Art as a pathway to impact: Understanding the affective experience of public engagement with film

The need for social as well as academic impact in social science research is now well established. Art is increasingly being explored as a means of generating social impact, most commonly as a means for engaging the public with research findings, but to date with little exploration of the process of engagement itself. In this study, we set out to explore the power of art to engage the public. We do this by examining the ‘affective’ experience of engagement through a qualitative investigation using one-to-one interviews and a modified visual matrix exercise. In this article we report on the findings from our analysis of the affective experience of watching a film series, and through this discuss the use of film to communicate research findings and value of a novel qualitative psychosocial methodology for exploring the process of public engagement

Acknowledgement System in Introduction Section of Engineering Research Articles

Citing other authors works is essential in Research Articles (RAs). The citation is used to support claims academically. The citation is described as a way to interact with the readers and to acknowledge other scholars. Viewing from Appraisal framework developed by Martin and White [1] which is based on Halliday’s interpersonal metafunction, this activity is described as Engagement system. This study focused on exploring acknowledgement, a branch of Engagement system, found in Mechanical Engineering RAs published by Elsevier. Applying qualitative method, the data were taken from five research articles of Mechanical Engineering in 2021. Thus, the data were examined using the framework of Engagement system. What can be highlighted from the results is that the acknowledgment serving as citation may be realized by projection of mental and verbal clauses with limited choice of lexical verbs, such as report, emphasize, propose, realizing both types of process. Nevertheless, the implication of this study may help EAP practitioners in teaching citation of RAs for Mechanical Engingeering learners.

Space and time to engage: Mature-aged distance students learn to fit study into their lives

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in International Journal of Lifelong Education on 2014, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02601370.2014.884177Student engagement, a student’s emotional, behavioural and cognitive connection to their study, is widely recognized as important for student achievement. Influenced by a wide range of personal, structural and sociocultural factors, engagement is both unique and subjective. One important structural factor shown in past research to be a barrier for distance students is access to quality space and time. This qualitative study followed 19 mature-aged distance students and their families, exploring how they learned to manage their space and time throughout their first semester at university. Institutions often claim that distance study and the increased use of technology overcomes barriers of space and time; however, the findings from this study suggest it merely changes the nature of those barriers. The ideal space and time for these students was individual and lay at the intersection of three, sometimes competing, demands: study, self and family. A critical influence on success is family support, as is access to financial resources. Learning what constitutes ideal space and time for engagement is an important part of the transition to university. The institution has a vital role to play in aiding this process by ensuring flexibility of course design is maintained, providing more flexible advice and targeting support at this important issue.falsePublishe

EU Foreign Policy Identity: A Case Study on the EU’s Engagement of the Islamic Republic of Iran. College of Europe EU Diplomacy Paper 06/2019

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is often referred to as the biggest foreign policy success of the European Union (EU). It ended twelve years of tough negotiations, stabilising one of the most volatile regions of the world. The EU’s engagement with Iran was distinct from that of the United States or even that of its member states as it focused on promoting multilateralism and diplomatic dialogue, making the EU-Iran relationship of utmost importance for both parties involved. This paper seeks to answer the research question to what extent the EU possesses a foreign policy identity that is more than the sum of that of its member states and how it expressed this identity in its engagement with Iran. Exploring EU foreign policy identity is important because it explains what type of actor the EU is in the international system and sheds light on the decision-making process of its external action. The study argues that the EU has indeed an own distinct foreign policy identity which reflects its values such as a unique commitment to diplomatic dialogue and multilateralism as the solution to international problems as well as a guarantee to upholding the rule of law in the international system. Through a qualitative content analysis of the American, British and French press as well as expert interviews with EU officials and member states’ diplomats the existence and importance of a distinct brand of EU foreign policy identity will be demonstrated

PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT, INVOLVEMENT, AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS: PERSPECTIVES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN SINGLE PARENTS OF ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN

ABSTRACT Purpose: The largest academic achievement gap in the U.S. is between African American and White students. Parental engagement and involvement are two key factors that influence academic success and may help reduce the achievement gap; however, traditional definitions and strategies used remain highly racially biased. The research supported two papers with aims of exploring (1) definitions of parental engagement and involvement and (2) barriers to and facilitators of parental engagement and involvement among African American single parents of elementary and middle school students. Methods: Employing a phenomenological design, this qualitative study used purposive sampling to recruit 15 African American single parents of elementary and middle school-aged children for participation in semi-structured interviews that explored participants’ definitions of parental engagement, the relationship of parental engagement to academic achievement, and barriers to and facilitators of parental engagement. Data was analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Data analyses revealed four salient themes related to participants definitions of engagement and involvement: racist ideas and racist engagement, counternarrative development as an engagement strategy, effective parent-teacher communication, and cultural representation and inclusion. Data analyses revealed six salient themes related to barriers and facilitators: racism, intersectional stigma, single parent stress, African American representation, supporting diverse family forms, and accessible and equitable resources. Implications: The research findings suggested that school administrators and staff not only improve their lens of antiracist school practices, but also improve the parent-teacher communication process. In addition, schools should be intentional on integrating social justice, inclusion, and respect for diversity in policy development and school wide practices

Mechanisms of Engagement and Change for Minority Ethnic Caregivers with Multisystemic Therapy: A Grounded Theory

Evidence has shown that Multisystemic Therapy (MST) an intensive family- and community-based intervention has been particularly effective in the treatment of youth with antisocial behaviour from ethnically diverse backgrounds. Although the process of change within MST has been explored, there is a dearth of research in looking at this for families from ethnic minority backgrounds. The current research aimed to address this gap by exploring the experiences of a sample of London based caregivers who had completed an MST intervention. A qualitative approach was adopted, using grounded theory methodology to explore ethnic minority caregiver experiences of MST and generate a model of the processes of engagement and change based on participants’ accounts. Seven semi-structured interviews were carried out with caregivers from two London sites. The emergent model consisted of seven interacting theoretical codes. Three of these codes were organised around the process of engagement; deciding to engage with MST, becoming therapeutically aligned and considering cultural difference, and four related to the process of change; working within a safe and trusting relationship, therapist acting as cultural broker, empowering the parent and increased communication within and outside the family. The author makes novel suggestions relating to the specific mechanisms that are thought to underlie the process of engaging with MST, and highlights the importance of considering cultural difference in the initial stages of the MST intervention

A Computational Framework for Analyzing Social Behavior in Online Connective Action: A COVID-19 Lockdown Protest Case Study

Online social networks (OSN’s) have shaped collective action into a new form of organizing and engagement known as connective action. Protests, demonstrations, and social movements have largely relied on social media as their primary organizational process for resource mobilization. These platforms also provide a method to coordinate and influence behavior. Most social science research on connective action has taken a qualitative approach. There are some quantitative studies, but most focus on statistical validation of the qualitative approach (e.g., survey’s) or focus on only one aspect of connective action. Computational analysis as a complement to existing survey methods offer in-depth insights about the role of identity and provide insights into the underlying behaviors we see as catalysts for these online movements. This paper presents an interdisciplinary computational approach to analyze connective action by exploring the key features of collective identity, network organization, and mobilization in connective action movements

Hospital staff experiences of their relationships with adults who self-harm: a meta-synthesis

Purpose This review aimed to synthesize qualitative literature exploring inpatient hospital staff experiences of their relationships with people who self-harm. Methods Nine studies were identified from a systematic search of five research databases. Papers included the experiences of physical health and mental health staff working in inpatient settings. The studies employed various qualitative research methods and were appraised using an adapted quality assessment tool (Tong, Sainsbury, & Craig, 2007). A meta-synthesis was conducted using traditional qualitative analysis methods including coding and categorizing data into themes. Results Three main themes derived from the data. ‘The impact of the system’ influenced the extent to which staff were ‘Fearing the harm from self-harm’, or were ‘Working alongside the whole person’. A fear-based relationship occurred across mental health and physical health settings despite differences in training; however, ‘Working alongside the whole person’ primarily emerged from mental health staff experiences. Systemic factors provided either an inhibitory or facilitative influence on the relational process. Conclusions Staff experiences of their relationship with people who self-harm were highlighted to have an important impact on the delivery and outcome of care. Increasing support for staff with a focus on distress tolerance, managing relational issues, and developing self-awareness within the relationship may lead to a more mutually beneficial experience of care. Equally, structure, clarity, and support within inpatient systems may empower staff to feel more confident in utilizing their existing skills. Practitioner points •Working with people who self-harm can be emotionally challenging and how staff cope with this can significantly impact on the engagement of staff and patients. •Increasing the skills of staff in managing relational issues and tolerating distress, as well as providing support and reflective practice groups may be useful in managing emotional responses to working with people who self-harm. •Refining the supportive, procedural, and environmental structures surrounding the caregiving relationship may help enable better integration of physical and mental health care

'It’s like saying “coloured"' : understanding and analysing the urban working classes

This paper draws on data from a qualitative project exploring the engagement of working class families in London with childcare. It is a first attempt to throw some light on our usage of the term ‘working class’, and consider what forms ‘working class-ness’ takes in relation to our respondent families. We discuss some recent sociological literature on the working class(es) in order to understand the emphasises and focuses of other research. We emphasise the heterogeneity of the working class(es), the differences in attitude and experiences based on place, gender, occupational status, education, age and family membership. Then we consider our respondents in relation to their strategies and exercise of agency, their engagement with the labour market, and their embedded-ness in social networks. We conclude that one way of understanding the lives of urban working class families is to consider the extent to which they ‘manage or struggle to cope’, a focus which emphasises process, activity and the differential degrees of agency which the respondents are able to exercise

Experiences of fiction engagement in people with mental health problems

Section A Section A is a critical appraisal and metasynthesis of nine qualitative studies exploring experiences of fiction engagement in adults living with mental health problems. Following quality appraisal, thematic synthesis identified three analytic themes - Seen and Connected, Escaping Distress and Growth and Exploration. Themes are explored in relation to related theory and existing literature. Limitations are considered, alongside clinical and research implications. The importance of further consideration of the role of representation of mental health problems within fiction, alongside exploration into how fiction engagement affects other age-groups is outlined. Section B Section B is an empirical paper developing a modified grounded theory of how young people with mental health problems experience and are affected by representative fiction. Following public advertisements, 14 individual interviews were conducted with nine young people on their experiences. The developed theoretical model suggests that representative fiction was experienced as a reflection on their reality, a process made up of two stages, identification with fiction and transferring beyond fiction. The effects of this process depend on personal context and the nature of fiction. Findings are discussed in relation to relevant theory and wellbeing outcomes, with study limitations and its implications considered