Global Boom Research Articles

The Missing Pictures: Southern European Catholic Missionaries, Humanitarian Photography and the Fall of the Portuguese Empire in Mozambique

This article contributes to two sets of growing historiographies: one on the role of religious actors in the fall of European Empires; and another one on humanitarian photography. The article’s focus is on the visual campaign organised by a network of Southern European Catholic missionaries to denounce colonial massacres during the war of independence in Mozambique. Whereas the written reports made by the missionaries have been the object of lengthy research, the paper reveals the very specific use the missionaries made of humanitarian photography in a context characterized by the Estado Novo’s fierce censorship. Despite the missionaries’ atrocity pictures failed to persuade the Church hierarchy to publicly condemn the Portuguese crimes, the paper demonstrates how the leap of their images into the public domain had a major rhetorical and symbolic role both in facilitating the fall of the Portuguese Empire and in legitimising FRELIMO’s postcolonial authority. Moreover, given the concurrence of the denunciation campaign with the fall of fascism in Portugal and the global boom of the Human Rights movement in the 1970s, the paper also explores the particularities of the entangled history of decolonisation, humanitarianism and human rights when seen through the eyes of Southern European actors.

Canine courtship: Zoomorphism in Japanese Boys Love Omegaverse manga

In 2010, in the English-language kink fanfiction community of the American television show Supernatural (2005–20), the Omegaverse genre emerged. In this universe, humans have canine-like sexual characteristics and society is structured around a sexual hierarchy stratified by whether one is an alpha, a beta or an omega. In the years since, the genre has spread globally, finding particular popularity in Japanese Boys Love (BL) media. The Omegaverse represents one part of a global boom in zoomorphism, the depiction of humans with animal-like characteristics, for representing and understanding human societal norms. Through a textual and discourse analysis of three Japanese Omegaverse BL manga series and associated reviews from BL fan site Chill Chill, this article discusses the appeal of zoomorphism, its boom in popularity and the reasons for its global spread. Drawing on animal studies, I highlight how the Omegaverse provides a space to critique and explore issues surrounding relationships in the real world, arguing that this suggests that the global appeal of zoomorphism is in how the animal can reflect what it means to be human.

A review of research on the development of low-orbit Internet constellations

In recent years, with the surge in Internet users, innovative companies such as SpaceX and OneWeb have planned to build low-orbit Internet constellations, triggering a global boom in the development of low-orbit satellite Internet constellations. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the development of low-orbit Internet constellations at home and abroad and the technical difficulties currently faced by low-orbit Internet constellations in their development. This paper first introduces three representative low-orbit Internet constellation plans abroad (Starlink, OneWeb, Lightspeed) and the latest development of domestic constellations. Then, based on the characteristics of low-orbit Internet constellations, the five major technical challenges faced by low-orbit Internet constellations are analyzed in detail: constellation relative motion evolution prediction, constellation autonomous navigation and orbit determination, constellation variable path planning, constellation self-organization collaborative control, constellation communication and network services. Finally, based on the current development trend of low-orbit Internet constellations, suggestions are given for the development of low-orbit Internet constellations in my country based on my country's national conditions.

ChatGPT adoption and its influence on faculty well-being: An empirical research in higher education

Rapid technological advancements of recent decades have fueled, among other aspects, a global boom in the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) tools across a variety of areas. Higher education, like other domains, has embraced these innovations, with ChatGPT emerging as one of the latest additions. Faculty perception, ability, and willingness to adopt these new tools remain fundamental factors in understanding their proliferation and adoption. However, it’s equally important to strike a balance between reaping the benefits of technology and safeguarding the well-being of faculty members. Against this backdrop, this study assesses the impact of a series of factors on ChatGPT adoption among university faculty members, taking as reference the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Additionally, we analyze the impact of ChatGPT adoption on faculty well-being. All hypotheses are tested using covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM). The findings highlight the positive influence of perceived usefulness, ease of use and enjoyment on ChatGPT adoption. Moreover, ChatGPT adoption seems to boost faculty’ happiness and energy, while diminishing their stress levels. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed in the last section.

Meta-Regulation: An ideal alternative to the primary responsibility as the regulatory model of generative AI in China

Generative AI with stronger responsiveness and emergent abilities has triggered a global boom and is facing challenges such as data compliance risks during the pretraining process and risks of generating fake information, which has raised concerns among global regulatory authorities. The European Union, United States, United Kingdom, and other countries and regions are gradually establishing risk-based, scenario-based, and outcome-based governance models for generative AI. China recently introduced new regulations for the management of generative AI, which adopt a governance model focusing on generative AI service providers. It suggests that China is continuing the principle of primary responsibility in Internet governance, which encompasses legal responsibility, contractual obligations, and ethical responsibility. However, the governance model based on primary responsibility emphasizes the accountability of generative AI model service providers, with relatively limited regulation on other important entities such as users and large-scale dissemination platforms, which may not be conducive to achieving China's regulatory goals for the AI industry. In comparison, the Meta-Regulation model could be an ideal alternative for China. As a classic theory explaining the public-private relationship, the ‘Meta-Regulation’ aligns with the generative AI governance requirements. Based on the Meta-Regulation theory, the governance of generative AI in China should move towards a direction of emphasizing safety, transparency, collaborative governance, and accountability. In line with this, it is necessary to include users and large-scale dissemination platforms within the regulatory scope and establish overarching governance objectives that ensure the responsible distribution of duties among stakeholders, with regulatory authorities assuming ultimate oversight responsibility and technical coordination. At the level of specific improvement measures, it is possible to integrate the three stages of model development, usage, and content dissemination of generative AI. During the model development stage, generative AI providers have specific transparency obligations. In the usage stage, a self-regulatory system centered around platform autonomy should be constructed. In the content dissemination stage, the proactive notification obligations of the dissemination platforms should be clearly defined. Additionally, the enforcement of technical interoperability requirements is necessary, thereby promoting the orderly development of generative AI applications.

Dependency revisited: commodities, commodity-related capital flows and growth models in emerging economies

The growth model perspective has provided avenues for bridging comparative and international political economy, mainly regarding the Global Financial Crisis and developments within the eurozone. This article aims to contribute to this endeavor by highlighting the joint effects of capital flows and commodity price swings on growth models in emerging capitalist economies. While the literature on dependent financialization has primarily focused on debt-led growth in the Global South, we spell out the negative implications of commodity-based export-led growth. To this end, we first present a stylized depiction of commodity dependence and provide descriptive statistical evidence of its global prevalence. Subsequently, we trace the co-movement of capital flows to emerging economies and commodity prices. We argue that this ‘commodity–finance nexus’ reinforces the pro-cyclical nature of commodity-based growth, financial volatility, and the vulnerability to global boom–bust cycles. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the conventional method for establishing growth models by calculating the relative contributions to growth is ill-suited to capture the commodity-based export-led growth model of highly commodity-dependent economies. Finally, we identify commodity price movements and fiscal policies as major drivers of growth, with an important role for domestic politics as an intervening variable.

Pasts of the Present

In light of today’s global boom in landmark architecture, urban megaprojects and reconstructions of cultural heritage buildings, this paper analyses two large-scale reconstruction projects at iconic historical locations in Japan: the Heijō Palace in Nara and Dejima in Nagasaki. Since the 1990s, the two projects have recreated long-lost built environments, gradually transforming the sites, turning them into museums and exhibition spaces and giving rise to thorough reform of the surrounding urban fabric. In this paper I trace the involved agents’ motivations to engage in historical reconstruction from early-phase experimental efforts to legitimise the sites’ protected status to present-day politico-economic mobilisations of important historical locations to boost city attraction values. In this way, I link these two unfolding projects in Nara and Nagasaki to issues of urban boosterism, heritage production and the facilitation and commodification of tourist experiences of past realities. Approaching the reconstructions as contemporary heritage in traditional guise, the paper argues that both sites revolve materially, spatially and thematically around the master-metaphors of flow, growth and intercultural connectivity that characterise the present age. Elucidating processes of authentication and intersections of ideological and economic interests in and around the two sites, the paper asks in what ways Japanese cities exploit lost iconic localities and reconstructed heritage under post-industrial conditions marked by globalisation and intense cultural-economic competition.

A New Paradigm for the Genocidal Interview: The Documentary Duel and the Question of Collaboration

A global boom in mainly documentary films interviewing perpetrators recognizes the current shift from the era of the witness to that of the perpetrator. Post Khmer-Rouge Cambodian cinema (1989–present) is a unique and highly important case of perpetrator cinema. It proposes for the first time in cinema direct confrontation between first-generation survivor-filmmakers and perpetrators, a new form of genocidal interview: the documentary duel. Enabled both by the intimate horror of the autogenocide and the Khmer Rouge tribunal (the ECCC), dueling with high-ranking perpetrators shifts power relations between the two. In contrast, dueling with low-ranking perpetrators and collaborators, never to be tried, does not generate this much-desired shift. Thus, Cambodian collaboration revealed through cinema stresses the immense importance of the law in promoting familial-social-cultural processes of acknowledgement of accountability. Further, Cambodian duel documentaries constitute the ethics of “moral resentment” (my term), while objecting to and disrupting the political view that reconciliation is the only legitimate response to the atrocious past.

How a Grid Company Could Enter the Hydrogen Industry through a New Business Model: A Case Study in China

The increasing penetration of renewable and distributed resources signals a global boom in energy transition, but traditional grid utilities have yet to share in much of the triumph at the current stage. Higher grid management costs, lower electricity prices, fewer customers, and other challenges have emerged along the path toward renewable energy, but many more opportunities await to be seized. Most importantly, there are insufficient studies on how grid utilities can thrive within the hydrogen economy. Through a case study on the State Grid Corporation of China, we identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of grid utilities within the hydrogen economy. Based on these factors, we recommend that grids integrate hydrogen into the energy-as-a-service model and deliver it to industrial customers who are under decarbonization pressure. We also recommend that grid utilities fund a joint venture with pipeline companies to optimize electricity and hydrogen transmissions simultaneously.

Pelagial Zooplankton Community in a Newly Established Reservoir during and after the Impoundment of a Hydropower Dam

The global increase in energy demand has triggered a global boom in the construction of hydropower dams worldwide affecting biological communities. Our objective is to study the zooplankton (Rotifera, Cladocera and Copepoda) community structure during and after the impoundment of a newly constructed reservoir, to provide valuable knowledge on species diversity, community structure and dynamics to be considered in future management plans. The impoundment period was characterized by increased species richness with high turnover because of the zooplankton’s high dispersal ability and reflected the inoculation of the reservoir with local fauna. Zooplankton during this period were also correlated negatively with depth and positively with total organic nitrogen and nitrate, highlighting the importance of trophic impact. The time following the impoundment reflected the colonization processes to more stable communities. The seasonality domination followed the Mediterranean pattern, with cold and warm periods being differentiated by changes in community structure, while abundance and biomass remained low throughout the studied period. Combined with the dominance of small-sized individuals, it resulted in low grazing pressure, indicating that zooplankton was not the factor controlling phytoplankton.

Paleolimnological records for tracking dam-induced changes in the composition and supply of sediment to middle Yangtze floodplain lakes

A global boom in dam construction has reduced sediment loading of large rivers, as well as their connected floodplains. In order to explore potential effects of hydrological regulation on floodplain ecosystems, this study presents concentrations of inorganic elements, organic matter content and grain size spectra in 210Pb-dated sediment cores of five lakes in the middle Yangtze River floodplain. These lakes had free hydrological connectivity with the Yangtze River before the operation of local sluice gates, and hence K-rich but Al-poor particulates from the upper Yangtze reaches can be transported into lakes during periods of high river discharge. After hydrological regulation, sedimentary K/Al ratios registered substantial decreases in the study lakes, probably due to the declining supply of fine-grained and K-enriched riverine particulates from the Yangtze River. In East Dongting Lake, a hydrologically open lake proximal to the Three Gorges Dam (TGD), the sharp decrease in K/Al ratio after 2003 mainly responded to declining sediment supply from the Yangtze River after the TGD operation. In addition, prolonged water retention time probably promoted aquatic production and greater deposition of organic matter, as indicated by recent increases in organic matter content in the upper strata of the dammed lakes. Taken together, sedimentary K/Al ratios provide essential information on effects of past hydrological changes on sediment supply and aquatic productivity over multi-decadal timescales in these floodplain lakes with scarce monitoring data. The impacts of dam construction during recent decades on sediment composition in middle Yangtze floodplain lakes might be widespread in other similar floodplains worldwide. Thus sedimentary records can be utilized to inform and direct floodplain management.

English medium of instruction in science learning: A path analysis

As a result of the global boom in English-medium instruction (EMI) education, an increasing number of content subjects are now taught in English. Though many variables have been identified as important predictors of academic success in the EMI context, the relationships between them are still poorly understood. Drawing on survey data collected from 356 students studying at eight English-medium secondary schools in Hong Kong, we developed a model to describe the structural relationships between L2 students' English proficiency, their use of language in the science classroom, their self-perceived difficulty in using English in the science classroom, their science learning self-concept, and their science achievement. The path analysis revealed strong connections between the variables, indicating that L2 students' self-perceptions and their English competence play important roles in their acquisition of scientific knowledge. Although L2 students' English proficiency was identified as a strongest predictor of science achievement, negative perceptions of EMI caused by lack of English competence to some extent also facilitate students’ academic outcome in science. In terms of pedagogical implication, mixed-language instruction appeared to be more beneficial than pure English-medium instruction when teaching science subjects.

DETERMINANTS OF NUTRITION CONSCIOUSNESS OF YOUNG ADULTS ON FOOD DELIVERY APPS: A ANALYTICAL STUDY

In India increase from 13.5 million to 21.6 million in adult female obesity and 10.3 million to 17.8 million in adult male obesity in a span from 1999 to 2015(Global Nutrition Report (GNR) - INSIGHTS, 2020)Moreover, 1.9 billion individuals are over-nourished, while 462 million are under-nourished(AIMS Institutes, 2020). The global boom in the digital industry had an impact on the Indian economy. Online food ordering businesses are sprouting in bulk(indiatimes.com, 2020). The extensively publicized trends of food delivery apps at the doorstep have increased its use to another level. Rather than leafing through the menus at restaurants, people prefer to scroll down on mobile phones and order food. The rise in malnutrition and rates of online ordering of food from food delivery apps, thus affecting the health and nutrition status of young adults, led to the formation of thisresearch into the country`s main population. The main objective of the research was to analyze the associationof socio-demographic determinants, the nutritional profile of young adults (18-30 years) with online food ordering from food delivery apps. It was highlighted that nearly half (44.9%) of the young adults were in the vicinity of undernutrition, overweight, and obesity. Only 26% of respondents were nutrition-conscious. The major reason for ordering was doorstep delivery and availability of types of food at a click. Social media played an important role in increasing the rates of ordering food online. Out of the 96 overweight students, 77.1% were not indulged in any physical activity. A significant association of obese students staying at the hostel was proven statistically (p=0.001). Another significant association of expenditure patterns of young adults residing at home was statistically proven (p=0.000). Also, a major significance between gender and appreciation of nutritional information on food delivery apps was seen (p=0.021). Findings revealed that 20% of the relevant (11% obese) young adults of the obese population pay attention to the fat content in the nutritional value of food while ordering food online. The taste of the cuisine, attractive discounts, and review of the restaurant remain the top preferred choices as per the mean score calculated.

Critically evaluating the purported global “boom” in small hydropower development through spatial and temporal analysis

Due to a rapid proliferation of small hydropower (SHP) in many parts of the world, a purported boom in SHP development globally has captured significant attention in recent research. While SHP is expanding rapidly in distinct places, the global landscape is more varied. Some regions are experiencing a plateau or even declines through decommissioning efforts. To date, research has predominantly drawn on national level data to interrogate empirical outcomes of the pronounced global boom in SHP development. National level data, however, can obscure spatiotemporal variations, which are critical for understanding empirical complexities. We argue, the notion of a boom, particularly when applied without spatial or temporal context, can be problematic for adequately understanding a range of dynamics inherent within SHP planning, development, distribution, and empirical outcomes. Given regional differences, there is a need to critically investigate spatiotemporal dimensions of SHP development. Accordingly, we offer a multi-regional comparative case study analysis of SHP in four distinct regions: West and Northeast United States, Southwestern China, Central and Southern Chile, and Central Nepal. Our research interrogates patterns of spatial distribution by focusing on concentrated hotspots and considers temporal dynamics through the lens of timepeaks. This approach allows for an effective capture of empirical complexities bound in ongoing SHP development (and decommissioning). We discover rates of growth and/or decline in SHP development vary substantially depending on both spatiotemporal criteria. Resulting spatial and temporal patterns and processes can be holistically analyzed to better understand empirical outcomes for policy makers, development practitioners, and environmental planners.

Changes in Housing Discourse in Four Czech Municipalities. Will Young People Get Support?

In post-communist countries, the early years of housing policy after 1989 were characterised by the withdrawal of the state. Municipalities played an important role in the housing privatisation process in the Czech Republic. Thirty years later, a global boom in housing prices occurred in major urban centres. Young people are facing the problem of decreasing housing affordability. The analyses of the programme statements of electoral parties and coalition agreements in selected regional centres reveals the issue’s increasing saliency as well as a change in the overall discourse of housing. Moreover, local path dependencies and ways of bridging ideological differences in a coalition are explained. Electoral programmes tend to focus on young families rather than young people in general. In the crisis of housing affordability, those groups that have something to offer cities are preferred in party programme statements.

Translation Solutions in Professional Video Game Localization in Iran

Widely played all over the world, video games have led to a thriving industry whose global boom owes much to the significant contributions of audiovisual translation and game localization. The current study sheds some light on the translation solutions employed in tailoring video games into Persian to evaluate the growing field of game localization in Iran. Accordingly, four video games localized by Darinoos, the most prominent Iranian game localization company, were selected; their textual materials were extracted and compiled into a corpus of 3068 source–target pairs. The results showed Copying Structure is the most frequently used solution indicating the prominence of word-for-word translation. Cultural Correspondence, on the other hand, was revealed to have received the lowest proportion suggesting the lack of creativity and failure to transfer culture-specific language. The findings revealed several inadequacies in video game localization into Persian, which are explored within the cultural and industrial settings of Iran.

A Hybrid Model for Assessing the Performance of Medical Tourism: Integration of Bayesian BWM and Grey PROMETHEE-AL

Medical tourism (MT) is the activity of traveling domestically or abroad to receive medical services. The scope of medical treatments covers dentistry, surgery, antiaging procedures, preventive medicine, and even some health-related treatments (meditation, physiotherapy, psychotherapy, addiction treatment, psychiatry, etc.). Due to the global boom in MT, governments are actively promoting MT packages to capture this huge business opportunity. However, what are the key factors that make MT development successful or unsuccessful? How can the performance of current MT operators be evaluated? And, how can the performance of underperforming operators be improved? This paper addresses these questions by proposing a MT assessment framework that summarizes the potential key factors of MT. In addition, this study proposes a model that integrates the Bayesian Best-Worst Method (Bayesian BWM) and grey Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluations based on Aspiration Level (grey PROMETHEE-AL) to assess the performance of assessed MT operators. The Bayesian BWM not only aggregates the judgments of multiple experts but also generates a set of objective group criteria weights. Besides, the modified PROMETHEE incorporates the grey theory and aspiration level concept to increase the usefulness of the original PROMETHEE. The results of the analysis show that the two most critical criteria for MT are “the operators have cloud computing systems to analyze the travelers’ sensor data in real-time and accurately to provide customized medical services” and “multilingualism and communication skills of medical travel-related personnel.” Poor performers in the travel industry can be improved by prioritizing the criteria in order of importance. The management implications of this study can be used as a basis for performance evaluation by operators and government health care organizations.

Beauty: What Makes Us Dream, What Haunts Us

AbstractIn recent years, feminist anthropologists have contributed to an interdisciplinary debate on beauty, which focuses on gendered desires, affectivity, and projects of self‐making amid a global boom in beauty products and services. Drawing on the emergent field of critical beauty studies and ethnographic research on middle‐class femininity in urban Turkey, this article explores the salience and potential of beauty as a feminist keyword in anthropology. It argues that despite men's increasing investments in beauty, beauty continues to be tied to “women” in existential ways. Moreover, while beauty still means work for women, this work is often outsourced to female migrant or racialized workers. Beauty norms and body images materialize in intimate encounters and particular settings. In Turkey, the recent extension of the urban beauty economy has created spaces of possibility and aesthetic desires for ordinary women to “take care of themselves.” With its neoliberal emphasis on self‐care, the urban beauty economy has fueled the emergence of new female subjectivities and affective desires. Finally, the article argues in favor of a relational feminist ethnography and pedagogy of beauty, which is conscious of what we define as beautiful, desirable, harmful, or healthy and what the implications are of doing so.

Prospects for Stem Cell-Based Regenerative Therapies in India

Stem cells offer a promising therapeutic strategy to not only treat several incurable diseases but also regenerate damaged tissues. The current global boom in the field of stem cell and regenerative therapies had led to India becoming a global hotspot for stem cell-based therapies. In this review, we assess the current status of stem cell therapy trials in India and show that the bone marrow-derived stem cells, like mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), are predominantly used. Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials have also used MSCs to alleviate symptoms of severe novel coronavirus infections. Recent breakthroughs in gene editing technologies, combined with stem cell therapy, can be effectively harnessed to devise large-scale and affordable treatments for haematological diseases that are highly prevalent in India, like beta-thalassemia and sickle cell diseases. Innovations in stem cell therapy in India can make treatments more affordable to address the needs of in-country patients.

The Tragedy of Transition: Development, Deterioration, Decay. The Case of Hungary, 1990-2020

The essay is about the economic and political development of Hungary in the last 30 years. It can be neatly divided into three periods which coincide with the calendar decades almost perfectly. After the collapse of the communist system, the first period constituted a glorious decade in development: the first two governments implemented almost all indispensable structural reforms required for a successful transition. After the financial stabilization in 1995, a consistent macroeconomic policy was applied, leading to export and investment-driven, hence sustainable economic growth. The next decade brought deterioration: reforms were stalled, and a sharp turn to consumption-led and debt-fuelled growth resulted in twin deficits which, by the time of the Great Recession, almost triggered a sovereign debt default. After a short period of successful financial stabilization, a populist-nationalist government came to power in 2010. A decade of decay set in: reversal of structural reforms, nationalization, monopolization, protectionism, market-distorting taxation and subsidization, state capture by a corrupt oligarchy, together with inconsistent macroeconomic policy. In addition, the self-styled „illiberal regime” of Viktor OrbĂĄn demolished the rule of law and all institutions representing checks and balances in a democracy. Corruption was elevated to the level of official government policy. With the help of the huge amount of subsidies coming from the EU, the regime maintained financial equilibrium and achieved significant growth during the time of global boom between 2014-2019. However, given the fact that private investments and productivity stay rather low in the non-tradable sector of the domestic economy, real convergence to Western efficiency and living standards remain elusive. Today Hungary constitutes a primary example of an economy pushed into a typical middle-income trap by its oligarchic and authoritarian regime. It also proves that transition reforms are all reversible; institutions are fragile. Restoration of the rule of law and democracy seems to be an indispensable prerequisite for convergence and development.