Pattern

The word “pattern” is a very complex term. Generally, it refers to “an arrange- ment that reveals an order, or design, which is meaningful” (cf. Thaker 1999: 427). But a quick look at many of its different domains of application (e.g. theoretical biology, mathematics, aesthetics, linguistics, etc., etc.) proves that “pattern” has a semantic potential richer than one usually expressed by such a definition. For instance, in the framework of the so-called combinatorics on words (cf. at least Lothaire 2012), a pattern is “a word over an alphabet of variables and is meant to describe some kind of repetitive structures” (cf. Rampersard 2017: 98). Therefore, in this first theoretical approach, “the pattern XX over the single variable X is meant to describe the repetition of the same word twice in succession” (cf. Rampersard 2017: 98)

The moral economy of person production: the class relations of self-performance on `reality' television

Drawing on the textual analysis of an ESRC research project `Making Class and the Self through Mediated Ethical Scenarios', this article illustrates how 'reality' television offers a visible barometer of a person's moral value. The research included an examination of the shift to self-legitimation, the increased importance of reflexivity and the decline of class proposed by the individualisation thesis. We focused on self-transformation 'reality' television programmes as public examples of the dramatisation of individualisation. The over-recruitment of different types of working-class participants to these shows and the positioning of many in need of transformation, enabled an exploration of how certain people and cultures are positioned, evaluated and interpreted as inadequate, deficient and requiring improvement. We found that the individualisation promoted through the programmes was always reliant upon access to and operationalisation of specific social, cultural, economic and symbolic capital

Physical activity habit: Complexities and controversies

The health benefits of regular physical activity participation among adults support a reliable dose–response relationship with risk reduction of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, stroke, hypertension, colon cancer, and breast cancer (Warburton, Charlesworth, Ivey, Nettlefold, & Bredin, 2010). Furthermore, regular physical activity has been linked to reduced mental health problems such as depression and anxiety symptoms (Rebar et al., 2015). The recommended dose of physical activity for optimal health benefits is 150 min of moderate intensity or 75 min of vigorous intensity activity for adults per week (World Health Organization, 2012). Unfortunately, few people meet these guidelines, particularly in higher income countries (Hallal et al., 2012). For example, less than 20% of North American adults are physically active at the recommended guidelines (Colley et al., 2011; Troiano et al., 2008). Thus, promotion of regular physical activity is paramount to public health and effective interventions are needed