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The paper evaluates the adaptation of neoliberal policies in the Indian urban housing policy sector. While completing the objectives of this paper, the article also appraises the expression of neoliberalism as it unfolds in the literature. Neoliberalism is considered a loose set of philosophical, institutional, and political principles to safeguard individual and collective freedom like private property rights, goods and services exchange, movement of capital and labor, etc. Neoliberal policies promote open markets and trade to unbound creative potentials and entrepreneurial skills through efficient utilization of resources and upbringing of human well-being. In a neoliberal regime, cities compete to attract talented people, capital, and resources to achieve newer economic and social benchmarks. However, the constant pursuit of excessive achievements lets some negativities grow within. Large-scale inequality, deprivation, social unrest, and meager quality of life affect the sustainable and holistic development of seemingly most developed cities worldwide. Referring to literature from social sciences, urban planning, and development studies, this paper focuses on the consequences of neoliberalism and its impact on urban housing in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Italy is famous worldwide for its co-operative sector, and this firm model has proven to be efficacious in redressing many social inequalities over the past two centuries. This paper aims to examine how local communities in diverse regions have adapted this traditional form to the contemporary trend of bottom-up community development processes. Furthermore, the paper compares the Italian initiatives with the international literature on community co-operatives and assesses to which extend similarities and differences are viewable. The qualitative analysis considers 7 co-operatives in various areas of Italy, and analyses result from 15 semi-structured interviews with managers. Findings show the intense work undertaken before the co-operatives' registration, the negotiation of purposes and objectives with external partners, how founder groups have a key role in determining each firm's approach to local development, and how further networks with external subjects are deeply influence the co-operatives' work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary health care (PHC) has increased in global relevance as it has been demonstrated to be a useful strategy to promote community access to health services. Multilateral organizations and national governments have reached a consensus regarding the basic principles of PHC, but the application of these varies from country to country due to the particularities of local health systems. This article aims to review and summarize PHC strategies and the configuration of health networks in Latin American and Caribbean countries. The review was carried out using keywords in at least 9 databases. Papers in languages other than English, Portuguese, and Spanish were excluded, while non-refereed articles and regional gray literature were incorporated. As a result, 1,146 papers were identified. After three instances of analysis, 142 articles were selected for this investigation. Data were analyzed according to an analysis by theme. The evidence collected on health reforms in the region reflects the need to intensify care strategies supported by PHC and care networks. These must be resilient to changes in the population's needs and must be able to adapt to contexts of epidemiological accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper delves into the intricate relationship between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the art ecosystem, emphasizing the need for a decolonizing approach in the face of AI's growing influence. It argues that the development of AI is not just a technological leap but also a significant cultural and societal moment, akin to the advent of moving images that Walter Benjamin famously analyzed. The paper examines how AI, particularly in its current oligarchical and corporate-driven form, perpetuates and magnifies the existing social inequalities, thereby necessitating a critical and radical rethinking of its role in society and the arts. At the heart of the discussion is the concept of AI as a broad term encompassing various forms of machine intelligence, from natural language processing to computer vision. The paper criticizes the dominant anthropocentric view of intelligence and creativity, proposing a more inclusive approach that considers the diverse forms of intelligence present in other species and potentially in AI itself. It underscores the role of AI in shaping the art ecosystem, not just in the creative process but also in gatekeeping and decision-making. The paper proposes a framework for decolonizing AI in the art ecosystem, focusing on four key tasks: recognizing access as a form of power, understanding and addressing biases inherent in AI, assessing the impact of AI on marginalized communities, and challenging dominant narratives and epistemologies to create space for alternative voices and perspectives. It emphasizes the need for artists and the art community to engage actively with AI, shaping its development towards more equitable and just outcomes. In conclusion, the paper calls for a radical reimagination of AI's role in society and the arts, advocating for a future where AI is not just about technological advancement but also about fostering a more inclusive, equitable, and creatively diverse world. It invites artists, thinkers, and innovators to join in this journey of reimagining and reshaping the future of AI and the art ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Equal, diverse, and inclusive teams lead to higher productivity, creativity, and greater problem-solving ability resulting in more impactful research. However, there is a gap between equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) research and practices to create an inclusive research culture. Research networks are vital to the research ecosystem, creating valuable opportunities for researchers to develop their partnerships with both academics and industrialists, progress their careers, and enable new areas of scientific discovery. A feature of a network is the provision of funding to support feasibility studies – an opportunity to develop new concepts or ideas, as well as to 'fail fast' in a supportive environment. The work of networks can address inequalities through equitable allocation of funding and proactive consideration of inclusion in all of their activities. Methods: This study proposes a strategy to embed EDI within research network activities and funding review processes. This paper evaluates 21 planned mitigations introduced to address known inequalities within research events and how funding is awarded. EDI data were collected from researchers engaging in a digital manufacturing network activities and funding calls to measure the impact of the proposed method. Results: Quantitative analysis indicates that the network's approach was successful in creating a more ethnically diverse network, engaging with early career researchers, and supporting researchers with care responsibilities. However, more work is required to create a gender balance across the network activities and ensure the representation of academics who declare a disability. Preliminary findings suggest the network's anonymous funding review process has helped address inequalities in funding award rates for women and those with care responsibilities, more data are required to validate these observations and understand the impact of different interventions individually and in combination. Conclusions: In summary, this study offers compelling evidence regarding the efficacy of a research network's approach in advancing EDI within research and funding. The network hopes that these findings will inform broader efforts to promote EDI in research and funding and that researchers, funders, and other stakeholders will be encouraged to adopt evidence-based strategies for advancing this important goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the redistributive effects of two major pay-as-you-go pension systems by constructing an intergenerational iterative model which does not only considers standard utility but also relative utility. The study find that the two main pay-as-you-go pension systems are both sustainable. If we consider different preferences, then the choice of pension system should depend on the question of whether individuals are more interested in the absolute level of consumption or in the consumption related to a reference group. If the latter is more important, the Beveridgean system is superior, it provides greater protection for vulnerable groups than the Bismarck pension system, and the pension income after retirement is relatively more balanced, but the price is a lower level of consumption in the long run compared to an economy with Bismarckian system. If individuals prefer instead the absolute level of consumption, the Bismarckian system is better, because it guarantees a comparable higher level of consumption, but the disadvantaged groups face a higher risk of poverty and the degree of social inequality will be relatively higher. However, it is important to note that in the long run, only the level of consumption differs, not the speed of growth or number of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This paper delves into the persistent issue of unequal access to medical imaging, with a particular focus on breast cancer screening and its impact on marginalized communities and racial/ethnic minorities. Central to our discussion is the role of scientific mobility among radiologists in fostering healthcare policy changes that promote diversity and cultural competence. We propose various strategies to bridge this gap, including cultural education, sensitivity training, and diversifying the radiology workforce. These measures aim to improve communication with diverse patient groups and reduce healthcare disparities. Additionally, we explore the challenges and advantages of teleradiology as a means to extend medical imaging services to underserved areas. In the context of artificial intelligence, we emphasize the critical need to validate algorithms across diverse populations to ensure unbiased and equitable healthcare outcomes. Overall, this paper underscores the importance of international collaboration in addressing global access barriers, presenting it as a key to mitigating disparities in medical imaging access and contributing to the pursuit of equitable healthcare. Access to medical imaging is pivotal in healthcare, playing a crucial role in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of diseases. However, disparities persist in this scenario, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities, racial and ethnic minorities, and individuals facing linguistic or cultural barriers. This paper critically assesses methods to mitigate these disparities, with a focus on breast cancer screening. We underscore scientific mobility as a vital tool for radiologists to advocate for healthcare policy changes: it not only enhances diversity and cultural competence within the radiology community but also fosters international cooperation and knowledge exchange among healthcare institutions. Efforts to ensure cultural competency among radiologists are discussed, including ongoing cultural education, sensitivity training, and workforce diversification. These initiatives are key to improving patient communication and reducing healthcare disparities. This paper also highlights the crucial role of policy changes and legislation in promoting equal access to essential screening services like mammography. We explore the challenges and potential of teleradiology in improving access to medical imaging in remote and underserved areas. In the era of artificial intelligence, this paper emphasizes the necessity of validating its models across a spectrum of populations to prevent bias and achieve equitable healthcare outcomes. Finally, the importance of international collaboration is illustrated, showcasing its role in sharing insights and strategies to overcome global access barriers in medical imaging. Overall, this paper offers a comprehensive overview of the challenges related to disparities in medical imaging access and proposes actionable strategies to address these challenges, aiming for equitable healthcare delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the study of corruption has become one of the most prominent in the social sciences. If there is corruption, however, it is because something has been corrupted; something pure has been sullied. This pure element serves mainly as a normative reference: It may never have constituted a social and political reality. However, the purpose of this article is to try to define what its components might be. In this way, theoretical considerations can be used to provide a more solid basis for the fight against corruption. The position of this paper is that the opposite of corruption should be explicitly defined without the use of abstract categories such as good governance or integrity. The paper will begin with a discussion of the concept of "non-corrupt government" and then proceed to a theoretical analysis of the main issues involved. It will conclude with some practical remarks on how to build, in the most parsimonious way, the benchmark of quality that corruption undermines. The contention is that a "non-corrupt government" is based on four principles: (1) equality (input side), (2) reasonableness (input side), (3) impartiality and professionalism of the administration (output side), and (4) accountability of the office (output side). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper applies a more-than-human, relational, new materialist ontology to ask the Deleuzian question: what does capitalism actually do? The transactions identified in Marx's Capital are re-analysed as more-than-human assemblages, constituted by affective flows involving both human and non-human matter. The paper then identifies further more-than-human affects that produce the fluctuations in prices and quantities of goods sold, described in classical economics as the 'laws of supply and demand'. Analysis reveals these affects to be associated with the affective and relational capacities of commodities. The consequences of this more-than-human ontology of capitalism are explored by means of a short case study of the digital economy. This demonstrates how more-than-human affects are responsible for many of the negative consequences of a capitalist economy, including uncertainty, waste and social inequalities. The paper suggests that capitalism is progressively becoming a 'black hole' from which neither workers nor capitalist enterprises can escape, and draws conclusions that diverge radically from both neoliberal and Marxist analyses of capitalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many research institutions and funders have recently stated their commitment to actively support and promote 'Equality, Diversity and Inclusion' (EDI) in various aspects of health research including Patient and Public Involvement (PPI). However, translating this commitment into specific research projects presents significant challenges that existing approaches, practical guidelines and initiatives have not adequately addressed. In this paper, we explore how the lack of clear justifications for the EDI commitment in existing guidelines inadvertently complicates the work of those involved with PPI and we stress the need for conceptual clarity for any EDI effort to yield meaningful results. Our focus centres on the first principle of the EDI discourse, 'equality', particularly in the form of 'equality of opportunity' as outlined in current guidance provided by the National Institute of Health Research in the United Kingdom. We examine challenges related to justifying and implementing a general, unspecified commitment to equality of opportunity and explain that this reflects a lack of consensus regarding the moral value of PPI in research – a profound problem that remains unaddressed. We then discuss how the presence of several opposing moral perspectives on PPI, makes determining the most appropriate way of addressing barriers to involvement complex and controversial, raising ethical implications for the work of health researchers, PPI specialists and coordinators. Finally we make suggestions on how future research can enrich the concept of 'equality of opportunity' in PPI and improve practice. While our primary focus is on the NIHR, a strong advocate of PPI in research, this analysis will point to normative and ethical considerations that may be relevant to other research institutions and funding organisations aiming to promote equality of opportunity in their public and patient involvement strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Partnerships between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the global north and south have commonly been used as a vehicle to drive global health research and initiatives. Among these initiatives, include health system strengthening, research capacity building, and human resource training in developing countries. However, the partnership functioning of many global north-south partnerships still carry legacies of colonialism through unrecognized behavior patterns, attitudes, and belief systems in how they function. Even with research literature calling for a shift from equality to equity in the functioning of these partnerships, many still struggle with issues of complex and unspoken power dynamics. To understand the successes and challenges of north-south partnerships, this paper explored partnership development and functioning of a northern and multi-southern HEIs partnership focused on nutrition education and research. Methods: A qualitative research approach was used; data were collected through in-depth interviews (IDIs) with questions developed from the Bergen Model of Collective Functioning (BMCF). Thirteen IDIs were conducted with partners from all institutions including stakeholders. Findings: The partnership was built on the foundation of experiences and lessons of a previous partnership. Partners used these experiences and lessons to devise strategies to improve partnership inputs, communication, leadership, roles and structures, and maintenance and communication tasks. However, these strategies had an impact on partnership functioning giving rise to issues of inequitable power dynamics. The northern partner had two roles: one as an equal partner and another as distributor of project funds; this caused a conflict in roles for this partner. The partners distinguished themselves according to partner resources – two partners were named implementing partners and two named supportive partners. Roles and partner resources were the greatest contributors to power imbalances and caused delays in project activities. Conclusion: Using the BMCF to examine partnership dynamics illuminated that power imbalances caused a hierarchical stance in the partnership with northern partners having overall control and power of decision-making in the partnership. This could impact the effectiveness and sustainability of project in the southern institutions going forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic immensely impacted care provision, including quality of care in general practice. This paper aimed: (1) to assess how Belgian general practices acted upon the six dimensions of quality of care during COVID-19; (2) to study differences between the three Belgian regions; and (3) to benchmark the performance of the Belgian practices against the performance in other European countries. Methods: The data collected from 479 Belgian practices during 2020–2021 using an online survey as part of the international cross-sectional PRICOV-19 study were analyzed. Hereby, descriptive statistics, chi-squared tests, and binary logistic regression analyses were performed. Thirty-four survey questions related to the six dimensions of quality of care were selected as outcome variables. The adjusted regression models included four practice characteristics as covariates: practice type, being a teaching practice for GP trainees, multidisciplinarity of the team, and payment system. Results: Belgian practices made important organizational changes to deliver high-quality care during COVID-19. Most practices (n = 259; 56.1%) actively reached out to vulnerable patients. Limitations to the practice building or infrastructure threatened high-quality care in 266 practices (55.5%). Infection prevention measures could not always be implemented during COVID-19, such as using a cleaning protocol (n = 265; 57.2%) and providing a separate doctor bag for infection-related home visits (n = 130; 27.9%). Three hundred and sixty practices (82.0%) reported at least one safety incident related to a delayed care process in patients with an urgent condition. The adjusted regression analysis showed limited significant differences between the Belgian regions regarding the quality of care delivered. Belgian practices demonstrated varied performance compared to other European countries. For example, they excelled in always checking the feasibility of isolation at home but reported more patient safety incidents related to timely care than at least three-quarters of the other European countries. Conclusions: Future studies using different design methods are crucial to investigate which country and practice characteristics are associated with delivering high-quality care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Democratic innovations have been widely presented by both academics and practitioners as a potential remedy to the crisis of representative democracy. Many argue that deliberation should play a pivotal role in these innovations, fostering greater citizen participation and political influence. However, it remains unclear how digitalization affects the quality of deliberation—whether digital democratic innovations (DDIs) undermine or enhance deliberation. This paper takes an inductive approach in political theory to critically examine three features of online deliberation that matter for deliberative democracy: scale, transparency, and the facilitation of equality. It argues that the enhancement of equality should be given special attention when designing and implementing deliberative DDIs. Equality is a basic democratic value that is crucial for the intrinsic quality of deliberation. One way of enhancing equality through digital deliberative practices is via AI facilitation, which can assist human facilitators and help mitigate power dynamics, often present in non-digital settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational access is the first step to realising education as a universal human right. Yet, education remains a luxury for many. Contrary to expectations, the advent of online learning has not resolved this fundamental injustice as out-of-school learning and early drop-outs remain widespread phenomena. Rather, digital divides have hit hard in exacerbating social inequalities, with help from Covid-19. This special issue takes a critical look at online learning in its potential to rebalance and hinder universal educational access. It includes four papers focused on differing positions of disadvantage. Based on these papers, this special issue highlights that -- although it is possible for disadvantaged learners to compensate for inequities -- socioeconomic and infrastructural constraints often prevail, and will continue to unless critical changes are made to the educational ecosystem. Furthermore, the Special Issue calls for future work that takes process-level changes into account in order to generate recommendations that are better grounded in iterative change and causality: only then can actionable and impactful changes be made for a more equitable future of online learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The idea of commercial‐assisted suicide lives a marginal existence in the bioethical literature, despite its significant presence in popular culture. The practice of commercial‐assisted suicide (CAS) is defined as suicide assistance performed for a financial reward through a contractual agreement between a customer and a service‐provider, who does not necessarily need to be a medical professional. While CAS does indeed offer some potential solutions regarding the moral controversies surrounding physician‐assisted suicide (PAS), I defend the idea that adopting it as policy ultimately proves morally indefensible and practically inefficient. This is due to the fact that the commodification of a given good necessarily implies the creation of a market of said good; as such, what I propose in this paper is a moral and practical evaluation of a market of CAS. In order to do so, I first examine the arguments in favor of CAS as put forward by Roland Kipke, who argues that any liberal defense of PAS necessarily implies a defense of CAS. In the first section, I argue against this idea using the liberal values of autonomy and equality of opportunity. In the second section of the paper, I argue that a market of CAS would be gravely dysfunctional due to one particular characteristic of death, namely, that is not compensable ex post. I conclude by arguing that while the practice of CAS may not prove morally problematic, the inevitable market that it will create should it be legalized most certainly will. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses the case of Italy during the Covid-19 pandemic to critically assess the EU legal framework on third-country national migrants' equal access to social benefits. In Italy, migrants are structurally excluded from core social protections, a situation that during the pandemic led to a worsening of existing patterns of inequality; migrants have been more exposed than citizens to poverty, unemployment, and destitution. The first part of the paper looks for the EU legal root of this situation: it examines the EU legal framework in the migration field, showing that it is affected by fragmentation and inconsistencies. These problems become even more acute at the national level, where the Italian legislature mis-transposed the EU migration directives, thus affecting the use of discretionary clauses therein and severely curtailing migrants' equal treatment rights. Then, the second part of the paper asks whether adopting a mainstreaming approach to enhance equality could improve the situation of migrants. The paper argues that equality mainstreaming in the migration field shows good potential, while also encountering some structural limits. Therefore, it can hardly be considered a silver bullet against the problem of migrants' discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to analyse the attitudes of students of sports towards the use of gender-sensitive language in the Serbian language. As the correlation between language and gender has been a hot topic in Serbia in the last two years, this paper presents an overview of some of the studies related to language, gender and sports. The theoretical section of this paper covers some main terms such as gender-sensitive language and the connection among language, gender and sport. The aim of the study conducted for the purposes of this paper was to determine whether male and female students of sports have positive or negative attitudes toward the use of gendersensitive language in contemporary society and in their everyday speech. The study was conducted by using an anonymous survey with open-ended and closed questions, and it included 281 participants. The study results show that students of sports are still not aware of the increasingly widespread use of gender-sensitive language, and that they are not interested in learning about the theoretical aspects of this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outbreak of COVID-19 posed a challenge to global governance, residents' happiness, and economic systems around the world. Since the crux of previous research centers on the reactions of both local and national governments, studies on how governance arrangement at the neighborhood level influences people's happiness during the crisis response remain insufficient. This paper aims to explore the relationship between neighborhood governance and residents' happiness based on first-hand data collected during Wuhan's first lockdown. This study highlights the significance of neighborhood governance in crisis response, which includes providing diverse public services, ensuring access to life's necessities, and offering prompt medical treatment. All of these factors are essential for maintaining overall satisfaction with governance and contributing to the happiness of individuals within the community. However, active governance actions do not always lead to favorable results. For example, increased group participation may lead to social conflicts among those involved, ultimately diminishing one's happiness. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has acted as a risk 'amplifier', exposing and exacerbating pre-existing hukou-based social inequalities in the governance process. The impact of the pandemic on citizen happiness is the cumulative effect of both the immediate social crisis brought on by the pandemic and long-standing structural inequalities. To improve people's happiness and establish inclusive policies, this paper advocates for a 'people-centered' urban governance that enhances public satisfaction and addresses the needs and priorities of migrant populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ageism is one of the most widespread forms of discrimination in Europe and one of the mechanisms for generating social inequalities, which is why it is essential to monitor its prevalence. This paper compared the prevalence of ageism in Slovenia in 2008 and in 2022 based on data from round four of the European Social Survey (ESS 2008) and the ESS web panel survey Cronos-2 (2022). The comparison showed that attitudes towards older people remained relatively positive, that there was an increase in the proportion of people who reported perceiving ageism and that there was a slight increase in awareness of the magnitude of the problem. At the three focus points we observed, gender emerged as a key demographic variable with a statistically significant impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principal objective of this review paper was to study the impact of gentrification phenomena in Thailand using a research methodology combining a review of the existing literature and a desk analysis of case studies, focusing on two main interconnected contributions to debates on gentrification. First, understanding gentrification phenomena by examining the existing literature required a perspective on not only gentrification but also its stages and consequences. Second, particular attention was paid to the desk analysis of case studies of gentrification phenomena in Thailand to provide an overview and critical analysis. The results of this research show that gentrification has accelerated across the globe to become a central engine of urban development. Gentrification is a complex process that has significant and multifaceted impacts on urban communities. Gentrification can have positive impacts, such as improving the urban scenery by revitalising the neighbourhood's blighted places and raising property values by making buildings more appealing and contemporary. However, gentrification can also have negative impacts due to critical issues that are neglected such as the displacement of original inhabitants, particularly vulnerable populations; the loss of tangible and intangible cultural heritage; social inequalities; environmental vulnerability; and inappropriate land consumption. All of these factors contribute to the fact that urban development in Thailand still runs into issues or roadblocks that keep it inefficient and unable to fully accomplish the intended objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic struck societies directly and indirectly, not just challenging population health but disrupting many aspects of life. Different effects of the spreading virus--and the measures to fight it--are reported and discussed in different scientific fora, with hard-to-compare methods and metrics from different traditions. While the pandemic struck some groups more than others, it is difficult to assess the comprehensive impact on social inequalities. This paper gauges social inequalities using individual-level administrative data for Sweden's entire population. We describe and analyze the relative risks for different social groups in four dimensions--gender, education, income, and world region of birth--to experience three types of COVID-19 incidence, as well as six additional negative life outcomes that reflect general health, access to medical care, and economic strain. During the pandemic, the overall population faced severe morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 and saw higher all-cause mortality, income losses and unemployment risks, as well as reduced access to medical care. These burdens fell more heavily on individuals with low income or education and on immigrants. Although these vulnerable groups experienced larger absolute risks of suffering the direct and indirect consequences of the pandemic, the relative risks in pandemic years (2020 and 2021) were conspicuously similar to those in prepandemic years (2016 to 2019). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decent Work is considered essential to the facilitation of a transition to greener, fairer, more prosperous, and more just societies. Decent Work represents a fundamental component of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a crucial facet of European Union (EU) environment, social, and governance (ESG) norms. Despite its prominence, the precise definition and materiality of Decent Work is obscure and remains subject to limited consensus. To understand these critical gaps, we conducted a comprehensive review with a systematic search of the literature on the subject, encompassing both scientific research and institutional publications. Our review encompassed 517 papers, with a particular focus on three key areas: (1) delineating the constituents of Decent Work, (2) exploring the materiality of Decent Work, and (3) examining how firms value, measure, and report Decent Work. The domain of regulated reporting for Decent Work and its material impact is relatively nascent, resulting in limitations in effectively measuring its tangible, material effects towards a green and just transition. Consequently, our review, with a systematic search of the literature, uncovered notable gaps within the body of literature concerning Decent Work, its substance for ESG materiality regulations, and its conspicuousness for a just transition. Furthermore, our review serves as a critical foundation for fostering discussions and emphasises the practical implications of enumerating the materiality of Decent Work, without which a just transition would be unattainable. By highlighting these deficiencies, we aim to enhance the understanding and implementation of the materiality of Decent Work within the broader context of ESG and the green transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In their paper on the embeddings of the line in the plane, Abhyankar and Moh proved an important inequality, now known as the Abhyankar-Moh inequality, which can be stated in terms of the semigroup associated with the branch at infinity of a plane algebraic curve. Barrolleta, García Barroso and Płoski studied the semigroups of integers satisfying the Abhyankar-Moh inequality and call them Abhyankar-Moh semigroups. They described such semigroups with the maximum conductor. In this paper we prove that all possible conductor values are achieved for the Abhyankar-Moh semigroups of even degree. Our proof is constructive, explicitly describing families that achieve a given value as its conductor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper, we discuss the relevance of the concept of habitus, developed by the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, in the research of social inequalities and divides in digital practices. We approach digitalisation as a field of practice and social inequality, in which social processes are deeply imbued with the mediation of technologies. We particularly emphasise dimensions and levels of digital inequalities and divides, including the first-level digital divide that points to Internet access, the second-level digital divide that aims to differentiate the binary inequalities of Internet access from inequalities in skills and uses, and the third-level digital divide that poses the question of inequalities in the outcomes of Internet use. We present relevant empirical studies, with the aim of testing our main hypothesis regarding the relevance of the concept of habitus as an adequate research tool in the field. We confirm the hypothesis, demonstrating that this concept has both theoretical and methodological significance in the research of digital divides and inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aimed to examine the discourse on moving the new state capital in Indonesia. The relocation of the national capital city was highly controversial, with many significant indicators of displacement according to the level of interest in it. The new capital city of Indonesia will be located in Kutai Kartanegara Regency and Penajam Paser Utara Regency. This study looks at the discourse of moving the national capital from a political economy perspective. This study uses qualitative research methods, with a literature review and NVIVO12 analysis. The discourse on moving the state capital explained many interests of the government and people in East Kalimantan Province. This discourse has pros from a political and economic point of view considering the benefits it could bring and cons from a judicial and academic perspective on the reasons and urgency behind relocating the state capital. It is assumed that the development of the National Capital will be evenly distributed, although in fact the management of urban planning has not been carried out properly. This study recommends that a more in-depth study is needed so that the relocation of the capital can provide greater benefits to the people of Indonesia in accordance with national goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel forms of assisted gestation—uterus transplantation and artificial placentas—are highly anticipated in the ethico‐legal literature for their capacity to enhance reproductive autonomy. There are also, however, significant challenges anticipated in the development of novel forms of assisted gestation. While there is a normative exploration of these challenges in the literature, there has not yet, to my knowledge, been empirical research undertaken to explore what reproductive rights organisations and advocates identify as potential benefits and challenges. This perspective is invaluable. These organisations/individuals have an awareness not only of the needs of individuals but also of the political landscape in which regulatory decisions are made and which individuals navigate when seeking reproductive assistance. In this study, data was generated from two semi‐structured focus groups (n = 11). Reflective thematic analysis was used to examine the views raised by study participants in these focus groups. This paper explores two of the themes constructed in the data. First, the equality‐enhancing potential of assisted gestation exploring the multifaceted ways in which assisted gestation has structural benefits for marginalised groups. Second, realising the equality‐enhancing potential of assisted gestation explores the intersecting barriers to access to reproductive technologies and how they may impede the benefits of these technologies in practice. These results can enhance conceptual understanding of the importance of novel forms of assisted gestation and ensure that attention is paid to practical barriers in further normative research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Segregation of visible minorities has persisted throughout time in Toronto. In examining these concentrations, the literature has been heavily focused on the notion that visible minorities are choosing to live in proximity to their respective ethno‐racial groups and that these are spaces of aspiration rather than marginalization in Canada. This paper raises questions about the assertion of "self‐segregation" by emphasizing affordability constraints on residential choices that are often rooted in discrimination in the labour market. Census data from 2016 and an adopted neighbourhood classification scheme were used to understand the spatial patterning of visible minorities in the Toronto census metropolitan area and highlight differences in the socio‐economic characteristics of visible minority dominant and white dominant census tracts. The findings invite the inference that economic opportunities play a critical role in the residential choices of visible minorities and raise concerns about the quality of life in visible minority neighbourhoods. This research contributes to our understanding of how social inequalities have impacted the socio‐spatial organization of the city of Toronto. Key messages: Visible minority dominant neighbourhoods have lower labour market participation, educational attainment, and income, as well as higher unemployment rates than white dominant neighbourhoods.Although homeownership rates are high in visible minority concentrations, the data indicate that visible minority groups may be making sacrifices in terms of suitability, space, and location due to financial constraints.Housing prices are a likely factor propelling visible minority concentrations in the Toronto census metropolitan area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The allocation of seats in a legislative body to groups based on their size is a crucial issue in legal and political studies. However, recent findings suggest that an optimal allocation of seats may not be proportional to the size of the groups. For instance, the European Parliament (EP) utilizes a subproportional system known as degressive proportionality. Unfortunately, current apportionment methods for the EP lack a rigorous axiomatic analysis and fail to adequately address equality. Building upon recent research on equality in subproportional settings, this paper proposed a novel generalization of existing axioms and divisor methods for proportionality to encompass subproportionality with relative equality. Specifically, we consider a function f (p) = a + b p γ on the standard number of seats for a group of size p, where a, b and γ are given non-negative constants, and a is an integer. This theory is exemplified through an empirical study focused on the EP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to understand how the experiences of disability such as peoples' sense of autonomy, their perceptions of day-to-day challenges, and access to public spaces, vary depending on the place they live, in the context of Myanmar. Informed by the social model of disability, we investigated how disabling experiences differ between those who live in Yangon, capital city of Myanmar, and peripheral areas, Mandalay, Ayeyarwady and Shan. We conducted focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with around 90 people with disabilities who had challenges in seeing, hearing, and physical disabilities like mobility to report the results. This paper finds that people with disabilities lead more independent lives, were better supported in carrying out day-to-day activities, and had more accessible services and spaces in Yangon than in peripheries. Two notable findings are: (1) accessibility is not just infrastructural, but also attitudinal, more enabling in Yangon than peripheries, and (2) people with disabilities who live in peripheries feel "home-incarcerated" due to infrastructural exclusions experienced in those areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty as a concept aligns well with a continuous lack of human basic existential needs. This lack or need makes poverty usually associated with economic considerations. Understanding poverty holistically is also premised on the lack of human capacity development such as abilities and capabilities, intelligence quotient, accessing opportunities, growth and all round physical advancement. What is clearly prevalent in the determination of poverty is a "lack of basic needs" which can be material or immaterial. In this paper, we attempted to show the nexus between human will and poverty from an ontological and conceptual approach. Our theoretical framework was to delineate the human will into two aspects: individual and collective. Employing the critical and analytical method of investigation, we set out to interrogate the nature of the human will, equality and equity and the role individual and collective will plays in the entrenchment and elimination of global poverty. One of the major findings of the paper is that, capitalism, socialism and communism all arising from the human will, as an ideological imprint, bifurcate humanity and creates a scenario where life becomes the survival of the fittest. Hence, the human will is a serious subject matter with varied implications for poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Languages have undergone a wide variety of evaluations, which have triggered many value-judgements about their worth, i.e. about the better or worse nature of some languages as opposed to others. Currently, this situation still persists, in such a way that the thesis of linguistic egalitarianism is being challenged by several proposals. This paper critically discusses the task of evaluating languages, and it argues that any scientific attempt to rate languages from a linguistic approach should fulfill the basic condition of bringing objective criteria to the fore. However, the paper contends that this condition is not met, and it analyzes four different problems language evaluation is endowed with. The problems convert the proposals of rating languages according to their different worth into arbitrary and decontextualized. We conclude that to construct language rankings (through very different parameters) based on the different worth of languages adds nothing to the scientific knowledge of languages, and, in most cases, it expresses or promotes linguistic prejudice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an analysis of Law 17/2015, of July 21, on the effective equality of men and women, as the law that governs gender policies in Catalonia. These policies are analysed within the framework of the mandates of the Statutes of 1979 and 2006 and their competence limits. This paper places them in the context of state and regional legislation on equality. It explains the long gestation and approval of Law 17/2015, and the analysis focuses on its purpose, objectives, and structural principles. In particular, it reflects on the implementation of the principle of gender mainstreaming, on how the law responds to the allocation of household and childcare responsibilities, and on its effectiveness, and it assesses if the measures provided for in the law are adequate to fulfil its purpose. The conclusions highlight the importance of this law, but also the difficulties of its challenges. Finally, it is stated that in order to consolidate the ambitious objectives of the law, a clear political will and the allocation of resources are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islamic resistance to secularism is one of the most frequently stated problems in France. This paper addresses this issue as seen by French Muslim discourses. It is argued, here, that French Muslim discourses on laïcité are determined by the claim of equal treatment of Muslims and non-Muslims in France. Thus, this paper highlights the importance of the inequality framework and the tendency to give preference to rights over responsibilities in French Muslim discourses on secularism. Seven Islamic works published between 1994 and 2019 by mainstream-reformist Muslim intellectuals and activists will be analysed, showcasing that the general attitude of Islamic leadership in France is to demand the right to difference and equality, a laïcité that respects the autonomy and freedom to practice religion, including in the public space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to analyse how gender relations interact in labour socialisation in the Moroccan export industry - based on a case study of the city of Casablanca - and the relationship with international migration. The paper uses qualitative research, with analysis based on grounded theory and an intersectional studies approach. The global labour market emerges as a new axis of inequality creating new spaces that keep the majority in a precarious position. The paper's original contribution is to apply the intersectional theoretical framework to the Moroccan context, focusing on a relational view of the categories. Identifying three basic social processes (role of women, crisis of masculinity and migration) allows us to expand the knowledge about this reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Ensuring healthcare systems provide equitable, high quality care is critical to their users' overall health and wellbeing. Typically, systems use various performance frameworks and related indicators to monitor and improve healthcare. Although these frameworks usually include equity, the extent that equity is reflected in these measurements remains unclear. In order to create a system that meets patients' needs, addressing this uncertainty is important. This paper presents findings from a scoping review that sought to answer the question 'How is equity conceptualized in healthcare systems when assessing healthcare system performance?'. Methods: Levac's scoping review approach was used to locate relevant articles and create a protocol. Included, peer-reviewed articles were published between 2015 to 2020, written in English and did not discuss oral health and clinician training. These healthcare areas were excluded as they represent large, specialized bodies of literature beyond the scope of this review. Online databases (e.g., MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus) were used to locate articles. Results: Eight thousand six hundred fifty-five potentially relevant articles were identified. Fifty-four were selected for full review. The review yielded 16 relevant articles. Six articles emanated from North America, six from Europe and one each from Africa, Australia, China and India respectively. Most articles used quantitative methods and examined various aspects of healthcare. Studies centered on: indicators; equity policies; evaluating the equitability of healthcare systems; creating and/or testing equity tools; and using patients' sociodemographic characteristics to examine healthcare system performance. Conclusion: Although equity is framed as an important component of most healthcare systems' performance frameworks, the scarcity of relevant articles indicate otherwise. This scarcity may point to challenges systems face when moving from conceptualizing to measuring equity. Additionally, it may indicate the limited attention systems place on effectively incorporating equity into performance frameworks. The disjointed and varied approaches to conceptualizing equity noted in relevant articles make it difficult to conduct comparative analyses of these frameworks. Further, these frameworks' strong focus on users' social determinants of health does not offer a robust view of performance. More work is needed to shift these narrow views of equity towards frameworks that analyze healthcare systems and not their users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper used a new source of information (ESRU-EMOVI NL) to estimate, for the first time, the lower limit of unequal opportunities in a federal state in Mexico. Using the former criterion concerning unequal opportunities, a lower threshold indicated 35% inequality in economic resources in the state. As at the national level, the main contributors to unequal opportunities in the state are unequal economic resources by origin and parental education. However, in contrast to what has been observed, for the country as a whole, inequalities associated with people's skin tone account for 5% of observed unequal opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryospheric change occurs in unequal spaces. Societies living near ice are divided by race, class, gender, geography, politics and other factors. Consequently, impacts of ice loss are not shared equally, and everyone experiences cryospheric changes differently. Responsibility for recent ice loss is also driven by a relatively small portion of humanity: those who emit the most greenhouse gases. Additionally, people who study the cryosphere come from institutions and societies where inequality is often systemic, making research on ice and snow a symptom of and contributor to social inequality. To better understand unequal effects of cryospheric change within and across diverse communities, including research communities, this paper focuses on three areas, drawing primarily from glacier-related work: (1) the social context of cryospheric changes; (2) attribution and responsibility for cryospheric changes and (3) imbalances in knowledge about the cryosphere. Addressing these dimensions of ice loss requires transdisciplinary approaches that connect research to societies and link glaciology and other cryospheric sciences with social sciences and humanities. These concepts, cases and suggestions to help address inequalities also reveal that no singular conceptualization of sustainability exists. Different societies, residents and researchers possess distinct understandings of and goals for 'ice in a sustainable society'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the main results of an exploratory research conducted in 2022 within an Erasmus+ international project, entitled “Military Gender Studies”. The aim of the investigation was to identify military students’ perceptions, thoughts, behaviors, and expectations concerning several peculiarities of gender issues in the daily life of the military organization: gender balance, gender differences, equality, equity, and discrimination. The respondents – Land Forces Academy students – were also asked about the opportunity/necessity to insert aspects related to gender perspectives into the academic curriculum. The structured interview method was used for data collection, which subsequently informed the qualitative data analysis. The findings presented synthetically could guide a future gender education approach, addressed to both male and female cadets and aimed at providing important tools for promoting the gender perspective in the military. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most people in the United States agree they want some income inequality but debate exactly how much is fair. High‐status people generally prefer more inequality than low‐status individuals. Here we examine how much preferences for inequality are (or are not) driven by self‐interest. Past work has generally investigated this idea in two ways: The first is by stratifying preferences by income, and the second is by randomly assigning financial status within lab‐constructed scenarios. In this paper, we develop a method that combines both experimental control and the social experience of inequality—a simulated society experiment. Across two experiments (N = 138, observations = 690), participants voted on the distribution of rewards—first behind a veil of ignorance, and then when they were randomly assigned a status within a game of chance. Status varied repeatedly across five rounds, allowing us to measure dynamic preferences. Under the veil of ignorance, people preferred inequality favoring the top status. When the veil of ignorance disappeared, self‐interest immediately influenced inequality preferences. Those who randomly landed in top positions were satisfied with the status quo established under the veil of ignorance, whereas those who randomly landed in bottom positions wanted more equality. Yet these preferences were not stable; decisions about the optimal level of inequality changed according to changes in social status. Our results also showed that, when inequality grows in a society, preferences regarding inequality become polarized by social status. Individuals in low‐status positions, particularly, tend to demand more equality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to analyze the work by Carolina Maria de Jesus (2014), "Favela", published in her book Onde estaes felicidade?, in which brings together this and other texts by her, and in this way, relate the text with the cartography concept. The work seeks a discussion about the author's written expression through papers collected in the trash, unfavorable social issues, such as prejudice and social inequality, to which she reports and denounces the public and private aspect in her work, since Carolina's work initially, it dealt with published diaries, popularly known as reports of a favelada, and central aspects, such as: testimony, self-writing and experience, present in "Favela" and in this research associated with the concept of writing by Conceição Evaristo. The present work results in the discussion around the representation of the Afro-Brazilian community in literature and other artistic productions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper asks, and seeks to answer, the question: what makes mapping critical? I argue that most examples of 'doing' critical mapping tend to fall into one of two camps with very different manifestations, goals and assumptions, whether from Donna Haraway's invocation of - and desire to counteract - what she calls the "god trick", or from the spirit of "strategic positivism" advocated by the geographer Elvin Wyly. The rest of the paper argues, however, that these two positions are not mutually exclusive, and that practitioners of critical mapping need not choose between the twin imperatives of destabilizing our understanding of the objectivity of cartographic knowledge and taking advantage of such a pervasive understanding in order to produce a more socially and spatially just world. Instead, I argue that it is possible to simultaneously use maps to prove that inequality exists, while also demonstrating that the ways we conventionally think about such inequalities through maps are insufficient to understand the complex realities of the processes that we are mapping. Using examples from my own research on mapping the relational geographies of vacant and abandoned properties in Louisville, Kentucky, I demonstrate one possible example of what such an approach to situated mapping might look like. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper formulates a proposal for the construction of two composite indicators of social inequality intended for the comparative analysis of the social stratification between Spain and Argentina as a result of various comparative research advances carried out in different projects over the last few years. A multidimensional theoretical perspective on social stratification is adopted and an analysis model for comparative study between the two countries is implemented, which incorporates the gender dimension, which reduces coverage bias selecting the entire society and which takes into account household as an analysis unit, thus avoiding population dismemberment. We hypothesize that both countries maintain similar general patterns in terms of social stratification that structure the social inequalities of households. Although structuring patterns are common, the levels of inequality they entail are accentuated in the case of Argentina. We also understand that these levels are reproduced both when whole of society is taken into account and when only households with an employed population are considered. To account for the hypothesis, the article presents two strategies that seek to obtain two measures of social stratification as composite indicators. On the one hand, following the typological construction methodology that we call structural and articulated, where we seek to obtain a qualitative measure through a Typology of Social Stratification (TSS). On the other hand, and in the context of this methodology, we propose to generate an alternative composite indicator that measures inequalities with a quantitative variable through a Social Stratification Index (SSI). In both cases, the ultimate objective is to use these measures in the comparative study of social stratification over time and through space. In this paper, Spain and Argentina are compared with 2018 sectional data and the hypothesis is partially corroborated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objection to genetic enhancement is that it will create a “genetic apartheid,” deepening existing inequalities. This paper offers considerations that can weaken the inequality argument against genetic enhancement. First, I question the dichotomy of treatment versus enhancement since the differences between the two are unclear. Second, I argue that human enhancement is part of human nature and that there is no sound reason to accept it in other domains while rejecting it in genetics. The paper also demonstrates that inequality is present in every dimension of society, that “God-given” genetics is profoundly unequal, and that genetic enhancement can operate as a mechanism by which a new genetic equality can be achieved. However, the paper underlines that genetic equality is not, per se, a value to which we ought to aspire if it leads us to a uniform community of downsized human beings. Genetic equality is only valuable if it enhances humankind in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this investigation, we first establish new quantum Hermite–Hadamard type integral inequalities for s-convex functions by utilizing newly defined T q -integrals. Then, by using obtained inequality, we establish a new Hermite–Hadamard inequality for coordinated s 1 , s 2 -convex functions. The results obtained in this paper provide significant extensions of other related results given in the literature. Finally, some examples are given to illustrate the result obtained in this paper. These types of analytical inequalities, as well as solutions, apply to different areas where the concept of symmetry is important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the author investigates rural Chinese citizens' encounters of structural and institutional inequalities and social (im)mobility. The author addresses social (im)mobility from a holistic perspective (i.e., in institutional, occupational, social, educational, cultural and political dimensions). In this regard, the author explores if a range of parental disadvantages serve as significant hindrances to the acquisition of social mobilising opportunities among the next generations in rural Chinese contexts. Here a holistic presentation helps understand the nuanced relationship between institutional barriers (i.e., rural hukou status) and alternative obstacles to social mobility; and explore, in part, how parental inheritance of rural hukou status would bar individuals' from socially mobilising and result in some forms of unsustainability. Previous research on China restrictively measures social (im)mobility from limited perspectives, failing to fully and accurately reflect the extent of social (im)mobility Chinese populations face. This paper is a comprehensive literature review where relevant Chinese literature, exclusively found in the e-library system of the University of Cambridge, is included and thoroughly discussed. Articles that include the keywords of "hukou", "China", "social mobility" and (a) "economic", (b) "social", (c) "cultural", (d) "linguistic" or (e) "political" are extensively studied, in a hope to understand the existing scholarship on multifaceted social (im)mobility in Chinese contexts. The author argues that, despite the 2014 hukou reform, further loosening the requirements for rural-to-urban hukou conversion should be prioritised by the Central Government of China in order to ensure the rural-urban divide and structural and institutional inequalities rural hukou holders face can curtain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with assessment of the practices of international relations regarding the protection of peace, legal certainty and equality. These values are important for the argument in favour of the compulsory international adjudication. In view of the realistic challenges to this argument, the paper aims at answering the questions if these three values are protected by applicable norms of international law, whether the principles protecting these values, if they exist in the international law, are above the principle of protecting the autonomy of states as the basis for the omnis judex rule, and finally, if these values are involved in axiological hierarchies formed by the actors formulating and interpreting the international norms. The answers to the first two questions will be given by the means of an empirical assessment of international practices, whereas the answer to the third question will be provided by identifying attitudes towards international relations based on interpretation of existing practices through models of coordination and subordination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the significance of cooperatives in the territorial development of the province of Chefchaouen on the basis of the actions linked to the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH) between 2011-2018. Both quantitative methodology is used, to analyse variables such as the number of cooperatives, projects implemented, investment made or subsidies received or their territorial distribution, and qualitative methodology through information obtained from 12 in-depth interviews conducted in the field. The quantitative results show the scarcity of cooperatives and subsidised projects, as well as their concentration in the most dynamic communes, marginalising the poorest territories. Respondents' answers reveal the importance of the Initiative's support both for the implementation of projects and for improving the competitiveness of cooperatives. Other relevant aspects are, among others, the identification of the obstacles that still hinder the development of the cooperative fabric. It is concluded that the study area has not benefited sufficiently from this aid due to the lack of support and dynamization of the different institutions, and it is proposed that development and cooperation offices with the necessary human and logistical resources be created at the provincial level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Morogoro Region of south-central Tanzania, loss of crops and safety concerns due to elephants compromises livelihoods in many rural communities relying on subsistence agriculture. Using a social-ecological system framework to examine conflict-coexistence between people and elephants, this paper explores drivers that influence human-elephant interaction and subsistence farmer attitudes towards elephants in 10 villages from three different districts. Surveys and interviews document experiences interacting with elephants along with direct and indirect costs incurred in sharing the landscape, revealing different tolerance levels by residents of subject communities towards elephants that have important implications for elephant conservation. Rather than uniformly negative beliefs about elephants, analyses reveal that over the past decade a shift has occurred from largely favorable to unfavorable. The variables influencing attitudes included amounts of crops lost to elephants, perceived benefits from elephants, amounts of crops lost to other causes, perceived trend of human-elephant conflict (HEC) in the past three decades and level of education. Villager tolerance varied by level of income, perception on how the community coexists with elephants, amounts of crops lost to elephants and compensation. The study contributes to understanding how HEC is affecting the relationship between people and elephants, revealing a shift in the conflict-coexistence continuum from positive to broadly negative and identifying characteristics underlying varying tolerance towards elephants in different communities. Rather than a static condition, HEC emerges under specific conditions at particular times and places through varying, uneven interactions between rural villagers and elephants. In communities vulnerable to food insecurity, such conflict exacerbates existing problems of poverty, social inequality, and feelings of oppression. Addressing the causes of HEC, when possible, will be essential to elephant conservation as well as to improving the wellbeing of rural villagers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite negative effects on their health and social lives, many informal carers of people living with dementia claim to be acting in accordance with a moral obligation. Indeed, feelings of failure and shame are commonly reported by those who later give up their caring responsibilities, suggesting a widespread belief that professional dementia care, whether delivered in the person's own home or in an institutional setting, ought always to be a last resort. In this paper, however, I suggest that this common intuition gets things the wrong way around. Adopting a relational egalitarian framework, I argue that the most serious injustices engendered by present‐day dementia care services are contingent on broader societal structures—they can thus be ameliorated relatively easily (if resource intensively) by changing those structures. Informal dementia care, on the other hand, carries similar risks of injustice and is much more resistant to structural reform. While there may be moral obligations to provide informal dementia care in present‐day societies, then, they arise because of the deficiencies of professional care, not the virtues of its informal counterpart. Though we may be far from achieving just care arrangements in most of our societies, we must never lose sight of the fact that, when we engage in morally permitted informal dementia care, we are exercising our last resort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of new effective but expensive medical treatments leads to discussions about whether and how such treatments should be funded in solidarity‐based healthcare systems. Solidarity is often seen as an elusive concept; it appears to be used to refer to different sets of concerns, and its interrelations with the concept of justice are not well understood. This paper provides a conceptual analysis of the concept of solidarity as it is used in discussions on the allocation of healthcare resources and the funding of expensive treatments. It contributes to the clarification of the concept of solidarity by identifying in the literature and discussing four uses of the concept: (1) assisting patients in need, (2) upholding the solidarity‐based healthcare system, (3) willingness to contribute and (4) promoting equality. It distinguishes normative and descriptive uses of the concept and outlines the overlap and differences between solidarity and justice. Our analysis shows that the various uses of the concept of solidarity point to different, even conflicting, ethical stances on whether and how access to effective, expensive treatments should be provided. We conclude that the concept of solidarity has a role to play in discussions on the accessibility and funding of newly approved medical treatments. It requires, for instance, that healthcare policies promote and maintain both societal willingness to contribute to the care of others and the value of providing care to vulnerable patients through public funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]