Current Debate Research Articles

Let's talk about sex: instructor views and hesitancies related to sex and gender in the biology classroom.

There is much current debate in the US regarding how sex and gender are approached in science and medical classrooms. There does not seem to be sufficient consensus around why it must be taught and how it should be implemented. State-enacted restrictions to both education and healthcare in recent years demonstrate the relevance and importance of sex and gender in the college classroom, not only including but especially in the biology classroom. Given the areas comprising the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB), these topics of sex and gender in biology instruction are incredibly salient to our members. Thus, this survey aimed to determine instructors' views of and experiences with sex-diverse gender-inclusive biology. College-level biology instructors who are members of SICB were surveyed about their views of science, views of sex and gender, teaching philosophy, and their experiences with inclusive teaching and with sex-diverse gender-inclusive teaching. The resulting data lead us to implore academic biology to provide more sex-diverse and gender-inclusive teaching tools and resources to educators, while minimizing potential fear of retaliation and backlash to instructors who utilize these teaching methods.

Ethnolinguistic Nuclear Roots of Ancient Civilizations in the Light of Later Sound-Developments

Indeed, within current issues and debates in the field of Onomastic or//and Geopolitical-linguistic scholarship, this paper is concerned with politics of language and the semiotic construction of present model ‘ethnonym ↔ religion name (theonyms)’ of modern global linguistics. In this article explore how different linguistic collectivities use cognates and semiotic resources in different geographical spaces to reinforce or contest existing ancient social structures, bearing strong implications for language maintenance and cultural revitalization, construction of ethnolinguistic and national identities, and geographical-linguistic mobility. And looks into how globalization and its accompanying forces and influences, such as the importance of Western languages in socioeconomic mobility, into contact with local Asian cultures and firstly of ancient languages from Proto-Altay family. Because, ethnolinguistic nuclear roots of ancient civilizations in this area now extremely important for investigation native language, culture and conceptions of worldview of the first settlers or nomadic tribes from this mountainous region. Although, Tian Shan (˂ Chong Tong phonetic adaptation form in the Sino-Tibetan) including Pamir and Hindu Kush (˂ Bologunduz ↔Julduz) mountainous chains the cradle human civilization and preserving Proto Altaic form ancient onomastic elements. Wherever, the main ethnolinguistic cognates analyzed in the light of later semantic and sound-developments including with the comparative investigation intercontinental forms.

Communication for Development as an idea-force: from the instrument to the participatory construct

The following paper reviews how communication for development has evolved regarding its uses and alongside its audiences. It is important to acknowledge an Eurocentric gaze in the application of communication projects for development in Latin America and how this concept has gained new meanings, according to the persons that use it. This paper reviews the origins of the term “communication for development” and the current debate regarding participatory communication, and communication for social change. This essay shows an evolutionary perspective that starts from the closed model conception, focused in a few protagonists to a conception of projects which could be described as more collective, communitary and focused in cooperative work. Realidad: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades No. 163, 2024: 92-105.

Place-based resentment in an egalitarian welfare state

A divide between people in rural areas and in cities contributes to the current wave of populist backlash and the realignment of party systems across Western democracies. Does place-based resentment also exist and influence vote choice in an egalitarian welfare state, and if so, what is its basis? Building on the literature of place resentment and social identities, we examine place-based resentment in the Norwegian context. Employing original survey data, we measure rural-urban resentment by comparing the difference in an individual's in-group and out-group sentiment. We find that rural voters are more resentful of urbanites. Despite extensive redistributive public policies, a sense of unfair resource distribution spurs greater rural resentment than a cultural grievance. In response to current debates in the American and West European scholarship, our findings illustrate that rural resentment can develop in contexts where rural voters are not economically marginalized. Rural resentment also explains voting for the center-left agrarian party. Our work demonstrates the importance of place-based social identities in explaining rural political backlash in advanced democracies. Moreover, rural backlash does not always strengthen the populist right.

Job insecurity and vote for radical parties: A four-country study

Job insecurity is a pervasive phenomenon whose effects on support for different parties have attracted increasing attention in the literature. A growing body of research has assessed the relationship between job insecurity and the success of radical parties in Western democracies, but results are still inconclusive due to the complex nature of this independent variable. This article contributes new evidence to the current debates on this topic by analyzing how both objective labour market status and perceived job insecurity are associated with the vote for radical right and radical left parties. Our findings, based on four original surveys conducted in France, Germany, Greece and Spain, suggest that perceived job insecurity is generally associated with greater support for the radical left, but not for the radical right. In contrast, we find the relationship between objective labour market status and support for radical parties to be more ambiguous (and, in most cases, statistically non-significant).

P-480 Demographic and family-based predictors of Dutch societal attitudes towards surrogacy

Abstract Study question What factors shape societal attitudes toward surrogacy in a representative sample of the adult population? Summary answer Participants’ demographic factors (education, sexuality, ethnicity, religiosity) and factors related to surrogacy families (parental composition, social bond oocyte donor) predict attitudes toward surrogacy. What is known already Attitudes toward surrogacy families frequently have a negative influence on the well-being of these families. Counselling will help surrogacy families cope with negative reactions. Current debates regarding legislation on surrogacy show diverse attitudes towards surrogacy. Previous studies hint at attitudes toward surrogacy being influenced by demographic factors such as age, education, sexual preference, ethnicity, urbanization and religiosity, and factors of surrogacy families such as parental composition (cisgender different-sex parents, same-sex parents and transgender parents) and social or genetic bonds between the surrogate, oocyte donor and parents. Study design, size, duration This vignette study included a representative sample of 1075 adults from the Dutch population, who filled out a questionnaire in June 2023. The vignettes used were descriptions of a surrogacy family and gave context to the questionnaire. Vignettes varied the following aspects; sexuality and gender of parents, and social and genetic bonds between the parents, the surrogate, and the oocyte donor. Participants were asked about their attitudes on four randomly assigned vignettes. Participants/materials, setting, methods Demographic information of the participants was collected via questionnaires. We designed vignettes accompanied by a questionnaire to measure attitudes (α between .81 and .91). Multilevel regression analysis was performed with attitudes as the dependent variable and demographic factors (age, education, sexual preference, ethnicity, urbanization and religiosity) and aspects of surrogacy families (parental composition, genetic and social bonds with the surrogate and oocyte donors) as predictors. Main results and the role of chance Attitudes are influenced by most studied demographic factors. People were more likely to have positive attitudes when they were either higher educated, identified themselves as non-heterosexual, had a Dutch background, or were less religious. Age and urbanization did not predict attitudes. Factors related to the parental composition of a surrogacy family predicted attitudes. A cisgender man and a cisgender woman were judged more positively compared to two cisgender men or when a transgender person was involved. Oocyte donation from a friend or sister was judged more negatively compared to an oocyte from the oocyte bank (without a social bond to the parents). Attitudes were more negative when oocyte donation took place than when oocytes of an intended mother were utilized (p values range between .007 and < .001). There was no difference between the presence and absence of social and genetic bonds between parents and surrogates. There were no differences in the presence or absence of a genetic bond between parents and oocyte donors. No differences were found between a surrogate using her own oocytes compared to donated oocytes. Limitations, reasons for caution The study was limited to one European country. Furthermore, all participants participated in monthly questionnaires. Although a representative sample of the Dutch population was used, willingness to participate monthly in questionnaire studies might influence generalizability. Wider implications of the findings Based on our findings, it will be possible to inform cisgender different-sex, same-sex and transgender parents of the societal reactions they might encounter and counsel them on how to best deal with these reactions. The attitude towards known oocyte donors warrants us to initiate more investigation. Trial registration number not applicable

People-centred policies for a just transition (digital, green and skills)

ABSTRACT The paper contributes to the current debate on just transitions which is exploring what factors and conditions can lead to a twin transition that can also achieve an equitable redistribution of the outputs. The paper draws on the theories of justice, by bringing together three dimensions of justice: distributive, procedural and substantive justice. We apply this framework to explain the socio-economic impact of technology-pushed structural change on the future of work. We define just transition as a triple transition that requires digital and green shifts and crucially, a competence and skill transition that transversally cuts across industries, jobs and professions. The paper analyses the case of a specific region, Emilia Romagna in Italy, which has implemented, particularly since 2010, an original holistic approach to industrial development policy, comprising social and education policies. We conclude that within a national education framework tasked with pivoting the mix of necessary basic knowledge, regions have an important role to play by designing and implementing place-based education and training initiatives that are specific to the regional socio-economic characteristics.

It's a match! The role of coach–coachee fit for working alliance and effectiveness of coaching

AbstractThe coaching literature emphasizes the role of the coach–coachee working alliance in obtaining positive coaching outcomes and proposes that a good match between coach and coachee promotes this working alliance. However, existing coaching research has some methodological shortcomings that limit drawing robust conclusions about the importance of coach–coachee fit and working alliance for coaching effectiveness. In this study, we investigate coach–coachee fit as an antecedent of the working alliance and its effects on coaching outcomes. Using a three‐wave study design, 184 coachees participating in a workplace coaching program in healthcare answered online surveys before, halfway‐through, and approximately one month after coaching. We measured both coachee‐rated and coach‐rated working alliance and, based on person‐environment fit theories, we included three measures of coach–coachee fit, that is similarity‐fit, general needs‐supplies fit, and idiosyncratic needs‐supplies fit. Multilevel path modelling revealed that only idiosyncratic needs‐supplies fit, where the coach fulfils a coachee's unique needs, related positively to coaching satisfaction through coachee‐rated working alliance and predicted improved goal attainment. Coachees’ similarity‐fit related positively to their assessment of the working alliance but, unexpectedly, predicted lower coaching satisfaction. Coach‐ and coachee‐rated working alliance related to coaching satisfaction but not goal attainment. These findings make a unique contribution to current debates in the coaching and person‐environment fit literatures and advance our understanding of the role of coach–coachee fit and working alliance for affective and behavioural coaching outcomes.

Redefining Office Interactions for a Thriving Employee Experience

While much of the current debate focuses on the hybrid work model, little attention has been given to what type of work tasks and dynamics companies should outline when employees are called to work in the office space. Designing meaningful face-to-face encounters becomes essential to engage employees and make in-person work more meaningful and effective for both parties. Thus, the paper explores how companies can engage employees in the post-pandemic changing office space environment. Building on theories of employee socialization and employee experience co-design, it identifies gaps and opportunities for developing meaningful encounters in the office space and cultivating a positive work culture. A case study was conducted in an aerospace engineering company with a hybrid working model to provide practical insights. The study employed an exploratory research design, incorporating qualitative methods such as in-depth interviews, observations, and a co-design session with employees. Content analysis was used to categorize areas of employee experience in the office space that needed to be redesigned positively. The results of the study confirm that the co-design of socialization, adding creativity, and fostering serendipitous encounters in the workspace improves the employee experience, strengthening the ties with the company, connecting with their colleagues, and helping in the well-being and sense of belonging. This translates into positive gains for the organization that wants to define a hybrid work model, giving flexibility to employees without losing the human bond that the face-to-face visit to the workplace provides through meaningful experiences. Involving employees in the collaborative process of redesigning socialization and interaction practices, organizations are committed to valuing individual perspectives and needs, resulting in a more relevant and satisfying employee experience.

The International Criminal Court and the Justice Cascade

Abstract We present an original interpretation of the justice cascade theory developed by Kathryn Sikkink and her coauthors as it pertains to the icc’s engagements with African states since 2004. In doing so, we challenge a prominent and acclaimed critique of this theory: Oumar Ba’s States of Justice. Ba presents four qualitative case studies informed by fieldwork, focused on the admissibility challenges, selective cooperation, and obstructionism involving Uganda, Libya, Kenya, and Côte d’Ivoire. We closely examine the key publications in which the justice cascade theory is introduced, refined, and critiqued, identifying misinterpretations of this theory in Ba’s work and elucidating its empirical implications. Furthermore, we perform a citation analysis of States of Justice, demonstrating that the book, by virtually omitting primary sources of any type, misimplements its own empirical strategy. We introduce fresh legal analyses of compliance with the Rome Statute of the icc in the four relevant cases, revealing the dearth of evidence of noncompliance in all but the Kenyan case. Finally, we discuss legal analysis as a means of testing theories of international law and courts, and we illustrate the relevance of the justice cascade theory to current debates on the establishment of new international tribunals.

Spinozas Role in Reshaping the Concepts of Power and Rights of Freedom

This paper examines Spinoza's philosophical contributions to the discussion on democratic governance, emphasising his endorsement of individual autonomy, reason, and natural law, while also criticising authoritarianism. Spinoza's views provide valuable insights into the intricate relationship between human nature, societal structures, and political authority, within the context of historical discussions on freedom and governance. The research seeks to clarify the potential consequences of Spinoza's philosophical framework for modern political thought and practice through analysis. Spinoza argues that persons, being a part of nature, are subject to its laws and have intrinsic entitlements to self-preservation and liberty. He promotes the use of reason in guiding individual behaviour and society organisation, emphasising the significance of rational government. Nevertheless, Spinoza's theory exposes its shortcomings in addressing social disparities and systematic injustices, hence reproducing the biases prevalent throughout his day. Notwithstanding these limitations, his focus on rationality and freedom continues to have a significant impact on current debates over democracy, rights, and social justice. This study enhances our comprehension of the intricacies related to freedom, governance, and societal progress by conducting a thorough examination of Spinoza's works and relevant secondary sources.

Fostering Decolonization, Reading and Multilingualism through Book Donation: A Case Study of One Primary School in South Africa

Despite the UNESCO declaration of literacy and access to primary education as a fundamental human right, many developing countries still face low literacy levels, limited access to reading material and poor reading culture. This can arguably be used to explain why children from developing countries are (according to large-scale studies such as Progress in International Reading Competency Study) performing below the expected standard compared to those from developed countries. While the low literacy levels are not solely attributed to limited access to reading material, the researchers argue that exploring the positive impacts of book donation will, in one way or the other, subvert the issue around low reading competency levels, and advance multilingualism as well as curriculum decolonization. This paper, therefore, discusses how decolonialism, reading and multilingualism are concurrently developed and realized through book donation. Using the decolonial thought theory as a lens, a qualitative design and case study approach were followed to explore how teachers used donated books to foster decolonization and advance reading as well as multilingualism in their classrooms. Three teachers from one rural primary school participated in the semi-structured interviews. Data was analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that the donated books written by university students empowered teachers to decolonize lesson presentations. In addition, the study found that the different languages in which the donated books were written promoted multilingualism. Finally, teachers reported learners’ interest in reading the donated books written by university students. This study concluded that it is important to evaluate the practice of book donation considering the current debates around decolonization, low reading competencies and multilingualism. Keywords: Book Donation; Decolonization, Primary Schools, Rural, Multilingualism

Inflation Levels and (In)Attention

Abstract Inflation expectations are key determinants of economic activity and are central to the current policy debate about whether inflation expectations will remain anchored in the face of recent pandemic-related increases in inflation. This paper explores evidence of inattention by constructing two novel and direct measures of consumers’ inattention, and documents greater attention when inflation is high. This relationship can explain a substantial portion of the flattening of the Phillips curve and also suggests the possibility of upward attention-price spirals.

Impact of Money Supply and Inflation on Economic Growth

Understanding the impact of money supply and inflation on Nepal's economic development is the main objective of the current study. This work aims to give empirical backing to the current debate over money supply, inflation, and the relationship between these factors and economic growth. More research has been done recently on the relationship between money supply and economic growth than on any other topic in the field of monetary economics. A price increase that, over time, results in a decline in buying power is known as inflation. This study looks at how inflation and the money supply affected economic development between 1974–1975 and 2022–2023. When establishing if there is long-term co-integration among variables when the bound test has been applied, the ARDL co-integration approach is employed in the study to ascertain the link between the variables. GDP is the dependent variable, and the independent variables are broad money (M2) and consumer price inflation (CPI), respectively. The notion that inflation is always a monetary event needs to be revisited and reevaluated, particularly in light of the distinct dynamics of inflation in developing economies. The research indicates a positive correlation between CPI and economic growth. The data indicates that CPI has a significant influence on economic growth in emerging nations like Nepal.

Fertility Decline in Iceland, 2013-2022: Trends and Structures

Iceland is one of the Western countries that have experienced an unexpected fertility decrease in the 2010s. In this study, the aggregate Icelandic fertility decline is dissected to explore which fertility components are the main drivers behind the decline since 2010 in order to better understand whether the development is associated with compositional changes or linked to changes such as increased propensities of childlessness and decreased propensities to have another child. As such, it contributes empirical evidence to ongoing theorisation within current fertility debates. Official administrative register data are analysed by means of event-history analysis. Findings are presented as parity-specific birth risks and in the form of Kaplan-Meier estimates of synthetic period-based cohorts of women and men progressing to parity one over calendar years. In terms of results, we find that the fertility decline was concentrated around first births, and the decline can principally be attributed to women under the age of thirty. Propensities to remain childless have increased slightly since 2013, while there were no declines in the intensities to have a second and a third child. Hence, the development in Iceland appears to be driven by clear postponement of parenthood but not altered childbearing behaviour in terms of propensities to have a second and a third child. Results do not necessary contradict theories under the umbrella of the gender-relations framework, but they highlight the importance of exploring other factors impacting the transition to parenthood, such as perceived global and welfare uncertainties. Socioeconomic differentials in first-birth fertility and factors affecting postponement and ultimate childlessness should be explored further, as well as short-term developments in higher-order birth intensities during adverse circumstances, such as the 2008 economic crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic, during which periods the third-birth intensities increased.

Vulnerability Through a Legal Lens: A Comparative Jurisdictional Analysis of the Law of Confessions and Vulnerable Suspects

This article considers the law of confessions in England and the United States of America Supreme Court's Fourteenth amendment cases, with a focus on suspects who are vulnerable. The question that is asked in the piece of work is whether the English statutory provisions and the decisions of the US Supreme Court provide sufficient protection to vulnerable suspects who falsely confess to crimes. A novel approach is adopted with this comparative analysis as it extends the knowledge base by examining vulnerability and the law of confessions within two jurisdictional parameters. A further contribution to knowledge can be seen as the paper provides a bespoke piece of legislation that affords protection to such individuals, and thereby adds to the current debate on vulnerability in the criminal justice system. Firstly, the work critically examine why vulnerable suspects will falsely confess to criminal acts. It will be established that vulnerable suspects may confess even if they have not been coerced, and this will be the foundational basis for the suggested reform: a vulnerable suspects confession should be excluded as a result of their characteristics or that such individuals should be provided with mandatory legal advice. The focus will then turn to the extant position in England, where it will be revealed that confessions will be excluded if they have been obtained by unfair practices or through inhumane or degrading treatment. It will also be recognised that the English jurisdiction affords limited protection to vulnerable suspects even though they are entitled to legal advice and an appropriate adult being present. The US Supreme Court's position will then be evaluated by chronologically critiquing the use of the due process clause in cases of confessions. It will be identified that the vulnerability of the individual can be considered in determining whether a confession should be excluded but cannot be utilised in isolation of other factors. The two jurisdictions will then be critically compared and the positive and negative aspects of the law in the jurisdictions will be evaluated. It will be established that neither England nor the US Supreme provides sufficient protection to vulnerable suspects and the law requires further refinement, by placing priority on mandatory legal advice and/or an opportunity to exclude the confession. A de novo remedial statutory provision for England is provided as an effective solution to the issue of vulnerability and false confessions.

Alternative icons: rethinking symbols of power in ‘The World of Stonehenge’

Current debates surrounding decolonisation and the democratisation of display are a critical issue for prehistoric collections as well as more recent material. The objects most likely to symbolise prehistory in museum displays, and thus in the popular imagination—those made of precious, skilfully worked materials—are a restricted group of iconic things, often interpreted as reflective of social status rather than anything more personal or spiritual. To contextualise this debate, the authors outline public reaction to the display of alternative objects with more representative messages within The World of Stonehenge exhibition, which was held at the British Museum in 2022.

How to Study Virtual Entities Historically? A Proposal

Abstract This paper will not present a case study of the historical development of a virtual entity. Rather, I will develop an outlook on virtual entities in the sciences and propose a corresponding method for studying them (historically). In essence, my presentation can be considered a synthesis of different observations from the history and philosophy of science and has its roots in my dissertational research on the development of the virtual particle. Starting with a reflection on the role of presentism for the study of concept formation and development processes, I will show, through the example of the virtual particle, how current debates and interpretations can inform our access to a historical reconstruction. Following these reflections, I will argue for a pragmatist account of concepts as tools for the scientific practitioners. According to the approach presented in my article, concepts perform their functions through representations, and I will lay special focus on verbal representations and their different functions within scientific reasoning. In conclusion, I will frame the outcome of my discussion in terms of a proposal that might, through further research, enrich our understanding of virtual entities in the sciences.

Assessing the Impact of the 340B Drug Pricing Program: A Scoping Review of the Empirical, Peer-Reviewed Literature.

Despite remarkable growth and relevance of the 340B Drug Pricing Program to current health care practice and policy debate, academic literature examining 340B has lagged. The objectives of this scoping review were to summarize i) common research questions published about 340B, ii) what is empirically known about 340B and its implications, and iii) remaining knowledge gaps, all organized in a way that is informative to practitioners, researchers, and decision makers. We conducted a scoping review of the peer-reviewed, empirical 340B literature (database inception to March 2023). We categorized studies by suitability of their design for internal validity, type of covered entity studied, and motivation-by-scope category. The final yield included 44 peer-reviewed, empirical studies published between 2003 and 2023. We identified 15 frequently asked research questions in the literature, across 6 categories of inquiry-motivation (margin or mission) and scope (external, covered entity, and care delivery interface). Literature with greatest internal validity leaned toward evidence of margin-motivated behavior at the external environment and covered entity levels, with inconsistent findings supporting mission-motivated behavior at these levels; this was particularly the case among participating disproportionate share hospitals (DSHs). However, included case studies were unanimous in demonstrating positive effects of the 340B program for carrying out a provider's safety net mission. In our scoping review of the 340B program, the highest-quality evidence indicates nonprofit, DSHs may be using the 340B program in margin-motivated ways, with inconsistent evidence for increased safety net engagement; however, this finding is not consistent across other hospital types and public health clinics, which face different incentive structures and reporting requirements. Future studies should examine heterogeneity by covered entity types (i.e., hospitals vs. public health clinics), characteristics, and time period of 340B enrollment. Our findings provide additional context to current health policy discussion regarding the 340B program.

Individual Auditor Turnover and Audit Quality—Large Sample Evidence from U.S. Audit Offices

ABSTRACT We examine the relationship between audit quality and office-level auditor turnover. Using resumes of over 106,000 Big 4 auditors, we find that audit offices with higher turnover have a greater likelihood of client annual report restatements. This detrimental effect is more pronounced when the departing auditors are more experienced and when the office faces tighter human capital constraints and is primarily attributable to voluntary turnover. Further, such negative effect is borne mostly by complex clients and intangible-intensive clients but is weakened for clients with greater product similarity to the client portfolio of the audit office. Last, the impact of office-level turnover on audit quality persists after controlling for firm-level turnover. Our findings inform the current policy debate on whether and to what extent audit firms should disclose auditor turnover as a potential indicator of audit quality. Data Availability: Data are available from the public sources cited in the text. JEL Classifications: M42.