19,582 research outputs found
The World We Want to Live In
Digitalisation, digital networks, and artificial intelligence are fundamentally changing our lives! We must understand the various developments and assess how they interact and how they affect our regular, analogue lives. What are the consequences of such changes for me personally and for our society? Digital networks and artificial intelligence are seminal innovations that are going to permeate all areas of society and trigger a comprehensive, disruptive structural change that will evoke numerous new advances in research and development in the coming years. Even though there are numerous books on this subject matter, most of them cover only specific aspects of the profound and multifaceted effects of the digital transformation. An overarching assessment is missing. In 2016, the Federation of German Scientists (VDW) has founded a study group to assess the technological impacts of digitalisation holistically. Now we present this compendium to you. We address the interrelations and feedbacks of digital innovation on policy, law, economics, science, and society from various scientific perspectives. Please consider this book as an invitation to contemplate with other people and with us, what kind of world we want to live in
Media and information literacy among children on three continents: insights into the measurement and mediation of well-being
In understanding and promoting positive outcomes for childrenâs internet use, media and information literacies play a crucial mediating role, by enabling opportunities to learn, create, express oneself and participate, and by facilitating coping and building resilience. This chapter explains the approach taken by Global Kids Online (GKO), a multinational research partnership seeking to generate robust evidence that can inform policy and practice regarding childrenâs internet use in diverse cities and countries internationally. The chapter presents the rationale for GKOâs multidimensional approach to media and information literacy, and issues of measurement, social desirability and cross-national comparison. It shows recent findings showing cross-national similarities in higher levels of operational than creative skills as well as differences between higher and lower income countries; it is noteworthy that gender differences in childrenâs digital skills are found to be small. Having shown that the GKO quantitative research toolkit successfully operationalises the range of media and information literacies also addressed by comparable international frameworks, we commend it to future researchers, concluding with evidence that the results of the GKO research are now being used to inform national policy and practice regarding childrenâs learning in a digital age
How Governance Regimes Shape the Implementation of Water Reuse Schemes
The governance dimensions of water reuse scheme development and operation, such as policies and regulatory frameworks, and public involvement and stakeholder collaboration, can serve to both facilitate and constrain wider adoption of water reuse practices. This paper explores the significance and underlying structure of the key governance challenges facing the water reuse sector in Europe. It presents empirical evidence from interviews and focus group sessions conducted at four water reuse schemes: an indirect potable reuse scheme at Torreele (Belgium), the urban reuse of treated municipal wastewater at the London Olympic Park (United Kingdom) and at Sabadell (Spain), and the reuse of agro-industrial effluent for irrigation at Capitanata (Italy). The findings underscore the importance of clarity in policy arrangements around water reuse, as well as of the financial competitiveness of reuse projects compared to alternative water supply options. Operators of water reuse schemes expressed a preference for water quality standards, which focus on appropriateness for use rather than over-emphasise the watersâ origin so that unnecessary treatment and costs can be avoided. Positive public support was widely acknowledged as an important factor in the success or failure of water reuse schemes. We conclude that constructive institutional relationships underpin many of the challenges faced by reuse scheme operators and that greater emphasis should be given to building confidence and gaining trust in water service providers through early identification of how governance regimes shape the viability of new scheme
Managing technological transitions: prospects, places, publics and policy
Transition management (TM) approaches have generated considerable interest in
academic and policy circles in recent years (Kemp and Loorbach, 2005; Rotmans and
Kemp, 2003). In terms of a loose definition, a âtransition can be defined as a gradual,
continuous process of structural change within a society or cultureâ (Rotmans et al, 2001,
p.2). The development of TM, much of which has occurred within the context of the
Netherlands, may be seen as a response to the complexities, uncertainties and problems
which confront many western societies, in organising âsustainablyâ various aspects of
energy, agricultural, water, transport and health systems of production and consumption.
Problems such as pollution, congestion, the vulnerability of energy or water supplies and
so on are seen as systemic and entwined or embedded in a series of social, economic,
political, cultural and technological relationships.
The systemic nature of many of these problems highlights the involvement - in the
functioning of a particular system and any subsequent transition - of multiple actors or
âstakeholdersâ across different local, national and international scales of activity. With this
in mind, such problems become difficult to âsolveâ and âsolutionsâ are seen to require
systemic innovation rather than individual or episodic responses. The point being that
âthese problems are system inherent and⊠the solution lies in creating different systems or
transforming existing onesâ (Kemp and Loorbach, 2005, p.125).
In this paper we critically engage with and build upon transitions approaches to address
their âapplicabilityâ in the context of the UK. In doing this the paper addresses the
prospective potential of transitions approaches, but also their relative neglect of places and
publics. Through developing an argument which addresses the strengths and âgapsâ of
transitions approaches we also analyse the resonances and dissonances between three
themes â cities and regions, public participation and national hydrogen strategy â in the
transitions literature and the UK policy context
Human Dimensions of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries: An Overview of Context, Concepts, Tools and Methods
This document aims to provide a better understanding of the role of the economic, institutional and sociocultural components within the ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) process and to examine some potential methods and approaches that may facilitate the adoption of EAF management. It explores both the human context for the ecosystem approach to fisheries and the human dimensions involved in implementing the EAF. For the former, the report provides background material essential to understand prior to embarking on EAF initiatives, including an understanding of key concepts and issues, of the valuation of aquatic ecosystems socially, culturally and economically, and of the many policy, legal, institutional, social and economic considerations relevant to the EAF. With respect to facilitating EAF implementation, the report deals with a series of specific aspects: (1) determining the boundaries, scale and scope of the EAF; (2) assessing the various benefits and costs involved, seen from social, economic, ecological and management perspectives; (3) utilizing appropriate decision-making tools in EAF; (4) creating and/or adopting internal incentives and institutional arrangements to promote, facilitate and fund the adoption of EAF management; and (5) finding suitable external (non-fisheries) approaches for financing EAF implementation
With great power comes great responsibility: why âsafe enoughâ is not good enough in debates on new gene technologies
New genomic techniques (NGTs) are powerful technologies with the potential to change how we relate to our food, food
producers, and natural environment. Their use may afect the practices and values our societies are built on. Like many
countries, the EU is currently revisiting its GMO legislation to accommodate the emergence of NGTs. We argue that
assessing such technologies according to whether they are âsafe enoughâ will not create the public trust necessary for societal
acceptance. To avoid past mistakes of under- or miscommunication about possible impacts, we need open, transparent,
and inclusive societal debate on the nature of the science of gene (editing) technologies, on how to use them, and whether
they contribute to sustainable solutions to societal and environmental challenges. To be trustworthy, GMO regulation must
demonstrate the authoritiesâ ability to manage the scientifc, socio-economic, environmental, and ethical complexities and
uncertainties associated with NGTs. Regulators and authorities should give equal attention to the refexive and the emotional
aspects of trust and make room for honest public and stakeholder inclusion processes. The European Group of Ethics in
Science and Technologyâs recent report on the Ethics of Genome Editing (2021) is important in calling attention to a series
of fundamental issues that ought to be included in debates on the regulation and use of NGTs to ensure public trust in these
technologies and in regulating authorities. With the great power of NGTs comes great responsibility, and the way forward
must be grounded in responsible research, innovation, and regulation
Building capabilities, enhancing participation?: A study of the extent and limitations of youth participation in community development
A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Political Studies, Johannesburg, March 2017The role of youth in development in South Africa is of increasing concern to development practitioners. Figuring out how to maximise youth participation in a way that is meaningful is often difficult, particularly in national discourse around development. This is important because of the centrality of youth in demographic trends as well as the role of citizen participation in advancing democracy. Currently, the scope for meaningful youth participation in South Africa is limited because of access to opportunities for participation, and a perception of social status as a requirement for involvement in development; this, coupled by a lack of political will and the inability to adopt people-centred approaches to development mean that youth participation is often ignored in development processes.
Within these contexts, this paper looks to assess whether there is a developmental environment which is conducive to meaningful youth participation. Through an analysis of field data obtained through interviews with youth in Tembisa as well as National Planning Commissioners, this paper analyses the scope of youth participation as it related to the National Development Plan. This data draws conclusions about youth perceptions of development, the National Development Plan and their role in national development. It also draws conclusions about the ways the National Planning Commission envisions the role of youth in the implementation of the plan, as well as their role in creating an enabling environment for youth participation. These insights are grounded in a theory of a democratic developmental state and the Capabilities Approach, assessing which approach to development would best create an environment for meaningful youth participationXL201
TB STIGMA â MEASUREMENT GUIDANCE
TB is the most deadly infectious disease in the world, and stigma continues to play a significant role in worsening the epidemic. Stigma and discrimination not only stop people from seeking care but also make it more difficult for those on treatment to continue, both of which make the disease more difficult to treat in the long-term and mean those infected are more likely to transmit the disease to those around them. TB Stigma â Measurement Guidance is a manual to help generate enough information about stigma issues to design and monitor and evaluate efforts to reduce TB stigma. It can help in planning TB stigma baseline measurements and monitoring trends to capture the outcomes of TB stigma reduction efforts. This manual is designed for health workers, professional or management staff, people who advocate for those with TB, and all who need to understand and respond to TB stigma
Innovation Policy Roadmapping for the Future Finnish Smart City Digital Twins : Towards Finland National Digital Twin Programme
Smart City Digital Twins (SCDTs) emerge as a transforming concept with the ability to redefine the future of cities in the fast-paced evolving landscape of urban development. This qualitative futures research explores thoroughly into the complex interaction of socio-technical dynamics in the Finnish setting, investigating the several ways SCDTs might revolutionise urban spaces and create resilience. By utilizing Innovation Policy Roadmapping (IPRM) method for the first time on SCDTs, it reveals the diverse capacities of SCDTs across domains such as urban planning, scenario developing, What-IF analysis, and public involvement through a rigorous examination of academic literature and multi-level analysis of expert interviews. The research emphasises the critical role of policymakers and sectoral actors in building an environment that allows Finnish SCDTs to survive in the face of technological improvements. Furthermore, it emphasises the convergence of SCDTs and Futures Studies approaches, giving a visionary path to adaptable and forward-thinking urban futures. The contributions of this study extend beyond the scope of Finnish SCDTs, giving inspiration for sustainable smart city transformations, potential foundational insights towards Finland National Digital Twin Programme and paving the way for the incorporation of futures studies methodologies and digital twins to mitigate uncertainties and create resilient urban futures. Longitudinal impact assessments, real-time citizen-centric foresight applications via SCDT, and the investigation of SCDTs' role in disaster mitigation and social well-being are among the identified future research directions, providing a comprehensive roadmap for leveraging SCDTs as transformative tools for building sustainable urban futures
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