Social Advancement Research Articles

The same social elevator? Intergenerational class mobility of second-generation immigrants across Europe

Abstract Ethnicity and social class are two of the main axes stratifying life chances in developed societies. Nevertheless, knowledge of the integration of ethnic minorities into the pattern of class reproduction remains incipient as evidence stems mostly from studies concentrating on specific ethnicities or single host countries. This article advances this knowledge by providing a comparative perspective on the intergenerational occupational mobility of second-generation immigrants and the majority population across 26 European countries. Drawing on pooled data from the European Social Survey (2004–2018), the article demonstrates that ethnic penalties arise for employment and occupational mobility in many countries, however, with crucial differences across and—to a smaller extent—within major country groups. Across countries, ethnic barriers for the second generation are connected to their social integration in the host society and the composition of the first migrant generation, emphasizing the importance of familial and social support for social advancement. By contrast, I detect no link between anti-immigration norms and ethnic penalties, and only mixed evidence for the role of integration policy. The article concludes that ‘ethnicity matters’ in many European societies, even if ethnic cleavages vary according to the composition of migrant populations and the context in the host society.

청소년의 대학진학이유, 진로성숙 및 진로준비행동의 관계

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among the reasons for college admission, career maturity, and career preparation behavior in adolescents. The subjects of the study were 112 high school sophomores. The research tools used were scales for the variables. Data analysis involved frequency analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, descriptive statistical analysis, correlation analysis, and path analysis. The results of the study are as follows: First, in the relationship between reasons for college admission and career maturity, social advancement and certainty showed a negative impact, while peer admission and certainty showed a positive impact. Second, in the relationship between reasons for college admission and career preparation behavior, the desired occupation positively influenced information gathering, while peer admission negatively influenced it. Third, in the relationship between career maturity and career preparation behavior, planning, certainty, and independence positively influenced information gathering. The implications of these findings are discussed.

“Being pretty does not help your success”: Self-representation and aspiration of China’s female showroom livestreamers

China’s showroom livestreaming is highly gender-segregated, in which young women working as showroom livestreamers are often stigmatized and criticized as hypersexual or vulgar. Situating female streamers’ practices in the sociocultural environment of contemporary China and comparing them to other wanghong creators such as fashion or beauty bloggers in China’s digital economy, we investigate how female streamers construct a particular type of gendered entrepreneurial subjectivity. In this research, we selected 90 short videos that are produced by three female streamers on the social media platform Douyin to examine their self-representations and discursive practices around showroom livestreaming production. In the analysis, we unravel three major interconnected narratives: enduring the behind-the-screen hardship of livestreaming is worthy; navigating heterosexual relationships with viewers is part of showroom livestreaming work; and professional skills and knowhow are provided for those who truly aspire to success. These narratives commonly form a discourse of showroom livestreaming as good work for ordinary working-class or underclass women to achieve social and economic advancement in contemporary China. Moreover, these narratives render young women as autonomous agents with free choices to hustle in the world of showroom livestreaming, normalizing the precarious working conditions as well as gender power imbalances.

Bridging the Gender Gap in STEM Fields: Empowering Women for Economic and Social Development in Malaysia

The study’s primary goal is to understand and address gender disparities in STEM education and careers in Malaysia. The methodology entails an in-depth review and analysis of existing policies, academic literature, and statistical data from previous reports. The study reveals that the gender discrepancy in STEM education and careers has significant ramifications, not just for women’s economic empowerment, but also for the overall economic growth and development of the country. Also, research has demonstrated that the involvement of women in STEM education and professions is essential for promoting innovation, stimulating economic development, and propelling social advancement. However, despite efforts to advance gender equality in education and the job market, Malaysian women still face numerous obstacles when it comes to pursuing STEM education and employment. These obstacles include the underrepresentation of women in the workplace, the absence of female role models, a family-friendly environment, and societal norms and gender stereotypes that discourage women from entering traditionally male-dominated professions. This study emphasizes the importance of improving these issues to encourage female participation in STEM fields by empowering them for economic and social development.

Reading Courtesy Texts in Late Medieval England: The Audience of Lydgate’s Stans puer ad mensam

ABSTRACT This article examines the reception of John Lydgate’s courtesy text Stans puer ad mensam, which survives in twenty-three manuscripts. Scholars of courtesy texts have tended to focus on the type of audience constructed by the text itself, but this article examines what the manuscript evidence tells us about actual readers. The manuscripts show that Lydgate’s poem appeared in numerous sorts of codicological environments, indicating that a broad range of reading environments was receptive to it. Based on close archival research, this article also surveys the provenance evidence, which shows that Lydgate’s attested readers belonged to the lower end of the late medieval English elite—primarily middling landowners and middling merchants. Such an audience maps nicely onto Stans puer’s scripting of behaviors for social advancement.

Role of SHG Federations in Promoting Economic and Social Empowerment of Women: Empirical Evidence from a Project in Madhya Pradesh, India

Self-help group federations (SHGFs) in India have come to be recognized as catalytic drivers of women’s economic and social advancement. Over time, their role has expanded to promoting grassroots community leadership, village development and undertaking advocacy initiatives for women’s greater inclusion and participation in their households, communities, and economy. This paper expounds the role and impacts of SHGFs in promoting women’s economic and social empowerment in Madhya Pradesh, one of India’s most densely populated and poverty affected States. With over one third of its population (roughly 25 million people) living in poverty (as per Niti Aayog’s Multidimensional Poverty Index, 2021), the State lags behind in critical human development indicators such as malnutrition, infant mortality, education, health, lack of clean drinking water, skills and employment opportunities. Women disproportionately suffer the brunt of these challenges coupled with regressive social and cultural norms that subject them to myriad forms of marginalization and discrimination. Over the last decade, Hand in Hand India (HiHI), a leading NGO championing gender equality through job creation and financial inclusion has been actively working for women’s empowerment, livelihoods promotion and integrated community development in Madhya Pradesh. Under one of our projects in Madhya Pradesh, ‘UNITED: Bringing Unity to Improve Livelihoods and Women Empowerment,’ we worked with a network of 200 SHGFs representing over 20,400 women over 3 years, between 2019 and 2022, where a majority of the women came from backward communities and were supported with integrated training and capacity building programs for livelihoods promotion. Additionally, SHGFs were trained and mentored to become frontrunners for advancing enterprise creation, women’s empowerment and community development. This paper presents empirical evidence of positive transformations witnessed in women’s social and economic spheres that enabled them to expand their agency and improve their lives, livelihoods and communities in significant ways.

Role of Artificial Intelligence in case of Micro Enterprises and Tribal Entrepreneurships for Sustainable Economic Development

INTRODUCTION: Tribal entrepreneurship can be understood as infusing the knowledge of commerce and trade into the tribal groups and thereby exploring their products and known for their economic betterment and social advancement. An accumulating body of research has demonstrated that artificial intelligence (AI) is an indistinguishable feature of the fourth industrial revolution. This study integrates the literature on AI and new technologies to examine the constraining and facilitating forces for developing and scaling-up AI-enabling technologies in Africa. This article proposes an integrated conceptual model to elucidate the range of external drivers encompassing global competitive drivers, and market and industry drivers. The internal drivers include the potential to enhance product development speed, improve quality, drive production cost down, and minimise errors and manual processes in organisations. 
 OBJECTIVES: In this study, socio-economic status of tribal population has been taken as a reference in order to see whether there is any impact of economic wellbeing on their livelihood [1]. The study is an endeavour to examine the role of micro enterprises for social and economic empowerment of tribal community in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh and role of AI.
 RESULTS: The main results obtained in this paper are the following SEM identified that there is a lower degree of positive impact of “Tribal entrepreneurship” on “Economic Empowerment” and “women Empowerment” and lower degree of negative impact on “Social Empowerment”. It is also concluded that Economic Empowerment of tribal entrepreneurs through micro-enterprises has reduced the dependency on private money lenders the most. Women Empowerment of tribal entrepreneurs has helped the women to achieve gender equality and the social Empowerment aids in the development of competency and technical skills through micro-enterprises.
 CONCLUSION: The tribal communities in Odisha are regarded as the most disadvantageous group of people in terms of their socio-economic status. The present research makes some pivotal contributions to the current AI literature. First, in spite of the growing recognition that development of new industries and new-business development is increasingly predicated on the adoption of new technologies (Krasniqi and Hajrizi Citation2016), there is a paucity of studies examining contemporary challenges faced by developing nations and their inability to capitalise on such ample and obvious opportunities.

The First Step Towards Increasing Female Participants in the Olympiads in Informatics in Japan

In recent years, with women’s social advancement, we have been asked in various locations to “increase the proportion of women in society.” Of course, the voices are particularly loud in the field of information technology in which we are engaged. However, direct use of female quotas, that is, blatantly lowering the threshold only for women, may lead to reverse discrimination. On the other hand, since including women themselves may change the criteria for selection, it is difficult to strike a balance between the two. In Japanese Olympiads in Informatics (JOI), we have received similar questions from various quarters. We are all trying to think hard about it. In this article, we shall explain the first step towards increasing the number of female participants in JOI.

Sustainable development and zero hunger : A focus on India’s social entrepreneurship initiatives

The study examines global challenges in sustainable development, particularly in food security and achieving zero hunger, focusing on India. It discusses the World Bank’s commitment of $45 billion to address food and nutrition issues and the FAO’s goal to reduce food insecurity by half. The study highlights India’s strategic initiatives to promote innovation and entrepreneurship for economic and social advancement, aligning with the SDGs. It emphasizes the critical role of social enterprises in addressing developmental obstacles and advancing towards zero hunger. The study calls for urgent, coordinated actions to create a world free of hunger by 2030, underscoring the importance of partnerships between the private sector, government, academia, and indigenous groups.

Evaluation of factors associated with the adoption of ICT in education using machine learning

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) affect all aspects of our daily lives. Using them is considered a symbol of modernization and social advancement. The global expansion and interconnection of ICT offers a significant opportunity to promote the advancement of humanity, bridge the digital gap and promote the growth of societies built on knowledge. In this study, we analyzed and identified the most influential factors in the adoption of ICT in education from the data set called “Final Survey-Digital Inclusion Teachers” of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, which consists of 871 instances and 189 columns. We performed feature selection by carefully combining the results of three feature selection methods: filter (chi-square, ANO-VA and mutual information), wrapper (RFE) and intrinsic (Classification And Regression Trees, Random Forest, Gradient Boosting and XGBoost). The results demonstrated that a teacher's motivation for curricular planning that includes ICT, teaching experience and the institutional environment are key factors in the adoption of these technologies in education. Furthermore, we identified that the Random Forest algorithm is the most appropriate for analyzing and predicting the adoption of ICT in education, we affirmed this after this algorithm obtained the highest values in four of the six metrics evaluated: a sensitivity of 77.7%, an F1 Score of 77.9%, a Cohen's Kappa coefficient of 60.8% and a Jaccard Score of 64.3%. These results suggest that Random Forest is the most effective algorithm to analyze the factors related to the adoption of ICT in educational environments.

ACHIEVING SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH OPTIMAL WELL-BEING AND WORK LIFE BALANCE: ENTREPRENEUR'S EQUATION FOR SUCCESS.

Entrepreneurship is the impetus behind social and economic advancement, but it also comes with a multitude of hardships that can affect an entrepreneur's general health and work-life equilibrium (WLB). This research explores the complex interactions between these factors and how entrepreneurial success affects organizational sustainability both directly and indirectly. In light of how workplace cultures are changing in the aftermath of the pandemic, this study looks at how entrepreneurs' requirements are changing and how important it is to promote WLB and optimal well-being. A quantitative technique utilising surveys was used, with 180 entrepreneurs from various industries in North Karnataka participating. The study evaluated the validity and reliability of constructs like Work-Life Balance (WLB), Organizational Sustainability (OSY), Well-Being (WBG), and Entrepreneurial Success (ESS) using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis, specifically the SmartPLS approach. Significant validity and reliability were shown by the results, confirming the strength of the research approach. Analysis for the current study indicate that WBG, WLB, ESS, and OSY—workplace variables—have substantial correlations with one another. Although there is not a significant direct impact of WBG on OSY, mediation analysis shows that ESS and WLB are important factors in interpreting the relationship. In general, WLB's influence on ESS entirely mediates its favorable impact on OSY, emphasizing the significance of work-life balance in determining entrepreneur satisfaction. Similarly, ESS entirely mediates the association between WBG and OSY, highlighting the importance of employee views in explaining overall outcomes. Moreover, a sequential mediation analysis highlights the complexity of the interactions by indicating that both WLB and ESS influence OSY. Findings shed light on how crucial it is for entrepreneurs to put their health and work-life balance first in order to achieve sustainable success. The paper acknowledges the changing dynamics following the epidemic and suggests promoting supportive work settings. This study highlights the importance of work-life balance, individual well-being, and organizational success in attaining sustainable entrepreneurship. It also adds to our understanding of the complex interactions among these factors.

PEDAGOGICAL AND CURRICULUM ISSUES IN TEACHING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN REGULAR CLASSROOMS: CLASSROOM PRACTICES, MANAGEMENT AND ASSESSMENT

The implementation of inclusive education has gained importance as a means of enhancing the quality and accessibility of education for children with special educational needs (SEN). These children frequently face social and physical barriers that impede their ability to enter the workforce and receive an education, which can be detrimental to the social and economic advancement of a nation. There exists various pedagogical approaches to guarantee education for children with special educational needs. However, the inclusive approach sets itself apart from the rest by advocating for equal participation of SEN students in mainstream schools, where they sit in the same classes with their other, and non-SEN counterparts. The inclusive approach states that so as to lessen or completely remove the social, academic, and physical barriers that SEN student’s encounter in ordinary classrooms, governments and educational institutions must offer the necessary resources, both human and material. In order to improve the human capital acquisition of students with special education needs, inclusive education strives for social cohesiveness and a less biased educational approach. The assumption that children with special needs are as fundamentally competent as students without impairments underpins both the classroom and the school system. Therefore, instruction is provided to students in the least restrictive setting possible. For all learners, general education is the top choice for placement, meaning that they are as much as possible alongside their peers who do not have disabilities. Respecting, recognizing, and addressing the diversity and individuality of students is the cornerstone of effective inclusive education. The needs of every student must therefore be taken into account by education systems.

IoT devices with data analytics capabilities Using machine learning algorithms for intelligent decision making: a review of patents and the cited academic literature

Innovation in IoT data analytics is essential for social and economic advancement as well as for opening up new business prospects. IoT data analytics applications have garnered a lot of attention lately for information mining, knowledge extraction, and prediction/inference making. Another field of study that has been effectively used to address a variety of networking issues, including resource allocation, routing, traffic engineering, and security, is machine learning. The use of machine learning (ML)-based techniques to enhance different Internet of Things applications has increased recently. Despite a wealth of research on machine learning and IoT data analytics, there is a dearth of studies that only address the development of ML-based methods for IoT data analysis. The present study examines the patenting practices of various international jurisdictions in the domain of IoT data analytics, in addition to the academically cited literature. Between 2000 and 2023, we gathered 24,931 patent applications, and 13,432 scholarly works were cited by the patents. Our research details the trends in the development of IoT data analytics technologies and the relationship between patenting activity and the referenced scientific literature. Additionally, it examines and displays the social networks found in scientific publications and patents. As a result, it discloses the patenting practices of international jurisdictions concerning IoT data analytics technologies, the degree to which different agents such as Lens Id and Applicants interact within social networks, and the connection between patents and science. According to this study, information retrieval, database structures, and file system structures make up the majority of the IPC categories for filed IoT data analytics patent applications. Chinese businesses and individuals make up the bulk of the patent Lens Id and Applicants. Computer science and medicine are scientific fields that are more strongly connected within the network of co-fields. The relationship between scientific works and inventions is not very strong.

The Intersection of Sustainable Development and Ethno-Religious Conflict in Nigeria

Nigeria is now facing the complex issue of ethno-religious conflicts, which have significantly affected its socio-economic structure. This study investigates these conflicts' multifaceted and intricate impacts on Nigeria's pursuit of sustainable development. This research examines the historical context, economic disruptions, educational barriers, and political ramifications of ethno-religious contests. The examination explores prominent ethno-religious conflicts in Nigeria, including the Jos Crisis, the Boko Haram Insurgency, the Kaduna Religious Crisis, and the tensions in the Middle Belt region. The study highlights many reasons that contribute to the intensification of these conflicts, including religious extremism, economic inequality, and political marginalisation. In addition, the article examines the core principles of sustainable development and the consequences of ethno-religious conflicts on environmental sustainability, social advancement, governance, humanitarian crises, economic activities, population displacement, and infrastructure devastation. Utilising conflict resolution strategies, such as interfaith dialogue, inclusive policies, community engagement, security sector reform, good governance, economic diversification, and investment in education, is recommended to mitigate the negative impacts of ethnoreligious conflicts on attaining sustainable development. The report emphasises the need to address the root issues and implement proactive methods to create a sustainable and harmonious future in Nigeria.

In Silico Molecular Docking Analysis of Flavone and Phytol from Vilvam (Aegle marmelos) against Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HepG-2) Mitochondrial Proteins

The vilvam fruit is an important source of phyto compounds, that are a good natural resource for curing several health illnesses. Annually, around 906,000 new cases and 830,000 deaths worldwide are attributed to liver cancer, making it one of the most prevalent malignant tumors. Humans' physical and mental well-being, as well as their social and economic advancement, are seriously threatened by and challenged by liver cancer. The molecular interactions between biological chemicals originating from plants and proteins relevant to apoptosis, however, are not well documented in research. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the potential biological compounds of flavone and phytol found in the vilvam fruit and examine their interactions with the targeted apoptotic proteins using molecular docking simulation towards liver cancer mitochondrial signalling pathway proteins such as Caspase 3, Caspase 9, Bax, Bcl-2, PARP, p53, and Cytochrome C. Flavone showed a docking score with Caspase 3 (-10.51 kcal/mol), Bax (-9.49 kcal/mol), Bcl-2 (-11.10 kcal/mol), PARP (-10.22 kcal/mol) and p53 (-10.36 kcal/mol), but could not bind with Caspase 9 and Cytochrome C, while phytol could not bind with all the apoptotic proteins. The consequence of Lipinski rule recommends that flavone is the best curative drug for liver cancer. Docking results verify the application of flavone as a potential and natural therapeutic agent to treat diseases.

The Importance of Inhospitality

In order to better understand what is hospitality, we need a much deeper understanding of what is inhospitality? In the late 1990s in the United Kingdom, hospitality researchers came together to discuss and debate ‘hospitality… [as] worthy of serious academic study and [which] could potentially inform both industrial practice and academic endeavour.[1]’ The discussion had important implications for the advancement of knowledge in the hospitality subject, whether for hospitality management or simply the study of hospitality, and its positioning within the academic sphere, as well as for recognition of the quality of hospitality higher education programmes. The debates were very influential in the development of the study of hospitality. Today, a similar discussion and debate is required regarding what is inhospitality in order to inform not only the hospitality subject and industrial practice but also to contribute to social advancement.
 

Impact of Self-help Groups on Women's Empowerment and Socio-economic Development in the Agarbathi Industry: a Case Study in Chamarajanagar District

With a case study in the Chamarajanagar District, this study attempts to explore the social and economic advancement of women's empowerment through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in the agarbatti business. The goal of the study is to comprehend how SHGs affect women's empowerment in terms of enhanced livelihoods, financial independence, elevated social standing, and general well-being. Design/Methodology/Approach: The majority of the sample respondents are chosen using basic random sampling. Primary data for this study were gathered directly from respondents using pre-made questionnaires. Secondary data from relevant sources were added to a basic proportion of other pertinent statistical procedures. Findings/Result: The research findings are expected to contribute to the existing literature on women's empowerment, self-help groups, and socio-economic development while providing insights for policymakers, development practitioners, and stakeholders in the agarbatti industry. Originality/Value: This research addresses the impact of self-help groups on women's empowerment and socio-economic development within a specific context—the agarbatti industry in Chamarajanagar district. Type of Paper: Research Paper

Tarsus (Mersin) İlçesi ve Yakın Çevresinin Turizme Yönelik Rekreasyonel Peyzaj Potansiyelinin Belirlenmesi

The study conducted an investigation into the effective utilization of Tarsus district's historical and cultural assets in Mersin province, with a focus on its tourism potential. The primary objectives were to promote the region and contribute to its economic, social, and cultural advancement. A survey was administered to gather information on dominant tourism types in Tarsus, including historical sites, cultural landmarks, local crafts, cuisine, caves, camping, wildlife, flora, gastronomy, local resources, natural attractions, and aesthetics. The results highlighted Tarsus' prominence due to its cultural heritage, historical structures, and natural wealth. Despite Tarsus's cultural diversity and tourism potential, the study revealed its current underrepresentation and various challenges, including the vulnerability of historical assets, insufficient infrastructure, and unguided utilization. The study suggests adopting a sustainable approach that balances conservation with utilization to address these issues and help Tarsus attain the recognition it rightfully deserves in the field of recreation and tourism.

A Casework Study of Emotional Support for Empty-nesters in Rural China An Example from an Underdeveloped Village in Hunan Province

Population ageing poses an important challenge to China's social development and is a significant factor impeding social advancement. In recent years, the implementation of policies such as the rural Dibao project has improved the living conditions of rural empty-nesters. Due to the migration of many rural workers to urban areas, the traditional Chinese family model of old-age care has been weakened, resulting in a severe dearth of social support, particularly emotional support, for rural empty-nesters. Examining the emotional support of rural empty-nesters is essential for advancing rural old-age security, particularly geriatric social work. Based on the social support theory, this research employs the casework method in social work methodology, along with a questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews. After investigating the emotional support situation of empty-nesters in Village S, Hunan Province, three representative rural empty-nesters were chosen as casework recipients and in-depth interviews were conducted regarding the status of their emotional support, the problems they faced, and their emotional needs. All three recipients lacked emotional support to varying degrees, according to the findings. This paper examines how the casework approach in social work can effectively improve the emotional support system and enhance the quality of life of empty-nesters in rural China by providing them with targeted services.

Assessing Spatio-Temporal Variation and Associated Factors of Forest Fragmentation from Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis and Geo-Detector Analyses: A Case Study of Xinyu City, Jiangxi Province of Eastern China

In the context of economic boom and climate change, monitoring the spatio-temporal dynamics of forest fragmentation induced by disturbances and understanding its corresponding associated factors are critical for developing informed forest management strategies. In this study, based on multi-temporal Landsat images acquired from 1999 to 2020, a SVM classifier was first applied to produce high-accuracy land cover maps in Xinyu City. Next, morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) was implemented to characterize the spatio-temporal patterns of forest fragmentation by producing maps of seven fragmentation components, including the core, islet, perforation, edge, bridge, loop, and branch. Then, both natural and human factors responsible for the observed forest fragmentation dynamics were analyzed using the geo-detector model (GDM). The results showed that over the past two decades, Xinyu City experienced a process of significant forest area loss and exacerbating forest fragmentation. The forest area decreased from 1597.35 km2 in 1999 to 1372.05 km2 in 2020. The areal ratio of core patches decreased by 8.49%, and the areal ratio of edge patches increased by 5.98%. Spatially, the trend of forest fragmentation exhibited a progressive increase from the southern and northern regions towards the central and eastern areas. Large-scale forest core patches were primarily concentrated in the northwestern and southwestern regions, while smaller core patches were found in the eastern and central areas. Notably, human activities, such as distance from the roads and land use diversity, were identified as significantly associated with forest fragmentation. The interaction effect of these factors had a greater impact on forest fragmentation than their individual contributions. In conclusion, Xinyu City possesses the potential to further alleviate forest fragmentation by employing the regional differentiation development strategies: (1) intensive development in the northwest and southern regions; (2) high-density development in the western, northwestern, and southern regions, and (3) conservation development in the southwest, northeast, and east-central regions, thus aligning with the path of local social advancement.