High Aspirations Research Articles

Negotiating class, religion, and residential segregation: Aspirations of Muslim middle‐class women in Delhi

AbstractThis paper delves into the employment aspirations and struggles for upward social mobility of middle‐class Muslim female youth in Delhi, located in segregated and non‐segregated areas. The paper contends that women respondents navigate constraints such that their class, gender and religious background have an ambivalent role in the production of aspirations but a more definitive one in their realisation. This argument is anchored in the three key themes addressed in the paper. For women from middle and lower sections of the middle‐class the presence of high aspirations does not translate into gainful employment, leading to the problem of fraying hope and ‘frustrated freedom’. They are engaged in prolonged waiting experiencing what Ghassan Hage would call ‘stuckedness’. The upper stratum placed strategically in the Bourdieusian field, can leverage their economic and cultural capital to offset uncertainties around employment and marriage. The third section navigates religious, gender and class‐based constraints by participating in self‐employment activities in a segregated neighbourhood in Delhi. For these women, the segregated neighbourhood has a dual role as an enabler and a barrier to their aspirations.

Community exposure to gun homicide and adolescents'educational aspirations.

Witnessing violence and violent victimization have detrimental effects on adolescents'emotional functioning and ability to envision and plan for their futures. However, research is limited on the impact of violence that occurs in adolescents'communities-whether or not it was witnessed or experienced firsthand. This paper investigated the associations between community exposure to gun homicide and adolescents'high school and college graduation aspirations. We analyzed data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 3031), a cohort study of children born 1998-2000 in 20 large US cities, merged with incident-level data on deadly gun violence from the Gun Violence Archive (2014-2017). Outcomes were reported by adolescents (girls and boys) during wave 6 (2014-2017) of the study, conducted when the children were 15 years of age. We employed ordinary least squares regression, ordered logistic regression, and multilevel stratification to examine the average and heterogeneous impacts of community exposure to gun homicide on adolescents'educational aspirations. Community exposure to gun homicide was associated with reduced high school graduation aspirations, particularly among adolescents with the lowest risk of exposure to gun homicide. Gun homicide exposure was also associated with increased college graduation aspirations; this association was concentrated among adolescents with moderate-high risk of exposure. Given the importance of education for job opportunities and the better health that accompanies education and occupational attainment, preventing early exposure to gun violence and providing institutional supports to help adolescents facing adversity realize their goals is essential to their long-term health and success.

Aiming high: Learning investments in German upper secondary education. Differences between immigrant and non-immigrant youth

This article addresses important aspects of the largely unexplored interplay between high educational aspirations and low academic achievement in migratory contexts. Using data from the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), I examine the determinants of learning investments of students who changed from vocational to academic tracking at the transition to upper secondary education. I also explore additional social challenges to upward track mobility that might affect immigrant students in a particular way. As educational disparities are often interpreted as a cumulative consequence of class- and migration-specific educational choices, I develop a learning investment model that explains differences in learning investments between immigrant and non-immigrant youth. I introduce the essential mechanisms of psychological motivation theory into a subjective expected utility (SEU) model, which allows for a specific examination of the relationship between educational aspirations, motivation, and learning investments. Results show that newcomers to academic tracking are more likely to invest in learning. Yet, learning investments in upward mobility processes may be influenced by the different learning environments of stratified education and by family dynamics. Here, I find differences between immigrant and non-immigrant youth. Thus, introducing motivational factors into an SEU model helps to understand when youth invest in learning.

Engaging Young People in Occupations Served by Vocational Education: Case Study From Healthcare

Purpose: Globally, countries with both developed and developing economies are struggling to secure sufficient participation in vocational education to generate the range and quantum of skills required for their communities and realising national social and economic goals. In an era of high aspiration, vocational education and the occupations it serves are increasingly seen as being a less than desirable outcome by young people and their parents. Hence, there is a need to identify means by which to inform and engage young people in considering vocational education and the occupations it serves. The case study discussed in this paper is contextualised within the Australian state of Queensland, which, like many other countries is struggling to have a workforce sufficient to meet communities' healthcare needs as its population both grows and ages. Methods: The study data were collected from 1) interviews with healthcare-related stakeholders including health industry representatives, teachers or practitioners, and healthcare providers, 2) focus groups with senior secondary students, and 3) surveys with these participant groups. It provides a descriptive analysis of efforts to secure greater participation by young people in allied health roles, and, in particular, young Australian Indigenous people. Findings: The study participants included those from regional and metropolitan centres and from state and independent schools, and in all of which the focus on engagement was central. Findings indicated that engagement was necessary to advise young people about these occupations, the effective preparation for them, and likely retention in the workforce. Conclusion: This study highlights the need for intentional strategies to engage young people, their parents/guardians and with those efforts likely needing to be organised and enacted at the local level. This requires collaboration and engagement from education, industry, and local communities. Essentially, a systemic approach is required, specifying roles for government, employers, educational systems, and teachers and parents who engage directly with young people. In all, engagement, advice and opportunities locally are all emphasised in the study reported here.

Israf’s Prohibition in QS. al-A’raf : 31 (Abdullah Saeed’s Contextual Approach)

This article discusses Israf’s behavior that occurs today. One form of Israf is a hedonistic lifestyle that aims at personal satisfaction to enjoy worldly life excessively. To satisfy their desires, they always keep up with the times, spending money and time on fun, which can lead to debt and even depression. Allah reminds humans that the primary purpose of life is to prepare for the future by serving and believing in Him, doing good deeds, and living an ethical and moral life. If not responded to wisely, the developments that occur in this modern era will only plunge people into negative things that can endanger themselves and others. This article uses a qualitative method in the form of library research, which took data from several book sources, tafsir books, and Arabic dictionaries to analyze the meaning of Israf in QS. al-A’raf verse 31 using Abdullah Saeed’s contextual interpretation approach. The result is that Israf behavior can be seen based on context. It is not only limited to lifestyle activities that use excessive wealth but also religious fanaticism, high ambition to achieve power, and wasting time on unproductive things, so it is insensitive to conditions in the surrounding community environment.

Co-design with affect stories and applied ethics for health technologies

The integration of digital health technologies in clinical practices and everyday lives of patients raises several issues. Some of them are related to applied ethics. Co-design with patients and, more generally, participatory approaches are increasingly seen as a way to tackle these issues early in the innovation process. This opens the way to an “ethics by co-design.” In this article, we will present the high ambitions of this approach and discuss three challenges raised by ethics by co-design. We will argue that a co-design approach based on affect stories is a way to address these challenges. Then we will focus on a concrete example of a European research project, to discuss the gap between these ethical and theoretical ambitions and what can be achieved in practice. This project aimed at developing an implantable connected device for the monitoring of heart failure, while addressing the ethical, legal and social issues raised by this new technology. However, co-design with patient representatives was in fact limited to a small part of the project: the design of an information module. Based on 18 meetings with a team of 4 patient partners, and 26 additional interviews with patients, we were able to better understand patients’ experiences and priorities in terms of ethics. Together, we co-designed an information module that embodies a vision of the device negotiated between the patients and the technology designers.

Mental health after lumbar spine surgery: cognitive appraisal processes and outcome in a longitudinal cohort study

BACKGROUND CONTEXTA not uncommon finding following spine surgery is that many patients do not achieve mental health improvement up to population norms for their age cohort, despite improvement in pain and functioning. PURPOSEThis study examined how patients who were categorized as depressed versus not depressed think about health-related quality of life as assessed by cognitive-appraisal processes. It examined cross-sectional and longitudinal differences over 12 months postsurgery. DESIGNProspective longitudinal cohort study with data collected at presurgery and at ∼3- and ∼12-months postsurgery from August 2013 to August 2023. PATIENT SAMPLEWe included 173 adults undergoing lumbar spine surgery for degenerative spinal conditions at an academic medical center. The study sample was 47% female, with a mean age of 61 (SD=15.0), and a median level of education of college graduate. OUTCOME MEASURESDepression was defined as a Mental Component Score (MCS)≤38 on the Rand-36, building on studies that equated MCS scores with significant depression as assessed by clinically validated depression scales. The Quality-of-Life Appraisal Profile assessed the cognitive-appraisal domains of Experience Sampling and Standards of Comparison. METHODSThe analysis focused on two comparisons: cross-sectionally comparing those who were not depressed (n=82) to those who were depressed (n=77) at baseline; and comparing longitudinal trajectories among those depressed before surgery and improved (n=54) versus did not improve (n=23). T-tests characterized group differences in appraisal endorsement; analysis of variance evaluated appraisal items in terms of explained variance; and Pearson correlation coefficients assessed direction of association in predicting mental health. RESULTSThere were presurgical and longitudinal differences in both cognitive appraisal domains. Before surgery, depressed patients were less likely than nondepressed patients to endorse emphasizing the positive; more likely to focus on worst moments, recent flare-ups, their spinal condition, and the future; and more likely to compare themselves to high aspirations (eg, perfect health). Over time, among those who were depressed before surgery, those who improved focused decreasingly on worst moments and on the time before their spinal condition, and increasingly on emphasizing the positive and balancing the positives/negatives. Appraisal explained more variance in mental health among those who did not improve as compared to those who did, at all timepoints. All appraisal items were more highly correlated with mental health among those who remained depressed as compared to those who improved, particularly over time. CONCLUSIONSEndorsement of cognitive appraisal processes was different for depressed versus nondepressed spine-surgery patients before surgery and distinguished those who were depressed before surgery and improved versus those who did not improve. These findings suggest that targeted interventions could be beneficial for addressing mental health concerns during the spine surgery recovery trajectory. These interventions might use appraisal measures to identify patients likely to remain depressed after surgery, and then focus on helping these patients shift their focus and standards of comparison.

Cooperation among unequal players with aspiration-driven learning.

Direct reciprocity promotes the evolution of cooperation when players are sufficiently equal, such that they have similar influence on each other. In the light of ubiquitous inequality, this raises the question of how reciprocity evolves among unequal players. Existing studies on inequality mainly focus on payoff-driven learning rules, which rely on the knowledge of others' strategies. However, inferring one's strategy is a difficult task even if the whole interaction history is known. Here, we consider aspiration-driven learning rules, where players seek strategies that satisfy their aspirations based on their own information. Under aspiration-driven learning rules, we explore the evolutionary dynamics among players with inequality in endowments and productivity. We model the interactions among unequal players with asymmetric games and characterize the condition where cooperation is feasible. Remarkably, we find that aspiration-driven learning rules lead to a higher level of cooperation than payoff-driven ones over a wide range of inequality. Moreover, our results show that high aspiration levels are conducive to the evolution of cooperation when more productive players are equipped with higher endowments. Our work highlights the advantages of aspiration-driven learning for promoting cooperation among unequal players and suggests that aspiration-based decision-making may be more beneficial for the collective.

No identity connections without representation? Exploring associations between neighbourhood opportunities, ethnic–ideal alignment and well‐being in Black, Indigenous and other youths of colour in Canada

AbstractIn Canada, Black, Indigenous and other youths of colour often have high aspirations, but many are not sure that they are attainable. Context can signal what is in or out of reach to youths, particularly environments that send repeated and proximal signals, like neighbourhoods. Notably, the Social Identity Approach suggests that in neighbourhoods with people like them doing well socioeconomically or being well represented in leadership, youths may see a place for people similar to them, which in turn could benefit how they view their identities and experience well‐being. In this exploratory research, Black, Indigenous and other youths of colour in Montréal (n = 179) were surveyed about their neighbourhood, social and future identities and well‐being. Regressions suggest that youths' neighbourhoods predict the extent to which they perceive that opportunities are accessible to people like them. Youths who reported more opportunities for people similar to them in their neighbourhood tended to report higher alignment between their racial/ethnic and ideal future identities and higher flourishing. The findings highlight the connection between neighbourhood factors—such as cues about whether similar people are welcomed, valued, and have access to opportunities—and the identities and well‐being of Black, Indigenous and other youths of colour.

A retrospective observational cohort study on the postoperative respiratory complications and their risk factors in brachycephalic dogs undergoing BOAS surgery: 199 cases (2019-2021).

To observe the occurrence of postanaesthetic respiratory complications and to determine their prevalence and risk factors in dogs undergoing brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome surgery. Data from 199 clinical records were retrospectively analysed. Univariable logistic regression followed by multivariable logistic regression was used to identify associations between the dependent variables (set as the postoperative respiratory complications observed in the study dogs) and various independent covariates. The quality of model-fit was assessed using the likelihood ratio test. P≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Four postoperative respiratory complications were observed: hypoxaemia (n=10/199; 5%), dyspnoea requiring tracheal re-intubation (n=13/199, 7%), dyspnoea requiring tracheostomy (n=10/199, 5%) and aspiration pneumonia (n=12/199, 6%). Univariable logistic regression showed an association between postoperative aspiration pneumonia and increasing body condition score and American Society of Anaesthesiology classification; however, when these covariates were evaluated in the multivariable model significance was not maintained. Risk factors for tracheostomy were preoperative and postoperative aspiration pneumonia (odds ratio: 9.52, 95% confidence interval: 1.56 to 57.93) and increasing brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome grade (odds ratio: 4.65, 95% confidence interval: 0.79 to 27.50). High brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome grade and aspiration pneumonia, either developing peri-operatively or as pre-existing condition, may represent risk factors for postoperative tracheostomy. Preoperative diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia may further increase the risk of postoperative complications.

Influence of Social Cultural Factors on Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Tana River County

The main purpose of the study was scrutinize the socio- cultural aspects on academic performance in public secondary schools in Tana River County. The study employed the Socio-cultural theory as well as System Theory. The study employed descriptive study design. The study was carried out in public secondary schools in Tana River County with a target population of 253 respondents. A census of sample size of 155 participants. The researcher applied primary data. Questionnaires were applied to gather information from principals whereas interview schedule was applied to gather gen from parents. Expert opinion was used to ensure data validity and reliability. The data was analysed descriptively by means and the standard deviation, while multiple regression analysis was used to establish the influence between the variables. The researcher applied SPSS version 25 to examine facts. Regression, ANOVA, correlation as well as model summary was created in addition, facts were presented in tables. The correlation between the independent variables (home chores activities, community activities, parents’ level of edification besides learners’ engrossment in early marriages) besides the dependent variable (academic performance) outcomes showed that all are positive as well as momentous. Particularly, home chores activities is positively as well as significantly correlated (r=.033, p<.05). Likewise, learner’s involvement in community activities (r=.203, p<.05), parents’ level of education (r=.075, p<.05), and learners involvement in early marriages (r=.230, p<.05) are positively as well as ominously interrelated with academic performance in public secondary schools in Tana River. The constant of fortitude infers that the set of independent variables in this research is in lieu of 51.8% of disparities in the academic recital in public secondary schools. The ANOVA outcomes demonstrate that the F_ ratio is 32.048 with a conforming p-value of .000. The projected model linking the social cultural factors to academic performance in public secondary schools is a decent model. Parents’ participation in edification takes various methods comprising the provision of safe as well as steady environment, scholarly imitations, parent to youngster conversation, good replicas of constructive communal as well as scholastic standards and high ambitions connecting to personal contentment, contact with school to pass gen, contribution in school proceedings as well as school work and governance.

Governmentalities of automobility in times of climate change: competing logics of circulation and imaginaries of the (im)possible

If we are to achieve climate change targets, transport systems need to transform. This article is concerned with the prospects of challenging the regime of automobility in urban areas. It employs a governmentality framework, alongside theories of automobility, in order to analyse mobility governmentalities in Gothenburg, Sweden. Gothenburg is an interesting case in the context of reducing car use given its identity as a ‘car city.’ Despite this, Gothenburg has high ambitions in terms of reducing car traffic. Reaching these goals are however associated with challenges: prognoses predict a continued increase in car traffic, and political acceptance is viewed as an obstacle. The article’s findings are based on semi-structured interviews with public officials and stakeholders, zooming in on (1) conflicting spatialities and temporalities (2) competing logics of circulation and pace and (3) mobility imaginaries of the (im)possible. We argue that while there are new logics entering urban mobility governmentalities as an effect of the climate transition, their possibilities to affect material change are confined because the movement and circulation of ‘people and things,’ ultimately represented by the private car, are closely tied to the way that freedom is exercised, understood and manifested in contemporary liberal societies.

Dynamics of agricultural extension delivery services to rice farmers in Ghana

The delivery of agricultural extension services has evolved over the years, responding to changes in the agricultural landscape. The study aimed to assess these dynamics in Juaben Municipality, Ghana. Using a sample of 255 rice farmers selected using the multistage sampling technique, descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Farmers perceived that the information provided to them was of high quality, relevant, and effective. Farmers had a positive attitude, high aspirations, and collaborated highly towards extension delivery. Farmers were neutral on government and non-governmental organisation roles but acknowledged significant farmer organisation involvement in extension services. Lack of machinery or inadequate equipment for demonstration was the main challenge facing rice farmers in accessing extension delivery services. Extension services should prioritize the provision of timely and evidence-based guidance to address the evolving needs of rice farmers.

Redistar Versus Velocity

The case discusses the pitfalls of hasty decisions taken to achieve instant success. The case also highlights how unethical practices erode the image of the organization and sets in malicious culture. The Radiance Group, founded by Sarabhai Karmarkar (1930–2005), one of the largest private sector companies in India, with petroleum and energy as it core business, has always been an ambitious company. Sarabhai, the founder of the company, was a man of high aspirations. Since the very inception of the company, Radiance Industries Limited’s only vision was Profit Maximization. Sarabhai Karmarkar believed in utilitarian philosophy which preaches that end justifies the means. After the demise of Sarabhai, Vithalbhai Karmarkar, eldest son of Sarabhai, became the director of the company. He was an intelligent and sharp minded young man, full of new ideas and energy. He wanted to explore new ideas and diversify into new products and markets. In his haste to make Radiance grow exponentially, Vithalbhai committed many mistakes which proved to be fatal for the brand. The case discusses the setbacks that strategic myopia can lead to. The case further discusses the long-term damage that unethical means can cause. The case emphasizes upon the importance of ethical conduct for gaining customer’s loyalty and trust.

The Need for Diversification of the Nigerian Economy through a Low-Carbon Energy Mix Programme Using Nuclear Power

Numerous structural issues, such as poor infrastructure, trade and non-tariff barriers, investment barriers, a lack of trust in the currency's worth, and restricted foreign exchange facilities, limit Nigeria's economic potential. Since the late 1960s, when the oil and gas industry replaced agriculture as the primary driver of expansion, there has been very little progress made in diversifying the economy and laying a stronger foundation for rapid, steady, and productive growth. Despite massive oil earnings, the nation remains among the World's poorest in terms of important development indicators. Prosperity and progress have not followed as expected. The economy continues to grow in an unpredictable manner, devoid of steady or constant growth, and is influenced by fluctuations in the price of oil and gas, despite a multitude of plans, frameworks for policy, and reforms. While incompetence, corruption, and inefficiency remain at the core of economic management, every plan, programme, vision, and change raises high aspirations but never achieve the desired impact. Nigeria's economic dependency on crude oil and other commodities makes economic diversification difficult. Nigeria's economy must diversify in order to support employment, economic growth and human development to meet up the country's fast expanding population needs. In order to have a life beyond oil and gas, there is therefore the need for an efficient energy programme using nuclear power base load option for the country's rapid industrialization; this research looks at an overview of Nigeria's economy, its various sectors, its challenges, and the role of nuclear power as a possible solution to those challenges.

E-Government and Entrepreneurship: The Perspective of Risk

ABSTRACT Risk is an important factor that hinders entrepreneurial activities, especially for entrepreneurs with high aspirations. This study examines e-government’s impact on entrepreneurship from a risk perspective. Based on individual data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, results show that e-government promotes new ventures, especially those with aspirations to grow and innovate, thus enhancing the quantity and quality of entrepreneurship. Furthermore, mechanism analysis reveals that e-government significantly reduces actual risk and fear of failure, suggesting that it creates a stable environment and decreases risk aversion, which encourages starting new ventures and high-quality entrepreneurial activities. E-government reduces entrepreneurial risk by improving country governance in three dimensions: efficiency of public services, regulatory quality, and control of corruption. Besides, e-government has larger effects on enhancing the quality of entrepreneurship in developing economies. This study provides new insight into e-government’s effects on entrepreneurship and the mechanism.

Hiding and Seeking: The Educational and Socioemotional Needs of Asylum Seeker and Refugee Students

ABSTRACT Focusing on asylum seeker and refugee students attending a school with the stated mission to cater to recent immigrants, asylees, and refugees in Texas, we explored the school experiences of asylum-seeking and refugee middle schoolers and how they see their education. Having obtained political asylum in the United States, they are hiding from strife in their native lands, but also seeking a schooling experience that will nurture their dreams. We explored that seeking by having students envision their ideal classrooms with a group drawing exercise and then discuss these visions, the experiences that shaped them, and how their current schooling experience compares to their ideal in in-depth interviews. Complementary school data were collected. By focusing on asylum seeker and refugee students, we sought to eschew assimilationist ideologies and to highlight the diversity of experiences and interpretations within this group. We explored the themes found in students’ conceptualizations of their ideals, including the high aspirations students hold, their comparative outlook on education processes, the centrality of relationships to student success, and the conflicted identities students have to negotiate daily.

Are Differing Viewpoints Amongst Key Actors Influencing Implementation of Key Eu Marine Environmental Policies? Case Of Strictly Protected Areas

The transboundary nature of marine ecosystems and their more difficult accessibility create challenges for the conceptualisation of effective marine conservation, because of the compleity of the marine functioning and often unclear competences. Marine conservation thus often relies on (international) policies. The EU environmental policies are known for their high ambition levels. However, their implementation has been subpar so far. This study investigates the viewpoints of marine nature, wilderness, and strict protection in the EU seas and whether those help eplain why the implementation of EU marine environmental policies has been incoherent and uncoordinated so far. The viewpoints and nature imaginaries were investigated amongst key actors in policy implementation from national to the EU and Regional Sea Conventions levels, using policy analysis, diagramming, and Living Q workshops. The results show a variety of divergent viewpoints that frame marine issues in different ways, resulting in different interpretations of common policies and definitions, as well as a variety of policy implementation priorities. The variety of different values associated with marine nature, wilderness, and the role of EU policies is thus likely to influence the way common EU policies will be implemented in the future and by etension their effectiveness.

Wartime (im)mobilities: effects of aspirations-capabilities on displaced Ukrainians in Canada and Germany and their viewpoints on those who remain in Ukraine

ABSTRACT In war times, what differentiates those who manage to flee from those who remain behind? Based on 468 qualitative interview and survey responses with displaced Ukrainians’ in Canada and Germany, and the aspirations-capabilities framework, we identify how macro-level policies and individual resources and aspirations combine to shape wartime (im)mobility outcomes. Canada and Germany have relaxed their entry-stay policies to facilitate the displaced populations’ arrival while Ukraine has implemented exit restrictions for conscript men aged 18–60 and, by extension, for the family members who decide to stay with them in Ukraine. Accordingly, individuals with high pre-war migration aspirations and capital have arrived in Canada, those with mid-ranging aspirations and capital have arrived in Germany, and those with high aspirations to be with the draftees have remained in Ukraine. We make a threefold contribution to forced migration studies. We argue that war acts as an amplifier of preexisting migration aspirations for some individuals, that wartime exit restriction is a distinct example of macro-level emigration policies, and that a proactive-stay-aspirations component extends the aspirations-capabilities framework’s conceptual range.

What Drives Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Men to Go to Work in Israel?

Abstract Only about half of the ultra-Orthodox men in Israel dedicate their lives mainly to religious studies, while the rest participate in the labor market. Utilizing siblings with different labor market outcomes sampling, we collected retrospective data on ultra-Orthodox men who earn a living (N = 107), matched to their brothers (N = 103) who study in yeshiva as a way of life. Our logit model indicates that aspirations for upward mobility are positively associated with the likelihood of an ultra-Orthodox man entering the labor market, whereas the preference for religious studies and economic support of wives are associated with a decrease in an ultra-Orthodox man’s chances to join the labor market. Just as important, our findings show that among the group of men who study in yeshiva as a way of life, there is a subgroup that leads a less conservative lifestyle than is customary in ultra-Orthodox society and has relatively high personal aspirations.