ABSTRACT
Every government in the world introduced restrictions to human mobility – that is, the movement of persons across and within state borders – in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Such restrictions thus constituted a global phenomenon, but they were by no means globally uniform;rather, they varied significantly between and within states, as well as over time. This research note presents different data sources for studying the drivers and outcomes of mobility restrictions, highlighting specific ways in which the data can be used. We begin by surveying seven new databases capturing various aspects of the regulation of human movement during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing inspiration from research on previous pandemics, we then outline five possible research avenues prompted by these data. We suggest that explaining the causes and consequences of such restrictions, as well as the differences between them, can significantly advance research on the governance of mobility, migration, and citizenship.
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My biggest fear about teaching a social studies methods class with COVID restrictions was talking "at" my teacher candidates and not modeling interactive and engaging social studies education. Social studies education should be engaging and student-centered. In this article, I offer technological adaptations to lessons that center around three main ideas of history/social studies teaching: Promoting Historical Inquiry, Facilitating Discussions, and Supporting Civic Engagement. With advances in technology and digital learning tools, challenging and active social studies instruction can be achieved in a virtual or hybrid learning environment.
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This study explores the reasons for the failure to sustain the rehabilitation of Al-Khabra as a heritage village for tourism. Despite the rehabilitation activities since 2007 and the comprehensive plans for the development, protection, and operation of the village, tourism activities are limited due to the restricted availability of qualified buildings, infrastructure, and services. This has made the investment in the village economically unviable. This study aims to propose sustainability strategies for heritage villages by investing in eco-tourism. This study used a qualitative descriptive approach by analyzing the rehabilitation experience through available reports and studies, field observations, and interviews. A holistic and environmental approach was proposed based on the integration of cultural and environmental elements to promote eco-tourism in the village. This study recommends the development of national policies that regulate the preservation of local resources and biodiversity within an integrated framework that enhances the unique environmental advantages of the village and encourages investment in it.
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The chapter analyzes the dynamics of participatory practices and use of digital tools as an enabler of citizens' involvement at the local level in Bulgaria before and post-Covid-19. At the time of the Covid-19 outbreak, the legal framework allowed for quite limited offline citizens' participation and almost no digital forms such as e-voting, e-initiatives, e-public deliberation, and e-assemblies at both the national and local level. At the same time, digital citizen engagement broadens in alternative non-institutionalized forms. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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Given the breadth and depth of environmental concerns such as biodiversity loss and climate change, sustainability is a topic for all sectors of contemporary society, inclusive of outdoor recreation. The guiding global framework focus for sustainability is the United Nations Agenda 2030;this framework is used to support a transition to a more sustainable society. Within outdoor recreation, sustainability can be explored and pursued from a multitude of perspectives, for example, participant behavior, outdoor recreation product production, or outdoor resource management. This paper will provide one small example of how an element of outdoor recreation, prepared backcountry food, can serve as a model for the numerous other questions that need to be addressed to pursue more sustainable outdoor recreation. The research will highlight the complexity of the details of sustainability and the opportunity for sustainable transitions. Outdoor recreation participants make extraordinary decisions as they plan and execute their participation;sustainability can be one of those critical decisions.
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The first desegregation efforts in the marginalised and segregated communities in the Pata-Rât area were carried out within the frames of two social housing projects (between 2014–2017 and 2020–2023). Although a housing first methodology would have been more adequate in the context of a marginalised community, given the shortcomings of the Romanian social assistance system, implementation was impossible. In this context, it was necessary to develop a system to access social housing but also to create a reasonably ‘fair process' at the community level. Thus, in both interventions, the starting point for developing the social housing criteria was to survey the community in order to explore the community members' preferences regarding the criteria to be considered in the selection of the beneficiary families for the social houses. The surveys covered all the inhabitants of the Pata-Rât area, that is 219 households in the first survey and 282 households in the second. The survey results served as the basis for the development of the criteria for accessing social housing. In this article, we present and discuss the results of the community surveys from 2016 and from 2020, the year of the pandemic outbreak. Differences were found in the prioritisation of criteria, with an increasing preference for those reflecting vulnerability/needs (e.g., number of children, years spent in the community, disability) and decreasing preference for the ones indicating family resources (e.g., employment, income, education). These differences reflect the increase in poverty and loss of resources occurring in the community during this period, due both to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to the relocation of the 35 better-off families in the first Pata-Cluj project.
ABSTRACT
More than two years have passed in which worldwide efforts have been made to bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control. In addition to the purely "technical" measures taken, the manner in which these measures are implemented has been and continues to be the focus of considerations in the global public debate, with country-specific political structures playing a decisive role. The latter are characterized in Turkey by highly centralized framework conditions, which have manifested themselves even more clearly under pandemic conditions. The criticism of these conditions, which has always existed and focuses primarily on insufficient citizen participation in decision-making processes, is currently being carried out even more deeply than usual. In this chapter, an attempt will be made to show the substantive points of this criticism that run in the field of tension between centralized politics and citizen participation within the framework of the pandemic management, in connection with its impact on human rights. © 2023 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
ABSTRACT
Christian leaders and organizations sided overwhelmingly with politicians, scientists, social elites, and various progressive groups to champion the application of "scientific" methods designed to improve the nation's gene pool. Large numbers of Christians believed that genetic improvement of the human species was in keeping with God's command that humankind exercise dominion over creation.2 The unholy association of American Christianity with eugenics laboratories and associations was undermined by 1940 through rec-ognition of Nazi atrocities and realization of the extent to which eugenicists would go in attempts to accelerate and enhance what they saw as "natural" evolutionary processes. The generally favorable disposition of American Christians to the market's moral outcomes, even those that seem to test their reli-gious values, creates a climate in which churches increasingly will be challenged to protect the divine source of human dignity-what German theologian Helmut Thielicke called "alien dignity"-from functional and manipulable views of the person that arise alongside markets for genetic services.3 The entrepreneurial nature of the new "consumer" eugenics also highlights a divide that has formed between American churches and their memberships. Newborn screening and various forms of "reproductive genetics," oncology practices, treatments for auto-immune diseases, and even the response to the COVID-19 pandemic have been boons to this industry, not to mention growth in general interest among Americans eager to learn more about their genealogical and family histories.5 There is even a mail order industry for amateur geneticists who wish to experiment with gene editing in the privacy of their homes.6 It is consumer demand by individuals whose motivations range from the simple desire to experiment with cutting-edge technologies to those who envision possibilities for human "enhancement" to patients who face debil-itating genetic diseases, which fuels fear of a new eugenic age.
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This article aims to explore the impact of digital communication tools application by citizens and the perceived usefulness of social media on the relationship between citizens and local authorities. The data were gathered in April–September 2020 through a survey (CAWI) among citizens of Poznan, Poland (n=502), and Kutaisi, Georgia (n=504), and were analyzed with structural equation modeling. The findings show that the intensity of digital communication tools usage for participation in the city branding and the perceived usefulness of social media contribute to the lasting relationships between citizens and local authorities in both countries. The novelty of this research concerns comparing two countries with different levels of development. Georgia is a developing economy in Europe and is in the process of modernizing the local governance across the cities. Poland, however, is a mature economy with a post-transformation heritage, where its cities benefit from considerable experience in building and developing citizen participation policies. Furthermore, the research was conducted amid the COVID-19 pandemic and evidenced the growing popularity of digital tools adoption by citizens in city matters. This study contributes to understanding the impact of digital tools on the relationship between citizens and local authorities in terms of city brand management. Citizens' participation in the city branding process via various digital communication tools increased citizen commitment towards long-lasting collaboration with local authorities. Moreover, citizens' perception of social media usefulness positively influences their desire to engage in the city branding process online, supporting the trust-building and collaboration between citizens and local authorities. Points for practitioners The intensiveness of digital tools usage – governments should identify the tools already trusted and popular among their audience and employ those tools to a greater extent to maximize the chances of feedback, high citizen participation, and commitment. Citizens' perception of social media – such characteristics as ease of use, transparency, ease of communication with the municipality, and safety encourage citizens to get involved in the city brand management process. Consequently, local authorities should consider the features mentioned above and develop the online tools quality.
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Purpose: This article attempts to highlight the defining role that community media engagements play during times of the pandemic. It is argued that the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic forced community news media houses to reinvent their news reporting practices to cover issues pertaining to the marginalized and underprivileged sections of the society. It explores the role of community media in engaging and empowering the citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: Central to our study is the analysis of the news model of "Video Volunteers” (henceforth VV), an independent community-based online news platform based in India. To understand the level of citizen participation and engagement in the making and dissemination of news during the pandemic, the authors conducted 13 interviews with different stakeholders of VV, including founders and news audiences. Findings: It seeks to reveal that when the mainstream media have failed to represent the issues of a local community, it is the independent media platforms like VV which function as a veritable source of information and sharing of knowledge. Most importantly, this paper emphasizes that the communicative model of independent community-based online platforms has been most successful in the coverage of the pandemic and the level of engagement with the citizenry. Originality/value: The study contributes to the aspects of reciprocity and collaborative journalism in community news media and its potential impacts on news creation and dissemination. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.
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This study focuses on one line of cultural tourism. Specifically, in a contemporary art museum, located in Favara, (Agrigento), Sicily, called Farm Cultural Park (FCP) Museum. The study analyzes the profile of FCP visitors, from the perspective of cultural, sustainable and participatory tourism. A total of 302 surveys were conducted during June, July and August 2020. Therefore, it must be considered that they were the first months after the confinement decreed in the country due to Covid-19, with all the obvious difficulties. Data analysis was carried out with the SPSS statistical program in its version 26. The methodology was based on a structural equation model (SEM), with different causal relationships among the analyzed constructs. Tourists came with the precise interest of visiting an open museum, with a very high social and participatory component. The visitors were fully satisfied by the staff who welcomed them. A medium-low level of spending was observed, linked to consumption inside the museum. And, unfavorable opinions were expressed on a lack of signage to arrive in FCP. The final results support the influence of preferences upon satisfaction, which originates attitudinal loyalty. Therefore, it would be very important for Sicily to show that tourism on the island could not be seasonal, due to the magnificent climatic conditions that prevail throughout the year. It would also be crucial to expand research on the synergies of cultural tourism that could be generated between the Valley of the Temples, in Agrigento, and the FCP, in Favara. In this way, a greater range of sites would be offered that concern various interests and ideas, both for the department's business community, as well as for tourists. The corollary of these actions would be to increase the presence of Agrigento on the map of international cultural tourism. All this should be capable of transforming, enhancing and making known the richness of territorial diversity, traditions and historical and environmental contexts, first in the department of Agrigento, and later, throughout the island.
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With COVID-19 outbreak globally several studies on livelihoods and food systems are conducted in consistent manner. India being an agrarian economy, the impact of pandemic on agricultural sector and farmers needs a great focus. The present exploratory study on Livelihood security (LS) was carried out in Telangana, India among Suryapet and Rangareddy districts purposively with 160 respondents selected through multistage random sampling during 2021. Livelihood Security Index was used with 7 sub-indicators and it depicted that only one sub-indicator i.e., economic security contributing less than 50% to LS and majority of the respondents have moderate level of livelihood security (42.5%) with overall mean value of 0.628. The determinants of LS were identifi ed through Multivariate regression analysis model and found 14 predictors were fitted in model responsible for 62.8% variance in the dependent variable (LS). The regression model revealed that Family size, educational years, Livestock holding, Social Participation, annual family income, mass media exposure, and Risk orientation were most aided predictor variables in the improvement of livelihood security during COVID-19 with educational years having greater beta-value. R2 standardized linear graph was plotted against the LS and the significant predictor value demonstrating the distribution of respondents over graph according to their livelihood security with R2 linear value 0.606. Thus, during COVID-19 more livelihood options for diversification of income can aid in increase of LS. The present study concluded by suggesting policy implications to ensure livelihood security among farming communities during pandemic.
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After the Covid-19 pandemic began to wreak havoc around the world in January 2020, Taiwan managed to stay mostly Covid-free due to swift and efficient action taken by the government to contain the outbreak. However, after the country experienced its first significant wave of domestically transmitted cases in May 2021, vaccines became a highly salient issue because Taiwan did not have enough doses to immunize all its citizens. In this study, we investigate how Taiwanese appraise the government's overall efforts to acquire vaccines. We hypothesize that, apart from a partisan divergence of opinions, some citizens would hold ambivalent attitudes toward the way the government handled the vaccine procurement process. Results from multivariate regression analysis indicate that the effect of party identification on evaluations of government is conditionally dependent on citizens' level of ambivalence. Specifically, increased ambivalence offsets the strong effect of party affiliation on government evaluation, especially for political independents and supporters of opposition parties.
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Civil society organizations (CSOs) commonly experience food systems governance as imposed by governments from the top down and as unduly influenced by a small group of private sector actors that hold disproportionate power. This uneven influence significantly impacts the activities and relationships that determine the nature and orientation of food systems. In contrast, some CSOs have sought to establish participatory governance structures that are more democratic, accessible, collaborative, and rooted in social and environmental justice. Our research seeks to better understand the experiences of CSOs across the food systems governance landscape and critically analyze the successes, challenges, and future opportunities for establishing collaborative governance processes with the goal of building healthier, sustainable, and more equitable food systems. This paper presents findings from a survey of CSOs in Canada to identify who is involved in this work, key policy priorities, and opportunities and limitations experienced. Following the survey, we conducted interviews with a broad cross-section of CSO representatives to deepen our understanding of experiences engaging with food systems governance. Our findings suggest that what food systems governance is, how it is experienced, and what more participatory structures might look like are part of an emergent and contested debate. We argue for increased scholarly attention to the ways that proponents of place-based initiatives engage in participatory approaches to food systems governance, examining both current and future possibilities. We conclude by identifying five key gaps in food systems governance that require additional focus and study: (1) Describing the myriad meanings of participatory food systems governance;(2) Learning from food movement histories;(3) Deepening meaningful Indigenous-settler relationships;(4) Addressing food systems labor issues;and (5) Considering participatory food systems governance in the context of COVID-19.
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Immigrant incorporation scholars have established that racialized immigrant parents encounter several barriers in their children's schooling: namely, language and cultural differences, discrimination, unfamiliarity with the U.S. schooling system, and unhelpful school agents. However, less is known about the mechanisms that lessen these challenges. Drawing on insights from immigrant incorporation and civic engagement literature, this study examines how advocacy organizations can mediate the barriers racialized immigrant parents face in their children's schooling. A case study of 20 Latina immigrant mothers is used to demonstrate how civically engaged parents drew on their participation with a local advocacy organization—Parent's Choice—to overcome the barriers that emerged during the transition to remote learning due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Findings suggest that immigrant mothers leveraged their connection to Parent's Choice to learn how to use technology, get district‐related updates, secure devices necessary for at‐home learning, create complaints or demands for services at their children's school, fill out paperwork, and access community‐based referrals. Parent's Choice provided support and empowered Latina immigrant parents by minimizing the overwhelming barriers they faced during online learning. These findings complicate our understanding of immigrant civic engagement patterns and provide implications of how civic engagement can facilitate the incorporation of marginalized parents in educational institutions.
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This paper investigates the effect of parents' coproduction in online schooling on satisfaction with educational services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using European cross country microdata from the 2020 Eurofound survey, we reveal that parents' involvement in home schooling is strongly correlated with their satisfaction with educational services. Our results contribute to the on-going debate regarding the importance of citizens' involvement in service delivery during the pandemic, and, in particular, on the related effects in terms of subjective satisfaction.
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This publication addresses the challenges of the third sector communication, in the context of digitalization of social and productive processes, and social distancing caused by the health emergency of the Covid-19. The city is approached as a site of innovative communicative practices, aimed at raising awareness and information about eco-social challenges. This article presents a theoretical justification and a methodological research proposal to investigate participatory communication practices and the use of public spaces. © GKA Ediciones, authors. Creative.
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The objective of this research is to evaluate the actions carried out by the population to generate sustainable awareness during the "2020 Contingency", caused after the international health emergency by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. As an instrument, a semi-structured survey was applied using the CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interviewing) methodology to the general population, with a total of 3,125 responses. For its analysis, 37 of its 47 variables were selected, subdivided into four blocks. In the evaluation, a Principal Component Analysis was used through multivariate methods, highlighting thirteen factors that explain 57.2% of the total variation. Subsequently, a Cluster Analysis was applied, identifying a total of five population groups;their integration showed heterogeneity in the responses, exposing the need to generate efficient communication channels that intertwine the importance of being more participatory as a society in the environment and with the care of human health, understanding that both have a close correlation. Concluding that the way for a more humane sustainable development requires a collective environmental awareness that will undoubtedly bring benefits to individual health.