Privileged Groups Research Articles

Passing Down the Mic Signals Trustworthy Intersectional Allyship and Promotes Organizational Identity-Safety

People belonging to more privileged groups are often given the default opportunity to address oppression over multiply marginalized people, perpetuating intersectional invisibility. The present research proposes passing down the mic as a strategy to disrupt intersectional invisibility. Black women ( Ntotal = 584; Experiments 1 and 2) perceived a White woman at an organization’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) meeting who passed a speaking opportunity to a Black woman to address Black women’s discrimination compared to speaking herself or allowing another White woman to address women’s or Black women’s discrimination, as a more trustworthy ally to Black women, and thus participants anticipated greater self-sacrificing allyship from the White woman, and greater identity-safety if they worked at the organization. Such benefits transferred, emerging for Latinx women participants whether the mic was passed to a Latina or Black woman ( N = 528; Experiment 3). Findings highlight an intervention route to equitably uplift multiply marginalized people and address intersectional disparities.

Men in European Union’s gender equality policies

Gender mainstreaming is designed to address the social roles of both women and men. How are men included in gender equality policies? I conduct an analysis of all gender equality strategies and annual reports of the European Commission – a global leader in this field – since 1982. I find that, since the mid 1990s, the Commission has included men as contributors to gender equality (‘problem solvers’). Yet, men’s disadvantages in education and health were only addressed between 2006 and 2015. Later on, men’s problems have been ignored, as they have been increasingly portrayed as a uniformly privileged group, undeserving of European policies. This withdrawal from addressing men’s problems exposes the tension between legitimising policies for one group (women) and addressing the needs of a complementary group (men). A novel approach to gender equality policies should revive the global debate on their meaning and implications. My findings also raise new questions about the power of the European Commission to construct policy target populations.

A STUDY OF POPULAR ONLINE EDUCATIONAL PORTALS (WEB APPS) IN INDIA

This research paper investigates the landscape of popular online educational portals in India, examining their features, user engagement, and impact on learning outcomes. As the demand for digital education surges, especially post-pandemic, platforms like BYJUS and Unacademy have emerged as significant players. The study employs a study of secondary data from the selected portals. Key metrics analysed include user accessibility, content variety, pedagogical effectiveness, and user satisfaction. Findings reveal a diverse range of educational resources tailored to different learning needs, highlighting the effectiveness of interactive tools and personalized learning paths. A Modern-Day Approach: The NEP 2020 has a special focus on online education. Universities and institutions like NITs and IGNOU will be conducting pilot research studies to maximize the benefits of digital learning in India. Online tools and platforms like DIKSHA and SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) will be upgraded with new insight into training content, in-class resources, assessment aids, profiles, etc. that will allow seamless interaction. It also focuses on the creation of public digital and interoperable infrastructure that can be utilised by multiple platforms. NEP 2020 emphasizes the creation of virtual labs wherein students can practice their theoretical knowledge and make course content available in different languages. The newly renamed Ministry of Education proposes to set up a dedicated unit for the promotion of digital learning. The dedicated unit will comprise experts from the field of education, educational technology, administration, and e-governance who will focus on the online learning needs of both the school and higher education. More emphasis will be given to online assessment and examinations. The present age is driven by digital technology and the whole globe comes under the influence of the Internet and the World Wide Web. The internet equipped both the education seeker as well as the education provider and laid them together under the virtual roof. Due to this, the concept of virtual classrooms is already popularized across the globe. Therefore, in the modern era, the role of online technology in providing education is vital and with its flexible nature online educational technology has gained popularity. The online education is now more accessible to the less privileged groups in comparison to the centralized classroom education system.

Dearomative 1,2‐(Deutero)Hydrotrifluoromethylation of Chromium‐Bound Arenes

AbstractDearomative trifluoromethylation of arenes provides an ideal method for constructing CF3‐containing three‐dimensional architectures which are of increasing interest in drug discovery. However, such transformation is rare and challenging because of the inherently low reactivity of arene π‐systems and selectivity issues. Herein, we disclose a general dearomative 1,2‐hydrotrifluoromethylation of (hetero)arenes utilizing activation by temporary π‐complexation to chromium, thus affording convenient access to 1,3‐cyclohexadienes bearing the privileged CF3 group. The versatility of this strategy further enables a dearomative 1,2‐deuterotrifluoromethylation with high deuterated ratios. The related dearomative 1,2‐(deutero)hydroperfluoroethylation reactions were conducted well for a range of chromium‐bound (hetero)arenes. Finally, a reasonable mechanism was proposed based on the intermediate capture and control experiments.

Predicting serious postoperative complications and evaluating racial fairness in machine learning algorithms for metabolic and bariatric surgery

BackgroundPredicting the risk of complications is critical in metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS). ObjectivesTo develop machine learning (ML) models to predict serious postoperative complications of MBS and evaluate racial fairness of the models. SettingMetabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) national database, United States. MethodsWe developed logistic regression, random forest (RF), gradient-boosted tree (GBT), and XGBoost model using the MBSAQIP Participant Use Data File from 2016 to 2020. To address the class imbalance, we randomly undersampled the complication-negative class to match the complication-positive class. Model performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), precision, recall, and F1 score. Fairness across White and non-White patient groups was assessed using equal opportunity difference and disparate impact metrics. ResultsA total of 40,858 patients were included after undersampling the complication-negative class. The XGBoost model was the best-performing model in terms of AUROC; however, the difference was not statistically significant. While the F1 score and precision did not vary significantly across models, the RF exhibited better recall compared to the logistic regression. Surgery type was the most important feature to predict complications, followed by operative time. The logistic regression model had the best fairness metrics for race. ConclusionsThe XGBoost model achieved the highest AUROC, albeit without a statistically significant difference. The RF may be useful when recall is the primary concern. Undersampling of the privileged group may improve the fairness of boosted tree models.

Cultural Representation of Dalits in Nepali Literature Written by Dalit and Non-Dalit Writers

The major objective of this paper is to explore the cultural representation of Dalits in Nepali literature written by both Dalit and non-Dalit writers. To meet its objective, Likhe (2073) by Sarad Paudel and Itihāsko Ek Paikā (The brave person in the history, 2066) by Ranendra Barali have been selected purposively as primary texts for analysis. Stuart Hall’s (1997) “discursive approach” has been used as an approach for textual analysis. The findings of the study concluded that both types of writers have raised the issue of class struggle commonly based on socio-cultural factors. Dalit characters in both novels live in poverty and miserable condition whereas non-Dalit characters are presented as dominant and in better conditions in society. Similarly, Likhe and Mansingh are presented as major characters whereas non-Dalit characters are given the minor roles. Dalit characters are presented as underprivileged whereas non-Dalits belong to privileged group of people in society. Both writers raise the issues of inter-caste and intra-caste untouchable practices equally. Finally the paper is significant due to the comparative study on the socio-cultural issue of Dalit community presented by Dalit and non-Dalit writers.

Do neuroticism and efficacy beliefs moderate the relationship between climate change worry and mental wellbeing?

BackgroundResearch on the nature and prevalence of phenomena like climate anxiety (or eco-anxiety) is increasing rapidly but there is little understanding of the conditions under which climate change worry becomes more or less likely to significantly impact mental wellbeing. Here, we considered two plausible moderators of the relationship between climate change worry and mental wellbeing: neuroticism and efficacy beliefs. MethodsAnalysis was conducted with survey data gathered in six European countries in autumn 2019. Participants were recruited from universities in the participating countries using opportunity sampling. ResultsWe found that climate change worry is negatively related to mental wellbeing at any level of perceived efficacy. In contrast, climate change worry is only significantly related to mental wellbeing at low and average levels of neuroticism. High neuroticism appears to have a masking, rather than amplifying, role in the relationship between climate change worry and mental wellbeing. LimitationsThe cross-sectional design of the study precludes verification of causal relationships among variables. The brief measure of neuroticism employed also did not allow for nuanced analysis of how different facets of neuroticism contribute to the observed interaction with climate change worry. Findings cannot be indiscriminately generalised to less privileged groups facing the worst impacts of the climate crisis. ConclusionOur findings lend to a view that harmful impacts of climate change worry on mental wellbeing cannot simply be ascribed to dispositional traits like neuroticism. We advocate for interventions that tackle negative climate-related emotions as unique psychological stressors.

Caste Inequality in Medical Crowdfunding in India

Medical crowdfunding has gained significant popularity and importance, yet researchers argue that it might not offer equitable financial assistance to vulnerable groups. Studies in Western countries have highlighted disparities in medical crowdfunding based on racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic dimensions. Despite this, the equity implications of crowdfunding in India have not been thoroughly investigated. We present the initial empirical evidence indicating caste-based inequalities in medical crowdfunding within India. Leveraging a comprehensive dataset comprising 5527 medical crowdfunding campaigns from one of India’s largest platforms, we evaluate the impact of the recipient’s caste identity on campaign outcomes. Our methodology utilises administrative data to deduce caste from the recipient’s surname. Campaigns by individuals from dominant caste groups tend to garner higher funds compared to those from marginalised castes, largely due to higher average donations. Furthermore, individuals from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (marginalised groups in India) initiate disproportionately fewer campaigns than dominant castes. Our findings remain robust across various performance metrics and alternative model specifications, even after adjusting for multiple campaign features and recipient locations. In summary, our study highlights how crowdfunding on for-profit platforms may exacerbate existing caste-related health disparities in India by disproportionately favouring privileged groups.

Medical school selection is a sociohistorical embedded activity: A comparison of five countries.

The medical school selection literature comes mostly from a few countries in the Global North and offers little opportunity to consider different ways of thinking and doing. Our aim, therefore, was to critically consider selection practices and their sociohistorical influences in our respective countries (Brazil, China, Singapore, South Africa and the UK), including how any perceived inequalities are addressed. This paper summarises many constructive dialogues grounded in the idea of he er butong () (harmony with diversity), learning about and from each other. Some practices were similar across the five countries, but there were differences in precise practices, attitudes and sociohistorical influences thereon. For example, in Brazil, South Africa and the UK, there is public and political acknowledgement that attainment is linked to systemic and social factors such as socio-economic status and/or race. Selecting for medical school solely on prior attainment is recognised as unfair to less privileged societal groups. Conversely, selection via examination performance is seen as fair and promoting equality in China and Singapore, although the historical context underpinning this value differs across the two countries. The five countries differ in respect of their actions towards addressing inequality. Quotas are used to ensure the representation of certain groups in Brazil and regional representation in China. Quotas are illegal in the UK, and South Africa does not impose them, leading to the use of various, compensatory 'workarounds' to address inequality. Singapore does not take action to address inequality because all people are considered equal constitutionally. In conclusion, medical school selection practices are firmly embedded in history, values, societal expectations and stakeholder beliefs, which vary by context. More comparisons, working from the position of acknowledging and respecting differences, would extend knowledge further and enable consideration of what permits and hinders change in different contexts.

Associations between Individual- and Structural-Level Racism and Gestational Age at Birth in the Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers-to-Be.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between multilevel racism and gestational age at birth among nulliparous women. We conducted a secondary analysis of data of the nuMoM2b Study (2010-2013) to examine the associations between individual- and structural-level experiences of racism and discrimination and gestational age at birth among nulliparous women (n = 9148) at eight sites across the U.S. Measures included the individual Experiences of Discrimination (EOD) scale and the Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE) to measure structural racism. After adjustment, we observed a significant individual and structural racism interaction on gestational length (p = 0.012). In subgroup analyses, we found that among those with high EOD scores, women who were from households concentrated in the more privileged group had significantly longer gestations (β = 1.27, 95% CI: 0.48, 2.06). Women who reported higher EOD scores and more economic privilege had longer gestations, demonstrating the moderating effect of ICE as a measure of structural racism. In conclusion, ICE may represent a modifiable factor in the prevention of adverse birth outcomes in nulliparas.

Navigating between private and public: Understanding publicness of public open spaces in private developments in Hong Kong

Given that lands became increasingly expensive for governments to meet open space standards, there emerged a growing trend towards private sector involvement public open space provision. This collaboration has given rise to public open spaces in private developments (POSPD), characterised by varying levels of ‘publicness’ – the degree to which a space embodies public qualities and serves public interests. This research seeks to systematically understand the diverse manifestations of publicness in POSPDs using a proposed conceptual framework. Empirical examination of cases in Hong Kong yielded the statistical categorisation of POSPDs into five types, namely Edge Zone, Hide-and-Seek, Pseudo-Public Park, Consumers’ Paradise and Public Plaza. The results revealed a classist nature of POSPD publicness, with accessibility disproportionately favouring privileged groups. These findings contribute to a better understanding of POSPD publicness and highlights gaps in POS service and governance practice, provides valuable guidance for urban planners, policymakers, and developers in navigating the complexities of public space provision in increasingly privatized urban environments. The insights are relevant for creating more inclusive public spaces that cater to the needs of all community members, particularly in Asia’s high-density urban contexts.

Framing and othering the T20 group in Malaysia: An analysis of news articles from selected mainstream and independent news portals

Malaysian news portals often feature news related to the B40 group as they are considered the socially disadvantaged group. Conversely, the T20 group in Malaysia refers to 20% of the population earning the highest income which serves as the complete opposite of the B40 group. Primarily deemed as a privileged group, this study examines how the T20 group is unfairly framed and othered in the media by drawing upon Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak’s concepts of media framing and othering. The study examines the linguistic elements in selected articles that depict the T20 as “unaffected”, “undeserving”, and “unrealistic”. This negative portrayal is used to justify the implementation of broad economic policies, that exclude the T20 from government subsidy programmes and impose higher taxes on them. This demonstrates the power of language to evoke negative feelings and perceptions about a specific group, including those perceived as privileged in a society.

Vocational Experiences of Korean Women With a High School Diploma: Insights into Work Precarity and Social Marginalization

A college education is a means to achieve upward social mobility and secure decent employment. Yet, college education tends to be accessible for families already part of privileged groups, such as those with financial resources. With attention to systemic oppression and varying degrees of access to education and employment, this study aims to describe the experiences of job-seeking and working among Korean women with a high school diploma as their highest educational attainment. The psychology of working theory, the work precarity framework, and intersectionality informed the study, exploring interview data from 13 Korean women. Findings from the reflective thematic analysis show that struggles in seeking and maintaining employment among the participants were particularly exacerbated by mistreatment, harassment, and disrespect due to having neither college degrees nor male privilege. Participants’ experiences with economic deprivation, lack of societal support and respect, and precarious work conditions led to psychological, social, and physical pain that went neglected. As they confront barriers to employment and undesirable work conditions, they affirm themselves and express the hope that the work society should better meet their fundamental needs as humans. Future research directions and practical implications are discussed.

PROGRESS OF THE MICROFINANCE SECTOR IN ALBANIA, CURRENT CHALLENGES AND THE PERSPECTIVE OF THIS SECTOR

The paper presented by the authors aims to research the role of Microfinance in Albania over the years, especially in improving living conditions for the less privileged groups. The authors have tried to give a summarized panorama regarding the progress and evolution of Microfinance in the state of Albania. Portraying the latter as a good alternative solution to the shortcomings of the Traditional Banking System, to address the needs of certain segments of the population. The analysis used by the authors focuses on the major and current challenges that the Microfinance sector in Albania is facing, it also examines the perspectives and potential future opportunities of this developing sector in our country. Since most of the economic entities that operate in our country are small and medium-sized businesses, where family businesses account for a significant number of the total number of economic entities, the authors have considered it important to research this segment of the economy.

Intersectional Group Agreement on the Occupational Order

When a group shares a viewpoint on a status order, their consensus imparts legitimacy to their shared understanding of that order. Conversely, a group espousing multiple viewpoints undermines the notion that one “true” hierarchy exists. To build empirical knowledge about how social groups contribute to the construction of status orders, we take the occupational hierarchy as a case study and map the structure of agreement across intersectional groups. First, we quantify the extent to which groups (1) agree internally on their occupational rankings (within-group consensus) and (2) agree with other groups (intergroup consensus). Using General Social Survey data on occupational perceptions, we find a cluster of privileged groups—namely, highly educated White men and women—who agree internally and with each other on the occupational status order. Lesser advantaged groups exhibit less internal agreement and do not cohere around an alternative conceptualization of value, leaving unchallenged the consensus of privileged groups.

Imaginaries of trauma and victimhood: The role of the ‘China threat’ in Trump’s populism of the privileged

This article speaks to an established interest of International Relations scholars in the construction of the ‘China threat’ in US political discourse. We advance recent works which have argued that the rise of China has contributed to the success of populism in the United States and Western liberal democracies more widely. Specifically, we transpose the concept of the ‘populism of the privileged’ to the international realm to understand how narratives of status loss nurture perceptions of collective trauma and victimhood. We argue that the concept helps explain why Trump’s anti-China populism is centred on the counterintuitive articulation of an American underdog identity at the domestic and international levels. It sheds light on why populist narratives of unjust suffering have grip even if supporters stem from comparatively privileged groups. Victimhood-centric narratives are always relational and, as we show, the imaginary of lost status is a powerful device in the populist toolbox.

Organometallic Chirality Sensing via "Click"-Like η6-Arene Coordination with an Achiral Cp*Ru(II) Piano Stool Complex.

Piano stool complexes have been studied over many years and found widespread applications in organic synthesis, catalysis, materials and drug development. We now report the first examples of quantitative chiroptical molecular recognition of chiral compounds through click-like η6-arene coordination with readily available half sandwich complexes. This conceptually new approach to chirality sensing is based on irreversible acetonitrile displacement of [Cp*Ru(CH3CN)3]PF6 by an aromatic target molecule, a process that is fast and complete within a few minutes at room temperature. The metal coordination coincides with characteristic circular dichroism inductions that can be easily correlated to the absolute configuration and enantiomeric ratio of the bound molecule. A relay assay that decouples the determination of the enantiomeric composition and of the total sample amount by a practical CD/UV measurement protocol was developed and successfully tested. The introduction of piano stool complexes to the chiroptical sensing realm is mechanistically unique and extends the scope of currently known methods with small-molecule probes that require the presence of amino, alcohol, carboxylate or other privileged functional groups for binding of the target compound. A broad application range including pharmaceutically relevant multifunctional molecules and the use in chromatography-free asymmetric reaction analysis are also demonstrated.

Organometallic Chirality Sensing via “Click”‐Like η6‐Arene Coordination with an Achiral Cp*Ru(II) Piano Stool Complex

AbstractPiano stool complexes have been studied over many years and found widespread applications in organic synthesis, catalysis, materials and drug development. We now report the first examples of quantitative chiroptical molecular recognition of chiral compounds through click‐like η6‐arene coordination with readily available half sandwich complexes. This conceptually new approach to chirality sensing is based on irreversible acetonitrile displacement of [Cp*Ru(CH3CN)3]PF6 by an aromatic target molecule, a process that is fast and complete within a few minutes at room temperature. The metal coordination coincides with characteristic circular dichroism inductions that can be easily correlated to the absolute configuration and enantiomeric ratio of the bound molecule. A relay assay that decouples the determination of the enantiomeric composition and of the total sample amount by a practical CD/UV measurement protocol was developed and successfully tested. The introduction of piano stool complexes to the chiroptical sensing realm is mechanistically unique and extends the scope of currently known methods with small‐molecule probes that require the presence of amino, alcohol, carboxylate or other privileged functional groups for binding of the target compound. A broad application range including pharmaceutically relevant multifunctional molecules and the use in chromatography‐free asymmetric reaction analysis are also demonstrated.

Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of Stable NH Imines for the Synthesis of Enantiopure α‐Chiral Primary Amines

Comprehensive SummaryAlthough it offers a direct route to access synthetically valuable α‐chiral primary amines, asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of NH imines has been rarely studied, due in large part to the inaccessibility and instability of NH imines. Herein, we report a Rh‐catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of a kind of novel and stable NH imines which are prepared via condensation of easily available sulfonylated 2’‐aminoacetophenones with NH3 in methanol. With this method, enantioenriched chiral 2‐(1‐aminoalkyl)anilines, which are privileged pharmacore groups, have been synthesized with good functional group compatibility, and with up to 99% ee. A gram‐scale reaction using 0.2 mol% of catalyst has been successfully performed to highlight the practicality. Furthermore, the products can be derivatized into enantiopure bioactive molecules as well as chiral tridentate ligands for metal catalysis.

Social Representativeness and Intervention Adherence-A Systematic Review of Clinical Physical Activity Trials in Breast Cancer Patients.

Representativeness in physical activity randomised controlled trials (RCT) in breast cancer patients is essential to analyses of feasibility and validity considering privileged- social groups. A step-by-step exclusion of less privileged groups through the trial process could reinforce health inequality. This study aimed at examining representativeness in breast cancer (BC) physical activity trials, investigate associations between socio-economic status (SES) and intervention adherence, and explore associations between representativeness and the relationship between SES and intervention adherence. Systematic, computerised searches were performed in PubMed, CINAHL, AMED, EMBASE and PsycINFO. Additional citation-based searches retrieved 37 articles. Distributions of education level, ethnicity, and marital status in study samples were compared to national populations data to estimate representativeness in less privileged groups. A preponderance of studies favoured educated, married and white patients. Only six studies reported SES-adherence associations, hampering conclusions on this relationship and possible associations between representativeness and an SES-adherence relationship. Less educated, unmarried and non-white individuals may be underrepresented in BC physical activity RCTs, while SES-adherence associations in such trials are inconclusive. Unintentional social misrepresentations may indicate that disguised inequity warrants revived attention.