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Purpose: This paper aims to examine the mismatch between multidimensional deprivation and monetary poverty in identifying the poor in Egypt and investigates their determinants empirically. Design/methodology/approach: The paper uses the Alkire-Foster multidimensional poverty measurement method using data from Egypt's 2017/2018 Household Income, Expenditure and Consumption Survey (HIECS 2017/2018). Using a logistic regression model, the paper assesses the empirical relationship between multidimensional and monetary poverty and their determinants at the aggregate level and by dimension. Findings: The paper demonstrates a significant mismatch between multidimensional and monetary poverty measures, underscoring their complementary nature. Statistics indicate that both measures overlap in classifying 35.81% of Egyptians, whereas monetary poverty ignores 63.12% of multidimensionally poor in at least one dimension. Regression estimates show a significant moderate negative association between expenditure per capita and multidimensional poverty and its dimensions. Moreover, they show that household head's gender, age, education attainment, marital status, job proficiency, household size and location affect poverty mismatch and match in Egypt. Practical implications: This paper offers Egyptian policymakers the multidimensional poverty index that enables more efficient designing and targeting of poverty alleviation programs and assessing current poverty alleviation programs to modify them if needed. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to examine the mismatch between both poverty measures in Egypt, using the recent full data set of HIECS 2017/2018. This paper confirms that depending only on monetary measures can send inaccurate insights for crafting effective social policies. Also, it offers policymakers a comprehensive insight into the country's poverty landscape, which enable more efficient design, targeting of poverty alleviation programs and monitoring their effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The public policy classification developed by Theodore Lowi is one of the most frequently referenced, utilized, and debated frameworks in political science. This paper delves into the question of whether the concepts of distributive, redistributive, regulatory, and constitutive policies can be applied to the context of Eastern Europe. To explore this issue, a subnational comparative research design was developed to examine six Croatian public policies (economic policy, social policy, education, gender equality, media, and culture). The primary method of data collection involved expert reports, akin to Lowi's original research approach. The characteristics of sampled sectors were summarized through open coding conducted at three levels, allowing for a comparison with Lowi's policy types. The findings indicate that the fundamental idea of this seminal taxonomy, which highlights the variation in links between policy and politics within a single country, remains relevant. Additionally, the analysis revealed that policy goals, policy instruments, non-state actors, and their relationships with state actors are fundamental features upon which classification should be based. Future research endeavors should aim to construct a robust methodological framework with clear indicators for selected features corresponding to each policy type. This would enhance the sophistication and empirical applicability of the theory, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of policymaking dynamics in diverse contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper advocates for a deepening of the English Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) model as a mechanism for achieving better economic and social policy outcomes. It argues for greater alignment of financial resources with long-term goals, fostering co-creation and upholding democratic accountability. It explores the origins of the MCA model set within the context of wider UK devolution and successive waves of English government reform, identifies some key benefits of the MCA model such as scale, democratic legitimacy and potential for collaboration, before proposing some key areas for further development. The paper recommends a strategic focus on evolving the relationship between the MCA and public service reform, particularly in health, education and employment support. The story of North East devolution is presented as an important case study that provides lessons for the future trajectory of English devolution as a whole, while highlighting the necessity of continuous adaptation to achieve sustainable regional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper critically dissects the contemporary policy landscape and its ability to counter precarious work for construction workers in the Indian context. By focusing on the governance challenges faced by welfare institutions and the pre-existing fault lines exposed by the pandemic, the paper argues that social policies are languishing and inefficient to respond to the challenges of growing precarity. The paper uses Breman's conception of 'Footloose labour' to understand informality related to construction workers and Gilbert and Terrell's social policy analytical framework to understand the institutional response. The two major arguments that make the social policy languish are the inability of the policy to alter neoliberal employment relationships and the operational challenges that institutions face in implementing welfare schemes for many footloose labourers. Moreover, the situation is further exacerbated by inherent contradictions of the state which is entangled between promoting economic growth through neoliberal policies while consecutively ensuring labour welfare. If the Institutional challenges persist along with the persuasion of neoliberal reforms, footloose labour is only going to be further marginalized and pushed to limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Censuses serve as a reliable basis for policy formulation. However, a census' objectivity is challenged by its own mission of creating categories to make sense of the reality it is called to document. Simply put, a census is intrinsically political because it makes choices about what to show and how. This paper analyses the Census of Punjab for the years 1941, 1951, 1961 and 1971 to locate the concepts and practices the census used to document language. It tests the proposition that, as a category-maker, the census was a player in the politics of the subjectivity it was engaged in documenting—language politics. It finds that the census adapted its modus operandi to the circumstances, altering the definition of mother tongue and tabulation of mother tongue data in ways that supported or countered specific stakes involved in the politicisation of linguistic identity. The paper highlights that in Punjab, the census had a more actively political role in addition to the well-documented one of a tool mobilised by other actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper investigates the essential role of diplomatic think tanks in shaping Pakistan's foreign policy. Think tanks are non-profit and non-partisan research organizations that perform extensive research regarding issues such as social policy, political strategy, foreign affairs, economy, defense, technology and culture etc. The primary objective of this study is to assess the degree, scope and level of influence exerted by various diplomatic think tanks on the policy makers involved in formulating foreign policy of Pakistan. It examines in details the evolution of these entities, contextual factors influencing their effectiveness, and various strategies to enhance their impact. Over recent decades, Pakistani diplomatic think tanks have proliferated, offering timely analyses yet facing limitations in directly influencing policy outcomes. The study utilizes case studies of Pakistani diplomatic think tanks, comparative analysis with global counterparts, and secondary literature review, employing elitist, statist, pluralist, and institutional approaches. Diplomatic think tanks in Pakistan affect foreign policy-making by generating new ideas, providing expertise, facilitating debates, educating citizens, and contributing to conflict resolution. To bolster effectiveness, these think tanks should prioritize financial sustainability, forge partnerships, increase transparency, and engage a broader array of stakeholders in the policy process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People with innate variations of sex characteristics (also known as intersex traits or disorders or differences of sex development) have any of a wide range of innate physical traits that differ from medical and social norms for female and male bodies. Responses to these physical differences create experiences and risks of stigmatisation, discrimination, violence, and harmful medical practices intended to promote social and familial integration and conformity with gender stereotypes. As is evident globally, the Australian policy response to the existence and needs of people with innate variations of sex characteristics has been largely incoherent, variously framing the population as having disordered sex development in need of "fixing", and a third sex/gender identity group in need of recognition, with only recent engagement by intersex community-controlled civil society organisations. This paper presents an overview of the context and goals of the intersex human rights movement in Australia. Australian intersex community organisations have sought to apply human rights norms and develop new infrastructure to address key health and human rights issues, and necessitating new ways of resolving policy incoherence. Together with human rights, mental health, and public health institutions, they have called for significant changes to medical models of care and reform to research and classification systems. Intersex community organising and resourcing have made a tangible difference. The Australian Capital Territory is the first jurisdiction in the country to move ahead with reforms to clinical practice, including a legislative prohibition of certain practices without personal informed consent, oversight of clinical decision-making, and investment in psychosocial support. A national community-controlled psychosocial support service has also commenced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Purpose: The paper aims to analyse the meaning and extension of discretionary power of social service professionals within network-based interventions. Design/methodology/approach: Empirically, the paper is based on a case study of a network-based policy involving private and public organisations in the Northeast of Italy (Province of Trento). Findings: The paper identifies netocracy as a social policy logic distinct from bureaucracy and professionalism. What legitimises netocracy is neither authority nor expertise but cooperation, the activation of connections and involvement, considered "good" per se. In this framework, professionalism and discretion acquire new and problematic meanings compared to street-level bureaucracy processes. Research limitations/implications: Based on a case study, the research results cannot be generalised but pave the way to further comparative investigations. Practical implications: The paper reveals that the position of professionals in netocracy is to some extent trickier than that in a bureaucracy because netocracy seems to have the power to encapsulate them and make it less likely for them to deviate from expected courses of action. Originality/value: Combining different literature streams – street level bureaucracy, professionalism, network organisations and welfare governance – and building on an original case study, the paper contribute to understanding professionalism in welfare contexts increasingly characterised by the combination of bureaucratic, professional and network logics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understandings of tourists' contemporary information needs that emphasize spontaneous travel decision-making and tourism as an exclusively pleasurable experience do not account for the contexts of people with dementia and their carers, for whom travelling requires unique adaptations. Through netnography in four online fora, this paper investigates the hitherto under-researched travel information needs of informal carers of people living with dementia. The qualitative data highlights the breadth of pre-travel information needs and their strong emotional dimensions both when carers plan to travel with and without the person with dementia for whom they care. Our analysis uncovers the complex, interdependent nature of travel-related information queries which refer not only to narrow tourism themes but also to health, healthcare and social policy. This exploratory paper concludes with recommendations for addressing the travel information needs of this globally growing category of people, wherein collaboration across destinations, tourism and hospitality industries, the healthcare sector and other stakeholders may be required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a range of actors respond to poverty in the cost of living crisis, this paper addresses a long‐standing blind spot in social policy analysis by examining the role that corporations are playing in voluntary responses in the UK. To do this the paper introduces theories of corporate power to extend approaches to researching mixed economies of welfare, which have traditionally looked at the role of commercial entities principally in terms of their role alongside other actors in the welfare state. Building on existing food charity research, which has explored the dynamics and implications of corporate‐food charity relationships, this paper applies theories of corporate power to an analysis of the food charity related activities of the top 20 leading food retailers and casual dining brands in the UK. The analysis reveals how UK corporations exercised instrumental, structural and discursive forms of power to influence policy, set agendas and norms within food and charity systems and frame issues of food charity and hunger. The paper illustrates how a corporate power framework can add important layers to social policy analyses of mixed economies of welfare, by introducing a focus not just on operational aspects of corporate involvement, but also on the impact these corporations might be having on policy, how they are shaping the structure of welfare and the drivers of poverty through agenda setting in their markets, and the ways in which corporations influence public perceptions of social policy issues and how best to respond to them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dhaka's rapid urbanization, income inequality and unplanned growth have brought this megacity to international attention. Although limited elements of ethnoreligious segregation are prevalent in the city, a general concern in the existing literature is that the city is failing to provide distributive justice to its citizens. This paper explores the current socio-spatial division of Dhaka city to understand its patterns and underlying causes. The paper uses the isolation index ($$x{P_x}$$ x P x ), Moran's I (I) index and location quotient (LQ) to understand the pattern of segregation in Dhaka. At the same time, the local indicators for spatial association (LISA) contribute to recognizing clustering patterns in this city. In the context of limited national census data on urban services, this study triangulates its findings through geospatial analysis of existing census data, interviews, and field observations. Results suggest that the eastern part of the city is segregated because of poor urban service conditions. Small clusters of affluent neighborhoods are emerging in Dhaka, whereas enclaves of isolated neighborhoods with inadequate housing and service situations are evident at the city core. Limited housing supply, geographic constraints, elitist planning, the concentration of investment in the city core, budgetary limitations, and management failure have resulted in the isolation and clustering of neighborhoods with poor living conditions. In its conclusion, the paper cautions that segregation requires more policy focus and calls for policy interventions to address the underlying causes of segregation in Dhaka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a novel dataset on working-time regulation for 197 territories between 1789 and 2010 to document how working hours have become globally standardised through public policy. Descriptive analysis shows that working-time reforms are global in scope, rare events, sizable once undertaken and tend to reduce hours. Democracies were historically more likely than autocracies to regulate hours, but this is not the case now, and there has never been a large gap in the content of their regulations. Whereas independent states always regulated hours to a greater extent, over half of all dependent states just prior to decolonisation regulated hours with more generous regulations than independent states. Based on these patterns, the paper first makes a methodological plea for more long-term historical studies and, second, sketches two possible explanatory frameworks for working-time reforms. One highlights shocks to the powerbase of antiregulation coalitions; the other highlights international normative change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In globalization, the primary way to increase the country's competitiveness in the world market is to improve education and increase human capital. The transition to the knowledge economy is a long-term process and requires fundamental changes in the education system. The traditional mission of the education system - informational education - has become a thing of the past. Today, the main priority is developing a quality education system and supporting science, technology, and innovation. The development of a knowledge-based, innovative economy is a necessary condition for increasing Georgia's competitiveness. Several reforms were implemented to improve the education system, ensure macroeconomic stability, attract foreign investments, develop foreign trade, and economically integrate Georgia with the European Union. However, social policy and human capital development remain challenges for our country. Numerous scientific studies have been devoted to determining the connection between the level of knowledge and economic growth. New strategies and policy documents are being created, the analysis of which and the development of recommendations for monetary policy improvement are the main goals of the paper. The article presents the main challenges of the Georgian education system and evaluates the role of human capital and innovation in the development of the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last few years there has been growing attention to and discussion of the so-called militarization of policing. Unfortunately, much of this discussion poses the militarization of policing as a recent phenomenon. This paper examines policing in Canada within the context of an ongoing military practice. It shows that policing was founded on a military basis and continues to be carried out on a military basis as exemplified in the more recent developments that have raised alarm about militarization. It raises the need for a retheorization of policing within the context of capitalist social struggles and highlights some instructive recent theoretical developments toward that end. Properly understanding the police in Canada can help to contextualize and challenge current responses that are limited to reforms for police (de-militarization, de-escalation, improved training, non-lethal weaponry, etc.) or which even allow for the expansion of policing (community policing, drones, etc.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Welfare Policies & Social Work Journal / Revista Internacional de Políticas de Bienestar y Trabajo Social is the property of Asociacion Internacional de Ciencias Sociales & Trabajo Social and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista de Treball Social is the property of Col·legi Oficial de TreballSocial de Catalunya and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of University Research / Üniversite Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of Journal of University Research and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Since 2012, twenty-four states have legalized adult-use recreational cannabis. To varying degrees, state laws allow for the production, distribution, retail sale, and on-site consumption of cannabis in licensed businesses. Accompanying cannabis, some legalization has acknowledged that black and brown communities were disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs. To address this, social equity provisions have been a component of their public policies related to cannabis legalization. These provisions include measures to expunge cannabis-related criminal records and create social equity set-asides for cannabis business licenses. This paper's research question asks if, under its current structure and implementation, recreational cannabis laws achieve social equity goals. The methods for the analysis apply content analysis to public policy documents and quantify recreational cannabis licensing outcomes. These methods were applied to a comparative analysis of social equity provisions in state and local cannabis laws applicable to large U.S. cities (2020 population > 600,000). This analysis focuses on the characteristics of set-asides for social equity licenses to sell recreational cannabis. The analysis examines the scope of social equity policies, their administration and implementation, and the characteristics of licensees. The findings from the analysis are used to identify a model policy framework and generate recommendations to strengthen social equity outcomes in recreational cannabis licensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent calls for social investment-oriented social policy suggest that existing social policies are unsustainable and need radical rethinking. Instead, this paper argues that we need to better understand how long-standing policies have enabled society's adaptation to socioeconomic changes and forestalled experiences of marginalization, poverty, and acute vulnerability. Inspired by the historical success of Nordic-style social policies, I reconsider the relation between development studies and welfare state studies, synthesize ideas from both, elaborate on the inclusive strand of welfare developmentalism, and introduce a conceptual framework for explaining why existing social policies may be simultaneously protective and productive. Applying social developmentalist ideas from the Global South to the traditional welfare state literature of the Global North, this paper advances a theoretical explanation for why what I term "developmental welfare state policies" defy standard economic assumptions through preventive investments that inhere in existing policy variants. It cautions against promoting separate social investment policies or characterizing policies as exclusively passive or activating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing from the theoretical and empirical results of a European research project, this paper tentatively elaborates a post-neoliberal framework for social policy and welfare reform. We argue that for moving beyond neoliberalism it is not sufficient to just increase the generosity of social policies: what is also needed is 'social empowerment', i.e. processes of democratization of social policymaking that effectively redistribute power in society, making welfare institutions increasingly accountable and responsive to citizens, including marginalized ones. Building on reflections and learnings emerging from our work in the research project, we show that a capability and human rights informed participatory action research involving civil society organizations, marginalized citizens and academic researchers, can offer potential pathways forward to advance a post-neoliberal social policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays energy accessibility and affordability are global concerns. Energy poverty and its effects on households have been increasingly discussed in the public debate, as well as addressed by energy and social policies. Nevertheless, measures to tackle energy poverty at urban scale remain fragmented, and they are far to be fully embedded into urban planning tools. This paper explores a methodological approach to investigate the vulnerability related to energy poverty. It is based on the identification of two main thematic areas of vulnerability (i.e., socioeconomic and energy). For each of these components, a synthetic vulnerability sub-index has been developed, which has allowed the identification of an overall energy poverty vulnerability index, able to detect different levels of energy poverty vulnerability at urban scale. This approach, combined with a thorough urban analysis, has been applied to the city of Bologna and it has allowed the identification of urban regeneration strategies for each investigated urban area, targeted to the energy poverty-related vulnerabilities detected. The results are intended to provide evidence on the importance of investigating who the energy vulnerables are and to map the characteristics of the urban areas where they live, in order to support policy makers to better address energy poverty in cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary nationalism in the West tends to be understood in ethnic terms and associated with a bottom-up reaction to disliked effects of globalization, in particular migration. But there is also a top-down nationalism that is inherent in states' boundary-policing and – constituting membership policies. This paper draws the contours of a state-level neoliberal nationalism. Its imprint can be found in social policy, citizenship policy, and – the focus of this paper – immigration policy, in particular for the highly-skilled. Neoliberal nationalism combines diversity and meritocracy, and thus a modicum of cultural and economic liberalism. The prefix 'neo' flags the refashioning of political community from solidarity-based to contract-based, conditional on individual contribution and strict reciprocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Codesign is an increasingly common term in Indigenous education policy settings. However, it is unclear exactly what it means and how it is enacted. This systematic review examined 15 papers relevant to codesign in the context of Indigenous education, clearly distinguishing between codesign as a process and a method. These papers provide a snapshot of the various ways codesign is conceptualised, enacted as a process and evaluated in Indigenous education settings. In this paper, we respond to these three areas of codesign to inform a more nuanced framework to help policymakers and practitioners in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws attention to how markers of adulthood linked to education and employment form an influential social narrative and argues that these help to construct teenage motherhood as problematic. Social policies, informed by this narrative, reinforce the idea of a "correct" path through education and into employment from which young mothers deviate and must be realigned to. This paper draws on a sample of former young mothers who had largely progressed into higher education and sheds light on how their pathways were possible and what challenges they encountered. It therefore joins others in challenging common conceptualisations of teenage motherhood as inevitably leading to educational failure. This paper seeks to open a further avenue to this debate however, in that it questions the wisdom of utilising predetermined markers of success to measure the achievement of young mothers. As the accounts discussed here show, a later data collection point enables us to see how "outcomes", but also priorities, change. Furthermore, by highlighting stories of pride and joy outside of markers of adulthood, it also encourages us to reflect on the effects of a normative social narrative which depicts divergence as failure. The paper therefore seeks to strike a note of caution in the ways in which we define success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review comprehensively analyzes the contemporary Greek legislative foster care system according to N4538/2018, exploring all the relevant international agreements such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the European Union's Charter of Fundamental Rights, that influenced its enactment. It highlights the rights and protection afforded to children in foster care, detailing provisions from the Hague Convention on the Rights of the Child and European legislation. It explores thoroughly the recent legislative reforms in Greece, including the establishment of the National Council for Foster Care and Adoption. It emphasizes the development and adherence to National and Special Registers for minors in the modern Child Protection System, as well as the implementation of Individual Family Rehabilitation Plans. It reveals that the recent legislation framework has many advantages but also a few weaknesses that could be amended. The legal procedures and criteria for placing minors in fostering in Greece, and the required criteria to ensure that foster parents meet the necessary guidelines to protect the best interests of children are discussed. This paper also examines the legal and procedural steps required to link children to foster families, the arrangements for supervision of foster parents and the consequences of fostering in cases of noncompliance. It is also proven that social workers play a key role in all stages and procedures of the application of the institution of foster care since they have taken up the main responsibilities for its implementation, prior, during and after the children are placed in foster parents. The article concludes that there is an imperative need for informed policies and practices that will ensure the adequate care and protection of minors in the foster system, recommending a synergy of legal, institutional, and educational strategies to optimize the welfare of foster children and support foster parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the ways through which new philanthropy in education is being enacted in Portugal, focusing on one of its significant imaginaries: social inclusion. We analyse EPIS (Entrepreneurs for Social Inclusion), a top association dedicated to corporate philanthropy with a growing presence in the education system. Drawing on Popkewitz's concept of fabrication, it examines EPIS' programmes and deliverables as technologies that constitute social inclusion as an object of policy, knowledge and practice, targeting students (transforming 'at-risk' students into entrepreneurs), teachers and schools (transforming their cultures to become performance-oriented), and the relationship between State and non-State actors (fostering the State's adoption of a rule-following role, dependent on knowledge generated by non-State actors). This paper suggests that new philanthropies' social inclusion imaginary enacts a system of reason that promulgates results-oriented and evidence-based approaches to educational policy and knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of the publication is to present changes in the Lubuskie labor market and their impact on the living conditions of the local community. Design/methodology/approach: The paper uses statistical data and source materials. Findings: The article presents the most important issues related to the labor market and analyzes key indicators, GDP dynamics, employment rate, directions of social policy development in order to present the changes taking place in Lubuskie province. Originality/value: The article is aimed at people interested in analyzing the labor market, living conditions of the population, people also interested in regional policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The main goal of the current paper is to conduct an in-depth research on the demographic and development topics by exploring two simultaneous trends and processes: the correlation between various topics, factors and indicators and the close linkages between the social environment, the behavioral insights and the human development indicators. Methods and methodology: The paper conducts a multilevel analysis focusing on a quality analysis research of the online content dealing with demographic and human development topics by using the tools and instruments provided by the platform Brand24 and Mermaid Live Editor (v10.8.0 - mermaid.live) during the period November 25, 2023 - February 25, 2024 (92 days). The methodology requires the identification of twenty topics used to scale public opinion and aimed to explore how people react, interact and behave online by scaling the following topcis: "population", "demography", "population demographics", "human population", "human development", "social policy", "health equity", "public health", "family", "households", "natality", "population density", "population growth", "population health", "aging population", "older population", "quality of life", "wellbeing", "wellness", "happiness". Findings and discussion: The results of the online monitoring provide a complex understanding of the demographic and human development topics during the current period, associating an innovative approach to the developmental specifics, quality of life and human potential as displayed by the Brand24 social media monitoring tools (Key Performance Indicators-KPIs). Conclusions: In conclusion, the online monitoring of the demographic and human development topics and related items engages new areas of research providing information related to the social dimension and scaling opinions, impressions, perceptions, likes, tweets, retweets etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of KritV, CritQ, RCrit. Kritische Vierteljahresschrift für Gesetzgebung und Rechtswissenschaft / Critical Quarterly for Legislation & Law / Revue critique trimestrielle de jurisprudence et de législation is the property of Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to the capacity of developed welfare states to meet emerging needs. In its initial year, the pandemic prompted a wave of new social policy programmes and modifications to existing ones. This study empirically investigates the applicability of various social theories in elucidating the dynamics of social policy changes during the COVID-19 crisis. Reflective analysis employs Hegelian dialectics as a methodological framework on established theories, including welfare regime theory, path dependence theory, path creation, and incorporates contemporary perspectives such as capability theory. The aim is to reflect and discern what these approaches explain and how these theoretical paradigms account for the observed shifts in social policy dynamics. The paper builds on previously published studies focused on the dynamics of persistence and change, mitigation and prevention, divergence and convergence, and continuity and irruption in social policies implemented in response to the pandemic. The article also contributes at developing a theoretical and methodological reflective approach to examine social policy changes in multiple contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern Chinese traditional instruments have also embarked on a path of learning from Western musicology. Most research on instrument improvement has focused solely on Western instruments and issues inherent to the instruments themselves. However, to explore further directions for the improvement of Chinese instruments and enhance the quality of instrument creation and performance, this paper employs grounded theory to construct a "Sound Performance--Subject Driving-- Environmental Inducing" dynamic model (SSE) for the improvement of Chinese traditional instruments. This model analyzes the various factors and driving mechanisms influencing improvement. We found that sound optimization is the main force driving instrument improvement, exerting the greatest influence on the improvement process. In terms of external driving forces, professional knowledge and esthetic pursuit play a crucial role, forming a dynamic triangular relationship among instrument manufacturers, performers, and Chinese traditional music groups. The dynamic changes in instrument improvement, through this triangular interaction, are ultimately influenced by cultural recognition, social policy, and technological innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 has paralysed many countries' social and economic lives. COVID-19 has pushed the world towards drastic social distancing and sterilisation measures to limit the spread and impact of the infection. However, it remains unclear what the long-term physical, psychological, socio-economic, and political decisions will be and their consequences. Scientists today have a great responsibility to study this period. Therefore, expert data contributes to the individual and collective development of citizens. The analytical method used in this study involved a theoretical analysis of publications on social and human sciences from the Scopus database, mainly focusing on the year 2020, to develop a framework for understanding the societal repercussions of the pandemic. The study defines a wide range of social consequences and effects of COVID-19, shows the impact pandemic on education in the context of social policy, establishes the socio-political and economic consequences of COVID-19, and substantiates psychological reactions to COVID-19. A review of the literature can help determine the impact of COVID-19 on social policy. Based on the analysis of the papers, it can be concluded that COVID-19 has increased inequality, widened the gap between the rich and the poor, and threatened the stability of society in low-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study is based on the analysis and conclusions in a preceding paper by the author. Major interpretations of epigenetics are considered - social-ecological, biomedical and bioethical, - as well as their impact on social sciences and humanities, policies and opportunities for human development. The following important conclusions are formulated: firstly, epigenetics can be a stimulus to reform social sciences, as well as for policies aiming at purer environment, less poverty and social inequality, more freedom and less violence; (2) one-sided and implicit biomedical interpretation of epigenetics not only does not solve but intensifies existing problems relating to health and wellbeing of people in contemporary societies; (3) this however does not mean rejecting the biomedical approach but finding it's appropriate and balanced place in the context of functioning ecological and social policies; (4) practices and behavioural models that epigenetics determines as sensitive presuppose respective responsibilities on the part of various subjects - organisations, institutions and pdrticular individuals. A critical evaluation is necessary of attempts to reject responsibilities as well as of their imballanced distribution among various subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessibility and security issues pertaining to people with disabilities in Zimbabwe’s urban areas have so far received limited priority in scholarship and social policy. This is a major deviation from the prerequisites for disability inclusion, rights-based governance and development, and transformative social policy. Using qualitative research methodology, the paper addresses this compelling lacuna by exploring selected germane issues affecting people with disabilities, and advances policy options that Zimbabwe and other countries can implement to transform the well-being of this often excluded and trivialized group. The article acknowledges current effort for improving accessibility and security in and of urban areas but more importantly shows that people with disabilities are experiencing multiple problems due to glaring deficiencies in urban policy, amenities, and services. Transformative disability policy buttressed by a multi-stakeholder approach is indispensable in improving the situation of people with disabilities in relation to accessibility and security in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 2022 and 2024, there was no devolved government functioning in Northern Ireland. This protracted absence of government occurred in the aftermath of the Covid‐19 pandemic and during what is arguably the worst economic crisis of recent years. Women are more vulnerable to hardship during economic crisis and thus it is unsurprising that the Cost‐of‐Living Crisis is hitting women hardest. This paper examines increasing food insecurity for women in Northern Ireland and the implications for the realisation of their human right to an adequate standard of living. The UK Government has ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which provides a legal duty to ensure that everyone has adequate access to food. However, increasing numbers of food banks and ill health related to insufficient food intake indicates that there is a fundamental problem. This article draws on 20 focus groups with 250 women on a low‐income to explore their experiences of the Cost‐of‐Living Crisis in Northern Ireland. The research found that women routinely skipped meals; described feelings of shame and guilt associated with struggling to feed their children; and discussed difficulties associated with purchasing food. Much of the pain associated with the hunger experienced by these women and children is hidden within the private sphere of the home. This article intends to shine a light on women's experiences and will reflect on the necessary policy change required to ensure compliance with international human rights obligations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commuting, the spatial mismatch between work and residential locations, necessitates integrated urban and transport policies to mitigate its societal impacts. While cross-border commuting (CBC) is increasing and governance of border regions is on the rise beyond national borders, no systemic review of this specific commuting pattern exists. We aim to consolidate the CBC literature accumulated over the years into a coherent and synthetic framework. Our systematic review assembles an inaugural comprehensive corpus of cross-border commuting literature. It reveals three transversal key topics (transport-oriented topic, qualitative approaches versus a lack of quantitative data, and a large majority of European papers) and four sub-topics (patterns, determinants, impacts and policies). Moreover, we consolidate findings through meticulous mapping of evidence, where most links are traced between the determinants and the level of flows across borders. Finally, the discussion offers directions for future research, with an exhortation to explicitly link policies to sustainability and social concerns, and the necessity for standardised datasets for methodological comparability across cases and in alignment with general commuting research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]