Investigating Young People's Perspectives on Pornography and its Legal Regulation

This thesis investigates young people’s perspectives on pornography and its legal regulation. Having identified lacunas in the existing literature and empirical research base, this thesis considers three main areas: how young people define pornography; the range of pornography viewed by young people, and; young people’s perspectives on the legal regulation of pornography. In-depth interviews were conducted with eighteen young people aged 18-25 in England and Scotland, with a novel research method – Spectral Elicitation – developed and incorporated into the empirical research design. The research found that young people’s definitions of pornography largely echo those in existing literature and legislation, and found that by establishing definitions with participants contextual unity between the thematic focus and the empirical findings of the research can be ensured. Young people had viewed a wide range of pornographic materials, with the research finding that unsolicited contacts were often regarded as a 'necessary evil' of viewing pornography. Within this, significant proportions of young people had viewed materials of a violent or ‘extreme’ nature. With legal regulation, the research found that: young people generally thought more materials are and should be criminalised than currently are under the CJIA 2008 and the CJL(S)A 2010, with minimal support for possession offences; young people generally did not look to legislation to establish ethical precedents when negotiating access to materials, and; animated materials, depictions of rape, and perceptions of sexual consent within pornography are significant areas requiring further consideration. This research revealed that there is greater scope for qualitative research in the academic study of pornography, including utilising innovative and ethically-sound elicitation methods when investigating complex and potentially sensitive issues. This thesis recommends further empirical research on the range of materials viewed by young people and their perspectives on these materials, utilising mixed methods incorporating both large-scale surveys and further in-depth studies

TransEDU Scotland : Researching the Experience of Trans and Gender Diverse Applicants, Students and Staff in Scotland's Colleges and Universities

This document provides an overview of the TransEdu Scotland empirical research project, including the main research findings and recommendations. Open - access practical tools, case studies and resources for developing policies, provision and leadership will be hosted on www.trans.ac.uk from November 2017, as part of the broader TransEDU project

Green tech manufacturing company: Fraud and the independent auditor

In this case, the student assumes the role of an auditor for an accounting firm on a privately-held client. A review of the income statement accounts leads to concerns about various expenses. Copies of cancelled checks provide more information and substantiate the concerns. Students apply the fraud triangle and consider the red flags of fraud in a realistic situation

Barriers to Access : Report on the Barriers Faced by Young Disabled and D/deaf People in Accessing Youth Arts Provision in Scotland

This report outlines research that investigated the barriers faced by young disabled and D/deaf people in accessing youth arts provision in Scotland. Funded by the Time to Shine National Youth Arts Strategy for Scotland, the research was conducted by Dr. Matson Lawrence in conjunction with Birds of Paradise Theatre Company. The research relates to young people aged 0 – 25, with specific empirical focus on young people aged 16 – 25. Through in-depth interviews and online surveys, the research engaged with 20 disabled and D/deaf young people across Scotland, alongside a number of individuals working within the Scottish youth arts sector and in disability and D/deaf arts. The research found that young disabled and D/deaf people face multiple and intersecting barriers to accessing arts provision. Five main barriers were identified: 1. Finding suitable arts provision; 2. Availability of access information; 3. Lack of provision for access and support; 4. Travel, transport and location; and 5. Attitudes and awareness of arts providers. The research identified five key strategies to address these barriers: 1. Provision specifically for young disabled and D/deaf people; 2. Centralised information about arts opportunities; 3. Front Door to Stage Door Access provision; 4. Connections built with disabled and D/deaf communities across Scotland; and 5. Education and awareness for arts providers. These strategies offer arts providers concrete recommendations for improving disabled and D/deaf access. It is anticipated that, in light of this report, organisations and agencies providing arts opportunities to young people will be better informed of the barriers faced by young disabled and D/deaf people, and better equipped to address these barriers and improve access to their provision

The UK government LGBT Action Plan : discourses of progress, enduring stasis, and LGBTQI+ lives 'getting better'

The LGBT Action Plan (2018) represents a significant UK Government commitment towards LGBTQI+ equalities, operating in conjunction with cumulative legislative advances. Yet there is room for critique within this Plan, as proposed actions and as celebratory rhetoric of lives 'getting better'. Using empirical examples, this article examines how 'progress' for LGBTQI+ lives is discursively constructed and positioned in the LGBT Action Plan and accompanying politicians' speeches. We examine the key constructions of progress – across time, place, life courses, and normative thresholds – within which LGBTQI+ rights and realities are framed. We draw upon queer theory to illuminate discursive normativities and silences in representing 'policy problems' (Bacchi, 2009). While some policy areas are celebrated as signifiers of 'coming forward', others are relegated to the too tough in-tray, suspended in enduring stasis. Opposing 'political time' with 'queer time', this article concludes with the policy challenges posed by intersectional (in)equalities in these 'new times'

CILIA-LGBTQI+ Comparing Intersectional Lifecourse Inequalities among LGBTQI+ Citizens in Four European Countries : Scotland Policy Brief

The EU DIAL funded ‘Comparing Intersectional Lifecourse Inequalities among LGBTQI+ Citizens in Four European Countries’1 (CILIA-LGBTQI+) project examines intersectional inequalities and their impacts upon lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI+) citizens in four European countries (England, Germany, Portugal, Scotland). We are concerned with inequalities at key points of life transition, including school to work, employment progression in mid-life, and the transition into retirement and later life. Drawing upon interviews and secondary analysis, this policy brief reflects on the findings from the CILIA- LGBTQI+ research conducted in Scotland

Bromelain Inhibits Allergic Sensitization and Murine Asthma via Modulation of Dendritic Cells

The incidence of atopic conditions has increased in industrialized countries. Persisting symptoms and concern for drug side-effects lead patients toward adjunctive treatments such as phytotherapy. Previously, we have shown that Bromelain (sBr), a mixture of cysteine proteases from pineapple, Ananas comosus, inhibits ovalbumin (OVA)-induced murine model of allergic airway disease (AAD). However, sBr’s effect on development of AAD when treatment is administered throughout OVA-alum sensitization was unknown and is the aim of the present study. C57BL/6J mice were sensitized with OVA/alum and challenged with 7 days OVA aerosol. sBr 6 mg/kg/0.5 ml or PBS vehicle were administered throughout sensitization. Lung, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), spleen, and lymph nodes were processed for flow cytometry and OVA-specific IgE was determined via ELISA. sBr treatment throughout OVA-alum sensitization significantly reduced the development of AAD (BAL eosinophils and lymphocytes). OVA-specific IgE and OVA TET+ cells were decreased. sBr reduced CD11c+ dendritic cell subsets, and in vitro treatment of DCs significantly reduced CD44, a key receptor in both cell trafficking and activation. sBr was shown to reduce allergic sensitization and the generation of AAD upon antigen challenge. These results provide additional insight into sBr's anti-inflammatory and antiallergic properties and rationale for translation into the clinical arena

Do adults with high functioning autism or Asperger Syndrome differ in empathy and emotion recognition?

The present study examined whether adults with high functioning autism (HFA) showed greater difficulties in (i) their self-reported ability to empathise with others and/or (ii) their ability to read mental states in others’ eyes than adults with Asperger syndrome (AS). The Empathy Quotient (EQ) and ‘Reading the Mind in the Eyes’ Test (Eyes Test) were compared in 43 adults with AS and 43 adults with HFA. No significant difference was observed on EQ score between groups, while adults with AS performed significantly better on the Eyes Test than those with HFA. This suggests that adults with HFA may need more support, particularly in mentalizing and complex emotion recognition, and raises questions about the existence of subgroups within autism spectrum conditions