335 research outputs found
Pragmatism, moral responsibility or policy change: the Syrian refugee crisis and selective humanitarianism in the Turkish refugee regime
Comparing nuclear power trajectories in Germany and the UK: from āregimes' to ādemocraciesā in sociotechnical transitions and Discontinuities
This paper focuses on arguably the single most striking contrast in contemporary major energy politics in Europe (and even the developed world as a whole): the starkly differing civil nuclear policies of Germany and the UK. Germany is seeking entirely to phase out nuclear power by 2022. Yet the UK advocates a ānuclear renaissanceā, promoting the most ambitious new nuclear construction programme in Western Europe.Here,this paper poses a simple yet quite fundamental question: what are the particular divergent conditions most strongly implicated in the contrasting developments in these two countries. With nuclear playing such an iconic role in historical discussions over technological continuity and transformation, answering this may assist in wider understandings of sociotechnical incumbency and discontinuity in the burgeoning field ofāsustainability transitionsā. To this end, an āabductiveā approach is taken: deploying nine potentially relevant criteria for understanding the different directions pursued in Germany and the UK. Together constituted by 30 parameters spanning literatures related to socio-technical regimes in general as well as nuclear technology in particular, the criteria are divided into those that are āinternalā and āexternalā to the āfocal regime configurationā of nuclear power and associated āchallenger technologiesā like renewables.
It is āinternalā criteria that are emphasised in conventional sociotechnical regime theory, with āexternalā criteria relatively less well explored. Asking under each criterion whether attempted discontinuation of nuclear power would be more likely in Germany or the UK, a clear picture emerges. āInternalā criteria suggest attempted nuclear discontinuation should be more likely in the UK than in Germanyā the reverse of what is occurring.
āExternalā criteria are more aligned with observed dynamics āespecially those relating to military nuclear commitments and broader āqualities of democracyā. Despite many differences of framing concerning exactly what constitutes ādemocracyā, a rich political science literature on this point is unanimous in characterising Germany more positively than the UK. Although based only on a single case,a potentially important question is nonetheless raised as to whether sociotechnical regime theory might usefully give greater attention to the general importance of various aspects of democracy in constituting conditions for significant technological discontinuities and transformations. If so, the policy implications are significant. A number of important areas are identified for future research, including the roles of diverse understandings and specific aspects of democracy and the particular relevance of military nuclear commitmentsā whose under-discussion in civil nuclear policy literatures raises its own questions of democratic accountability
The effects of social connections on self-rated physical and mental health among internal migrant and local adolescents in Shanghai, China
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>China is in the midst of history's largest flow of rural-urban migration in the world; a flow that includes growing numbers of children and adolescents. Their health status is an important public health issue. This study compares self-rated physical and mental health of migrant and local adolescents in China, and examines to what extent layered social connections account for health outcomes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In 2010, we conducted a cross-sectional study among middle school students in Pudong New Area, Shanghai. Information about health status, social connections, and demographic factors were collected using a questionnaire survey. After controlling for sociodemographic factors, we used the <it>t-</it>test, Chi-square analysis, and a series of regression models to compare differences in health outcomes and explore the effects of social connections.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Migrant adolescents reported significantly higher rates of good physical health. However, they also had significantly fewer social connections, lower self-esteem, and higher levels of depression than their native peers. Family cohesion was associated with depressive symptoms and low self-esteem among all adolescents; peer association and social cohesion played major roles in migrants' well-being. Gender, age, and socioeconomic (SES) factors also affected adolescents' self-rated physical and mental health.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Self-rated data suggest that migrant adolescents enjoy a physical health advantage and a mental health disadvantage. Layered social connections, such as peer association and social cohesion, may be particularly important for migrants. A public health effort is required to improve the health status of migrant youth.</p
Media reporting of tenofovir trials in Cambodia and Cameroon
BACKGROUND: Two planned trials of pre-exposure prophylaxis tenofovir in Cambodia and Cameroon to prevent HIV infection in high-risk populations were closed due to activist pressure on host country governments. The international news media contributed substantially as the primary source of knowledge transfer regarding the trials. We aimed to characterize the nature of reporting, specifically focusing on the issues identified by media reports regarding each trial. METHODS: With the aid of an information specialist, we searched 3 electronic media databases, 5 electronic medical databases and extensively searched the Internet. In addition we contacted stakeholder groups. We included media reports addressing the trial closures, the reasons for the trial closures, and who was interviewed. We extracted data using content analysis independently, in duplicate. RESULTS: We included 24 reports on the Cambodian trial closure and 13 reports on the Cameroon trial closure. One academic news account incorrectly reported that it was an HIV vaccine trial that closed early. The primary reasons cited for the Cambodian trial closure were: a lack of medical insurance for trial related injuries (71%); human rights considerations (71%); study protocol concerns (46%); general suspicions regarding trial location (37%) and inadequate prevention counseling (29%). The primary reasons cited for the Cameroon trial closure were: inadequate access to care for seroconverters (69%); participants not sufficiently informed of risks (69%); inadequate number of staff (46%); participants being exploited (46%) and an unethical study design (38%). Only 3/23 (13%) reports acknowledged interviewing research personnel regarding the Cambodian trial, while 4/13 (30.8%) reports interviewed researchers involved in the Cameroon trial. CONCLUSION: Our review indicates that the issues addressed and validity of the media reports of these trials is highly variable. Given the potential impact of the media in formulation of health policy related to HIV, efforts are needed to effectively engage the media during periods of controversy in the HIV/AIDS epidemic
Changing foreign policy: the Obama Administrationās decision to oust Mubarak
This paper analyses the decision of the Obama administration to redirect its
foreign policy towards Egypt in the wake of the Arab Spring. It attempts to
highlight the issue of how governments deal with decision-making at times of
crisis, and under which circumstances they take critical decisions that lead to
major shifts in their foreign policy track record. It focuses on the process that
led to a reassessment of US (United States) foreign policy, shifting from decades
of support to the autocratic regime of Hosni Mubarak, towards backing his
ouster. Specifically, the paper attempts to assess to what extent the decision to
withdraw US support from a longstanding state-leader and ally in the Middle
East can be seen as a foreign policy change (FPC). A relevant research question
this paper pursues is: how can the withdrawal of US support to a regime
considered as an ally be considered, in itself, as a radical FPC
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