Advocacy Research Articles

The experiences of people living with obesity and chronic pain: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis (QES) protocol.

There is a substantial and progressive association between chronic pain (CP) and living with overweight or obesity. The relationship between obesity and CP is intricate and complex, with obesity being associated with increased pain-related disability, pain intensity, reduction in physical functioning and poorer psychological well-being. A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis (QES) provides an opportunity to better understand and reveal key areas within the patient experience of these complex interactions to inform best practice and future intervention design. The aim of this QES is to methodically and systematically review and synthesise the qualitative literature reporting on the personal experiences of people who are both living with obesity (PwO) and chronic pain. The phenomenon of interest of this QES is the lived experiences of PwO and CP. The following research question was developed using a modified Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome and Study type (PICOS) framework: "What are the lived experiences of people living with obesity and chronic pain?". One review author will conduct a systematic search based on keywords and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms for finding relevant articles in five peer-review databases, from inception to the date of searching. Two review authors will independently apply inclusion and exclusion criteria and screen articles in a two-stage process. The methodological quality of included studies will be assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tool and data will be extracted using a customised template. We will undertake a thematic synthesis of qualitative data from included studies and report our findings narratively. Confidence in the findings will be assessed based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation Confidence in Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative Research (GRADE-CER-Qual) approach. This study will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA) and Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research (ENTREQ) guidelines. It is anticipated that the findings of the review will facilitate a deep and broad understanding of the complex interactions between CP and obesity and will help inform best practice and future intervention design. Findings will be disseminated through journals that undergo peer review, presentations at conferences, engagement with public and patient advocacy groups, and social media. Ethical approval is not required to conduct this review. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023361391.

Animal Politics or Animal Police? Islamophobia and Animal Advocacy Politics

Abstract Although there is increasing academic attention for the rise of Animal Advocacy Parties (AAPs), existing accounts overlook their emergence in the context of the politicization of race and religion. This contribution deploys Rancière’s political thought combined with a critical race theoretical lens to analyze the project of the leading AAP after which most international sister parties are modeled: the Dutch Party for the Animals. We find that the party on the one hand disrupts the anthropocentrism characteristic for the Dutch social and political order but on the other hand affirms and contributes to the policing and racialization of Muslims. This became most apparent in their proposal to ban unstunned religious slaughter. We demonstrate that this proposal was part of the party’s general inability to recognize the contemporaneous logics of race and religion. This leads us to conceptualize the party’s project as a colorblind, or in non-ableist terms, color-evasive animal politics.

Social Network Analysis: Political Elite Actors #DemokratLawanBegal on Twitter

This research explores the impact of the #DemokratLawanBegal hashtag on Twitter, focusing on its role in shaping political discourse and influencing party leaders' alignment. It aims to uncover relationships among elite actors and identify influential figures within the Twitter network using this hashtag. Drawing on concepts like political communication, political elites, Twitter's importance, and Social Network Analysis (SNA), the study adopts SNA methodologies with tools like Netlytic and Gephi Apps. Data collection occurred throughout 3-10 April 2023 to maintain relevance. The findings highlight the significant impact of the #DemokratLawanBegal hashtag in shaping political discourse and the power struggle within the Democratic Party. AHY emerges as a more influential figure than Moeldoko, and Twitter, particularly through this hashtag, plays a central role in political communication and framing strategies. Social Network Analysis reveals a closely interconnected network of actors, with the official Democratic Party account (@pdemokrat) central to information dissemination. Some actors facilitate swift information sharing (closeness centrality), while others serve as key connectors (betweenness centrality). These insights deepen our understanding of contemporary political communication dynamics, offering implications for political campaigns, policy advocacy, and digital strategies.

The convergence of public sphere and state advocacy

Abstract In 2021, China’s entertainment industry experienced a series of unusual argumentative controversies followed by the creation of the Qing Lang movement initiated by the Chinese government that called for tackling irregularities in the industry. With strong support from the Chinese public, the Qing Lang movement presents an intriguing case to examine a new model of social argument representing both the public and state interest in resolving social problems in the Chinese version of the public sphere. The paper identifies key characteristics defining a reciprocal model of social activism in state-sponsored actions in China exemplified by the Qing Lang movement. The paper also argues for the value of a culture-specific approach to understanding public sphere and social activism and clarifies the function of argument in Chinese society.

The courage to advocate: How two professions approach public advocacy work.

While health advocacy is an established physician role, most of the educational attention to advocacy has been at the individual patient level. Public advocacy-efforts to effect change at the level of communities, populations or society-remains a poorly defined concept whose educational foundation is underdeveloped. To enrich our understanding of public advocacy, we explored how professionals in two disciplines-medicine and law-have approached its tasks and experienced its challenges. Using constructivist grounded theory, we interviewed 18 professionals (nine physicians, eight lawyers and one qualified in both disciplines) who engage in public advocacy. We used constant comparison throughout an iterative process of data collection and analysis to develop an understanding of what it means to be a professional in the public domain. Public advocacy work occurs at the intersection of personal and professional identities. Lawyers perceived public advocacy as an embedded element of their professional identity, while physicians more often viewed it as outside their core professional scope. Nonetheless, professional identity influenced how both groups conducted their work. Physicians were more likely to draw on professional attitudes (e.g. their orientation towards evidence and their trusted social position), while lawyers were more likely to draw on professional skills (e.g. building an argument and litigating test cases). The work requires courage and often demands that individuals tolerate personal and professional risk. While medicine has enshrined advocacy in its competency frameworks, it is the legal profession whose practitioners more fully embrace advocacy as intrinsic to professional identity, suggesting that roles are difficult to engineer or impose. Collaboration across public-facing professions like medicine and law creates opportunities to reimagine public advocacy, to identify the skills required to do it well and to refresh educational strategies.

Community Education and General Elections: Strategies to Enhance Political Awareness Based on Technology & Community Participation Levels in Gorontalo Province

Community participation serves as a measure of success in conducting general elections, thus political participation must be optimized through building and developing political awareness among the populace through various efforts, including education and political advocacy based on information technology. This study aims to design a strategy to enhance technology-based political awareness and community participation levels in Gorontalo Province. The method employed in this study is qualitative, with data analysis utilizing the Miles and Huberman model. The study findings reveal that community political participation in local elections in Gorontalo Province has reached a satisfactory level, although there is still room for improvement. Community education on politics with a technology-based approach is also crucial, especially in addressing digital divides. By involving technology, political education can become more accessible to the populace. It is hoped that political participation will increase, voters will be better educated, and local democracy will become stronger. Communities engaged in politics have greater potential to influence policies, monitor the government, and uphold accountability. Technology-based political education is a progressive step towards achieving the goal of community awareness and participation in general elections. Keywords: Community Education, Elections, Awareness, Participation.

A Typology of Social Media Use by Human Service Nonprofits: Mixed Methods Study.

Nonprofit organizations are increasingly using social media to improve their communication strategies with the broader population. However, within the domain of human service nonprofits, there is hesitancy to fully use social media tools, and there is limited scope among organizational personnel in applying their potential beyond self-promotion and service advertisement. There is a pressing need for greater conceptual clarity to support education and training on the varied reasons for using social media to increase organizational outcomes. This study leverages the potential of Twitter (subsequently rebranded as X [X Corp]) to examine the online communication content within a sample (n=133) of nonprofit sexual assault (SA) centers in Canada. To achieve this, we developed a typology using a qualitative and supervised machine learning model for the automatic classification of tweets posted by these centers. Using a mixed methods approach that combines machine learning and qualitative analysis, we manually coded 10,809 tweets from 133 SA centers in Canada, spanning the period from March 2009 to March 2023. These manually labeled tweets were used as the training data set for the supervised machine learning process, which allowed us to classify 286,551 organizational tweets. The classification model based on supervised machine learning yielded satisfactory results, prompting the use of unsupervised machine learning to classify the topics within each thematic category and identify latent topics. The qualitative thematic analysis, in combination with topic modeling, provided a contextual understanding of each theme. Sentiment analysis was conducted to reveal the emotions conveyed in the tweets. We conducted validation of the model with 2 independent data sets. Manual annotation of 10,809 tweets identified seven thematic categories: (1) community engagement, (2) organization administration, (3) public awareness, (4) political advocacy, (5) support for others, (6) partnerships, and (7) appreciation. Organization administration was the most frequent segment, and political advocacy and partnerships were the smallest segments. The supervised machine learning model achieved an accuracy of 63.4% in classifying tweets. The sentiment analysis revealed a prevalence of neutral sentiment across all categories. The emotion analysis indicated that fear was predominant, whereas joy was associated with the partnership and appreciation tweets. Topic modeling identified distinct themes within each category, providing valuable insights into the prevalent discussions surrounding SA and related issues. This research contributes an original theoretical model that sheds light on how human service nonprofits use social media to achieve their online organizational communication objectives across 7 thematic categories. The study advances our comprehension of social media use by nonprofits, presenting a comprehensive typology that captures the diverse communication objectives and contents of these organizations, which provide content to expand training and education for nonprofit leaders to connect and engage with the public, policy experts, other organizations, and potential service users.

Assessing Demographics, Perceptions, and Participation: A Study on Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Effectiveness and Improvement Suggestions

The Sangguniang Kabataan is an important institution in the Philippines that represents the interests of youth and engages them in local governance. This study examines the perceptions of young Filipinos regarding the Sangguniang Kabataan’s (SK) participation in local government, focusing on understanding how youth perspectives influence the efficacy of SK initiatives. The research integrated a descriptive quantitative research design. A total of 32 participants were involved in the study, providing insights into their demographic profiles, perceptions of SK duties and functions, levels of participation in SK activities, and suggestions for improving SK officials and their activities. The findings reveal that while respondents generally recognize the importance of the SK in representing youth in local government, there are areas where its effectiveness can be enhanced, such as in implementing youth-focused programs and initiatives. The study also highlights barriers to youth participation in SK activities, including lack of awareness and time constraints. Recommendations for improving youth engagement in the SK include prioritizing advocacy for youth-related issues, enhancing communication with young individuals, and focusing on initiatives that address critical issues like poverty, education, and mental health. By implementing these recommendations, the SK can better serve the needs and aspirations of the youth population and create a more responsive and inclusive local governance structure.

How Are We Teaching Advocacy? A National Survey of Internal Medicine Residency Program Directors.

Although internal medicine (IM) physicians accept publicadvocacy as a professional responsibility, there is little evidence that IM training programs teach advocacy skills. The prevalence and characteristics of publicadvocacy curricula in US IM residency programs are unknown. To describe the prevalence and characteristics of curricula in US IM residencies addressing public advocacy for communities and populations; to describe barriers to the provision of such curricula. Nationally representative, web-based, cross-sectional survey of IM residency program directors with membership in an academic professional association. A total of 276 IM residency program directors (61%) responded between August and December 2022. Percentage of US IM residency programs that teach advocacy curricula; characteristics of advocacy curricula; perceptions of barriers to teaching advocacy. More than half of respondents reported that their programs offer no advocacy curricula (148/276, 53.6%). Ninety-five programs (95/276, 34.4%) reported required advocacy curricula; 33 programs (33/276, 12%) provided curricula as elective only. The content, structure, and teaching methods of advocacy curricula in IM programs were heterogeneous; experiential learning in required curricula was low (23/95, 24.2%) compared to that in elective curricula (51/65, 78.5%). The most highly reported barriers to implementing or improving upon advocacy curricula (multiple responses allowed) were lack of faculty expertise in advocacy (200/276, 72%), inadequate faculty time (190/276, 69%), and limited curricular flexibility (148/276,54%). Over half of US IM residency programs offer no formal training in public advocacy skills and many reported lack of faculty expertise in public advocacy as a barrier. These findings suggest many IM residents are not taught how to advocate for communities and populations. Further, less than one-quarter of required curricula in public advocacy involves experiential learning.

An Interpretive Case Study of Chinese New Zealanders’ Participation in Non-elected Representation

This paper adopts Michael Saward’s representative claims theory to analyze Chinese New Zealanders’ participation in non-elected representation. It explores how they made representative claims and examines the democratic legitimacy of their claims. Based on an interpretive analysis of in-depth interviews with 38 Chinese New Zealanders, I found age-based and educational-level-based patterns of how they participate in non-elected representation. Individuals and Chinese associations made representative claims based on various grounds. However, the democratic legitimacy of individual-made claims and association-made claims varied. When interviewees made representative claims, they cherished the claims’ instrumental goals and intrinsic values. These findings expand our knowledge of Chinese New Zealanders’ political participation and representation. This paper also analyzes the difference between making representative claims and political advocacy. It deepens our understanding of non-elected representation.

Leveraging experiential learning to increase undergraduate students’ advocacy skills and political efficacy

ABSTRACT Experiential learning is an approach to teaching that emphasizes hands-on experiences that provide students with an opportunity to synthesize the concepts and theories they have learned in a natural and meaningful way, which can deepen their knowledge, self-efficacy, and skill acquisition. We developed a unique strategic communication capstone course to refine communication-based skills in the context of an advocacy campaign that focused on activities related to political participation, a form of civic participation and engagement. Over the course of a 15-week semester, students identified an issue they would like to change, researched the issue, investigated members of the legislature and their positions, and developed supporting material, which culminated in a trip to present their ideas to state- and federal-level legislators. Fifty-one undergraduate students completed a written 15-minute survey that included structured and open-ended questions before and after their participation in the course. Participants showed increased confidence in skills related to political advocacy and increased political efficacy, which has the potential to increase future political engagement and participation. Open-ended questions revealed that many students felt more empowered to interact with elected officials, gained positive perceptions about the political process and players, and felt that they could create change.

Contribution of Women in Political Movement of Nepal

This article explores the extraordinary contributions made by women to Nepal's political movement, demonstrating their fundamental influence on the political climate of the nation. The study investigates the varied political activism of Nepalese women through an analysis of historical accounts, academic research, and direct testimonies. In Nepal, women have been instrumental in political movements, community mobilization, and advocacy for social and political change. They have actively taken part in protests, rallies, and neighborhood campaigns, pushing back against patriarchal conventions and clamoring for equitable participation in governmental organizations. In order to advance gender equality and women's rights in the political sphere, the article examines the effects of women's organizations, women-led projects, and female activists. It looks at their initiatives to remove social constraints, boost women's political participation, and combat gender-based prejudice. This article also examines the obstacles women have had to overcome while examining the crucial role they have played in Nepal's political movement and their contributions to constitutional changes. The paper offers insights on the empowerment of women within the Nepali political system by a thorough analysis of scholarly research, historical records, and documented experiences.

Towards new directions in public relations activism and advocacy research

Towards new directions in public relations activism and advocacy research

Punishing the Innocent: An Insight into Wrongly Convicted Individuals

Wrongful convictions have increasingly plagued the Indian criminal justice system. Instances of innocent individuals being wrongfully prosecuted suggest that some states witness convictions at trial stages, only for the accused to be acquitted upon appeal. However, there is no established system for identifying or tracking individuals wrongfully convicted, as state officials do not maintain records of acquittals or discharges. This lack of oversight perpetuates erroneous miscarriages of justice, resulting in innocent individuals not only losing their rights but also facing social alienation. This study examines the phenomenon of wrongful convictions in India, exploring its causes, consequences, and potential solutions. Drawing upon legal analysis and case laws, this study identifies various factors contributing to wrongful convictions, including flawed investigation procedures, police misconduct, inadequate legal representation, and systemic issues within the criminal justice system. Furthermore, it highlights the social, psychological, and economic tolls experienced by wrongfully convicted individuals and their families. The study also discusses the challenges faced in rectifying wrongful convictions and proposes a range of reforms aimed at preventing future injustices, such as improving investigation techniques, enhancing legal aid services, strengthening judicial oversight, and promoting public awareness and advocacy. By addressing the root causes of wrongful convictions and implementing systemic reforms, India can strive towards a more equitable and just legal system that upholds the rights and dignity of all individuals. In addition the purpose of this study to find out what approaches the state utilizes to resolve this issue of wrongful conviction and also aims to emphasize what are the remedies already available under existing laws and also to underline the need of standard legal framework for looking compensations to victims of wrongful convictions.

STRATEGI PENGURANGAN STIGMA TB MEMBUKA JALAN UNTUK PEMBICARAAN KESEHATAN MENTAL

This study aims to analyze strategies for reducing Tuberculosis (TB) stigma and its impact on mental health discussions in Medan, considering the close relationship between TB stigma and mental health issues. A qualitative method was used, involving in-depth interviews, focus groups, document and media analysis, and participatory observations to gain a deep understanding of perceptions, experiences, and the social context related to TB stigma. The results indicate that public education and information, media engagement, social and psychological support, and public policy and advocacy are key strategies in reducing TB stigma. This not only helps reduce TB-related stigma but also opens up space for improved discussions and support for mental health, showing the importance of a comprehensive approach in addressing TB.

Who’s the best? Investigating the NAMM Foundation’s “Best Communities of Music Education” awardees

The “Best Communities for Music Education” (BCME) award from the National Association for Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation is intended to celebrate school districts committed to supporting music education. However, despite its over twenty-year history, little is known about the awardees themselves. The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of school districts that received NAMM’s BCME award in 2021 and 2022. We utilized publicly available data from NAMM and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to analyze demographic data of 2021 and 2022 awardees along several categories. We also gathered and analyzed BCME lists from 2005–2020 to provide an insight on the frequency of repeat awardees. Findings show that awardees primarily represent suburban communities that skew more affluent, more educated, and more white than national averages. These findings may help interrogate conceptions of quality, highlight issues of inequity among school districts, and bring insight into policy tools underpinning public music education advocacy efforts.

Understandings of Vulnerability and Social Determinants of Health in Forensic and Expert Social Anthropology: A Scoping Review

Forensic and expert social anthropology (FESA) is a branch of social anthropology that specialises in the provision of evidence to legal-administrative processes, which are overseen by courts and other legally empowered bodies, and which give regard to the social cultures of legally and administratively involved individuals and communities (LAIICs). Despite a preoccupation with political advocacy in the broader philosophy of social anthropology, FESA literature does not typically give regard to LAIIC vulnerability defined qualitatively in terms of social determinants of health, including physical, mental, and social well-being. This paper presents findings from a JBI/PRISMA-ScR scoping review of n=1,674 texts, identifying eight recurrent practice concerns in the relevant literature. Findings indicate that LAIIC vulnerability ranks only sixth among FESA practice concerns. This article serves as a study of FESA models of LAIIC vulnerability and social determinants of health and an unprecedented demonstration of scoping review methodology applied to social anthropological literature.

Mechanisms of Political Responsiveness: The Information Sources Shaping Elected Representatives' Policy Actions

This study examines the micro-level foundations of how policy responsiveness may come about. Our study builds on the assumption that elected officials' information source use shapes their policy actions. We analyze the variation in information sources elected officials rely on for agenda-setting and policy formulation, distinguishing between public opinion sources, advocacy sources, and expert sources. Additionally, we examine how elected officials' public opinion sources vary across individuals, parties, and political systems. Based on a 2015 survey with 345 Members of Parliament in Belgium and Canada, the results indicate that the actions of elected representatives are more affected by public opinion sources like citizens and the mass media when they initially prioritize issues for policy action, while interest groups are prominent in both stages, and parties and expert sources are more used in the policy formulation phase. Furthermore, politicians in majoritarian systems, those belonging to the opposition and members of populist parties, tend to rely more on public opinion sources than their peers in proportional systems, those in the majority and non-populist parties.

UTILIZATION OF BIM TECHNOLOGIES FOR ENHANCING THE EFFICIENCY OF WATER SUPPLY AND WASTEWATER SYSTEMS DESIGN

Problem statement. The need for the formation and development of human resources in the construction industry of Ukraine to create a competitive sphere that complies with high standards of quality and efficiency, operating based on modern financial, economic, technical, and organizational mechanisms. One method to achieve the goals of innovative development is the modernization of architectural and construction design and engineering networks, particularly through the implementation of Building Information Modeling (BIM) technologies. These technologies enable effective decision-making at all stages of the life cycle of buildings and structures − from the initial idea to the stage of operation and even the dismantling of water supply and wastewater system engineering networks. The purpose of the article − to explore the utilization of BIM technologies to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of designing water supply and wastewater systems Conclusions. The application of BIM technologies in the design of water supply and wastewater systems significantly improves work efficiency. Creating digital models facilitates the interaction of all participants in the construction process and minimizes errors and conflicts during the design phase. The success of modernizing the construction industry became possible through active collaboration of all stakeholders. Public advocacy and participation in addressing industry issues provided a broader perspective on problem-solving. The implementation of BIM technologies allows for the development and improvement of water supply and wastewater system projects, contributing to work optimization and project planning enhancement.

Abusive taxation of religious minorities. A comparative study of Tai Ji Men in Taiwan and the Jehovah’s Witnesses in France.

On 23 April 2023, US Senator Orrin Hatch passed away at age 88. Two of his main interests were tax reform and religious liberty, topics that sometimes happen to intersect.2 Senator Hatch was well aware that abusive taxation can target religious or spiritual movements or religiously motivated advocacy groups which, for whatever reason, are disliked by some tax bureaucrats. One such instance is the case of Tai Ji Men in Taiwan, which remains unre- solved after more than 25 years of legal battles and public advocacy.3 I will com- pare that case with ones that the European Court of Human Rights has consid- ered in the last two decades.