace in both research and practice, with an abundance of metrics from strength and jump testing being used as part of the ongoing monitoring process. Given these data have been utilised for many years, their inherent issues may not be obvious to all practitioners. However, ratio data often exhibit greater measurement error than their individual component parts. In addition, monitoring alterations in ratio data also presents challenges, given there is more than one way that the resultant test score can change. This brief review provides some practical examples to illustrate these challenges, but also some viable solutions to guide practitioners on how the concurrent monitoring of ratios and their component parts can help guide decision-making in day-to-day practice
Growing mycelium leather: a paste substrate approach with post-treatments
Get PDFThis research investigates a novel method for cultivating mycelium-based leather substitutes using a carefully formulated paste consistency substrate. The primary objectives are to enhance nutrient availability, facilitate scalability, and streamline cultivation processes. The study spans a 21-day cultivation period, during which a flower-based medium is employed, eliminating the need for labor-intensive harvesting techniques. Two fungal species, Ganoderma lucidum (rishi) and Pleurotus djamor (pink oyster) are tested to assess their compatibility with the growth method. These species were chosen based on their rapid colonization rates and inherent resilience. The investigation delves into various combinations of crosslinking agents, including glycerol (a plasticizer), commercial tanner, citric acid, and magnesium sulfate. The effects of these agents on tensile strength are compared and qualitative data is analyzed through the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and stereo microscopy. Furthermore, the study explores the fabrication potential of non-woven textiles derived from mycelium, emphasizing their suitability as eco-friendly leather alternatives. Scaled prototypes are highlighted to demonstrate their feasibility. Post-treatment processes, such as dyeing with bio-based dyes and acrylic leather paint, are evaluated for their aesthetic impact. The research contributes a biodegradable material alternative that addresses the environmental challenges of high textile consumption. The findings add to the growing body of sustainable design methods in the realm of leather-like materials in bio-design
Breast cancer risk and prevention in 2024: An overview from the Breast Cancer UK ‐ Breast Cancer Prevention Conference
Get PDFThe Breast Cancer UK—Breast Cancer Prevention Conference addressed risk from environmental pollutants and health behaviour-related breast-cancer risk. Epidemiological studies examining individual chemicals and breast cancer risk have produced inconclusive results including endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) Bisphenol A, per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances as well as aluminium. However, laboratory studies have shown that multiple EDCs, can work together to exhibit effects, even when combined at levels that alone are ineffective. The TEXB-α/β assay measures total estrogenic load, and studies have provided evidence of a link between multiple-chemical exposures and breast cancer. However, prospective studies using TEXB-α/β are needed to establish a causative link. There is also a need to assess real-life exposure to environmental-chemical mixtures during pregnancy, and their potential involvement in programming adverse foetal health outcomes in later life.
Higher rates of breast cancer have occurred alongside increases in potentially-modifiable risk factors such as obesity. Increasing body-mass index is associated with increased risk of developing postmenopausal breast cancer, but with decreased risk of premenopausal breast cancer. In contrast, lower rates of breast cancer in Asian compared to Western populations have been linked to soya/isoflavone consumption. Risk is decreased by breastfeeding, which is in addition to the decrease in risk observed for each birth and a young first-birth. Risk is lower in those with higher levels of self-reported physical activity. Current evidence suggests breast-cancer survivors should also avoid weight gain, be physically active, and eat a healthy diet for overall health.
A broad scientific perspective on breast cancer risk requires focus on both environmental exposure to chemicals and health behaviour-related risk. Research into chemical exposure needs to focus on chemical mixtures and prospective epidemiological studies in order to test the effects on breast cancer risk. Behaviour-related research needs to focus on implementation as well as deeper understanding of the mechanisms of cancer prevention
'Andy' to Its Friends
No full textThe speculative poem ''Andy' to Its Friends' was written by A. J. Dalton and published in issue 18 of Edinburgh Napier University's Consilience Journal. The theme of issue 18 was 'Consciousness'