Fairness in the Allocation of Housing: Legal and Economic Perspectives

Housing is an emotional, almost religious, topic. Indeed, even church groups have been active in promoting public housing in Canada and elsewhere.\u27 The housing market has also become a battleground for a struggle between vested property interests and citizens\u27 groups which insist upon a redefinition of the right to shelter. Organizations, such as the Toronto-based People\u27s Housing Coalition, Halifax\u27s Access Housing Services Association, and a host of tenants\u27 unions, ensure that housing problems are not hidden from public scrutiny. Developers and landlord associations have risen to the challenge and, under the banner of free enterprise, they steadfastly resist any charges that they are the cause of the housing crisis.2 The focus of the numerous federal programs directed towards this problem has changed direction since the 1960s, shifting more toward the middle-income home owner. However, the shift in the focus of these programs is not the result of a coherent policy decision, but is a by-product of economic restraint and a changing social mood. Indeed, a coherent policy has never been the hallmark of Canada\u27s national housing policy

Intercultural Competence Gains from Study Abroad in India

Participation in a study abroad program to Zambia with intentional intercultural activities embedded in the course curriculum has been shown to enhance cultural competence as measured by the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI®) (Krishnan, Masters, Holgate, Wang & Calahan, 2017). The purpose of this study was to assess whether a new program to India, developed using a. similar model, was effective in increasing student intercultural competence and to compare student outcomes with the previous program to evaluate possible differences in outcomes related to the destination country. Participants included 21 students who participated in the SLHS in India study abroad program, and 20 students who have not travelled abroad. Quantitative data included a pre- and post-program administration of the IDI® for both groups. Qualitative data included pre-departure and final reflection papers completed by participants in the intervention group. Results indicated a significant increase in intercultural competence in the intervention group and no change in score in the control group participants. The increase in group score is similar to increases seen in students who had travelled to Zambia. Results indicate that an intensive, service learning study abroad program can be a mechanism for students to enhance intercultural competence, possibly regardless of destination country

Linking ENSO to Synoptic Weather Systems in Eastern Australia

El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the main driver of interannual east Australian rainfall variability, but its link with rain-producing synoptic weather systems is unclear. By tracking low pressure systems in ERA5 over 1979 to 2021, we find that springtime cyclones are linked to variations in the large-scale atmospheric circulation during ENSO events. On spring days with a cyclone during La Niña, a pressure dipole occurs with a strong anticyclonic anomaly southeast of Australia and a cyclonic anomaly over eastern Australia. The northeasterly circulation directs tropical moisture toward eastern Australia, and coupled with induced ascent, promotes rainfall in this region. Both dynamical and thermodynamical changes are important for the rainfall response. An almost opposite circulation response occurs on cyclone days during El Niño events: high-pressure over the Australian continent reduces rainfall in eastern Australia. These synoptic setups resemble the seasonal-mean Rossby wave teleconnections, indicating a link between weather systems and ENSO

Information Security Governance: Investigating Diversity in Critical Infrastructure Organizations

The aim of this paper is to report on how information security governance (ISG) arrangements are framed and shaped in practice. Our objective is to examine the extent to which the similarities and differences in institutional environments can subject organizations to multiple, competing and even contradictory arrangements for ISG. Using an interpretive case based research strategy we investigate how ISG arrangements are framed and shaped in fourteen critical infrastructure organizations in Australia. We explicitly recognize the socio-technical nature of ISG and draw insights from institutional theory. Our findings illustrate the heterogeneity and malleability of ISG across different organizations and highlight the need for an information centric view

Persuasuve conflict: an hermeneutical model for interpreting Galatians in the context of the South African church

This study looks at how to interpret Paul's letter to the Galatians in the contemporary South African church. It aims to provide a Bible study method for doing this which accounts both for the context in which interpretation takes place and for the requirements of exegesis. To this end, use is made of a combination of contextual Bible study methods and a recent multidimensional exegetical model, all of which are currently employed in South Africa. Initially, the study surveys a range of recent critical approaches to the Pauline epistles, particularly as these are employed by South African scholars working on Galatians. The fact that different exegetical approaches focus on different dimensions of the text, reveals the usefulness of a multidimensional exegetical model. The multidimensional exegetical model of Rousseau, which functions within a communication paradigm, is then introduced as an exegetical guide. To meet the second requirement of this study, the question of contextual exegesis is examined. Particular use is made of the hermeneutical approach of liberation theology, with its three mediations of social analysis, theological reflection and practical implementation. The central part of this study explores the implications of contextual interpretation and multidimensional exegesis of Galatians. The pre-canonical, canonical and contemporary contexts which affect the understanding of Galatians are discussed, and the multidimensional exegetical model is used to introduce the Galatian letter as a whole. The last part deals with the practical questions of group Bible study. The exegetical and hermeneutical theory developed earlier is simplified to provide a contextual Bible study method and this method is applied to three pericopes from Galatians. The task of bridging the gap between the university and the church is not an easy one, nor one which is solved by a single Bible study method. The exegetical and hermeneutical questions raised here point to the need for ongoing interaction between South African community of biblical scholars and those involved in the everyday life of the South African churc

Prodigality, liberality and meanness in the parable of the prodigal son : Greco-Roman perspective on Luke 15:11-32

This dissertation consists of an interpretation of the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15: 11-32) from the perspective of Greco-Roman moral philosophy. It is divided into three parts. Part 1 traces the history of relating the New Testament to Greco-Roman literature and philosophy. Despite the importance of this perspective for the study of Luke-Acts, the relationship between Luke 15: 11-32 and Greco-Roman moral philosophy has not been investigated before. The legitimacy of this approach is demonstrated by a literary analysis of the parable, which demonstrates the formal emphasis placed upon the liberal and compassionate words and actions of the father. The strong moral orientation of the parable is further illustrated by the formal, linguistic and thematic features which it shares with the other L parables. Part 2 consists of a study of the Greco-Roman moral topos On Covetousness. The use of the Greco-Roman topos as a critical tool for the study of the New Testament is evaluated, the term is defined, and the influence of the topos On Covetousness upon representative works of moral philosophy is studied. This part ends with a summary of the characteristic features of the topos and its use by writers with differing philosophical affiliations. Part 3 reads the whole parable in terms of the topos On Covetousness,with the emphasis being placed on the relationship between the Lukan text and works of Greco-Roman moral philosophy. The parable is seen to be structured according to the influential Peripatetic doctrine of the mean, with the father representing the virtue of liberality, and his two sons the opposing vices of prodigality and meanness. The comparison with the topos reveals Luke's strong rejection of the two vices, and his endorsement of the Greco-Roman virtue of liberality, which is modified by his emphasis upon the Christian virtue of compassion. The approach affirms and demonstrates the internal unity of the parable and its close relationship to the Lukan theme of the correct use of possessions

COVID-19: Preparing for the future: looking ahead to winter 2021/22 and beyond

Despite a highly successful vaccination campaign in the UK, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is not over, and we are currently seeing rapidly rising infection rates. While there is an understandable and intense desire for ‘normality’ to return, we need to sustain our efforts to limit the transmission and impacts of the virus, particularly for the most vulnerable, for the longer term. To prepare for the winter period and beyond, the priorities over the summer period must be to: Maximise the speed and uptake of COVID-19 vaccination in all eligible age groups, and prepare for possible booster vaccines in priority groups and vaccination against influenza later in the year. Increase the ability of people with COVID-19 to self-isolate through financial and other support, with a particular focus on those in areas of persistent transmission and in the lowest socio-economic groups. Boost capacity in the NHS (staff and beds) to: build resilience against future outbreaks of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, including through improving infection prevention and control (IPC), increasing vaccination and testing capacity for COVID-19 and influenza, adequately resourcing primary care, and reducing the backlog of non-COVID-19 care. Provide clear guidance about environmental and behavioural precautions (such as the use of face coverings, ventilation and physical distancing) that individuals and organisations can take to protect themselves and others, especially those who are most vulnerable from infection

Describing Students’ Intercultural Competence after Completing a Cultural Diversity Course Online or Face-to-Face

This study describes students’ development of components of intercultural competence after completing a cultural diversity course and compared degrees of intercultural competence between a face-to-face course and an equivalent online section of the same course. Analysis of final written reflections from students demonstrated that students gained a deeper awareness of their lack of knowledge related to culture. The analysis also revealed that students in the online version of the course demonstrated higher degrees of intercultural openness and cultural self-awareness than did those in the face-to-face context. Findings from this study contribute significantly to the research on intercultural competence and the teaching of cultural diversity courses

Structured Study Abroad Enhances Intercultural Competence

Participation in a service-learning (SL) study abroad (SA) program has been shown to enhance cultural competence (Krishnan, Richards & Simpson, 2016) as measured via the Public Affairs Scale (PAS; Levesque-Bristol & Cornelius-White, 2012). The purpose of this study was 1) to evaluate students’ development of intercultural competence using the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI®), a tool specifically designed for this purpose, and 2) to evaluate whether intentionally escalating culturally focused developmental experiential learning together with existing course content would increase cultural competence more than program participation alone. Thirty female and one male student participated over three years of the SL SA program. Quantitative data collected included a pre- and post-program administration of the IDI®. Qualitative data included student reflection papers regarding the intentional cultural intervention activities they completed. Comparison of the pre- and post-IDI® showed mixed results with program participation alone, but showed a significant increase in intercultural competence when intentional cultural interventions were included in course content. Results indicate that a short-term SA program with a SL component can be a mechanism for students to enhance intercultural competence when intentional and targeted cultural interventions are included in course activities