Assisted Social Identity Management - Enhancing Privacy in the Social Web

The rise of the social web shifts personal identity management to the online world. As a result, personal information is persistently available to all of a user's contacts without distinguishing between dierent contexts such as Work and Leisure. Personal information being available to audiences outside the intended context violates contextual integrity and poses a threat to users' privacy. We argue that a formal description and a conceptualization of the problem scope is required to systematically address current challenges of personal identity management in online social settings. Based thereupon, we propose assisted social identity management to support the user in nding segregated audiences among his contacts as a rst step to advance from the current situation and sketch further improvements. We evaluate our approach using real-world data, demonstrating the feasibility of our proposal

Authentication and authorisation in entrusted unions

This paper reports on the status of a project whose aim is to implement and demonstrate in a real-life environment an integrated eAuthentication and eAuthorisation framework to enable trusted collaborations and delivery of services across different organisational/governmental jurisdictions. This aim will be achieved by designing a framework with assurance of claims, trust indicators, policy enforcement mechanisms and processing under encryption to address the security and confidentiality requirements of large distributed infrastructures. The framework supports collaborative secure distributed storage, secure data processing and management in both the cloud and offline scenarios and is intended to be deployed and tested in two pilot studies in two different domains, viz, Bio-security incident management and Ambient Assisted Living (eHealth). Interim results in terms of security requirements, privacy preserving authentication, and authorisation are reported

Stigma resistance in online child free communities : the limitations of choice rhetoric

People who are voluntarily childless, or ‘‘childfree,’’ face considerable stigma. Researchers have begun to explore how these individuals respond to stigma, usually focusing on interpersonal stigma management strategies. We explored participants’ responses to stigma in a way that is cognisant of broader social norms and gender power relations. Using a feminist discursive psychology framework, we analysed women’s and men’s computer-assisted communication about their childfree status. Our analysis draws attention to ‘‘identity work’’ in the context of stigma. We show how the strategic use of ‘‘choice’’ rhetoric allowed participants to avoid stigmatised identities and was used in two contradictory ways. On the one hand, participants drew on a ‘‘childfree-by-choice script,’’ which enabled them to hold a positive identity of themselves as autonomous, rational, and responsible decision makers. On the other hand, they mobilised a ‘‘disavowal of choice script’’ that allowed a person who is unable to choose childlessness (for various reasons) to hold a blameless identity regarding deviation from the norm of parenthood. We demonstrate how choice rhetoric allowed participants to resist stigma and challenge pronatalism to some extent; we discuss the political potential of these scripts for reproductive freedom

Rights of passage: law and the biopolitics of dying

Deleuze and Law: Forensic Futures explores the relation between law and life and the advent of a politics of 'life'. How have recent events focused social, political and cultural attention on the living body and its maintenance and management? The central concept, through which the embodiment of the subject will be examined will be that of 'bio-power'. Articulated by Michel Foucault, but brought to attention more recently in the work of Giorgio Agamben, this concept recognises that the relation between life and law is both historical and necessary: the law must operate on bodies but can only do so by establishing a border between the body of the polity, and the mere life excepted from political concern. The contemporary advent of bio-politics occurs when the polity increasingly and invasively operates on this 'mere' life, and the body or organism – rather than the self – becomes the object of political management. The manner in which the body becomes the focus of contemporary power has led legal theory to explore new questions of the threshold between life and death and has led social theory to question the new extensions of the law and the polity into embodied life. The contributors explore the forensic shift in contemporary social theory and cultural sensibility from a number of perspectives. Description of book from publisher website at: http://www.palgrave.com

Targeted LGBT Senior Housing: A Study of the Needs and Perceptions of LGBT Seniors in Chicago

Although lesbian gay bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) seniors face issues similar to their heterosexual counterparts such as declining health, dwindling finances, depression, social isolation, and ageism, they also face unique issues such as discrimination based on sexual orientation, and are at an even greater risk for health problems such as depression, substance abuse, and even suicide. Therefore LGBT seniors require support services specifically designed to meet their unique needs. The housing needs of LGBT seniors are one such area that must be addressed as more LGBT persons enter their advanced years

Animal-Assisted Therapy: Motives and Rewards

Animal-assisted therapy is a complimentary therapy utilized in health care to provide goal-directed therapy using dogs. The purpose of this study was to understand what motivates individuals to being animal-assisted volunteering and rewards that encourage and sustain animal-assisted volunteering. This mixed methods study employed quantitative methods, a demographic questionnaire and the Volunteer Motivation Index (VMI), which ranks motives most important to animal-assisted volunteers (N=15) and qualitative methods, a semi-structured interview (N=13). The participants ranked Values most important as a motive on the VMI. Social related variables were ranked low. Content analysis of the interviews yielded five themes: No Ordinary Dog, The Team, The Volunteer, Motives, and Rewards. Animal-assisted therapy volunteers fall into a gray area in the altruistic-egotistic duality interpretation of volunteerism. Similar to volunteers in other areas they are motivated by altruism. However, they are not driven by egotistical needs such as social engagement or the gratitude of the recipient. Their rewards appear to be individually derived from the relationship with their dog. The participants expressed a strong sense pride verging on perceiving animal-assisted volunteerism as elite. This stance is consistent with the construct of “pure” volunteerism” although this volunteering does not meet the criteria of pure volunteerism. Furthermore, animal-assisted therapists believe animal-assisted therapy should become a paid profession, a mindset that is much different from other volunteers. By understanding what motivates animal-assisted therapists to volunteer, healthcare organizations will be better able to support their continued participation and volunteer effort

The reconstruction of identity in people living with HIV in Nepal : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Massey University, Albany, New Zealand

This research is about the experiences of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Nepal, especially with regard to the processes of reconstructing their identities. The processes of identity reconstruction include migration, concealing and disclosing HIV status, movement towards economic independence, gaining knowledge on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immuno-deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), practising HIV treatment, receiving support of organizations, and practising spirituality. Despite the availability of some studies on HIV and AIDS in Nepal, most have focused on epidemiological facts. There is a dearth of Nepalese HIV and AIDS literature on identity reconstruction of PLHIV. This study investigated the lived experiences of 33 PLHIV related to their HIV stigma, discrimination and identity issues in Kathmandu and Pokhara valleys in Nepal, using semi-structured, face-to–face, in-depth interviews. The field data were analysed using a thematic, meaning-making approach. This research contributes to HIV literature by showing that the economic stigma and discrimination due to HIV experienced within a family are often stronger than social stigma and discrimination. This research proposes a model entitled “the reconstruction of identity in PLHIV in Nepal”, based on the data derived in an inductive way from the two research sites, then moving from data to theory. There are various stages of identity ranging from spoiled to reconstructed. This proposed identity model is based on the economic and social empowerment of the PLHIV, together with identity transformation from one stage to another, and the situations participants experience in the contemporary Nepalese socio-political context. The identity of PLHIV is fluid and non-linear. This research suggests that access to resources often determines the degree of family and social stigma and discrimination. Moreover, PLHIV also reunite with both family and society after becoming economically independent and socially empowered. Indeed, HIV has been a catalyst, especially for in-migrant women with limited access to resources. This study has significant policy implications for improving the quality of life for PLHIV, reducing family and social stigma and discrimination as well as reconstructing their identity in Nepal, and in South Asian countries with similar socio-cultural and economic settings

The genealogical jigsaw puzzle - a missing piece? the right to know for A.I.D. children

This paper examines current UK legal regulation relating to the provision of genetic background information to children born by donor insemination (Dl) and argues in favour of changes to the existing law - the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. The proposals for reform suggested in this paper would allow for Regulations to sanction the disclosure of both non-identifying and identifying information to Dl children. These Regulations and the form they might take have been the subject of a recent government Consultation Paper, the response to which has been a majority in favour of the enactment of Regulations to allow disclosure of both types of information to donor offspring. This paper proposes that donor offspring should be granted the right to be told of their status and the right to receive information about their genetic background, whilst they are still children. This paper analyses the issues raised in the Consultation Paper and the arguments for and against the enactment of Regulations. Existing sociological and psychological research demonstrates the importance of genetic heritage information for the development of a child's identity. The provision of genealogical information can also be justified by reference to the child's right to an identity under international human rights law. However, the concepts of secrecy and anonymity have thus far influenced this area of law allowing for the protection of the rights of the social parents of Dl children and the donors respectively. Therefore, this paper advocates that the concept of openness should feature heavily in any future legislative measures. Based on evidence from other jurisdictions, this paper argues for the enactment of Regulations in the near future to allow for the protection of the rights of the Dl child, which have until now been unjustifiably overlooked by the UK legislature

Learning beyond compliance: a comparative analysis of two cohorts undertaking a first year social work module

This paper addresses a current gap in education for sustainable development (ESD), an international educational movement, with a particular focus on teaching and learning innovations. Reflecting upon the mainstream 'business as usual' approaches in the ESD discourse, theories and practices of transformative social work are considered to make a significant contribution to that end. Empirical research was conducted to examine a new pedagogical approach introduced within an established module taught in 9 different groups to first year UK Social Work students during the academic year of 2007/8. The core change investigated was the replacement of detailed weekly instructions for teaching staff. The new guide articulated a pedagogical framework for the course and outlined themes and objectives, leaving detailed planning and delivery to individual teachers. Explorations were made through a comparative analysis of the responses of teaching staff and students for pre- 2007/8 academic years and 2007/8 year respectively. Data were collected using both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The research findings include students' positive view towards the classroom-based learning and some indications of deeper and wider understanding of social justice. Staff reported a renewed sense of professionalism. This research illuminates the potential for learning beyond compliance within existing curriculum frameworks

To Be or not to Be? A Critical Appraisal of the Welfare of Children Conceived through New Reproductive Technologies

Over three million children are believed to have been born worldwide - and over 200,000 annually - as a result of “new reproductive technologies” (NRTs). This paper provides a critical review of the proposition that children are always best-served by being born. Drawing on the specific examples of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI); multiple births; pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and selecting the characteristics of children, and donor conception it argues that there are defensible welfare arguments for curtailing unrestricted access to NRTs. Increased and wider dialogue is proposed to encourage the implementation of practices and policies that take account of the interests of all those affected by NRTs and which command public support