Inclusions In Spaces Research Articles

“I’d just love to hear what the community has to say”: Exploring the potential of community-driven vaccine messaging amongst ethnic minority communities

ABSTRACT Community-based communication interventions improve health outcomes and foster positive behavioral changes across diverse populations. However, their potential to support vaccine readiness remains underexplored. This paper addresses this gap by investigating the opinions and preferences of ethnic minority community members who attended a health information session regarding community-delivered vaccine messaging. The study explored the perceptions and willingness to engage in community-led communication efforts about vaccination, focusing on COVID-19 booster vaccines. In-depth interviews were conducted between November and December 2023 with individuals from ethnic minority communities in Central Eastern Sydney who attended an information session about COVID-19 boosters. Four key themes emerged from speaking to this specific group, highlighting diverse communication preferences and intentions. Participants emphasized obtaining vaccine-related knowledge from various sources, particularly through interpersonal discussions. Trusted voices like general practitioners (GPs) and targeted media campaigns were deemed to be crucial. Recommendations included leveraging community champions and establishing a central body for efficient vaccination campaign management in multicultural communities. Personal engagement through community discussions was stressed, with inclusive spaces recommended in various settings. Effective strategies include transparent communication, credible health professional endorsement, and addressing concerns with balanced responses. The findings accentuate the potential effectiveness of grassroots, community-centric initiatives in promoting informed vaccine messaging, countering misinformation, and engaging communities in meaningful health dialogs. Further research on tailored communication and strategic partnerships could enhance this initiative and promote sustained health literacy within ethnic minority communities.

Creating online, inclusive spaces for learning: ‘Study Together’ with the personal learning advice service

There is a wealth of scholarship on the benefits of synchronous writing sessions for staff and students in higher education (Kornhaber et al., 2016; Eardley et al., 2021; Morley and Aston, 2023). In the Personal Learning Advice (PLA) Service at the Open University UK (OU), we developed bespoke, online study spaces for students from groups currently underrepresented in higher education – known as ‘Study Together’ sessions. The sessions prioritise students from minoritised ethnic groups, students with disabilities, and students with mental health needs who are at risk of poorer study outcomes. This presentation charted the development of Study Together in response to student feedback and evaluation and sought to show the value of ‘targeted’ invitations to engage students with spaces for learning development. Our presentation began by outlining the rationale for a 2022-23 Study Together pilot and its impact on community and belonging for students with mental health declarations (Lavery et al., 2023). We shared our approach to hosting Study Together and the techniques used to create an inclusive, productive study space; we showed how these approaches allowed us to incorporate timed study bursts and reflective practice, building positive study habits among students. Finally, we presented findings from the evaluation of Study Together in 2023-24 and situated this within the wider literature on the benefits of virtual communities of practice for learning. Our presentation spoke directly to the ALDcon24 theme ‘Building inclusive learning development spaces’ and invited delegates to consider the place of virtual, guided study spaces in their own practice.

When the ‘inclusive turn’ fuels the entrepreneurial city: Critical perspectives from Singapore

The rise of the notion of ‘inclusion’ in urban planning, seen in phrases like inclusive city, calls for a critical analysis of its evolving meaning and its spatial, social and political implications. Paradoxically, the meaning of urban inclusion has narrowed such that it now primarily refers to accessibility for people with disabilities. At the intersection of urban studies and critical disability studies, our article investigates the conceptions, criteria and modes of production underlying the implementation of urban inclusion in Singapore's ‘Enabling Village’, a purportedly inclusive space opened in 2015. We use a mixed‐methods approach, analysing official narratives and conducting site visits to understand the site as both an appropriated and a branded space. We show that, in Singapore, the inclusion agenda interacts with the city‐state's distinctive approach to planning and governance, where social issues are ‘engineered’ and give rise to replicable operational models. Our hypothesis is that implementing the inclusive city through the production and promotion of ‘inclusive’ urban projects such as the Enabling Village fuels the expansion of Singapore as a state‐led ‘entrepreneurial city’ (Harvey, Geografiska Annaler. Series B, Human Geography 1989; 71(1):3–17). In particular, operationalising ‘urban inclusion’ in this way allows for the reinvention of Singapore as a global urban model.

Inclusion of Students With Disabilities in Physical Education: The Crossroads of Systemic Coherence

Abstract This study aims to identify and comprehend the factors and pedagogical practices that facilitate or hinder the inclusion of students with disabilities in physical education classes at school, considering micro and macrosystemic levels. The methodology employed in this study was a case study approach, using an interpretative phenomenological analysis to construct thematic categories of analysis. These categories include: 1.Flexibility of the physical education teacher’s practices and strategies, 2. Teacher training, 3. Inclusive spaces and infrastructure, 4. Involvement of the educational community. The various data collection tools (interviews, focus groups and observations) allowed to portray and illuminate each of the topics of analysis and the contextual differences of the three schools analyzed. The findings demonstrate that inclusive strategies must be coherent and systemic in accordance with the contexts. However, it is possible to highlight inclusive strategies that reveal the importance of teacher commitment, the interconnected work between teachers and school management, the use of expeditious communication channels within the educational community and with governmental levels, the use of implements related to the practice of physical education and the use of the teacher’s voice as the primary agent for the implementation of inclusive learning strategies.

LGBTQ+ themed public art: promoting an expanded view on genders and advancing gender education

This essay explores the transformative role of LGBTQ+ themed public art in promoting an expanded view of genders and advancing gender education. By engaging with Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity, I want to stress how public art both serves as a medium for aesthetic expression and also acts as a crucial participant in the performative act of gender identity construction. From the vibrant defiance of rainbow crosswalks to the poignant narratives of the AIDS Memorial Quilt and the impactful murals by Keith Haring, LGBTQ+ themed public art challenges traditional gender roles and identities, offering alternative visions that resist binary classifications. These public artworks create inclusive spaces that foster community engagement, historical commemoration, and activism, effectively enhancing public pedagogy in gender education. By embedding diverse and non-normative expressions of gender and sexuality in public consciousness, such art prompts a reevaluation of societal norms, thereby contributing to a broader understanding and acceptance of gender diversity. This essay emphasizes the potential of LGBTQ+ -themed public art to serve as a dynamic medium for communicative pedagogy, manifesting its significance in shaping social consciousness and advancing the cause of gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights.

“The Kids can Handle it”: A Culturally Responsive Case Study of Four Detracking School Leadership Teams

Purpose: This comparative case study focused on high schools in California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia using the lens of Culturally Responsive School Leadership to investigate the actions of school leaders in implementing detracking and asks How do school leaders’ actions regarding detracking fit into the larger framework of Culturally Responsive School Leadership? Research Methods: This study uses a qualitative comparative case study method involving interviews with leadership team members at detracking high schools. Findings: Leaders in all the schools explicitly demonstrated creating inclusive spaces, embracing community assets, and enacting culturally responsive instructional leaders. Leaders at three of the schools explicitly celebrated students’ identities. Leaders at two of the schools suggested they engage in critical self-reflecting aimed at combating biases against minoritized students but did not explicitly mention this self-reflection. Implications for Researchers and Practitioners: Though emergent in nature, these findings add to our collective knowledge about practices in detracking schools that may be beneficial elsewhere and being to fill in gaps in our knowledge about specific detracking conditions over which school leaders have control. These findings also demonstrate a need for researchers, professors of leadership education, and policy makers to support school leaders in becoming culturally responsive and sustaining the practices at the heart of CRSL. Applying this framework allows for a rigorous discussion of leaders’ specific actions along with avenues of detailed consideration for researchers, educators of future school leaders, and policy makers in a coherent manner to create and sustain schools that can serve all children well.

A History of the Eastern Economic Association: 50 Years of Finding Space for Pluralism and Inclusion in Economics

AbstractDrawing on archival data and oral histories, this paper examines the history of the Eastern Economic Association from its beginnings in 1974 to its 50th anniversary in 2024. It sheds light on the ideological, social, and political motivations behind the EEA’s founding, focusing on its commitment to addressing the narrowness of the economics profession and the marginalization of women and underrepresented minorities. It also documents some of the problems that the Eastern Economic Association and the Eastern Economic Journal faced over time and how they have resolved these problems. Based on this history and analysis, the paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the EEA’s enduring impact on the field of economics and its continuing relevance in fostering a more inclusive and pluralistic academic community.

From hopelessness to hope: using a desire-based approach to investigate the perspectives of museum specialists in Ghanaian museums

ABSTRACT Drawing on Eve Tuck's (2009. “Suspending damage: A letter to communities.” Harvard Educational Review 79 (3): 409–428. doi:10.17763/haer.79.3.n0016675661t3n15) desire-based research framework, we investigate the perceptions and aspirations of experts within Ghana's museums regarding the future development and improvement of museums in Ghana. We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews of nine museum experts who work in Ghanaian museums. While the study’s findings revealed the museums experts’ challenges, including, lack of training, technological deficiencies, and underfunding, their narratives also revealed a profound desire for community engagement, external collaborations, organizational restructuring, and the support of the next generation and the government, all resources they believe will transform their institutions into vibrant, inclusive spaces that are prepared to serve their communities. This study contributes to the literature on museum education and organization in West Africa by moving beyond the prevailing narratives of damage and challenges present in the literature and highlighting the optimism and eagerness of museum specialists who can drive the transformation of these cultural institutions.

Promoting civil discourse on social media using nudges: A tournament of seven interventions.

In this article, we test and compare several message-based nudges designed to promote civil discourse and reduce the circulation of harmful content such as hate speech. We conducted a large pre-registered experiment (N = 4,081) to measure the effectiveness of seven nudges: making descriptive norms, injunctive norms, or personal norms salient, cooling down negative emotions, stimulating deliberation or empathy, and highlighting reputation. We used an online platform that reproduces a social media newsfeed and presented the nudge as a message when entering the platform. Our findings indicate that none of the nudges significantly impacts participants' engagement with harmful content. At the same time, nudges making descriptive norms salient selectively increase participants' overall engagement with relatively harmless content. Additionally, making injunctive norms salient increased the likelihood of liking harmless posts. Exploratory text analysis also reveals that highlighting reputation leads to more substantial and coherent comments on harmful posts. These results suggest that nudges that activate norm considerations represent a promising approach to promoting civil discourse and making social media a safer and more inclusive space for all.

EUROPEAN PRINCIPLES OF UNIVERSAL DESIGN AND THEIR APPLICATION IN THE ARCHITECTURE OF UKRAINIAN CITIES

The values of a solidary and democratic society, based on the principles of equality, significantly influenced the conceptual and practical principles of design throughout the Modern era. To a large extent, the formative base of modernism – the leading worldview trend that defined the architecture of the 20th and early 21st centuries – is connected with them. One of the important stages in the development of this process was the spread since the 1980s "universal design" concept that aimed at creating a more inclusive space, avoiding various forms of isolation and inequality depending on the physical abilities of a person. Currently, theoretical and practical achievements in this area make it possible to talk about a holistic system of views on design, which, however, still remains largely unrealized to the extent that the goals of universal design can be considered generally achieved. Nevertheless, thanks to the implementation of a number of initiatives and programs, inclusive and friendly environments for different groups have begun to emerge in many European cities, which testify to the benefits of the "design for all" concept. In addition to the purely humanistic aspect, it also gives cities advantages in terms of a more complete use of human potential, maintaining a high economic and social attractiveness, which ultimately increases the competitive indicators of the city. This article consists of three principle parts, two of which are reflective and one analytical. In their sequence, they have the following form: a) an outline of the current concepts of universal design, which are present in various initiatives and programs of the European Union and a wider range of sources that create the relevant discourse; b) assessment of issues related to the equality of space in domestic analysis and practice; c) determination of the local specificity of Ukraine, which determines the perspective of applying the principles of universal design. Based on the analysis, have been outlined the main features of a possible strategy for the development of universal design principles in Ukrainian cities, including taking into account the consequences of full-scale russian military aggression, which began in February 2022.

Navigating Challenges Resilience of Women Entrepreneurs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

This research paper examines how women entrepreneurs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa navigate the entrepreneurial ecosystem and social support structures. Grounded in an interpretivist research philosophy, the study delves into the subjective experiences of women entrepreneurs, highlighting their roles in fostering economic stability within their communities. A hybrid inductive and deductive research approach, combined with a multiple case study method, was employed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 18 purposively sampled women entrepreneurs. The analysis, using a hybrid thematic approach, identified key themes related to the resilience of women entrepreneurs in the face of social and financial challenges, social advocacy, and economic independence. The findings illustrate how these women overcome socio-cultural barriers and limited institutional support, leveraging their entrepreneurial ventures to create inclusive spaces and advocate for gender equality.

Gender in martial arts and combat sports

Objective: In this paper, we offer a general picture of gender research in sport as a whole, in those specifically understood as masculine, and in martial arts and combat sports (MACS), until refining our scope and focus specifically on karate. Methodology: The Spanish women’s Olympic karate team was researched by us exactly when this MACS achieved the temporary condition of an Olympic sport, in Tokyo 2020 (2021). Results and discussion: We seek to provide a critical perspective on how karate practices and professional interventions require action to become more of an empowering tool/place than one where power is unfairly exerted over others with the excuse of hierarchies and tradition. Conclusion: We conclude the article envisioning and suggesting a few actions that could add to improve karate and broad MACS environments in the direction of more equitable, diverse and inclusive spaces and pedagogy through queering them.

Undergraduate physics students’ experiences: Exploring the impact of underrepresented identities and intersectionality

Historically, physics has been a predominantly male field, with previous literature showing that there is little diversity among U.S. physics students at the undergraduate and graduate levels or among physicists within the work force. Recent research indicates that the lack of diversity in physics is partially due to an unwelcoming climate within physics departments, as well as differential experiences during college. Most physics education research that addresses the lack of underrepresented identities within the field has focused on the identities of women and people of color. There has been little research to investigate people with multiple underrepresented identities, including those such as socioeconomic status, first-generation college students, or learning disabilities. Furthermore, there has been even less research conducted to better understand the impacts of the intersection of these underrepresented identities and how it relates to experiences when pursuing a physics major. In order to address this gap in the literature, our research project has investigated undergraduate physics students’ experiences to better understand what factors affect their experiences and how these may differ by the intersection of one’s underrepresented identities. In particular, we explored how these identities impact their experiences as a physics major. To achieve this goal, we conducted a series of in-depth interviews with physics majors at one university to learn more about their college experiences regarding physics. Our findings suggest that there is a disproportionate number of obstacles when pursuing a physics major faced by those with a greater number of underrepresented identities. We conclude that there is a need for more equitable pedagogical practices and departmental policies within the undergraduate physics experience, in addition to a more “human” approach to mentorship, in order to foster an environment in which students with underrepresented identities can feel supported and thrive academically and professionally. In particular, we believe that dedicated formal pedagogical trainings that teach diverse teaching skills to accommodate students with different learning styles would be useful to many university physics instructors. This type of formal training would include annual workshops designed to educate faculty on how curriculum, pedagogy, and departmental practices can be altered to be more inclusive with the intent to ensure a more equitable and welcoming experience for all students. Additionally, incorporating mentorship programs that focus on a more individualized and natural support system would likely benefit all students, especially those with underrepresented identities, by creating a more welcoming and inclusive space within physics departments. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Exploring Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility in the Built Environment: A Case Study

Continuous changes in society and the need for sustainable development demand updates in designing better built environments to respond to the variety of user needs. Notwithstanding the growing interest of research and the introduction of guidelines and standards on inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility, there are still several limitations in effectively and efficiently embedding such principles for the design of buildings and neighborhoods. Previous research demonstrated the critical need for innovative tools and methods to support professionals in designing responsive, inclusive spaces for an extended range of users. This article reports the results of a pilot study using the new IDEA Audit Tool for assessing how inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility are perceived by building occupants in a specific facility. The analysis of significant data provided by this study shows the challenges and highlights the benefits of the tool, including fostering an evidence-based decision-making process, speeding up the prioritization of critical design improvements, demonstrated through a six-month trial with a London-based inclusive design firm. The research-driven outcomes showcase the huge potential that the tool offers to improve the company strategy while evolving towards more inclusive, accessible spaces that foster diversity and equity, and has the potential to be replicated in several fields of action to raise awareness and improve the application of IDEA principles in all phases of the design process.

Safer dementia care spaces: Perspectives from LGBTQ+ people with cognitive impairment and caregivers.

The number of caregivers and people living with dementia and other related forms of cognitive impairment is increasing worldwide. Compared to heterosexual and cisgender individuals, studies suggest that lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, or other sexual and/or gender minority people (LGBTQ+) are at a higher risk for known risk factors for cognitive impairment and dementia, stemming from minority stress experiences. Limited research has explored the distinct obstacles that LGBTQ+ people with cognitive impairment and caregivers encounter, especially within dementia care. The purpose of this study was to deepen our understanding regarding LGBTQ+ people with cognitive impairment and caregivers' experiences with dementia care spaces, and to identify the strategies that they perceive as effective in creating safer and more inclusive spaces. Fourteen LGBTQ+ participants aged 27-78 (M = 58.07), consisting of two individuals with cognitive impairment and 12 caregivers, were interviewed about the care needs of LGBTQ+ people with cognitive impairment and caregivers, and their experiences with dementia care spaces. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we identified three overarching themes from the data, indicating that LGBTQ+ people with cognitive impairment and caregivers feel left "on the margins" of dementia care and express a desire for their identities to be celebrated and recognized. Additionally, they proposed recommendations for policy change to foster safer and more inclusive spaces for dementia care. The findings call attention to the negative experiences of LGBTQ+ people with cognitive impairment and caregivers with dementia care, but also highlight the ways in which care practices can be transformed to effectively address their care needs.

Lived Experience Co-Production Within the Alleviate Pain Data Hub

ObjectiveTo build an effective Pain data hub that benefits the public, people with chronic pain, and researchers. Alleviate is the Advanced Pain Discovery Platform (APDP) Data Hub. The aim is to make pain data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable (FAIR) while raising awareness of chronic pain to improve the lives of people living with pain. ApproachAlleviate has two lived experience leads plus an Advisory Group (AG) of people with lived experience (PWLE) of chronic pain representing an online reference group of ~400 people. The leads have been involved throughout the project since inception and design, and chair regular project meetings to ensure all voices are heard equally. They lead the development of engagement materials, highlighting the importance of pain research to those with lived experience. This co-production ensures the project to stay focussed on what matters to those living with chronic pain. ResultsAlleviate has developed an inclusive environment for PWLE to be actively involved in decision-making and progression of the project. Together we have co-produced videos, static informational material, social media content and developed a new collaboration with an international pain charity to run a UK-wide pain survey. ConclusionsThis co-production model has allowed us to generate impactful outputs and opportunities, raising awareness of Alleviate and pain research. ImplicationsProviding an inclusive space in the heart of an academic project for PWLE has given additional focus for researchers and provided ownership to the public in activities that directly affect them.

Grief is the price we pay for love: Emotions disclosed by Chinese mourners in online memorial platform

The present paper undertakes an in-depth analysis of the messages within the ‘Grief-expressing’ section of the online memorial platform ‘Heavenly Remembrance.’ Utilizing Grounded Theory alongside a mixed-methods approach incorporating both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, this study delves into the emotional categories and referential features in the online discourse of Chinese mourners, drawing upon the Affective Lexicon Ontology. The findings of this study reveal that: firstly, the expressions of Chinese online mourners demonstrate a remarkable diversity and complexity, encompassing a spectrum of emotional categories characterized by both positive and negative attributes. This highlights the capacity of online memorial platforms to provide inclusive spaces for emotional disclosure, thereby facilitating the transformation of traditionally singular and concentrated grief into more personalized and varied emotional experiences. Secondly, the emotional disclosure of Chinese online mourners is directed towards the self, the deceased and the community respectively. Notably, there appears to be a trend over time towards a gradual transition in emotional expression from predominantly negative to increasingly positive, as well as from predominantly individual-focused to more collective-oriented expressions. In light of this, the study also attempts to explain the motivations behind such grief disclosure through the Motivation Model of Pragmatics, thereby theoretically contributing to the research on discourse and emotion in the Chinese mourning context and offering a new perspective on the emotional dynamics of individuals experiencing bereavement in online context.

Advancing doctoral student professional development through a strengths-based cohort program

Purpose Strengths-based professional development has been associated with positive outcomes in academia and in the organizational workplace. Students pursuing their doctoral degrees in the biomedical sciences in the US are often on graduate assistantships, where they experience an academic component to their training integrated with an employee-like existence. The individual who serves as their academic and research advisor is often their supervisor, who pays their stipend. The traditional training structure poses unique challenges and may be accompanied by stress, burnout and imposter phenomenon. The purpose of this study is to utilize a strengths-based approach to equip students with essential personal and professional skills that build self-awareness and self-confidence further preparing them for their future in the scientific workforce. Design/methodology/approach The authors developed and implemented a novel strengths-based professional development cohort program for doctoral students in the biomedical sciences at a research-intensive (R1) institution. The program was designed to create a supportive and inclusive space for participants (n = 18) to explore their identity as a student and scientists and to develop and leverage their talents for more effective and strategic use. Program outcomes were evaluated through a mixed methods case study design using a post-program Likert-based survey (n = 10 participants) and participant interviews (n = 13). Explanatory sequential design was used in the interpretation of the findings. Findings The results show that the program had a positive impact on students’ perceptions of themselves as scientists, as well as on their self-efficacy, self-confidence and interpersonal interactions in the research setting. Practical implications This strengths-based professional development program demonstrates immense potential as a model to equip students with self-awareness and a new foundation of essential skills needed to supplement their technical and scientific training for their future careers in the team-based workplace. Originality/value This study demonstrates how professional development programming can complement scientific training by equipping students with self-awareness and other lifelong skills to navigate feelings of imposter phenomenon and interpersonal relationships in the team-based workplace.

Racial and gender education in the early school years: An examination of teachers’ reactions to discrimination

Teachers play a vital role in socializing children's anti-biased beliefs. Kindergarten through second grade teachers (N = 147; 99% women; 93% White, non-Hispanic) in the U.S. responded to hypothetical vignettes of peer-based racial and gender discrimination. Content analysis revealed 21 practices across three themes: Anti-Bias, Minimizing, and General. Teachers more frequently referenced Anti-Bias and Minimizing practices and less frequently referenced General practices in gender versus racial contexts. Further, the specific types of Anti-Bias and Minimizing practices were more varied in gender versus racial contexts. Findings have implications for ways teachers promote inclusive spaces for all children, including children of color and girls.

Giving voice to the global majority

In this print edition 13.3, we continue our journal’s tradition and commitment to give a voice to those traditionally excluded in society. In the broader context of the dynamics of global communication and connectivity, we offer six articles from authors principally from the Global South. Their focus on creating spaces for dialogue and inclusion to those often excluded from society – the so-called subaltern voices – importantly offers an alternative to the Western populist narrative and challenges the inequalities created by globalization. It is also timely and especially important set against the backdrop of the rise of the populist right in Europe and North America which appear to pose a threat to those voices least heard across the globe.