Mobile Forms Research Articles

Why “Trying to Keep the War Alive”?: Exploring the Shanghai Postcolonial Flâneur in J. G. Ballard’s Empire of the Sun

ABSTRACT J. G. Ballard’s novel Empire of the Sun narrates how Jim, a British boy, survives in wartime Shanghai, particularly after the 1941 Japanese invasion. Existing interpretations of this story as a “Bildungsroman” have largely neglected Jim’s abnormal inclinations to “keep the war alive” even as the Japanese army faces defeat. To unravel this paradox, this paper draws upon the concept of “postcolonial flâneur”, and proposes that as a flâneur Jim’s Shanghai life encompasses evolving forms of mobility, reflecting shifting colonial relations. On the surface, Jim’s journey may appear as a tale of personal growth, yet it exposes an underlying colonialist mentality infused with imperial chauvinism. By placing the novel within the comparative context of Western and Eastern coming-of-age narrative traditions, the study also explores why Western interpretations tend to accept this paradox as natural, while Eastern perspectives may take a more critical stance.

Academic Mobility as a Strategic Vector of Quality Training of Future Specialists in the Era of Globalisation and Development of Educational Innovations

The article reveals the essence and analyses the conceptual foundations of academic mobility through the prism of its impact on the quality of educational services in modern universities. The close connection between academic mobility, globalisation processes and the rapid development of educational innovations aimed at integrating national higher education systems into a unified European educational area and the global knowledge society is emphasised. It stresses that academic mobility is one of the most important features of the modern education system and an effective tool for improving the quality of human capital. Based on analysis of academic literature and legal documents, the essence of the terms «mobility» and «academic mobility» is presented and the types and forms of academic mobility are defined. It is noted that one of the indicators of successful development of the global market of educational services is international academic mobility, participation in which contributes not only to improving the quality and competitiveness of the national higher education system in the global market of educational services, but also to improving mutual understanding between peoples and cultures, optimising educational intercultural communication, creating conditions for professional and personal self-realisation, formation of highly qualified specialists capable of acting effectively in a dynamic world. The article describes international academic exchange programmes aimed at supporting research and innovation in the field of education and science.

Pedals and throttles: Ride‐along experimental journeys with Hanoi's cyclo and motorbike taxi drivers

AbstractIn this article, we analyse the effectiveness of ride‐alongs, a specific mobile method, to better understand the daily realities of informal mobile livelihoods in Hanoi, Vietnam. The field of mobile methods has seen significant advances both within and beyond geography. Yet, there is still an absence of literature comparing the benefits and drawbacks of using a consistent mobile method across different forms of mobility in the same context, such as pedal‐powered versus motorised transport. Additionally, studies specifically addressing the daily experiences of informal cyclo (trishaw) drivers in Vietnam are scarce. Our paper aims to fill these gaps by evaluating the effectiveness of ride‐along interviews in understanding the mobility and livelihood challenges faced by informal cyclo and motorbike taxi (xe ôm) drivers in Hanoi, who navigate the city's dense and chaotic traffic to earn a living. Ride‐alongs provide a unique perspective on the city's informal transportation sector, uncovering new insights into the nuanced micro‐mobilities and rapid decision‐making required of these drivers. Cyclo drivers navigate Hanoi's streets with considerations for tourist appeal, physical exertion, and police avoidance. Meanwhile, xe ôm drivers manoeuvre through alleyways and roads, balancing efficiency, speed, and passenger demands. Both groups are concerned with circumventing often‐corrupt police, managing local traffic conditions, and adapting to changing weather patterns. This comparative study reveals the benefits and insights gained from ride‐along interviews with mobile informal economy workers, highlighting the similarities and differences in the choices and tactics these drivers employ. The method allows for a deeper understanding of how vehicle type, physical demands, and the socio‐political environment shape the split‐second decisions these drivers must make to maintain their livelihoods on Hanoi's streets.

Occupational and social mobility of skilled migrants: an intersectional analysis

ABSTRACT Research on skilled migration has grown substantially in recent years. Drawing on 58 in-depth interviews with skilled Americans in China, this paper explores how the intersectionality of race, gender, and citizenship shapes their occupational and social mobility, and whether these two forms of mobility align. The findings suggest that skilled migrants’ social identities simultaneously create both advantages and disadvantages in their occupational and social mobility. I coined the term ‘glass box’ to describe their experiences: while many enjoyed enhanced occupational mobility, they eventually hit a ‘glass ceiling’ that blocked access to top positions and faced ‘glass walls’ that pigeonholed them into a narrow range of occupations. However, their social identities also brought privileges, forming a ‘glass floor’ that protected them from employment precarity. Their social mobility, extending beyond occupational mobility, improved to varying degrees after migration to China but declined rapidly and unexpectedly following the outbreak of COVID-19. While changes to skilled Americans’ occupational and social mobility aligned most of the time, there were notable exceptions where these two forms of mobility shifted in opposite directions. Such contradictory experiences highlight the persistent structural barriers that shape their professional and social trajectories.

ENVIRONMENTAL CIVIL LIABILITY OF CARGO TRANSPORTERS AND ENVIRONMENTAL MORAL DAMAGE

This article aims to analyze the environmental civil liability of cargo carriers and the (im)possibility of environmental moral damages occurring in such a type of contract. Since the beginning of time, human beings – thinking animals – have had the need to move themselves and their objects for their own survival and that of their loved ones. To this end, over the years, it became necessary for Civil Law to regulate such a form of mobility through a transportation contract. From this perspective, but without the intention of exhausting the subject, the focus will be on the transportation contract from the perspective of environmental law. The environmental civil liability of those who transport objects and people will be investigated, focusing on the possibility of applying, or not, environmental moral damages in such contracts.

Introduction: Mobilizing during COVID-19: social movements in times of crisis

ABSTRACT Early 2020 saw the beginning of a pandemic that triggered an unprecedented global health crisis and economic turmoil. The COVID-19 pandemic also crucially affected the dynamics of political mobilization in social movements. This introduction seeks to reflect on such effects. In particular, we ask: How did the pandemic change or hinder existing struggles? To what extent did new activist networks, issues, and forms of action emerge? Drawing on the special issue’s contributions, we highlight how the pandemic gave way to new incentives and forms of mobilization, in particular the anti-lockdown protests with covid-specific claims, and actor constellations that often brought together people with diverse ideological orientations. These mobilizations were crucially facilitated by social media, bringing together previously disconnected people and harnessing heightened emotions of fear, anger, distrust, uncertainty, and anxiety. At the same time, existing movements continued their work on longer standing issues and often effectively adapted their organizational infrastructures, repertoires of action, or goals to a new set of priorities and circumstances. As in other crises, the pandemic spurred mutual aid and solidarity activism for those most affected by the pandemic.

Investigation of in-field heterogeneities in the development of soybean according to remote sensing data and properties of the plow horizon (on the example of the south of the Far East)

Assessment of crop heterogeneities is one of the key conditions for predicting crop yield and increasing the economic efficiency of farming. The aim of the study is to develop methods for assessing in-field heterogeneities of soybean based on remote sensing data and to determine the relationship between soybean productivity indicators and soil characteristics. The work was carried out on meadow-brown heavy loamy soil, 10 plots of soybean field with a total area of 36.9 ha (Khabarovsk Krai) were selected for sampling in May and August 2023. The research was based on the results of remote sensing data processing (Sentinel-2 satellite, DJI Mavic3M quadrocopter), assessment of soybean productivity indicators, agrochemical, physical and chemical characteristics of soils and micro- and macroelement composition. The spatial distribution of NDVI modeled from Sentinel-2 data (early August) corresponded to the distribution of NDVI from DJI Mavic3M data. NDVI index values in August 2023 were found to be significantly correlated with soybean height (R = 0.64) and number of beans (R = 0.64). Soil moisture has a positive correlation with NDVI (R = 0.87) and soybean height (R = 0.68) for the entire growing season of the crop. NDVI was positively correlated with Hg (R = 0.79) and negatively correlated with pH (R = –0.79). The content of N-NO3 ranged from 2.51 to 6.84 mg/kg (V = 35.12 %), mobile forms of Р2О5 – from 2.47 to 6.07 mg/100 g (V = 33.13 %), К2О – from 4.98 to 9.37 mg/100 g (V = 20.07 %). The variability of N-NO3 and Р2О5 content decreased to 11.61 % and 21.99 % by August. No significant changes in soil bulk composition were observed between the first and second sampling. Variation of content of rare-earth elements (Sc, Y, lanthanides) in the selected sites did not exceed 5 %. By the date of the second sampling a significant decrease by 4–10.5 % (p 0.05) in the content of rare earth elements in soil was noted.

Legitimation strategies in emerging ecosystems: The case of advanced air mobility in Hamburg

This study provides insights into the legitimation process of emerging ecosystems and strengthens the conceptual link between entrepreneurial ecosystems and economic geography. It examines existing theoretical frameworks on legitimation strategies in emerging entrepreneurial ecosystems by inquiring into advanced air mobility (AAM), an area in which innovation faces exceptionally high legitimation challenges. The initial integration of drones for logistics and air taxis for passenger transport is surrounded by ambiguous future visions that range from high expectations to concerns about developing a mobility form that is neither sustainable nor socially acceptable and affordable. Empirically, this article offers an analytical understanding of the collective legitimation strategies within the emerging AAM ecosystem in Hamburg, Germany. For this, we used multiple qualitative methods and data sources: (1) a contextualizing network analysis, (2) semi-structured interviews with 22 representatives of tech and policy development, and (3) participatory observation from applied research projects. Based on the empirical material, we find that the current conceptual debate underestimates the public sector's role in ecosystem emergence and legitimation. As AAM depends on fundamental regulatory change, authorities and state-owned companies in the aviation sector have a decisive influence on the emergence of the ecosystem. Furthermore, our findings highlight how global discourses shape local practices and expectations. By combining cross-sectoral knowledge, entrepreneurs and policymakers aim to identify feasible use cases for their place-specific context. Nevertheless, the lack of a collective identity within the ecosystem, which comes largely from the uncertainties of AAM, poses numerous challenges for ecosystem participants addressing their liability of newness.

Effect of long-term application of pig slurry and NPK fertilizers on trace metal content in the soil.

One of the goals of sustainable agricultural production is to avoid soil contamination by elements defined as trace metals (TMs). The aim of this study was to assess the long-term impact of the use of pig slurry (PS) and NPK mineral fertilizers on the soil content of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn). In a 9-year crop rotation, PS was used three times only before root crops. The same four levels of NPK doses (N0P0K0, N1P1K1, N3P2K2, N4P2K2) were applied to both plots with and without PS. Soil samples were collected in early spring from topsoil (0-0.3m) and subsoil (0.3-0.6m). Three forms of TMs were determined in the soil: pseudo-total (Aqua regia); bioavailable (Mehlich 3 method) and readily bioavailable (mobile) forms (1M NH4NO3). The tested factors did not have a significant impact on the Cd, Cu and Pb content, regardless of the form analyzed and the soil depth. PS application significantly increased the content of bioavailable forms of Zn regardless of the year, and the content of pseudo-total Zn only in the sugar beet year, i.e. after manure application. Increasing NPK doses increased the content of mobile Zn in the topsoil, especially in PS plots. A tendency to accumulate mobile forms of Cd and Pb was also observed on NPK-fertilized plots. Thus, long-term application of high NPK doses may increase the risk of contamination of the food chain with these metals. The content of mobile Cd and Zn was positively related to the content of total nitrogen in the soil and negatively related to pH.

Влияние биологических и гуминовых препаратов на динамику подвижных форм азота в черноземе обыкновенном при возделывании нута

The results of a field experiment to study the influence of biological preparations on the dynamics of mobile forms of nitrogen in 2021-2023 are presented. The tests were carried out in the conditions of the Rostov region, on ordinary carbonate chernozems. The experimental design included bacterial (“Planriz”, “Geostim”) and humic (“BIO-Don 10”, potassium humate) preparations, as well as different nutrition levels (without fertilizers and azofoska 250 kg/ha). Mineral nitrogen is characterized by high mobility; data on hydrothermal conditions and the dynamics of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen by year and nutrition level are presented. It has been established that the use of humic preparations stimulates plant nutrition, which is expressed in negative dynamics compared to the control; this effect is enhanced by the combined use of bacterial and humic preparations. As a result, an increase in yield up to 28.0 % compared to the control and up to 24.9 % compared to the background.

Resisting or negotiating wind energy dispossession: class and caste in changing rural Kutch

ABSTRACT This article analyses the political reactions of Kutch district villagers, in Western India, facing wind turbine projects as a complex political terrain of resistance shaped by the materiality of dispossession and local configurations of agrarian power. I argue that the terrain of resistance got diluted and dispersed towards individual actions aimed at negotiating dispossession through caste capital, while other power and caste scenarios have rendered collective resistance movements possible, up to a certain point. Deploying a class-caste analysis of land conflicts in rural India, this reveals continuity not only with traditional agrarian struggles but also with caste politics and excluding forms of mobilisation.

Effect of slow-release mineral fertilizer on the intensity of phosphorus and potassium mobilization in soil

The search for new technologies for effective regulation of yield and soil fertility is an urgent task. The use of slow-release fertilizers can simultaneously solve both problems – reducing fertilizer rates and increasing the mobilization of soil nutrients. In this paper, the mechanism of slow-release fertilizer effect on the mobilization rate of soil nutrients was investigated using mathematical modeling on the data of field trials with winter wheat. It is shown that in the plots with the slowest dissolving fertilizer (azofoska with 20% content of polyvinyl alcohol), the highest efficiency of azofoska was achieved (an increase in yield of 1.3 t/ha and an increase in mobile forms of phosphorus in the soil of 2.5 mg/100 g soil, potassium – 8.8 mg/100 g soil and nitrate nitrogen – 4.7 mg/100 g soil). The results of phosphorus modeling quantitatively confirmed the assumption that the low rate of dissolution of fertilizer enhances the mobilization of nutrients from soil due to the absence of an excess of plant available nutrients. We provide estimates of the polymer added efficiency for a series of polymer-modified fertilizer. It is shown that this form of fertilizer can be applied to effectively reduce the amount of fertilizer required for the planned harvest, simultaneously with the possibility of bringing the soil to a higher level of effective fertility in major nutrient elements.

THEORETICAL BASIS OF EDUCATIONAL TOURISM: INTERNATIONAL ASPECT

International educational mobility plays a crucial role in the advancement of science and education, with far-reaching implications for socio-economic development. The growing number of internationally mobile students intensifies competition among host countries, which goes beyond the market for educational services. In the long run, it is the competition for human capital that is crucial for economic development. This study aims to deepen the understanding of educational tourism as a distinct form of educational mobility. The article reviews the literature and analyses existing approaches to the definition of educational tourism. By analysing different types of educational mobility, the paper proposes a classification based on the goals, age of travellers and stages of career development that better emphasises the unique features of educational tourism. Taking into account the interdisciplinary nature of educational tourism, the paper considers it within the framework of the concept that the authors call "MET: Mobility, Education, Tourism". This approach allowed the authors to propose a definition of educational tourism that better reflects the nature of this phenomenon and distinguishes it from other types of educational mobility. The authors have identified key factors that influence the development of educational tourism, including technological progress, globalisation of education, economic factors, government initiatives, educational innovations and current trends in the labour market. Based on the findings, this paper offers principles for promoting educational tourism, emphasising the concept of Tourist Lifetime Value (TLV). This approach takes a long-term view of educational travel, taking into account the potential for lifelong learning and repeat visits. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of educational tourism, providing a basis for developing effective strategies to stimulate its growth and enhance its positive socio-economic impact on both host and home countries.

Assessment of Heavy Metals (Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn) Bioaccumulation and Translocation by Erigeron canadensis L. in Polluted Soil

This work aims to assess the bioavailability and bioaccumulation of Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn in the soil–plant system (Erigeron canadensis L.) in the zone of anthropogenic impact in Dnipro city, a significant industrial and economic centre of Ukraine. Sampling was carried out at three locations at distances of 1.0 km, 5.5 km, and 12.02 km from the main emission sources associated with battery production and processing plants in Dnipro. The concentrations of heavy metals such as Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn were analysed using atomic emission spectrometry from soil and parts of Erigeron canadensis L. The highest concentrations of elements in the soil, both for the mobile form and the total form, were determined to be 48.96 mg kg−1 and 7830.0 mg kg−1, respectively, for Pb in experimental plot 1. The general ranking of accumulation of elements in all experimental plots, both for the plant as a whole and for its parts, was as follows: Zn > Cu > Cr > Pb. Zn for plants was the most available heavy metal among all studied sites and had the highest metal content in the plant (339.58 mg kg−1), plant uptake index (PUI-506.84), bioabsorption coefficient (BAC-314.9), and bioconcentration coefficient (BCF-191.94). According to the results of the study, it is possible to evaluate Erigeron canadensis L. as a hyperaccumulator of Zn, Cu, and Cr and recommend it for phytoextraction of soils contaminated with Zn, Cu, and Cr and phytostabilization of soils contaminated with Pb.

Administrative Lawfare at the European Union’s External Borders: Some Perspectives on Administrative Regulation of NGO Search and Rescue Activities in Italy and the Situation at the Polish-Belarusian Border

Abstract Violations of the rights of migrants by state actors at the EU’s external borders, including through the use of pushbacks and indiscriminate violence, both on land and sea, have resulted in NGOs, lawyers and citizen activists engaging in forms of humanitarian action and legal mobilization aimed at contesting inhumane state policies. State actors can similarly rely on various legal tools to create a chilling effect and a hostile environment for migrants’ rights activism. Such practices can be considered to constitute a form of lawfare against migrants’ rights activism, an instrumental and hegemonic use of the law in order to weaken support for migrants. The use of criminal law has been a common tool of lawfare at the European Union’s external borders. However, administrative law is increasingly being used to bring activists into compliance with states’ interests, creating compliant environments through the use of regulatory instruments and administrative sanctions. To critically assess the instrumental use of administrative law as a form of lawfare, it makes sense to review their application at the EU’s external borders. A good opportunity for such a review is being provided by looking at the administrative regulation of search and rescue (SAR) operations in the Mediterranean creating a hostile environment for SAR NGOs in the case of Italy, and the instrumental use of administrative regulations to limit access for activists to the Polish-Belarusian border in the case of Poland.

Why do sustainable shared mobility practices not proliferate more widely? Insights from digital mobility diaries

Sharing instead of owning consumer goods should significantly reduce their production and the associated environmental damages. However, this ecological promise has yet to be fulfilled, even in mobility, where sharing practices have become mainstream. This is because the most widespread mobility-sharing practice (free-floating carsharing) has the lowest ecological benefit. This study asks why the adoption of more ecologically beneficial shared mobility practices remains lower, addressing this question through digital ethnography. Using digital mobility diaries for three weeks, 21 respondents documented their mobility practices (including various shared mobility practices and private car travel) by uploading pictures, videos and text notes on a dedicated smartphone application. The data show that free-floating carsharing has proliferated because it can leverage the ‘system of automobility’ as its users are relatively monomodal. Other shared mobility services function well; however, we found that they have not proliferated as widely because the overall multimodal mobility mix (e.g. walking, cycling, public transport, on-demand sharing) associated with this form of shared mobility is highly demanding. Better conditions for multimodal mobility, created through appropriate infrastructure, are crucial for sustainable shared mobility practices to spread. However, space limitations mean this will likely come at the expense of car-centred infrastructure and necessitate its exnovation.

ANALYSIS OF THE INCIDENCE OF DIARRHEA IN TODDLERS 0-59 MONTHS IN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS

Diarrhea is one of the major health problems in children under five in many countries. Diarrhea can cause dehydration, impaired growth, and even death in children under five if not treated appropriately. Puskesmas areas are often the center of public health services, and understanding the incidence of diarrhea in children under five in these areas is important for developing effective prevention and control strategies. The research design is crossectional which aims to analyze the incidence of diarrhea in toddlers 0-59 months. Independent variables in this study are parental education, nutritional status, hand washing habits before feeding, exclusive breastfeeding, clean water sources, and family latrines. While the dependent variable is the incidence of diarrhea. The sampling technique was proportional random sampling. Proportional random sampling. Sample calculation using the lemeshow formula obtained a total of 90 with an anticipated dropout of 10% so that the sample involved in this study was 99. The analysis used was univariate, bivariate, and multivariate. The results of the study reported that there was a relationship between parental education, nutritional status, hand washing habits, exclusive breastfeeding, clean water sources, and latrines on the incidence of diarrhea in toddlers 0-59 months in the Jayapura Health Center Area, East Ogan Komering Ulu Regency in 2024. The most dominant variable associated is the family latrine variable. This research is recommended to further strengthen the role of posyandu and the role of cadres as a form of community mobilization so that the ODF village declaration so that PHBS runs and the incidence of diarrhea in toddlers can be overcome

ФОРМЫ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ МЕЖДУНАРОДНОЙ АКАДЕМИЧЕСКОЙ МОБИЛЬНОСТИ В ВУЗЕ

The article raises issues of international education in the global educational space. The work is devoted to studying the organization of the main forms of international academic mobility in Russian universities. The experience of organizing large-scale and academic mobility, as well as its form, is described. An analysis and assessment of the degree of implementation of various forms of mobility at the Department of Training of Foreign Specialists of Volgograd State Technical University was carried out. The main prospects for the development of such international forms of academic mobility are highlighted.

Active commuting as a form of sustainable urban mobility: The case of the Brno Metropolitan Area

Abstract Environmentally friendly alternatives to motorised transport have recently become a topic of discussion among political representatives. To achieve sustainable urban mobility objectives, political discussions have focused on promoting cycling, walking and using public transport in cities. These modes of transportation are attractive ways of commuting to and from work for a portion of the population. In the literature, there is a growing interest in the phenomenon of active commuting. This paper examines the spatio-temporal patterns and practices of active commuting and evaluates their significance in the context of sustainable urban mobility. The empirical research is based on data obtained from a questionnaire survey and semistructured interviews conducted in 2023 in the Brno Metropolitan Area. Based on the data, three categories of active commuting were identified, namely pragmatic active commuting, physical active commuting, and combined active commuting, which differ in the implementation of different spatio-temporal practices. For the development of sustainable transport in the city, it is necessary to promote the construction of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, with the aim of making movement for pedestrians and cyclists more straightforward, efficient, and safer, including paying attention to actions leading to the embedding of this mode of transport in the wider societal context.

Shades of presence in post-2011 Tunisia: evolving political positions in feminist and queer activism

ABSTRACT This article rethinks the concept of presence in feminist theory through the empirical study of Tunisian feminist and queer movements after the 2010–11 revolution. Over the past decade, these movements have displayed various forms of mobilisation, revealing different shades of presence/absence. Some strategies focused on gaining visibility within institutions and physical public spaces, while others showed new forms of disembodied, digitally mediated presence/absence. With the recent rise of cyber-authoritarianism, a re-calibration of positions of presence/absence have enriched our understanding of presence. Building on interviews and social media content analysis from 2017 to 2023, the article challenges the widespread notion that physical presence equates to empowerment and absence to disempowerment. It argues that presence and absence are political positions within a spectrum of contention, influenced by political opportunities, and calls for the recognition of multiple, disembodied and hybrid forms of presence/absence.