Extraordinary Measures Research Articles

“We rather not connect trade to politics, let alone geopolitics” – The changing role of Russia as a landscape pressure for zero-carbon energy transitions

This article aims for conceptual and empirical insights by focusing on a missing aspect in sustainability transitions research: the geopolitical setting as a landscape pressure for energy transitions. It analyses how energy super-power Russia is depicted before and after 2022 as a factor influencing the energy transition of small northern European countries: Estonia, Finland and Norway. The article also provides empirical findings on the impacts of the ongoing war on European energy transitions. We use the ‘landscape’ concept of transition studies to analyse actor perceptions and expectations of this geopolitical landscape shift, via interviewing experts at the energy-security nexus. Landscape is the selection environment for niches and socio-technical regimes, influencing their operational conditions. It contains rapid shocks, e.g., wars and pandemics, and slower geopolitical developments, the effects of which are dependent on the interpretation of actors. The results show that, before 2022, despite all three countries sharing a border with Russia, it was perceived differently as a landscape pressure: a direct security threat in Estonia; both a rather implicit indirect threat and a favoured economic partner in Finland, and; a distanced landscape factor in Norway. Perceptions about Russia became more uniform towards a geopolitical threat after the 2022 landscape shock, resulting also in extraordinary policy measures. The differences between countries show that landscape pressures are partly socially constructed, and, hence, subject to active influence by some actors. For instance, some landscape pressures may be affected by efforts of (de)politicisation or (de)securitisation to reduce or increase the public's focus on them.

Recovery and resilience of rural farms in sicily (Italy): The CoVid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict

To strengthen the resilience of agri-food enterprises in response to the crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, various policy levels have introduced a series of extraordinary fiscal, credit, and financial measures. These measures, however, produced different effects depending on the territory, the type of business, the production sector, the level of professionalism of the entrepreneur, etc. In this context, research was carried out, concentrated in Sicily, a typical semi-arid Mediterranean area with a high rurality index, to understand the impacts of these measures against the economic crisis and suggest possible corrective measures to policymakers. The research has shown that despite the availability and variety of the instruments activated, not all enterprises were able to access the extraordinary measures, with a clear differentiation between micro-small and medium-large enterprises; not only that, but among the enterprises that were granted support, this often served to cover current expenditure (debt), rather than to support the enterprise in the path of approaching new markets or opening up to innovation. Therefore, it is suggested that interventions aimed at safeguarding economic sustainability should be developed so as not to compromise the role that these enterprises play for the territory as guardians of the environment, combating climate change, and supporting food security.

Cinemeducation improves early clinical exposure to inborn errors of metabolism.

Cinemeducation is an effective tool to help students develop humanistic skills. However, there was a need for more studies to find out if this can also be utilized to improve the interest and satisfaction of students learning about rare diseases such as the inborn errors of metabolism. The aim was to introduce cinemeducation as part of early clinical exposure and teach first-year MBBS students in the Department of Biochemistry about inborn errors of metabolism. This was a quasi-experimental, cross-over study involving 100 MBBS students. Movie clips prepared from Lorenzo's Oil (for Lipid metabolism) and Extraordinary Measures (for Lysosomal Storage Disease) and corresponding paper-based cases; questionnaires and feedback forms were validated by expert group review. Students' academic performance was improved in the groups where the Extraordinary Measures movie was used for cinemeducation. Still, this effect was not observed when the movie Lorenzo's Oil was used. Both learners and facilitators were satisfied with cinemeducation. Cinemeducation was effectively introduced to teach inborn errors of metabolism in the Department of Biochemistry topic-dependent manner.

State of exception, neoliberalism, and militarization of public security in Brazil

Brazil has historically employed a militarized strategy for public security, using violence as a means of social control over subordinate groups and repressing social and labor movements. The involvement of military personnel and state police in justice administration and politics reflects a distortion within the Brazilian state, which the 1988 Federal Constitution did not alleviate. Instead, since re-democratization, militarization has shifted from being an extraordinary measure to becoming the norm, representing an expansion of the state of exception. This trend has culminated in the military’s return to the political scene and the presidency. This article examines the complex relationship between the militarization of public security and the recent trend of radicalization in far-right political positions. The analysis centers on the theoretical debate regarding the relationship between a state of exception and neoliberalism. The research hypothesis posits a convergence between the militarization of politics, a state of exception, and state violence, which collectively impose limits on the rights enshrined in the country’s legal system.

Crude oil price behavior and the adoption of sustainable measures in companies before and after COVID-19

The objectives achieved in the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce dependence on fossil fuels have caused, in recent years, a growing importance on sustainability in companies in order to reduce Environmental, social and economic impacts. This study is focused on understanding how the variation in West Texas Intermediate crude oil prices affects the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, and therefore the companies included in it, and vice versa. The research aims to examine the statistical properties of both indices, using fractional integration methods, the fractional cointegration vector autoregressive (FCVAR) approach and the continuous wavelet transform (CWT) technique. The results warn of a change in trend, with the application of extraordinary measures being necessary to return to the original trend, while the analysis of cointegration and wavelet analysis measures reflect that an increase in those adopted based on sustainability by the different companies that make up the index imply a drop in the price of crude oil.

THE SOCIAL DIMENSION OF THE ASSET QUALITY REVIEW IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

During the financial crisis that started in 2008, banks in the European Union (EU) needed state aid to stay afloat. After years of bailing out failing banks with public money, which led to high public debt levels across the EU, the European Commission introduced the bail-in approach. This approach required stress tests and asset quality reviews (AQR) to identify capital shortfalls in the various banking systems. The idea was to review the quality of banks’ assets, including the collateral valuations and the adequacy of assets and other collateral provisions. This study focuses on the case of Slovenia, the first EU member state that applied a bail-in approach even before it became a legally binding law at the EU level. The Slovenian bail-in led to the cancellation of all subordinated obligations (shares or bonds) held by thousands of investors, mainly private individuals. The information asymmetry and data confidentiality argument together with the applied assumptions in AQR and stress tests have raised questions about the reliability and credibility of the national and EU authorities in this respect. This paper focuses on the social/human dimension of this case by presenting the current situation through the lens of the temporal dimension of former investors’ plight in their legal attempts to challenge those extraordinary measures. The paper revolves around data confidentiality and other issues that have contributed to the fact that this situation remains unresolved, more than ten years after the nationalisation measures. The finding of this analysis is that former investors have had no legal means to effectively challenge nationalisation measures because the authorities in Slovenia have failed to provide an appropriate tool that would be effective and available in practice.

Legal Regulation of the Use of Physical Force by Police Officers Under Martial Law

The legal regulation of the use of physical force by police officers is a critical issue in the system of public safety, particularly under martial law. In modern times, as countries face growing national security threats, the problem of ensuring that police use force both legally and appropriately becomes increasingly important. Martial law, which involves extraordinary measures by the state to protect its sovereignty and citizens, often grants law enforcement agencies expanded powers. These powers are intended to facilitate a quicker response to threats that may endanger both public order and national security. However, such expanded powers raise legal and ethical concerns regarding the boundaries of acceptable force. In the context of martial law, there is an urgent need to formalize the legal frameworks that govern the use of physical force by police officers. This includes not only national legislation but also international agreements that set standards for law enforcement conduct during crises. The complexity of maintaining public safety during military operations requires specific guidelines to ensure that law enforcement agencies act within the bounds of the law, while still effectively protecting citizens. This article focuses on analyzing how martial law affects the legal regulation of the use of force by police officers, using Ukraine as a case study. It highlights the key legislative challenges that have emerged in Ukraine since the introduction of martial law, such as ambiguities in the scope of police authority and gaps in existing regulations. Additionally, it offers recommendations for addressing these issues, emphasizing the need for clear and precise legal standards that balance public safety and the protection of human rights, even in times of crisis.

Securitization of local adaptation: Signs of riskification in a Dutch region

AbstractClimate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events and sea level rise, causing scholars to argue that it has become a security issue and that extraordinary measures are being legitimized by its perceived threat, referred to as securitization. Securitization of climate change has so far been studied predominantly in an international and occasionally national context. Little is known on how security dynamics play out on the local, subnational level. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated if and how adaptation to climate change (CCA) has been securitized for the water domain in a region in the Netherlands that is a CCA frontrunner: Dordrecht. Our case study comprised a detailed document analysis complemented with eight policymaker/expert interviews. In the discourses, actors and tools employed in the governance of CCA in Dordrecht we found signs of securitization in the form of riskification: risk terminology being used in CCA governance; greater involvement of risk and safety actors; and the development of new risk tools like risk and vulnerability analyses. However, securitization remains largely absent: CCA continues to be dealt with as a shared responsibility and as a cross‐sectoral policy issue to be integrated and mainstreamed to become the “new normal.”

Analýza judikatury Nejvyššího správního soudu týkající se požadavků na odůvodnění opatření podle tzv. pandemického zákona

The article reflects the requirements for the justification of extraordinary measures adopted pursuant to Act No. 94/2021 Sb. (the so-called Pandemic Act), which result from the case law of the Supreme Administrative Court of the Czech Republic. In addition to the requirements for the justification of extraordinary measures, a detailed analysis of all decisions of the Supreme Administrative Court concerning the relevant topic identifies the most important specific errors in the justification of extraordinary measures, as well as the limits of the justification of extraordinary measures, i.e. exceptions to the obligation to justify a specific legal regulation. The identified requirements and limits of the justification of extraordinary measures point to a balanced approach of the Supreme Administrative Court, which does not intend to substitute its decisions for the expert decisions of the primary decision-maker in emergency situations, but at the same time does not give up its role as a body reviewing general measures, even in a situation of uncertainty and changing conditions that accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic. On the basis of the requirements, limitations and specific errors identified in the justification of extraordinary measures adopted under the Pandemic Act, the article draws more general conclusions concerning the justification of acts of a public authority adopted during states of emergency, even outside the legislative framework of the Pandemic Act.

Impact of the 2022 Infant Formula Shortage on Neonatal Intensive Care Units.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine effects of the 2022 infant formula shortage as experienced by neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in the United States, a previously unreported perspective. Methods: A mixed-method approach was utilized. Data were collected using an online survey of NICU medical directors. Quantitative data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and Student's t test. Thematic analysis was utilized to make sense of patterns within the qualitative data. Results: Responses from 139 medical directors were received. Both academic (41.7%) and community (58.3%) NICUs were represented among respondents. Thirty-nine percent of NICU medical directors reported an impact on their unit by the infant formula shortage. Within the qualitative data four themes were revealed as follows: alterations to discharge planning, policy modifications, suboptimal solutions, and extraordinary measures. These themes may inform strategies for mitigation of future infant formula shortages. Conclusions: NICUs were significantly impacted by the infant formula shortage with likely lasting effects. From the reported experiences, clear recommendations have been formed to minimize effects of future infant formula shortages.

Conceptualizing the carceral state in contemporary India

Abstract In this article, I explore the extraordinary measures within prison environments in contemporary India that intensify the carceral experience. I use these elements to develop a culturally distinctive theory of the carceral state in India. To analyse questions of community resilience and people’s voices in the face of extensive carceralization, I draw on the work of People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR), a Delhi-based democratic rights organization, and analyse publicly available data on its activities and interventions over the past two decades.

Sesto San Giovanni Public Space Strategy to Unforeseen Emergencies after Covid-19 Experience

Abstract This paper explores the multifaceted impact of Covid-19 on Sesto San Giovanni, in the Milan metropolitan area. It analyzes the challenges faced by local businesses and how the city responded with extraordinary measures for public spaces, revitalizing commercial sectors, and adopting new coping mechanisms. The pandemic underscored the strategic importance of public spaces and commercial activities as vital infrastructures for societal well-being and resilience. Integrating outdoor amenities like dehors and parklets into urban redevelopment plans has boosted economic vitality and social cohesion, creating a vibrant and interconnected urban environment.

Lifestyles and Academic Stress in University Students of Health Sciences: A Mixed-Methodology Study.

The global health emergency generated by the COVID-19 pandemic (caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus) led to the implementation of extraordinary measures such as confinement and isolation in many countries to mitigate the spread of the virus. (1) This study analyzes the lifestyles and academic and perceived stresses of university students of health sciences during the period of online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The relationship between lifestyles and academic stress was examined. (2) A parallel mixed-method convergent study was conducted, with a correlational non-experimental design. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed in parallel, with parametric and nonparametric testing for quantitative data and Miles and Huberman's approach to qualitative analysis. The qualitative findings complemented the quantitative results. The number of students who participated in this study was 2734, from six programs in health, nursing, medicine, clinical laboratory, physiotherapy, dentistry, and clinical psychology at the University of Chimborazo, Ecuador. (3) Overall, the health science students had "Unhealthy or health-compromising lifestyles", medical students being the ones who have healthier lifestyles. However, more than 80% experienced and perceived stress during the period of online learning and social isolation due to the pandemic, women being the ones who experienced it at a higher level. (4) The online learning modality during the COVID-19 pandemic modified lifestyles and generated stress in health science students, due to changes in daily routines, sedentary lifestyle, and stress, as a result of social isolation. Therefore, the students prefer face-to-face teaching, perceived as enabling more enriching interactions with their teachers and peers and the opportunity to develop essential practical skills in their health practice.

Global Political Logics and Mainstream Discourses on Illness in the Declarations of the State of Exception in the Context of the Covid-19 Pandemic: The Case of the USA, France, and Spain.

At the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, several countries declared "states of exception," that is, authorized legal devices that, in the face of circumstances deemed catastrophic, permit the implementation of extraordinary measures and the temporary suspension of some rights in order to restore the previous state of affairs as soon as possible. This paper offers a comparative textual analysis of the different states of exception declared in the USA, France, and Spain. I argue that these texts constitute a privileged site to explore how prevalent global political logics and mainstream discourses on illness are interwoven. Regarding the global political logics in play, I hold that these declarations constitute an instantiation of democracy's autoimmune character; it attacks itself in order to protect itself. Regarding mainstream discourses on illness, I explore how illness is regarded as a threat to one's self (by something seemingly other) and the notion that therapy must consist of securing the self's triumph over anything seemingly other. This twofold analysis reveals that an aporetic dialectic between self and other-as regards politics and illness-operates in these declarations, most likely because it is, in fact, one and the same dialectic, upon which Western epistemology rests. Furthermore, I suggest that these texts reflect and promote these dominant logics, contributing to shape human relationships around the globe in a certain dangerous way.

In Situ and Ex Situ Conservation of Ornamental Geophytes in Poland

The protection of biological diversity in nature and in agriculture, including the production of ornamental crops, has become increasingly important in Poland as well as worldwide. The Convention on Biological Diversity, signed in 1992 at the Earth Summit of the UN in Rio de Janeiro and ratified by the Polish government in 1995, imposed new regulations related to the protection of nature and the genetic resources of cultivated crops in Poland. The conservation of the genera, varieties and cultivars of ornamental geophytes—a group of plants of great interest from a botanical and physiological, but also a horticultural point of view—takes place in situ (both in nature and in the places of cultivation) and through the establishment of ex situ gene banks and collections. The natural genetic resources of ornamental geophytes include species from the genera Allium, Fritillaria, Gladiolus, Iris, Leucojum, Lilium and Muscari, among others, and more than a dozen species are protected by law due to varying degrees of threats. Botanical gardens play an essential role in the conservation of endangered species. Their activities focus on genus monitoring, managing ex situ gene banks (including National Collections), developing propagation methods and carrying out their reintroduction. In order to protect the national genetic resources of cultivated plants, the National Centre for Plant Genetic Resources at the Plant Breeding and Acclimatisation Institute—National Research Institute, under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, was established. Concerning ornamental geophytes, the National Centre coordinates two field collections of cultivars of the genera Gladiolus, Lilium, Narcissus and Tulipa, which are of great economic importance and have a long tradition of breeding in Poland. The first one is located at the National Institute of Horticultural Research in Skierniewice (central Poland), and the second one is at the Experimental Substation of Variety Testing in Lisewo (northern Poland). The history of tulip collections in Poland dates back to the 1960s. At that time, the first breeding work for this species began. The collection of bulbous crops in Skierniewice is currently one of the largest in Poland, with a total of 934 accessions. Most of them are tulips (522) and lilies (222). Other plants in the collection in Skierniewice are gladiolus and narcissus. The most valuable accessions are grown under special protection (tunnels with dense nets) to guard against insects and maintain a mild climate inside. The genetic resources of the ornamental bulb plant collection in Lisewo currently consist of 611 accessions, mainly tulips (358), daffodils (121) and gladioli (132). All bulbous crops in both collections (Skierniewice and Lisewo) are grown in accordance with all principles of agrotechnics (negative field selection, fertilisation, soil maintenance). A particularly important task of botanical gardens, universities, research institutes and the National Centre is leading research on the methods of storage for survival organs, in vitro cultures and cryopreservation. We have discovered that the various activities for the species conservation of ornamental geophytes require a great deal of constantly deepening knowledge and extraordinary measures, including frequent monitoring of the effects of the applied measures.

Delivering HIV and TB services amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia: a qualitative study of challenges and mitigation strategies

Background Indonesia has the second-highest burden of tuberculosis (TB) globally and is experiencing one of the fastest-growing HIV epidemics worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted access to essential health services, including those for TB and HIV, due to health system overload, social distancing measures, and negative economic repercussions on the health sector and the population. An in-depth understanding of these challenges and the health system responses to mitigate the negative impact of the pandemic on TB and HIV services is crucial to building health system resilience and preparing for future emergencies. Methods This qualitative study, conducted in two cities in Indonesia, explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on TB and HIV services including mitigation strategies to sustain the provision of testing and treatment in the midst of the pandemic. Between February and June 2022, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 healthcare workers and 16 clients at nine health centers (puskesmas), three hospitals, and one Community Center for Lung Health in Bandung and Yogyakarta. Themes were identified from transcripts using open and selective coding and then refined. Results Extraordinary measures were implemented in health facilities to sustain TB and HIV service delivery, and prevent the spread of COVID-19, including testing of clients for COVID-19 before receiving medical care, physical distancing when visiting healthcare facilities, revised schedules for medicine dispensing, involvement of community health workers and peers in community outreach activities such as the home delivery of medicines, and the use of telemedicine. Challenges encountered during the implementation of these strategies included medicine stock-outs, health worker overload, lack of sufficient client-provider interaction and technical difficulties when implementing telemedicine, and the risk or fear of exposure to COVID-19 among the community health workers and peers. Conclusions Significant efforts were made to mitigate disruptions to TB and HIV services during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, some challenges were encountered. Key policy recommendations to strengthen pandemic preparedness include investing in local manufacturing and robust drug supply networks to prevent medicine shortages, and supporting community health workers to alleviate workload issues, reduce the risk of disease exposure, and explore the potential for a financial incentive system. Equally vital is the need to invest in staff training and education, as well as implementing user-friendly telemedicine technologies.

A Critical Analysis of the European Union (EU) Securitization of African Migration as Societal Insecurity

This paper focuses on the version of EU constructed interrelation between migration and security whereby African migration (regular and mostly irregular) is perceived threatening to the European civilization and national security with the need for extraordinary measures to address it. This delineates how African migration to Europe becomes securitized and the basic tenets of the securitization substantiate how it has been one-sidedly portrayed. The EU securitization approach towards African migration and its counterproductive outcomes have attracted the attention of this research. This approach is criticized to have created a distorted stereotypical image about African migrants generally while it has failed to prioritize and address the different socio-economic and political conditions fueling irregular migration from the continent. This research has relied on secondary sources and employs a qualitative research method, which reviews current literature on the topic under study. It aims to critically analyze the EU securitization of African migration as societal insecurity with the use of Copenhagen School of Security Study (CSS) conceptualization of securitization and societal security as structural and theoretical framework of the study. CSS elucidates the possibility of transferring a non-political issue or event into the field of security through a speech act, which is known as securitization, and international migration is one of the common focus areas of securitization theory. This research keys on deconstructing the general perception of African migrants as existential threats to the European society compelling xenophobia and societal security issues, necessitating various strict migration policies adopted against African migrants.

Title Legal Aspects in Approaching the National Mobilization System from the Administrative Perspective

Abstract The state of mobilization represents the totality of extraordinary measures determined by intrinsic and extrinsic factors, and may be declared simultaneously with the establishment of the state of siege or the declaration of the state of war. According to the regulations in force, upon the appearance or imminence of a serious threat that may affect the sovereignty, independence and unity of the state, the territorial integrity of the country and constitutional democracy, measures can be instituted that target the political, economic, social, administrative, diplomatic, legal and military fields. The complexity of the mobilization is supported by the existence of a national system of mobilization that includes management and execution structures that have attributions in the field of mobilization, structures that benefit from the resources, infrastructure and related relations, allocated according to the law. The resizing of the public administration during the state of demobilization does not only take into account the structural component - the authorities and public institutions with the role of leading and executing the national mobilization system - but also the functional component that calls on the human, material and financial resources that are secured and used in the provided situations.

Ethical Pitfalls in Research with Young People: How Can They Be Identified and Addressed?

This article aims to shed light on ethical pitfalls that may occur when researchers conduct research with young people (aged 15–24). Young age itself does not automatically indicate vulnerability. Yet, young research participants may be in need of extraordinary measures that safeguard their well-being. The presented pitfalls centre around the issues of consent, power and agency, and relationships and confidentiality. The article contributes to the research literature by creating awareness about these ethical pitfalls that otherwise may pass by unnoticed and by exploring how such pitfalls may be avoided or addressed. To this purpose, the authors build upon the existing knowledge base and reflect upon their own experiences as youth researchers. The article may be used as a thinking or discussion tool and concludes with recommendations that may become part of youth researchers’ ethical toolkit.

The Double-Headed Eagle, Richard of Cornwall, and Grain from Almaine: Reconfigurations of Rulership during the Famine of 1256–58 in the Wake of the Samalas Eruption

The environmental crisis following the eruption of the Samalas volcano in the mid-1250s led to a massive dearth of grain and severe famine crisis across Europe from 1256 onwards. English chroniclers and other contemporaries commented extensively on these effects at the time, and Richard of Cornwall responded to the famine in 1258 by organizing grain shipments. Although there are few instances of monarchs intervening at this scale on behalf of broad sections of the population in the thirteenth century, scholars have largely ignored Richard’s attempts to alleviate the famine. The article suggests that it was his close contacts with merchants from Lübeck that enabled him to access such ressources, while the grain imports were a key element in the emerging trade with Baltic producers for English grain provisioning. The ruler’s approach can probably best be explained by his kinship ties to Henry III, his English estates and his own experiences in the Mediterranean region. In this context we also find the first representation of the double-headed eagle coat of arms on profane objects in use for bulk goods like grain, adding a heraldic layer to an extraordinary monarchical relief measure.