Local Policy Contexts Research Articles

Adaptation and Adversity Acceptance as Resilience to Flooding at World Heritage Sites: A Case Study of Hoi An Ancient Town, Vietnam

ABSTRACT This article investigates long-term adaptation and resilience to floods at World Heritage sites through a case study of Hoi An Ancient Town, Quang Nam, Vietnam. Drawing on fieldwork observation, document review, and unstructured interviews conducted in Hoi An, we examine the enduring processes and experiences of co-living with floods. The article considers residents’ ability to comprehend, acknowledge, and address the challenges of flooding using the conceptual lens of adaptation and adversity acceptance as resilience. Our findings reveal an inseparable bond between residents and their built environment, encompassing invaluable lessons and experiences, local beliefs, resource availability, and adaptive strategies aimed at harmonious cohabitation with flooding described as ‘leaning into nature’. Strikingly, residents have developed their own practices and identities shaped by the town’s inundation by flood waters over a few centuries. Various modern flood prevention measures trace their origins to historical efforts, underscoring the vital role of traditional knowledge and practices in coping with the impacts of climate change. Those efforts are also framed within the local policy context such as Heritage Management Plan, Disaster Risk Management Plan, and Regulation for the Protection of the UNESCO-listed Hoi An Ancient Town.

Common good in the urban context – insights from theoretical frameworks

The objective of the study is to analyse the role of the concept of common good in the contemporary field of urban studies. Through an interdisciplinary literature review, the basic explanation of the concept or common good is presented with a focus on common good in the urban environment. This work examines how urban commons became significant in scientific and public debates, translatable into tangible projects. The research results prove the academic and policy discussions focus on urban commons both in theoretical and engaged implementation of experiments in local urban governance. The notion of common good in the urban context, applied in territorial governance practices as commons, has an expanded international geographical reach, popularised within theoretical and more empirical approaches. The findings reveal a correlation between the discourse on urban commons and the proliferation of thematic debates and models; grassroots projects, demonstrating varied impacts by local social, cultural and policy contexts. In conclusion to the study of consecutive contemporary theories, the need to provide accurate elaboration on an urban commoning framework can be stated. This is a gap to bridge for enabling practical sustainable applications.

The influence of crisis on policy formulation: the case of alcohol regulation in South Africa during COVID-19 (2020-21).

This study contributes to a neglected aspect of health policy analysis: policy formulation processes. Context is central to the policy cycle, yet the influence of crises on policy formulation is underrepresented in the health policy literature in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This paper analyses a detailed case study of how the COVID-19 crisis influenced policy formulation processes for the regulation of alcohol in South Africa, as part of COVID-19 control measures, in 2020 and 2021. It provides a picture of the policy context, specifically considering the extent to which the crisis influenced the position and power of actors, and policy content. Qualitative data were collected from nine key informant interviews and 127 documents. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis. A policy formulation conceptual framework was applied as a lens to describe complex policy formulation processes. The study revealed that the perceived urgency of the pandemic prompted a heightened sense of awareness of alcohol-related trauma as a known, preventable threat to public health system capacity. This enabled a high degree of innovation among decision-makers in the generation of alternative alcohol policy content. Within the context of uncertainty, epistemic and experiential policy learning drove rapid, adaptive cycles of policy formulation, demonstrating the importance of historical and emerging public health evidence in crisis-driven decision-making. Within the context of centralization and limited opportunities for stakeholder participation, non-state actors mobilized to influence policy through the public arena. The paper concludes that crisis-driven policy formulation processes are shaped by abrupt redistributions of power among policy actors and the dynamic interplay of evolving economic, political and public health priorities. Understanding the complexity of the local policy context may allow actors to navigate opportunities for public health-oriented alcohol policy reforms in South Africa and other LMICs.

Numeracy Education for Adult Learners: A Scan of the Field and Principles for Course and Materials Design

Additional research is needed to improve adult numeracy instruction, training for instructors, and our understanding of the feasibility and impact of innovations in these areas. The Adult Numeracy in the Digital Era (ANDE) project, funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) at the U.S. Department of Education, seeks to develop and test an innovative, technology-enabled approach for improving adult numeracy and digital literacy instruction. We began this project guided by principles of user-centered design, specifically the principle of knowing the user’s wants and needs. We conducted a “field scan” of adult numeracy and digital literacy, by interviewing researchers, instructors, students; conducting classroom observations; and reviewing literature. We detail our key findings within two emergent themes: (1) extensive variability in learner backgrounds and readiness, instructors’ experiences, standards alignment, course structures, and classroom contexts; and (2) diversity of learner goals and the actions they and their instructors took as they worked together within the course and local policy contexts. We also identify three design principles to guide course development, suggesting that adult numeracy courses should be: aligned and relevant; interactive and participatory; and relationship-centered. These principles guided the design of our adult numeracy course, and we offer questions that current instructors can consider as they design their own adult numeracy lessons.

Stuck inside: Context, precarity and the effect of COVID-19 on Romanian performers

The coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 pandemic was expected to be particularly detrimental for performing artists, given the nature of their work. The scarce literature on the precarity experiences of performers following the COVID-19 pandemic has predominantly focused on Western and Central Europe. The present article contributes to the literature by investigating the experience of Romanian performers before and after the COVID-19 outbreak through in-depth semi-structured interviews. Romania is a valuable case study, given its peculiarities in terms of cultural policy. After the fall of communism, cultural policy was characterised by a constant dominant strategic focus on (mostly religious) heritage, while the cultural funding model is particularly detrimental to smaller independent artists and organisations. By focusing on it, the study shows that research on precarity needs to be embedded in the local (cultural) policy context, as it shapes the precarity experiences of artists. Without a proper understanding of the policy context, research will likely fail to offer effective policy recommendations.

Challenges for research uptake for health policymaking and practice in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review

BackgroundAn estimated 85% of research resources are wasted worldwide, while there is growing demand for context-based evidence-informed health policymaking. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), research uptake for health policymaking and practice is even lower, while little is known about the barriers to the translation of health evidence to policy and local implementation. We aimed to compile the current evidence on barriers to uptake of research in health policy and practice in LMICs using scoping review.MethodsThe scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses-extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) and the Arksey and O'Malley framework. Both published evidence and grey literature on research uptake were systematically searched from major databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL (EBSCO), Global Health (Ovid)) and direct Google Scholar. Literature exploring barriers to uptake of research evidence in health policy and practice in LMICs were included and their key findings were synthesized using thematic areas to address the review question.ResultsA total of 4291 publications were retrieved in the initial search, of which 142 were included meeting the eligibility criteria. Overall, research uptake for policymaking and practice in LMICs was very low. The challenges to research uptake were related to lack of understanding of the local contexts, low political priority, poor stakeholder engagement and partnership, resource and capacity constraints, low system response for accountability and lack of communication and dissemination platforms.ConclusionImportant barriers to research uptake, mainly limited contextual understanding and low participation of key stakeholders and ownership, have been identified. Understanding the local research and policy context and participatory evidence production and dissemination may promote research uptake for policy and practice. Institutions that bridge the chasm between knowledge formation, evidence synthesis and translation may play critical role in the translation process.

Translating and disseminating a localised economic model to support implementation of the 'Ending the HIV Epidemic' initiative to public health policymakers.

Despite significant progress in HIV treatment and prevention, the US remains far from its goal of 'Ending the HIV Epidemic' by 2030. Economic models using local data can synthesise the evidence to help policymakers allocate HIV resources efficiently, but persistent research-to-practice gaps remain. Little is known about how to facilitate the use of economic modelling data among local public health policymakers in real-world settings. To explore the dissemination of results from a locally-calibrated economic model for HIV prevention and treatment and identify the factors influencing potential uptake of the model for public health decision making at the local level. Four virtual focus groups with 26 local health department policymakers in Baltimore, Miami, Seattle, and New York City were held between July 2020 and May 2021. Qualitative content analysis of transcripts identified key themes around using the localised economic model in policy decisions. Participants were interested in using local data in their decisions to allocate resources for HIV prevention/treatment. Six themes emerged: 1) importance of understanding local policy context; 2) health equity considerations; 3) using evidence to support current priorities; 4) difficulty of changing strategies, even incrementally; 5) bang for the incremental buck (efficiency) vs. previous impact; and 6) community values. To optimise acceptance and use of results from economic models, researchers should engage with local community members and public health decision makers early to understand budgetary and community priorities. Participants prioritised evidence that supports their existing strategies, considers budgets and funding streams, and improves health equity; however, real-world budget constraints and conflicting interests serve as barriers to implementing model recommendations and reaching national goals.

What’s local policy got to do with it? Testing the efficacy of federal interventions to protect coastal parks from sunscreen chemical pollution in Hawaii and North Carolina

Across the United States, conservation policies often differ based on the local or state jurisdiction, which can present challenges for federal natural resource managers with mandates to protect lands and waters in these areas. To reduce sunscreen chemical pollution in park aquatic ecosystems, the National Park Service (NPS) suggests that visitors apply non-nanotized mineral-based sunscreens and wear sun-protective clothing. In summer 2021, researchers tested whether visitor exposure to interventions promoting NPS sun protection recommendations was associated with these behaviors in two very different local policy contexts. A survey was fielded in July and August 2021 at coastal parks in North Carolina and Hawaii. At the time of the study, Hawaii had implemented a ban on the sale of sunscreen containing the chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate, whereas North Carolina had no pending legislation. We found similar park visitor behaviors, use of sunscreen chemical formulations, and responses to NPS interventions, regardless of local policy status. At both locations, respondents demonstrated high levels of pro-environmental intent and similar sun protection behaviors. Of the three sunscreen chemical “Os” that have been banned in regions of the United States—octocrylene, oxybenzone, and octinoxate—octocrylene was the most frequently reported active ingredient in sunscreens. Only about a third of sunscreen products reported by visitors included zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide as the sole active ingredients, formulations most commonly cited as less environmentally harmful. And at both locations, visitor exposure to at least one of the interventions on sun protection related to higher levels of intent to practice the recommended behaviors.

Stakeholder Engagement in the Development of Public Health Economic Models: An Application to Modelling of Minimum Unit Pricing of Alcohol in South Africa.

Health economic models aim to provide decision makers with information that is contextually relevant, understandable and credible. This requires ongoing engagement throughout the research project between the modeller and end-users. We aim to reflect on how a public health economic model of minimum unit pricing of alcohol in South Africa benefited from, and was shaped by, stakeholders. We outline how engagement activities were used during the development, validation and communication phases of the research with input gathered at each stage to inform future priorities. A stakeholder mapping exercise was completed to identify stakeholders with the required knowledge, for example academics with expertise in modelling alcohol harm in South Africa, members of civil society organisations with lived experience of informal alcohol outlets, and policy professionals working at the forefront of alcohol policy development in South Africa. The stakeholder engagement consisted of four phases: developing a detailed understanding of the local policy context; co-producing model focus and structure; scrutinising model development and communication planning; and communicating research evidence to end-users. The first phase utilised 12 individual semi-structured interviews. Phases two to four centred around face-to-face workshops (two online) with both individual and group-based exercises employed to achieve required outputs. Phase one provided key learning on policy context and initiated working relationships. Phases two to four provided a conceptualisation of the problem of alcohol harm in South Africa and the choice of policy to model. Stakeholders chose population subgroups of interest and advised on both economic and health outcomes. They provided input on critical assumptions, data sources, priorities for future work, and communication strategies. The final workshop provided a platform to communicate the results of the model to a largely policy audience. These activities led to the production of highly contextualised research methods and findings that were able to be communicated widely beyond academia. Our programme of stakeholder engagement was fully integrated into the research programme. It resulted in a number of benefits including creating positive working relationships, guiding modelling decisions, tailoring the research to the context, and providing ongoing opportunities for communication.

Cannabis, Communities, and Place: (Re)constructing Humboldt’s Post-Prohibition Present

Since 1990, many Cal Poly Humboldt faculty and students have made cannabis the focus of scholarship and learning. This work has been shaped by the political, economic, and cultural legacies of cannabis in Humboldt County. Scholarly interest spans multiple dimensions of cannabis cultivation, commerce, consumption, and related social issues. As a multidisciplinary team of scholars, Cal Poly Humboldt faculty affiliated with the Humboldt Institute for Interdisciplinary Marijuana Research (HIIMR) have also shaped the Bachelor of Arts in Cannabis Studies that will launch in Fall 2023. This is the first social science degree program in the United States with this orientation. In this article we trace the origins of cannabis scholarship and learning at Cal Poly Humboldt from a period of domestic cannabis prohibition to the recent period of industry legalization. We also provide an overview of the BA program links to local and state policy and other contexts. Finally, we discuss cultivation communities and strategies of resilience in the context of economic turmoil as a result of legalization.

An Investigation of the Impact and Resilience of British High Streets Following the COVID-19 Lockdown Restrictions

British high streets have faced significant economic and cultural challenges as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is predominantly due to government enforced restrictions which required all ‘non-essential’ retail to close, resulting in a significant change in the way consumers interacted with high streets. While all premises related to the retail or hospitality sector were forced to close, leading to rising vacancy rates, some high streets were more resilient to the economic shock than others. In this paper we detect some of the unforeseen consequences of the pandemic on British high streets and create a measure of resilience. The impact of the lockdown restrictions have resulted in some high streets, notably Spring Street in Paddington, London, experiencing disproportionate decline. Others including Northolt Road in Harrow, London were able maintain their occupancy. This study provides a typology of high street resilience incorporating the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions and links the impact of government policy to the economic performance of high streets. The outcomes from this research address both local and national policy contexts as the resilience typology has the potential to assist in funding allocation for recovery and regeneration projects.

Impacts of Antibiotic Residues in the Environment on Bacterial Resistance and Human Health in Eastern China: An Interdisciplinary Mixed-Methods Study Protocol.

Antibiotic resistance is a global health challenge that threatens human and animal lives, especially among low-income and vulnerable populations in less-developed countries. Its multi-factorial nature requires integrated studies on antibiotics and resistant bacteria in humans, animals, and the environment. To achieve a comprehensive understanding of the situation and management of antibiotic use and environmental transmission, this paper describes a study protocol to document human exposure to antibiotics from major direct and indirect sources, and its potential health outcomes. Our mixed-methods approach addresses both microbiological and pathogen genomics, and epidemiological, geospatial, anthropological, and sociological aspects. Implemented in two rural residential areas in two provinces in Eastern China, linked sub-studies assess antibiotic exposure in population cohorts through household surveys, medicine diaries, and biological sampling; identify the types and frequencies of antibiotic resistance genes in humans and food-stock animals; quantify the presence of antibiotic residues and antibiotic resistance genes in the aquatic environment, including wastewater; investigate the drivers and behaviours associated with human and livestock antibiotic use; and analyse the national and local policy context, to propose strategies and systematic measurements for optimising and monitoring antibiotic use. As a multidisciplinary collaboration between institutions in the UK and China, this study will provide an in-depth understanding of the influencing factors and allow comprehensive awareness of the complexity of AMR and antibiotic use in rural Eastern China.

About but not without: Recently Arrived Refugees’ Understanding of and Expectations for Integration within a Local Policy Context in the Netherlands

In discussions on integration, the perspective of newcomers themselves is rarely included. As recently arrived refugees’ integration is subject to policy, we investigate their understanding of and expectations for integration within a (local) policy context in the Netherlands. Using focus group data with Syrian and Eritrean refugees recently settled in Rotterdam, results show participants understood integration as not being marked as different and becoming self-reliant (through work, language, social connections, and cultural knowledge). While partly coinciding with policy objectives, participants emphasized mutual effort, especially socio-culturally. Policy implementation was particularly criticized, pointing toward the need for extensive, practical, and person-oriented support. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15562948.2021.2023720 .

Between Cultural Policies, Industry Structures, and the Household: A Feminist Perspective on Digitalization and Musical Careers in Hungary

ABSTRACT This paper examines the ways in which the digitalization of the music industries has impacted the work of musicians locally, in the semi-peripheral country of Hungary. In particular, it focuses on the ways in which the work of musicians is shaped by gender relations. It aims to critique the democratization discourse of the digitalization of musical production by exploring, first, the local policy and industry context of digitalized musical labor, and, secondly, the role of gender relations within the household in the labor and careers of musicians in Hungary.

Exploring the local policy context for reducing health inequalities in children and young people: an in depth qualitative case study of one local authority in the North of England, UK

BackgroundImproving children and young people’s (CYP) health and addressing health inequalities are international priorities. Reducing inequalities is particularly pertinent in light of the Covid-19 outbreak which has exacerbated already widening inequalities in health. This study aimed to explore understandings of inequality, the anticipated pathways for reducing inequalities among CYP and key factors affecting the development and implementation of policy to reduce inequalities among CYP at a local level.MethodsWe carried out a qualitative case study of one local government region in the North of England (UK), comprising semi structured interviews (n = 16) with service providers with a responsibility for child health, non-participant observations of key meetings (n = 6 with 43 participants) where decisions around child health are made, and a local policy documentation review (n = 11). We employed a novel theoretical framework, drawing together different approaches to understanding policy, to guide our design and analysis.ResultsParticipants in our study understood inequalities in CYP health almost exclusively as socioeconomically patterned inequalities in health practices and outcomes. Strategies which participants perceived to reduce inequalities included: preventive support and early intervention, an early years/whole family focus, targeted working in local areas of high deprivation, organisational integration and whole system/place-based approaches. Despite demonstrating a commitment to a social determinants of health approach, efforts to reduce inequalities were described as thwarted by the prevalence of poverty and budget cuts which hindered the ability of local organisations to work together. Participants critiqued national policy which aimed to reduce inequalities in CYP health for failing to recognise local economic disparities and the interrelated nature of the determinants of health.ConclusionsDespite increased calls for a ‘whole systems’ approach to reducing inequalities in health, significant barriers to implementation remain. National governments need to work towards more joined up policy making, which takes into consideration regional disparities, allows for flexibility in interpretation and addresses the different and interrelated social determinants of health. Our findings have particular significance in light of Covid-19 and indicate the need for systems level policy responses and a health in all policies approach.

Holding it together: resilience and solidarity in the economies of Auckland youth performance companies

ABSTRACT When financial resources are scarce and uncertain, youth performance organisations find ways to ‘hold it together’: to carry on no matter what. Engaging critically with theories of organisational resilience, this article examines how two youth performance companies in Auckland experience and respond to a precarious funding environment. The local policy and funding context compels organisations to ‘shape up’; to become more effective in the competitive system. Within this environment, however, the promise of sustainability remains ever-elusive. An alternative response, then, is found in the different ways organisations experiment with localised, culturally responsive community and solidarity economies.

Beyond ideology - a comparative analysis of how local governance can expand national integration policy: the case of Syrian refugees in Istanbul

ABSTRACT Integration policy has been shown to have implications beyond acculturation and adaptation of refugees to the host society, extending to social cohesion and peaceful coexistence. While most studies focus on state-centred structural or ideological variables in explaining integration policy across countries, variation between local-level policy practices illustrate there is more to integration policy than national level-factors. Following the literature on the local turn in integration studies, the proposed study aims to look beyond the national level explanations and common accounts for local level variation, such as income level or ideological orientation. Instead, less investigated factors are identified based on two district municipalities of Istanbul (Sultanbeyli and Şişli) in an attempt to illustrate the multi-level character of their similar immigrant integration policies. Upon discussing the national and local policy contexts for refugee integration, policy processes of these two distinct municipalities will be unpacked to find what they have in common, using a ‘most different systems’ comparative design. Based on in-depth interviews with local-level policy actors, this study unveils potential reasons for their highly inclusive integration policy grounded in their multi-level networks.

Role of Policy in Best-Practice Dissemination: Informal Professional Advice Networks in Canadian Long-Term Care.

This article examines provincial policy influence on long-term care (LTC) professionals' advice-seeking networks in Canada's Maritime provinces. The effects of facility ownership, geography, and region-specific political landscapes on LTC best-practice dissemination are examined. We used sociometric statistics and network sociograms, calculated from surveys with 169 senior leaders in LTC facilities, to identify advice-seeking network structures and to select 11 follow-up interview participants.Network structures were distinguished by density, sub-group number, opinion leader, and boundary spanner distribution. Network structure was affected by ownership model in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, and by regional geography in New Brunswick. Political instability within each province's LTC system negatively affected network actors' capabilities to enact innovation. Moreover, provincial policy variations influence advice-seeking network structures, facilitating and constraining relationship development and networking. Consequently, local policy context is essential to informing dissemination strategy design or implementation.

Regional primary health care organisations and migrant and refugee health: the importance of prioritisation, funding, collaboration and engagement

ObjectiveThis paper examines whether Australian regional primary health care organisations – in this case, Medicare Locals (MLs) and Primary Health Networks (PHNs) – have engaged with migrant and refugee health, and what factors encourage work in this area. Methods:The study used mixed methods with surveys of ML (N=210) and PHN staff (N=66), interviews with ML (N=50) and PHN (N=55) staff, national consultations with migrant and refugee organisations (N=8 groups with 62 participants), and analysis of ML and PHN documents. ResultsNeeds assessment documents identified migrant and refugee health issues in 46% of MLs and 74% of PHNs. However, 48% of MLs and 55% of PHNs did not report any activities on migrant health, and 78% and 62% did not report any activities for refugees, respectively. Key factors identified by participants as associated with whether ML and PHN focus on migrant and refugee health were the determination of local priority areas, policy context and funding, collaboration with migrant and refugee organisations and communities, and mechanisms for engagement. ConclusionsDespite the importance of primary health care for migrants and refugees, there was relatively little attention paid to these population groups in MLs and PHNs, with a small number of notable exceptions. Implications for public healthThe paper concludes with a range of recommendations for improving regional primary health care organisation engagement with migrant and refugee health.

Strategic policy narratives: A narrative policy study of the Columbia River Crossing

This study examines how coalitions in local policy contexts implore policy narratives to expand or contain the scope of policy issues. The Narrative Policy Framework (NPF), a maturing theory of the policy process, is utilized in this study to conduct content analysis on 370 public documents from competing coalitions in relation to the Columbia River Crossing project; a “wicked” policy issue in the Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA region of the Pacific Northwest. From this case selection, it is hypothesized that competing coalitions will use narrative strategies of containment and expansion to achieve their desired policy outcomes. It is also theorized that shocks to a policy subsystem may result in a shift to coalitional narrative strategies. This research will shed light on how coalitions strategically implore policy narratives in cohesive and less cohesive ways to influence policy outcomes.