Global Society Research Articles

Increasing Student Awareness of Complex Problems Through Systems Thinking: How (Re)Framing Can Lead to Identifying the Core Problem

Within global and interconnected societies, engineers need to embrace complexity and understand the importance of awareness of their choices in the problem definition process. In this practice paper, we propose a framework to increase students’ awareness of choices during problem definition, based on the integration of three frameworks: systems mapping, problem framing, and Cynefin framework. Through application of the frameworks students can identify important elements and interconnections within a system and frame the scenario around the core problem. We provide an example from an entrepreneurship course to illustrate how the proposed framework can increase awareness among engineering students and allow them to identify and respond to the core problem effectively. We conclude that this framework can help students broaden their understanding of complex systems and identify alternative core problems. This work also highlights the importance of recognizing that not all problems can be solved through engineering (technical) solutions.

Self-presentation of grey-haired influencers on TikTok: active ageing in China

ABSTRACT As the ageing of global societies continues to accelerate, China is actively responding to population ageing through its national strategy, and the rise of new media has provided more opportunities for the realization of this strategy. With the support of new media platforms such as TikTok, elderly people have started an active ageing trend on the Internet. This research conducts a qualitative content analysis of the videos of the top 10 ‘grey-haired influencers’ on the TikTok platform based on the theory of self-presentation, with a focus on their self-presentation in the new media era. Technological empowerment has facilitated the main narrative of grey-haired influencers, and they have transformed from being ‘presented by others’ to ‘creating self-images’. The self-presentation strategies of grey-haired influencers encompass both adherence to and deviations from Goffman’s theory. These strategies elicit diverse feedback from the audience, which prompts the grey-haired influencers to make further adjustments to their strategies and self-presentation. Ultimately, these influencers strive to create a meaningful space for older individuals, promote the development of a new grey-haired identity, and facilitate the dissemination of narratives about ageing among different age groups, thus fostering the practice of active ageing.

Ruminations on sustainable and safe food: Championing for open symbiotic cultures ensuring resource efficiency, eco-sustainability and affordability.

Microbes are powerful upgraders, able to convert simple substrates to nutritional metabolites at rates and yields surpassing those of higher organisms by a factor of 2 to 10. A summary table highlights the superior efficiencies of a whole array of microbes compared to conventionally farmed animals and insects, converting nitrogen and organics to food and feed. Aiming at the most resource-efficient class of microbial proteins, deploying the power of open microbial communities, coined here as 'symbiotic microbiomes' is promising. For instance, a production train of interest is to develop rumen-inspired technologies to upgrade fibre-rich substrates, increasingly available as residues from emerging bioeconomy initiatives. Such advancements offer promising perspectives, as currently only 5%-25% of the available cellulose is recovered by ruminant livestock systems. While safely producing food and feed with open cultures has a long-standing tradition, novel symbiotic fermentation routes are currently facing much higher market entrance barriers compared to axenic fermentation. Our global society is at a pivotal juncture, requiring a shift towards food production systems that not only embrace the environmental and economic sustainability but also uphold ethical standards. In this context, we propose to re-examine the place of spontaneous or natural microbial consortia for safe future food and feed biotech developments, and advocate for intelligent regulatory practices. We stress that reconsidering symbiotic microbiomes is key to achieve sustainable development goals and defend the need for microbial biotechnology literacy education.

Global Equity in Clinical Trials: An ASCO Policy Statement.

ASCO is a global professional society representing more than 50,000 physicians, other health care professionals, and advocates in over 100 countries specializing in cancer treatment, diagnosis, prevention, and advocacy. ASCO strives, through research, education, and promotion of the highest quality of patient care, to create a world where cancer is prevented or cured, and every survivor is healthy. In this pursuit, health equity remains the guiding institutional principle that applies to all its activities across the cancer care continuum. This ASCO policy statement emphasizes the urgent need for global equity in clinical trials, aiming to enhance access and representation in cancer research as it not only improves cancer outcomes but also upholds principles of fairness and justice in health care.

Introduction to the special issue: “Current challenges of corporate governance: Reputation, risk and sustainability”

AbstractIn the modern business landscape, the challenges of corporate governance have become increasingly important. In particular, those related to reputation, risk, and sustainability are today crucial to the well‐being of both individual organizations and the global economy and society at large. For these reasons, corporate governance today plays a more important role than ever before in shaping the strategies and operations of companies.

THE NEED TO MARKET LIBRARY SERVICES AND ITSCHALLENGES TO ACADEMIC LIBRARIANS: THE CASE OFDELTA STATE POLYTECHNIC LIBRARY, OTEFE-OGHARA

ThispaperinvestigatedtheneedfortheDeltaStatePolytechnic Otefe, library to reshape the promotion techniques of her library’sproductsandservicesforimprovedservicedeliveryto fit in the present global information society. This has become necessary as the world experiences continuous technological development. The study therefore sought to determine the challenges to effective marketing and to identify strategies to effectively market library services at the Delta State Polytechnic, library, Otefe. The study is qualitative research and adopts a descriptive research design method. The study made use of a combination of case study and survey research methods. The study population includes all the seven (7) professional librarians of the Polytechnic library. Data collection was done through interview of all the target population. Data generated were analysed using content analysis. The findings of the study indicate that the librarians consider the existing promotion/marketing practices obsolete and none effective. The study therefore recommends the adoptionofcoremarketingprinciplesoflibraryservicesandproductstoreachouttocustomerstogaintheirconfidenceand remain relevant in the present dispensation.

Theology and Ethics in Values-Based Journalism Communicating Islamic Perspectives

This research explores the intersection of theology and ethics within the realm of values-based journalism, with a specific focus on the communication of Islamic perspectives. In the contemporary media landscape, where journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse, it becomes imperative to analyze how Islamic values are communicated through the lens of ethical journalism. The study aims to investigate the application of Islamic theology and ethical principles in values-based journalism, emphasizing the role of media in reflecting and shaping societal norms. By employing a qualitative research approach, content analysis will be conducted on a sample of news articles, opinion pieces, and other journalistic content with an Islamic focus. The analysis will delve into how these pieces adhere to or deviate from established theological principles and ethical guidelines. Furthermore, the research seeks to identify challenges faced by journalists and media organizations when attempting to integrate Islamic values into their narratives. It also explores potential strategies and best practices for overcoming these challenges, fostering a more nuanced and ethical communication of Islamic perspectives. The findings of this study aim to contribute to the ongoing discourse on the role of theology and ethics in journalism, providing insights into how media professionals can effectively communicate Islamic values while upholding ethical standards. Ultimately, the research aspires to encourage a more informed and respectful portrayal of Islamic perspectives in the media, promoting dialogue and understanding in an increasingly diverse and interconnected global society.

A Recent History of Activism for Accessibility in Japan (1981–2006)

In this article, I consider how Japanese activists for accessibility localized concepts born out of American and European advocacy, reinterpreted them in light of domestic conditions, and then used them to pass policies for some physically disabled communities between 1981 and 2006. My analysis, which examines newspapers, magazines, state records, and documents from disability organizations, highlights how Japanese activists negotiated global understandings of Independent Living and capitalized on local concerns about the nation’s aging population to convince policy makers to promote the creation of barrier-free facilities and implementation of Universal Design. I conclude that the study of disability in Japan and other parts of the world must include the study of successes and failures of activism for accessibility in differing cultural contexts, and that further research on Japan is needed to continue improving the inclusivity of our increasingly global society.

Reducing ophthalmic surgical waste through electronic instructions for use: a multisociety position paper.

Every ophthalmic surgical supply, including intraocular lenses (IOLs), IOL cartridges, and ophthalmic viscosurgical device syringes, is packaged with instructions for use (IFU). These pamphlets are printed in multiple languages and, in the case of an IOL, significantly increase the size and weight of the packaging. To eliminate this significant and unnecessary source of waste, we recommend that manufacturers move to Quick Response codes that link to online electronic IFU (e-IFU) as a sensible alternative. In addition to reducing carbon emissions and manufacturing costs, e-IFU can be updated more easily and accessed by surgeons in the clinic, where IOL models and powers are selected. Varying and inconsistent IFU requirements between different countries are a barrier to wider adoption of e-IFU by the ophthalmic surgical industry. Regulatory agencies in every country should allow and encourage e-IFU. This position paper has been endorsed by the 3 major societies that sponsor EyeSustain, a consortium of global societies dedicated to advancing sustainability in ophthalmology.

The Impact of Social Media as a Part of Fashion Marketing and its Impact on Youngsters

Abstract: This research is aimed to understand the impact of social media as a part of fashion marketing and its impact on youngsters, social media on the face of global society has created a new network of social connection with youngsters. Their relationship with influencers on “#outfit of the day” on Instagram is attractive to youngsters, social media marketing can benefit fashion brand in many ways. Including target audience, brand awareness and so far social media platforms by designers to promote, their own brand. Social media platform have also become a key tool for fashion brand, to showcase their collection and engage with consumers through live streaming event and social media campaigns. It has impacted the fashion industry through the democratization of fashion. Personalized fashion recommendations are becoming more popular, making it easier for consumers to discover new styles and brands that align with their individual tastes. People want to offer real-time interactions with them through an active presence in social media; social media might consider digital advertising highly impactful and more valuable and authentic than traditional advertising. Social media platform such as Instagram has recently become the most popular social networking site among the young people. In addition, selling and marketing the product in the virtual store on Instagram represent a new shopping most of the consumers. In survey the constant stream of New Style encourages us to buy, even if we do not need them. People want to fit into society and have the coolest or most desired product out there which influences the spread of new items becoming popular on social media network. This research paper emphasizes more on understanding the mindset of youth and their views on social media as a part of fashion marketing. All together of50 respondents as youth of age group (18-30yrs) were taken, Primary research has been taken as Google form survey as questionnaire. The increased diversity and representation that social media has brought to the fashion industry is very positive development, and it will be interesting to see how this continues to evolve in the future

A Comparative Analysis and Benchmarking of Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) Tools

Cybersecurity is crucial in today's era of advanced technology, rapidly developing scientific understanding, and a completely interconnected global society to guarantee high safety in all aspects of life. Furthermore, there is an ever-increasing number of difficulties and dangers to achieving security in cyberspace. One of the most basic and essential ways to avoid cybersecurity is to conduct security testing for vulnerabilities. In order to make the most of the potential synergies between various types of analysis tools, this paper combines static white box security analysis (SAST), dynamic black box security analysis (DAST), and interactive white box security analysis (IAST) in that order. This investigation aims to improve security vulnerability detection while decreasing false positives.

Chinese NGOs “Going Out”: Depoliticisation and Diplomatisation

Chinese non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are increasingly active in international development activities. As an emerging force, what will their impact be on global civil society, especially given that they originate from an authoritarian environment that places numerous constraints on them? This study examines the internationalisation of Chinese NGOs and its implications for global civil society by analysing the organisational discourses of Chinese NGOs. This discourse analysis relies on a two-layer analytical framework, one layer using qualitative content analysis and the other employing the discursive legitimation framework. The analysis shows that Chinese NGOs use soft charity discourses instead of critical discourses as a way to avoid “politicising” development issues and utilise discourses that diplomatise their international activities. These discourses help Chinese NGOs achieve legitimacy or avoid de-legitimacy through four discursive legitimation strategies: avoidance, authority, rationalisation, and moralisation. This article shows that Chinese NGOs express a strong national identity, position themselves as “friendship messengers,” and bring the Chinese state’s influence to global civil society even though the Chinese state has not yet mobilised internationalisation at scale.

Three-Legged Stool: A Peace Education Framework for Weaving Together Spirituality, Science, and Technology

Technological advancements and political-economic shifts are necessary to meaningfully address climate change. However, there is a difference between addressing climate change and transforming underlying behaviors to allow mass support of these changes, sustain the efforts of those working for change, and remodel global society so that changes are lasting and impactful. While technology is central, spirituality should be its companion. The spiritual component allows people to reimagine their relationship to the planet, to one another, and to global inhabitants who may be more devastatingly impacted by climate change. Grounded in the core values of holistic Earth care, relational existence, and global consciousness, this article explores how peace education encourages technological responses to climate chaos to be cognizant of the root causes of systemic violence in all its forms via intersectional, interspiritual, and interreligious lenses. The “three-legged stool” framework includes science, which imparts knowledge and evidence; technology, which offers solutions and adaptations; and spirituality, which provides grounding and transformational thinking.

Psychological aspects of children and adolescents victims of sexual violence: an analysis of strategies in the brazilian health system

Violence is something that is unfortunately culturally embodied in global society. Among the existing forms of violence, sexual violence is one of the biggest indicators in recent years in the world and in Brazil. The people most vulnerable to this violence are children and adolescents, who end up suffering various physical and psychological problems. In Brazil, there are various public bodies to deal with this type of violence, and care networks to help victims recover. To highlight the psychological aspects of children and adolescents who have been victims of sexual violence and the strategies of the care network for children and adolescents in Brazil. This study is an integrative literature search, with data collected from SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online) and BVS (Virtual Health Library). The data survey and the focus of this research yielded a total of 15 articles that correspond carefully to the axes established in this work, which are: axis 1: impacts of sexual violence on the mental health of individuals, axis 2: characterization of psychological suffering in children and adolescents victims of sexual violence and axis 3: psychosocial care network as a care tool for children and adolescents victims of sexual violence. Children and adolescents who are victims of sexual violence suffer from a number of extremely serious psychological and social problems. The process of maturing is totally shaken by the psychological games and psychological torture suffered during sexual violence, which has a major impact on the victim's life, making the care networks and laws to support this group work increasingly hard to track down this type of violence, so that the rates of child and adolescent sexual abuse decrease more and more. The risks that the child and adolescent population face as a result of having experienced episodes of sexual violence are obvious. This is a group that deserves a great deal of attention in their social environment in order to trace any means of violation. The networks that care for these victims of sexual abuse play a fundamental role in finding, recovering and promoting cases of sexual violence.

Sustainability in Computing Education: A Systematic Literature Review

Research shows that the global society as organized today, with our current technological and economic system, is impossible to sustain. We are living in an era in which human activities in highly industrialized countries are responsible for overshooting several planetary boundaries, with poorer communities contributing the least to the problems but being impacted the most. At the same time, technical and economic gains fail to provide society at large with equal opportunities and improved quality of life. This article describes approaches taken in computing education to address the issue of sustainability. It presents results of a systematic review of the literature on sustainability in computing education. From a set of 572 publications extracted from six large digital libraries plus snowballing, we distilled and analyzed 89 relevant primary studies. Using an inductive and deductive thematic analysis, we study (i) conceptions of sustainability, computing, and education; (ii) implementations of sustainability in computing education; and (iii) research on sustainability in computing education. We present a framework capturing learning objectives and outcomes as well as pedagogical methods for sustainability in computing education. These results can be mapped to existing standards and curricula in future work. We find that only a few of the articles engage with the challenges as calling for drastic systemic change, along with radically new understandings of computing and education. We suggest that future work should connect to the substantial body of critical theory, such as feminist theories of science and technology. Existing research on sustainability in computing education may be considered rather immature, as the majority of articles are experience reports with limited empirical research.

Enhancing English Language Learning In Tertiary Education Through Blended Approaches: A Bangladesh Perspective

Purpose of the study: Main purpose of this study to investigates the implications of adopting blended approaches in enhancing English language proficiency, bridging the digital divide, and preparing students for the demands of a globalized world. Through a Bangladesh perspective, this research seeks to illuminate the transformative power of blended learning.
 Methodology: This research employs a qualitative approach. In depth Interviews (IDI) and FGDs has been administered to thirty facilitators and thirty students to measure benefits and challenges associated with blended learning. Additionally, Interviews with ten pedagogy experts has provide insights into successful implementation strategies. Data has been analyzed thematically.
 Main Findings: Research findings show that by blending technology with traditional pedagogy, this approach prepares students for a world where adaptability and digital literacy are paramount. The success of this approach relies on the collaborative efforts of educational institutions, instructors, and students, all working towards a holistic and dynamic learning experience that empowers students to thrive in an interconnected global society.
 Novelty/Originality of this study: This study adds additional knowledge of the challenges and efforts associated with blended approaches to English language learning in tertiary education in Bangladesh.The study's findings can be used as a guide for interested parties, including educators and institutions of higher learning, to address the issues with English language teaching and learning in tertiary education and improve student language learning quality.

Ethical challenges during critical phases of the COVID-19 pandemic: An interpretive synthesis.

During the most critical phases of COVID-19 pandemic, dramatic situations were experienced in hospitals and care centers that nurses could hardly verbalize. Especially relevant were deep challenges related to terminal illness, situations of extreme sacrifice, as well as reflections on protective measures mixed with beliefs. We intend to analyze which problems had the greatest impact on professionals. The aim is to explore the ultimate basis for action when making decisions and the orientation of their behavior in the face of moral conflicts. The methodological strategy is an interpretive synthesis. Narrative review of academic articles that analyzed ethical dilemmas during the pandemic was carried out by searching five databases (Pubmed, Scopus, Psycinfo, CINHAL, and WOS) between January 2020 and December 2022. Finally, 43 articles were selected. Ethical requirements were respected in all study phases. The reading and review of the 43 articles initiated the first phase of inductive coding which resulted in 14 initial sub-themes. Based on this structure, a second phase of coding was carried out, giving rise to six categories or emerging themes. To facilitate the process of identifying the central category, the authors agreed to carry out a phase of synthesis, grouping the six themes into three meta-themes: the identification and acceptance of human vulnerability; the discovery of positive paradigms in traumatic situations in society; the prevalence of the common good over the particular interest, as the core structure of any society. The study has shown the need to consider healthcare benevolence as a new dimension of health care upon global vulnerability. Responsibility is required to ensure the well-being of a global society, prioritizing the common good over particular interests and building solutions on solid moral structures. A new ethical landscape is essential, starting with a humanistic curricular training of all healthcare professionals.

The Cascadia Coastal Hazards and Resilience Training, Education, and Research (CHARTER) Fellows Mentoring Model for Underrepresented Students

Engaging underrepresented scholars in climate change-related research is not just a matter of diversity and inclusion but a necessity for addressing the complex challenges we face as a global society. While government officials, scientists, environmentalists, practitioners, and other stakeholders have increased calls for collaborative approaches, historically underrepresented communities, specifically students, still need to be included in such initiatives and collaborations. The National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Coastal Hazards and Resilience Training, Education, and Research (CHARTER) program responds to this gap by explicitly incorporating and supporting historically underrepresented students from K-12, community college, undergraduate, and graduate schools with diverse lived and educational backgrounds into disaster and hazard research and spaces. Through the CHARTER Fellows program, we maintain that our model:1. Assists in combating the barriers that historically marginalized and underrepresented students face by creating a pipeline training cohort system.2. Increases representation in the disaster and hazards field by centering students that reflect the overall population.3. Advances disaster science by including diverse perspectives and creating convergent work among other researchers, practitioners, and educators.4. Creates practical opportunities to produce equitable experiences and educational outcomes for underrepresented groups.This project highlights our experience developing and facilitating this new innovative minority mentoring model. Through this work, we provide program details, lessons learned, and recommendations for faculty to incorporate our model when engaging with underrepresented undergraduate students.

Public Development Banks as Essential Infrastructure: Covid, the KfW, and Public Purpose

ABSTRACT The sudden impact of the Covid-19 global pandemic threw societies into crisis, with their capacity to respond effectively dependent on existing public infrastructure. This article examines the case of Germany and its large public development bank, the KfW, during the pandemic. This paper argues that the KfW’s pandemic responses substantiate the bank as ‘essential public infrastructure’ and, moreover, as one that can function according to public purpose. That is, the KfW functions were essential to enabling society to respond to Covid-19 according to public purpose that was in the public interest. The lessons of the KfW, Covid-19, and public purpose have relevance to the future of public development bank financing of green and just transitions.

Innovating Sustainability

In today's global society, carbon neutrality has become a focal point of concern. Greenhouse gas emissions and rising atmospheric temperatures are triggering various extreme weather events, sea level rise, and ecological imbalances. These changes not only affect the stability and sustainable development of human society but also pose a serious threat to the Earth's ecosystems and biodiversity. Faced with this global challenge, finding effective solutions has become urgent. This article aims to propose a comprehensive artificial intelligence design approach to address issues related to carbon neutrality. This method integrates technologies from fields such as computer vision, natural language processing, and deep learning to achieve a comprehensive understanding of environmental conservation and innovative solutions. Specifically, the authors first use a visual module to extract features from images, which helps capture important information in the images. Next, we employ the ALBEF model for cross-modal alignment, enabling better collaboration between images and textual information.