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In this paper I consider various shifts in my research and understanding stimulated by seeking how to combat social ecological crises connected to modern economies. The discussion and critical reflections are structured around five papers that were submitted to Environmental Values in an open call to address my work. A common aspect is the move away from neoclassical environmental economics, and its reductionist monetary valuation, to a more realist theory and multiple methods. This relates to my work on environmental ethics, plural values, stated preference validity and deliberative monetary valuation. Expanding beyond the narrow confines of mainstream orthodoxy has involved exploring a range of other disciplines (e.g. applied philosophy, social psychology, human geography, political science, social anthropology, history of thought and philosophy of science) and learning from this literature to rethink economics and develop social ecological economics. A broad range of subjects are covered here, including: personal responsibility, social practice, psychology of the individual, participatory processes, value (intrinsic, instrumental and relational), Nature–society relationships and interdependencies, critical realism and the conduct of unifying interdisciplinary science. I end with a series of comments concerning the failings of orthodox economics and the conduct of scientific research for social ecological transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I draw on two childhood ethnographies to ask basic questions about the foundation of child writing. The first question is, where does writing come from in young children's lives? Answering this question will lead us to childhood play as the foundation of writing. The second question is, how do educators negotiate an inclusive, playful classroom culture in racially divisive and neoliberal times? This question will lead to a critical consideration of forming an inclusive culture in a racially and culturally diverse classroom. In this time of uniform, mandated curricula, rampant in the United States and elsewhere, and of the dismissive attitude towards play and towards childhood diversity (e.g., in race, culture and socioeconomic class), it is worth revisiting basic questions about the beginnings of writing in childhoods. The questions are relevant whether a child is writing on paper, screen, slate, or sand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research paper is to determine the degree of relationship between the emergent technologies and the industry 4.0, and the Social and Solidarity-based Economic model. The research paper is a product of a quantitative analysis in 62 Guanajuato state's (Mexico) SMEs. The results show that there is a correlation between economy 4.0 and social economy. Therefore, it is necessary to create the required conditions to display the Industry 4.0 within the fabrication process, in which the following aspects are found: the development of national strategies, which lead the coordinate display of Industry 4.0; the creation of a multilateral mechanism, in which the interested parts institutionalize a participative scope in order to promote Industry 4.0; the creation of international cooperation mechanisms to accelerate the transfer of technology and technical knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern day societies and economies are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the continued erosion of the stocks and flows of essential ecosystem services. Thus, the management of complex socio-economic systems to effectively provide these essential services has become a global priority policy and academic research area. Understanding how underlying processes and functions contribute towards the provision of final ecosystem services can facilitate improved dissemination of credible, legitimate and salient information to decision-makers. This paper presents an ecosystem service value chain analysis framework that applies basic system dynamics modelling in the form of causal loop diagrams to facilitate an alternative analysis of ecosystem service value chains. A scoping application of the framework is applied to a case study for flood attenuation services in the Baviaanskloof catchment in South Africa. The framework enables the identification of forward linkages and ripple effects in individual value chains of final ecosystem services as well as the identification and assessment of challenges and opportunities within individual causal pathways. Ultimately, providing the potential to advance strategies for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of final ecosystem service provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a study on the possible common theoretical approaches shared by three heterodox associations-Association for Evolutionary Economics (AFEE), Union for Radical Political Economics (URPE), and Association for Social Economics (ASE). We analyze their closeness and potentially common approaches as reported in papers published by the associations' main journals from 2010 to 2019. Using bibliometrics, the papers are analyzed in terms of convergent issues shared by these heterodox associations. Our article concludes, first, that building alternative approaches based on a criticism of both mainstream and New Institutional Economics is a possible point of convergence for AFEE, URPE, and ASE. Second, criticism of capitalism and studies on economic development could act as a convergence point for AFEE and URPE. Third, ASE seems to be more open to heterodox approaches than AFEE and URPE, and can make room for other convergence points. However, the ASE-AFEE and ASE-URPE dyads have not yet explored such opportunities for convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MIC (Malaysian Indian Congress) is said to be increasingly eroded and irrelevant as the main spokesman for the Indian community in expressing the desire to the Government. MIC's defeat in the 12th general election is not only caused by the movement Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) alone, but the failure of the MIC leadership who are not sensitive to the problems of the Indian community and consequently they no longer support the candidates of MIC/BN in the 2008 General Election. MIC continued to be rejected in GE-14 by winning only two parliamentary seats. Therefore, the purpose of writing this article is to analyze the development and performance of MIC in Malaysian geopolitics. Based on the analysis of GE 2018 results data and analysis of secondary sources such as journal articles and conference papers, the findings show that MIC remains a relevant role in creating political stability and prosperity in the country. MIC has contributed a lot to the progress of the country with its role as a driving force to the progress of the Indian community in the country. With high commitment and a sincere spirit of cooperation, MIC has together fostered a spirit of harmony among the people. With competent and dynamic leadership, MIC has contributed to BN in managing the country's development to a proud level of economic development. Nevertheless, the political changes that exist among the Indian community have made the MIC not or less a top choice for the Indian community. Therefore, the Government needs to take action to improve the socio-economic status of Indians and restore support to MIC/BN in the next GE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arctic melting is an effect of climate change; the use of fossil fuels in marine shipping emits large amounts of air emissions that impact climate change, and Arctic aquatic and human life. Swedish pulp and paper mills generate large amounts of waste and side streams that could be utilized. The production of forest-based biofuel may be a promising solution to achieve sustainable Arctic marine shipping. This review highlights the socio-economic impacts associated with the production of forest-based biofuel in Sweden, the related opportunities, challenges, knowledge gaps, and further need of research. From the economic perspective, it was found that the production and use of forest-based biofuel have short and long-term economic sustainability benefits: (a) short-term benefits, the use of the waste and side streams of the pulp and paper industry is a low-cost available feedstock, unlike first-generation biofuel from crops like corn forest-based biofuels neither require additional land use, water resources nor compete with food. (b) Long-term benefits: (i) the Swedish shipping sector depends on imported fossil fuels, these new biofuels can replace partly those imported fossil fuels that will reduce shipping costs, and generate economic benefits for local consumers. (ii) Usage of forest-based biofuels as blends with conventional fuels in existing engines will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the Arctic shipping to the set limits in the region. (iii) One of the important socioeconomic impacts of forest-based biofuel production and use is the new job creation and employment opportunities that will impact the local communities and livelihoods of indigenous people in the area. From a societal perspective, stakeholder involvement is essential to address the sustainability challenges of biofuel production: EU policymakers need to encourage the production and use of biofuels by developing policies that promote biofuel use. Further studies are needed to develop more efficient and low-cost biofuel production routes, more investments in related research and development are required as well. Local indigenous communities must be involved in the decision-making process through surveys, local dialogues, and research studies. The production of forest-based biofuels has great potential and many social-economic impacts alongside the environmental benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the concept of migration, and its causes and effects, with a focus on international migration. Various journal articles, reports, and policy documents are reviewed to address the controversies concerning the concept and key issues of migration. The paper indicates that migration is not only a contested concept, but migration research has resulted in different outcomes. It is mainly affected by personal, socio-economic, and political factors associated with the origin and host countries. Similarly, scholars have been asking the question, "who is a migrant?" for decades without a definite answer. It is also important to consider "what would happen after migrants obtain host country citizenship": would they continue to be migrants, the host countries' citizens, or both? This paper contributes to advancing our knowledge and broadening our understanding of the concept of migration and key issues associated with it. It also serves as a base for further discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 21st century, various socio-economic crises have revealed that traditional economic science and (neo)classical thinking are unable to explain all the complexity of current economic problems, therefore the application of more complex and non-trivial economic concepts is gaining relevance. In addition to behavioral and evolutionary economic thinking, models of quantum economics have been developed in recent years, which allow solving economic problems, using mainly quantum thinking and the principles of quantum physics, in particular particle-wave dualism, the principle of uncertainty, the absence of a subject-object distinction, superposition and confusion. The article addresses 3 research questions (RQ). According to RQ1, the paper finds that quantum economics research is dominated by the following topics: quantum economics, quantum finance, quantum decision making, and quantum game theory. According to these four thematic descriptors, the article carries out a systematic modern review of scientific works in the period from 1978 to 2022 (if only 50 works were published in 1978-1999, then in 2000-2022 already 3430), with an emphasis on the most cited (Google Scholar) English-language journal articles. The analysis showed that articles on this topic are published mainly in journals of a non-economic profile, that the peaks of publication activity occur at times of powerful socio-economic upheavals (for example, the dot.com bubble, the substandard/financial crisis, the European debt crisis, the coronavirus pandemic, etc.). In accordance with RQ2, the article defines the key characteristics of the quantum economic model: in contrast to neoclassical economics (based on mechanistic classical physics, is rational and deterministic, with the help of the invisible hand of the market it leads to a stable equilibrium), the quantum approach, on the contrary, considers the economy as more complex, empirically oriented, uncertain, probabilistic, superpositional, as an archetypal example of a quantum social system that has its own versions of duality, measurement, and entanglement. According to RQ 3, the article determines to what extent quantum economics can update (neo)classical economics (integration of new ontological premises into economic thinking, more experimental and practical approach, connection between the concept of entanglement and sustainable development, management of financial risks based on the concept of quantum probability, rethinking the concept of randomness by quantum probability, introduction of quantum money, equilibrium using quantum games, etc.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research presents the best solution for socio-economic problem regarding poplar plantation in Eastern and Western Azerbaijan, Iran. Planting fast growing species such as poplar is highly profitable in wood farming in Eastern and Western Azerbaijan, hence identification of socio-economic qualifications of poplar plantation would solve the problems of wood and paper industries regarding wood supply in the coming decade. Assuming previous researches and visiting poplar plantation surfaces in the so-called provinces, 51 sub-criteria were identified. These sub-criteria were categorized in five major groups: application, economic and financial, social and cultural, technical, and infrastructure. The priority and weight of the criteria and sub-criteria were determined through survey the experts and poplar farmers in wood and paper industries and poplar plantation. The findings revealed that economic and financial aspects are the most important criteria, and the sub-criteria of prepurchase contract, water sources, and improved species have the highest priorities, respectively. For selecting the best optimized solution in the provinces, three groups of alternatives were selected: poplar farmer promotion and education using national and foreign experts, offering multiple facilities, and increasing the participation of wood and paper industries and investors with respect to poplar farmers' problems. To select the best solution, a questionnaire was designed and administered among the experts, and then evaluated considering the sub-criteria. The results of synthesizing by AHP and Expert Choice software indicated that polar farmer promotion and education through national and foreign experts' contribution is the best solution for providing proper situation of poplar plantation in the area and consumption of wood and paper industries. The result of sensitivity analysis indicated that economic & financial, technical and structural criteria are more sensitive when affect the solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an analysis of the extent to which poor pupils in England are clustered in schools with others like them. It is based on a segregation index of pupils eligible for free school meals for every year for which official national data is available. The trend over time has been published before up to 2019, and this paper extends the analysis to 2021, covering both the Covid-19 era so far and the beginning of transitional arrangements for Universal Credit, which have led to a substantial increase in the number of pupils eligible for free school meals. Results show that the segregation of poor pupils between secondary schools has continued to decline annually – a decline that started with the onset of Pupil Premium funding. This decline in segregation has not occurred for other possible indicators of disadvantage, such as pupils having a special educational need or disability, which are not addressed by Pupil Premium funding. Clustering disadvantaged pupils together in parts of a national school system has been linked to worse pupil outcomes overall, lower aspirations, less ethnic cohesion, and reduced trust in society by students. So, this ongoing reduction is encouraging, and is likely to lead to a lower poverty attainment gap in academic outcomes. However, the reduction in 2020 and 2021 is "false" to some extent, based mostly on a sudden increase in the number of pupils officially classed as poor, rather than an improvement in their distribution or evenness. It is, therefore, important to retain Pupil Premium funding or something like it for the time being to see what happens to the attainment gap. And the apparent success of this funding scheme could have implications for school systems worldwide that value fairness in the provision of national opportunities for education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper delves into the work of Clive L. Spash, a British radical ecological economist well-known in his field who currently holds a professorship at the Vienna University of Economics and Business. We start with an examination of the principles of his "social ecological economics." We then critically evaluate his attack on economic growth and his perspective on the standard economic models of climate change. Lastly, we explore his approach to science as a theoretical pursuit and his policy recommendations. The first version of this paper was given as a keynote lecture at the 7thAustrian Economics Meeting Europe, May 12-13, 2023, Université Catholique de l'Ouest, Angers, France, and a second version at the Summer University in Political Economy, July 20-22, 2023, Aix-Marseille University, France. I wish to thank the organizers of these conferences, and also the anonymous referees whose remarks have been taken into account to improve the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view that Culture and Creative Industries (CCI) are multi-sector, emergent, and complex, this paper couples the theoretical perspective of Margaret Archer's Morphogenetic Approach with Adam Kahane's Tansformative Scenario Planning (TSP) as its strategic framework to discover, articulate, and connect cross-sector (community-based organizations, industry, government, and education) CCI efforts. This study has sought to understand how and in what ways the actions found in the creative sector can be leveraged to enhance participation and ameliorate the outputs of socio-economic efforts across the full spectrum of the greater Seattle region. Thus, though this example it contributes to the creation of vital places of public welfare, where public frameworks and policies nurture accessibility and participate in connected culture and creative ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local Economic Development strategies were formulated in response to the stipulations made by the national government of South Africa. The national mandate placed the responsibility on the local sphere of government to promote economic progression from a grassroots level and to contribute to developmental activities within the state. The National Framework LED has been created as a basis for the effective practice of LED in terms of implementation. This paper focused mainly on evaluating the effectiveness of Local Economic Development strategies in uMhlathuze Local Municipality within Empangeni town. This paper and its problem were developed by the researcher due to the growing unemployment rate in South Africa which mostly affects young people, more especially at the municipal level. The researcher was convinced to evaluate how the economic development strategies or initiatives addressing the issue of unemployment and assisting economic development within the uMhlathuze Local Municipality, intending to come up with mechanisms that may be put at hand to ensure the effectiveness of these strategies provided to address economic issues with the municipality. This paper employed qualitative methods to collect and analyze data. Qualitative data were collected from community members and staff of the municipality within the Department of Economic Development through the use of questionnaires. The analysis of qualitative data was done through thematic analysis. The findings of the research revealed that there is a communication breakdown between the community and the municipality to enable the community to use the opportunities for economic development. This paper recommends that the municipality needs to develop/advance communication methods to ensure that the community is informed and aware of the development opportunities that are provided by the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper contributes to the current debate on just transitions which is exploring what factors and conditions can lead to a twin transition that can also achieve an equitable redistribution of the outputs. The paper draws on the theories of justice, by bringing together three dimensions of justice: distributive, procedural and substantive justice. We apply this framework to explain the socio-economic impact of technology-pushed structural change on the future of work. We define just transition as a triple transition that requires digital and green shifts and crucially, a competence and skill transition that transversally cuts across industries, jobs and professions. The paper analyses the case of a specific region, Emilia Romagna in Italy, which has implemented, particularly since 2010, an original holistic approach to industrial development policy, comprising social and education policies. We conclude that within a national education framework tasked with pivoting the mix of necessary basic knowledge, regions have an important role to play by designing and implementing place-based education and training initiatives that are specific to the regional socio-economic characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper explores the nature of modern institutions to see if Islamization movement sufficiently attempts to remove the obstacles which the structural design of modern institutions brings in the path to achieve the moral goals of Islamization movement. Methodology: The paper being theoretical in nature uses a conceptual and critical interpretative approach based on the analysis of extant literature from institutional history, philosophy, institutionalism, and more. Hollingsworth’s framework of institutional analysis is used to integrate the literature and guide the theoretical analysis. Findings: The paper argues that an institutional design that constrains moral agency of individuals is incompatible with the goals of the Islamization movement. This is so because the goals are primarily moral in nature, therefore they necessitate exercising of moral-agency in full capacity. This is unlikely within the constraining nature of modern-institutional design. Originality/Value: There is negligible literature that attempts to evaluate the structural nature of modern-institutions from the perspective of their capacity to facilitate the Islamization-movement. The concerned Muslim intelligentsia is therefore invited to further explore how the modern-institutional-structure may be obstructing their goals to achieve socioeconomic justice in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper critically examines the multifaceted roles of women and media in the preservation of cultural heritage and the advancement of socioeconomic prospects in the Lake Chad region of Yobe and Borno States. Focusing on historical sites, artefacts and monuments, the study delves into the historical context, the evolving role of women, the impact of media and the implications for sustainable development. By analysing the intricate interplay between gender dynamics, media platforms and cultural promotion, this paper aims to offer insights that can guide policy and action for positive transformation in the region. This review draws from a wide array of scholarly articles, case studies, reports and official documents related to women’s engagement in cultural preservation and media activities within the Lake Chad region. Qualitative data sources include interviews, surveys and focus group discussions with women involved in media initiatives, cultural preservation and socioeconomic development. A comprehensive search was conducted in databases such as Google Scholar, JSTOR and academic journals, using keywords like ‘women,’ ‘media,’ ‘cultural preservation,’ ‘socioeconomic development’ and ‘Lake Chad region.’ Relevant sources were selected based on their relevance to the study’s objectives. The data collected from these sources were analysed thematically to identify patterns, trends and key insights. The findings of this review underscore the importance of recognising women’s contributions in cultural preservation and media engagement. By leveraging their agency and harnessing media platforms, the Lake Chad region can not only protect its heritage but also foster sustainable development and inclusive growth. The insights presented in this paper have implications for policy, practice and future research endeavours aimed at promoting cultural identity, gender equity and socioeconomic advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Papers submitted by scientists located in western nations generally fare better in the peer review process than do papers submitted by scientists from elsewhere. This paper examines geographic variation in peer review outcomes (whether a manuscript is sent for review, review scores obtained, and final decisions by editors) for 3529 submissions over a 4.5 year period at the journal Functional Ecology. In particular, we test whether geographic variation in language and socioeconomics are adequate to explain most or are all of this variation. There was no relationship between the geographic regions of handling editors and the decisions to send papers for review or invite revision, but there was substantial variation among author geographic locations; generally papers from first authors located in Oceania, the United States, and the United Kingdom fared better, and papers from first authors located in Africa, Asia, and Latin America fared worst. Language and the Human Development Index (HDI) explained the geographic variation in the proportion of papers sent for review, but socioeconomics alone (HDI) was the best predictor of mean review scores obtained by papers and whether authors were invited to submit a revision. Though we cannot exclude a role for editor and reviewer biases against authors based on their geographic location, variation in socioeconomics and language explain much of the variation in manuscript editorial and peer review outcomes among authors from different regions of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The historic precincts of suburban cities in New Zealand are characterised by partially occupied, vacant or abandoned buildings, which are located in key locations of the central business districts (CBDs). Increasing unoccupied spaces and low demand for older buildings are detrimental to the socio-economic growth of many provincial towns in New Zealand. The study discussed in this paper sought to: 1) investigate the proportion of totally/partially existing vacant older buildings within the town centre of suburb-#; 2) identify the underlying factors that contributed to emergence of the vacant buildings and the consequences of the prevalent vacancy rate on suburban town centres; and 3) recommend possible ways to increase the demand for these buildings. Using a mixed-methods approach for data collection, the research findings showed a vacancy rate of approximately 86 per cent (n = 47) of older heritage buildings located in the main high street of suburb-#. Additionally, several factors were identified to be responsible for the high vacancy rate of the older buildings: 1) building conditions; 2) social factors; 3) economic factors; and 4) building regulations. The research findings provided significant suggestions on how property redevelopment coupled with town centre regeneration can be used as a responsive strategy that can attend to the changing needs of owners, occupiers and visitors, as well as ensure compliance to commercial and regulatory demands of seismic strengthening of older heritage buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]