Rural development as the propagation of regional ‘communities of values’:A case study of local discourses promoting social innovation and social sustainability

Discourses on rural areas and their development concurrently encompass both negative narratives of them dying out and discussions on how to constitute future visions for a ‘living’, ‘good’ and ‘sustainable’ countryside to work towards. As a solution, ‘social innovation’ has been proposed to counter the economic, demographic and sociocultural challenges disadvantaged rural regions are facing. Accordingly, this article contributes to the growing literature on the dynamics of social innovation initiatives by investigating how rural areas and their communities are communicatively re-constructed, as part of socio-spatial processes emerging from the work of rural development initiatives, fostering potential social change towards more sustainable societies. Building on fieldwork from the rural Austrian region of Mühlviertel, it is shown how social innovation aiming at instigating positive territorial developments is linked to intertwined processes of the re-figuration of social bonds and re-figuration of space, which is centred around the propagation of regional ‘community of values’ founded on ideas about changing values and social sustainability

Professional resonance:role conflict, identity work, and well-being in Danish retail banking

Danish retail banking is characterized by a role conflict between sales and advice. Through the lens of identity work, this study explores how bankers negotiate this conflict by seeking to make sense of themselves and justify the work that they do. We show that bankers are keenly aware of the role conflicts they face in doing their jobs, but they also discover ways of making these conflicts meaningfully productive for themselves, their employers, and their customers. To explain these findings, we introduce Hartmut Rosa’s concept of resonance, provisionally understood as a processual and relational conceptualization of well-being. This leads to a conceptualization of bankers’ identity work of managing the sales–advice tension as striving for professional resonance, the attainment of which is possible through three strategies: an advice orientation, which can be understood as a protection of resonance; a sale orientation, which relies on a promise of resonance; and an integration of sales and advice, which can be seen as an incorporation of resonance. Following the analysis, the normativity of resonance theory is leveraged in a critical discussion of the identified strategies of professional resonance, and the potential implications for well-being research and human resource management practices are considered.</p

Decolonizing Language Resources in the Human-Machine Era: A Critical Reflection on Universalist Ideologies and Language Technologies

This essay engages with the issue of future developing language technologies. In recent policy publications that attempt to predict and document an increasingly technologized linguistic future, we see a set of assumptions and presuppositions at work that we approach from a decolonial perspective. We use a sociolinguistically inspired lens of critical engagement with colonialist premises underlying these ideologies and beliefs in universal technological progress in the arena of language and communication. Based on decolonial insights, we make a critical reading of, and an allegorical comparison to, these premises, and ask whether a pluralistic, decolonial view of the role of language/language resources in society could aid in counteracting potential automatic reproductions of existing macro- and micro-sociolinguistic inequalities embodied in future language devices as described and forecast in the LITHME (Languages in the Human-Machine Era) report, Microsoft Corporation’s Responsible Artificial Intelligence Principles and the Digital Language Vitality Scale, three examples of recent publications on this topic. We frame critical rejoinders, from the theoretical perspectives of linguistic imperialism, the sociolinguistics of globalization, and languaging theory, with the aim to address future linguistic and sociolinguistic outcomes in the human-machine era in a decoloniality-inspired manner. We conclude that persistent beliefs in the inevitability of technological progress will continue to underpin and drive dominant Western interests in a digital future, and, unless radical reappraisal and reprioritization take place, these will continue to systematically disadvantage speakers in many locales across the globe. We end by encouraging continued critical linguistic reflection in this area in the future.This essay engages with the issue of future developing language technologies. In recent policy publications that attempt to predict and document an increasingly technologized linguistic future, we see a set of assumptions and presuppositions at work that we approach from a decolonial perspective. We use a sociolinguistically inspired lens of critical engagement with colonialist premises underlying these ideologies and beliefs in universal technological progress in the arena of language and communication. Based on decolonial insights, we make a critical reading of, and an allegorical comparison to, these premises, and ask whether a pluralistic, decolonial view of the role of language/language resources in society could aid in counteracting potential automatic reproductions of existing macro- and micro-sociolinguistic inequalities embodied in future language devices as described and forecast in the LITHME (Languages in the Human-Machine Era) report, Microsoft Corporation’s Responsible Artificial Intelligence Principles and the Digital Language Vitality Scale, three examples of recent publications on this topic. We frame critical rejoinders, from the theoretical perspectives of linguistic imperialism, the sociolinguistics of globalization, and languaging theory, with the aim to address future linguistic and sociolinguistic outcomes in the human-machine era in a decoloniality-inspired manner. We conclude that persistent beliefs in the inevitability of technological progress will continue to underpin and drive dominant Western interests in a digital future, and, unless radical reappraisal and reprioritization take place, these will continue to systematically disadvantage speakers in many locales across the globe. We end by encouraging continued critical linguistic reflection in this area in the future.</p

Moral geographies and their application among diasporic Somalis’

This article explores the moralities behind some diasporic Somalis’ high mobility. It is based on ethnographic fieldwork among diasporic Somalis who have migrated from western countries and relocated to Turkey. Drawing on mobility studies, the analysis shows that the reasons behind their mobility relate to the protection of their second-generation children from ‘bad moral behaviour’ by exposing them to stronger traditional cultural values. The study applies the notion of ‘moral geography’, which is mobility motivated by moral considerations, and the choice of geographical location that is aligned with migrants’ moral values. In this article, I argue that the (hyper)mobility of diasporic Somalis creates particular moral geographies that cannot be reduced to a question of either nomadism or sedentarism. I look at the first-generation diasporic Somalis’ mobility patterns and the meanings they attribute to it.This article explores the moralities behind some diasporic Somalis’ high mobility. It is based on ethnographic fieldwork among diasporic Somalis who have migrated from western countries and relocated to Turkey. Drawing on mobility studies, the analysis shows that the reasons behind their mobility relate to the protection of their second-generation children from ‘bad moral behaviour’ by exposing them to stronger traditional cultural values. The study applies the notion of ‘moral geography’, which is mobility motivated by moral considerations, and the choice of geographical location that is aligned with migrants’ moral values. In this article, I argue that the (hyper)mobility of diasporic Somalis creates particular moral geographies that cannot be reduced to a question of either nomadism or sedentarism. I look at the first-generation diasporic Somalis’ mobility patterns and the meanings they attribute to it

Performance and dye-stability of semi-transparent dye-sensitized solar cell pavilion modules after six years of operation

A solar pavilion with 248 commercial 30 × 30 cm semi-transparent DSC modules were built at Roskilde University campus in 2016. After five years of operation under Danish climate conditions, and again one year later, two representative modules one from the south side and one from the north side of the pavilion facades were removed and their electrical performance relative to new modules was obtained. In addition, the respective dye degradation and triiodide bleaching was investigated. The south oriented module showed a decrease in efficiency of 85% and the north oriented module of 34% after 5 years. The degradation products of the applied ruthenium dye Z907 were typical thermal degradation products in which one or both of the thiocyanate ligands in Z907 had been substituted with the electrolyte components 3-methoxypropionitrile and or iodide. The degree of dye degradation in the south and north oriented modules after five years were 73% and 50% and the I3− concentration decreased 63% and 33%, respectively. The decrease in electrical performance Δη = 16%/year of the south module is within the same magnitude as performance loss of similar large-scale outdoor DSC installations. Such relatively high efficiency losses pr. year needs to be reduced if building integration photovoltaics based on the dye-sensitized solar cell technology should be commercially successful

Networks and institutions in sustainable forest use:Evidence from South-East Tanzania

Despite growing interest in the impacts of both forest certification and networks in effective natural resource management, there is little literature that brings these two lines of inquiry together. Combining longitudinal remote sensing and village-level forest governance network data, we estimate Cox proportional hazard models predicting the risk of forest loss within 100-square meter forest plots in areas that eventually came under Forest Stewardship Council certification. Our models indicate Forest Stewardship Council certification substantially reduces deforestation, despite that the system is not explicitly designed to do so. While villages with ties to civil society organizations also tend to experience reduced deforestation, those with ties to private sector organizations experience more forest loss. Further, we find that forest loss declines as the share of closed triangles in villages’ governance networks increases. Our results indicate network structure may complement Forest Stewardship Council certification’s impact on forest cover and account for some reduction in deforestation previously attributed to certification itself

SPLindex: A Spatial Polygon Learned Index

Effective indexing is crucial for any AI and big data anal- ysis task involving huge datasets. Recently, machine-learned models for indexing have achieved much attention, and we apply such for spatial data, specifically huge collections of polygons. We propose an index struc- ture SPLindex that organizes polygons into a tree of clusters with linear regression models for effective branching in search. It integrates an effec- tive layout of polygon data to disk space that minimize disk access and amount of data to be kept in main memory. The approach is shown outperform the state-of-the-art R-tree for both range and point queries.Effective indexing is crucial for any AI and big data analysis task involving huge datasets. Recently, machine-learned models for indexing have achieved much attention, and we apply such for spatial data, specifically huge collections of polygons. We propose an index structure SPL index that organizes polygons into a tree of clusters with linear regression models for effective branching in search. It integrates an effective layout of polygon data to disk space that minimize disk access and amount of data to be kept in main memory. The approach is shown outperform the state-of-the-art R-tree for both range and point queries.</p

Malaysia and the Rise of Muslim Consumer Culture

Malaysia is the country understood as the breeding ground and main development stage of halal products and Islamic consumer culture. Johan Fischer has systematically traced that phenomenon in a number of publications. The chapter relates the emergence of a national Muslim consumer culture to the country’s experience as a former British colony, its specific demographic setup with over 60 percent ethnic Malay people that led to Islam being declared as the national religion, Islamic tourism from the Middle East, the institutionalized emergence of ‘Islamic knowledge’ in its international universities, the Islamization of business management techniques, and the creation of certified logos by JAKIM. Although initially planned as a secular state after independence, Islamic propaganda (dakwah) activities have successfully turned the table. Fischer’s field research and analysis of the historical developments over many decades offer a broad picture of the rise of a middle class in Malaysia (notably in its capital Kuala Lumpur) and a growing bureaucracy and technological apparatus to administer halal products. The author glances at the comparable developments in Indonesia and points out the global relevance of the processes kickstarted or enhanced in Malaysia

Analysing expert advice on political decisions in times of crisis

This article analyses the relationship between expert knowledge and political decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark, Greece and the United States. Due to the swift spread of the COVID-19 virus across the globe, the management of the pandemic required urgent government responses. Our empirical findings enabled us to identify a new typology of different types of advice, from naked power to technocracy, including in-between modes of networking and interactions. We also demonstrate how systemic and governance characteristics affect expert-politics responses in the three countries. The findings demonstrate similar responses in Greece and Denmark, by contrast with the United States. We conclude by proposing a new research agenda for expert-politician relations during crises, which focuses on the role of experts in public sensemaking, which is particularly important in an era of recurring and overlapping crises

We need to think about their real needs:Examining the auxiliary work of audience-oriented intralopers in news organizations

Amid an increasing focus on becoming audience-centric in news organizations, there is growing interest in studying non-journalistic actors, i.e. intralopers; internally hired non- journalistic actors such as technologists and business-people (Holton &amp; Belair-Gagnon 2018) and how they shape news organizations and journalism. Through new job titles and roles, intralopers enter news organizations to help understand, reach and engage audiences. Subsequently, they bring in new practices, values and epistemologies which can challenge, change and conflict with the traditional roles and culture of journalism. Explicating the role and influence of audience-oriented intralopers, the study draws on qualitative interviews with 14 non-journalistic and six journalistic actors across three different news organizations: a public service media, a legacy media and a digital born startup media.The study explicates four defining aspects of audience-oriented intralopers’ work and impact upon journalism: 1) translating what the audience really want, 2) organizationally gatekeeping the audience in innovation processes, 3) engineering audience interaction and 4) shaping the organizational data culture. The study fills a gap by shedding light on a professional group and an emerging modus operandi that is well-researched in creative and production-oriented media research, but, as they operate mainly outside the newsroom, remain largely overlooked in journalism studies.Amid an increasing focus on becoming audience-centric in news organizations, there is growing interest in studying non-journalistic actors, i.e. intralopers; internally hired non- journalistic actors such as technologists and business-people (Holton &amp; Belair-Gagnon 2018) and how they shape news organizations and journalism. Through new job titles and roles, intralopers enter news organizations to help understand, reach and engage audiences. Subsequently, they bring in new practices, values and epistemologies which can challenge, change and conflict with the traditional roles and culture of journalism. Explicating the role and influence of audience-oriented intralopers, the study draws on qualitative interviews with 14 non-journalistic and six journalistic actors across three different news organizations: a public service media, a legacy media and a digital born startup media.The study explicates four defining aspects of audience-oriented intralopers’ work and impact upon journalism: 1) translating what the audience really want, 2) organizationally gatekeeping the audience in innovation processes, 3) engineering audience interaction and 4) shaping the organizational data culture. The study fills a gap by shedding light on a professional group and an emerging modus operandi that is well-researched in creative and production-oriented media research, but, as they operate mainly outside the newsroom, remain largely overlooked in journalism studies.<br/