Precarious Situation Research Articles

Cadre législatif québécois pour la protection des espèces sauvages en situation précaire: évaluation critique et recommandations pour une révision majeure

In Quebec, the Act Respecting Threatened or Vulnerable species (ARTV), adopted in 1989, aims to safeguard Quebec's wild genetic diversity by protecting species at risk. However, since its implementation about 30 years ago, it has been repeatedly pointed out that the application of the Quebec legislative framework for the protection of wildlife species at risk was often slow and inadequate. The aim of this article is therefore to make a series of observations on the limits of current legislation and then propose nine urgent recommendations to improve the effectiveness of conservation efforts for species at risk in Quebec. Our recommendations aim to increase the efficiency and transparency of the designation process, reconsider compensation mechanisms for the loss of critical habitat, and harmonize species status between the federal and provincial levels. We hope that our article will pave the way for a constructive discussion leading to an improved protection of wildlife species in precarious situations and their persistence for future generations.

Dynamic Connectedness between Crypto and Conventional Financial Assets: Novel Findings from Russian Financial Market

In the dynamic landscape of the Russian digital economy and increasing financial openness, crypto assets have emerged as influential players in the financial market. The geopolitical and economic developments after a conflict with Ukraine have presented formidable challenges in the shape of financial and trade sanctions, coupled with the suspension from the SWIFT banking system, has plunged the Russian economy into a precarious situation. The current study delves into the network spillover effects between a prominent crypto asset and various financial assets including equity, exchange rates, crude oil, gold, and commodity futures using daily data from January 01, 2018, to August 31, 2023. The purpose of the study is to provide empirical and theoretical insights into countering the impact of sanctions on Russia, proposing a pragmatic solution for the Russian financial market. The research methodology involves the application of network spillover estimation and value-at-risk analysis. Notably, the findings expose a robust association between crypto and financial assets, where crypto assets play a pivotal role in transmitting risk within the financial landscape. While their impact on other financial assets remains relatively subdued, short-term correlations exhibit volatile fluctuations, often marked by sharp increases in downside risk. Theoretical implications follow the portfolio theory of asset pricing, with extreme risk spillover originating from long-run fluctuations in the crypto market, impacting market sentiment and elevating risk propagation in the Russian financial market. These results carry practical significance for payment and receipt processes, as well as trading activities with foreign countries, presenting essential insights for policymakers and investment decision-makers.

Oral health in emerging countries and suggestions for adjusted care strategies

Objective: Investigation into the oral health status of selected emerging countries from different regions of the world, so as to capture a broad spectrum of oral health reality prevailing in fast-growing middle-income countries, the aim being to present helpful steps towards adjusted strategies that improve the dental health of the entire population. Method: Using a composite indicator, the Dental Health Index, the oral health of entire populations is measured and compared with the aid of these quantifiable results. The study relies on existing data, where possible, from national representative surveys. Results: The best performer is the upper middle-income country of China. It is followed by India and Vietnam, two lower middle-income states, which placed second and third, although the two latter populations are largely untouched by professional dental activities. This finding is scientifically challenging to explain and needs further investigation. The relative wealthiest country, Malaysia, ranks in the sixth place while Brazil, with one of the highest dentist per capita ratios in the world, places only eighth, just ahead of the Philippines which ranks last in the study. Conclusion: Over the last decade, the awareness and the willingness shown by all countries to improve their precarious oral care situations resulted in the successful implementation of dental care strategies. However, the main obstacles - the widespread shortage of dentists and the poor oral health awareness among the population, particularly those living in poor and/or rural areas - can only be overcome by development-stage adjusted strategies. The broad use of teledentistry (TD) and priority education and training of mid-level dental professionals could be promising instruments for solving these shortcomings in a manageable period of time and under limited financial resources. To attract additional financial and technical resources and expertise, public/private partnerships should also be encouraged.

Impacto de las políticas de control fronterizo en las dinámicas transfronterizas en México-Centroamérica y Colombia-Venezuela, 2010-2020

This article aims to highlight the conditions directly impacting the migrant population in specific sociohistorical contexts on the Colombia-Venezuela and Mexico-Central America borders. Here, a precarious situation worsens, aggravated by violence. These are conditions associated with problems of a political order, which highlight the role of persistent violence in the deterioration of a dignified life, precipitating the decision to migrate and turning mobility into the only strategy to preserve life. An examination of the particular circumstances shows that the changes in cross-border dynamics are related to state actions that favor border control, a persistent precariousness of the population in transit deepened by criminal activities and some social responses that oscillate between assistance and protection of the migrant population, alongside the hostility that accompanies stigmatization.

Monumental mosaics as places of memory in public spaces of Ukraine

Background. Modernist monumental mosaics as an intrinsic part of Soviet cultural heritage are ubiquitously present all over the urban environments of Ukraine. With rare exceptions, they remain predominantly unacknowledged as being valuable objects of cultural heritage. Many fine works of monumental art are already lost and others remain under constant threat. The precarious situation of modernist mosaics calls for a thorough reexamination of a complex situation with memory politics in Ukraine overall. The goal of this article is to explore the theoretical-methodological framework of memory studies for its applicability to the analysis of socio-cultural value of Soviet monumental modernist mosaics within the context of their destruction by the ongoing process of commercialization and decommunization of public spaces in post-socialist cities. The research objectives are to investigate the current status of modernist mosaics within contemporary Ukrainian heritage preservation discourse and conceptualize it within the memory studies framework. Methods. Case studies, narrative and textual analysis, interdisciplinary integration of cultural and memory studies, application of the "collective memory" approach, synthesis of "postmemory" and "places of memory" concepts. Results. Created by Ukrainian monumental artists of the Soviet period, modernist mosaics are already deeply embedded within the urban environment. Within the framework of memory studies, modernist mosaics may serve as 'places of memory' of that particular period of history and in that way contribute to its reinterpretation and further formation of the complete image of city memory and of inclusive memory politics of Ukraine. Conclusions. The theoretical-methodological framework of memory studies appears to be an appropriate tool for analysis of socio-cultural value of monumental mosaics. There is a necessity for further inquiries into this field and its further engagement in the development of Ukrainian heritage preservation discourse.

Emissary to Jews in the Diaspora and to Some Non-Jews, Champion of Jewish Monotheism and Circumspect of Diaspora Judaism: Paul of Tarsus in the Book of Acts

AbstractIn Christian tradition, Paul is the apostle to the nations. However, his portrayal in the Book of Acts is more nuanced. For a longer period, Paul's ministry is limited to Jews. Only from Acts 13 onwards does Paul slowly emerge as ministering to non-Jews. Yet even then, Paul remains foremost an emissary to diaspora Judaism. In its apology for Paul and his disputed way of including non-Jews into the people of God, Acts emphasises that Paul did so without diminishing the priority of Israel, as a staunch proponent of Jewish monotheism and in a way that took full account of the precarious situation of diaspora Judaism.

“The issue of weight is a personal responsibility” – Demands for performing in gendered karate in the Western neoliberal society

Even though its roots can be traced to an ancient past, karate was born as a Japanese martial art around a century ago. It went through a sportivization process both by being spread from East to West and by becoming a combat sport. In this dual process, karate in Western society has retained many of its traditional practices, loyal to what is understood as its Japanese roots, at the same time that it became an Olympic sport (though only briefly), the apex of the sportive world. Then, karate mixes within itself a complex identity, combining elements of a martial art and a combat sport in a manner of a selective tradition (Williams, 1977). Besides that, karate can be described as a gender binary environment, where the original and hegemonic masculine ethos prevails. Women are allowed to take part in the martial culture, but not without cost. They participated in the Olympic setting as much as men, having the same number of categories for fighting, for example. Notwithstanding, this equality does not necessarily mean fair inclusion and equity. In this paper, we explore how a select group of women who were members of a karate Olympic national squad dealt with the embodied experience of pain and suffering, both somatically and sociologically, from training sessions and competitions. We expect to provide some evidence of how karate is adapted to the Western model of elite sport; how women are prepared to supposedly address demands of non-discriminatory policies in sport; how women thrive and survive in the Western neoliberal high-level sport model and, despite their highlighted performances, are not duly acknowledged by male peers neither receive training taking into account female specifics, such as menstruation. We researched the Spanish women’s Olympic karate squad in their preparation for the Tokyo 2020 (2021) Olympic Games. We conducted an ethnographic project with auto-ethnographic notes from the first author since full completion of the original plan was not possible given the advent of COVID-19. We focus mainly on semi-structured interviews conducted with the team while considering the experience of the first author of the article, who has been a karate practitioner for several years, to question, corroborate, and deepen understanding of data collected. We reflect on the somewhat precarious situation of women in the hyper-masculine environment of karate and the conditions that need to be in place to ensure their full and valued participation. We found that karateka women face several challenges to conquer their space in karate, often negotiating in a way of resisting adversities, and giving in, in order to retain hard-won privileges. Therefore, while women fighters can represent a subversion of structures, they still face patriarchal diktats.

‘Permanent Temporariness’ as a Critical Lens: A Framework for Social Work with Forced Migrants

Abstract The realities of increasing numbers of forced migrants in Global North countries, including families and children, are shaped by a regime of permanent temporariness—the granting of temporary status for prolonged periods. This uncertainty-producing state means that people are temporarily banned from deportation, but their futures remain unclear and they have almost no access to rights, including social services. Whilst the role of temporality in understanding migrants’ everyday realities is gaining attention in migration scholarship, such a perspective has seldom been integrated into social work literature. As such, this article offers to adopt permanent temporariness as a critical lens for social work with forced migrants in ongoing precarious situations. It offers a conceptualisation of the meanings and implications of permanent temporariness for the lives of forced migrant families and children, manifesting on the individual, familial and extra-familial levels. Thus, the present article highlights the critical role that legal liminality plays in organising people’s lives and intensifying other coinciding post-migration challenges. Finally, implications for a temporal-aware approach in social work with displaced families and individuals are discussed, calling into question the linearity of social work frameworks and the necessity and feasibility of a future-oriented intervention in situations of prolonged uncertainty.

A polarisation rather than just an increase or a decrease - Exploring different approaches to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on alcohol consumption after one year

Background
 Many studies on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic reported that significant proportions of drinkers have either increased or decreased their consumption. These diverging trends may indicate a polarisation of drinking behaviours, suggesting that the same source of stress caused some people to drink more and others to drink less, among the same segment of the population. This study aims to explore the existence of such a polarisation by using standard statistical methods to assess data on drinking behaviour from March 2021, one year after the onset of the pandemic.
 Methods
 A representative sample of 2’000 people in Switzerland were asked to retrospectively report their drinking behaviours during the year before the introduction of the measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic (April 2019–March 2020) and during the first year of the pandemic (April 2020–March 2021), as well as multiple aspects of their living conditions.
 Results
 A polarisation of drinking behaviours was observed among many segments of the populations, particularly among young adults (15-24 years old), those with increased fear of COVID-19 for oneself or for their financial situation, and those who experienced a precarious work situation. Chi-square test and regressions models, using the absolute value of the change in drinking habits, are suitable for measuring polarisation effects.
 Conclusions
 The polarisation of drinking behaviours occurred in some segments of the population, regardless of their pre-pandemic drinking habits. However, polarisation can only be properly measured when non-linear trends are investigated.

The Ecological Transition from the Perspective of the Poor

In the last few years, a theological trend has developed in France that is committed to listening to the words of people in precarious situations. In the tradition of Father Joseph Wresinski, founder of ATD Fourth World, this theological movement seeks to hear the joys, the struggles, the hopes, the dreams, and the faith of those who live on the margins of the world. They are the first to be affected by social and environmental injustices. They are the first to fight poverty. They are the first to invent a sustainable way of life. Listening to and taking seriously the experiences and words of the very poor opens up new perspectives for theology, especially in the ecological field. Indeed, the link between the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor has become commonplace. According to the World Bank, it is even “evidence”. Certainly “everything is linked”, as Pope Francis writes in Laudato Si’, but the characterization of this link must be deepened. It is not simply a matter of juxtaposing these two cries, but of perceiving that it is only from the most excluded that fair, effective, and sustainable solutions can be proposed. Bringing their words and thoughts into our modern agoras is an essential anthropological, political, and theological challenge for ecological conversion.

Thriving at the Crossroads: Navigating Work and Wellness in the Modern Workforce

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the significant impact of work on an individual's physical and mental health. Factors such as job insecurity, long working hours, and increased use of technology have contributed to the changing landscape of work-related health issues. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges, highlighting the importance of health and safety in the workplace. Employers are increasingly focusing on employee well-being, implementing wellness programs, flexible work arrangements, and mental health support. Remote work, accelerated by the pandemic, has reshaped the traditional office environment, raising questions about work-life balance and the potential long-term effects on health. At the same time, disparities in access to healthcare and the social determinants of health continue to influence the health outcomes of workers. Vulnerable populations, including low-income and gig economy workers, face unique challenges in maintaining their health while navigating precarious employment situations. This abstract underscores the need for ongoing research and policy efforts to better understand and address the intricate relationship between work and health in today's labour markets.

The Republic of Korea Between China and the United States in the Face of Confrontation Over Taiwan

The article gives a tentative analysis of factors impacting the domestic and foreign policy of the Republic of Korea amid the growing confrontation between the “global West” spearheaded by the U.S. and the “global East” led by Russia and China. While the conflict between Washington and Beijing is being escalated, the South Korean leadership is likely to find itself in a precarious situation where it has to make a choice between its main economic partner and theideological overlord in terms of value orientation and security . Understanding the upcoming political course of Seoul, especially in light of the conflict over Taiwan, is of great scientific value and is important for applied international relations studies. Based on the analysis of the main trends of global turbulence and regional security, the authors propose a scenario prognosis developed on the basis of situational analysis and author’s modeling techniques , which would include both the general trends of the country’s foreign policy and the level of potential involvement of South Korea into a probable conflict between the U.S. and China in the Taiwan Strait. It is also worth noting that the most evident outcome will be the preserved alliance with Washington which is closer to South Korea when it comes to its social and political values and a gradual deterioration in relations with China, the speed of which may vary. However, the authors conclude by saying that Seoul will go to great lengths to postpone this uneasy choice and will try to distance itself from direct participation in a military conflict.

Home and Work: Struggles of Indian Women Legal Professionals Before and During Pandemic

Grappling with work–life challenges often hinder the growth of women lawyers within their profession. As women struggle with the dual problems of working long hours and managing the family they are bound in a precarious situation which marginalises them as revealed in literature. The Pandemic 2020 has made the ‘work from home’ the new normal phenomenon. The present study makes a comparative narrative analysis between pre and during pandemics work–life contexts of the women lawyers by interviewing fifty of them based in Kolkata (India). The already existing work–life challenges have been amplified exposing their vulnerabilities. The crisis is about their existence as professionals, due to prioritising home over work during the pandemic. As the women lawyers strive to create a space within the legal profession, the pandemic proved jeopardising pulling them towards their conventional roles. Their professional and private spaces are brought under the same roof, increasing the struggle of their multiple roles and sacrificing their ‘me time’.

Implications of the quality of the doctor-patient relationship on health in adult ME/CFS patients. A qualitative public health study from a patien perspective

Most patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) are dissatisfied with medical care. They complain about e. g. the lack of medical recognition of ME/CFS as a neuroimmunological disease and the medical perception of those affected as "difficult patients". As part of an exploratory qualitative survey, 544 medically diagnosed ME/CFS patients (> 20 years; 455 ♀, 89 ♂) were asked about their subjective experiences with regard to the doctor-patient relationships (DP relationship) to their treating physicians. The questionnaire was structured analogously to a focused, standardized guideline interview. The written answers were evaluated using a qualitative content analysis according to Mayring. The participants reported a significant deterioration in their health situation and their quality of life as a result of misdiagnoses and incorrect treatments, the strained DP relationship and the lack of support from the physicians. All of this leads to fear of visiting the doctor, a general loss of trust in physicians, a feeling of helplessness up to bitterness and resignation - with suicide as the last mental option for some patients to escape from this precarious situation. During medical consultations, other participants only addressed health problems that were not related to ME/CFS, or only went to the doctor in an emergency, or refrained from contacting doctors entirely. The DP relationship described by the participants as problematic in their opinion has significant negative health consequences for them. It is therefore of great urgency to develop a patient-centred treatment concept that focuses on ME/CFS patients as experts on their own illness.

Unemployment, Inflation and Economic Growth: Evidence from Nigeria

Nigeria has continued to grapple with rising unemployment amidst high inflation and slow growth of Nigeria’s gross domestic product. This precarious situation has become worrisome as it remains unabated not minding all the efforts of policy makers. The study evaluates the effect of unemployment and inflation on economic growth of Nigeria for the period between (1981-2021). The study used standard econometrics techniques such as autoregressive distributed lag model (ARDL) to measure the degree of effect of inflation and unemployment on economic growth. It also deployed the Pesaran and shin bound testing procedure to determine the short run and long run relationship of the variables under study. The findings revealed that inflation and unemployment have long run relationship with economic growth. It further revealed that unemployment is inversely correlated with economic growth whereas inflation is positively related to economic growth. In specific terms, one per cent increase in GDP resulted to a fall in unemployment rate by -0.019. The result also shows R2 value of about 0.61 percent indicating that gross domestic product accounts for about 61 per cent of the variation in unemployment rate in Nigeria. The study therefore recommends that the government should tailor policies that can spur economic activities which in turn will reduce unemployment rate and stabilize prices.

Alienating Hamlet

Abstract The protagonist of Jenny Andreasson's autobiographical novel Teatern (2022) is a young female director whose feminist production of Hamlet at the Swedish national stage fails to have its planned premiere. While the novel makes a point of describing the misogynist structures behind this failure, the present article suggests that class structures and precarity are the main reasons behind it. The financial difficulties of the theatre generate a clear discrepancy between cultural capital – embodied by Shakespeare's canonical play – and economic. The resulting precarious work situation is reflected in the protagonist's yearning for stability, in her recurring assertions of class privileges vis-à-vis her co-workers and in her increasing sense of alienation from both them and her own work. While not strictly paraphrasing Shakespeare's play, the protagonist invokes parallels to both Hamlet and Ophelia, and Teatern, instead of locating these parallels in an ‘existential’ reading of Shakespeare's play, anchors the theme of alienation in the economic and social strictures of the theatre institution.

A Macro Level Reflection on Practice Teaching and Learning from the west of Ireland.

This abstract, based on a dialogue across practice and academic contexts explores the anomaly that while it is generally acknowledged that social work placements are integral to professional development and are mainly positive experiences for all concerned, practice teaching remains tangential to social work practice resulting in a chronic shortage of placements. A valuable model of co-production, the paper draws on systems theory to assess and analyse the ongoing precarious situation of placement places in Ireland. The issue is very topical and has potential to generate further discussion and future research.

Educational Problems and Their Importance in the Context of Young Poles Experiencing Precariousness

The article focuses on exploring the relationship between experiencing educational problems in the course of life and precariousness in further professional career of young Poles. My primary interests are concentrated around the biographical experience in the spheres of education (especially in the context of young Polish workers undertaking studies) and work. I examine how the educational problems that were present at different educational levels may affect life stories and how they could be linked with the struggling on the labor market, and how they eventually led to increasing exposure toward precarious conditions as well as, finally, the potential of trajectory of suffering.
 In the analysis, I am using biographical narrative interview conducted with Julian, a young precarious worker who failed to obtain a university degree. My main argumentation is that educational problems he had faced during his studies are in complex loop with his precarious situation on the labor market and led him to experience subsequent phases of the trajectory of suffering. On the other hand, I examine the role of the myth of university degree as a generational driver of upward class mobility.

Pushcarts and Fountains: Masculinity, Agency and Labour Culture among Water Workers of N'Djamena, Chad

ABSTRACTWaters fountain managers and private porters are essential workers operating in N'Djamena, the capital of Chad. Striving to supply water to areas and households that do not have connections to Chad's official provider, the Société Tchadienne des Eaux, water workers are subjected to a regulatory framework which complicates already precarious situations. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork around water spots in peripheral and working‐class neighbourhoods of N'Djamena, this article argues that precariousness and constraints associated with water labour produce a specific form of masculine working culture. This culture combines manifestations of solidarity with a flexible set of unspoken rules and norms. Designed as a response to precarity, harsh constraints and uncertainties, this culture has managed to prevail despite high turnover among workers. It identifies water workers as a distinct socio‐economic group. By turning the spotlight on this original, gendered infrastructure of water labour as shaped by workers’ solidarity, interaction with customers and struggles against authorities, this article contributes to ongoing academic debates on agency, labour and natural resource management in urban settings.

Divine jewelry Co.: from expansion to survival

Learning outcomes The student will examine from a systemic perspective qualitative information from a company to propose improvements to its business model. Case overview/synopsis After working for more than 10 years with a global company, in January 2006 the Guadalajara-based jewelry SME, Divine Jewelry Co. (DJC), was facing liquidity problems, overstock and a debt from a bank loan, among others. The planned expansion of DJC, a family business founded in 1980, had resulted in just the opposite. Daniel, the owner and CEO of DJC, was determined to reverse the company's precarious situation as soon as possible. Some of the questions he asked himself centered on what actions he should take to pay off liabilities and try to survive in the industry his business had held a place in for 25 years. Daniel wondered whether, to pay off debts and have sufficient liquidity to have working capital and move forward, it would be enough to make efforts to recover those clients they had stopped serving, along with getting new ones. In addition, he thought it was necessary to formulate a plan to use the remaining proceeds from the sale of the property if they had to dispose of it. The case is about analyzing the strategic management of a company, specifically its business model, considering the context of its industry. The case also illustrates the problems that arise from focusing on serving a single client. Complexity academic level The case “Divine Jewelry Co: From Expansion to Survival” has been designed to be used by university students in initial management or strategic management courses on the following topics: Business modelsPorter's Five Forces ModelFormulation of strategies