Home as a site of resistance: Editorial

This special issue intervenes in the scholarship on domestic space on screen by adopting a specific focus on the home as a space of resistance across different geographies and time periods, from the 1960s to today. The articles utilise a mix of research methods, from archival to participatory documentary. Considering debates from fields such as home movie studies, virtual reality, media activism, and the relationship between film and urbanism, the articles in this special issue demonstrate how film and media can address resistance centred around the concept of home. They also challenge and offer alternative views to white, heteronormative, middle-class representations of domestic life. These articles provide insights into the challenges and importance of home for marginalised groups, suggest new ways for film and media studies to approach representation, and centre the portrayal of often overlooked communities. Central to these articles is the idea of home and the use of media as a form of resistance and agency that can be used to contest mainstream perspectives. Each article looks at what home means, whether it’s a place of safety, precarity, identity, or memory, with each essay looking at how media shape or challenge our views of home and social identity

A tale of three transitions: a year in the life of electricity systems transformation narratives in the Irish media

Background: This paper focuses on discourses of transition in the electricity system in the Irish print media, with particular attention to both the framing and the scalar referents of the debate. We characterise some of the key contextual drivers for system transformation and suggest that too sharp a distinction between existing electricity infrastructure and systems of the future forecloses the possibility of social learning. Our central question research question is: What lessons can emergent techno-optimistic solutions to electricity system transitions learn from contemporary infrastructure controversies? Using a reconstruction based on print media coverage over a 12-month period in Ireland, we present three contrasting short stories to suggest that there are some commonalities that might provide cues and clues for promoting solutions for transitions to a low-carbon economy and society. Methods: We divide our methods section into a discussion of theory and methods. In the theory part, we explore the literatures on sustainable electricity transitions, critical infrastructures and social acceptability of energy solutions. In the methods part, we begin from the assertion that storylines help constitute reality allowing constellations of actors to coalesce around certain narratives. We outline the methodological approach to the reconstruction of mediated narratives based on three short stories of electricity system transformations in Ireland. Results: The three short stories recounted here, the future is smart; blurred lines; and policy versus place, show how narratives of economic recovery and economic growth risk occlude sustainable electricity system transition narratives, generating conflict rather than consensus on the decarbonisation of the Irish economy and society. Conclusions: Although the public discourse on smart grid technologies is very much in its infancy in Ireland, its rhetorical framing is very similar to that in both the wind farm and infrastructure controversies. The lack of attention to issues of scale, ownership, rhetorical framing and the perceived distribution and fairness of costs and benefits in these controversies could become equally problematic in the roll of smart grid strategies. Smarter green transitions in regions and cities do not depend on technological innovation alone but require social and institutional innovation to ensure constructive public engagement in sustainable electricity system transitions

Ireland's Climate Change Assessment Synthesis Report

This is the first Ireland’s Climate Change Assessment (ICCA) and is a major contribution to the national dialogue and engagement on climate change. It tells us what is known about climate change and Ireland. It also provides key insights on gaps in our knowledge. The development of ICCA was modelled on the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Sixth Assessment Cycle, completed in 2023, with the use of and localisation of its information for Ireland. ICCA will support the national response to climate change, ensuring that it is informed by the best available science. It also points to how and where that science can be improved through further investments in innovation, in research and in systematic observations. These collectively form the essential backbone of the science and data required to understand how Ireland is being impacted by and responding to the climate change challenge.The full Assessment has been developed through a co-creation process between leading academics in Ireland and officials from across state agencies and government departments. Funding was provided by the Environmental Protection Agency, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland and Department of Transport. The process was collaborative, involving mutual development and agreement of the scope, preparation and review of drafts, wider stakeholder consultation through a series of workshops and meetings, and a detailed sign-off process. We see the publication of ICCA as a real innovation for Ireland and as a resource for understanding climate change in an Irish context across the underlying science, mitigation and adaptation measures, and opportunities. It is a starting point for further dialogue on the findings and their utility for policymakers, practitioners, researchers, research funders and people. This engagement phase should continue far beyond the publication of this Assessment and support climate action in Ireland

Freedom of association at the European Court of Human Rights: A right in service of democracy

This article explores how freedom of association is protected by the European Court of Human Rights. The European Convention on Human Rights affirms, in Article 11.1, that everyone has the right ‘to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of association’, and specifically recognises the right to form and to join trade unions. The right is expressly qualified in Article 11.2, which provides (using language that is broadly similar to that found in the neighbouring provisions) that the exercise of the right may be justifiably restricted if the restrictions are ‘prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others’. It concludes with the statement that ‘[t]his article shall not prevent the imposition of lawful restrictions on the exercise of these rights by members of the armed forces, of the police or of the administration of the State’.The European Convention on Human Rights is a product of the Council of Europe: an international organisation that is independent of the European Union and now comprises forty-six member states. Its origins date back to the aftermath of the Second World War. The Congress of Europe, held at The Hague between 7th and 11th May 1948, and attended by prominent politicians, philosophers, lawyers, academics, historians, journalists, entrepreneurs, civil society leaders and religious leaders from the nations of Europe, concluded with a Political Resolution calling for a Charter of Human Rights.2 The Council of Europe was thereafter established in 1949 and the draft Convention opened for signature in 1950. Having attracted the support of the then 12 Council of Europe Member States, the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, commonly known as the European Convention on Human Rights (and hereinafter referred to as the Convention), was ratified and entered into force on 3rd September 1953. The Convention is interpreted by the European Court of Human Rights (hereinafter referred to as the Court), which hears cases brought by individual applicants against Member States claiming a violation of Convention provisions. The Court exercises a supervisory human rights jurisdiction, in line with the Preamble to the Convention, which affirms that Member States, ‘in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, have the primary responsibility to secure the rights and freedoms defined in this Convention and the Protocols thereto, and that in doing so they enjoy a margin of appreciation, subject to the supervisory jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights established by this Convention’.4 Article 35 of the Convention provides that a case may only be brought ‘after all domestic remedies have been exhausted, according to the generally recognised rules of international law’5 and Article 46 provides that in the event of a finding by the Court that a Member State is in violation of the Convention, the Member States ‘undertake to abide by [the decision] and the judgment is conveyed to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe which works with the government of the Member State to try to secure the execution of the judgment’. In other words, Member States have the first responsibility and the ultimate responsibility for the vindication of human rights in their nation states, but between those two points the Court has the final authority on how the Convention is interpreted. Part I considers how the Court defines “associations” and how it has developed three component aspects of the right: the right to form associations, the right not to be forced to join an association, and the right of the association to organisational autonomy. Part II explores the types of disputes that arise, and ways in which the Court articulates the relationship between freedom of association and freedom of expression. Part III reflects on the rationales that the European Court of Human Rights offers for why the right to freedom of association is important, and its particular focus on the idea that freedom of association is essential to the proper functioning of democracy

CdSSe nano-flowers for ultrasensitive raman detection of antibiotics

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique is widely used for the highly sensitive detection of trace residues due to its unparalleled signal amplification ability and plays an important role in food safety, environmental monitoring, etc. Herein, CdSSe nano-flowers (CdSSe NFs) are synthesized via the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. CdSSe NFs thin film is used as a SERS substrate with an ultralow limit of detection (LOD, 10-14 M), high apparent enhancement factor (EF, 3.62 × 109), and excellent SERS stability (relative standard deviation, RSD = 3.05%) for probe molecules of Rh6G. Further, CdSSe NFs substrate is successfully applied in the sensitive, quantitative, and label-free analysis of ciprofloxacin (CIP) and enrofloxacin (ENR) antibiotics, which exhibit LODs of below 0.5 ppb. This excellent SERS platform may be widely utilized for sensitive life science and environmental sensing

Reforming the law of prescription: A cautionary tale from Ireland

The law on the prescriptive acquisition of easements and profits, as it evolved in England and Wales and was inherited by other common law jurisdictions, has long been considered unsatisfactory. ‘Clouds and darkness [had] settled down over the whole subject’ even before the ‘fitting addition to the chaos’ represented by the Prescription Act 1832. It is not surprising, therefore, that reform has been under consideration in a number of jurisdictions. As part of a wide-ranging reform of land law in the Republic of Ireland, the law of prescription was radically recast by Part 8 of the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009 (the LCLRA). The three existing forms of prescription — common law prescription, prescription under the doctrine of lost modern grant, and statutory prescription under the Prescription Act 1832 — were abolished and replaced by a new form of statutory prescription. The period for the acquisition by prescription was reduced to 12 years, creating what one commentator has described as ‘The most liberal system of prescription ever proposed’. The new regime was due to come into effect after a three-year transition period but, before this period had elapsed, the scheme was modified by the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011. Unfortunately, even after the 2011 amendments, there appear to be significant difficulties with the new Irish scheme. This chapter analyses the problems that have arisen in Ireland in relation to the reform of the law of prescription and considers the possible lessons for reformers in other jurisdictions, giving special attention to comparisons with the proposals made by the Law Commission for England and Wales in 2011

Remote learning of mathematics for visually impaired students during COVID-19: Exploring online intervention, resources, challenges and issues

Due to COVID-19, several dramatic changes have appeared all over the world i.e., travel restrictions, healthcare shortages, self-isolation, economic crises, social distancing, increases in food demand, job losses and closure of educational institutions. This led to a rapid transition from face-to-face to remote teaching. Most remote learning platforms are designed primarily for sighted students and are less useful for visually-impaired students. Especially in mathematics, it's quite difficult for visually-impaired students to access rich visual information, such as graphs, algebraic notations, geometric shapes and statistical formulas. This article provides an overview of mathematics learning resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. It explores assistive technology-based interventions which enable visually-impaired and blind students to actively participate in remote teaching and enhance their learning skills. It was noted that solutions are available for various platforms (i.e., smartphones, tablets, laptops & desktop PCs) to support visually-impaired students. Assistive Technology in remote learning also plays a key role in enhancing the mathematical skills of visually-impaired students. Furthermore, we have investigated the important COVID-19-related resources of different institutes which are very beneficial for the online education of visually-impaired students. Moreover, some challenges and issues are discovered such as internet connectivity, lack of interaction, inadequate support, one-way communication and less effective learning. Finally, some future directions are suggested for research i.e., parents should be a part of remote learning

Regioselective partial hydrogenation and deuteration of tetracyclic (Hetero)aromatic systems using a simple heterogeneous catalyst

The introduction of added ‘3-dimensionality’ through late-stage functionalization of extended (hetero)aromatic systems is a powerful synthetic approach. The abundance of starting materials and cross-coupling methodologies to access the precursors allows for highly diverse products. Subsequent selective partial reduction can alter the core structure in a manner of interest to medicinal chemists. Herein, we describe the precise, partial reduction of multicyclic heteroaromatic systems using a simple heterogeneous catalyst. The approach can be extended to introduce deuterium (again at late-stage). Excellent yields can be obtained using simple reaction conditions

Resulting trusts and voluntary conveyances of land: 1674-1925

This article considers whether a resulting trust could arise upon a voluntary conveyance of land prior to 1926, a question which was the subject of much controversy amongst leading judges and writers in past centuries. Based on an analysis of the case law, which starts in the seventeenth century, the article argues that the better view is that no resulting trust could arise in the relevant situation prior to 1926. Arguments are advanced to explain why this interpretation is consistent with principle, emphasising the complexity inherent in the proposition that a resulting trust doctrine existed alongside the presumption of resulting use in the context of voluntary conveyances of land

Recovering place: Cultivating an ethic of care for ancient sites and monuments

The work of the Friends of Knock Iveagh showcased within this volume demonstrates how recovering the narrative of an ancient heritage landscape can bring a community together around a common interest, and promote an increased fascination and care for one’s place. Similar conservation initiatives and campaigns exist in the south of the Island of Ireland. However, despite the enthusiasm of these projects, reports of deliberate damage to ancient sites and monuments, prehistoric remains in particular, appear to be on the rise in the Republic of Ireland. This destructive activity highlights a fundamental lack of understanding of archaeological sites and the social value that they can afford. While on the surface this stance may stem from historical deficiencies in heritage education, interpretation and unsympathetic planning approaches, it is arguably underpinned by a deep-rooted ‘cultural amnesia’. This paper explores the potential for a place-based ethic of care, through cultural memory-work and emotional engagement, to combat destructive attitudes and behaviour towards archaeological sites. It suggests that by bringing local antiquities into collective consciousness, not just as sites of recreation and learning, but also commemoration and reflection, may help more people to develop a stronger sense of connection to, and care for, these monuments, whilst experiencing care in the process