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The implementation and enforcement of international human rights law: reflections on the drafting history of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
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Sensegiving in multicultural contexts: the role of cultural chameleonizing in the implementation of Mauritius's light rail transit system
Get PDFRecently, scholars have begun studying positive examples of public governance (Douglas et al., 2021). By disclosing mechanisms that create public value (Moore, 1995, 2013), insights that transcend negativity in public administration studies can be of theoretical and practical relevance. Such insights can inform diverse public sector organizations delivering public services (Compton et al., 2022). Effective stakeholder involvement throughout the service delivery chain is usually considered an important factor in achieving positive outcomes for the public (Hartley and Fletcher, 2008). However, stakeholder involvement can be challenging as interests diverge enormously (Hartley and Fletcher, 2008). Moreover, the “public” throughout public value creation cannot be considered as one single actor when, in reality, it represents many different opinions (Moore, 2014). As underlined by Calhoun (1997: 84), we operate in a “sphere of publics” in the plural sense of the word.
In postcolonial country settings, the conceptualization of the “public” is even more complex. Many of these countries are characterized by multi-ethnic societies. European and North American societies are also becoming increasingly diverse due to worldwide immigration flows (Berry and Sam, 2014). This circumstance deserves attention when introducing public projects that aim to address, for example, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely SDG 11 on creating sustainable cities and communities. By equally addressing all involved cultural groups, project developers are better positioned to gain acceptance from relevant stakeholders (Dines et al., 2021).
Therefore, SDGs’ successful co-achievement across the globe requires a constructive handling of multicultural configurations (Kaasila-Pakanen, 2015). Sensegiving – the influencing of people’s sensemaking in uncertain situations toward a preferred outcome (Maitlis and Christianson, 2014) – has been identified as a crucial communication strategy for achieving development goals (Hong et al., 2023; Kroeger et al., 2022). However, studies on sensegiving tactics, which can be applied by public managers striving for positive public outcomes (Ohemeng and Kamga, 2020; Robert and Ola, 2021), have usually implied a culturally neutral audience. Literature on multicultural communication, nevertheless, highlights that such settings require special attention (Brett et al., 2009; Day, 2007). Understanding how sensegiving succeeds in multicultural contexts is still underdeveloped. Thus, we study sensegiving in a multicultural context in the core societal makeup of an African case study as a positive feature in handling a public project initially met with contentious views.
We address this theoretical gap by studying the applied stakeholder management process used for implementation of Mauritius’s recent Metro Express Project (MEP). The MEP is a pertinent case study not only due to its success in accelerating the use of greener public transport on the island but also because of the successful sensegiving approach by Metro Express Limited’s (MEL) staff members in a country where “cultural diversity is part of [its] self-image” (Ng Tseung-Wong, 2018: 176). By abductively theorizing from this case based on a combination of different qualitative data (Eisenhardt, 1989; Gioia, Corley, and Hamilton, 2013; Yin, 2017), we identify the role of cultural chameleonizing as a crucial strategy for dealing with multiculturalism when tackling SDGs through sensegiving practices. Our study provides insights on sensegiving in multicultural contexts, which are valuable for research focusing on mechanisms that can lead to positive public outcomes (see also Barboza-Wilkes and Le, Chapter 20 in this volume for a discussion of cultural competency in public service design and delivery)
Artificial intelligence and machine learning-based decision support system for forecasting electric vehicles' power requirement
Get PDFIncreasing pollution is causing adverse environmental effects, leading to increased interest in combating this issue. There has been a significant interest in minimizing the pollution caused by combustion engine vehicles, with high research and development investments in hybrid and electric vehicle (EV) batteries. The innovations in EVs have a high potential to contribute to an optimized transportation sector while also playing a crucial role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This study contributes to the EV industry by precisely predicting the power demand at a particular charging station and identifying the optimal charging station characteristics. We proposed a modified business process based on digital technologies to maximize customer engagement and operational efficiency. Our research has incorporated technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). This study addresses the issues of EV infrastructure facilities, the issues raised by the lack of service features for EVs, and the optimal power requirement for charging stations. The proposed framework has managerial and technological implications, suggesting that the system must promptly receive, store, and analyze substantial volumes of data and demonstrate adaptability in response to environmental factors, such as the availability of EVs and the utilization of renewable energy sources. Despite the challenges, there is potential promise in developing decision assistance systems for electric vehicle power demands based on AI and ML
An exploration of the experience of minoritised ethnic nurse academics in UK higher education institutions
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Studies suggest that British universities may not be meritocratic and inclusive institutions for all, especially for black female academics. They face barriers such as pay discrepancies, gendered racism, microaggressions, and under-representation in senior positions, leading to marginalisation and career stagnation. Limited research exists on the experiences of black minoritised1 nurse academics and unique challenges within nursing faculties may impact their experiences.
Aims
The study aims to investigate the experiences of female minoritised nurse academics in UK higher education institutions (HEIs), focusing on racial discrimination, power dynamics, and the impact on their careers and well-being. It will explore how gender, ethnicity, nursing faculty culture, and migrant status intersect with these experiences.
Methodology
A snowball sampling technique was used to identify and recruit eleven academics, ten females and one male, from minoritised backgrounds in the UK. Data was obtained using in-depth interviews between 2017 and 2018. A narrative research methodology using a dialogic/performance approach was used to analyse the data and capture the experiences and significance attributed to them by the participants. Critical Race Theory (CRT) was used to understand and make sense of the participant’s stories.
Findings
The findings align with research on black minoritised academics' challenges in UK HEIs. Many participants faced a combination of oppressions, with racial and gender discrimination being the two main intersecting issues. This led to feelings of exclusion, fatigue, and a lack of career progression, as well as evidence of racial trauma. Despite these challenges, the participants showed resilience and strength, using effective coping mechanisms such as impression management and building cultural and social capital through internal and external networks, allies, and personal resilience to succeed in higher education. A few participants did share positive experiences of receiving support from HEIs and seeing progress in their careers.
Conclusions
The findings of this research study provide invaluable insights into the previously unexplored experiences of Black minoritised female nurse academics in the UK. Additionally, the findings advance our understanding of racial microaggressions and racial trauma theories, as these theories do not currently address how these concepts manifest within the context of nursing disciplines in HEIs in the UK. Furthermore, using a dialogic/performance methodology, the voices of these participants were amplified. The findings suggest that HEIs must incorporate anti-racist education that exposes the structures and processes perpetuating inequality and maintaining white privilege. This will empower individuals to advocate for a more just and equitable culture for all
Parkinson disease prediction using improved crayfish optimization based hybrid deep learning
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Predicting the course of Parkinson's disease is essential for prompt diagnosis and treatment, which may enhance patient outcomes.
Objective
This study presents a novel method for Parkinson's disease prediction using freely accessible resources. The suggested approach starts with band-pass filter data preprocessing and uses Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) for feature extraction. Then, for classification, these features are supplied into an Attention-based Efficient Bidirectional Network (ImCfO_Attn_EffBNet) based on Improved Crayfish Optimization. EfficientNet-B7, BiLSTM, and Attention modules are integrated by ImCfO_Attn_EffBNet to effectively gather temporal and geographic data.
Methods
Additionally, we use the Improved Crayfish Optimization (ImCfO) algorithm to maximize convergence rates, optimize the loss function, and find the global best solutions.
Results
ImCfO enhances performance by adding a self-adaptation criterion to the traditional crayfish algorithm. The classifier's configurable parameters are adjusted using the ImCfO resultant solution, which raises the prediction accuracy overall.
Conclusion
Based on a number of assessments, the ImCfO_Attn_EffBNet analyzed the performance and found that the results were as follows: accuracy (95.068%), recall (92.948%), specificity (92.89%), F-Score (92.89%), precision (92.89%), and FPR (2.1%), in that order
Responding to ‘wicked problems’: policy and governance on drug-related deaths in English and Welsh prisons, 2015-2021
Get PDFBackground: Prison settings have been neglected in the growing literature on drug-related deaths. This paper explores policy and practice issues regarding the governance of drug-related deaths in prisons in England and Wales from 2015-2021.
Methods: Thematic documentary analysis was conducted on national level policy documents published between 2015-2021 (e.g. drug strategies, prison policy documents, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons and Prison and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) annual reports and guidance for staff). At the local (prison) level, all of the PPO fatal investigation reports and their associated action plans relating to 171 drug-related deaths from 2015-2021 were analysed thematically. Various modes of governance were identified using Head’s ‘wicked problems’ conceptual framework including avoidance and denial, coercive controls, compartmentalised micro-management, incremental and pragmatic adjustment and technocratic problem-solving.
Results: There was strong evidence of the dominance of denial of the problem of drug-related deaths, coercive controls, micro-management and reliance on technological solutions in the early years (2015-2018). In some prisons, there developed a move towards the adoption of more pragmatic and incremental policies and push towards comprehensive policies over time. In others, remnants of denial and coercion remained. In our analysis, the focus on new psychoactive substances came to dominate attention, to the relative neglect of other substances and of the contribution of mental and physical illness to these deaths. Staff are not equipped, supported or resourced adequately to deal with the two ‘wicked problems’ of increasing rates of drug use and mental illness which collide in the prison setting.
Conclusion: The PPO investigations repeatedly recommend reducing supply and improving monitoring and surveillance and the emergency response. There is less focus on prevention and reducing demand or improving the wider environmental context and culture in which the deaths occur. Policy needs to pay more attention to the fundamental issues driving the current deterioration in conditions in prisons
The politics of transition: Innovative place-making and alternative development models under English localism
No full textThis book explores the impact of recent planning reforms on emergent, alternative models of local governance. It uses the pioneering approach of Frome in Somerset, UK to showcase development and governance alternatives in a post-Brexit landscape. It investigates the role of planning in contributing to sustainable development under localism, and examines how key actors have used the Neighbourhood Planning process to put forward niche, community-based development futures. In doing so, the book offers valuable methodological, empirical and theoretical contributions to wider debates concerning transition, placemaking, local politics and planning. It will appeal to all those interested in public policy and governance
Authentic assessment training for university teachers
Get PDFA training course grounded in the principles of authentic assessment was implemented with 24 academics from two Chilean universities. Through a single-group pre-test/post-test design, the change in the evaluated parameters was analysed to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the conducted training. By the end of the course, the assessments were more contextualised, requiring the application of analysis and transfer skills, aligning with the competencies outlined in the graduation profile. Teachers included more open-ended questions focused on knowledge construction and fewer closed-response questions that required memorisation. Additionally, they reduced their beliefs about teaching as transmitting information, and the idea of provoking conceptual change in their students grew. This study shows that training in authentic assessment facilitates a change in the teacher’s beliefs about teaching and assessment, towards teaching focused on conceptual change and assessment for and as learning. It also promotes the transformation of assessment instruments to be more realistic, challenging, and feedback-oriented
Demonspace
No full text'Demonspace' is a speculative poem (dark sci-fi) by A J Dalton that appeared in the Fall 2024 (47.4) issue of Star*Line journal, the leading title of the Science Fiction Poetry Association (SFPA). The poems 'Technorati', 'Digital Desire', 'The Nekra', 'Unwind' and 'Surface Tension', also by A J Dalton, appeared in previous issues