Still ‘the human thing’? Technology, human agency and the future of war

Is war beginning to escape human control? Thucydides tells us the war is one of the things that makes us definitively human; but how long will this continue to be the case as our relationship with technology continues to develop? Kenneth Waltz’s book Man, the State and War affords one way of answering that question. So too does Nikolaas Tinbergen’s framework for understanding human behaviour and Bruno Latour’s Actor–Network Theory (ANT). The main focus of this article is the extent to which we will diminish or enhance our own agency as human beings, especially when we come to share the planet with an intelligence higher than our own

The war in Ukraine and the return of history

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine came as a surprise. The West believed for a long time that Great Power conflict was a thing of the past, that war itself was no longer a central feature of international relations. It was not a view shared by the rest of the world, and certainly not by Russia. The Ukraine war is in part a product of the misreading of history. It is also threatening to become for the Russians an existential struggle that they cannot afford to lose. What if the European peace we have come to celebrate is just a 30-year experiment sandwiched between much longer phases of conflict

Facing a strategic endgame? The US and the ambiguities of strategic thinking

The disastrous strategic failures by the US in the past 30 years can be explained by its failure to understand what strategy actually is and how ambiguity lies at its heart. As a result it has stumbled from crisis to crisis. There is no reason to think that it is any better placed under Biden to address the challenges of a ‘post-hegemonic’ world, argues Christopher Coker

A little dab will do ya: An exploration of first time dabbers on YouTube

This thesis project is an in-depth examination of a rising subculture within cannabis users. With this research project, my aim was to explore and provide insight into the initial experiences of novice cannabis concentrate use as represented on YouTube while they are initiated into this emerging cannabis subculture. Referred to as “dabbing” or “dabs,” this highly potent and concentrated form of cannabis is being utilized by cannabis users to achieve greater highs and effects than those from the traditional cannabis flower. In this study I explored first-time “dabbers” by drawing from social media content in the form of YouTube videos in which self-identified novice dabbers are participating in first-time dab use. Using thematic analysis I explored patterns and trends associated with representations of first-time dab use on YouTube by examining the rituals and social processes associated with a novice user’s initial dab experience. I also explored novice dabbers experiences utilizing the sociological perspectives of Symbolic Interaction and Social Learning Theory related to drug use. This was done in an effort to understand practices and rituals of dab use, language use, and users response to dabbing when entering this new cannabis subculture

ANALYSIS OF THE FACTORS AFFECTING LOW PERFORMANCE OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN INTEGRATED SCIENCE

The purpose of the study was to investigate the factors that affect the low performance of senior high school students in Integrated Science in the Tamale Metropolis. Concurrent triangulation mixed methods design was used. The instruments used during data collection were questionnaires and interview guide. A multistage sampling process was used to select four hundred students and fifteen teachers who teach Integrated Science. Data collected was analysed using exploratory factor analysis and thematic content analysis. The study revealed three factors: school environmental factor, teacher attitude and student attitude as contributors to students’ low performance in Integrated Science. It is, therefore recommend that the education ministry should provide a comfortable learning environment for effective teaching and learning to improve students’ performance in Integrated Science.  Article visualizations

Investigating Trajectories of Social Recovery in Individuals with First Episode Psychosis:A Latent Class Growth Analysis

Background Social disability is a hallmark of severe mental illness yet individual differences and factors predicting outcome are largely unknown. Aim To explore trajectories and predictors of social recovery following a first episode of psychosis (FEP). Method A sample of 764 individuals with FEP were assessed on entry into early intervention in psychosis (EIP) services and followed up over 12 months. Social recovery profiles were examined using latent class growth analysis. Results Three types of social recovery profile were identified: Low Stable (66%), Moderate-Increasing (27%), and High-Decreasing (7%). Poor social recovery was predicted by male gender, ethnic minority status, younger age at onset of psychosis, increased negative symptoms, and poor premorbid adjustment. Conclusions Social disability is prevalent in FEP, although distinct recovery profiles are evident. Where social disability is present on entry into EIP services it can remain stable, highlighting a need for targeted intervention. Declaration of interest Non

Violence against Women Raises Risk of Cervical Cancer

Background: An emerging literature suggests that violence against women (VAW), particularly sexual violence, may increase the risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and, therefore, may be associated with cervical cancer development. The purpose of this cross-sectional analysis was to determine if women who had experienced violence had higher prevalence rates of invasive cervical cancer. Methods: Women aged 18–88 who joined the Kentucky Women’s Health Registry (2006–2007) and completed a questionnaire were included in the sample. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to adjust odds ratio (OR) for confounders (e.g., age, education, current marital status, lifetime illegal drug use, and pack-years of cigarette smoking). Results: Of 4732 participants with no missing data on violence, cervical cancer, or demographic factors, 103 (2.1%) reported ever having cervical cancer. Adjusting for demographic factors, smoking, and illegal drug use, experiencing VAW was associated with an increased prevalence of invasive cervical cancer (adjusted OR [aOR]¼2.6, 95% CI¼1.7-3.9). This association remained significant when looking at three specific types of VAW: intimate partner violence (IPV) (aOR¼2.7, 95% CI¼1.8-4.0), adult exposure to forced sex (aOR¼2.6, 95% CI¼1.6-4.3), and child exposure to sexual abuse (aOR¼2.4, 95% CI¼1.4-4.0). Conclusions: Rates of cervical cancer were highest for those experiencing all three types of VAW relative to those never experiencing VAW. Because VAW is common and has gynecological health effects, asking about VAW in healthcare settings and using this information to provide tailored healthcare may improve women’s health outcomes