Engagement Of Actors Research Articles

Setting-up place-based and transdisciplinary research to foster agrifood system transformation: Insights from the Aliment'Actions project in western France

Many agrifood systems around the world can be characterized as unsustainable. Research is increasingly required to inform the necessary radical transformations of the ways we produce, process, transport, and consume food. This article presents the research approach and methods of an ongoing project carried out at a long-term social–ecological research site, the Zone Atelier Plaine and Val de Sèvre (western France). The research project presented here, Aliment'Actions, started in 2018 and within 10 years of its implementation seeks to study and trigger transformation to enhance the sustainability and resilience of the regional agrifood system. Its research agenda contains four types of actions: (a) backdrop actions that enhance communication and trust between researchers and local stakeholders, (b) targeted actions that are conducted in specific villages with a wide range of stakeholders to elaborate and implement various transformation levers, (c) assessment actions evaluating the effects of different interventions, and (d) communication and result from dissemination actions. Overall, these actions aim to co-produce knowledge, raise awareness regarding challenges in the food system, envision new interactions between stakeholders, collectively generate innovative ideas, and catalyze actions oriented toward agrifood system transformation. The project implementation is adaptive and iterative, from theory to practice. This Methods paper puts this ongoing project into the perspective of other place-based research initiatives and provides insights on how to foster the engagement of non-academic actors in transdisciplinary research supporting agrifood system transformation.

Improving reproductive care for people with chronic conditions: The urgency of now.

Comprehensive reproductive health care for people with chronic health conditions is reproductive justice in action. As the authors in this special series have underscored, lack of quality, coordinated, and respectful reproductive care for this population leads to infertility, mental distress, untreated and misunderstood health problems, and altered life courses that can result in maternal mortality and morbidity, poor outcomes for infants, and exacerbation of conditions that have lasting impacts on people with chronic conditions and their families. Improving reproductive wellness requires the engagement of many system actors, identified by Hassmiller Lich et al., as health care institutions, medical leaders, medical providers, patient advocates and foundations, patients and families, payers, policymakers, and research funders. Their research identified 40 pain points and 46 corresponding action items for change. Their systems approach to problem solving underscored that there is not a single lever or action that can affect broad reform; rather, this is a time that calls for complex thinking and work happening simultaneously across sectors and systems.1 Their call for collaboration across all sectors was answered in part by the research of Goodsmith et al., who explored the acceptability of integrating reproductive goal assessment into mental health service provision. While the timing and approach need to be carefully considered and based on a foundation of trust, patients and providers alike expressed an interest in and the value of opening space for conversations about having or not having children.2 Thematic across the papers in this special series is the urgent call for health care providers and professionals to invest time in understanding and addressing their own biases—overt and covert—on the reproductive care they provide to patients with chronic conditions as well as building their knowledge on the most current treatment options available. Opening opportunities for conversations about reproductive goals is especially important for people with chronic conditions, for whom the stakes are high for their own health as well as that of their family and future children, if desired. These conversations must be based on a foundation of trust and, if done well, can be a bridge to comprehensive care and well-being. There are resources available for people as consumers of information at ShowYourLoveToday.com and for people in their role as professionals at BeforeandBeyond.org. In response to the work elevating lived experiences, a patient research advisory group is being developed to provide feedback to researchers. There is a group of change agents that meets quarterly to advance this work. Reach out to the author if you are interested in engaging further. The research and expertise shared across the 12 articles in this series offer a wealth of ideas and strategies for advancing care for this population, including the opening commentary that offers a clear model for change. The next steps are up to readers. The answers are there; now we must find the moral courage and collective response to make it happen. W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Grant/Award Number: P-P30391-47-2020.

Disputas sobre aborto e diversidade sexual na Câmara dos Deputados nos anos iniciais do governo Bolsonaro: da arte de marcar as diferenças

Abstract The present article explores the disputes in the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies about abortion and sexual diversity during the first two years of the Bolsonaro government (2019-2020). Focusing on the controversial moral themes of abortion and sexual diversity, the article examines legislative dynamics by analyzing statements made by congresspeople in the Chamber of Deputies s and the legislative proposals they submitted. This article is based on qualitative research, observing the discursive dynamic of mutual accusations and inversion of arguments. Particularly noteworthy in this context was the heavy engagement of religious actors in the defense of conservative positions.

Kenya’s Foreign Policy: Implementation Strategies in Economic Diplomacy Towards the East African Community

Economic diplomacy has in recent times become a vital component of many state’s foreign policies. This paper examines the economic diplomacy implementation strategies Kenya has used towards the EAC. The study employed sequential mixed method design for the research with interviews and questionnaires for data collection complemented by secondary sources. This study found that the pursuit of economic interests is fundamental to the economic progress of states in a globalized international economic system. Kenya has made economic diplomacy a core pillar since 2014. Kenya’s foreign policy has a pragmatic approach towards pursuit of national economic interests since 1963. This pursues a framework of pursuing robust relations with East African Community (EAC) neighbours. The region has a long history of fostering economic cooperation right from the time of the then East African Cooperation up to date. This is foundational to enhancing economic advancement in the region to overcome global economic developments occasioned by globalization and the related complex interdependencies among states. This has seen EAC states move towards deepened regional integration efforts. It also finds state visits followed by Kenyan diplomatic missions to be the most preferred strategies towards economic diplomacy. The paper makes two recommendations: the need for mechanism on collection and dissemination of information on economic diplomacy strategies by Kenya’s missions in the region; and, the need to adopt modalities on engagement of non-state actors in implementing economic diplomacy strategies.

Analyzing social innovation as a process in rural areas: Key dimensions and success factors for the revival of the traditional charcoal burning in Slovenia

In rural areas, the social innovation (SI) process emerges as a response to negative socioeconomic trends or gets triggered by open windows of opportunity, bringing solutions that revitalize the rural fabric through the voluntary involvement of the local community. As such, SI is increasingly recognized as a tool to support rural development and transformative change. Regardless of increased interest and research, there are still calls for empirical evidence on the SI process, its effects, and the success factors. Our study responds to this research gap by providing empirical evidence on the 20 years of the development of a remote rural area – Charcoal Land – that sparked the revival of traditional charcoal burning in Slovenia. To better understand how such processes roll out on the ground, we conducted the case study, using a combination of document reviews, key informant interviews, semi-structured interviews, and participatory observations. Using event sequence analysis, we mapped key events in the development of the Charcoal Land and distinguished five key dimensions (Context, Trigger, Agency, Phases, and Effects) based on a framework for analyzing SI as a process of SI. Then, we inductively recognized three key success factors that were crucial for the revival of traditional charcoal burning in Slovenia: the embeddedness of innovators in multiple networks, strategic use of narratives for obtaining resources, and legitimization by the local community and public actors. Our results indicate that the development of the Charcoal Land can be regarded as an SI process that sparked the reconfiguration of traditional charcoal burning and its revival in Slovenia. The voluntary engagement of various actors (e.g., charcoal burners, foresters, local authorities) led to the formation of evolving agencies with the capacity to repetitively rearrange around common projects and goals. Through diversification of activities, traditional charcoal burning started being performed small scale and for educational, touristic, culinary, cultural, and commercial purposes. Over the last 20 years, traditional charcoal burning scaled up and out of the local territory of the Charcoal Land to other geographical and policy levels. Due to three success factors, and through institutionalization, traditional charcoal burning became recognized as an intangible cultural practice, as well as monitored forestry and agricultural practices.

Mobile Health in China: Well Integrated or a New Divide?

The application of mobile health holds promises of achieving greater accessibility in the evolving health care sector. The active engagement of private actors drives its growth, while the challenges that exist between health care privatization and equitable access are a concern. This article selects theprivate internet hospital in China as a case study. It indicates that a market-oriented regulatory mechanism of private mobile health will contribute little to improvinghealth equity from the perspectives of egalitarians and libertarians. By integrating the capability approach and the right to health, it is claimed that mobile health is a means of accessing health care for everyone, where substantive accessibility should be emphasized. With this view, this article provides policy recommendations that reinforce private sector engagement for mobile health, recognizing liberty, equity, and collective responsibility in the Chinese context.

Humanitarian policymaking as networked governance: social network analysis of the Global Compact on Refugees

Humanitarian policymaking is a form of ‘networked governance,’ involving many different stakeholders working in parallel to influence each other and to shape policy agendas. This article uses social network analysis (SNA), a research technique used to understand complex structures of relations between stakeholders, to begin to understand policymaking from this networked governance perspective. To do so, we examine one of the most significant refugee policy processes in recent history, the 2016–2018 efforts to formulate and adopt the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). Starting with the policy network of one stakeholder involved in GCR, the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Community, we survey 24 representatives of organizations involved in the GCR policymaking process. In doing so, we identify the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, World Vision, and the International Council of Voluntary Agencies as three influential stakeholders in this network of mostly international NGOs. We note limited engagement of local and private sector actors but argue that this may or may not be problematic from a perspective of networked governance and equity. Through examining the Joint Learning Initiative policy network, this article offers new evidence concerning who is influential in international refugee policymaking space and contributes to an understanding of humanitarian action as a networked governance enterprise. We also show, as proof of concept, the ways SNA can be used to gain an understanding of the dynamics of policymaking systems and the patterns of influence within them.

(In)visible agents in regional development: Active individuals and their networks as a driver of regional product labelling initiatives

Support for regional production along with its certification and labelling can be understood more broadly as regional development initiatives. Accordingly, the declared objectives of many certification schemes include environmental, economic, social, and cultural aspects. However, to bring benefits for the region, a certification scheme must be used efficiently. Key actor interviews combined with an assessment of the activities of thirty Czech certification schemes, all members of the Association of Regional Brands, helped us identify positive and negative factors affecting the initiatives’ success and potential for enhancing regional development. In line with current institutional approaches to regional development, the engagement and creativity of actors as well as creating networks, which help them overcome various constraints, were found to be essential.

Building the Commitment of the Private Sector and Leveraging Effective Partnerships to Sustain Food Fortification.

The private sector is a critical partner in achieving the universally adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-UNDP 2022. As part of a national strategy to address malnutrition (SDG2), Large-Scale Food Fortification of commonly consumed staple foods and condiments with vitamins and minerals is a proven intervention that requires the concerted engagement of multiple actors in a country's agri-food and public health ecosystems. Lessons from TechnoServe's Strengthening African Processors of Fortified Foods (SAPFF) Program, implemented from 2016 to 2022 in Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, provide essential learnings about how to effectively engage, motivate, and improve the food fortification performance of the industry in compliance with national standards, through capacity building, responsive technical assistance, and multistakeholder engagement that builds trust and accountability of industry in the fight against malnutrition.

Rethinking digital biopedagogies: How sociomaterial relations shape English secondary students' digital health practices

It is widely recognised that while many young people in high-income countries are active users of digital health technologies, their engagement can be short term. In this article, we draw on feminist materialism theory to analyse findings from the two qualitative phases of a mixed-methods three phase study of English secondary students' digital health practices. Bringing together work on biopedagogies alongside more-than-human thinking, we analyse our participants' accounts of their intra-actions with human and nonhuman affordances and materialities. Our findings reveal how young people's capacity for navigating the digital health landscape and translating knowledge into health practice is highly contingent on the complex engagement of different actors in digital health assemblages, including more-than-digital relational connections. Our study found that key human actors – typically in face-to-face settings – were crucial in doing the affective work necessary to guide adolescents through the tensions and conflicts they experienced when dealing with competing knowledges and expectations. The research underlines the ways in which feminist materialism perspectives can supplement scholarship on biopedagogies, specifically contributing to the theorising on young people's learning and embodiment through digital practices.

Knowledge politics around water, development and ecosystem services in Ecuador: creative encounters and resistances

A vast amount of literature has investigated the conflicts between different ways of conceiving development in Latin America. Particular attention has been paid to power differentials among knowledge systems when it comes to decision-making, values and practices over water resources. The Ecosystem Services framework or Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) are often analysed as examples of technical and scientific tools typically produced by multilateral organizations, cooperation agencies and international experts. They are presented as discourses competing with environmental and water justice claims, or local and traditional knowledge, although they can sometimes support them and/or try to incorporate them. The question that arises is whether such incorporation depoliticises local understandings of sustainability and development. This paper aims to examine both the synergies and tensions among different forms of knowledge around development through one empirical case study in the Ecuadorian highlands. It focuses on the efforts of the Kayambi indigenous communities to create, negotiate and scale-up a water conservation funding scheme based on reciprocity and solidarity values. This contribution highlights the creative engagement of diverse actors in designing, cocreating and diffusing a diversity of perspectives on development. It challenges the frontiers between technoscientific and grassroots knowledge by paying attention to the situated practices of different actors. It argues that the coproduction of water and development knowledge between various actors is the result of negotiating worldviews possibly in tension and moving beyond traditional resistance.

Conditions for the success and the feasibility of health mediation for healthcare use by underserved populations: a scoping review

ObjectiveThis article aims to analyse the conditions under which health mediation for healthcare use is successful and feasible for underserved populations.MethodWe conducted a scoping review on the conditions for effective...

Distinguishing Organisational Profiles of Food Loss Management in Logistics

Background: Food loss management (FLM), which is discussed at length in the literature, lacks a scientific basis on which to determine the current engagement of actors in the food value chain and what is relevant to derive appropriate measures according to the circumstances in the organisations concerned. Therefore, this paper aims to derive patterns by which the engagement of actors can be distinguished and, on this basis, to make recommendations for further action. Methods: Based on an online survey of 40 participants, a clustering analysis was conducted using the unsupervised learning method and hierarchical clustering (R and R Studio). Results: Five clusters representing different profiles were derived, showing how actors in the food value chain have addressed FLM in the past. The derived profiles do not represent stages of development but rather characteristics of organisations that have addressed FLM in a certain way in the past. Conclusions: For the five organisational profiles, recommendations for action were given for further engagement with FLM. As the level of engagement with FLM increases, organisations should tackle increasingly complex measures to reduce food losses. At the same time, a shift in measures from the tactical to the strategic planning level was derived.

Establishing the interplay between lean operating and continuous improvement routines: a process view

PurposeBuilding on the routine dynamics literature, this paper aims to expand our philosophical, practical and infrastructural understanding of implementing lean production. The authors provide a process view on the interplay between lean operating routines and continuous improvement (CI) routines and the roles of different actors in initiating and establishing these routines.Design/methodology/approachUsing data from interviews, observations and document analysis, retrospective comparative analyses of three embedded case studies on lean implementations provide a process understanding of enacting and patterning lean operating and CI routines in manufacturing SMEs.FindingsIncorporating the “who” and “how” next to the “what” of practices and routines helps explain that rather than being implemented in isolation or even in conjunction with each other, sustainable lean practices and routines come about through team leader and employee enactment of the CI practices and routines. Neglecting these patterns aligned with unsustainable implementations.Research limitations/implicationsThe proposed process model provides a valuable way to integrate variance and process streams of literature to better understand lean production implementations.Practical implicationsThe process model helps manufacturing managers, policy makers, consultants and educators to reconsider their approach to implementing lean production or teaching how to do so.Originality/valueNuancing the existing lean implementation literature, the proposed process model shows that CI routines do not stem from implementing lean operating routines. Rather, the model highlights the importance of active engagement of actors at multiple organizational levels and strong connections between and across levels to change routines and work practices for implementing lean production.

Role of Actors in the Processes of Sustainable Development at Local Level—Experiences From the Czech Republic

In this text we are interested in the preconditions for, and opportunities provided by sustainable development at local level in non-metropolitan areas, i. e., in rural areas and villages. These areas are generally seen as having an important role in achieving sustainability. The literature review highlights the general principles of endogenous development with an emphasis on local resources including human potential and social capital, and the Czech context. In practice, the empowerment and cooperation of regional actors is crucial for the sustainable transition of rural areas; an analysis of the local situation was thus conducted from the perspective of social capital. Research primarily questioned the role of local actors in different areas related to sustainable development, their relationships and involvement in sustainability processes, as well as deficiencies in social conditions creating barriers to sustainable development. The research methods selected to answer these questions reflected the context-specific, scientifically-overlooked character of the theme of this research where emerging phenomena were at the center of our interest. A survey conducted with representatives of the National Network of Local Action Groups (LAGs) mapped the situation in 50 (out of 180) LAGs in the Czech Republic (28 % of the total number). Data were analyzed quantitatively (single and multiple-choice questions), in combination with qualitative methods which were used to transform and aggregate responses into conceptual categories which were monitored for frequency (to observe majority opinion). The diversity of local actors, their relationships and roles in the sustainable development processes was thus illustrated. A snapshot of actors' current involvement in specific areas of sustainable development was compared with their potential involvement in these areas illustrating the importance of social capital which is not always recognized in relevant policy documents. The engagement of these diverse actors in sustainability transition processes is less evident: in most of the categories of change, the role of public administration prevails. According to the respondents, these changes that would ensure a sustainable future of the regions are often not taking place. While some of these findings may be specific to geographically-defined regional conditions and the Czech historical context, the research raised theoretically relevant questions concerning the role of social capital in sustainability processes.

Smart city as a social transition towards inclusive development through technology: a tale of four smart cities

ABSTRACT Smart city initiatives have the potential to address many contemporary urban challenges, utilizing information and technology. Increasingly, smart cities are considered as social innovation processes to achieve sustainable and inclusive urban development, being influenced by broader socio-economic and institutional contexts of cities. This paper explores ‘smart city transitions’ across varied urban contexts, in particular, how smart city transitions are enacted and how they contribute to inclusive urban transformation and public value. Using a multiple case studies approach, the research investigated infrastructure planning practices in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Seoul in Korea, Portland in the U.S. and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) in Vietnam, cities that were known for strong efforts to establish integrated platforms to enhance societal benefits. Our analysis showed that each city has addressed its goals around sustainability, equity and affordability by reinforcing the engagement of multiple actors with the support of integrated platforms that facilitate open and multi-directional information flow in a transparent manner. In Amsterdam, innovative solutions for sustainable use of resources have been invented and distributed through multi-level social networks, contributing to the transformation into a circular economy. In Seoul and HCMC, the city's persistent efforts to utilize an open and integrated platform resulted in proactive engagement and collaboration of public and private actors in improving quality, equity and efficiency of transit services. Portland has tackled inequitable access and mistrust issues by setting principles for data governance and facilitating equity in the adoption of innovative technologies. Our research revealed that four cities established different forms of integrated platforms such as a centrally-controlled platform and a community-centred platform in order to address specific socio-economic issues within an institutional setting of each city. We concluded that building an integrated platform is not easy, but it is a critical prerequisite for the process of sustainable transformation to truly achieve smart cities across the globe.

Knowledge Practices Within and Beyond Sharing and Commoning Urban Initiatives

In the context of neoliberal cities, with growing levels of housing commodification and space competition, sharing and commoning urban initiatives within the larger framework of urban social movements are shaping tactics of contestation. To what extent they represent sustainable efforts to urban commons governance remains largely unexplored. This article aims therefore to contribute to better understand how practices of solidarity can be maintained beyond their first productive phase and to explore the engagement of social movement and initiatives actors in the production and maintenance of shared spatial resources. To do that, we focus on knowledge practices as a key factor to ensure sustainability of actions within and beyond urban initiatives that engage with and practice sharing and space-commoning. Drawing on figurational sociology, we consider individuals involved in these urban initiatives as embedded in multiple social settings and networks of collaboration and interdependence, in which transactions such as resources, ideas and information take place giving way to collective action, new modes of participation and urban transformation. Within this conceptual framework, we explore how urban initiatives networks produce and transfer their knowledge (1) within their own internal set-up, (2) to private and public institutions (e.g., administration and political actors) and (3) to other civil society organizations. To do so, we draw on qualitative research conducted in three German cities, Kassel, Stuttgart, and Berlin on the topics of sharing and commoning practices in the field of housing and public space. By looking at the practices by which knowledge—required for action and networking—is co-/re-produced and exchanged, we identify those that constrain or enable sharing and commoning strategies on the long-term and have therefore a larger potential for sustaining efforts of urban commons governance.

ALTERNATIVE CARE FOR CHILDREN IN SOCIAL WELFARE SYSTEM – POLICY AND LEGAL CHALLENGES

The paper deals with the theoretical and legal practical foundation of the concept of alternative care for children in the social welfare system. Applying the human rights principle and child best interest doctrine along with the contemporary holistic and integrated approach to the research subject, we aim to identify the proper interpretation of the notion of alternative care for children in international, European and national domains. The recent case law of the European Court of Human Rights has beenconsidered as well. The role of civil society organizations in providing special care services for vulnerable populations such as children in terms of sustainable development agenda has been seen as a precondition for building a stable democratic and inclusive society when the world is facing significant challenges of natural hazards, climate changes and consequently,social inequities. Accordingly, an adequate policy and legal framework need to be developed including engagement of all relevant actors – public, private and civil organizations as well as the beneficiaries of services.

Earth stewardship: Shaping a sustainable future through interacting policy and norm shifts

Transformation toward a sustainable future requires an earth stewardship approach to shift society from its current goal of increasing material wealth to a vision of sustaining built, natural, human, and social capital—equitably distributed across society, within and among nations. Widespread concern about earth’s current trajectory and support for actions that would foster more sustainable pathways suggests potential social tipping points in public demand for an earth stewardship vision. Here, we draw on empirical studies and theory to show that movement toward a stewardship vision can be facilitated by changes in either policy incentives or social norms. Our novel contribution is to point out that both norms and incentives must change and can do so interactively. This can be facilitated through leverage points and complementarities across policy areas, based on values, system design, and agency. Potential catalysts include novel democratic institutions and engagement of non-governmental actors, such as businesses, civic leaders, and social movements as agents for redistribution of power. Because no single intervention will transform the world, a key challenge is to align actions to be synergistic, persistent, and scalable.

Understanding pledge and review: learning from analogies to the Paris Agreement review mechanisms

ABSTRACT This article draws lessons for the effectiveness of the Paris Agreement’s pledge and review mechanisms from the performance of comparable review mechanisms established under other international treaties. The article employs systematic evidence synthesis methods to review the existing literature on international review mechanisms in the human rights, trade, labour, and monetary policy fields and identifies six common factors influencing their performance. Applying these findings to the Paris Agreement, the analysis finds that its review mechanisms incorporate many of these factors. In particular, they combine both expert and peer review, allow for repeated interaction and capacity building, and facilitate the regular and transparent provision of information. The comparative analysis also highlights two major deficiencies of the Paris Agreement: the absence of procedures to assess the adequacy of national pledges and actions taken to implement them, and resource constraints in carrying out a complex and arduous review process. Active engagement of non-state actors with review mechanisms is identified as a potential remedy to these shortcomings. However, the overall experience of other regimes suggests that, on their own, review mechanisms provide few incentives for states to undertake significant policy changes. Rather, the political context of each regime conditions the performance of review mechanisms. We therefore conclude that the Paris Agreement’s review mechanisms alone are unlikely to bring about the necessary ratcheting up of climate policy ambitions. Key policy insights Review mechanism performance relies on six factors that are common across international agreements: the ability of the mechanism to solicit accurate information, the involvement of experts and state peers in the review process, the ability to ensure repeated interaction, the institutional capacity to carry out the review, the transparency of the review process and its outputs, and the salience and practicality of the outcomes produced by the review. The Paris Agreement’s strengths lie in its rules designed to facilitate the transparent provision of information, the inclusion of both expert and peer review, its facilitation of repeated interaction and in providing support to build the reporting capacities of states. The Paris Agreement severely restricts the salience and practicality of its review outcomes by prohibiting an assessment of the adequacy of national pledges. It remains uncertain whether the UNFCCC secretariat’s capacity and resources will suffice to carry out the arduous review task.