Equal Power Research Articles

Using feminist methodologies to explore female genital mutilation/cutting and child marriage in low- and middle-income contexts

This paper discusses how harmful practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) can be effectively explored through feminist methodologies that center the lived experiences of girls and young women affected by these issues. Eliminating harmful practices, which are rooted in gender inequality and have myriad life-course consequences for those who experience them, has become a global priority in recent years. However, dominant conceptualizations of the drivers and consequences of child marriage and FGM/C often fail to adequately engage with or reflect adolescent girls' own nuanced experiences and perceptions. A feminist epistemology underlines the need for research methods that can uncover and address dynamics of power and inequality, as well as the complexities of voice and agency surrounding these practices, both of which perpetuate harmful practices and marginalize the voices of those who are most affected. The paper discusses adaptations to two key sets of methodological tools used with adolescent girls in research on FGM/C in Ethiopia and on child marriage in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Jordan, and Lebanon as part of the Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE) longitudinal study. The purpose of these tools was to address and shift power inequalities, both within the research process and in girls' lives more widely. The Social Network Hexagon, Marriage Chain, and Marriage Decision-Making Pairs tools were used to explore child marriage decision-making processes and dynamics and outcomes for adolescent girls. A vignette-based discussion on FGM/C and child marriage and a version of a Social Network Hexagon tool were used to improve understanding of adolescents' social networks and the extent to which these shape their options for change. We find that context-specific adaptations to the tools, determined through ongoing reflexive dialogue with local researchers, were key to creating space for deep reflection and engagement by girls. Exploring the wider structural and social dynamics that enable and constrain girls' agency and decision-making around harmful practices was also key. It enabled insights into the complex ways in which gender- and age-based social norms are exercised within girls' socio-ecological contexts, as well as possible entry points for change.

Meeting standards: (Re)colonial and subversive potential of AI modification

Abstract AI potential to recolonise language practices by reproducing existing marginalisations in novel ways has already instilled fears of a ‘contemporary dystopia’ (Miras et al., 2022) — a space of cultural and linguistic erasure. Accents represent a distinctive aspect of language practice associated with one’s sociocultural, and ethno-racial characteristics. They account for one’s social identity, status, and proficiency (De Klerk & Bosch, 1995). This makes practices of artificially modifying accents particularly concerning, since they play into the ‘zero’ accent ideology. As a result, any deviation from the norm is marked as abnormal or deficient, and in need of, artificial correction. Using AI accent generators, therefore, has the capacity to further aggravate power inequalities between the linguistically privileged and underprivileged, and to encourage changes in self-representation towards what is perceived as the normative Standard. Artificial modification of self to match a desired representation is not new, given the long-standing discussions on digital image alterations and their negative relationships to self-perceived attractiveness (Ozimek et al., 2023). This conceptual paper explores the (re)colonial and subversive linguistic potential of AI accent generators through the lens of the social tendency of individuals to strive to meet a given Standard. Using the notion of ‘technologies of the self’ (Foucault, 1988), we draw a parallel between self-perceived attractiveness of bodies and accents, to explain how artificial modifications do not straightforwardly support diversities, but instead encourage ‘self-corrections’ in line with those standardized sets of features which seem to promise a ‘better’ socioeconomic and educational standing within neoliberal societies.

Redefining equality in European contract law: protecting consumer interests in a post-consumer society

Abstract Consumers have in law been defined as the weaker parties in a transaction. Contract laws have integrated consumer protection with a view to balancing the interests of the parties, ensuring equal bargaining power and to some extent substantive fairness in contractual relations. Rules of consumer protection have therefore, from a contract lawyer’s perspective, been construed as expressions of a general principle of equality. The principle of equality, conceived in this way, complements the general principle of autonomy underlying contract law, which embodies the idea that parties should have the capacity for self-realisation. Does this construction of consumer contract law still hold in EU consumer markets transformed by the rise of online platforms and the overall move towards an economy based on services and experiences rather than the sale of physical goods? Or do we need to redefine the ways in which the principle of equality is expressed in European contract law in order to correct for new inequalities arising between consumers and businesses? This article aims to answer that question against the backdrop of established insights of the ways in which the rationality of European contract law differs from that of national, doctrinal private law systems. It concludes that the rules laid down in instruments such as the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (UCPD) and the Unfair Contract Terms Directive (UCTD) can protect consumers against exploitative practices. However, problems arise in cases where the interest at stake go beyond economic interests and concern also non-economic interests, such as data protection or freedom of expression, or do not have a market exchange value. Solutions can be pursued, it is submitted, by the European legislator and the European Court of Justice, potentially using the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights as a catalyst for reform.

Comparative Study on Associations Between Lung Cancer Prognosis and Diagnostic Criteria Set by the European Palliative Care Research Collaboration and the Asian Working Group for Cachexia.

Cachexia is a poor prognostic factor in many advanced cancers. Cachexia diagnostic criteria of the European Palliative Care Research Collaboration (EPCRC) may underestimate cachexia in Asians; therefore, new criteria have been proposed by the Asian Working Group for Cachexia (AWGC). We compared both criteria to determine differences in diagnostic rates and their association with lung cancer prognosis. This single-center, retrospective cohort study considered lung cancer outpatients receiving chemotherapy. Survival was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests. The association between cachexia diagnosis and prognosis was examined for each set of criteria using a Cox proportional hazards model. C-statistic analysis was performed to compare the discriminative power for prognosis. Among the 106 participants analyzed (median age, 75 [71-79] years; 75 males [70.8%]; 91 [85.9%] with performance status [PS] 0-1), 58 (54.7%) and 77 (72.6%) cachexia cases were diagnosed using the EPCRC and AWGC criteria, respectively. The latter encompassed all but one patient diagnosed using the EPCRC criteria. Patients with cachexia had a significantly poorer prognosis according to both criteria (EPCRC, p = 0.002; AWGC, p = 0.001). Both criteria had almost equal discriminative power for prognosis (EPCRC, C-statistic = 0.658; AWGC, C-statistic = 0.658). CRP in the AWGC criteria was most strongly related to prognosis. Cachexia was an independent poor prognostic factor in lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapy under the AWGC and EPCRC criteria, both of which had similar prognostic discriminatory power. Among CRP, anorexia, and grip strength, elevated CRP may be the most prognostically relevant parameter in the AWGC criteria.

Can marketing reduce inequality? Evidence from marketing science

Reducing inequality is integral to ensuring that no one is left behind. As a discipline, marketing can play a significant role in addressing inequality. To understand the current status and potential of marketing theory and practice to reduce inequality, a comprehensive and systematic literature review is needed. Addressing this gap, we conduct a systematic review of 313 marketing studies on inequalities. Our review highlights that inequality manifests in numerous ways—including consumption, culture, digital, economic, education, gender, geographical, health, income, power, racial, social, socioeconomic, structural, wealth, and general inequalities—and identifies five broad categories of antecedents and outcomes (individual, family, environmental, organization, and country). However, many studies lack specificity in defining and examining these inequalities, hindering the development of targeted interventions. To address this, we propose new definitions for each type of inequality and outline clear pathways for future research. These contributions not only highlight current progress in the field but also establish a roadmap for advancing marketing scholarship on inequality.

Collaboration for social‐ecological restoration: reflections from literature and practice

Collaboration is critical for engaging stakeholders and integrating diverse knowledges in social‐ecological restoration. Yet, despite the recognized benefits, ecosystem restoration has often not been collaborative across social and ecological disciplines or across different stakeholder scales. Drawing on relevant literature and practice‐based knowledge derived from our respective experiences working on the restoration of Indonesia's tropical peatlands, we emphasize the need for equitable task distribution; mutually beneficial, trust‐based relationships; inclusive and safe collaborative environments; scrutinizing and redressing power inequalities; establishing a shared understanding of, and vision for, social‐ecological contexts targeted for restoration; meeting on‐site and engaging with place‐based knowledge; and centering Indigenous and local knowledge. Putting in place these interconnected elements can contribute to a more integrated, equitable, adapted, sustained, and impactful collaboration for social‐ecological restoration.

Faculty Constructions of Internationalization

This paper contributes to the growing scholarship on internationalization of higher education, particularly in non-Western contexts. Literature in non-Western contexts highlights tensions around adopting approaches seen as ‘global standard’ where these reflect inequalities of power and prestige, shaped by coloniality. Drawing on conclusions from a policy document analysis (Al Furqani, forthcoming), this study is based on a thematic analysis of interviews with 10 academic staff members within one college. This study explored how academics and leaders conceptualised internationalisation, and how they related these conceptualisations to their pedagogical practices in courses, interpreting their responses through a decolonial frame. Faculty expressed positivity towards internationalization in general and commitment to specific aspects such as global employability and competence. However, they also identified tensions, such as the prioritization of English over Arabic, lower value being placed on local forms of knowledge, reliance on globalized curricula and materials, and so on. These speak to implicit understandings of latent coloniality in institutional approaches to internationalization in Oman. These findings have wider relevance to other Arab Gulf countries, as well as to other non-Anglophone countries in the process of internationalizing.

Reconceptualising socioeconomic rights: a case for care ethics

ABSTRACT As the COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled, care is ubiquitous, critical for all aspects of daily life. However, equally visible is the deficit in care both within states and on the international level. Care, as both a practice and value, has advanced far beyond its conception within feminist theory and has since been employed in a range of disciplines within the social sciences and beyond. Of particular note is its ability to deepen understandings of power and contest inequalities through the exploration of relationalities. Nevertheless, the lens of care has yet to be sufficiently explored in the context of international human rights law. Meanwhile, concerns regarding human rights’ susceptibility to appropriation by neoliberal forces are growing in volume and severity. Drawing on the work of Joan Tronto, this article suggests an appreciation of rights as interconnected and interdependent as the key to creating communities of care which level socioeconomic disparities on the international level. Chiefly, it proposes a rights-based approach informed by Tronto’s political theory of care as a means of transforming socioeconomic rights into the counter-hegemonic tool required to more effectively challenge neoliberalism.

Optimization of Interference Identification for Wireless Communication Based on Global Convolutional Neural Network

With the widespread adoption of smartphones and the rise of 5G technology, wireless networks fully show their bright future. In order to study the interference factors and optimization methods in the process of wireless communication, this paper studies the wireless communication interference recognition algorithm and power allocation algorithm based on global convolutional neural network, proposes a wireless communication interference recognition system model based on global convolutional neural network, and trains the system. The specific conclusions are as follows: (1) The basic modulation recognition neural network algorithm is constructed based on deep learning theory; (2) As the number of D2D users increases, the time used by the WMMSE algorithm and the equal power allocation algorithm in the traditional method increases. (3) The QL algorithm-based on greedy- is compared with the system-based QL algorithm proposed in this paper. On 200-time nodes, the SINK value of the QL algorithm based on -greedy is increased from 2.6 to 3.3, and the convergence speed is also greatly improved. The system proposed in this paper has a faster learning speed, can accelerate the learning of strategies, and can save a lot of computing resources, and effectively reduce the complexity of operations.

Perspectives of Young People on Social Media-Based Sexuality Education Using a Feminist Approach in China: A Qualitative Study.

The feminist approach to sexuality education challenges and changes power dynamics and inequalities embedded within sexuality, while social media serves as a tool for building online communities and raising awareness about feminist issues. Adopting a feminist approach to sexuality education, particularly through social media platforms, remains largely unexplored and underdeveloped. In China, where traditional sex education is often limited and stigmatized, sexuality has been influenced by a complex interplay of traditional gender norms, evolving social attitudes, and state intervention. The aim of this study was to evaluate both sex educators and their online followers' perceptions of the implementation of social media-based sexuality education using a feminist approach in China. Semi-structured online interviews were carried out with 10 educators and 18 young followers, followed by thematic analysis using NVivo. The findings indicated that social media-based sexuality education using a feminist approach might be used to help disrupt oppressive norms about gender and sexuality and foster a positive attitude toward women's sexuality. Chinese online sex educators strategically avoided the term "feminism" and creatively evaded censorship and spread their messages in alignment with government policies while advocating for gender equality. However, participants also highlighted the existence of barriers, including internal conflicts, gender imbalances, social stigmatization, and political constraints, which needed to be addressed in order to effectively implement this approach.

Control Conditions for Equal Power Sharing in Multi-Area Power Systems for Resilience Against False Data Injection Attacks

Power cyber–physical systems such as multi-area power systems (MAPSs) have gained considerable attention due to their integration of power electronics with wireless communications technologies. Incorporating a communication setup enhances the sustainability, reliability, and efficiency of these systems. Amidst these exceptional benefits, such systems’ distributed nature invites various cyber-attacks. This work focuses on the equal power sharing of MAPSs in the event of false data injection (FDI) attacks. The proposed work uses a sliding mode control (SMC) mechanism to ensure timely detection of challenges such as FDI attacks and load change, making MAPSs reliable and secure. First, a SMC-based strategy is deployed to enable the detection and isolation of compromised participants in MAPS operations to achieve equal power sharing. Second, time-varying FDI attacks on MAPSs are formulated and demonstrate their impact on equal power sharing. Third, a robust adaptive sliding mode observer is used to accurately assess the state of the MAPS to handle state errors robustly and automatically adjust parameters for identifying FDI attacks and load changes. Lastly, simulation results are presented to explain the useful ability of the suggested method.

Co-Production Within Academic Constraints: Insights from a Case Study.

Co-production in research offers the potential for multiple benefits, including amplifying the voices of the marginalised, reducing power inequalities between academic researchers and co-researchers outside of academia, increased likelihood of impact, and improvement in the research process. But alongside increased interest in co-production, there is increased awareness of its contextual constraints. Key amongst these are institutional orthodoxies in academia, including time-limited, project-based research and precarious employment for junior researchers. To examine how the potential benefits of co-production can be achieved within the constraints of current academic systems, a case study project was assessed against a documented set of expectations for the co-production of research with older adults. The case study was a research project conducted with seven almshouse communities in England on the topic of social resilience. The wider almshouse communities-staff, trustees, and residents-were involved in co-production. The assessment concluded that co-production led to rich data and deep understanding. Co-production aided the development of skills and experiences of the co-researchers, resulted in changes in practice, and challenged power differentials, albeit in limited ways, but could not ensure the sustainability of relationships or impact. Key elements for effective co-production included the approach to and governance of the project, the formation of a Residents Advisory Group, and planning for the limited commitment that individuals and organisations outside of academia may be able to contribute to research.

Construction of women's empowerment index for Bangladesh.

This study is dedicated to refining and enhancing the measurement model of women's empowerment in Bangladesh. Women's empowerment, a crucial and multifaceted aspect of societal growth, is often hindered by gender disparities. This is particularly evident in societies like Bangladesh, where women face inequalities in education, economic opportunities, and decision-making power. To address these disparities effectively, it is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of women's empowerment. Therefore, this study aims to refine and enhance the measurement model to capture the multifaceted nature of women's empowerment accurately. To gather data for this study, a structured questionnaire was administered to married women of reproductive age (15-49) in eight Mouza/Mohalla in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This unique approach allowed us to capture a diverse range of perspectives. We used thirty-three indicators across economic, socio-cultural, household, and psychological dimensions to measure women's empowerment. The sample data were then randomly divided for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to identify and validate a comprehensive multidimensional framework. Out of 625 respondents, only 36% of women worked, and ~39% married before age 18. Employing thirty-three items in EFA led to identifying eight critical factors (economic independence, control over household financial decisions, household decision-making, reproductive decision-making, freedom of movement, media exposure, positive self-esteem, and negative self-esteem). These factors, which explained 72.661% of the total variance in the data, provide a practical framework for understanding and addressing women's empowerment. Each component was then divided into two sub-dimensions to acquire a better understanding. The CFA indicated a good model fit for each dimension, and convergent and discriminant validity assessments were used to establish reliability and validity, further enhancing the practical implications of our findings. The results of our rigorous exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses not only confirmed the sample structures and internal consistency but also provided significant insights. The findings suggested an adequate fit for all CFA models, indicating the robustness of our measurement model. According to the CFA results, each dimension's variables are satisfactory, and all the dimensions can be combined to create a single index measuring women's empowerment. This comprehensive understanding of women's empowerment, with its specific dimensions and factors, equips policymakers and practitioners with the knowledge to develop a wide range of interventions appropriate to particular facets of empowerment, thereby fostering societal growth and gender equality.

Matrix hypercontractivity, streaming algorithms and LDCs: the large alphabet case

We prove a hypercontractive inequality for matrix-valued functions defined over large alphabets. In order to do so, we prove a generalization of the powerful 2-uniform convexity inequality for trace norms of Ball, Carlen, Lieb (Inventiones Mathematicae’94). Using our hypercontractive inequality, we present upper and lower bounds for the communication complexity of the Hidden Hypermatching problem defined over large alphabets. We then consider streaming algorithms for approximating the value of Unique Games on a hypergraph with t -size hyperedges. By using our communication lower bound, we show that every streaming algorithm in the adversarial model achieving an \((r-\varepsilon)\) -approximation of this value requires \(\Omega (n^{1-2/t})\) quantum space, where r is the alphabet size. We next present a lower bound for locally decodable codes ( \(\mathsf {LDC}\) ) \(\mathbb {Z}_r^n\rightarrow \mathbb {Z}_r^N\) over large alphabets with recoverability probability at least \(1/r + \varepsilon\) . Using hypercontractivity, we give an exponential lower bound \(N= 2^{\Omega (\varepsilon ^4 n/r^4)}\) for 2-query (possibly non-linear) \(\mathsf {LDC}\) s over \(\mathbb {Z}_r\) and using the non-commutative Khintchine inequality we prove an improved lower bound of \(N= 2^{\Omega (\varepsilon ^2 n/r^2)}\) .

The Royal College of Psychiatrists should become British, not Royal.

The royal charter of the Royal College of Psychiatrists is generally taken to enhance its status. However, the concept of a hereditary monarchy is intellectually indefensible and the realities of the British monarchy exacerbate inequalities in the UK. The connection is particularly problematic for psychiatrists because of their role in the compulsory detention and treatment of patients. The Royal affiliation can only serve to emphasise the power inequalities in society associated with these activities. College members should feel free to discuss whether this situation should continue or whether we should be British rather than Royal.

The ping-pong strategy: confronting atrocities from the exile

ABSTRACT This article will focus on the still marginal topic of atrocity crimes, and it will do so by building upon Southern studies, which expose how global power inequalities have helped present knowledge from a small number of Northern societies as universal, timeless and placeless while disregarding valuable knowledges and experiences from the South. Moreover, this article will also dispute the ‘static’ perspective in the literature of atrocities that has largely focused on either domestic or global issues of concern, but without enough attention to the dialogues, connections normative transfers, and even shared practices between the South and the North. Furthermore, it will do so by focusing on a particular unattended actor: those in exile and their role in the confrontation of the atrocities back home. Altogether, this article will go beyond the European-centred and static approaches and instead look at points of dialogue and encounters between Europe and Latin America and the role of the diaspora/exile as a legal and dynamic protagonist in the struggle against atrocities. Particularly, the research will look at the role of Argentinean activists in the European exile and their struggle against the dictatorship that ruled the country between 1976 and 1983, as well as their activism against impunity laws once democracy was re-established.

Joint Throughput Equalization Power Control and Cell-Free Model for Enhancing Performance of WBANs

Joint Throughput Equalization Power Control and Cell-Free Model for Enhancing Performance of WBANs

Is epistemic injustice a worthy application to mental health nurse education?

This paper explores the philosophical concept of epistemic injustice and contends its significance and relevance to mental health nurse education and clinical practice. The term epistemic injustice may be unfamiliar to mental health nurses, yet the effects are readily visible in the dismissing, silencing, and doubting of service users' knowledge, testimony, and interpretation. Existing professional values and clinical standards lack depth and critical exploration pertaining to epistemology and associated ethical concerns. Despite central tenets of person-centred care and valuing the service users' voice, epistemic injustice continues to occur. Epistemic injustice cannot be summed up merely by asking nurses to listen to service users. This represents an oversimplification of epistemology, ignoring the complexities of social influence and knowledge exchanges. Epistemic injustice brings something new and innovative to the nursing curriculum and fits within the principles of heutagogy. It encourages deep reflexivity surrounding the ethical issues of power inequalities and intersectionality. Inclusion in mental health nursing education allows for the social and political powers of psychiatric diagnosis as a form of silencing and stigma to be examined. Practical application is made to mental health nursing education and practice with epistemological values and ethical reflexive prompts. These can be utilised by educators and lecturers for pre-registration mental health nurse education, post-registration, and continued professional development.

Construction Of Sexuality And Sexual Violence Among Alumni Of Islamic State University Of Banjarmasin, Indonesia

In acts of sexual violence, the wearing of the headscarf is often exploited, so it is important to do research. This study uses qualitative which is a library research. Primary data is obtained from interviews, while secondary data is obtained from journals, books, articles, and online sites. The results of the study show that the forms of construction of jilbab sexuality and sexual violence involve several aspects, such as the jilbab which is interpreted as a symbol of submission, social identity, and expression space that is often exploited. This dynamic then triggers the occurrence of sexual violence, which is influenced by patriarchal culture, the authority of the female body, and power inequality. The results of the study also show the implications of this construction of sexuality on the repression of women's bodies, the occurrence of discrimination, and the normalization of violent behavior.

We are wales: taking the hospital to the community - an engagement experiment

Abstract In Wales we are facing two major barriers to public health engagement. The first is describing our communities as ‘hard to reach’ when in public service we make little effort to reach them, and second, we do not consider in population level research or practice how we are perpetuating the sense of, and real, inequality in our communities that our work on social determinants of health and health inequalities seeks to address. In Wales we want to take the ‘hospital to the community’; to meet people where they are at, where they live and work and where they experience barriers to inclusion, discrimination, lack of trust and fear. ‘We are Wales’ is is built on the Museum of the United Nations concept of a global we - except we will start small with a small nation that as yet has not worked out how to include and involve everyone in our communities in the policy and practice decisions that may help, or hinder us all from leading a healthier, happier life. ‘We are Wales’ is a simple concept; it is about amplifying and connecting people who would not normally do so, because they do not have the resources or capacity to travel or take time out. It is about equal power in a connection to find solutions to adversity and trauma caused by structural inequality; it is about relationships, inclusion, kindness and compassion - and listening, sharing and taking action without judgement. We have taken a dome to communities in economically deprived areas of Wales and stimulated conversation between politicians, young people and communities around the concept of home. Using a virtual reality dome to project images to encourage discussion we have provided a safe space to amplify and include the voices of those who want to be heard and deserve to be listened to. Key messages • ‘Take the hospital to the community’ - meet people where they are at and feel safe. • power sharing and an equal place at the table stimulates ideas and knowledge change in a trauma-informed way.