Social Inclusion Research Articles

Bioinputs in Sustainable Agriculture: Benefits, Challenges, and Pathways for Resilient Farming Systems

The use of bioinputs in agriculture emerges as a promising strategy to promote more sustainable agricultural systems, aligned with the principles of agroecology and low environmental impact farming. Bioinputs include biofertilizers, inoculants, biopesticides, biosurfactants, and phytohormones. These inputs are derived from microorganisms, plant extracts, or organic residues and work by promoting plant growth, controlling pests, and improving soil fertility. Their integration with agroecological practices is essential to strengthen sustainable farming systems, reduce dependence on chemical inputs, and conserve biodiversity. Additionally, they support ecological balance and soil health, which are core pillars of agroecology. In this way, they enhance productivity with lower environmental impact while valuing local knowledge. They reduce dependence on chemical inputs, such as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, minimizing environmental impacts and health risks. Biofertilizers and microbial inoculants improve soil health by promoting water and nutrient retention and the decomposition of organic matter, which supports long-term fertility. Biopesticides, such as Bacillus thuringiensis and Beauveria bassiana, provide a safer and more effective alternative to conventional pesticides. Additionally, bioinputs contribute to plant growth by increasing water and nutrient absorption and plant resistance to environmental stresses, such as drought and salinity. Their adoption can also reduce production costs, especially for small farmers, and improve the quality and productivity of crops, granting access to niche markets, such as organic products. Furthermore, bioinputs have a positive impact on social inclusion and rural development, offering income opportunities for small communities and strengthening producers' autonomy. However, challenges such as a lack of technical knowledge, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of regulation hinder large-scale adoption. Research and development of new bioinputs, along with integration with other agroecological practices, have the potential to drive agriculture toward a more sustainable and resilient future, aligned with current global challenges.

Socio-Spatial Adaptation and Resilient Urban Systems: Refugee-Driven Transformation in Zaatari Syrian Refugee Camp, Jordan

The Zaatari Camp in Jordan exemplifies how Syrian refugees transform a planned grid settlement into an organic urban environment through socio-spatial adaptation, reflecting their cultural identity and territorial practices. This study investigates the camp’s morphological evolution, analyzing how refugees reconfigure public and private spaces to prioritize privacy, security, and community cohesion. Using qualitative methods—including archival maps, photographs, and field observations—the research reveals how formal public areas are repurposed into private shelter extensions, creating zones of influence that mirror traditional Arab-Islamic urban patterns. Key elements such as mosques, markets, and hierarchical street networks emerge as cultural anchors, shaped by refugees’ prior urban experiences. However, this organic growth introduces challenges, such as blocked streets and undefined spaces, which hinder safety and service delivery, underscoring tensions between informal urbanization and structured planning. The findings advocate urban resilience and participatory planning frameworks that integrate socio-cultural values, emphasizing defensible boundaries, interdependence, and adaptable design. Refugees’ territorial behaviors—such as creating diagonal streets and expanding shelters—highlight their agency in reshaping urban systems, challenging conventional top-down approaches. This research focuses on land-use dynamics, sustainable cities, and adaptive urban systems in crisis contexts. By bridging gaps between displacement studies and urban theory, the study offers insights into fostering social inclusion and equitable infrastructure in transient settlements. Future research directions, including comparative analyses of refugee camps and cognitive mapping, aim to deepen understanding of socio-spatial resilience. Ultimately, this work contributes to global dialogues on informal urbanization and culturally responsive design, advocating for policies that align with the Sustainable Development Goals to rebuild cohesive, resilient urban environments in displacement settings.

Visa journeys and permanent temporariness: navigating welfare state borders and precarious status in Australia

ABSTRACT This article introduces the concept of ‘visa journeys’ to explore the lived experiences of first-generation migrants in Australia as they navigate restrictive migration policies and precarious legal statuses. While scholarship on migration journeys has traditionally been framed around spatial mobility, this article shifts attention to transitions between visas and migration statuses, arguing that it constitutes a central aspect of contemporary migration trajectories. Drawing on ethnographic data, it examines how migrants strategise and cope with the uncertainties of navigating visa categories, highlighting the interaction between structural constraints and individual agency. Framing visa journeys within the concept of welfare state bordering, the article explores how legal status mediates access to essential services, and how ‘permanent temporariness’ is produced by restrictive policies. This article aims to contribute to wider debates on migration governance, migration temporalities, precarious status, and social inclusion. While grounded in the Australian context, the framing of visa journeys offers a perspective for understanding and comparing migration experiences globally.

The musical actions of mobile youth

In this paper, I explore how newcomer youth navigated identity, agency, and adaptation through music education at the Youth Music Program (YMP) in Canada. By analyzing their musical actions, this paper challenges dominant vulnerability narratives and highlights students’ creative and adaptive capacities. Drawing on critical ethnography and sociological perspectives on musical agency, findings suggest that participatory music-making fosters belonging, identity negotiation, and social inclusion. Through improvisation, composition, and collective performance, students demonstrated flexible mobility and cultural integration. I conclude by underscoring the role of music education in shaping social interactions and reimagining belonging in the Canadian context of human mobility.

Individualization of Religious Rituals and Their Healing Functions in a Mobile Society—Empirical Evidence from China

Existing research has often characterized religious rituals as formalized and predetermined actions involving collective participation, emphasizing their structured and communal nature. However, our empirical findings revealed that rituals, shaped by citizens’ healing needs, can also be individualized and intentionally constructed behaviors. These individualized rituals were not rooted in religious beliefs, but are closely connected to Chinese citizens’ strong healing needs, which have developed in a highly mobile and socially competitive (“involuted”) society. These rituals are characterized by their orientation toward life concerns, self-interested motives, and perceived connections to mystical power. These qualities enable rituals to fulfill a broader range of healing functions. Rituals not only had a direct impact on anxiety relief, especially health and class anxiety, but also had a beneficial effect on adjustment of individual goal or behavior and social inclusion.

Artificial Intelligence and Aging in Place: A Scoping Review of Current Applications and Future Directions.

As the global population continues to age, Aging in Place (AIP) has emerged as an essential strategy to help older adults live safely and independently within their communities. While Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds promise for supporting AIP, particularly in clinical settings, limited research has focused on its application in non-clinical dimensions of AIP. This scoping review aims to explore the current landscape of AI in AIP research, focusing on its potential to address both the health and social aspects of aging outside of clinical settings. Using a scoping review framework, the study analysed 32 empirical studies sourced from four electronic databases: PsycINFO, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PubMed. The focus was on identifying the themes related to AI in AIP related studies. The review identified five key themes: Health and Well-being, Social Inclusion and Connectedness, Successful and Active Aging, Healthcare and End-of-Life Care, and Public Health and Community Strategies. Many studies did not fully integrate broader environmental and contextual factors, which are critical for creating comprehensive AIP solutions. Few studies employed theoretical frameworks, limiting the ability to analyse how social, physical, and service-related factors influence AIP outcomes. Ethical issues such as fairness and AI bias were also underexplored. The review emphasizes the need for future research to validate AI models across diverse populations and to better integrate environmental and social factors. This would ensure more equitable and effective AI-supported interventions and policies that enhance AIP for diverse aging populations.

Indonesian Sign System Introduction Application with Tensorflow Lite and Firebase Authentication

Deaf and mute individuals often face communication barriers with the general public due to limited understanding of sign language. This leads to a gap in social interaction and access to various public services. Government efforts to enhance social inclusion through various policies and programs need to be accompanied by practical solutions that can help the deaf and mute interact more easily with society. This study aims to develop a mobile application that can recognize and translate Indonesian Sign Language System (SIBI) into text or speech in real-time, thus helping the deaf and mute communicate more effectively with the general public. The application is designed using TensorFlow Lite for sign language recognition and Firebase Authentication for user authentication. The application was evaluated through questionnaires involving respondents from the general public and mobile experts. The results of the general user questionnaire showed an average satisfaction percentage of 86.65%, with positive ratings for ease of use, benefits, and application interface. Meanwhile, the results of the expert mobile questionnaire showed full satisfaction with an average percentage of 100%, indicating that all application features functioned well. The findings indicate that this application is effective in recognizing and translating sign language and is well-received by the deaf, mute, and the general public.

A multi-dimensional framework for responsible and socially inclusive digital innovation in food, water, and land systems

Abstract Digital innovations can offer solutions to various food, water, and land systems challenges globally. However, there are concerns on the ethical and social inclusivity aspects of these innovations, particularly for marginalized groups of people in less industrialised countries. In this article, we describe the design and development of a digital inclusivity framework, which builds from a detailed synthesis of inclusivity in digital literature. Key insights from the review were collated into five dimensions: risk mitigation, accessibility, usability, benefits, and participation. These dimensions can be assessed by means of twenty-one concrete and measurable sub indicators. Our focus was to enable a more holistic approach to the usually technocentric design of digital innovations. The framework, including the associated indicators, lays the groundwork for the development of a digital inclusivity index, a tool for assessing and fostering the inclusivity of digital innovations in food, water, and land systems.

Shaping institutional change in skill formation: the role of background ideas in growth strategies

ABSTRACT States are taking on an increasingly prominent role in shaping policy across advanced capitalist democracies. This paper conducts a comparative study of state intervention in skill formation between 2014 and 2022 and explores why state intervention was deployed for opposite goals: it increased deregulation, underlining skill formation's subordinate role in the French educational system while it strengthened collective governance and the social inclusion potential of the German system. Using a mixed-methods approach that combines process tracing and discourse network analysis of public media debates, this study argues that the non-functionalist background ideas of the actors employing skill formation in growth strategies inform this process. In Germany, beliefs about the complementarity between skill formation and economic growth tie coalitions of state actors and employers that promote institutional reproduction of skill formation even by unusual means, such as state intervention. In contrast, in France, where the skill formation system is perceived as a social policy tool, a coalition of business and state actors aims at increasing the economic potential of the system and reforming its governance according to market principles. This paper calls for more attention to the role of the ideas in influencing trajectories of institutional change.

Mechanisms and Pathways of Sports in Promoting Social Inclusion for People with Disabilities

This study explores the role of sports as a significant medium for promoting social inclusion among people with disabilities, systematically analyzing its underlying mechanisms and implementation pathways. Through literature review, case studies, and theoretical construction, the research identifies four core mechanisms through which sports facilitate social inclusion: psychological empowerment, social capital accumulation, capacity development, and cultural identity formation. Furthermore, the study proposes a multi-level implementation framework, including policy support systems, inclusive sports environment development, professional service provision, and media advocacy. The findings provide theoretical and practical guidance for policymakers, social organizations, and practitioners in designing sports-based interventions to enhance social inclusion for people with disabilities.

Smart Grid Technology for Social Acceptance and Urban Energy Efficiency

The rapid urbanization and growing energy demands in contemporary cities present a dual challenge of achieving energy efficiency while fostering social inclusivity. Smart grid technology emerges as a pivotal solution, offering enhanced energy management through real time data exchange, distributed energy resources, and demand-side management. This study, titled "Smart Grid Technology for Social Acceptance and Urban Energy Efficiency" explores the intersection of technological innovation, social inclusion, and sustainable urban planning. The study emphasizes the critical role of social acceptance in ensuring the successful adoption of smart grid technologies. Through a socio-economic lens, it investigates how equitable access, stakeholder engagement, and tailored policy frameworks can facilitate widespread acceptance across diverse urban populations. The research contextualizes these findings in the Indian urban landscape, where disparities in energy access and affordability remain significant barriers to inclusivity. Drawing on comparative case studies from the UK, Europe, Hong Kong, Denmark, and New York, this study highlights best practices and lessons learned in integrating smart grid solutions. These global insights provide a foundation for developing culturally and economically adaptable strategies for India. The research further delves into the potential of smart grids to support decentralized renewable energy systems, promote energy equity, and enhance resilience in urban infrastructure. The findings underscore the importance of aligning technological advancements with socio-economic realities, ensuring that smart grid systems not only advance energy sustainability but also foster inclusive urban development.

THE ROLE OF SOCIAL BUSINESS INCLUSION IN ENSURING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF TERRITORIAL COMMUNITIES

The article identifies the role of social business as a tool for ensuring sustainable development of territorial communities through the introduction of inclusive approaches. The article analyses the key socio-economic challenges of our time, including growing economic inequality, demographic changes, environmental crises and geopolitical instability, which makes it necessary to find new models of socio-economic development. The importance of social entrepreneurship as a mechanism for the economic integration of socially vulnerable groups, including veterans, persons with disabilities, internally displaced persons and other categories of the population marginalised by the crisis, is substantiated. The article examines the relationship between social business and inclusion in the context of sustainable development of territorial communities, identifies the main areas of its impact on economic recovery, strengthening social cohesion and improving living standards at the local level. Particular attention is paid to the role of social entrepreneurship in overcoming the consequences of Russia's armed aggression in Ukraine and post-war reconstruction by creating jobs, stimulating the local economy and ensuring equal access to opportunities for different groups of the population. The article presents practical cases of successful social enterprises that contribute to the formation of a socially responsible economy, strengthening social capital and building institutional foundations for sustainable development of territorial communities. In particular, the experience of social business in Ukraine is presented, which plays a key role in the processes of adaptation and reintegration of internally displaced persons and veterans. The article also analyses European practices of social entrepreneurship in countries with developed models of inclusive economies, such as Germany, France, Sweden and Poland, and considers their potential adaptation for the development of Ukrainian territorial communities. It is concluded that the development of social business is one of the key mechanisms in the formation of a more just and inclusive society focused on the long-term sustainability and well-being of all citizens, as well as an important factor in the development and strengthening of territorial communities in the context of current global challenges.

An Optimal Beneficiary Profile to Ensure Focused Interventions for Older Adults

Background: Aging is a lifelong process, and many chronic diseases and geriatric syndromes are influenced by lifestyle factors. For active aging and maintaining functional capacity facilitate health, there are essential aspects in geriatric care. Our objective was to create a specific profile focusing on the characteristics of a possible optimal beneficiary of a newly developed program that is meant to increase the social inclusion and participation in social life of older adults. Methods: The profile was built based on a mixed design, a quantitative and qualitative analysis that identified the typology of an optimal beneficiary of a newly developed yoga program. The quantitative analysis (50 subjects from NIGG “Ana Aslan” Bucharest) identified the main predictors impacting subjects’ willingness to participate in a yoga program based on their pathologies at a mental and/or physical level. The main materials used for this were the Clinical Assessment Scales for the Elderly (CASE-SF) and the Quality-of-Life Assessment Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF). The qualitative analysis consisted of four focus groups (10 subjects from NIGG “Ana Aslan” and 7 subjects from GNSPY), aiming to provide the in-depth reasons for participating in a yoga program. Results: The results showed that a diagnosed physical impairment was correlated with an increased willingness to participate in yoga classes, while a mental pathology was associated with a decreased willingness to participate in such a program. Five main themes emerged from the qualitative analysis. Conclusions: The profile provides answers related to the specifics of the beneficiary based on their motivation, limits, and personality traits.

Regional Centres and Intra-Regional Peripheral Zones in Poland

The new EU Cohesion Policy for 2021–2027 aims for inclusive and sustainable growth to address regional disparities by improving transport connectivity, digitalisation, and social inclusion, thereby reducing peripheral isolation. It is intended to provide development tools and enable investments in green and digital transitions to integrate peripheral areas more effectively with their development centres. This study assumes that, considering the EU cohesion policy objectives, regional centres (in Poland, centres of administrative territorial units named Voivodeships) should exert significant economic and social influence over their administrative regions. This aligns with both classic spatial concepts of socio-economic development and contemporary approaches to sustainable development. The research aimed to assess the extent to which regional centres are connected to their regions and their impact on the entire regional hinterland, particularly on municipalities outside the agglomeration system. The study identified municipalities that lack the influence of regional centres, creating zones with challenging socio-economic development conditions (based on the road network and the population potential of the Huff model). The analysis reveals that the highest probabilities are observed near Warsaw (Mazowieckie voivodeship; 0.7548) while the lowest are around Olsztyn (Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodeship; 0.6763). The deepest depression in terms of usage of the regional capital is observed in the Zachodniopomorskie voivodeship. In this voivodeship, municipalities in the internal peripheries have an average probability coefficient of 0.3015.

From Labor Market Dualization to Inclusive Growth? Trade Unions and the Politics of Labor Market Reform in South Korea

The landslide victory of the center-left Moon Jae-In in the 2017 presidential election opened a window of opportunity for progressive reform in South Korea. Elected on a platform of social inclusion and fairness and with support from organized labor, the Moon Jae-In government (2017–22) made at first considerable progress in advancing inclusive labor market reform and an alternative growth model against opposition from business, but the administration quickly lost momentum when facing political headwinds. We show that the government's capacity for progressive reform and social concertation was constrained not only by business interests but also by divisions on the left. Opening up the black box of organized labor, we provide a nuanced analysis of tensions on the left and demonstrate how a counterintuitive coalition of labor market insiders and radical outsiders on the movement's left undermined social dialogue and more inclusive unionism.

Teleological Study of Transgender Inclusion: The Holistic Societal Significance Their “Juristic Personhood” Carries to the Societal Solidarity and the Role of Socio-Legal Institutions Played in Such Inclusion

In the polarized society of Masculinity and Femineity with majority of persons associating themselves with the ideal of gender perfection dividing society into male and female there exists one section of society that possess both these qualities of masculinity and femineity in equal proportion and acts as a bridge between these two radical ideals of gender perfection and keeps intact the social solidarity by enabling both the polarized genders of male and female to open themselves to understanding of the other gender. Teleological methodology which aims at studying the purpose of any phenomena has been employed in this research paper to study the purpose Transgenders can serve in holistic integration of society with special reference to the pivotal role played by the socio-legal institutions of law, education, economy etc. The juristic personhood of Transgenders which postulates them as being capable of holding rights and liabilities has been explored in this research paper in so far as it is conducive to bringing about social solidarity and social inclusivity. Lastly, it has been endeavored through this research paper to establish that “Transgenders indeed are the instrumentality that possess the ability to realize and manifest the constitutional objectives of “FRATENITY assuring the DIGNITY of the individual and the UNITY and INTEGRITY OF THE NATION”.

Reimagining digital inclusion through platform economies in Brazil

This article considers how community-led organisations in Brazil are reformulating debates surrounding digital inclusion in the face of the consolidation of platform capitalism. It does this through exploration of how two NGOs cultivate spaces for exchange and dialogue in rural and urban areas of the country’s Southwest. The first, SILO, works with communities in rural, peripheral and protected areas to respond to local challenges using art, science and technology, while the second, AfroGames, offers esports training to disadvantaged young people across the city of Rio de Janeiro. Building on discussions with those behind each NGO in March 2024, the article examines how both organisations reproduce and break from large-scale state and civil society efforts to promote social, cultural and digital inclusion in Brazil in the early 2000s. A key contention of the article is that contemporary efforts to promote digital inclusion in Brazil cannot be divorced from territorially rooted mobilisations for social justice. At the same time, it attends to key differences between the work of the NGOs analysed and the digital inclusion efforts of the early 2000s, for example, as regards their approach to free and open culture and the potential of the video games industry. The article argues that the work of both NGOs shows how, in the hands of communities and activists, even expressions of digital culture widely associated with platform economies, capital accumulation and individualism, such as retail platforms and esports, can be turned to provocative and emancipatory ends. It concludes by considering how the work of both NGOs contributes to recent research exploring the complexities of how platforms land in Latin America through their focus on how sociocultural practices and platforms intersect, reworking the strategies of Brazil’s digital inclusion movement and probing of the limits of autonomy in an era of pervasive platform capitalism.

The Social Responsibility of Universities and Its Impact on Sustainable Development Towards a Future Vision

ABSTRACTThis research examines the idea of university social responsibility (USR) in promoting long‐term sustainability. It examined the vast research on corporate social responsibility (CSR), its sustainability in higher education, and its relevance to higher education to identify universities' particular difficulties and possibilities. The study discusses key dimensions of USR, such as environmental sustainability, social inclusion, economic responsibility, and ethical considerations. It also discusses the potential benefits of USR, such as reducing the carbon footprint of education, promoting diversity and inclusion, fostering innovation, and enhancing global collaboration. Data was collected through an online link attached via email to students at the American University of Sharjah, UAE. The study explores students' perceptions of sustainability activities and compares USR to CSR, using a ‘capital stock’ approach to evaluate institutions' sustainability efforts. By examining students' perspectives and critically analyzing existing literature, this paper aims to understand how universities can contribute to sustainable development comprehensively. Many students expressed a great desire to participate in sustainability programs, highlighting the need to incorporate such efforts into university operations, courses, and community participation. The research contributes to the theoretical advancement of USR by providing a comprehensive framework for understanding and analyzing university social responsibilities. It also offers implications for policy and practice and encourages institutions to emphasize and integrate sustainability initiatives across several disciplines. Finally, this study emphasizes universities' critical role in fostering sustainable development via education, research, and community participation.

BUILDING LIFECYCLE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Achieving sustainability within the built environment necessitates a holistic, lifecycle-oriented approach that mitigates environmental degradation, optimizes economic efficiency, and fosters societal well-being. This paper delves into sustainability-driven methodologies spanning four critical phases of a building’s existence: design, construction, operation, and demolition. The design phase underscores passive architectural strategies, high performance materials, and biophilic elements to enhance ecological harmony and occupant health. The construction phase prioritizes resource-conscious methodologies, waste minimization, and ethical labour practices, ensuring environmental stewardship and social equity. In the operational phase, smart building technologies, adaptive energy systems, and resilient infrastructure facilitate long-term efficiency, reducing carbon footprints and operational expenditures. Lastly, sustainable deconstruction emphasizes circular economy principles, repurposing materials, minimizing landfill contributions, and restoring sites for future use. By embedding sustainability across each stage of a building’s lifecycle, stakeholders including architects, urban planners, and policymaker can drive a paradigm shift toward regenerative and net-zero developments. This paper critically examines emerging innovations, systemic challenges, and best practices, advocating for an integrative framework that aligns sustainability with economic pragmatism and social inclusivity.

Intersection of multiple minority positions of Arab-Palestinian gay men in Israel: An exploratory study.

Arab-Palestinian gay men (APGM) in Israel are considered both a sexual minority and a national-ethnic-religious minority group. This locates APGM at the nexus of multiple marginal positions within their local Arab communities and in Israeli society at large. Despite the complexity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning Arabs' social position worldwide, research in this area remains limited. This exploratory qualitative study aimed to address this gap by employing an intersectional lens to examine the social exclusion and inclusion of APGM. We applied purposive and snowball sampling for interviews (N = 20) and a focus group (N = 8) with APGM living in traditional rural communities in Israel. The study findings reveal that participants experience numerous forms of exclusion across three main life spheres: the family and local community sphere, the educational and economic sphere, and the intimate sphere. This dynamic creates a form of hyperexclusion, reinforced by structural stigma, which can limit life opportunities and negatively influence health and well-being of APGM. We draw on intersectionality theory and studies of Arab and Muslim sexual minorities to discuss the study findings and suggest implications for research, policy, and practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).