Sectors Of Society Research Articles

Experiences of weight discrimination were common in Finnish women with obesity

Abstract Background The consequences of obesity stigma, particularly weight discrimination, are widely felt in different sectors of society. Our aim was to examine the prevalence of experiences of weight discrimination in the Finnish adult population. Methods Data (n = 2,849) consisted of participants aged 20-64 years from the nationally representative Healthy Finland Survey in 2023, pregnant women and people with underweight excluded (body mass index, BMI, ≤18.5 kg/m2). The questionnaire inquired about the experiences of weight discrimination with a question “Have you experienced unfair treatment because of your weight during the last 12 months?”. Information on education (low, middle, high) was inquired too. Height and weight were measured during the health examination, and BMI was calculated (kg/m2). Obesity was defined as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2. Weighted prevalence was analyzed using logistic regression, considering sampling design and non-response. Results Overall, 13% (95% confidence interval, CI, 11-15) of women and 7% (95% CI 5-8) of men had experienced weight discrimination during the last 12 months. The experiences of weight discrimination varied according to BMI, as the prevalence was 27% (95% CI 22-32) among women with obesity vs. 7% (95% CI 6-9) among women without obesity. The corresponding numbers for men were 16% (95% CI 12-20) vs. 4% (95% CI 2-5). The results were similar across all educational classes. Conclusions Individuals with obesity had experienced weight discrimination more often than those without obesity. The problem affects women (in particular), as almost one third of women with obesity had experienced weight discrimination. It is important to raise awareness and recognize this phenomenon across all sectors of society to enhance inclusion in a world struggling with overweight and obesity. Key messages • People with obesity experience weight discrimination. Experiences of weight discrimination appear to be more common in women than men. • More information and understanding of weight-related stigma through education, research and values work is needed in different sectors of society.

Environmental Education in the Business Context: Practices and Challenges in the Transportation Sector for the Formation of a Socio-Environmental Culture

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate Environmental Education in the business context, with a focus on the transport sector, in order to reflect on the teaching practices that are developed in all areas, with the aim of presenting environmental practices that can promote the formation of an individual committed to the socio-environmental reality and to life. Theoretical Framework: Environmental Education can be characterized as an educational process based on social values, knowledge, skills, attitudes and competencies aimed at conservation and care for the environment. This definition highlights the need for its operationalization at all levels and sectors of society in a cultural transformation project, which intends the necessary contribution of Formal Education. Based on the proposal, the study supports the need for the rapid implementation of environmental education within urban transport companies, so that in the medium to long term it is possible to observe a strengthened sustainable dynamic in environmental education for this sector. Method: The methodology adopted for this research involves dividing the study into two parts, where the first was based on a systematic review of the scientific literature and the second part, due to the scarcity of significant data on the subject identified in the initial phase, was configured as a professional proposal for implementing environmental education within the urban public transport sector. Results and Discussion: The results obtained revealed important implications for the promotion of sustainability in the transportation sector through Environmental Education by proposing a practical approach that combines educational and operational strategies, highlighting the need for companies to integrate socio-environmental responsibility actions into their daily practices, increasing environmental awareness among employees, but also fostering cultural transformation in organizations, generating a broader impact. In addition, the research can serve as a model for other industrial sectors, offering a replicable framework for implementing sustainability programs in a systematic way and adapted to the needs of each organizational context. By combining a rigorous analysis of the scientific literature with the proposal of a practical product for the implementation of Environmental Education in transportation companies, focusing on the specific needs of the transportation sector, it is possible to bring solutions that are applicable and adaptable to the reality of organizations, which increases its relevance both in the academic field and in the market. The study not only fills gaps identified in the literature, but also contributes with an action model that can be directly implemented, bringing benefits to companies, employees and society in general. Research Implications: The practical and theoretical implications of this research are discussed, providing insights into how the results can be applied or influence practices in the urban transport field. These implications may include the promotion of sustainability in the transport sector through Environmental Education by proposing a practical approach that combines educational and operational strategies, highlighting the need for companies to integrate socio-environmental responsibility actions into their daily practices, increasing environmental awareness among employees, but also fostering cultural transformation in organizations, generating a broader impact. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by also serving as a model for other industrial sectors, offering a replicable framework for implementing sustainability programs in a systematic manner and adapted to the needs of each organizational context. In this context, the work emphasizes the relevance of intersectoral partnerships, which can drive public policies and collaborative actions between the private and public sectors to promote a more sustainable transition.

Crossing Spatial Boundaries: A Study on the Impact of Green Human Resource Management on Employees’ Household Pro-Environmental Behaviors

To respond more effectively to the current increasingly serious environmental problems, the boundary of corporate social responsibility is expanding. In this context, how to take green responsibility for each stakeholder has become a topic of concern for all sectors of society. However, there is still a gap in research on how green human resource management (GHRM) affects employees’ household pro-environmental behavior (PEB) from a cross-domain work–family perspective to achieve CSR more comprehensively. Our study argues that companies can use GHRM across the work–family boundary to influence employees’ household pro-environmental behaviors to achieve positive contributions to the social environment. Our study uses 310 questionnaires collected in southeastern China to conduct an empirical analysis and concludes that GHRM can positively shape green attitudes, help employees perceive green subjective norms, and develop green self-efficacy. Consistent with the findings of the Theory of Planned Behavior, individuals’ green attitudes, green subjective norms, and green self-efficacy can effectively enhance individuals’ household pro-environmental behavioral intentions, which in turn enables the prediction of individuals’ household pro-environmental behaviors. In conclusion, our study extends the influence of GHRM to a wider range of non-work domains and points the way to the full realization of corporate social responsibility by companies. In addition, our study emphasizes that with the subtle cultivation of companies, individuals can become fans of green and low-carbon behaviors, and through the widespread implementation of pro-environmental behaviors, it can reach a virtuous circle of environmental protection as a whole.

COVID-19 Vaccine-induced antibody response to BNT162b2 mRNA in frontline healthcare workers

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, has resulted in a pandemic that has disrupted all sectors of society. Less than a year after the sequencing of the virus’s genome, emergency use authorization for the BNT162b2 vaccine was requested. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response to the BNT162b2-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in frontline workers from two hospitals in Colombia. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected for the molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 using real-time PCR, and blood samples were taken to assess seroconversion using qualitative and quantitative IgA, IgG, and IgM test kits. The study was conducted at a high-complexity healthcare institution in Bucaramanga, Colombia. 245 people were included in the first round and 129 in the second. SARS-CoV-2 molecular tests were conducted by RT-qPCR, and peripheral blood samples were collected to measure IgG, IgM, and IgA. The main outcome was to establish natural infection and the antibody response induced by the vaccine. The entire population was tested at two fixed times with RT-PCR tests and antibody level measurements approximately 4 and 8 months after receiving the second vaccine dose. 62 (25.3%) and 35 (14.3%) participants had a history of positive PCR in the first and second rounds, respectively. All positive cases showed elevated levels of all immunoglobulins, especially IgG. The average concentrations of IgA, IgM, and IgG at 90 days were 1149.5 U/mL (95% CI 828.2-1470.9); 320.3 U/mL (95% CI 218.4-422.3); and 9277.3 U/mL (95% CI 8989.2-9565.3). Frontline healthcare workers showed an adequate response to the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine.

Does the Imbalance of ESG Activities Affect Company Performance? -- Evidence from Chinese A-share Listed Companies from 2018-2022

In recent years, the concept of sustainable development has progressively gained traction among the populace, with the performance of enterprises in environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) aspects attracting widespread attention from various sectors of society. The weighting of E, S, and G components varies across domestic and international ESG rating agencies, often resulting in significantly divergent weighted ESG scores. Leveraging the theory of organizational ambidexterity, this paper empirically investigates the impact of discrepancies between institutional ESG scores and equally weighted ESG scores on company performance, utilizing a sample of Chinese A-share listed companies spanning the years 2018 to 2022. Our findings reveal that equally weighted ESG scores exhibit a correlation with company performance, and a higher positive percentage difference between a company's rating agency ESG scores and its equally weighted ESG scores is associated with lower performance. This suggests that the rating agency weighting method may inadvertently encourage companies to engage in "greenwashing." This conclusion remains consistent after conducting robustness tests. Heterogeneity analysis further indicates that the negative impact of this difference on company performance is more pronounced among non-state-owned companies, manufacturing companies, and small companies. The mechanism of action test reveals that this difference negatively affects company performance by exacerbating financing constraints and reducing operating efficiency.

Assyrian Imperial Elites and Textile Culture of the 1st Millennium BC: Shaping Power Visions Through Textiles

Abstract As a crucial component of the materiality of the first world empire, textile culture documented in archival cuneiform documents, visual art, and archaeological materials from 1st-millennium BC Assyria enables historians to reconstruct the social identities, power visions, and economic systems of the people who ruled the “Land of Aššur”. Through the analysis of royal clothes, it is possible to form an idea of the clothing ensemble, the aesthetic, and power visions that shaped the presence of the king and his queen in public ceremonies and in visual art narratives, and to see how royal textile art played a role in political communication. Royal garments, combined with power accessories such as royal insignia and other objects, represented a powerful means to visualize royal personhood and what the institution of Assyrian kingship meant in the imperial phase of Assyrian history. Representations of royal scenes in visual art integrate the documentary picture from texts and archaeological materials and show how the royal costume developed over the Neo-Assyrian period and how the centrality and superior status of the royal person were emphasised by visual interaction between the king’s clothes and other textiles in the scene. Queenly garments represent another channel for the communication of the success of the Assyrian imperial project. Less represented in textual sources and material evidence are other upper-class sectors of Assyrian imperial society, in which textiles equally played an important role as markers of social identity and status. Non-royal textiles were an integral part of power narratives in the Neo-Assyrian age, contributing to create the sense of a common Assyrian identity, of elite’s unity and cohesion, and full adherence to the imperial project.

A Study of digital literacy among the marginalizes in Thailand: Issues, challenges for implementation and the way forward

The concerns about digital literacy in Thailand especially relevant to fake news, disinformation, and misinformation keep increasing and creating a multifaceted challenges to various sectors of Thai society i.e. financial, commercial, politics, society, and health-related. Among the areas identified include digital contents creation, dissemination, and social media enabling various information with complex challenges such as the proliferation of fake news, disinformation, and misinformation affected more kinds of negative effects currently. This study employs mixed-research method quantitative (survey questionnaire) and qualitative (Focus group discussion, observation, interview) data collection and analysis. A total of 315 samples and key informants were involved as well as grouped under 5 categories: marginal youths, elderly, community leaders, teachers, also government workers focusing on digital literacy knowledge and skills relevant to fake news. It also highlights the relevant contexts i.e. regulatory frameworks and mechanisms driven by key agencies in Thailand. Two main results were revealed that reflected the objectives of the study accordingly: The first objective is (1) overview of digital literacy and how to achieve it. The findings summarized from survey questionnaire include 1.1) even regulations exist found inadequate enforcement and low public awareness call for more effective and collaborative communication from all partners starting from the government agencies; 1.2) urgent need for public awareness communication campaigns emphasizing all the marginalized groups. Youths expressed in the interviews about their contribution to help reduce all kinds of fake news; 1.3) support more friendly ICT context provision such as availability, affordability, accessibility, usability, and useful information. The second objective is (2) mechanism for digital skills empowerment. The feedback from key informants include: 2.1) strengthening digital literacy skills among all marginalized groups to be a smart citizen then can help protecting themselves, their families and their communities; 2.2) all agencies from policy to local i.e. community leaders, educational institutions, private sectors, social media companies, civil society, and others must synergized more contributions; 2.3) educational institutions must design digital literacy academy with digital new-skills for the marginalizes, ensuring them for their safety and future job demands; 2.4) private sectors should support and co-designing digital products and services that address all current needs; 2.5) local government, and all partners should take an active collaboration and enforcement. The study concluded with implications and suggestions for future research in line with SDGs.

Honourable kāwanatanga: A prerequisite for constitutional transformation

Understandings of Te Tiriti o Waitangi continue to unfold as we find our way through the complexities of colonial misinformation about our herstory and history. Looking ahead to the prospect of constitutional transformation, this paper examines honourable kāwanatanga as a necessary pathway to Tiriti justice. This commentary paper draws on existing literature and insights from the Māori and Tauiwi authors’ decades of experience of pursuing Tiriti justice. The Crown has consistently breached Te Tiriti and engaged in dishonourable kāwanatanga. Māori have always resisted colonisation and imagined a future where Te Tiriti was honoured. Latterly, Tauiwi in increasing numbers have also joined this resistance. The preamble of Te Tiriti o Waitangi articulates the desire of rangatira and the British to enter into a relationship of goodwill and peace. Rangatira reasonably anticipated that the British would behave honourably. The subsequent displacement of Māori from land, language, economy and cultural traditions from 1840 onwards, resulted in devastating intergenerational harms and losses. Ani Mikaere has argued that the Māori–Crown relationship has deteriorated to the point of resembling the dynamics of an abusive relationship. This characterisation suggests an unequal and harmful interaction, where one party holds power and control over the other, often at the expense of the latter’s rights, well-being, and autonomy, whilst societal institutions and common sense, deeply support the abuser. Honourable kāwanatanga, as a tool for transformations toward social justice, is often used as an intentional description to mark Tiriti-centric governance as opposed to deep-rooted dishonourable, Tiriti-breaching governance. This form of abuse characterises the ongoing colonial hegemony which has generated and maintained institutional racism and monoculturalism and allowed it to flourish within the public service and many other sectors of society. The notion of honourable kāwanatanga intersects with the call of Matike Mai and supports collective Indigenous peoples’ rights.

Transformative Earth stewardship: Principles for shaping a sustainable future for nature and society

AbstractEarth stewardship is the proactive shaping of pathways of social‐ecological change to enable people and nature to thrive. Its strategy is to identify and shape sustainable pathways of human–nature interaction. I describe three Earth stewardship approaches to addressing global changes. Two of these (resisting unfavorable change; accepting and adapting to change) are well‐accepted approaches to conservation and sustainability. The third (transformative Earth stewardship to escape unsustainable traps) is more challenging but can sometimes overcome seemingly insurmountable barriers. It can be triggered by a change in vision for society, changes in feedbacks such as social norms and incentives, or engagement of influential actors or institutions. The innovation necessary to trigger profound transformation often requires transdisciplinary perspectives that draw on multiple knowledge systems, modes of communication, and sectors of society.

CJED Special Issue: Transforming our Societies through Collaboration and Action

This CJED Special Issue shares the research that emerged from the multidisciplinary conference “Moving research beyond academics: Transforming our societies through collaboration and action”. The conference included different sectors of society (education, crime, business, governance, and health). This 2-day, online conference targeted local, regional, and international communities.

The use of community-engagement approaches to identify strategies for increasing workplace well-being among LGBTQ+ adults

BackgroundLGBTQ+ individuals often face social stigma and workplace discrimination, negatively impacting their well-being. However, limited research exists on the factors and strategies that enhance their positive workplace experiences. This study was a sequential qualitative mixed-method design conducted in three phases. The study had the following objectives: identifying factors associated with workplace well-being, generating strategies for improving workplace well-being, and obtaining feedback on the identified strategies' acceptability. MethodsIn Phase 1, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 LGBTQ+ who described factors that improved their satisfaction at work. In Phase 2, two focus group discussions were held with 13 participants, including LGBTQ+ adults, scholars in positive psychology, human resource development, and civil rights advocates, to develop strategies for improving workplace well-being based on Phase 1 data. In Phase 3, a survey was sent to a subset of the focus group participants (N = 7) to ascertain the acceptability of the developed strategies. Data analysis was performed using deductive and inductive approaches. ResultsThe study's first phase identified the factors contributing to workplace well-being. These factors were categorized into intrapersonal, interpersonal, and social-ecological. In the second phase and third phase, 11 strategies were developed to improve workplace well-being. These strategies were divided into two sections. The first section includes strategies organizations and agencies can implement to promote employee well-being (such as emphasizing diversity and equity as core values). The second section outlines strategies for government and civil society sectors (such as establishing laws addressing LGBTQ+ equal rights). The Index of Congruence (IOC) assessed the relationship between strategies and workplace well-being improvement. Results showed IOC values from 0.8 to 1 for 11 strategies, indicating high content validity. ConclusionsStrategies to enhance LGBTQ+ workplace well-being were identified through community engagement, but further research is needed for implementation and evaluation.

Public-Private Partnership: An Effective Solution for Providing Health Services to the Elderly

Population aging has become a significant phenomenon in the 21st century due to rising life expectancy and declining fertility rates. The global elderly population, estimated at 727 million in 2020, is projected to double by 2050, with developing countries facing a greater proportion of elderly residents. This demographic shift will impact various sectors of society, including healthcare, leading to increased demand for medical services and higher costs. Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) are an effective mechanism to improve access to health services for the elderly, enhance service quality, and manage costs. It is crucial for policymakers to explore global experiences with PPP to develop strategies that address the unique economic and social conditions in Iran, ensuring an effective response to the rapid changes in healthcare needs for the aging population.

Integration of AI Technology and ZPD: Pinpointing the Zone of Student Development to Promote Educational Innovation and Efficiency Improvement

In the era of rapid technological advancement, AI has profoundly penetrated various sectors of society, including education. This paper explores the positive impact of AI on students' Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), aiming to assist teachers in making more accurate judgments regarding multiple students' ZPDs and thereby enhancing educational teaching. The findings reveal that AI technology, through its application in ZPD, can provide personalized learning resources and assistance to students, as well as offer teachers appropriate teaching content and strategies tailored to students' needs. However, in the actual teaching process, the application of ZPD to teaching still faces difficulties related to students' individualization, sensitive emotions, and trust crises. Based on this, this paper puts forward the following suggestions. Teachers need to be actively trained in AI to overcome potential resistance from older educators. At the same time, teachers should focus on identifying further technological advances in ZPD and related areas to maximize the benefits of AI in education.

Committing to diversity in participants, participation and knowledge production: place-based insights from the community science of Soilsafe Aotearoa

Researchers have an obligation to study aspects of our world that have meaning for society. This means recognising a place-based diversity of society, of potential participants, of types of participation and of knowledge production. Therefore, developing a successful community science (CS) programme that engenders a sense of ownership for a diversity of public participants requires the prioritisation of getting to know what diverse participants value and the context of that valuation. This paper describes the necessary rigour of considering the launch of the CS programme Soilsafe Aotearoa (SA) in 2021, and its subsequent implementation and evolution based on a project commitment to diversity of social values of soil in Aotearoa New Zealand (Aotearoa NZ), delivering on public demand. We discuss how SA engages with the community by scientific screening soil metal contaminants in participants’ backyards, as well as through inclusive education and knowledge co-production in schools and community spaces. The objective in this work is to generate wider participation and dialogue on a diversity of soil value(s) so that communities in Aotearoa NZ are cognisant of what soil might represent to others, and to contextualise what a lack of soil care might mean for them and society more broadly. Here we argue that a diversity of participants and participation can support a more inclusive and contextual, place-based CS approach. We illustrate how that might be achieved through bridging arts, Indigenous knowledge production, and social, as well as conventional sciences. Through an approach that recognises that values about the world are tied to participants’ geographic, demographic and cultural contexts as well as the sectors of society they work and live with, we demonstrate the importance of researchers’ attention to not just scientific enquiry, but intersections of different knowledge production and communication for better societal and science outcomes.

‘No trees around, but we paint some on our walls’: cultivating the ‘green’ image within schoolscapes in India

ABSTRACT Compared to various market, state, and civil society sectors, schools’ experiences of urban ‘greening’ in India remain curiously under-researched, despite the fact that schoolscapes are emerging as both awareness-raising agents for and fantastical visions of ‘green’ living. The paper seeks to address this lacuna in schoolscape scholarship by examining the experiences of four government schools in suburban Mumbai. Drawing on oral testimonies of teachers, and field observations, the paper elucidates a contrast between the ‘green’ vision, and the ground realities of school practitioners. While the official logic of ‘greening’ might have been predicated on the need to establish harmony between human well-being and planetary health, the actual performance of ‘greening’ schoolscapes brings into play dynamic and multifarious imaginings of school-nature relation arising from signifiers which do not fully reflect urban realities and school life in particular, but still engender a desire for those imaginings.

Police Public Image through the Lens of Community Stakeholders

Police community relation is meant to combat citizen mistrust of the police force. This strategy was developed in the mid-20th century to help officers ​​work more collaboratively with the communities they are assigned to. The hope was that activities such as town hall meetings and “meet and greet” foot patrols would create a partnership between citizens and the police force, increasing trust and ultimately leading to reduced crime. This study explored the views of community stakeholders on the police public image in the province of Southern Leyte through a qualitative research method. The informants of this study were ten individuals from different sectors of society within the province of Southern Leyte. All informants were subjected to an individual in-depth interview. The findings of this study are described in emergent themes. Six (6) emergent themes described the positive and negative views of the informants regarding their current views on the public image. For the positive views, three (3) emergent themes were developed, namely Community Engagement and Cooperation, Trust in Police and Public Safety, and Commitment to Duty and Profession. For the negative views, three (3) emergent themes were also developed: Use of Excessive Force and Violence, Negative Stereotypes and Public Distrust, and Malfeasance and Inconsistent Law Enforcement. Meanwhile, two (2) emergent themes were formulated to explain how the impact of the police public image affects the community stakeholders, namely, Police as Protector and Police as Public Defender. Finally, four (4) emergent themes were formulated to explain how police activities promote community confidence and trust, namely Enhanced Police Visibility, Community Outreach Program, First Responders in Calamities, and Proactive Information Campaigns. Based on the emergent themes identified, it is recommended that the Philippine National Police (PNP) enhance the efficacy of law enforcement officers by developing stronger relationships with the public and addressing the issues pointed out in the study to restore public confidence. Essential measures may include improving community engagement through transparent communication and enhancing officer training in ethics and accountability.

Retain in the City, Return Flow, or Blind Direction: A Study on the Differentiation Mechanism of Migrant Workers’ Migration Willingness under the Background of China’s Strategy for Integrated Urban–Rural Development

Against the backdrop of urban–rural integration development in China, the government has further strengthened its support for rural migrant workers’ urban employment and entrepreneurship, as well as their urbanization. Nevertheless, influenced by the current urban–rural development environment and public policies, a portion of rural migrant workers have evolved into two distinct groups: those with clear intentions to settle in cities or return to their hometowns and those trapped in a “neither-nor” situation, who are unable to fully integrate into urban life or seamlessly return to the countryside. This study, based on field investigations conducted in 21 cities across seven major geographical regions in China, reveals a ternary differentiation in migration intentions among rural migrant workers: “Retain in the cities”, “Return flow”, and “Blind direction”. In advancing the urban–rural integration strategy, the “clearly-oriented” groups, choosing to stay or return, can serve as dynamic forces in reconciling resources between urban and rural areas, thereby fostering closer urban–rural ties. Conversely, the “aimless wandering” group, characterized by stagnation, confusion, frequent mobility, and recurrent unemployment, poses numerous negative impacts on urban–rural interaction and coordination, hindering the in-depth integration of urban and rural areas to some extent. Drawing upon the internationally recognized Push-Pull Theory and Social Integration Theory within the field of population migration, this study conducts an empirical analysis of large-scale sample data to explore the characteristic factors and formation mechanisms underlying the “staying”, “returning”, and “blind direction” intentions, with a particular focus on the internal dynamics shaping and evolving the “aimless wandering” group. Finally, grounded in the empirical findings, this study advocates a collaborative approach between the Chinese government and various sectors of society to address the issue by promoting employment guidance, enhancing security measures, and other initiatives that encourage rural migrant workers to either stay in cities or return to their hometowns. It aims to provide policy recommendations for a definitive resolution of the rural migrant worker issue during the crucial period of urban–rural integration development.

IMPROVING THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN THE FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY

The article presents a circular economy proposal as a way to promote greater sustainability in the footwear industry. As part of the work, we analysed the essential components for a shoe and the materials used in the production of footwear. Currently, new proposals have emerged for footwear that use materials derived from waste and the forwarding of specific end-of-life products. These new concepts are associated with added value and targeted marketing towards sectors of society more concerned with the industry's environmental impact. This reinforces the interest in the positioning of the footwear industry in relation to the circular economy. The purpose of this article focuses on the last phase of the circular economy – recycling, educating, and valuing the role of the consumer through the collection, treatment and forwarding of used footwear materials with the aim of reducing waste in landfills but simultaneously increasing awareness of the footwear industry.

Affirmative Action for Black, Indigenous and Quilombola Students at a Brazilian University

Multiculturalism and cultural diversity permeate various sectors of society, including higher education. The educational policies implemented in this sphere appear to promote social and educational equality. The aim of this study was to examine this subject by analysing the affirmative action policy implemented in a Brazilian university. It sought to understand whether this policy has contributed to the access and completion of undergraduate programmes of black and mixed-race, indigenous and quilombola students. The analysis was conducted based on data relating to the access and dropout of students who enrolled in the university through the quota and reservation systems. Data were collected from university administrative datasets and a questionnaire administered to undergraduate course coordinators and students who had benefited from the policy in question and dropped out of university. The findings reveal, on the one hand, an increase in the intake of black and mixed-race, indigenous and quilombola students. On the other hand, a high dropout rate was observed among these students, which may raise the possibility that the policy in question is not completely successful.

A Critical Exposition of Plato's Philosophy of Social Stratifications in Ensuring Justice

This article descends into Plato’s representation of justice in The Republic, focusing on exploring a notion that has been fundamental to society since its inception. While justice was formed to ensure equality within a stratified society, it frequently results in inequity for particular sectors of society. This paradoxical element of justice makes it biased and sometimes fictitious for some groups of people. An unfortunate consequence of pursuing justice is that specific segments of society are regularly deprived. Therefore, this article discusses the essence of social stratification in Plato’s concept of justice and how far this stratification does justice for each class. Philosophy and Progress, Vol#73-74; No#1-2; Jan-Dec 2023 P 241-257