Social Transformations in India, Myanmar, and Thailand: Volume II: Identity and Grassroots for Democratic: Progress

This book explores the multifaceted obstacles to social change that India, Myanmar and Thailand face, and ways to overcome them. With a collection of essays that identify common challenges and salient features affecting diverse communities, this volume examines topics from subnational and local perspectives across the peripheries. The book argues that identity-based divisions have created a system of oppression and political contention that have led to conflicts of different kinds, and hence serving as the common cause of different social issues. At the same time, such issues have created space for marginalized groups around the world to call for change. The volume recognizes that social transformation comes into being through an active process of deconstructing and reconstructing shared norms and ideas. The contents in this book are thus centered around two focuses: The impacts of identities and grassroots. Both of these aspects are at the heart of each country's transformations towards democracy, peace, justice, and freedom. Under this framework, the chapters cover a diverse range of common issues, such as, minority grievances, gender inequality, ethnic identity, grassroots power in alliance-making towards community peace, recovery and resilience, digital freedom, democracy assistance and communication, and bridging multiple divides. As identity-based cleavages are daily lived experiences for individuals and communities, it requires grassroots initiatives and alliances as well as democratic communication to tackle obstacles at the root. Ultimately, the book convinces readers that social transformations must begin at the individual to communal level and local to national level. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.

Trial Decline

According to the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) there has been a significant decline in the number of industry clinical trials nitiated in the UK. "The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the decline in ate-stage industry clinical research in the UK, compared to its global peers," said Richard Torbett, chief executive of the ABPI in a press release (3). Findings from an ABPI report into the state of clinical trials in the UK has shown that consistently slow and variable set up times for clinical trials encountered in the NHS are causing some pharmaceutical companies to look elsewhere for clinical research (4). [...]a close relationship is needed between government and the life sciences sector now more than ever to ensure the country does not fall too far behind its global competitors.

Political Economy of the 'Virtual' Internationalisation of Higher Education to Foster Glocal Sustainable Development

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic challenged the higher education institution's face-to-face education. Higher education institutions have overcome this challenge through enhanced virtual education which has provided further opportunities to the higher education institutions. One of these opportunities is the 'virtual' internationalisation of higher education which enables higher education institutions to reach more students globally. Purposes: This paper aims to investigate the 'virtual' internationalisation of higher education's role in glocal sustainable development and how to enhance its use to support glocal sustainability and sustainable development. This paper emphasises importance of political economy of the 'virtual' internationalisation of higher education to support glocal sustainable development and environmental policies. Methodology/Approach: The aim of this paper is achieved based on an in-depth literature review. Findings: This paper highlights effective, strategic and successful 'virtual' internationalisation of higher education's role in competitiveness of higher education institutions. This paper highlights political economy of the 'virtual' internationalisation of higher education and provides recommendations and key success factors for the 'virtual' internationalisation of higher education to enhance glocal sustainable development and sustainability as well as environmental policies. This paper emphasises importance of considering the 'virtual' internationalisation of higher education in countries' sustainable development plans, strategies and policies. Discussion: Effective and strategic 'virtual' internationalisation of higher education can support higher education institutions' competitive advantage globally. They can support higher education institutions' success in getting intelligent students from all over the world. This can further contribute to their competitiveness. Furthermore, this can enable them to employ, in these 'virtual' internationalisation of higher education programmes, globally competitive and competent academic staff from all over the world. This paper can be useful to academics, policy-makers and researchers in the relevant field.

The reversal of populism. Assessing the explanatory power of the ideational approach in contemporary Argentina

In this study we conduct a least-likely case study in order to assess the analytical power of the ideational approach to populism. We do so by testing the direct and conditional effects of populist attitudes on vote choices in Argentina. We examine whether populist attitudes are associated with the Peronist vote, as more essentialist interpretations would lead us to expect, or, on the contrary, linked to vote for right parties, an expectation that is more consistent with thin-ideological approaches. Our data consists of an original online survey carried out in September 2020, a specific juncture at which the Peronist government had to deal with widespread popular discontent caused by intense economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings reveal that populist attitudes are positively associated with voting for right parties and that the effects of such attitudes are conditioned by ideological preferences. These results underscore the explanatory power of ideational approaches to the electoral activation of populist attitudes. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of International Political Science Review is the property of Sage Publications, Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

The UK's public health response to covid-19

Too little, too late, too flawed

Developments in American politics 9

This textbook provides students of US Politics with an informed scholarly analysis of recent developments in the American political environment, using historical background to contextualize contemporary issues. As the ninth edition, this book reviews a time of political controversy in the United States, touching on topics such as gender, economic policy, gun control, immigration, the media, healthcare, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the widespread social protests against police brutality. The book looks both backwards to Trump's presidency and forward to Biden's. Ultimately, the editors and contributors evaluate the significance of these events on the future of American politics, providing a perspective that is at once broad and meticulous. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022. All rights reserved.

Cloaked science: The Yan reports

This paper describes a 2020 disinformation campaign promoting the unsubstantiated claim that the novel coronavirus is the product of a Chinese bioweapons program. Exploiting a vulnerability in open-access scientific publishing, the campaign was based on papers posted to an online preprint repository designed to accelerate the diffusion of scientific knowledge. This provided the campaign with an air of scientific legitimacy, helped it reach millions of Americans, and muddied public discourse over the origins of SARS-CoV-2. This case study offers insights into the tactics and practices of media manipulation, the contested nature of modern epistemic systems, the interplay of technical and social systems, and the vulnerability of open systems to manipulation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Challenging the dominant path of forest policy? Bottom-up, citizen forest management initiatives in a top-down governance context in Poland

Forest governance in Poland is characterised by the dominance of public forest ownership and hierarchical, top-down policy-making. These governance arrangements, characteristic of post-socialist countries, have traditionally been challenged by environmental NGOs, advocating stronger protection of old-growths. Recently, institutional stability of the forest policy field has been increasingly influenced by numerous citizen initiatives responding to technocratic local forest management decisions. These initiatives, so far not analysed scientifically, vary in terms of the issues addressed, actions employed, and the local actors involved. In the paper we use a data base of 274 such initiatives to explore their manifestation, actors involved, main postulates, and the responses of forest managers. Based on this, we explored whether these initiatives pose challenges to the traditional forest management and, if so, what kind. We imply that the growth of bottom-up initiatives indicates a growing diversity of beliefs and values regarding forests and the increasing determination of local people to impact local environmental decisions. Furthermore, informed by the institutional theory, we argue that the growth of local initiatives, particularly during and after Covid-19 pandemics, suggests the eroding legitimacy of dominant rules and discourses. This process is particularly visible in sub-urban forests, which are increasingly seen through a ‘well-being discourse' that highlights cultural, regulative and supportive functions of forests, while putting less emphasis on provisioning functions. We also identify a networking trend among the initiatives that unifies their discursive background and enhances their influence at the national level. Therefore, local activists can be seen as a new advocacy group in the Polish forest policy subsystem. In response to local demands public forest administration has introduced institutional changes enhancing participation but their impact is still to be assessed. We recommend establishing a monitoring programme to track new participatory practices and to identify and promote best practices.

COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy in South Africa: Biblical discourse

Churches have always been regarded as a safe haven during calamities. This changed during COVID-19 lockdown when churches were forced to shut down. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a new normal to the world at large, calling for immediate action from authorities and introducing vaccination as an antidote. However, some religious practitioners as a vehicle of change through the institution of the church have been acting on the contrary because it discourages the uptake of vaccines, leading to vaccine hesitancy. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy has been observed in the Christian community because Christians use Bible verses as a scapegoat for not getting a jab. There is a chasm that exists between faith and science, and it perpetuates the discourse of vaccine hesitancy. Contributions: This article applies a qualitative descriptive phenomenological approach and seeks to address the conspiracy theories and the use of Bible verses as discourse on vaccine uptake. © 2023. The Author. Licensee: AOSIS. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.

Donald Trump, dominating masculine necropolitics, and COVID-19

This article discusses US president, Donald J. Trump and what the author labels his "dominating masculine necropolitics". Dominating masculinity involves commanding and controlling specific interactions, and exercising power and control over people and events-"calling the shots" and "running the show". Differing from hegemonic masculinities, dominating masculinities do not necessarily legitimate a hierarchical relationship between men and women, masculinity and femininity, and among masculinities. In that sense, then, dominating masculinities are often, but not always, analytically distinct from hegemonic masculinities. Trump's specific form of dominating masculinity involved commanding and controlling specific interactions, and exercising power and control over people and events;he called the shots and ran the show, demanded strict obedience to his authority, and displayed a lack of concern for the opinions of others. Throughout Trump's presidency, this dominating masculinity centered on several critical features, which were emphasized or de-emphasized depending upon the context. The arrival and spread of Covid-19 around the world provided a new and dangerous context within which Trump's dominating masculinity has been increasingly constructed through novel necropolitical practices. Although Trump's medical experts continued to advocate for mitigation in order to minimize the spread of the virus, Trump unwaveringly stayed on message by continually downplaying the danger of the virus. Trump's dominating masculine necropolitics especially involved flouting guidelines for mask wearing. The culprit for the staggering spread of Covid-19 and premature death within the United States is Trump and his dominating masculine necropolitical discourse and practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Assessing public support for social policy in times of crisis: evidence from the Child Tax Credit during the COVID-19 era in the United States

The 2021 American Rescue Plan included the temporary expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC)-the largest individual income tax credit program in the United States-for most families with children. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, how did the public perceive this social policy benefit for families, especially in relation to other traditional social programs? By focusing on the CTC, an understudied policy area, and presenting original survey data, this paper first shows that, while the majority of respondents favored the CTC, levels of support for these benefits were lower than support for other social programs. Second, the paper suggests that, compared to older people and people with disabilities, Americans view families as part of the "undeserving" population. Third, by presenting panel data, we show that there is no change in levels of CTC support even among recipients of these benefits. Overall, these findings shed light on important challenges to the development and implementation of family policy in the USA, as well as the possibility of recalibrating the US liberal welfare state.

Authentic leadership and employees' job performance: mediation effect of positive employee health

In light of global competition and the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations are encountering an increasingly challenging and unpredictable environment. Consequently, employees are experiencing heightened levels of job strain. This study aims to explore the impact of various organizational mechanisms on promoting positive employee health within the organization, ultimately affecting employees' job performance. The findings of this study indicate that authentic leadership and the absence of organizational politics are significant predictors of positive employee health. Moreover, positive employee health has a positive influence on supervisor-rated job performance through its effect on job engagement. This study serves as a valuable resource for organizations, shedding light on the fundamental factors that contribute to positive employee health. It also raises managers' awareness of the importance of nurturing and sustaining employees' emotional and physical well-being to maintain competitiveness in the market. © 2023 Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Pandemic sensemaking: How Missouri superintendents made sense of the Covid-19 pandemic

COVID-19 has produced mayhem and uncertainty for educational leaders in charge of organizations. This inquiry sought to provide insight into how superintendents and assistant superintendents made sense of their environments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, sensemaking theory (Weick, 1995) was utilized as the conceptual framework to bring clarity and meaning-making for educational leaders as they led their organizations through local, state, national, and international crises. To this end, the focus of this inquiry was to gather school leader's insights into how they provided clarity to a disordered world, understood how they addressed vulnerable populations during the pandemic, recognized the role emotion played in constructing their realities, and determined if location within the state of Missouri played a role in the sensemaking process of superintendents and assistant superintendents.The researcher interviewed 23 participants in the state of Missouri and collected documents to answer the five research questions of the study. The study concluded participants made sense of the pandemic through a collaborative process using a political framework. Additionally, superintendents and assistant superintendents saw all students as vulnerable during the pandemic and expressed a variety of negative emotions. Finally, little variance occurred in superintendent sensemaking between small, medium, and large school districts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Reading Chinese anti-COVID-19 pandemic narratives on facemasks as the art of disaster governance: a semiotic and biopolitical survey

In China and around the world, the global spread of COVID-19 has made wearing a facemask more than a pragmatic or aesthetic individual-level issue: it has instilled in people deontic value. In Chinese anti-epidemic narratives, the semiotic ideology of wearing a facemask has been closely related to collectivism, patriotism and, to a certain degree, nationalism. The facemask not only serves as a protective biomedical device but also as a cultural, political and spatial sign of the line of defence against disorders of the natural system, to establish the order of the social system. This paper argues from the perspective of semiotics and life politics that such mask narratives have effectively helped China prevent the large-scale spread of the epidemic across the nation and have served as a means of collective psychotherapy, paradoxically transforming individual separation into collective spiritual cohesion. Previous semiotic studies of disaster have not paid much attention to plagues or disaster governance discourse, between which biomedicine plays an important role. Thus, this paper aims to shed light on how biomedicine works with politics in coding and decoding the relationship between the natural system of the plague and the social system of governance.

Covid-19: It's too soon to lift lockdown

While we count the terrible toll of covid-19 (doi:10.1136/bmj.m1835) and continue asking hard questions of our governments (doi:10.1136/bmj.m2052), clinicians and patients are embracing new ways of doing things: virtual wards are helping to keep covid patients out of hospital (doi:10.1136/bmj.m2119), mental health services are experimenting with phone triage and virtual appointments (doi:10.1136/bmj.m2106), and doctors are supporting each other through their uniquely shared covid experience (doi:10.1136/bmj.m1499). [...]in other news the NHS has launched a race and health observatory, after The BMJ's call for action to end racial inequalities (doi:10.1136/bmj.m2191). The world is facing a scale of challenge not seen since the second world war. [...]rather than identify and empower local leadership (https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2020/05/27/chris-ham-test-and-trace-strategy-must-value-local-leadership-to-be-a-success), the government seems set to continue its centralised bungling and magical thinking (https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2020/05/28/public-trust-and-the-publics-health-two-sides-of-the-same-coin).

In the Name of Transparency: Organizing European pharmaceutical markets through struggles over transparency devices

The controversies surrounding the heavily redacted contracts between the European Commission and Covid-19 vaccine producers have highlighted ‘transparency' as a hotly debated concept in the pharmaceutical market. We combine research on transparency with literature on the organization of markets to investigate how such struggles over competing visions of transparency end up shaping markets and their politics. Focusing on the case of the European pharmaceutical market, we demonstrate how market transparency was implemented through devices that enacted specific visions of transparency and produced distinct market organizations over time: transparency for states (until about 1990), transparency for corporations (ca. 1990 to 2010) and transparency for state coalitions (since 2010). We discuss how the specific instrumentations and materializations of such visions of transparency play a crucial role in market politics. This debate also highlights why engaging in controversies over transparency has become increasingly important for those contesting the market status quo – in pharmaceutical markets and beyond. © The Author(s) 2023.

Pandemic techno-politics in the global South

Brazil has been standing out as one of the worst places on Earth to be during a global health crisis, especially for those whose struggle for basic humanitarian rights is already routine. How do the political environment and historical inequalities in countries like Brazil affect the ways in which public policy and technologies are framed as responses for the pandemic crisis? In this paper we aim to present the sequence of actions and omissions in the fight against sars-cov2 in Brazil, concentrating on measures based on the use of digital technologies and the sociotechnical arrangements unfolding in materialities that give shape to such measures. We will also discuss possible repercussions of the widespread adoption of surveillance technologies as a quick fix to the effects of the pandemic. Our focus is to explain how the materiality of the virus and its political as well as territorial effects are combined with digital technologies as responses (or lack of them) in the fields of healthcare, education, communication and labour in the context of the global South. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Information Polity: The International Journal of Government & Democracy in the Information Age is the property of IOS Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

A Qualitative Study of the Politicization of COVID-19 through Political Memes in Canada

Memes are a curious object of study, easy to identify but harder to contextualize. Working with the growing literature on the study of memes and their communities, our paper offers a method to study the shared values or stories worked out and maintained by memes that Whitney Phillip and Ryan Milner describe as a "deep memetic frames." Our interest is less on the individual memes then how memes accumulate and help communities express their own ways of interpreting events. One of these events has been the COVID-19 pandemic. We developed our method while studying how Canadian partisan groups - or what we call scenes - reacted to the pandemic. Was the pandemic a chance for partisans to make peace or recontextualize politics over a health crisis? Through researcher journals, team meetings, and observational notes, we evaluated the use of memes across 14 Canadian partisan communities on Facebook and Instagram during the 2020 summer of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Our approach extracts three distinct partisan scenes: established partisan, negative partisan, and emergent right-wing populism. We focus on their memetic contexts to evaluate the central themes of understanding, extract the worldviews that maintain these digital spaces, and construct a deeper comprehension of memetic frames. As a term widely used but challenging to study, we recognize this research as a novel approach and conclude by discussing its utility for researchers more broadly and acknowledging its limitations while providing the various research directions this work offers.