Public Issue Research Articles

The Role of Small Modular Reactors in the Energy Transition to Decarbonization

The global push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while meeting the rising demand for electricity, has led to a growing interest in less polluting energy sources. Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) emerge as a key innovation in nuclear power, offering enhanced safety, transportability, and cost-effectiveness. This paper explores the role of SMRs in advancing decarbonization and strengthening energy security, with a focus on their potential deployment in the EU, including with the aim to achieve climate targets and ensure a stable electricity supply. The study evaluates various SMR designs using the International Atomic Energy Agency’s reactor technology assessment toolkit, considering factors such as safety, economic viability, and regulatory challenges. The findings highlight the critical role of informed decision-making in the successful integration of SMRs into national energy grids, addressing both technical and public perception issues. This paper also underscores the importance of SMRs in creating a sustainable and resilient energy future.

Theology Goes Public: Richard Shaull’s Dialogue with Public Issues, Social Sciences, and Ecumenism in “The New Revolutionary Mood in Latin America” (1962)

Since the arrival of Protestants in Brazil, the presence of Protestant educational institutions became a reality. Seminaries were founded at the end of the 19th century, focusing on the training of clergy without much concern for dialogue with other churches or with society at large. Public issues, ecumenism—through dialogue and cooperation between Protestants and Catholics—and interdisciplinary theological approaches only became current concerns in the mid-twentieth century, especially with liberation theologies—both Protestant and Catholic. Before that, however, one of the authors who was able to grasp these dimensions in his theological endeavour was Richard Shaull, who, through his theological method, opened a dialogue with the social sciences in order to interpret the reality in which he placed Christian action and mission. Through bibliographical research and document analysis, focusing on the reading of “The New Revolutionary Mood in Latin America”, a report on Latin America presented by Shaull to the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Missionary Board, the article aims to show Shaull’s theology, institutionally located, as one that thinks about public issues in dialogue with social sciences and considers its implications for and within Christian churches. In the light of studies on public theology, this paper presents Richard Shaull’s writings as a theological approach to the church, considering its ecumenical stance; to society, considering its most pressing issues of the time; and to academia, through the interdisciplinary dialogue he undertakes with the social sciences.

Female homicides in Brazil: global burden of disease study, 2000–2018

Female homicides are a public health-relevant issue, and its spatial distribution may evidence socioeconomic vulnerabilities. This study aims to analyze the temporal and spatial trends of female homicides in Brazil and investigate socioeconomic-demographic factors associated with it. This is an ecological, descriptive, and analytical epidemiological study investigating the age-standardized female homicide rate in all Brazilian municipalities between 2000 and 2018, divided into three periods. Spatial and temporal analyses were conducted using the Global Moran's Index and LISA to identify clusters of high and low rates. Rates were also calculated by population size and means of violence across macro-regions. For the last period, a multivariable linear regression model analyzed the association of female homicide rates with social, economic, and geographic factors. Female homicide rates in Brazil remained high during the studied period, with differences in trends between regions. Among the potentially associated factors, it was observed that male homicide rate, the high percentage of violent deaths among black women and those with low levels of education, in addition to the low Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, were positively associated with female homicide, whereas larger cities were negatively associated. These findings show that Brazil is a country with a high risk of female homicide. Nevertheless, the vulnerability of women is unequally distributed in the country. Female homicides are mostly caused by domestic conflicts but can also be influenced by changes in the urban and social contexts. This project is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Polish Practice on Promulgation of International Agreements Between Poland and the Ussr, 1944–1960

This article raises the issue of the proper publication of international treaties and their presence in the Polish legal system. The authors analyze this issue based on re¬search conducted on Polish-Russian treaties from 1944–1960. Their research has shown that, during this period, only 11% of treaties were properly published. The research – conducted on a very limited subject: only bilateral agreements between Poland and the USSR – leads to the pessimistic conclusion that in Poland it is customary practice to refrain from publishing an international agreement in the Journal of Laws and that citizens do not have at their disposal a single official or unofficial source to reconstruct Poland’s current obligations, which may indeed directly concern them. Also this finding raises important questions about the accessibility and enforceability of international treaties in the Polish legal system. At the international level, the consequences of failing to publish an act and to ensure official promulgation can be much more serious. In the absence of information about published agreements, it is not possible to sufficiently and completely determine the obligations between states nor to reconstruct the relations binding them. It is also impossible to clearly determine which international agreements are still in force between countries, which are invalid and which have expired.

Perinatal death, collective action and legislation against obstetric violence in Argentina

This article explores the interconnections between perinatal death, collective action, and legislation against obstetric violence in Argentina. It employs a comprehensive methodological approach, including in-depth interviews, document reviews, a survey, and intensive ethnographic fieldwork to provide a multidimensional understanding of how collective actions influence legislative outcomes. Johanna Piferrer’s case, a poignant example detailed in this study, illustrates how personal tragedy catalyzed public and legislative acknowledgement of obstetric violence. This article argues that her advocacy, coupled with the broader feminist movement’s support, was crucial in transforming personal grief into a public issue that led to significant legislative changes. These changes include the creation of “Johanna’s Law,” which mandates improved hospital protocols and health professional training to handle perinatal deaths more sensitively and effectively. The study concludes that collective action is a powerful catalyst for creating transformative legislation that addresses the systemic issues of obstetric violence in Argentina.

Parental awareness and perspectives on newborn screening in China: a questionnaire-based study

BackgroundLow parental awareness and knowledge about newborn screening have been identified as a public issue. This study explored Chinese parents’ self-evaluation of awareness, knowledge, and methods of receiving information about newborn screening.MethodsUsing convenience sampling, we included 614 respondents who were expectant parents or parents of children aged 0-3 years. Our self-made questionnaire comprised four sections: sociodemographic characteristics, self-evaluation of awareness, detailed knowledge about newborn screening, and practical and expected methods of receiving newborn screening information.ResultsWe found that 72.9% of participants were classified as aware of newborn screening. However, only 14.2% of the participants received a passing score on the newborn screening detailed knowledge questions. Knowledge level about newborn screening was significantly associated with gender (P < .001), age (P < .05), education level (P < .05), residence (P < .05), family income (P < .05), and number of children (P < .05). The knowledge acquisition about newborn screening mainly came from hospital-related training (62.1%). Additionally, nearly half of the respondents (48.0%) expressed a preference for learning more about newborn screening through social media platforms, such as WeChat.ConclusionsWhile the majority of expectant or new parents were aware of newborn screening, only a minority had a thorough understanding of it. Various sociodemographic factors were associated with the level of parental knowledge about newborn screening. It is recommended to use hospital lectures or social media initiatives to educate parents in China.

Anwar Fazal-A Breastfeeding Advocate Extraordinaire.

Anwar Fazal has been a driving force in the founding of several civil society organizations in the areas of health, human rights, environment, and peace, that have been at the forefront of activism locally, nationally, and globally. In this interview, he shares his journey of 6 decades, involving a multiverse of public interest issues, which led him into the breastfeeding movement. It began with the setting up of the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), a pioneering action that triggered the formation of Health Action International (HAI), Pesticide Action Network (PAN), and the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA). Each of these resulted in several unique frameworks and codes relating to the marketing of infant foods, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides. They also led to the formation of World Breastfeeding Week, now being celebrated globally. Anwar studied Economics at the University of Malaya and did his postgraduate studies in Education. Anwar has served as a visiting professor at the University of Science Malaysia and the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). He is the recipient of the Right Livelihood Award, popularly known as the "Alternative Nobel Prize," for his work on breastfeeding and infant nutrition and other health, environmental, and consumer issues. La Leche League International (LLLI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have honored him with the International Health Award and the Millennium Development Goals Award. He has written extensively on breastfeeding. He is currently Chairperson Emeritus of the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) and continues to speak out actively on protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding.

Population ageing and income inequality in rural China: an 18-year analysis

With the continuous increase of older adults, population ageing has become a public policy issue worldwide. Gaining insight into the current state of population ageing and its impact on income inequality is essential for designing effective and equitable policies that support economic development and social stability. This study, focusing on rural China, explores the relationship between population ageing and Gini coefficient of income, using nationally representative rural household data collected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China from 2003 to 2020. Results based on the decoupling index and decomposition method reveal that the issue of income inequality in the surveyed rural areas has not intensified with the progression of ageing, which overturns the predominant view in existing research that population ageing exacerbates income inequality. The findings indicate that the inhibitory effect of increasing transfer income on income inequality has become more pronounced as ageing deepens, and the income structural effect of rural residents in China has played a role in reducing the Gini coefficient. Based on these results, some suggestions are proposed such as raising parental allowance, improving rural production and living environment, constrcuting the long-term care system, and implementing multifaceted measures to enhance the income level of rural older adults.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Oral Health of Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can be extremely traumatic, and their impact on health throughout the life course has been a public policy issue all around the world. Oral health conditions significantly influence quality of life, but its relationship with ACEs among children and adolescents is not well defined. This systematic review investigated the association between ACEs and oral health outcomes in children and adolescents. The search was conducted across six databases and the gray literature, with no restrictions. It included studies evaluating the association between ACEs and oral health outcomes (oral health condition, utilization of dental services, oral hygiene habits, or oral health related to quality of life) in individuals aged 0 to 19. Data of included studies were extracted and methodological quality was assessed. Meta-analysis was used for quantitative synthesis, and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach assessed evidence certainty. From the 12 included studies, 11 had a cross-sectional design, and 1 was a cohort study. Seventeen types of ACEs were investigated, including neglect; violence between parents or caregivers; alcohol and substance abuse; and peer, community, and collective violence. The methodological quality compliance ranged between 38% and 100%. The meta-analysis revealed associations between ACEs and lower use of dental services, toothache, gingival bleeding, and dental cavities. Cumulative exposure to more than three ACEs was associated with poorer oral health. The certainty of the evidence varied from low to very low. These results highlight that children and adolescents with ACEs are more likely to present higher oral health problems, including decreased use of dental services.

Decolonising Biblical Theology: Towards Postcolonial Biblical Theology in the Public Sphere of Indonesia

Abstract This article presents the main argument that in the Indonesian context, biblical theology should be able to play a crucial role not only in the church and academic spheres but also, and more importantly, in the wider society by overturning the hegemony of colonialism in biblical theology and developing postcolonial biblical theology in the actual context of Indonesia. In undergirding this argument, the article first puts forward the situation of biblical theology in scientific and societal discourse in general and in the Indonesian context in particular. The findings in this analysis are followed by an explanation of the importance of developing a horizon in elaborating biblical theology in the Indonesian context informed by seven distinguishing public issues in Indonesian society. Biblical theology must be encouraged to penetrate the public sphere. In elaborating on biblical theology in the Indonesian context, postcolonial studies are highly significant in connecting biblical theology and the Indonesian context.

Decoding the Trends and Composition of Public Expenditure in India

“Public Expenditure in India: Policies and Development Outcomes” by Gayithri Karnam, offers an empirical understanding of historical trends and composition of public expenditure in India at the central and the sub-national levels; the effectiveness of public expenditure control systems and accountability issues; the political economy of spending decisions; public expenditure reforms undertaken in India; and international best practices that can guide the course-correction process in India.

The Motivational Basis of Citizen-Led Local Interventions: The Case of Road Repairs and Traffic Management in Ghana

ABSTRACT The role of citizens in public service delivery is widely recognized. What is largely missing however, is a deeper understanding of why citizens initiate certain interventions in response to limited local public services. Drawing ideas from the participation and coproduction literatures as analytical lens and three cases of citizen intervention —road repairs, speed control and road closure—in Ghana as empirical lens, this paper finds evidence that citizens are motivated by the need for road servicing, the feeling of doing good for society and the allure of monetary gifts from road users when making decisions about intervening in public issues.

Integrated Assessment of Security Risk Considering Police Resources

The existing research on security risk often focuses on specific types of crime, overlooking an integrated assessment of security risk by leveraging existing police resources. Thus, we draw on crime geography theories, integrating public security business data, socioeconomic data, and spatial analysis techniques, to identify integrated risk points and areas by examining the distribution of police resources and related factors and their influence on security risk. The findings indicate that security risk areas encompass high-incidence areas of public security issues, locations with concentrations of dangerous individuals and key facilities, and regions with a limited police presence, characterized by dense populations, diverse urban functions, high crime probabilities, and inadequate supervision. While both police resources and security risk are concentrated in urban areas, the latter exhibits a more scattered distribution on the urban periphery, suggesting opportunities to optimize resource allocation by extending police coverage to risk hotspots lacking patrol stations. Notably, Level 1 security risk areas often coincide with areas lacking a police presence, underscoring the need for strategic resource allocation. By comprehensively assessing the impact of police resources and public security data on spatial risk distribution, this study provides valuable insights for public security management and police operations.

Controversial Public Issues Discussion: A Vehicle for Disciplinary Literacy in Civics

This article describes the experience of five high school seniors in a discussion-based, Advanced Placement Government course, in which the teacher of the course frequently implemented controversial public issues (CPI) discussions. By analyzing the ways in which students experienced CPI discussion in their government classroom, the author seeks to better understand the ways in which discussion strategies support the aims of disciplinary literacy in civics. Overall, the discussion-based strategies were successful in supporting the development of disciplinary literacy in civics; however, more intentional connections between CPI discussion and the aims of disciplinary literacy may further enhance the effectiveness of this practice.

Self-Defense Training for Enhancing Self-Esteem: Sexual Harassment Preventive Strategy—A Pilot Study among High School Girls of Coastal Region of Karnataka, India

Abstract Background Sexual harassment is a major public issue among teens. As a result, encouraging teenage girls to claim their rights and providing an atmosphere free of prejudice and violence is vital. Promoting high self-esteem may minimize the probability of teenagers experiencing the negative repercussions of harassment. Objective This study sought to explore the potential of self-defense training to enhance self-esteem among high school girls. Methods A quantitative research approach with quasi-experimental design was adopted. Three government high schools from seven clusters were randomly selected from Mangalore South Zone and 38 high school girls were recruited (control group =18 from two schools and intervention group =20 from one school). Data were collected using sociodemographic proforma and Rosenberg self-esteem scale. After pretest, eight sessions of self-defense training were conducted and a posttest was administered with an interval of 7 days, 1 month, and 3 months after the intervention. Ethical approval for the study was obtained. Results A significant difference was found between the self-esteem scores of the intervention and control groups (p &lt; 0.001). Conclusion This study revealed that the self-defense training was effective in enhancing self-esteem. Enhancement of self-esteem and awareness of self-protection is key to remaining free from violence, assault, and harassment.

Gigaton gear – policy insights for scaling up the global deployment of direct air carbon capture and sequestration technology (DACCS)

ABSTRACT Direct Air Carbon Capture and Sequestration (DACCS) is increasingly recognized as a pivotal technology for mitigating climate change by removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and storing it securely. Despite significant technical potential, the current global capacity for DACCS is minimal, emphasizing the urgent need for accelerated deployment to meet climate targets. While there are technical intricacies, an accelerated deployment is substantially dependent on setting the right policy frameworks. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the global DACCS innovation system using the Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) framework, focusing on identifying systemic policy problems and suggesting policy leverage points. Through 34 semi-structured interviews with 37 key actors across Europe and North America, this study captures the current state and challenges within the DACCS innovation system. It offers insights on the status quo concerning entrepreneurial activities, knowledge creation and diffusion, supportive policy, market formation, resource mobilization, as well as public and local legitimacy issues. To advance the development of the DACCS innovation system towards achieving gigaton-scale carbon removal, the paper provides targeted insights for policymakers, such as creating clearer policy frameworks and incentives, securing demand, and investing more into research, as well as knowledge creation and knowledge diffusion. By pointing out these systemic issues and creating policy insights, the paper contributes valuable insights to scale DACCS technologies globally.

Geoff Brennan and Public Policy

Geoffrey Brennan made a contribution to public policy that was broad, reflecting his own inter-disciplinary research interests – from conventional tax and public finance issues, through to constitutional political economy and institutional design. This contribution was tempered by Brennan’s own reluctance to offer direct policy recommendations, partly a function of natural epistemic humility and also his views on the appropriate role of the economist in public debate – views shaped by his association with the Virginia school of Constitutional Political Economy. Brennan’s research interests evolved to include some contrarian insights on public finance issues, a major contribution to public choice theory, early development of the idea of expressive motives in voting behaviour, and the ‘economy of esteem’ as a motivator of human action. Despite this breadth, throughout his intellectual career, Brennan remained within the broad ‘methodological coherence’ of Virginia political economy – methodological individualism, the centrality of exchange, the Pareto criterion for welfare analysis and a predominant focus on the ‘rules of the game’.

Vasectomy Discussions in South Korea: Central Themes and Public Interest on Question-and-Answer Social Platforms.

The purpose of this paper is to explore public perceptions and key issues related to vasectomy in South Korea. In particular, this paper seeks to analyze how vasectomy is discussed on question-and-answer (Q&A) social platforms including NAVER Jisik iN (knowledge exchange service between NAVER users) and to identify topics that capture public interest. In this study, based on data collected on NAVER Jisik iN from July 2019 to July 2024 with the keyword 'vasectomy,' this paper performs a co-occurrence matrix analysis on the Q&A data to identify key terms related to the topic. By applying connection centrality and community detection techniques, this paper visualizes and examines the network graph to uncover relationships between words and identify the primary topics of discussion. The co-occurrence matrix analysis reveals that keywords such as 'surgery,' 'vasectomy,' and 'contraception' play a central role in discussions about vasectomies. Both the Q&A data highlight the vasectomy procedure and contraceptive effectiveness as primary topics of discussion. The visualization graphs intuitively display the centrality and strength of connections between these keywords, as well as the interrelatedness of topics through distinct community groups. The analysis shows that the questions primarily focused on the surgical procedure, while the answers were more concerned with contraceptive effectiveness and physiological aspects. These results suggest that the public's interest in vasectomy is closely linked to its effectiveness, potential side effects, and related social issues.

Setting priorities for police operations by using a multicriteria decision approach with partial information

Abstract The paper presents a real-world decision-making problem in the context of the Brazilian Federal Police (BFP), which consists of establishing priorities for Police Operations. This study deals with allocating resources to trigger police operations that, while demanding more resources and specialized techniques, also promote the effectiveness of police actions more conspicuously and directly. Driven by the Value Focused Thinking methodology, the objectives and values of the Federal Police were structured and represented by criteria, which let police operations be evaluated and prioritized. The FITradeoff method was applied to rank the operations, with an innovative methodological perspective, which integrates two different paradigms for preference modelling: elicitation by decomposition and holistic evaluations. A mathematical modelling approach is presented to deal with the combination of both types of information obtained by the Decision Maker (DM), in order to search for dominance relations between alternatives. This study shows how incorporating holistic judgments in the process can be useful for tightening the decision process, since the inequalities obtained with holistic judgments have a high impact on the space of weights compatible with the DM’s preferences. A clear conceptual framework is presented for the analysis, showing how the application of such a combined approach to prioritizing special police operations adds a step to the decision-making processes and policies of the BFP, thereby broadening the managerial implications of tackling public security issues by seeking to solve them using management mathematics.

Conservative political rhetoric and associated enduring threat to constitutional right to abortion – A case study from Brazil

Abortion is a critical public issue in Brazil where over 800,000 abortions might occur each year, with approximately 250,000 admitted to emergency departments due to complications from unsafe procedures. A new bill seeks to amend the Brazilian Penal Code (Código de Processo Penal), classifying the practice as a felony for patients over 22 gestational of weeks, even in cases where the practice is already legally foreseen (e.g., derived from sexual abuse, as an attempt to save pregnant individuals at high-risk, or due to fetuses’ anencephaly). This bill undermines several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) endorsed by the United Nations, particularly those related to health (Goal 3), gender equality (Goal 5), and inequality and poverty reduction (Goal 10). Amongst the extensive list of potential solutions to the abortion challenge that Brazil currently faces, a feasible and plausible alternative relates to investment in education, in particular sexual education aimed at adolescents.