2,940 research outputs found
From Aspiration to Actuality under Xi Jinping: Reinterpreting the Outcome-driven Debate towards the Role of Historical Materialism in China’s Rise, 1949–2021
DOES THE REVOLUTIONARY IDEOLOGY of socialist rising powers influence their rise to power? If so, how, when, and why? The literature on rising powers works on a set of historical assumptions which, when applied to China’s rise, predict an inevitable rise to power. In this literature, a new world order is imagined with China as a new kind of leading great power. For some, this development represents the correction of imperial China’s historical position in the world. This thesis disagrees with this outcome-based analytical approach to China’s rise. It instead posits another argument: in understanding the dynamics of a socialist rising power, the role of ideology matters more than the rising power literature suggests. In the Chinese context, this means bringing the Communist Party of China back into the story of its rise. This Party- state builds on a genuine belief in historical materialism and a teleology of success which it, presumably, represents. Treating the Xi Jinping era (2012 to the present) as a pivotal moment, this thesis understands the Chinese Dream of Great Rejuvenation as promethean. While it fits within the Chinese tradition of organising China in its own image, as a political actor it is entirely new. China’s rise, then, becomes much more than simply ensuring the Party’s self- perpetuation of its political rule. It is a grand historical narrative which may only be understood, and problema
Next Gens Leadership Conundrum: the emotional experience of taking up leadership roles and claiming authority in family-owned businesses.
This study provides a systems psycho-dynamic exploration of leadership development in next generation members of family-owned businesses. Utilising biographic narrative interpretive method (BNIM) and grounded theory, it analyses five self-narrated life stories of family business successors. The research uncovers how the interplay between family dynamics, family and business systems, and societal context shapes leadership development. Key findings reveal that the family system, often reflective of the business’s emphasis on efficiency, success, and competition, profoundly influence the leadership trajectories of the next generation.
Three distinct relational patterns emerge. Firstly, those who are seen as “natural successors” are required to conform to family expectations, enclose subjectivity, and renounce authorship (“the restrained”). Other patterns suggest that if an adequate facilitating environment is offered, rivalry and competition can encourage intellectual and creative capacities and foster a desire to later join the business (“self-authorised competitors”). However, if not being seen as a potential successor is seen as rejection, this may trigger unresolved feelings of envy and jealousy, which in turn spur a narcissistic need to “prove the world wrong” (“the rebellious”). These three patterns are understood as transitory states of mind, or momentary related positions, that are dynamic in nature. The concept of “virtuous betrayal” underscores the need for next generation leaders to challenge and transcend established familial norms and covert agreements, fostering personal growth, differentiation, and the development of personal authority whilst preserving a sense of interdependence amongst family members. The research suggests that successful succession and the assertion of authority by the next generation are contingent upon resolving the Oedipal complex and providing adequate reflective space within the family system. Additional findings connect leadership development to the capacity to disentangle oneself from unconscious group alliances, which enables next generations to challenge the meritocratic ideal and maintain a more realistic perspective of the wider social context
Christian Global Citizenship Education in Korea
This practice-based research thesis employs theological action research as a methodology to explore the intersection of Global Citizenship Education (GCED) and public theology, with a specific focus on the contributions of Protestant Christianity. The research objectives are to investigate the relevance of Christianity in public life, its potential influence on GCED within the context of South Korea, and to develop practical tools for promoting the application of Christian values in global citizenship education.GCED is widely promoted by international and national governments, but its implementation faces challenges due to diverse perspectives, historicity, and varying economic and political statuses worldwide. Bridging these differences requires dialogue among different groups to determine the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values necessary for effective engagement. Within this context, Protestant Christianity offers unique insights and contributions.Through key informant interviews with experienced practitioners in educational settings in South Korea, this practice-based research thesis gathers perspectives on integrating Protestant Christian values in GCED and the role of public theology. Employing theological action research practices, the study develops a refined study guide for Christian Global Citizenship Education, incorporating feedback from key informants to ensure its relevance and alignment with the needs of engaged faith communities. The study guide serves as a practical tool for promoting the application of Christian values in global citizenship education.Overall, this practice-based research underscores the importance of integrating biblical values drawn from reflection on scripture and perspectives from Christianity into global education efforts and encourages active participation in discussions on global citizenship. The research aims to make an original contribution to scholarship in this area by contribute by creating a nuanced approach to GCED rooted in the teachings of Protestant Christianity to bridge gaps between different regions and communities, fostering a more inclusive and nuanced approach to GCED rooted in the teachings of Protestant Christianity. The findings of this research have practical implications for educators, policymakers, and faith communities seeking to incorporate spiritual values into the global citizenship education discourse.<br/
To make the dominoes fall: A relational-processual approach to societal accountability in the Italian and Spanish anti-corruption arenas
In che modo le organizzazioni della società civile (OSC) contribuiscono alla lotta contro la corruzione? Come possono responsabilizzare i rappresentanti politici? La presente tesi si propone di rispondere a queste a queste domande di ricerca, unendo gli studi sulla lotta alla corruzione a quelli sui movimenti sociali e concentrandosi sul concetto di societal accountability, cioè sui meccanismi di controllo e di sanzione dei rappresentanti pubblici. Negli ultimi anni, gli studiosi della corruzione hanno enfatizzato sempre più il ruolo della società civile come antidoto contro la corruzione, a complemento dei meccanismi di accountability statali ed elettorali. Tuttavia, gli studi empirici sugli effetti anticorruzione degli interventi civici non hanno ancora prodotto risultati coerenti. Questo non dovrebbe sorprendere. Se misurare la corruzione è un compito arduo, valutare se e quanto gli scambi corruttivi vengano impediti grazie alle iniziative della società civile sembra virtualmente impossibile. Per questo motivo, il presente lavoro fa un passo indietro e problematizza lo studio della societal accountability, affrontandola non come un insieme predefinito di meccanismi o pratiche messe in atto da attori civici anticorruzione, ma come il risultato di interazioni sostenute e conflittuali tra più attori, civici e non. Per fare ciò, lo studio si ispira alle teorie dei movimenti sociali e concettualizza la societal accountability come un insieme di conseguenze dell’azione collettiva. Pertanto, questo lavoro mira a capire come e in quali condizioni le iniziative anticorruzione dal basso raggiungano risultati di accountability, quali il passaggio di nuove norme, il miglioramento dell’answerability istituzionale e potenziale sanzionatorio. Con questo obiettivo, la tesi si basa sulle evidenze esistenti negli studi sulla corruzione e sull'accountability e contribuisce ai dibattiti in corso sulle conseguenze dell'azione collettiva. Il quadro teorico si concentra sul concetto di influenza, aderendo a un approccio processuale-relazionale. L'influenza è intesa come un'istanza di causalità relazionale, una forma di potere posizionale che consente a più attori di esercitare un controllo sulle conseguenze dell’azione collettiva. Facendo da ponte tra l'approccio strategico-interazionale e i modelli di mediazione, l'analisi chiarisce le strategie seguite dalle OSC nella ricerca di posizioni di influenza, così come i meccanismi attraverso i quali i modelli relazionali producono cambiamento sociale. Il quadro analitico è applicato alle arene anticorruzione in Italia e in Spagna e si restringe a tre specifiche aree di intervento: l'introduzione di leggi sulla trasparenza, l'approvazione di leggi per la protezione dei whistleblower e lo sviluppo di progetti di monitoraggio civico. Il materiale empirico comprende 37 interviste qualitative semi-strutturate, documenti e dati network. Nel complesso, le evidenze raccolte contribuiscono alla letteratura sulla lotta alla corruzione, dimostrando che le OSC contribuiscono, direttamente e indirettamente, alla lotta contro la corruzione ottenendo cambiamenti nelle politiche, aumentando l’answerability del sistema e innescando sanzioni formali e informali quando necessario. Tuttavia, l’analisi comparata dei casi italiano e spagnolo evidenziano differenze rilevanti. In particolare, l'indagine empirica contribuisce agli attuali dibattiti sullo studio della società della social accountability, dimostrando che l'integrazione con le élite politiche può aumentare la probabilità di ottenere di ottenere un cambiamento delle politiche, mentre l'integrazione orizzontale tra gli attori civici può aumentare il loro potenziale sanzionatorio. In definitiva, questo lavoro dimostra come gli approcci processuali-relazionali possano integrare modelli strategici e di mediazione per comprendere meglio il modo in cui gli attori collettivi influenzano il cambiamento politico e sociale. Le osservazioni conclusive sostengono che le interazioni e le relazioni costruite dagli attori nel corso del tempo e in diverse arene fungono da canali di mediazione a livello micro, meso e macro. Complessivamente, ciò dimostra che i singoli attori, i modelli di relazione nelle e tra le arene e le idee sulle relazioni mediano tra le strategie dei attori collettivi, aumentando o limitando così la loro influenza sulla lotta alla corruzione.How do civil society organizations (CSOs) contribute to the struggle against public corruption? How can they hold their political representatives accountable? This thesis aims to answer these wide-ranging research questions, bridging anti-corruption and social movement studies by focusing on societal accountability, i.e., grassroots mechanisms for controlling and sanctioning powerholders. Over the last few years, corruption scholars have increasingly emphasized the role of civil society as an antidote against corruption, complementing state and electoral accountability mechanisms. However, empirical studies on the anti-corruption effects of civic interventions have yet to yield consistent results. This should hardly come as a surprise. If measuring corruption is a challenging task, assessing the extent to which corrupt deals are prevented due to civil society initiatives appears virtually impossible. Hence, this work takes a step back and problematizes the study of societal accountability, approaching it not as a pre-given set of mechanisms or practices deployed by anti-corruption civic actors but as the result of sustained and contentious interactions between multiple players. To do so, the study draws on social movement theories and conceptualizes societal accountability as a set of consequences of collective action efforts. Therefore, this work aims to understand how and under what conditions bottom-up anti-corruption initiatives achieve accountability results such as legal claim attainments, answerability, and sanctioning potential. With this goal in mind, the thesis builds upon existing evidence from corruption and accountability studies and contributes to ongoing debates on the consequences of collective action. The theoretical framework focuses on the concept of influence, subscribing to a processual-relational approach. It understands influence as a relationally emergent instance of causality, a form of positional power that enables multiple players to exert control over the consequences of collective struggles. By bridging the strategic-interaction approach and mediation models; the analysis elucidates the strategies followed by CSOs in seeking positions of influence, as well as the mechanisms through which relational patterns produce social change. The analytical framework is applied to the anti-corruption arenas in Italy and Spain and is narrowed down by focusing on three specific campaigns in each country: introducing transparency laws, passing whistleblowers' protection acts, and developing civic monitoring projects. The empirical material comprises 37 semi-structured qualitative interviews, documents, and network data retrieved through Action Organization Analysis. The corpus of data is analyzed by combining thematic analysis, frame analysis, and a theory-building process tracing through a qualitative network approach. Overall, the evidence collected contributes to the literature on anti-corruption, demonstrating that CSOs, directly and indirectly, contribute to the anti-corruption struggle by achieving policy change, increasing the system's answerability, and triggering formal and informal sanctions when necessary. However, the Italian and Spanish cases' comparative accounts highlight relevant differences. In particular, the empirical investigation contributes to current debates on the study of societal accountability, showing that integration with political elites may increase the likelihood of obtaining policy change, whereas horizontal integration among civic actors may enhance their sanctioning potential. Ultimately, this work shows how processual-relational approaches can help integrate strategic and mediation models to understand better how change-oriented collective actors influence political and social change. The concluding remarks maintain that the interactions and relations built by players over time and across different arenas serve as mediation channels at the micro-, meso-, and macro-levels. Overall, this demonstrates that individual players, patterns of relations in and across arenas, and ideas about relationships mediate between players' strategies, resources, or frames and their contextual conditions, thereby increasing or constraining their influence over the anti-corruption struggl
Brown Girl in the Ring: What are the Experiences of Senior Female Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic Leaders in Social Work Today?
There has been extensive concern with race and racism in social work as a discipline, including empirical enquiry examining the experiences of social workers from Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. However, insufficient attention has been paid to the experiences of BAME female social work leaders. This thesis reports on a practitioner research enquiry addressing this group’s experiences. The study relied on a psychoanalytically informed, psychosocial methodological approach, alongside autoethnographic reflection. Biographical narrative interviews were undertaken with five female BAME leaders working in a local authority adult social care context. Data generated from these interviews were then subject to an in-case/cross-case analysis based on a constructivist epistemological framework. Themes identified from the analysis related to experiences in the workplace and leadership journeys, illuminating ways in which personal and professional biographies converged in the participants’ understanding of the demands and challenges of leadership, as well as wider organisational and social forces that had an impact on them as professionals and BAME women, particularly racism. The analysis revealed how the participants were prompted to be attentive to both their inner experiences and work contexts to understand themselves as leaders. The study’s principal contribution is in helping to develop psychosocial knowledge that may help inform action to challenge racism and organisational barriers bearing upon the career trajectories of BAME women.
Key terms: Black and Minority Ethnic, leadership, psychoanalytically informed research, psychosocial social work research, race, racism, social work leadership
Analyzing smart city development through an evolutionary approach
Cities have always been places where agglomeration economies attained their highest yields, producing cultural, economic, and social benefits being the main locus of entrepreneurship and innovation. However, rapid urbanization created many problems such as inequality, pollution, diseases, insecurity and so on, that end up restraining the dynamic of value creation in 21st century. This is challenging ‘industrial cities’ to rethink and to reshape their structures to overcome these issues. In this sense, the ‘smart city’ model has gained prominence in urban development. Many cities from different countries are designing strategies and implementing them through initiatives and projects towards smart city development. It is noted that these experiences are idiosyncratic, because cities are inherently different and have different issues that must be solved in a particular way. The first question that arise is: how to make a city smarter? Despite the contrasting view of frameworks and their multitude of dimensions and approaches, the literature points out that cities must have specific elements to induce innovation processes through digital solutions and the collaboration between stakeholders in order to address local challenges and, thus, increase local competitiveness and quality of life. However, it does not an easy task and involves a set of stakeholders that may not prone to collaborate and to promote smart city development. In fact, the main difficulties of a strategy emerge during the implementation phase, because many of the challenges for cities to become or to be smart exceed the scope and capabilities of their current organizations, institutional arrangements, and governance structures. Indeed, the lack of appropriate structural and organizational formations does not foster the involvement of local stakeholders and makes it difficult to organize and coordinate the different activities needed to achieve sustainable urban development. Then, the second question that emerge is: what kind of organization can foster smart city development? In this sense, the literature sheds light on the need to discuss alternative governance models to overcome those challenges by combining political and social support with strategic planning and creative thinking in order to deal with smart city complexity. Some authors point out that it is necessary to create a dedicated organization to lead the collaboration between those stakeholders in this process of urban transformation. From that discussion, what seems clear is that the analysis of the development process of a smart city in its different dimensions and units of analysis demands a theoretical background that enables academia and industry to capture the dynamics of evolution and, therefore, understand how smart cities change over time. It is necessary to incorporate theories and concepts that consider not only the notion of space-time, but especially that delve into how the relationships between the elements of the ecosystem interact and complement each other. Then, our third question is: how to analyze this dynamic, context-dependent, long-term process of urban development so that a city becomes smarter? Some authors point out the possibility of a theoretical approximation between evolutionary approach and smart city literature affirming that due to complexity of smart city development, smart city planning is shaped by evolutionary processes too. Thus, it is necessary to incorporate the notion of evolution in the processes of urban transformation and that they occur in a certain geographical location being conditioned by local contextual factors. As aforementioned, cities are inherently different and have different issues. Thus, to measure the existing level of development is crucial to foresee the right steps to enhance urban smartness. Smartness should be seen as a continuum, in which stakeholders may implement initiatives to create, improve or alter smart city elements across those different city dimensions. The notion of smartness may help cities to understand how this process of urban transformation affects their dimensions and their performance, and, consequently, analyze what should be done to accelerate it. In this sense, it is important that cities assess their current stage of development. The assessment of smart city development may bring multiple benefits for different stakeholders. It enables the identification of city strengths and weaknesses, comparison among cities, monitoring and racking projects implementation, increasing transparency on investments, enabling to make policies based on evidences, enhancing citizen awareness, and so on. The fourth question that emerges is: how to measure the smartness of a city? In terms of smart city assessment, many scholars, organizations and companies have developed indexes, toolkits, and benchmarking to measure and rank smart cities. These assessments schemes may provide a good overview about the city’s characteristics and both its strengths and weaknesses, as well as being used to showcase its competitive position. However, most of them neglect the multiple interrelated processes related to the smart city development by adopting a summative approach. This approach presents some limitations that do not properly capture the smartness of a city. Considering that, the objectives of this study are to (1) identify the dimensions and the driving elements to make a city smarter, (2) to understand the role of smart city dedicated organization on smart city governance, (3) to propose an evolutionary framework for the analysis of smart city development and (4) to create a model to measure the smartness of a city using different methods, considering the type of data, its manipulation and analysis. To achieve these objectives, the research focused on understanding the concept of smart cities and that their development depends on a non-linear process, which should make some steps like designing strategies, implementing them through projects to solve the current urban issues. For that, the establishment of a governance structure is crucial to smart city development succeed since collaboration is needed to create complex solutions and the legitimacy of a vision. Therefore, a dedicated organization is important to articulate the stakeholders and boost the development of projects and initiatives. However, just collaborative networks will not solve the urban issues per se. It should be identified how to create, improve, change the elements from the hard and soft dimensions of a city (i.e., economy, social, environment). It is important to highlight that a smart strategy, project, or solution to be smart in fact must consider that these dimensions are integrated and then affect and are affected by each other. In addition, it is needed to incorporate in this urban planning and management discourse the notion of time and space, because past events can affect the current stage of development and the present decisions will impact future of the city. As an evolutionary process, each city will certainly follow different paths, because the dynamics of its development depends on how the (eco)system is configured and which is his level of smartness. It also should be considered the history of city and its context to define more assertive strategies and projects. Thus, for the analysis of smart city development, it is necessary to apply an evolutionary framework capable to link micro-behavior to macro- processes that occur in each territory over time. By considering smart city development as a process that changes the urban realm and the behavior of stakeholders over time, there is a need to measure how this is in fact helping (or not) the urban performance and, how cities can achieve a sustainable development in a more efficient way. In this study, it focusses on the measurement of smartness of an urban innovation ecosystem, because it provides an overview of the current stage of development and the relationship among the elements and dimensions, which could guide policymakers and the society on what invest, how to design a comprehensive strategy and when to implement it.As cidades sempre foram locais onde as economias de aglomeração atingiram seus maiores rendimentos, produzindo benefícios culturais, econômicos e sociais sendo o principal locus de empreendedorismo e inovação. No entanto, a rápida urbanização criou muitos problemas como desigualdade, poluição, doenças, insegurança e assim por diante, que acabam por restringir a dinâmica de criação de valor no século XXI. Isso está desafiando as "cidades industriais" a repensar e remodelar suas estruturas para superar esses problemas. Nesse sentido, o modelo de 'cidade inteligente' tem ganhado destaque no desenvolvimento urbano. Muitas cidades de diferentes países estão desenhando estratégias e implementando-as por meio de iniciativas e projetos para o desenvolvimento de cidades inteligentes. Nota-se que essas experiências são idiossincráticas, pois as cidades são inerentemente diferentes e possuem questões diversas que devem ser resolvidas de forma particular. A primeira questão que surge é: como tornar uma cidade mais inteligente? Apesar da visão contrastante dos frameworks e de sua multiplicidade de dimensões e abordagens, a literatura aponta que as cidades devem ter elementos específicos para induzir processos de inovação por meio de soluções digitais e da colaboração entre stakeholders para enfrentar os desafios locais e, assim, aumentar a competitividade local e qualidade de vida. No entanto, não é uma tarefa fácil e envolve um conjunto de stakeholders que podem não estar dispostos a colaborar e promover o desenvolvimento de cidades inteligentes. De fato, as principais dificuldades de uma estratégia surgem durante a fase de implementação, pois muitos dos desafios para as cidades se tornarem ou serem inteligentes excedem o escopo e as capacidades de suas atuais organizações, arranjos institucionais e estruturas de governança. De fato, as principais dificuldades de uma estratégia surgem durante a fase de implementação, pois muitos dos desafios para as cidades se tornarem ou serem inteligentes excedem o escopo e as capacidades de suas atuais organizações, arranjos institucionais e estruturas de governança. Com efeito, a falta de formações estruturais e organizativas adequadas não favorece o envolvimento dos atores locais e dificulta a organização e coordenação das diferentes atividades necessárias para alcançar um desenvolvimento urbano sustentável. Então, a segunda questão que surge é: que tipo de organização pode fomentar o desenvolvimento de cidades inteligentes? Nesse sentido, a literatura lança luz sobre a necessidade de discutir modelos alternativos de governança para superar esses desafios, combinando apoio político e social com planejamento estratégico e pensamento criativo para lidar com a complexidade da cidade inteligente. Alguns autores apontam que é necessário criar uma organização dedicada a liderar a colaboração entre as partes interessadas neste processo de transformação urbana. A partir dessa discussão, o que parece claro é que a análise do processo de desenvolvimento de uma smart city em suas diferentes dimensões e unidades de análise demanda um embasamento teórico que permita à academia e à indústria captar a dinâmica da evolução e, assim, compreender como as smart cities mudam com o tempo. É preciso incorporar teorias e conceitos que considerem não apenas a noção de espaço-tempo, mas principalmente que se aprofundem em como as relações entre os elementos do ecossistema interagem e se complementam. Então, nossa terceira pergunta é: como analisar esse processo de desenvolvimento urbano dinâmico, dependente do contexto e de longo prazo para que uma cidade se torne mais inteligente? Alguns autores apontam a possibilidade de uma aproximação teórica entre a abordagem evolutiva e a literatura de cidades inteligentes, afirmando que devido à complexidade do desenvolvimento de cidades inteligentes, o planejamento de cidades inteligentes também é moldado por processos evolutivos. Assim, é necessário incorporar a noção de evolução nos processos de transformação urbana e que eles ocorram em uma determinada localização geográfica sendo condicionados por fatores contextuais locais. Como mencionado anteriormente, as cidades são inerentemente diferentes e têm problemas diferentes. Assim, medir o nível de desenvolvimento existente é crucial para prever os passos certos para aumentar a inteligência urbana. A inteligência deve ser vista como um continuum, no qual as partes interessadas podem implementar iniciativas para criar, melhorar ou alterar os elementos da cidade inteligente nessas diferentes dimensões da cidade. A noção de smartness pode ajudar as cidades a entender como esse processo de transformação urbana afeta suas dimensões e seu desempenho e, consequentemente, analisar o que deve ser feito para acelerá- lo. Nesse sentido, é importante que as cidades avaliem seu atual estágio de desenvolvimento. A avaliação do desenvolvimento de cidades inteligentes pode trazer múltiplos benefícios para diferentes partes interessadas. Permite identificar os pontos fortes e fracos da cidade, comparar cidades, monitorar e acompanhar a implementação de projetos, aumentar a transparência nos investimentos, possibilitar a formulação de políticas com base em evidências, aumentar a conscientização do cidadão e assim por diante. A quarta questão que surge é: como medir a inteligência de uma cidade? Em termos de avaliação de cidades inteligentes, muitos acadêmicos, organizações e empresas desenvolveram índices, kits de ferramentas e benchmarking para medir e classificar cidades inteligentes. Esses esquemas de avaliação podem fornecer uma boa visão geral sobre as características da cidade e seus pontos fortes e fracos, além de serem usados para mostrar sua posição competitiva. No entanto, a maioria deles negligencia os múltiplos processos inter-relacionados relacionados ao desenvolvimento da cidade inteligente, adotando uma abordagem somativa. Essa abordagem apresenta algumas limitações que não capturam adequadamente a inteligência de uma cidade. Considerando isso, os objetivos deste estudo são (1) identificar as dimensões e os elementos impulsionadores para tornar uma cidade mais inteligente, (2) entender o papel da organização dedicada a cidades inteligentes na governança de cidades inteligentes, (3) propor uma abordagem evolutiva framework para a análise do desenvolvimento de cidades inteligentes e (4) criar um modelo para medir a inteligência de uma cidade usando diferentes métodos, considerando o tipo de dados, sua manipulação e análise. Para atingir esses objetivos, a pesquisa se concentrou em entender o conceito de cidades inteligentes e que seu desenvolvimento depende de um processo não linear, que deve seguir algumas etapas como desenhar estratégias, implementá-las por meio de projetos para resolver os problemas urbanos atuais. Para isso, o estabelecimento de uma estrutura de governança é crucial para o sucesso do desenvolvimento de cidades inteligentes, pois é necessária a colaboração para criar soluções complexas e a legitimidade de uma visão. Portanto, uma organização dedicada é importante para articular as partes interessadas e impulsionar o desenvolvimento de projetos e iniciativas. No entanto, apenas redes colaborativas não resolverão os problemas urbanos per se. Deve ser identificado como criar, melhorar, mudar os elementos das dimensões hard e soft de uma cidade (ou seja, econômica, social, ambiental). É importante destacar que uma estratégia, projeto ou solução inteligente para ser inteligente de fato deve considerar que essas dimensões estão integradas e então afetam e são afetadas umas pelas outras. Além disso, é necessário incorporar neste discurso de planejamento e gestão urbana a noção de tempo e espaço, pois eventos passados podem afetar o atual estágio de desenvolvimento e as decisões presentes impactarão o futuro da cidade. Como processo evolutivo, cada cidade certamente seguirá caminhos diferentes, pois a dinâmica de seu desenvolvimento depende de como o (eco)sistema se configura e qual é o seu nível de inteligência. Também deve ser considerada a história da cidade e seu contexto para definir estratégias e projetos mais assertivos. Assim, para a análise do desenvolvimento de cidades inteligentes, é necessário aplicar um quadro evolutivo capaz de vincular o microcomportamento aos macroprocessos que ocorrem em cada território ao longo do tempo. Ao considerar o desenvolvimento de cidades inteligentes como um processo que muda o ambiente urbana e o comportamento dos stakeholders ao longo do tempo, há a necessidade de medir como isso está de fato ajudando (ou não) o desempenho urbano e como as cidades podem alcançar um desenvolvimento sustentável em uma forma mais eficiente. Este artigo tem como foco a mensuração da inteligência de um ecossistema de inovação urbana, pois fornece uma visão geral do estágio atual de desenvolvimento e a relação entre os elementos e dimensões, o que poderá orientar os formuladores de políticas e a sociedade sobre o que investir, como projetar uma estratégia abrangente e quando implementá-la
Raising Critical Consciousness in Engineering Education: A Critical Exploration of Transformative Possibilities in Engineering Education and Research
This thesis represents a critical exploration of the opportunities, challenges, and barriers to enacting social justice via the engineering curriculum. Through an ethnographic case study of a British engineering for sustainable development course, I illuminate tensions and contradictions of attempts to “do good” while “doing engineering” in a higher education setting. This work is couched within critical and anti-colonial theoretical frames. Through critical and reflexive analysis, I illustrate attempts of participants to innovate in engineering education toward a counter-hegemonic engineering practice, and highlight transformative possibilities, as well as barriers. This case illustrates how the structures that formed modern engineering continue to shape engineering higher education, restraining attempts to transform engineering training for social good.A central question that has driven this work has been: Is it possible to cultivate a more socially just form of engineering practice through engineering higher education? The function of asking this question has been to interrogate a core assumption in engineering education research – that with the right blend of educational interventions, we can make strides towards social justice. My intent in interrogating this assumption is not to be nihilistic per se. I believe it is entirely possible that engineering could potentially be wielded for just cause and consequence. However, if we do not critically examine our core assumptions around this issue, we may also miss out on the possibility that socially just engineering is not achievable, at least in the way we are currently approaching it or in the current context within which it exists.An examination of this topic is already underway in the US context. However, it is under-explored in a British context. Given the different historical trajectories of engineering and engineering in higher education between these two contexts, a closer look at the British context is warranted
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