Heed Their Rising Voices: Conflicts and The Politics of Women’s Representations

Conflicts and wars have many parallels wherever they occur around the world. For many people worldwide, the media is the most important source of information on these conflicts and their effects on vulnerable groups such as women and children. Women’s experiences in particular mirror the atrocities of war zones. Yet, it is certain women whose stories and voices are amplified the most by the media. The war in Ukraine in comparison to ongoing conflicts in countries such as Afghanistan and Syria garnered more media coverage in a shorter time span. By reporting on some conflicts while neglecting others, and representing vulnerable groups in these selected areas in particular ways, the media influences whose voices get heard and which conflicts are at the forefront. This is especially important in determining the outcome of wars, the amount of global and humanitarian aid vulnerable groups in conflict zones receive, and the success of refugee assimilation in host countries. The following research analyzed studies examining media coverage of Ukrainian, Afghan, and Syrian refugees, particularly women, in the West. The research seeks to unveil the framing patterns found in Western media discourses regarding these refugees, arguing that these frames impact policy and public opinion

Black African Students’ Experiences of Social Work Practice Learning in England: A Critical Race Inquiry

The experiences of black African students (BAS) in the context of social work placements in the UK have received limited attention within academic and practice discourse. This is despite the reported evidence of growth in numbers of students of black African origin enrolling onto social work qualifying programmes and experiencing delayed progression and poorer attainment. This thesis seeks to examine the experiences of black African students on social work placements, drawing upon critical race theory as a methodological and explanatory framework. Using data from semi-structured interviews and reflective diaries, narratives from eight (8) participants studying social work at undergraduate and graduate levels in England offered insight into their experiences in addition to strategies which they perceived would enhance the experiences of ethnic minority students in the future. The findings revealed that BAS experienced racism, over-scrutiny, isolation and exclusion, differential treatment and were racially stereotyped on a regular basis. BAS experienced successful placements when their practice educators (PEs) were supportive, respectful, encouraging and understanding. The study also highlighted that HEIs and practice placements require more open and transparent processes in terms of matching, allocation of workload, monitoring and supporting black African students. The study identified the need for a robust system of training for PEs, regular auditing and maintaining a register of PEs and ensuring ongoing CPD in the areas of equality and diversity. Practice guidance has been developed (Appendix 9) alongside a web portal www.diversityinpracticelearning.com and a Twitter account to disseminate findings from this study and to support the teaching and learning needs of this group of students

University Student-parents’ Experiences in the UAE during COVID-19: Future Implications for Higher Education

The COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020 and threw higher education institutions worldwide into a rapid transition from face-to-face to online learning modes. While students everywhere were grappling with the changes to their learning experiences, those with parenting responsibilities had additional pressures. This study investigated how university student-parents across the United Arab Emirates experienced the change, and their perceptions of the impact of COVID- 19 on their studies. One hundred seventy-five students responded to a questionnaire exploring domains such as their domestic set-up for study, levels of support from family and their institutions, and the situation’s impact on their learning, well-being, and peer and instructor interactions. It was found that while many students relished being more involved with their children’s online schoolwork, this caused tremendous strain for some. Many students had responsibility for at least one child beside them as they studied, leading to multiple distractions that affected their learning and ability to meet deadlines. While most students reported keeping up social support networks with peers, a majority also stated feeling less supported academically by peers and faculty. Many students also felt that their mental health and wellbeing had been diminished due to the situation. The implications of the findings to higher education are discussed

University Student-parents’ Experiences in the UAE during COVID-19: Future Implications for Higher Education

The COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020 and threw higher education institutions worldwide into a rapid transition from face-to-face to online learning modes. While students everywhere were grappling with the changes to their learning experiences, those with parenting responsibilities had additional pressures. This study investigated how university student-parents across the United Arab Emirates experienced the change, and their perceptions of the impact of COVID- 19 on their studies. One hundred seventy-five students responded to a questionnaire exploring domains such as their domestic set-up for study, levels of support from family and their institutions, and the situation’s impact on their learning, well-being, and peer and instructor interactions. It was found that while many students relished being more involved with their children’s online schoolwork, this caused tremendous strain for some. Many students had responsibility for at least one child beside them as they studied, leading to multiple distractions that affected their learning and ability to meet deadlines. While most students reported keeping up social support networks with peers, a majority also stated feeling less supported academically by peers and faculty. Many students also felt that their mental health and wellbeing had been diminished due to the situation. The implications of the findings to higher education are discussed

Group support for transformational social work education: a study of the Black Academics Forum (BAF)

The importance of formal and informal support for professional social workers cannot be overemphasised and this is true for social work academics who view themselves as belonging to minority groups. This paper outlines the development of the Black Academics Forum (BAF) within the Division of Social Work at the University of Northampton as a strategy to transform social work education for students, its members and ultimately for users of social work services. The benefits of BAF are considered within the context of feeling ‘lost inside space’ and providing a forum to self define whilst drawing upon the values of belonging, acceptance and trust. The challenges and limitations are considered alongside aspirations for the future of the group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved

Academic parenthood in the United Arab Emirates in the time of COVID-19

Since the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, early research already indicates that the personal and professional impact on academics juggling parenting responsibilities with their academic work has been immense. This study, set in the United Arab Emirates, explores the experiences of academic parents and looks at ways in which various aspects of their professional lives have been affected by the pandemic. Survey data from 93 participant parents indicated that certain elements of research productivity have been reduced during the pandemic, and having to support children with online schoolwork while teaching online themselves has been particularly stressful. Working from home with no dedicated space was a frequent challenge for the academic parents, and this impacted their ability to perform research tasks that demanded quiet spaces, e.g., reading and writing. However, the data also indicated that parents appreciated greater working flexibility, a reduction in commuting time, and being able to be more involved in their family lives. Some indications were perhaps unexpected, such as no statistically significant impact being observed on academic parents’ ability to interact with students or peers at their institutions while working from home. The implications of these findings to faculty and institutions are discussed