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Byline: Bar & Bench The Gender, Law, and Social Change Initiative pleased to announce a call for submissions for the September 2021 issue of its blog. We are interested but [...]

Byline: Bar & Bench The Gender, Law, and Social Change Initiative is pleased to announce a call for submissions for its blog for the August 2021 issue. About The Organisation [...]

A researcher from the University of Turin has published a paper exploring the relationship between conspiracy theories and enchantment. The paper argues that conspiracy theories can be understood as a form of sense-making and that comparing them to religion and magic does not necessarily imply irrationality. The researcher examines Max Weber's concept of enchantment and disenchantment to develop a non-normative understanding of enchantment. The paper also applies this understanding to analyze conspiracy-based accounts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The full article can be accessed for free through the Genealogy journal website. [Extracted from the article]

This document provides a list of books on various topics related to social justice and activism. The books cover a range of subjects, including changing the world in quiet ways, pursuing racial justice, fostering spiritual kinship and community, building the future in the present, grassroots community-building, and constructive conflicts in America. Each book offers unique perspectives and strategies for creating positive change in society. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: India has the biggest number of active users on social media platforms, particularly Twitter. The purpose of this paper is to examine public sentiment on COVID-19 vaccines and COVID Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) by text mining (topic modeling) and network analysis supported by thematic modeling. Design/methodology/approach: A sample dataset of 115,000 tweets from the Twitter platform was used to examine the perception of the COVID-19 vaccination and CAB from January 2021 to August 2021. The research applied a machine-learning algorithm and network analysis to extract hidden and latent patterns in unstructured data to identify the most prevalent themes. The COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Amplification Model was formulated, which included five key topics based on sample big data from social media. Findings: The identified themes are Social Media Adaptivity, Lack of Knowledge Providing Mechanism, Perception of Vaccine Safety Measures, Health Care Infrastructure Capabilities and Fear of Coronavirus (Coronaphobia). The study implication assists communication strategists and stakeholders design effective communication strategies using digital platforms. The study reveals CAB themes as with Mask Wearing Issues and Employment Issues as relevant themes discussed on digital channels. Research limitations/implications: The themes extracted in the present study provide a roadmap for policy-makers and communication experts to utilize social media platforms for communicating and understanding the perception of preventive measures of vaccination and CAB. As evidenced by the increased engagement on social media platforms during the COVID-19-induced lockdown, digital platforms are indeed valuable from the communication perspective to be proactive in the event of a similar situation. Moreover, significant themes, including social media adaptivity, absence of knowledge-providing mechanism and perception of safety measures of the vaccine, are the critical parameters leading to an amplified effect on vaccine hesitancy. Practical implications: The COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Amplification Themes (CVHAT) equips stakeholders and government strategists with a preconfigured paradigm to tackle dedicated communication campaigns and assess digital community behavior during health emergencies COVID-19. Social implications: The increased acceptance of vaccines and the following of CAB decrease the advocacy of mutation of the virus and promote the healthy being of the people. As CAB has been mentioned as a preventive strategy against the COVID-19 pandemic, the research preposition promotes communication intervention which helps to mitigate future such pandemics. As developing, economies require effective communication strategies for vaccine acceptance and CAB, this study contributes to filling the gap using a digital environment. Originality/value: Chan et al. (2020) recommended using social media platforms for public knowledge dissemination. The study observed that the value of a communication strategy is increased when communication happens using highly trusted and accessible channels such as Twitter and Facebook. With the preceding context, the present study is a novel approach to contribute toward digital communication strategies related to vaccination and CAB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the recent losses in the art world in 2023. It highlights the passing of artist John Olsen, whose final retrospective was displayed on the sails of the Sydney Opera House. Olsen was known for his depictions of the Australian landscape and was considered one of the country's greatest living painters. The article also mentions the contributions of photographer Ans Westra, who documented the lives and cultures of New Zealanders during a period of social change. Lastly, it discusses the work of artist Ms N. Marawili, who created innovative and powerful pieces that defied traditional Yolŋu art conventions. [Extracted from the article]

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) describe a course of action to address poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all (https://sdgs.un.org/goals). More specifically, SDG 6 clarifies how water quality, quantity and access are crucial to human well-being, and yet human activities are compromising water resources through over-exploitation, pollution, as well as contributing to the spread of disease. Globally aquatic ecosystems are highly threatened and concerted efforts by governments and civil society to 'turn the situation around' are simply not working. Human-created problems require human-centred solutions and these require different ways of thinking and acting to those behaviour patterns that are contributing to the challenges. In this paper, we first consider causal approaches to attitude change and behaviour modification that are simply not working as intended. We then explore enabling responses such as citizen science and co-engaged action learning as more tenable alternatives. SDG 6 has a focus on clean water and sanitation for all. The SDGs further clarify how the extent to which this goal can be realized depends, to a large extent, on stakeholder engagements and education. Through stakeholder engagements and educational processes, people can contribute towards SDG 6 and the specific indicator and target in SDG 6.b - Stakeholder participation. Following a three-year research process, that investigated a wide range of participatory tools, this paper explores how the Stream Assessment Scoring System (miniSASS; www.minisass.org) can enable members of the public to engage in water quality monitoring at a local level. The paper continues to demonstrate how miniSASS can contribute to the monitoring of progress towards Sustainable Development Goal Target 6.3, by providing a mechanism for data collection indicator 6.3.2. miniSASS is proving popular in southern Africa as a methodology for engaging stakeholder participation in water quality monitoring and management. The technique costs very little to implement and can be applied by children and scientists alike. As a biomonitoring approach, it is based on families of macroinvertebrates that are present in most perennial rivers of the world. The paper concludes by describing how useful the miniSASS technique can be for addressing data gaps for SDG 6.3.2 reporting, and that it can be applied in most regions of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to explore the use of evolutionary and institutionalization models to understand the technical progression of sustainability in political organizations and their contribution to sustainable effectiveness. It describes the evolution of mass media, political marketing, in the organization's strategy and design and the methods it is using to institutionalize this political and transition change. Design/methodology/approach: The study describes models of sustainability evolution and political and technical change, in political and social life in transition state Montenegro. Findings: Online and internet presentations of political programs, political blogs, sites that promote the national history and culture of the desired perception – the achievements have already risen in Montenegro in the first decade of the new millennium and beyond. Internet presentation of political subjects are reduced mainly to a brief presentation of history and of political parties, and mostly during the current election campaign, serving to inform the public about the program and promotion announcements. Originality/value: The findings of this study will help senior executives with responsibility for transition states. The aim of this paper is to show the transformation of the media during the transition period from one political system to another. With the use of descriptive methodological postulates and numerous case studies. With a wealth of facts and examples, which contributes to the originality and value of the article. The significance and originality of this research and article is reflected in a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to the transition process and quantitative and qualitative development of the media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A report from San Diego State University discusses the growing importance of working from home (WFH) during the Covid-19 pandemic and its expected continued relevance even after the pandemic. The report highlights the benefits of WFH, such as flexible work schedules and reduced commuting. It also emphasizes the need to study WFH as an economic and social change, considering its effects on productivity, well-being, job amenities, and the environment. The research concludes that certain aspects of WFH, such as its impact on the environment, have received relatively less attention and should be further explored. [Extracted from the article]

In social dilemmas, most interactions are transient and susceptible to restructuring, leading to continuous changes in social networks over time. Typically, agents assess the rewards of their current interactions and adjust their connections to optimize outcomes. In this paper, we introduce an adaptive network model in the snowdrift game to examine dynamic levels of cooperation and network topology, involving the potential for both the termination of existing connections and the establishment of new ones. In particular, we define the agent's asymmetric disassociation tendency toward their neighbors, which fundamentally determines the probability of edge dismantlement. The mechanism allows agents to selectively sever and rewire their connections to alternative individuals to refine partnerships. Our findings reveal that adaptive networks are particularly effective in promoting a robust evolution toward states of either pure cooperation or complete defection, especially under conditions of extreme cost-benefit ratios, as compared to static network models. Moreover, the dynamic restructuring of connections and the distribution of network degrees among agents are closely linked to the levels of cooperation in stationary states. Specifically, cooperators tend to seek broader neighborhoods when confronted with the invasion of multiple defectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the impostor phenomenon among social justice allies in the workplace. The authors propose that characteristics of social justice work can lead to feelings of impostorism among allies. The study examines the prevalence of impostorism and its links to mental health and workplace outcomes. The findings suggest that some allies may experience higher levels of depressive symptoms and anxiety due to impostorism, while others may have lower levels of psychological safety, work efficacy, and job satisfaction. This research highlights the potential barriers to sustained allyship in organizations. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on the evolving role of priests in contemporary Church leadership and preaching. Topics include the challenges faced by modern clergy due to changing ecclesial contexts, the importance of adapting pastoral strategies to new cultural realities, and the need for effective disciple-making in a rapidly transforming world.

The article focuses on person's pain in the hope of inspiring such a sense of outrage that societal change follows and garish voyeurism that places viewers and readers in the pit of the mob. It mentions particular opportunity for communicating not only the visceral horror of suffering, as photography does, but also the immediate empathy of being. It also mentions a book "Strange Bodies" as an attempt to confront that dissonance of being separate bodies.

The literature on opinion dynamics lacks consideration of the changing states of nodes during the process of opinion interaction, as observed in the literature on social networks. To address this gap, this paper proposes an adapted three-dimensional Deffuant–Weisbuch model based on the Susceptible Infected Recovered (SIR) model, which explores the impact of node state changes on opinion interaction. We incorporate the SIR model to describe changes in node state and improve the trust threshold by taking into account nodes' emotional factor, cognitive ability, and state of the arts. The model is also modified using the opinion natural evolution coefficient and accounts for dynamic changes in social network structure. We validate our model with different network types and structures, and verify our results using the Louvain algorithm and index of centrality. Our model reveals that under different network types and structures, multiple opinion cliques are formed, and the opinions of ordinary nodes tend to converge around those of opinion leaders, indicating the guiding role of opinion leaders in shaping public opinion. [Display omitted] • 3-dimension DW model integrates SIR to nodes-changing states on opinion interaction. • Offering a more realistic representation of opinion dynamics in social networks. • Trust threshold for nuanced understanding emotional factors, cognitive abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Perspektiven ds. Zeitschrift für Gesellschaftsanalyse und Reformpolitik is the property of Schueren Verlag GmbH and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

As various opinions and thoughts of users are shared on social media, various events can be detected through social media data analysis. The graph-based event detection scheme may eliminate event duplication detection by clustering words related to an event. In this paper, we propose a graph-based event detection scheme for detecting various events in the real world through social media analysis. The proposed scheme expresses the simultaneous occurrence of words mentioned with an event in graph form. Therefore, it can convey the information about the detected event and avoid duplicate detection. A keyword graph is constructed and keywords related to an event are clustered by analyzing the collected social data. By considering user interest calculated through changes in social activities of users on social media, the proposed scheme can detect event results that receive more responses from users and improve the reliability of the results by excluding indiscriminate advertisements or malicious posts from the results. We assign a weight to the generated keyword graph by considering user interest and calculate an event detection coefficient to determine the event values of the candidate event graphs. We perform various evaluations to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practitioner-led and system-led factors such as trivialisation of symptoms by general practitioners, non cancer-specific referrals, and lack of cancer screening facilities accounted for a major part of delay after the formal help seeking. Keywords: Bengaluru; India; Asia; Cancer; Cancer Prevention; Diagnostics and Screening; Gender Health; Gender and Health; Health and Medicine; Oncology; Risk and Prevention; Women's Health EN Bengaluru India Asia Cancer Cancer Prevention Diagnostics and Screening Gender Health Gender and Health Health and Medicine Oncology Risk and Prevention Women's Health 204 204 1 10/09/23 20231009 NES 231009 2023 OCT 9 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Cancer Vaccine Week -- New research on Cancer is the subject of a report. [Extracted from the article]

Keywords: Bengaluru; India; Asia; Cancer; Cancer Prevention; Diagnostics and Screening; Gender Health; Gender and Health; Health and Medicine; Oncology; Risk and Prevention; Women's Health EN Bengaluru India Asia Cancer Cancer Prevention Diagnostics and Screening Gender Health Gender and Health Health and Medicine Oncology Risk and Prevention Women's Health N.PAG N.PAG 1 10/09/23 20231010 NES 231010 2023 OCT 10 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Cannabis & Marijuana News -- New research on Cancer is the subject of a report. The practitioner-led and system-led factors such as trivialisation of symptoms by general practitioners, non cancer-specific referrals, and lack of cancer screening facilities accounted for a major part of delay after the formal help seeking. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: How to realize social capital "exit from virtual to real" has become not only a hot issue that elicited economists' and the practice field's concern but also a key economic structure problem that the government has to solve urgently. The main purpose of this study is to explore effective methods for social capital to "exit from virtual to real". Design/methodology/approach: The study investigates the realization path of social capital's "exit from virtual to real" by using firm theory and data from the National Bureau of Statistics in China. Provincial panel data are also utilized to empirically test the impact of social capital's de-realization to virtual (or from virtual to real) on economic development and whether the path of social capital "from virtual to real" is valid. Findings: This study analyzes the development status of social funds serving the real economy and the hazards of social funds' "exit from real to virtual," which are mainly viewed as eroding the development of the real economy and causing operating difficulties. On the basis of firm theory, the internal motivation for why social funds flow to the real economy is explored from the perspectives of the needs of the real economy, price and profit. Moreover, this study designs a path for returning social capital to the real economy. Practical implications: Overall, expanding aggregate demand while providing an effective supply and implementing a proactive fiscal policy that focuses on structural tax cuts while keeping margins in the virtual economy are appropriate for promoting the competitiveness of the real economy. Originality/value: This study explores a topic, namely, social capital "exit from virtual to real," that has received little attention. It provides an in-depth discussion of the following questions. (1) What is the current situation of social capital serving the real economy? (2) What kind of harm can social capital bring to society? What are the inherent barriers to the flow of social capital to the real economy? (3) At this stage, how can the effective transformation of social capital into the real economy be realized? The findings help in understanding the sustainable entrepreneurship concept, particularly in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A feedback-driven model of message propagation based on the classical SIR model is proposed. • The feedback mechanism affects the structure of the social network, making the network nodes more closely connected. • The level of trust between strangers is one of the most important factors affecting the spread of messages. This paper focuses on the role of feedback mechanism on message propagation. In this paper, we study the effect of feedback on message propagation in terms of both the motivation of the communicator to propagate the message and the trust of the message recipient in the communicator, and we design a decay mechanism of motivation based on Newton's cooling law. Based on these considerations, we propose a model of message propagation based on the feedback mechanism. We verify the effect of feedback on message propagation by performing numerical simulations in the Watts-Strogatz (WS) and Barabasi-Albert (BA) networks. The simulation results show that the feedback mechanism leads to faster and more persistent message propagation and that the degree of influence on message propagation varies across different network structures. The simulation also results show that the feedback mechanism changes the structure of the social network and makes the nodes between the networks more closely connected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the rich and complex history of Black Music, tracing its roots from Africa to its profound influence on American music. Topics include the evolution of Black Music through historical and cultural changes, the ongoing efforts to recognize and appreciate Black American Music, and the perspectives of various musicians on the terminology and significance of Black Music.

The article focuses on Yoko Ono's retrospective at the Tate Modern, highlighting her multidimensional artistry over nearly six decades, particularly emphasizing her use of moving-image works to engage viewers in thought-provoking experiences. Topics include the immersive nature of Ono's installations, her exploration of fundamental human experiences through film, and the contextualization of her art within the backdrop of her upbringing, artistic influences, and societal changes.

The article focuses on the role of media in political socialization and its impact on society. Topics include examines it highlights that mass media plays a crucial role in creating political awareness and encouraging participation in the democratic process; and considered the media, including television, radio, and print, provides information about political developments on national and international levels.

Karen Aird is Manager of Culture and Heritage at First Peoples' Cultural Council (FPCC), and we are delighted that she was able to spend time with us to talk about how climate change is impacting, or will impact, Indigenous cultural heritage in BC. BC First Nation communities can apply for HSP funds for projects specific to understanding and mitigating climate change. The funding provided by the First Peoples' Cultural Council and First Nation Land Management Resources Centre is crucial in our long-term work to create a safer, sacred historical cemetery that allows us to protect, honour, and show respect to those who are buried there. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the evolving expectations of library patrons over the past two decades and how libraries have adapted to meet these changing needs. The authors emphasize the importance of understanding and responding to these shifts, particularly in the context of rapid technological advancements and societal changes.

The article shares rediscoveries about revolutionary Nihilism and romantic sentiment. Topics discussed are division between traditional conventional and communistic young intellectuals, Nihilist as a term of honor to the young generation of would-be reformers with patriotic aspirations, principles of social equality and Communism as foundations of Nihilism, and romantic sentiment as an obstacle to the progress of humanity and radical change of system.

The behaviours we have seen - and continue to see, if our recent conference failure reflects wider trends - indicate that covid-19 lockdowns forced a kind of reverse cultural evolutionary process. Views RECENTLY, some colleagues of mine put on a public health conference. In a way, the covid-19 lockdowns were a large-scale experiment in what happens to our culturally transmitted norms when we enforce physical separation from others. [Extracted from the article]

Researchers from Washington University have developed a framework for assessing the impact of gender-transformative programs in global health. The framework identifies four key dimensions: multiplicative effect, sustainability, spread, and scalability. By aligning program design and evaluation with these dimensions, the framework aims to measure genuine progress and systemic transformation, rather than just individual-level change. This standardized approach provides a way to assess the effectiveness of gender-transformative programs in promoting gender equality and challenging restrictive gender norms. [Extracted from the article]

A new report from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute explores the nutritional transition of food consumption in four regions of Senegal. The research highlights the homogenization of diet and the shift towards increased uniformity in food choices in African countries due to rapid social and economic changes. The study emphasizes the importance of collecting oral narratives on foodways and studying the impact of these changes in different African contexts. The findings reveal that food consumption patterns have become more homogeneous over the past few decades, with increased reliance on vegetable oil and refined staple grains in Senegalese villages. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study conducted by Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine examined the acceptance of the Advocacy Core Group (ACG) program in promoting integrated social and behavior change for maternal, newborn, child health, and nutrition (MNCH+N) in Nigeria. The study found that participants who were exposed to the ACG program reported a perceived change in behavior regarding exclusive breastfeeding, antenatal care visits, family planning, and malaria prevention. However, the study also identified potential barriers, such as perceived disapproval of key behaviors by network partners, which could hinder behavior adoption and the success of the ACG model. The researchers suggest that interventions like the ACG model should mobilize the networks of program participants to improve the uptake of health behaviors. [Extracted from the article]

A recent survey conducted by the News Media Association found that 90% of editors in the United Kingdom believe that Google and Meta (formerly Facebook) pose a significant threat to journalism. This is because social media platforms and search engines are de-prioritizing news content, making it harder for citizens to access verified information produced by journalists. News organizations are starting to leave these platforms in an attempt to regain control and build resilience into their revenue models. However, continuing to rely on these platforms limits their control and leaves them vulnerable to the consequences of changes made by social media companies and search engines. Platforms like Google and Facebook are also seen as a competitive threat to news organizations, as they have little control over the distribution of their journalism and news visibility within these platforms is rapidly declining. This situation, known as "platformed publishing," has real consequences for democracy, as platforms have the power to influence democratic processes, including elections. When people cannot access trusted news, disinformation fills the void. While Google and Facebook have started to pay publishers for their content, the terms of these payments are not public, and it is uncertain how much they have actually paid. It is unlikely that these platforms will agree to pay the amounts suggested by some studies, and payments for news are expected to dwindle as they prioritize other services and products. In conclusion, newsrooms may need to say goodbye to platformed publishing and social media news distribution, as it is not working as well as hoped and is unlikely to be sustainable in [Extracted from the article]

Keywords for this news article include: Victoria University, Pandemic, Epidemiology, Health and Medicine. Keywords: Epidemiology; Health and Medicine; Pandemic EN Epidemiology Health and Medicine Pandemic 2023 FEB 12 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at TB & Outbreaks Week -- New study results on epidemiology have been published. [Extracted from the article]

Over the past decade, society has been evolving. It is constantly rethinking discrimination, with growing social awareness of gender identity, differently-abled individuals and sensory sensitivity. The public restroom is one [...]

When the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) gave birth to the science of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in Cairo, Egypt in 1994, the sub-Saharan African [...]

Byline: Deepak Mohindra I have always been very intrigued by the NGO and civil society movement. It is fascinating that these organizations, rooted in the West are so passionate about [...]