The UK COVID-19 contact tracing app as both an emerging technology and public health intervention: The need to consider promissory discourses.

The UK's National Health Service (NHS) COVID-19 contact tracing app was announced to the British public on 12th April 2020. The UK government endorsed the app as a public health intervention that would improve public health, protect the NHS and 'save lives'. On 5th May 2020 the technology was released for trial on the Isle of Wight. However, the trial was halted in June 2020, reportedly due to technological issues. The app was later remodelled and launched to the public in September 2020. The rapid development, trial and discontinuation of the app over a short period of a few months meant that the mobilisation and effect of the discourses associated with the app could be traced relatively easily. In this paper we aimed to explore how these discourses were constructed in the media, and their effect on actors - in particular, those who developed and those who trialled the app. Promissory discourses were prevalent, the trajectory of which aligned with theories developed in the sociology of expectations. We describe this trajectory, and then interpret its implications in terms of infectious disease public health practices and responsibilities.

The sense of loneliness in couples and the impact of the health crisis: A review of literature

Objective: The purpose of this review is to define the feeling of loneliness within a couple while taking into consideration the factors that lead a person to feel lonely in a couple or in a romantic relationship. Our goal is to understand the effects of the feeling of loneliness on these individuals during the global health crisis brought on by COVID-19 and to take these factors into account in designing effective therapeutic care. The different manifestations of loneliness in a couple should also be highlighted. Method(s): We used the PRISMA methodology to select the relevant studies. The keywords ("Solitude" or "Loneliness") and ("Couple" or "Married" or "Partnership") allowed us to select 19 references dealing with the theme. We conducted searches of the following databases: "Cairn", "PsychInfo and Psycarticle", "PubMed and Medline", "ScienceDirect" and finally, "Web of Science" in order to find articles covering a ten-year period. Result(s): There are different definitions for the subjective experience of loneliness. The review of the literature highlights the fact that loneliness can lead to positive or negative psychological consequences (it can lead to the development of creative capacity or, on the contrary, result in depression in some cases). Attachment patterns have been shown to be the basis for the tolerance of feelings of loneliness. Indeed, an anxious attachment would encourage the couple to avoid the feeling of loneliness. According to the literature, this defensive mechanism of seeking presence in the couple would make it possible to limit the impact of loneliness. This solitude depends on the level of relational quality within the couple. A poor relational quality would lead to greater loneliness and would impact intimate relationships. Loneliness is supposedly not experienced in the same way by men and women: Men seem to be more protected by marriage while women's level of loneliness may be higher because of the household chores they have to do. Men and women would nevertheless remain subject to the phenomena of contamination, i.e., when one of the partners feels lonely, the other will also be lonely. However, it seems that marriage protects against feelings of loneliness and its negative consequences. Loneliness does not have only negative effects. It can be beneficial for developing creativity and finding oneself. The periods of confinement during the COVID-19 crisis provided people with an increase in the amount of time they didn't normally have on a daily basis. This may have been beneficial for some people and can be associated with positive emotions. Individuals who spent the lockdowns with others felt less alone and experienced less psychological distress. However, confinements did produce some negative effects on couples. The increased stress of the pandemic and the constant proximity led to an increase in spousal abuse. The consequences of confinement for couples whose relationships were already troubled resulted in frequent separation and/or divorce. The potential for conflict was related to limited financial resources, not working, and the significant risk of contracting SARS COV-2. Conclusion(s): The articles dealing with the feeling of loneliness that we reviewed presented quantitative methods to the detriment of qualitative aspects and focused largely on the negative aspects of the feeling of loneliness. Other academic disciplines, such as sociology, demonstrate a lack of understanding concerning what is at stake with the feeling of loneliness. The articles intersect and tend to highlight the attachment relationships that are formed in childhood as a determining factor in the feeling of solitude later in life. The quality of the relationship, gender, and marital status are also factors to be considered. Loneliness has a clear influence on the well-being of the relationship but it is not an individual characteristic of the relationship itself. It finally appears as an individual characteristic with an impact on the assessment of the quality of the relationship and on the appreciatio of the spouse.Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Masson SAS

The pandemic and the war in Ukraine - psychological and social dimensions of collective trauma in children with cancer and their parents

The focus of the present study is on the psychological and social dimensions of collective trauma resulting from the intense impact of strong emotional and stress factors connected with the COVID-19 pandemic and the crisis in Ukraine in parents of children with oncological diseases. The process of overcoming collective trauma in its diversity is a long one and requires specific care. The challenge of recovery is to regain the sense of control over the mental, economic and social parameters of the individuals affected. For the group of parents studied this includes discovery of a way for the caregivers to be calm and focused on the accompanying care for the child with an oncological disease, even in a pandemic situation and war. The effective overcoming collective trauma of the sense of imminent danger in society is based on public support and personal responsibility. Fear, anger, depression, isolation and lack of resources that are a direct psychological and economic result of pandemic and war, aggravates the quality of life of patients. As socially determined parameters, they carry a high risk of the recurrence and mortality of children with malignant diseases.

The Open Air Museum and its activities during the COVID-19 Pandemic (on the selected example of Łęczyca Farmstead in Kwiatkówek)

Niniejsze opracowanie jest próbą prezentacji wpływu pandemii koronawirusa SARS-CoV-2 i wynikających z jej rozwoju ograniczeń na działalność Łęczyckiej Zagrody Chłopskiej w Kwiatkówku. Placówka ta stanowi muzeum na wolnym powietrzu typu parkowego i jest częścią Muzeum Archeologicznego i Etnograficznego w Łodzi. Została ona udostępniona dla zwiedzających w 2013 r. W ramach opracowania starano się zaprezentować nowe kierunki działalności placówki podejmowane w przestrzeni wirtualnej, jak również te, które stanowiły kontynuację dotychczasowych działań związanych z organizacją tradycyjnych wystaw czasowych, wydarzeń plenerowych i promocyjnych. Niniejszej prezentacji dokonano na podstawie działań podjętych w latach 2020-2021. Prezentując nowe kierunki działalności Łęczyckiej Zagrody Chłopskiej wskazano na wirtualne wystawy czasowe i publikowane on-line materiały o charakterze etnograficznym dotyczące np. świąt, obrzędów czy problematyki regionalnej. W ramach opracowania starano się również zaprezentować fluktuację frekwencji osób zwiedzających skansen w omawianym przedziale czasu w porównaniu z latami 2013-2019.Alternate :This study is an attempt to present the impact of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic and the restrictions resulting from its development on the activity of Łęczyca Farmstead in Kwiatkówek. This facility is an open air museum/theme park and is part of the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography in Łódź. It was made available to visitors in 2013. As part of the study, efforts were made to present new directions of the museum's activities shifted into the virtual space, as well as those that are a continuation of the previous activities related to the organization of traditional temporary exhibitions, outdoor activities and promotional events. This presentation is based on the activities undertaken in 2020-2021. While presenting the new directions of activities of Łęczyca Farmstead, particular attention was drawn to the virtual, temporary exhibitions and ethnographic materials published online, concerning e.g. some holidays, rituals or regional issues. Within the framework of this study, efforts were also made to present the fluctuation in the frequency of visitors to the open air museum in the discussed period of time, compared to the years 2013-2019.

EKONOMICZNE, SPOŁECZNE I POLITYCZNE ASPEKTY KRYZYSU PANDEMICZNEGO W POLSKIM FUTBOLU. ANALIZA SOCJOLOGICZNA

Celem artykułu jest zaprezentowanie najważniejszych wniosków z kryzysu w polskiej piłce nożnej wywołanego przez pandemię COVID-19. W badaniu dokonano jakościowej analizy treści materiałów prasowych opisujących doniesienia dotyczące futbolu oraz przeprowadzono wywiady pogłębione w wariancie eksperckim z osobami pełniącymi ważne funkcje w środowisku zawodowej piłki nożnej. Wyniki analizy pokazują niespotykaną od dekad skalę negatywnych konsekwencji dla całego ekosystemu piłkarskiego. Najważniejsze z nich obejmowały kwestie: bezpośredniego zagrożenia zdrowia, ekonomii (widmo krachu na rynku piłkarskim), trudności organizacyjno-formalnych oraz wątpliwości wobec politycznego zaangażowania w proces przywrócenia futbolu. Szybkie i zakończone sukcesem wdrożenie planu odmrażania polskiej piłki nożnej ostatecznie uchroniło najważniejszych interesariuszy przed urzeczywistnieniem się najbardziej pesymistycznych scenariuszy (np. niewydolności finansowej i bankructw).Alternate :The paper aims to present the key conclusions from the crisis in Polish football caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The study is based on desk research and secondary data analysis: content analysis in media (press article's comparative analysis) and semi-structured interviews (conducted with experts with representatives of Polish football community). The results show an unprecedented scale of negative consequences for the entire football ecosystem. Those included health threat, economic problems, organizational difficulties, and ambiguous political involvement in the process of restoring football. The quick restart of the Polish football protected the most important stakeholders from the worst-case scenarios (e.g., bankruptcies) coming true.

Les représentations de l'interculturalisme à l'Assemblée nationale du Québec

L'interculturalisme n'ayant toujours pas été officialisé par l'intermédiaire d'une loi ou politique publique formelle et contraignante, comment les parlementaires québécois – mais aussi les intervenants avec qui ils dialoguent – se le représentent-ils dans leurs échanges à l'Assemblée nationale? Cet article se propose de répondre à cette question en réalisant une analyse de contenu critique qualitative et systématique des échanges portant sur l'interculturalisme à l'Assemblée nationale du Québec depuis l'apparition de cette notion en 1987 (33e législature) jusqu'à la portion de la 42e législature (2018-) qui précède l'ajournement des travaux au mois de mars 2020, en raison de la pandémie de COVID-19. En montrant l'existence de deux principales coalitions de discours, l'une qualifiée de libérale-pluraliste et l'autre de républicaine-moniste, cet article décortique les débats parlementaires en illustrant comment les acteurs associés à ces deux approches se représentent les fondements du modèle québécois en matière d'aménagement de la diversité, le rapport qu'il propose entre la culture majoritaire et les minorités ethnoculturelles, et ses objectifs présumés.Alternate :Interculturalism has yet to be formalized through a binding law or public policy. In that context, how do Quebec's parliamentarians-and the stakeholders with whom they interact-represent it in their exchanges at the National Assembly? This article seeks to answer this question by conducting a qualitative and systematic critical content analysis of the exchanges on interculturalism in the Quebec National Assembly from the emergence of this notion in 1987 (33rd legislature) to the portion of the 42nd legislature (2018−) that precedes the adjournment of the proceedings in March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. By showing the existence of two main discourse coalitions, one characterized as liberal-pluralist and the other as republican-monist, this article analyzes the parliamentary debates by underscoring how the actors involved in these two approaches are representative of the foundations of the Quebec model of diversity management and by illustrating the presumed objectives of this model and the relationship it proposes between the majority culture and ethnocultural minorities.

NON-FINANCIAL REPORTING OF TOP COMPANIES IN TURBULENT ENVIRONMENT

Nowadays, the non-financial reporting of companies shows more and more interest both among companies and investors, who are no longer interested only in the reported figures. However, the pandemic period also left its mark among large companies. Our research concerns the global top 50 companies and the non-financial reports published by them before, during and after the pandemic generated by the novel coronavirus. The purpose of our paper is to illustrate how these entities present the story and the CSR actions taken during a time when most companies struggled to survive. To achieve these objectives, we used qualitative and quantitative research. Namely, we analyzed the entities' non-financial reports, to identify their social responsibility actions and we used the NVivo program in order to highlight which are the most representative words used in non-financial reporting in the three analyzed moments, namely before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic The results of the study reflect that in a turbulent environment, companies tend to present less complex reports and use more ambiguous tone. Also, our research highlights the fact that CSR activities undertaken ware greatly reduced during the pandemic period.

Where is the world in the new state capitalism?

Alami and Dixon instead treat state capitalism not as a well-defined analytical category but rather a "flexible means of problematising...trajectories of state intervention and the role that it plays in the (geo) political re-organisation of global capitalism" ([1]: xx). One way this query might be posed is where in the world the phenomena described under the rubric of state capitalism are most pronounced or perhaps newly apparent;in which countries or in what parts of the world do we see a more muscular or interventionist state? Keywords: State capitalism;hegemonic cycles;macrohistorical sociology EN State capitalism hegemonic cycles macrohistorical sociology 770 773 4 05/16/23 20230501 NES 230501 The term "state capitalism" dates from the late nineteenth century, when it was coined by Marxists seeking to understand the growing role of the state as an owner of capital and orchestrator of production in European countries. [Extracted from the article] Copyright of Environment & Planning A is the property of Sage Publications Inc. 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.)

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions toward COVID-19 Vaccinations in Saudi Population

AIM: The objective is to explore the general perception, knowledge, and attitude of people in Saudi Arabia toward the COVID-19 vaccination. METHOD(S): An observational and cross-sectional study was conducted with 332 Saudi adult population attending primary health centers in King Abdul-Aziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between May and July2021 using a self-administered questionnaire. All adults, equal, or older than 18 years old of both genders during the period of the study were included and the only exclusion criteria are the age and patient with psychiatric disorder. We use convenience-sampling technique, due to the difficulty to generate sampling frame. Data are going to be entered and analyzed using Statistics Package for the Social Science version 21 software in August 2021. RESULT(S): Majority of participants (93.4%) had good knowledge about COVID-19 vaccines, regarding attitude more than 50% have positive attitude toward vaccination. Despite this high level on acceptance 48.5% of the participant in this study disclosed that they are not aware of vaccine side effects. With regard to perception, 66.9% of our study subjects believed that vaccination is necessary to eradicate COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, 72.4% thought that everyone should be vaccinated, starting with general public 74.5%, then health worker 57.9%. CONCLUSION(S): Almost most of Saudi population aware about the COVID-19 vaccines. Most Saudi people knew about it through media. A long-term side effect of getting vaccines is the main obstacles toward vaccine acceptance.Copyright © 2023, Scientific Foundation SPIROSKI. All rights reserved.

Psychological Predictors of Intention to Use Fitness Apps: The Role of Subjective Knowledge and Innovativeness

Health and fitness apps have grown exponentially during covid-19 lockdowns. Using a sample of 331 European fitness apps users, this study investigated the psychological drivers of users' intention on fitness apps. This study draws upon the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and innovation diffusion theory. Its findings reveal that subjective knowledge and personal innovativeness predict perceived Usefulness, health consciousness, and ease of use. The strongest predictor of intention to use an app is perceived Usefulness, which mediates the influence of subjective knowledge and innovativeness on intention to use. Health consciousness predicts ease of use;however, the latter does not predict behavioural intention. This is one of the first studies on European users of fitness apps and investigating the psychological antecedents of TAM, i.e., innovativeness, subjective knowledge, and consciousness.

The isomorphism of educational providers in the New Zealand tertiary market

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explain how aspects of institutional theory can be used to explain how tertiary educational providers must necessarily adopt the same features while competing in the market for students. Using new institutional sociology (NIS), the authors seek to explain this phenomena and how such diverse private providers have borrowed from the polytechnics and universities to share the same institutional features.Design/methodology/approachThis paper employs NIS to explain how tertiary educational providers must necessarily adopt the same features while competing in the market for students. In the last few decades, the Auckland tertiary market for overseas students has enjoyed strong growth before Covid-19.FindingsDecoupling provides a link between NIS and legitimacy theory in that it explains how symbolic strategies are aimed at some kind of legitimization rather than directed at technical efficiencies. It is argued that the public tertiary providers are more prone to decoupling than PTEPs because they are less attentive to costs due to their more monopolistic position in the market.Originality/valueOriginally, the market was dominated by the local universities and polytechnics with few private providers. Currently, private providers cater for a large share of the certificate and diploma market and have a growing stake in the degree market. As these changes came about so, more diverse private providers entered the market. This paper explains how these diverse entrants came to share the same organizational features.

ON BENEFICIAL CONNECTIONS AMONG SHORT AGRI-FOOD SUPPLY CHAINS AND CIRCULAR BIOECONOMY

The concepts of short agri-food supply chains and circular bioeconemy are complementary and mutually reinforcing, while they may play an important role in sustainability transitions. The elimination of middlemen and the possibilities of forward vertical integration of farmers are the key components ofshort agri-food supply chains, while bioeconomy refers to the sustainable production and use of biological resources stemming from forestry, agriculture, fisheries, and waste streams. The development of closed-loop systems where waste is converted into new resources, lies in the core of circular bioeconomy, which seeks to reduce waste and maximize resource usage. A sustainable and regenerative economy where waste is viewed as a resource and the use of finite resources is decreased is what this strategy seeks to achieve. When combined, short agri-food supply chains and circular bioeconomy can support sustainable economic growth, social advancement, and environmental protection by encouraging local manufacturing, minimizing waste, and developing innovative bio-based goods and procedures. In this article, we examine the benefits which occur in short agri-food supply when they adopt the principles of circular bioeconomy. Also, we examine how can the ideas of the circular bioeconomy be applied to short agri-food supply chains in order to minimize waste and maximize resource usage. In addition, we explore the corresponding difficulties and opportunities for creating bio-based goods and procedures in short agri-food supply chains. Last but not least, we discuss the effects of short agri-food supply chains and the circular bioeconomy on global agri-food systems and how these concepts are connected with issues at stake, such as food security and sustainability.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE TOOLS IN THE DIGITAL TRANSITION ERA: THE PRINTRIA CASE

As a result of the digital transition, planned or imposed, it is important that companies introduce control tools that allow measuring, validating, and improving the operations performed automatically, by the various technologies involved in the processes. For SMEs the challenge is increased by the lack of available resources. The additional benefits that the introduction of these tools can bring are several and diversified, but there are also several challenges to their implementation. One of the main obstacles will be the time factor, which in this case covers several dimensions. We intend to demonstrate that in the first stage of the implementation process, the ChatGPT technology can be important in presenting these benefits and challenges to managers of SMEs as well as higher education institutions, increasing the training of future managers in business intelligence and data analysis platforms that are mostly open source and low/no code for cost reduction. We focus our attention on a small Portuguese company where the advances in the digital transition were imposed by the pandemic but now faces the challenges of uncertainty in the quality of its process data and has to make choices between the visible and invisible costs of implementing business intelligence tools.

THE PANDEMIC CRISIS AND ITS IMPACT ON SPORT

The article describes the changes in the functioning of media-dependent professional and competitive sport caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It addresses the strong dependence of sport on electronic media;the consequences of a break in the production of sports broadcasts for the media, sports organisations and athletes;and pandemic remedial strategies. A discussion of the role of sport in contemporary consumer culture and its importance in the development and reduction of the impact of the pandemic is also presented.Alternate :W artykule dokonano opisu wywołanych pandemią COVID-19 zmian w funkcjonowaniu sportu wyczynowego i profesjonalnego prezentowanego w mediach. Wskazane zostało silne uzależnienie sportu od mediów elektronicznych, jego skutki w sytuacji przerwy w produkcji sportowych widowisk dla samych mediów, organizacji sportowych i sportowców oraz pandemiczne strategie zaradcze. Przedstawiona została także dyskusja nad rolą sportu we współczesnej kulturze konsumpcyjnej i jego znaczenie dla rozwoju i ograniczania skutków pandemii.

PREPARING FOR ESPORTS COMPETITIONS: GAMING COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE

Communities of practice are groups of people united by a passion for something, who deepen their knowledge and experience in their field through ongoing interactions. This article focuses on the importance of institutionalized relationship networks and mutual recognition in preparation for esports competitions. The study represents inductive, qualitative analyses. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with players (n = 12) that have significant achievements in Magic: The Gathering (MTG) competitions. In the social world of MTG enthusiasts, numerous groups reflect the functionality of a community of practice. These groups constitute a fundamental aspect of preparation for top-level MTG tournaments. Examples of the functioning of so-called testing groups among MTG enthusiasts allow the formulation of a new analytical category – the gaming community of practice. Contrary to stereotypes, the presented study supports the thesis about the significant role of video games in the formation of social competencies and the creation of specific communities, which is particularly important in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.Alternate :Koncepcja wspólnoty praktyków zakłada, że jest to grupa osób, które łączy zamiłowanie do czegoś i które pogłębiają swoją wiedzę oraz doświadczenie w tym obszarze poprzez bieżące interakcje. Prezentowany artykuł skupia się na znaczeniu zinstytucjonalizowanych sieci relacji i wzajemnego uznania w przygotowaniach do rywalizacji w e-sporcie. Badanie stanowi przykład indukcyjnej jakościowej analizy. W jego ramach przeprowadzono indywidualne wywiady pogłębione z osobami (n = 12) mającymi znaczące osiągnięcia we współzawodnictwie w grze Magic: The Gathering (MTG). W społecznym świecie miłośników MTG liczne grupy odzwierciedlają funkcjonalność wspólnoty praktyków. Grupy te konstytuują podstawowy aspekt przygotowań do najważniejszych turniejów MTG. Przykłady funkcjonowania tak zwanych grup testingowych wśród miłośników MTG prowadzą do sformułowania nowej kategorii analitycznej – growych wspólnot praktyków. Wbrew stereotypom, prezentowane badania wspierają tezę o znaczącej roli gier wideo w kształtowaniu kompetencji społecznych i tworzeniu specyficznych wspólnot, co jest szczególnie istotne w kontekście pandemii COVID-19.

Reflections on ethnographic fieldwork across a lifetime

In this ‘Tale from the Field', I reflect on the practice of ethnographic fieldwork with folk puppeteers over time, using my own experiences in a single fieldwork site at two points, 38 years apart. I describe my fieldwork as a graduate student in 1982 and as a professor towards the end of my career in 2020. I reflect on differences based on digital communication equipment and on my own changing positionality. My 2020 fieldwork was interrupted by the covid-19 confinement which adds a new wrinkle to contemporary participant observation.

QUALITY-OF-LIFE INDEX ANALYSIS APPLIED TO BRICS AND G7 COUNTRIES

The main aim of the current article is to compare economic and Quality of Life (QL) indices in G7- (Germany, France, United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Italy and Canada) and BRICS-member countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). The research was developed based on selecting indices available in the NUMBEO, UN (United Nations) and OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) databases. Results have evidenced that emerging countries belonging to the BRICS bloc have shown lower QL indices than those observed for developed countries in the G7 bloc. With respect to economic data, the USA, China, Japan and Germany were the countries presenting the highest GDP growth. It was possible concluding that countries belonging to the G7 block have better economic and labor indices, which, in their turn, are associated with better QoL indices.

Effective Usage of Social Media Platforms as a Communication Tool Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world completely changed how one thought about communication and engaged with one another. Hence, there is a need to critically explore the effective use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and YouTube as communication tools for information sharing amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has become necessary for many different organisations. In the quest to avoid the spread of incorrect information and bad news that may cause panic from the general public, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, bloggers and news agencies call for proper and effective use of social media platforms as communication tools. This paper analyses the effects of the development of social media messaging platforms, alongside its inferences to the general society.