Milieu Research Articles

From argumentation to real-world action: a way to realize scientific literacy

ABSTRACT While current science teaching aims to cultivate students’ argumentation abilities on socioscientific issues, engaging them in social actions on these issues contributes to the realisation of the goal of science education. Consequently, instructing students toward action in the social milieu and helping them comprehend actions that ought to be taken afterward allows for an understanding of how science teaching benefits the world. This qualitative study implements issue-based and action-oriented instruction in a junior high school science curriculum with 66 ninth-graders participating. The quality of their argumentation was recorded during the solar cell utilisation argumentation activity, and three years later, 31 of them reported taking subsequent actions. The results show an enhanced effect on students’ argumentation quality. Most actions students reported are attributed to personal and participatory categories with a few critical actions focusing on fundamental changes. Also of note, a high proportion of students with high-level argumentation quality understood but failed to take any action to solve confronting problems. Therefore, in addition to stressing argumentation ability as a crucial part of cultivating scientific literacy, it is rather important to awaken students consciousness of the existence of social problems and to conduct small-scale actions with collective visions and strategies.

The influence of artificial intelligence within health-related risk work: a critical framework and lines of empirical inquiry

In this editorial we highlight the need for empirical studies into the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in healthcare and social work settings, especially studies which are theoretically informed by critical social science studies of risk and uncertainty. In setting out the importance of interpretative and critical traditions for research into such AI-oriented forms of risk work, we propose three important conceptual lines of inquiry which empirical studies might follow. First, we sketch ways in which the enactment of AI in healthcare work may be changing how risk is handled amid professional decision-making, and creating new categories of patient/service-user. Patients may be evaluated as being at lower or higher risk depending, respectively, upon their engagement or non-engagement with AI-technologies. These questions of (non-)engagement lead us to consider, second, the trust and distrust dynamics around AI-technologies, exploring the potential inequalities that can emerge as a result of (non) engagement. We then consider drivers of this technological embrace in terms of hope and magical thinking in technological-imaginaries, connecting these cultural tendencies to broader structures of ideology and political-economic interests. We conclude this editorial with a plea to social scientists to be cautious to avoid both techno-optimistic narratives and alarmist warnings regarding the implications of artificial intelligence (AI). Instead, we argue that our focus should be a theoretically informed and detailed examining of how expectations (pertaining to risk, trust, and hope) materialise in practice, particularly in the daily experiences of those who develop and enact AI technologies in care settings.

Stigma and fear of schizophrenia and severe mental illness: the positive effect of peer support

Purpose The purpose of this service user narrative is to highlight the stigma and prejudice that is often targeted at people with schizophrenia and severe mental illness, which causes fear and isolation. The therapeutic effect of peer support is further explored as offering hope, connection, aspirations, advocacy, autonomy and openness for service users as well as the possibility of recovery and a reduction in feelings of stigma, prejudice and exclusion. Design/methodology/approach Ben was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2003, so this paper draws on over 20 years of experience of the harmful label of schizophrenia. In the last 15 months, he has been working as a peer worker on a men’s mental health ward in the East of England. He has kept a reflective journal and conducted participant observation on the ward, which informs this paper and its findings. Findings There are observations based on peer support on the ward in the last 15 months and over 20 years as a schizophrenic. People with schizophrenia and severe mental illness are stigmatised and experience discrimination and prejudice. This paper introduces the new idea and neologisms of schizophobia and insanophobia that people with severe mental illness will experience in their daily lives, in health and social care settings (such as the men’s ward), in education and in employment. People with mental illness are also often discriminated against as being a danger or a risk to themselves and others. They are often considered as aggressive or violent. Their diagnosis can stop them from getting a job, a mortgage or even from travelling to some places in the world. But this paper details the violent assault by a nurse on a patient while Ben was working on a long stay ward in a large psychiatric asylum in 1990. It is pertinent to note that things have progressed since the 1990's but there continues to be the stigmatisation of people with a severe mental illness, which requires societal and systemic change. In Ben’s experience, people with mental illness seem far more likely to experience violence upon their person rather than being violent towards other people, such as staff, members of the public, family or carers. Originality/value This service user narrative is a first person account, so it is original. It is of further value because it outlines the ways in which peer support can help with feelings of stigma and exclusion as well openness about hearing voices/ seeing things (hallucinations) and strange thought or beliefs (delusions).

Genesis of Music Video Clip as a Popular Form of Modern Audiovisual Culture: Experiments with Music Visualisation

The purpose of the article is to reveal the peculiarities of the development of the music video clip in the context of the historical interaction of musical and audiovisual culture. Research methodology. General scientific methods of cognition were applied, in particular analysis and synthesis, systematisation of theoretical data, the method of structural-functional analysis, which made it possible to reveal specific aspects of the interaction of music and various forms of artistic practices in the space of audiovisual culture; a typological method, with the help of which various features of the music video clip in the structure of modern audiovisual culture are revealed. Scientific novelty. The genesis of the music video clip as a popular form of modern audiovisual culture is studied; the problem of integration of visual images and music as part of artistic practices in historical retrospect is considered. Little-known works of foreign scientists, the problems of which are correlated with the subject area of research were introduced into scientific circulation. Conclusions. The genesis of the music video clip testifies to the significant role of artistic practices in the process of image and music interaction at the early stages, which contributed to the invention of new creative ways of representing the imaginary – animation and montage proposed by avant-garde artists; videos and video installations created by mastering the television image; music videos that opened a new dimension for experimentation, becoming an influential form of modern culture. Artistic history of analogue interactions between cinema and music during the 20th century demonstrates the antecedent conditions of production, perception, and socio-political context that were necessary for the mass popularization of the music video as an established form. Thanks to the early experiments in the formation of visualised music, the music video as a new form of audiovisual art gained cultural value, which allowed it to play a significant role at the modern stage. The music video played and continues to play a key role in the socio-cultural space. The technological evolution from analogue to digital means of production and display has accelerated the development of both the form and the aesthetics of the music video, which emphasises one of the most important roles of art in society – to provoke thought and encourage a rethinking of social, political and cultural conditions and surroundings, using this is the main means of communication, including popular music.

Asian Pacific Islander Desi American college students and COVID-19-related racial discrimination: Mental health and the moderating role of ethnic identity.

In 2020, the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) triggered the latest wave of anti-Asian discrimination. During the first year of the pandemic, symptoms of depression and anxiety increased seven-fold within Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) communities. Among this population, APIDA college students were at particularly high risk for mental health challenges due to COVID-19-related racial discrimination. This study examined the association between COVID-19-related racial discrimination and the mental health of APIDA college students, conceptualizing ethnic identity as a moderator in the association. Secondary analysis was conducted on data from 2,559 APIDA college students aged 18 to 29 who participated in the Fall and Winter/Spring Cohorts of the 2020-2021 Healthy Minds Study (HMS), a non-probability web-based survey administered to students in higher education in the United States. Descriptive statistics, comparative analysis (e.g., Chi-square and t-test), and multivariable linear regression were conducted using STATA 17.1 (StataCorp LLC, College Station, TX). Survey weights were applied in all analyses. There were significant positive associations between COVID-19-related racial discrimination and symptoms of depression (b = 2.15, p < 0.001) and anxiety (b = 1.81, p < 0.001) among the overall sample. Furthermore, a greater sense of ethnic identity was associated with lower symptoms of depression (b = -0.15, p< 0.001) among the overall sample. Finally, ethnic identity buffered the association between COVID-19-related racial discrimination and symptoms of anxiety among East Asian students and symptoms of both depression and anxiety among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students. In contrast, ethnic identity intensified the association between COVID-19-related racial discrimination and symptoms of depression among Filipino students. The research found that COVID-19-related racial discrimination was associated with increased symptoms of depression and anxiety among the full sample of APIDA college students during the first year of the pandemic. Additionally, higher levels of ethnic identity were associated with decreased depression among the entire group. The striking results on the moderating role of ethnic identity among subgroups call for further research on the ethnic identity development of APIDA college students, to help mitigate the effects of racial discrimination within a variety of systemic, complex, and dynamic sociocultural contexts.

Evolution of the Concept of Traumatic Experience: Cultural Aspect

The purpose of the article is to conduct a cultural reflection to clarify the peculiarities of the evolution of the concept of traumatic experience, to outline the specifics of its conceptual and semantic deployment in the European socio-cultural space. The research methodology includes general scientific principles of systematisation and generalisation of the problem under study, which allowed to identify and scientifically substantiate existing theories, conceptual approaches to understanding the content of the concepts of ‘trauma’, ‘traumatic experience’, ‘trauma of modernisation’, ‘trauma of social change’. The purpose and objectives of the article led to the use of an axiological approach, which allowed identifying the interdisciplinary nature of the theories under consideration, revealing personalised scientific positions and their cultural context. The use of the analytical method allowed us to identify conceptual foundations for further scientific perspectives on the problematisation of traumatic experience, namely, to clarify the role and significance of cultural/creative practices in processing traumatic experience by studying the evolution of this concept within the framework of the formation of trauma studies as an independent field of scientific knowledge and to make an attempt to develop algorithms for their practical implementation in the discourse of applied cultural studies. The scientific novelty lies in the cultural analysis of personalised scientific positions on the evolution of the concept of ‘traumatic experience’, in view of the specifics of its conceptual and semantic deployment in the European socio-cultural space. Conclusions. The conceptual and semantic development of the concept of traumatic experience unfolds against the dynamic change in the European general socio-cultural context caused by the outbreak and course of the First World War. Already during the war and after its end, on the basis of the empirical experience gained in the treatment of numerous traumas and mental disorders, scientific understanding of their nature, the specifics of traumatic experience manifestations began, and practicing military doctors, psychiatrists and psychologists developed recommendations for its experience, overcoming, and processing/working through. The evolution of the concept of traumatic experience in the discourse of classical psychoanalysis developed in the unity of epistemological and hermeneutical theory of experience, playing a leading role in explicating trauma and traumatic experience in the sphere of interest of various social sciences and humanities, from art history and cultural studies to sociology and political science. By expanding the subject field of studying trauma and traumatic experience, Freud laid the foundation for a methodological principle that is called interdisciplinary and becomes one of the basic ones for further studying trauma and traumatic experience against the broad background of a holistic picture of human existence in society and the world of culture.

Communities in Coworking Spaces: Boundary Work and Social Identity Work by Community Managers

AbstractThe use of coworking spaces – flexible, shared workplaces for mobile knowledge workers – has gained popularity among entrepreneurs, small‐business owners, and freelancers over the last decade. Coworking spaces shape a social setting for a community, within which mobile knowledge workers can network, collaborate, and share ideas. This study adopts a social‐symbolic work perspective to explore how founders and community managers create and curate the communities in their coworking spaces. Based on qualitative data gathered from 16 coworking spaces, we elaborate on how founders and community managers can integrate boundary work and social identity work in their social‐symbolic work practices to create a sense of community.

A Multimodal Analysis of Metaphors in Artificial Intelligence-Related Cartoons

This paper, adopting a multimodal perspective and Critical Metaphor Analysis (CMA) approaches, examines 50 cartoons about artificial intelligence published on American cartoon websites from 2023 to 2024. The study finds that AI cartoons mainly construct metaphors through a cross-modal mapping “text as target domain, image as source domain” structure. These cartoons are based on metonymy, presenting metaphorical scenes through the interaction of metonymy and metaphor. The abstract concept of “artificial intelligence” is often metaphorically represented as robots, thereby deepening readers’ understanding of the role of technological image in the socio-cultural context. By analyzing four major metaphorical scenes—devouring, competing, chasing, and hijacking—this paper elucidates the dual perceptions of the opportunities and challenges brought by technological advancements in AI as well as cautious attitude towards AI development.

Enhancing Learner Autonomy and Cultural Awareness: Strategies of Vietnamese Tertiary-Level EFL Teachers

&lt;p style="text-align:justify"&gt;This qualitative study investigates the strategies employed by Vietnamese tertiary-level English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers to promote learner autonomy (LA) and enhance cultural awareness. This research provides a deeper understanding of EFL teaching practices in this setting, conducted in the context of Vietnam’s evolving educational landscape, where English proficiency and cultural competence are increasingly prioritized. The study utilized semi-structured interviews with nine EFL teachers from two different Vietnamese tertiary institutions, representing various career stages: novice, mid-career, and near-end career. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data, revealing a range of strategies encompassing collaborative learning, technology integration, personalized feedback, real-life scenarios and role-play, reflective learning practices, local culture incorporation, contextualized language instruction, critical thinking, and cultural analysis, student-centered environments, interdisciplinary approaches, language skills for intercultural communication, and authentic material use. Findings highlight the multifaceted nature of language teaching, emphasizing not just linguistic competence but also cultural understanding and LA. These strategies are crucial in a globalized world where intercultural communication is a key skill. The study suggests the need for continuous professional development and policy support for diverse and holistic teaching practices. It offers practical insights for EFL educators, particularly in similar socio-cultural contexts, on integrating various strategies to enhance language skills and cultural awareness.&lt;/p&gt;

The Motif of the Road in Russian Literature

The article is devoted to the study of the motif of the road and road adventures in Russian literature. The purpose of the article is to study the specifics of the artistic and documentary embodiment of the motif of the road, road accidents in the works of Russian classics, as part of the general socio-cultural context of modern literature. The subject of the study are works made in the genre of travel (wanderings) and representing the most diverse forms of artistic solutions to the motif of the road. The object of the study was the ideological, thematic and genre-style diversity of the works of Russian literature of wanderings, comprehended through the prism of the motif of the road, road adventures. Descriptive, comparative-typological and analytical methods were used. The data obtained during the research determines the practical value of the work.

Correlates of public compliance with COVID-19 regulations in Taiwan

PurposeThis study explores the determinants of public willingness to comply with COVID-19 regulations to address the research gap at the intersection of public health and law enforcement within the unique sociocultural context of Taiwan.Design/methodology/approachUtilizing survey data from New Taipei City in 2021, the analysis involved multiple linear regression models to assess the influences of psychological conditions (i.e. distress and self-efficacy), community compliance and perceptions of government (i.e. general trust in government and specific perceptions of police procedural justice) on compliance tendencies while controlling for individual demographics.FindingsThe results indicated that self-efficacy, perceived community compliance, trust in government, and police procedural justice are positively associated with public compliance with COVID-19 regulations. Among these variables, trust in government and police procedural justice were identified as the most prominent factors, followed by self-efficacy and perceived community compliance. As demographic factors such as age, gender and education did not significantly affect willingness to comply, psychological, social and governmental influences are more powerful determinants of compliance than static demographic characteristics.Originality/valueThis study provides empirical evidence from Taiwan on the factors shaping public compliance during an unprecedented global pandemic. It highlights the importance of fostering governmental trust and enhancing police procedural justice during periods of stability to secure compliance with public health directives in times of crisis.

Using self-study approach to critique gender stereotyping and discrimination on family resources for girls and women: educational implications

Girls and women continue to suffer at the hands of patriarchal society that excludes them in family resource allocation. The primary objective of this paper is to examine the challenge that leads to the exclusion of family resource allocation in the form of educational resources for African girls and women. This paper adopts a self-study research approach, which is undergirded by interpretivism philosophical methodology. Intersectional feminism offers a lens for questioning the domination and supremacy of patriarchal society that perpetuates girls’ and women’s vulnerability in the acquisition of family resources in this age. We then discuss how girls and women lead lives marred by hunger, poverty, and inequality. Furthermore, we discuss gender violence and inequality, girl commodification, lessons from matriarchal and patriarchal polities, and gender discrimination at the workplace. We recommend that gender stereotypes and discrimination be eliminated in all social settings; and that at family, society and workplace levels. Finally, that educational institution should reconstruct curricula that should purposively interrogate girls and women's gender stereotyping and discrimination, GBV and other gender issues.

Enhancing Real-world Language Skills through Clil: A Study on Language Mastery and Everyday Applications

The study investigates how Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) enhances language proficiency and its practical application in professional, social and cultural contexts. The research aims to explore how CLIL impacts real-world language use by integrating subject-specific content with language learning. Using a mixed-methods approach involving 270 students, 12 educators and 3 curriculum developers across three educational institutions, data was gathered through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Key findings indicate that CLIL significantly improves students' communication confidence, particularly in professional and social settings and fosters greater intercultural competence. Students reported higher confidence in using language in everyday situations, including formal communication and informal social interactions. However, challenges such as the need for enhanced teacher training and alignment of resources and curricula were also identified. These findings provide important insights for educators and policymakers by demonstrating the potential of CLIL to transform language education, making it more relevant and applicable to real-life contexts. With adequate support and resources, CLIL can enhance language proficiency and intercultural skills, equipping learners to thrive in diverse social and professional environments.

Assessment of Student Quality of Life in Relation to University Campus

Background: There exists a scarcity of comprehensive studies on educational campuses, which integrate the effects of built environment satisfaction, university life experiences, and personal characteristics on QoL. The study’s main research problem is to investigate the extent, direction, and sequence of the influence of university life satisfaction (encompassing academic, social, and administrative perception)—as well as the university’s built environment of university (including both indoor and outdoor attributes of educational, social, recreational, and residential settings), in conjunction with student characteristics—on students’ QoL and the interactions among these factors. Aim: The main objective is to comprehensively analyze the impact and dominance of the built environment and various dimensions of university life, in addition to personal variables on student QoL, and explore the interaction between them. The sub-aims are to determine the dimensions that have the greatest effect on QoL and to make comparisons between them. Methodology: In line with the aim, a specific index for measuring student QoL on a university campus was developed, and a survey was conducted using a questionnaire developed based on the index. The case study is made in Bursa Uludag University, one of the oldest universities in Bursa, Turkey, which is known for being included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Data were recorded and analyzed by utilizing statistical analyses via SPSS (statistical package for social sciences) for Windows 22 and IBM AMOS 24.0 programs. Results: The data collected from the evaluation of questionnaires administered to 685 participants reveal that the sub-dimensions with the most-to-least impact on students’ QoL are satisfaction with campus life, education spaces, academic development, socio-physical amenities, social perception, administrative management, accessibility, transportation, and accommodation. Conclusions: QoL is a multidimensional judgment through which university students’ QOL perceptions are affected through the interaction between the university’s built environment, university life, individual characteristics, as well as administrative management.

How Does Social Inequality Alter Relationships Between Porous Cranial Lesions and Mortality? Examining the Relationship Between Skeletal Indicators of Stress, Socioeconomic Status, and Survivorship in a Pediatric Autopsy Sample.

In prior exploration of modern and archeological populations, lower SES has been associated with an increased risk of mortality. However, SES is often difficult to ascertain in archeological populations. Thus, explorations of skeletal lesions and their association with mortality may be subject to confounding factors that alter the strength and/or direction of this association. The present study uses data from a modern, documented coronial pediatric dataset to examine the association between porous cranial lesions (PCLs) (cribra orbitalia [CO] and porotic hyperostosis [PH]) and age at death while controlling for SES, as inferred through housing type, with manufactured or apartment housing identified as reflecting individuals from lower SES backgrounds in this context. We include 887 (535 males, 352 females) individuals aged 0.5-20.9 years from New Mexico who died between 2011 and 2022. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to assess survivorship as related to PCLs and SES. Low SES is associated with lower survivorship. CO does not have a significant association with age at death when not controlling for SES; PH alone is associated with older age at death. Disadvantaged individuals with PCLs have significantly reduced survivorship than those with higher SES. The findings of this study demonstrate that low SES results in reduced survivorship, and those with low SES and PCLs have worse survivorship than less disadvantaged individuals with PCLs. Thus, the strong contribution of SES to mortality necessitates the consideration of the sociocultural context as a confounding factor when examining associations between variables of interest (such as lesions) and mortality in both past and present populations.

Exploring Research on the Coping Strategies of Black Survivors of Homicide Victims: A Scoping Review

Black communities are disproportionately impacted by homicide, yet research on how surviving family members and friends of murdered victims cope with their violent, traumatic death is limited. This scoping review examines current literature on how Black communities cope with homicide, identifies key concepts, reviews study methods, summarizes findings, and offers implications for future research. A scoping review of empirical studies (2000–2024) consisting of majority Black participants coping with homicide was conducted. Out of 2,932 articles, 35 met the inclusion criteria. An inductive thematic analysis was used to synthesize results. Findings from these studies revealed two domains: the sociocultural context of coping and coping strategies, consisting of eight themes (e.g., racism and social stigma, the impact of homicide, support, spiritual coping, activism, maintaining a connection to the deceased, substance use, avoidance, and concealment). These findings emphasize social and cultural factors that shape Black experiences with homicide, which consequently impact the coping resources and strategies they use to manage the violent, traumatic death of loved ones. Implications for future research should focus on standardized collection of homicide data, contextualization of homicide experiences, and diverse research methods.

The influence of disruptive events on energy-related household practices: Results of a longitudinal study in the Netherlands

Household energy use relates to our socio-cultural identity, our socio-economic status and the socio-cultural and material contexts in which we live. Around the world, households experienced dramatic changes in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the drastic increase of energy prices following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Habits and routines were disrupted, reinterpreted, reorganized and renegotiated, albeit under constraints and in most cases involuntarily. This paper analyses how the practice of ‘keeping warm’ responds to disruptive events ranging from a small-scale and short-lived experiment to much more drastic and far-reaching geopolitical events. Following an initial study challenging households to reduce temperatures inside their homes during October/November 2018, the same households were revisited for follow-up questioning two and a half years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe and six months after the attack of Russian armed forces on Ukraine. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected before, during, and three months as well as three years after the original ‘heating challenge’. The final follow-up survey took place in August 2022 and turned the initial short-lived Living Lab-based experiment into a longitudinal study.The experimental exploration of possibilities to reduce household energy use through the disruption of routinized practices in Living Labs enables an analysis of the effects of disruptive events, including the role of values, social norms, habits and routines (Sahakian et al., 2021). But what happens, when experiments get serious and large-scale upheaval affecting many challenges and changes meanings, thus contributing to changes in social norms and practices? This research explores lasting-changes in energy-related household practices following voluntary disruptive experimentation and subsequent involuntary disruptions. Compared to the macro-systemic disruptions experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic and the more recent energy crisis, the disruptions induced through the initial ‘heating challenge’ are of a much smaller magnitude. Our findings show that reductions in energy use are possible when routinized practices are disrupted through voluntary experimentation. In addition, our results indicate that the meanings tied up with indoor comfort had changed due to the initial experiment and that participants who initially experimented in an interactive community setting had learned more about how to connect, share experiences and reflections to adapt to other, also large-scale disruptions collaboratively.

Identity development of Arab drama therapists: The role of ethnic boundary work

Previous studies have suggested that creative arts therapists who work in conservative societies must adapt their Western therapeutic ideologies to collectivist and traditional norms. Less is known about how these creative arts therapists construct and maintain their professional identity in diverse sociocultural contexts. Building on the literature that emphasizes the role of ethnic boundary work in professional identity processes, we examined how Arab drama therapists maintain, challenge, and negotiate ethnic boundaries in the process of professional identity construction.Participants were 38 Israeli-Arab drama therapists (36 female) working in Israeli-Arab schools. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews (27 participants) and playback theater groups (12 participants). Thematic analysis revealed three different forms of ethnic boundary work: "Distinguishing Arab identity from drama therapy", "Drama therapy as an act of challenging ethnic and gender boundaries", and "Negotiating ethnic boundaries within the context of drama therapy".The current study emphasizes the sociocultural context of boundary work by illustrating how Israeli-Arab drama therapists define their professional identity across ethnic, gender, and political tensions. We conclude with implications for research and practice.

Human-ocean relationships: Exploring alignment and collaboration between ocean literacy research and marine conservation

In recent years, global attention on marine conservation and sustainability has surged. Understanding the relationship between society and the ocean is crucial for achieving conservation targets, ocean sustainability, and community well-being. Toward these ends, the UN Ocean Decade recognizes ocean literacy as a transformative mechanism to reshape society-ocean relationships. Ocean literacy seeks to empower global communities to better understand, value, and care for the ocean in ways that support, restore, and ensure ocean-human health and well-being. By extension, ocean literacy research is an emergent transdisciplinary field of inquiry that explores diverse dimensions, drivers, and impacts of human-ocean relationships. It considers these relations across different socio-cultural, economic, political, and geographic contexts and perspectives. In this article, we position ocean literacy research and the wider concept of ocean literacy as a framework for exploring the relational aspects of marine conservation to inform effective policy and conservation. We begin by situating ocean literacy and ocean literacy dimensions, research priorities, and community alongside broader ocean conservation efforts. We next share insights gleaned from the third edition of the Ocean Literacy Dialogues series, led by the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition and the Marine Social Sciences Network, with support from IOC-UNESCO, held during the fifth International Marine Protected Area Congress (IMPAC5) in Vancouver, in early 2023. Through a series of participatory sessions, we explored the application of ocean literacy research in supporting future marine conservation and management. Drawing on insights co-developed through this process, we outline potential agenda alignment between IMPAC5 marine conservation themes and co-identified ocean literacy research priority areas. We lastly speak to the importance of ongoing collaborative initiatives like the Ocean Literacy Dialogues series to foster global collaborations, dialogue, and capacity sharing to advance ocean literacy, marine conservation, and policy efforts.

Agency and voice: Using critical theory to reposition children from refugee backgrounds when considering their transition to school in Australia

AbstractA wide range of benefits are associated with children's positive transition to school. Applying a critical sociological lens in understanding transitions allows for cycles of sociocultural inequality to be challenged and disrupted. This is of particular importance for understanding transition experiences of children from socially demarcated groups, such as children from refugee backgrounds. This paper outlines how critical sociological theory can be used to identify settler‐colonial ideology and to unpack how children are understood and positioned within their broader sociocultural context, and how this understanding can lead to a strength‐based approach that recognises the rights, agency and voice of children and their families.