12 research outputs found
Risk Communication in Assisted Reproduction in Latvia: From Private Experience to Ethical Issues
Get PDFThe aim of this paper is to analyze the process of risk communication in the context of assisted reproduction in Latvia. The paper is based on a qualitative methodology and two types of data: media analysis and 30 semi-structured interviews (11 patients, 4 egg donors, 15 experts). The study explores a broad definition of risk communication and explores three types of risks: health, psychosocial, and moral. We ask (1), who is involved in risk communication, (2), how risks are discussed using different channels of communication, and (3), what ethical problems arise during this process. In the process of analysis, we identified four types of information channels and two strategies of risk communication used by patients, as well as several ethical problems. In our view, the analysis of risk communication practices is significant to improve patient/physician relationship, as well as better meet patients' needs for comprehensive risk information
Becoming and being a biobank donor: The role of relationships and ethics
Get PDFRelational aspects, such as involvement of donorās relatives or friends in the decision-making on participation in a research biobank, providing relativesā health data to researchers, or sharing research findings with relatives should be considered when reflecting on ethical aspects of research biobanks. The aim of this paper is to explore what the role of donorās relatives and friends is in the process of becoming and being a biobank donor and which ethical issues arise in this context. We performed qualitative analysis of 40 qualitative semi-structured interviews with biobank donors and researchers. The results show that relatedness to relatives or other types of close relationships played a significant role in the donorsā motivation to be involved in a biobank, risk-benefit assessment, and decisions on sharing information on research and its results. Interviewees mentioned ethical issues in the context of sharing relativesā health-related data for research purposes and returning research findings that may affect their relatives. We conclude that the question of what information on family members may be shared with a biobank by research participants without informed consent of those relatives, and when family members become research subjects, lacks a clear answer and detailed guidelines, especially in the context of the introduction of the European Unionās (EU) General Data Protection Regulation. Researchers in Latvia and EU face ethical questions and dilemmas about returning research results and incidental findings to donorsā relatives, and donors need more information on sharing research results with relatives in the informed consent process
The European Schools system: State of Play, Challenges and Perspectives
Get PDFThis study examines the progress that the European Schools System has made during the past decade and overviews its state of affairs as of 2022. The educational dimension of the study focuses on questions related to teaching and learning, while the operational one concentrates on the administrative and managerial sides of the system. The study pinpoints the key challenges that the system currently faces and provides tailored recommendations on how to overcome them
Relating power and sexuality: case of teenage pregnancy
No full textDarba nosaukums - Varas un seksualitÄtes mijiedarbe: nepilngadÄ«go grÅ«tnieÄu gadÄ«jums. DarbÄ analizÄts, kÄdos veidos diskursÄ«vÄ vara saistÄ«ta ar seksualitÄtes politiku un skatÄ«ts, kÄ varas attiecÄ«bas sabiedrÄ«bÄ ietekmÄ politiku, kas orientÄta uz pusaudzÄm grÅ«tniecÄm.
PÄtÄ«juma metode ā mediju rakstu, komentÄru un normatÄ«vo aktu diskursÄ«va analÄ«ze.
SecinÄjumi. Diskursu pusaudžu grÅ«tniecÄ«bu veido seÅ”i diskursÄ«vie ietvari, kas katrs pozicionÄ to no atŔķirÄ«ga skata punkta. Katra ietvara saturs veido atŔķirÄ«gus rezultÄtus, kas izpaužas sociÄlajÄ praksÄ. Caur ietvariem tiek institucionalizÄtas un padarÄ«tas par leÄ£itÄ«mÄm varas attiecÄ«bas starp sievietÄm un vÄ«rieÅ”iem, pusaudžiem un pieauguÅ”ajiem, profesionÄļiem un lajiem.
AtslÄgas vÄrdi: vara, seksualitÄte, pusaudžu grÅ«tniecÄ«ba.The title of paper ā Relating power and sexuality: case of teenage pregnancy. The paper analysis the ways in which discursive power of sexuality policy and examine how the power relations in society affect the policy that focused on teenage pregnancy.
Methods used in research ā the analysis of discourse in mass media papers, comments, laws and regulations.
Conclusions. Discourse consists of six teenage pregnancy discursive frames, each from a different position to the point. Each frame content results differently in terms of social practice. Through a framework is institutionalized and made the legitimacy of power relations between women and men, adolescents and adults, professionals and lay members.
Key Words: power, sexuality, teenage pregnancy
Metaphorization of the Present in Self-Help Books
No full textTagadnes metaforizÄcija nav tikusi plaÅ”Äk apskatÄ«ta akadÄmiskÄ lÄ«menÄ«, tÄpÄc Å”is darbs ir mÄÄ£inÄjums uzsÄkt izpÄti Å”ajÄ laukÄ. PÄtÄ«juma mÄrÄ·is ir noteikt avota domÄnus, kas izmantoti tagadnes metaforizÄÅ”anai izvÄlÄtajÄs paÅ”mÄcÄ«bas grÄmatÄs: Ekharta Tolles āTagadnes spÄksā, Jon Kabat-Zinn āLai arÄ« kur tu dotos, tu atrodies Å”eit: apzinÄtÄ«bas meditÄcija ikdienÄā un Deila KÄrnegÄ« āKÄ izbeigt raizÄÅ”anos un sÄkt dzÄ«votā. IzpÄtes teorÄtiskajÄ daÄ¼Ä tiek piedÄvÄts metaforu iedalÄ«juma apraksts, kÄ arÄ« tiek apskatÄ«tas konceptuÄlo domÄnu lomas metaforu veidoÅ”anÄ. Darba empÄ«riskajÄ daÄ¼Ä tiek piedÄvÄts izvÄlÄtajÄs grÄmatÄs izmantoto metaforu iedalÄ«jums atbilstoÅ”i to avota domÄniem un ar to lietojumu panÄktÄ efekta analÄ«ze. PÄtÄ«jumÄ atklÄjies, ka metaforu lietojumu Å”ajos darbos ietekmÄ katra autora individuÄlais rakstÄ«bas stils, kultÅ«ras paradigmas, atbalstÄ«tÄs reliÄ£ijas un filozofiskie darbi, kÄ arÄ« loÄ£iskais tagadnes koncepta pamatojums.Since academic discussion on the metaphorization of the now in self-help books is largely missing, the present research is an attempt to fill in the niche. The goal of this research, thus, is to determine source domains used to metaphorize the now in the selected self-help books, viz. āThe Power of Nowā by Eckhart Tolle, āWherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Lifeā by Jon Kabat-Zinn and āHow to Stop Worrying and Start Livingā by Dale Carnegie. The theoretical considerations offer the discussion on the types of metaphors and the roles of conceptual domains in the formation of metaphors. The empirical part offers the division of metaphors used in the books according to their source domains and presents the effect achieved by the use of metaphors for describing the now. The research has revealed that the use of metaphors is influenced by the individual style, cultural paradigms, favoured religious and philosophical writings and rationale behind the concept of the now
To Ignore, to Control, or to Normalize? Living with Chronic āInvisible Illnessā within the Framework of Youth and Productivity
No full textSociÄlÄ antropoloÄ£ijaSocioloÄ£ija, politoloÄ£ija un antropoloÄ£ijaSocial AnthropologySociology, Politics and AnthropologyMaÄ£istra darbÄ āIgnorÄt, kontrolÄt vai normalizÄt? SadzÄ«voÅ”ana ar hronisku āneredzamuā slimÄ«bu jaunÄ«bas un produktivitÄtes dzÄ«ves kÄrtÄ«bÄā tiek analizÄtas jaunu cilvÄku darbspÄjas vecumÄ pieredzes ar hroniskiem neveselÄ«bas stÄvokļiem mÅ«sdienu sabiedrÄ«bÄ ar tai nozÄ«mÄ«gÄm jaunÄ«bai piemÄ«toÅ”Äm vÄrtÄ«bÄm un attieksmÄm kÄ enerÄ£iskums, produktivitÄte un dinamiska sociÄlÄ un personÄ«gÄ dzÄ«ve. PÄtÄ«juma ietvaros apkopoti dati no intervijÄm ar informantiem, kuriem diagnosticÄtas hroniskas slimÄ«bas, kÄ 1.tipa cukura diabÄts, reimatoÄ«dais artrÄ«ts, psoriÄtiskais artrÄ«ts, HaÅ”imoto tireoidÄ«ts un Greivsa slimÄ«ba.
DarbÄ analizÄts, kÄ informanti pielÄgojas paÅ”u un sabiedrÄ«bas uzliktajai produktivitÄtes latiÅai, kas sagaida, ka, par spÄ«ti grÅ«tÄ«bÄm, viÅi paÅ”reizÄjÄ vecumÄ spÄs veikt konkrÄtus pienÄkumus, kÄ arÄ« uzstÄdÄ«t un sasniegt karjeras un personÄ«gÄs dzÄ«ves mÄrÄ·us. Å ajÄ ceÄ¼Ä viÅiem ir jÄsaskaras ne vien ar praktiskiem ŔķÄrŔļiem, ko var izraisÄ«t neveselÄ«bas simptomi, bet arÄ« ar slimÄ«bai kultÅ«rÄ dotÄm nozÄ«mÄm ā informÄcija par slimÄ«bu, ko informanti gÅ«st no mediÄ·iem, apkÄrtÄjiem cilvÄkiem, medijiem, jÄsalÄgo ar viÅu dzÄ«vÄm un identitÄti. SagaidÄmÄs Ä«paŔības un attieksmes, kas saistÄs ar slimÄ«bas kontroli, kÄ apdomÄ«ba un mÄrenÄ«ba, kontrastÄ ar stereotipisko jaunÄ«bas tÄlu.
EmpÄ«riskais pÄtÄ«jums veikts, izmantojot kvalitatÄ«vu datu ieguves metodi - daļÄji strukturÄtas intervijas. Darba pamatÄ esoÅ”Äs intervijas veiktas klÄtienÄ un attÄlinÄti ar cilvÄkiem vecumÄ no 26 lÄ«dz 38 gadiem, kuri dzÄ«vo dažÄdÄs Eiropas valstÄ«s ā LatvijÄ, ItÄlijÄ, DÄnijÄ un LielbritÄnijÄ. IntervijÄs iegÅ«tÄ informÄcija par informantu pieredzÄm analizÄta, izmantojot ArtÅ«ra Kleinmana (Arthur Kleinman) Äetrus slimÄ«bas nozÄ«mju laukus: simptoms kÄ nozÄ«me, kultÅ«rÄ dotÄ nozÄ«me, dzÄ«votÄ pasaule kÄ nozÄ«me un izskaidrojums un emocijas kÄ nozÄ«me (Kleinman 1988). NozÄ«mes nav strikti nodalÄmas informantu domÄs vai piedzÄ«votajÄ, bet kalpo kÄ pÄtnieka analÄ«tiskais rÄ«ks. Darba tÄze, kas tiek pamatota darba gaitÄ, aplÅ«kojot slimÄ«bas pieredzi Å”ajos Äetros laukos, ir: jaunÄ«bas un produktivitÄtes dzÄ«ves kÄrtÄ«bÄ netiek akceptÄta slimnieka loma, tÄdÄļ hroniskas slimÄ«bas āredzamÄ«baā tiek visu iespÄju robežÄs pielÄgota atbilstoÅ”i savÄm un citu gaidÄm.Masterās thesis āTo Ignore, to Control, or to Normalize? Living with Chronic āInvisible Illnessā within the Framework of Youth and Productivityā offers an analysis of young peopleās experiences with chronic health conditions at the age of active employment. The experiences are analysed on the background of todayās societal framework with such values and attitudes imposed on young people as heightened activity, productivity and dynamic social and private life. The empirical data have been gathered from interviews with informants diagnosed with chronic conditions such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Hashimoto thyroiditis and Graves' disease.
The study reveals ways and approaches of how the informants adapt to their own expectations and the expectations of the society regarding performing specific duties and achieving career and personal goals despite their health conditions. To do this, they must face not only practical obstacles connected with their condition, but also cultural meanings given to their specific illness and the state of being chronically ill in general; they have to assess information provided by health care professionals, take into account opinions of their family and social circles as well as process information that can be found in different kinds of media. The expected characteristics and attitudes related to disease control, such as prudence and moderation, contrast with the stereotypical image of strong and dynamic youth.
The empirical part of the research was conducted by using a qualitative method of semi-structured interviews. The interviews have been conducted on-site and remotely with people aged 26 to 38 who live in different European countries: Latvia, Italy, Denmark and the United Kingdom. The information from the interviews was analysed by using Arthur Kleinman's four illness meanings: symptom as meaning, cultural significance as meaning, life world as meaning and an explanation and emotion as meaning (Kleinman 1988). While the meanings are not strictly separated in real life, they serve as an analytical tool for the researcher. Thus, the thesis, which is based on the analysis of young peopleās chronic illness experiences according to these four fields is as follows: The framework of youth and productivity does not accept the sick role; therefore, the āvisibilityā of chronic conditions is by all means being adjusted to the expectations set by oneself and the others
The functions of fine art in totalitarianism
No full textBakalaura darbÄ ir aplÅ«kotas tÄlotÄjmÄkslas funkcijas totalitÄrismÄ. PÄtÄ«juma mÄrÄ·is ir saprast: kÄda ir totalitÄrÄ valsts pÄrvaldes modeļa un tÄlotÄjmÄkslas savstarpÄjÄ mijiedarbe un kÄdas ir tÄlotÄjmÄkslas funkcijas totalitÄrismÄ. Galvenie jÄdzieni: tÄlotÄjmÄksla, funkcijas un totalitÄrisms.
DarbÄ izmantotÄs metodes: literatÅ«ras analÄ«ze, attÄlu analÄ«ze un konsultÄcijas ar mÄksliniekiem.
Galvenie secinÄjumi: svarÄ«gÄkÄs mÄkslas funkcijas totalitÄrismÄ bija komunikatÄ«vÄs. DekoratÄ«vÄ, iemūžinÄÅ”anas un dokumentÄjoÅ”Ä funkcija tÄlotÄjmÄkslai totalitÄrismÄ nav tik nozÄ«mÄ«gas.
MÄkslas funkcijas tika realizÄtas caur konkrÄtiem tÄliem: vadoni, jauno cilvÄku, un ienaidnieku.
RezultÄtÄ totalitÄrais režīms mainÄ«ja mÄkslu un tÄs saturu. JaunÄ mÄksla bija instruments, kura popularizÄja sabiedrÄ«bÄ jaunÄs vÄrtÄ«bas un veicinÄja ticÄ«bu sistÄmai.There are viewed the functions of fine arts in the bachelor paper. The aim of the research is to comprehend: what kind of interaction is between the model of administration of totalitarian government and fine arts, and what functions fine arts has in totalitarian regime. General notions are: fine arts, functions and totalitarian regime.
Methods used in the research: the analysis of literature, the analysis of pictures and consultations with artists.
The main conclusions: the major functions in totalitarian regime were communicative. Decorative, immortalizing and documentary functions of fine arts are not so significant in totalitarian regime. The functions of art were realized through specific images: a leader, a āyoungā man and an enemy.
As a result totalitarian regime changed art and its content. New art was a tool, which popularised new values in society
Fertility in traditional and contemporary culture in Latvia.
No full textElektroniskÄ versija nesatur pielikumusPromocijas darba mÄrÄ·is: identificÄt, raksturot un salÄ«dzinÄt auglÄ«bas kÄ zinÄÅ”anu objekta veidoÅ”anu tradicionÄlajÄ un mÅ«sdienu kultÅ«rÄ. Darba teorÄtisko ietvaru veido MiÅ”ela Fuko un Žana FransuÄ LiotÄra idejas. AuglÄ«ba skatÄ«ta kÄ diskursÄ«va un sastÄv no dažÄdiem izteikumiem, kas pÄrsniedz vienas patiesÄ«bas robežas. Darba metodoloÄ£ija veidota, izmantojot M. Fuko āzinÄÅ”anu arheoloÄ£ijasā pieeju, analizÄjot tradicionÄlo un mÅ«sdienu kultÅ«ru raksturojoÅ”os avotus. AuglÄ«bai pieŔķirtÄs sociÄlÄs nozÄ«mes to veido kÄ daudzveidÄ«gu un sarežģītu zinÄÅ”anu objektu, kas mainÄs dažÄdos kultÅ«rvÄsturiskos kontekstos. Ja tradicionÄlÄ kultÅ«rÄ dominÄjoÅ”ie auglÄ«bas skaidrojumi saistÄ«ti ar mÄ«tiskajiem priekÅ”statiem un rituÄlu, tad mÅ«sdienÄs dominÄjoÅ”ais ir auglÄ«bas biomedicÄ«nas skaidrojums, kurÅ” auglÄ«bu ļauj lokalizÄt cilvÄka Ä·ermenÄ« un skaidrot kÄ individuÄlu. AtslÄgvÄrdi: zinÄÅ”anu objekts, auglÄ«ba, auglÄ«bas pÄrvaldÄ«ba, tradicionÄlÄ un mÅ«sdienu kultÅ«ra.The aim of the thesis is to identify, characterize and compare the development of fertility as a knowledge object in traditional and contemporary culture. Theoretical framework is based on the combination of Michel Foucault and Jean-FranƧois Liotard's ideas. Fertility is perceived as discursive, and consists of different statements that go beyond the idea of the one truth. The methodological approach based on M. Foucault "knowledge archaeology". The meanings assigned to fertility, have formed it as a complex object of knowledge that varies in different cultural and historical contexts. In traditional culture dominant explanations of fertility are related to mythical notion and ritual, in the contemporary culture dominant explanation of the fertility is based on biomedicine, that allows fertility to be localized in the human body and explained as individual. Keywords: knowledge object, fertility, fertility management, tradition and contemporary culture
Risk Communication in Assisted Reproduction in Latvia: From Private Experience to Ethical Issues
No full textThe aim of this paper is to analyze the process of risk communication in the context of assisted reproduction in Latvia. The paper is based on a qualitative methodology and two types of data: media analysis and 30 semi-structured interviews (11 patients, 4 egg donors, 15 experts). The study explores a broad definition of risk communication and explores three types of risks: health, psychosocial, and moral. We ask (1), who is involved in risk communication, (2), how risks are discussed using different channels of communication, and (3), what ethical problems arise during this process. In the process of analysis, we identified four types of information channels and two strategies of risk communication used by patients, as well as several ethical problems. In our view, the analysis of risk communication practices is significant to improve patient/physician relationship, as well as better meet patients' needs for comprehensive risk information
Spectral Line Reflectance and Fluorescence Imaging Device for Skin Diagnostics
No full textThe multi-spectral-line imaging concept, which was recently implemented for the snapshot mapping of three main skin chromophores—melanin, oxy-hemoglobin, and deoxy-hemoglobin, is further explored for the snapshot capturing of four spectral line images at wavelengths of 450, 523, 638, and 850 nm, with the consecutive acquiring of a 405 nm excited fluorescence image. A corresponding laser-based prototype device was designed and assembled. Processing of the mentioned five images enables obtaining distribution maps of four skin chromophores within the malformation and comparing their mean fluorescence intensity with that of the surrounding healthy skin. This set of information is helpful for dermatologists, cosmetologists, oncologists, and other healthcare professionals to quantify the diagnosis of skin malformations (including cancers) and to follow up the recovery process after therapy. This paper describes the design of the developed proof-of-concept prototype device and initial test results
