Groups In Society Research Articles

Knowledge management and the power of communication: INDESGUA as a social technology enabling equitable access to scholarships in Guatemala

This community case study examines the actors, conditions and context in which scholarships offered by international cooperation programs to access higher education are managed in Guatemala. It documents a communication-based social technology initiative led by organized local civil society: the Institute for the Development of Higher Education in Guatemala—INDESGUA, a nonprofit organization founded in 2007. Using a qualitative methodology that combines in-depth and semi-structured interviews with an analysis of organizational records, this article reflects on the mediating role INDESGUA plays between individuals (demand side) seeking scholarships and providers (offer side), with specific objectives of facilitating access to traditionally excluded groups of Guatemalan society, specifically rural youth, young women, and indigenous populations. The analysis covers 2007 to 2023. The findings show that knowledge management and communication are central elements of INDESGUA’s operation and promote social inclusion. However, structural inequalities and contextual systematic biases may limit the effectiveness of these efforts.

Running, eyes open, into segregation:The absence of an integration strategy for Britain's elites

There is an assumption in UK policy-making that there is a problem with the integration of migrant communities. This has led to political and media attention that suggests a major societal issue. This article rejects that claim but not by showing that migrants are integrated, but by changing the analytical gaze. It begins with the premise that the least integrated group in British society is not those at whom political attention is aimed. Rather than migrant communities, it is elites that live largely separate lives, and their separation is not one resulting from discrimination and/or lack of material resources, but is one actively pursued across multiple domains and transmitted inter-generationally. Using UK Government refugee integration strategies as the framework, the article examines what we know about elite integration across a multitude of domains and shows that elites live largely self-segregated lives.

Mining, Water Conflicts, and Climate Change in Chile’s Atacama Desert

Global demand for lithium and copper is rising, fueled by the renewable energy transition. Chile is the top producer of copper and the second-largest producer of lithium in the world. It is also recognized as the most water-stressed country in the Americas. Socio-environmental conflicts around water, more visible over the past several decades, are intensifying. While some view water primarily as a productive resource that will enable Chile to keep growing its economy, civil society groups are calling for environmental justice and arguing that local communities also deserve to benefit from the renewable energy transition rather than becoming green sacrifice zones.

Assumptions and perceptions of food wasting behavior and intention to reduce food waste in the case of Generation Y and Generation X

One of the global problems of our time is food waste that is most significant at the household level. There is a lack of research that focus on the food-wasting behavior of the main breadwinner groups in society, generations Y and X. To fill this gap, the purpose of this study is to analyse the factors that influence the food-wasting behavior of these groups. From data of a representative sample of 1,665 respondents by using structural equation modeling it is shown that the intention of reducing food waste is positively influenced by attitudes, health-, price and environmental consciousness, planning routines and ecological motives. The results show that influences from the immediate environment and the media are not effective, therefore programs dealing with the future of the Earth, children and sustainability, which strengthen environmental and ecological awareness and planning routines in generations X and Y are recommended.

Expert consensus on neuropsychological assessment for mild cognitive impairment (2025 edition)

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a state of objective cognitive decline that falls between normal aging and dementia, with a high prevalence among the elderly in China. Cognitive impairments in MCI patients involve multiple cognitive domains such as memory, language, attention, executive, visuospatial functions, and social cognition, as well as non-cognitive domains such as neuropsychiatric, mood, sleep, daily living activities, and frailty. The assessment and clinical diagnosis of MCI highly rely on neuropsychological testing. In order to standardize the neuropsychological assessment of MCI, the Dementia and Cognitive Disorders Group of the Chinese Society of Neurology formulated this consensus document. It recommends tools for assessing global cognition, various cognitive domains, and non-cognitive functions suitable for both clinical and research settings. The consensus proposes assessment procedures and precautions based on the experiences of domestic researchers. Based on the latest international and domestic research advancements, using the Delphi method and the GRADE evidence system, 24 recommendations were formulated in 5 aspects of MCI: global cognitive function assessment, various cognitive domains assessment, non-cognitive assessment, the use of neuropsychological scales, and precautions in neuropsychological assessment, aiming to improve the diagnosis and management of MCI in China.

Satisfaction Level of SSY Account Holders

SSA the small saving scheme has proved to be a relief to an extend for the parent’s/ guardians of the girl child. The policy of "Beti bachao, beti Padhao," which aims to strengthen the nation by eliminating prejudice against girl children and shattering outdated beliefs about the birth of a girl child in the family, has drawn increased attention since the SSA was introduced. This scheme is guaranteed to draw in more savers with its consistent and higher return rate. This program contributes to the nation's economic growth by elevating the status of girls and increasing their access to education. As a result, the Indian government must continue to take such actions to improve the lot of the underprivileged and marginalized groups in society as well as others like the jobless. They must take the required actions to live up to the public's expectations for these kinds of programs. The unit comprised parents of the girl child of Chavakkad thaluk of Thrissur district. The sample size taken for the survey was 40 SSY account holders. The sampling technique used in this research is Snowball Sampling. Snowball sampling is a non- probability sampling techniques which is used in reaching the samples that are difficult to find. The objective of the study has been accomplished with the help of primary data collected from 40 respondents. A Google Form was used to send the questionnaire and gather responses. The collected data has been analysed by using various statistical tools pie charts, column chart, weighted average mean and multiple regression..

Peran Undang-Undang Dasar 1945 dalam Menjamin Hak Asasi Manusia di Indonesia

The 1945 Constitution (UUD 1945) has a very iportant fundamental role in the legal and political system in Indonesia, especially in ensuring the fulfillment of Human Rights (HAM) for the people in Indonesia. As the country's highest constitution, the 1945 Constitution not only determines the structure and powers of the state, but also regulates the protection of the rights of individuals and groups of citizens or society. Since the amendments to the 1945 Constitution from 1999 to 2002, the substance of human rights has increasingly been strengthened and regulations have been tightened, with an emphasis on civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. In this article I aim to examine how the 1945 Constitution functions as a legal instrument to guarantee the protection of human rights in Indonesia. This research uses a normative approach by analyzing articles in the 1945 Constitution which are directly or indirectly related to human rights, as well as assessing their implementation in practice. The results of the analysis show that although the 1945 Constitution provides a strong legal foundation for the protection of human rights, many challenges still arise in its implementation and enforcement, especially those related to the gap between legal norms and the reality on the ground. Apart from that, the role of state institutions such as the Constitutional Court (MK), Komnas HAM, and the judicial system is very crucial in ensuring the fulfillment of citizens' basic rights. In conclusion, the 1945 Constitution has great potential to guarantee Human Rights in Indonesia, but ongoing efforts are needed to overcome various obstacles and problems in its implementation practice.

Universities unbound: Universities as sites of human rights activism and protection in an era of democratic crisis

This article champions the potential for universities to play an enhanced role supporting human rights activism and protection in the context of democratic crisis. The challenges such an agenda faces are significant. In addition to global trends such as democratic backsliding and shrinking civic and political space, universities themselves exhibit “two faces,” as sites of violence and exclusion as well as of more progressive values, and are caught between the pincer movement of privatization and increasing state interference. However, universities often enjoy more autonomy than civil society groups. Drawing on core values such as academic freedom and social justice, and particular qualities—legitimacy, status, access to knowledge, resources, and local and global networks—universities have both the potential and the responsibility to act. The article identifies four roles universities can play in relation to activism and protection: instigators, incubators (of ideas, values, and organizations), collaborators, and protectors. Three forms of protection—of people, values, and knowledge—are interdependent, with activists more likely to feel protected if their values and knowledge are reflected within universities. Ultimately, if universities do not support others, who will be left to defend them when attacks intensify on universities themselves?

Sustainable Management by Forest Farmer Group in Serayu Watershed

The conservation and development management of watersheds require comprehensive studies, planning, and implementation from the upstream water sources to the downstream areas. The active involvement of stakeholders, including government entities responsible for policies, regulations, and budgets, as well as civil society groups such as forest farmer communities, fishermen, business groups, environmental activists, and empowerment advocates, is essential. This research focuses on watershed management among forest farmer groups in the Serayu River area, the longest river in Central Java, specifically in Cilacap and Banyumas Regencies of Indonesia A qualitative explanatory case study method was employed, utilizing direct observation, in-depth interviews, document analysis, and discussions. Data were analyzed through reduction, classification, clarification, and triangulation. The findings reveal that the management of the Serayu River watershed still requires socialization, coordination, and collaboration among stakeholders in planning, conservation, maintenance, development, monitoring, and evaluation. These stakeholders include local and village governments, socio-economic community groups, private entities, and academics. Relevant watershed management approaches include conceptual, deterministic, stochastic, parametric, and probabilistic methods.

Clinical practice guidelines for perioperative fluid therapy in Chinese adult patients (2025 edition)

Perioperative fluid therapy is a pivotal component of surgical patient management, as appropriate fluid administration can significantly enhance postoperative recovery. To standardize perioperative fluid therapy for adult patients in China, the Geriatric Anesthesia and Perioperative Management Group of the Chinese Society of Anesthesiology has developed the "Clinical Practice Guidelines for Perioperative Fluid Therapy in Chinese Adult Patients". Based on current clinical status in China, this guideline addressed 11 key areas based on clinical evidence, more than 30% of which is from China researchers, including principles for the selection of common fluid types, preoperative fasting and hydration following enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols, intraoperative fluid requirements for adult patients, perioperative volume assessment, perioperative evaluation of volume overload/insufficiency, goal-directed fluid therapy, restrictive fluid therapy, perioperative fluid therapy strategies for high-risk patients, fluid resuscitation for massive blood loss, the relationship between perioperative fluid therapy and postoperative complications, and the relationship between perioperative fluid therapy and ERAS. The guideline included 51 evidence-based recommendations aimed at optimizing perioperative fluid management and improving patient outcomes after surgery.

Trends in Investigations for Suspected Head and Neck Carcinoma of the Unknown Primary: A HNCIG andIFHNOS International Survey of Practice.

The aim of this clinical survey was to assess variations in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma from an unknown primary (HNSCCUP) diagnostic practices across international centers. Clinical practice survey of experts nominated by Head and Neck Cancer International Group (HNCIG) and International Federation of Head and Neck Oncologic Societies (IFHNOS). Responses were received from 48/49 (97.9%) participants. Outpatient laryngoscopy, CT, and 18-FDG-PETCT were used always or most of the time by 81.3%, 77.1%, and 79.2%, but only 50% regularly used MRI. Unilateral and bilateral tonsillectomy were frequently performed in 41.6% and 27.1% of unilateral nodal disease, and in 18.8% and 52.1% for bilateral disease. Ipsilateral Tongue Base Mucosectomy (TBM) was used always or most of the time in 12.5% of unilateral and 6.3% of bilateral HNSCCUP. Bilateral TBM was used in 10.4% for unilateral and 22.9% for bilateral cancers. While there is broad agreement regarding examination and cross-sectional imaging, there are considerable differences in the surgical strategies used to identify occult primaries.

Assessing the Impact of Information Sources on Public Engagement in Social Actions: A Study on the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

This study evaluates the impact of information sources on public engagement in social actions related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed across Albania, achieving a response rate of 83.8% from 500 distributed questionnaires. The survey ensured anonymity and confidentiality of respondents, enhancing the reliability of the data collected. The analysis began with an assessment of the internal consistency of the questionnaire using Cronbach's alpha, which resulted in a value of 0.723, indicating reliable measures. Factor analysis identified five key components influencing opinions on the Russia-Ukraine conflict: information sources and perception of reality, views on external stances and support, concerns about peace and sovereignty, military intervention and neutrality, and influences on Albania’s stance. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that these factors significantly predict social action participation related to the conflict, with an overall model R² of 0.727. The analysis revealed that well-informed individuals are more likely to engage in social actions, while concerns about Albania's stance have a negative influence. This research underscores the importance of reliable information and external support views in shaping public engagement in social actions. The findings provide a structured understanding of how various factors influence public perceptions and actions, offering valuable insights for policymakers and researchers in conflict and social behavior studies. This paper has some limitation as; inclusiveness of all groups in society equally and psychological biases can affect our observations. Received: 3 November 2024 / Accepted: 31 December 2024 / Published: 05 January 2025

Health and society: disparities in access to healthcare services

Introduction: As problems of social aspects of health and increased population segmentation have emerged, the question of access to the necessary medical services has become one of the most acute in modern society.Objective: This study aims to analyse the social determinants of health and healthcare services and determine major dynamics that affect equal utilisation of healthcare services.Methods: The study used an integrated approach comprised of statistical analysis, sociological research and health policy analysis was adopted.Results: The following findings established that lack of equitable health access affects the populace's health and social order. Lack of health insurance and low income significantly hamper the ability to get good quality healthcare. Regional disparities are also vital, mainly because rural facilities do not possess the appropriate tools. In order to address the this medical, social and economic problem, one has to act and investigate more thoroughly.Conclusions: Since the subject of the work is the analysis of the social aspects of health, emphasis is placed on the availability of healthcare for populations deprived of it either financially, geographically, or through other restraints. This primarily focuses more attention on the marginalised groups in society, including older adults, people experiencing poverty, people in remote areas and discriminated groups in health facilities

Reforming the innovation system to deliver affordable medicines: a conceptual framework of pharmaceutical innovation as a complex adaptive system (forest) and theory of change.

The current mainstream pharmaceutical innovation system (PIS) is driven by the market-based logic of charging the highest prices societies will bear. Outcomes include unaffordable medicines, restricted access and pressure on health budgets. How can the innovation system change to deliver fairly-priced medicines? We inductively developed a novel conceptual framework of the PIS as a complex adaptive system (CAS) analogous to a forest. We constructed a database of 140 pharmaceutical innovation initiatives that sought to address global public interest objectives such as fair pricing or missing innovation. We found a critical mass of initiatives clustered around four areas: pandemic preparedness, neglected diseases, rare diseases and antibiotics, which we conceptualised as niches within the ecosystem. We reviewed the literature on how each niche had emerged and evolved, conducted interviews, and organised workshops with experts on each niche. Finally, we identified from the literature an initial list of 'levers' of change in the PIS, supplemented them with additional levers found in each niche, then compared across niches. We found that actors created niches in the broader system by purposefully problematising an issue, then pulling on one or more of three levers: mobilising new resources, changing the roles of or creating new actors, and/or changing societal norms or legal rules. A wide range of actors - including governments, funders, R&D practitioners, or civil society groups - could pull these levers, and the order in which they were pulled was not fixed, consistent with a CAS. Parts of the vast pharmaceutical innovation system have changed to deliver more affordable medicines by design. Such change has occurred largely within specialised niches, responding to evolving societal norms about the purpose of pharmaceutical innovation. Actors can achieve larger-scale change by further expanding and/or solidifying these niches through changes to resources, actor roles, norms and rules.

Manipulative Strategies in Political Discourse: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Mahamudu Bawumia’s Speech in Ghana

The exploration of the discourse-power interplay has been the motivation behind Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) research orientation. CDA analysts have and continue to display vivid interest in the discourse of the dominant groups, particularly politicians, with the objective of describing and elucidating how existing social structures – power abuse, dominance, and inequality – are enacted, reproduced and sustained. While there is a vibrant literature on political speeches, not much work has been done on discursive manipulation as a form of social power abuse and dominance in political discourse from the Ghanaian perspective. This study therefore presents a critical analysis of a political speech by Mohammadu Bawumia, presidential candidate for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), with the aim of investigating how the Vice-President discursively represents himself, the government, and the past government as a strategy for accomplishing his manipulative goal. Drawing on van Dijk’s ideological square framework for analysis, the result shows the use of the macro-strategy of positive representation of the in-group (government) and negative representation of the out-group (opposition or former government), which manifests at all levels of discourse through the use of other minor discursive strategies: positive self-presentation, authority, number game rhetoric, active/passive structures, implication, and presupposition. Key findings include the strategic use of statistics to enhance credibility, the deployment of passive constructions to conceal government failures, and the use of metaphors to dissociate Bawumia from the government’s shortcomings. The outcome of the study implies that political speeches are imbued with covert ideologies, asymmetrical power relations, power abuse, dominance, inequality, and deception, which can only be exposed and resisted through the application of CDA tools. The study therefore recommends advocacy by policymakers and other civil society groups to awaken the consciousness of readers and listeners of political speeches to scrutinize political utterances, given their opaque nature and partisan or ideological functions.

Pretext of the Adoption of the 2024 Common European Asylum System Reform and an Early Take on the Potential Effect

This article examines the reception and potential impact of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) reform, adopted in April 2024, with a particular focus on Germany's response and broader implications for bordering countries such as Italy, Hungary, and Greece. The CEAS reform aims to harmonize asylum procedures, enhance solidarity among the EU member states, and expedite the processing times. However, it has faced significant criticism, especially from civil society organizations like the ECRE and Pro Asyl, which argue that the reform could disenfranchise asylum seekers and undermine fair procedures, particularly for families with children. Despite these concerns, the German federal government, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, defends the reform as a necessary compromise to address the dysfunctionality of the current system. The analysis also explores the challenges in implementing the CEAS reforms in countries with restrictive asylum practices, such as Italy. Persistent human rights concerns, political resistance, and structural issues in these countries raise doubts about the reform's effectiveness. The hypothesis presented is that the CEAS reform will not significantly improve the situation in these bordering countries and might exacerbate the existing challenges due to ongoing disparities in asylum procedures, human rights violations, and political resistance fuelled by populist movements. The study concludes that while the CEAS reform represents a step towards a more unified asylum system, it may fall short of addressing the deep-rooted issues in bordering countries, leading to continued scepticism and criticism from human rights organizations and civil society groups. This underscores the need for rigorous enforcement and further reforms to ensure equitable and humane treatment of asylum seekers across all EU member states.

A Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) Based Framework for Enhanced Diagnosis and Classification of COVID-19 Pneumonia

COVID-19 pneumonia is a persistent worldwide health problem that usually affects the most vulnerable groups in society: the newborn and aged populations. Most of the current endeavors toward handling diagnosis and classification of pneumonia have used numerous techniques for machine learning and deep learning, with a particular focus on COVID-19 pneumonia. However, most of these techniques have raised concerns with regard to diagnostic precision as a result of the limited application of advanced algorithms, datasets whose validation is mostly inadequate and predictive capability. To address these limitations, our research introduces a deep learning-based approach by Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), which enhances the performance in classifying COVID-19 pneumonia. Salient features of the proposed method include a four-step process: first, data acquisition from a comprehensive chest X-ray dataset on GitHub; second, processing and analyzing the data through visual means like histograms and scatter plots; third, using CNNs supplemented with techniques for data augmentation in supervised learning; lastly, performance evaluation to benchmark against existing models. The present study uses features from X-ray images with the help of CNN's advanced pattern recognition capabilities in pursuit of achieving better generalization and precision in classification. The model achieved an accuracy of 85.70\% and precision of 88.6%, which surpasses the existing techniques and thereby built the promise of improving the accuracy of the diagnostic process, hence, leading to improved care for the patients, and more so forms the foundation on which future AI-powered healthcare diagnostics are expected to take off.

Lack of Trust between Ethnic Groups in Post-Ethnic Conflict Societies: Cases of Zimbabwe and Bosnia-Herzegovina

This paper shows how the processes of trust-building and power-sharing are evolving in the cases of Zimbabwe and Bosnia-Herzegovina after the conflict. The paper’s focus lies on lack of trust between different ethnic groups in the post-war period in terms of building political institutions and common political identity. Zimbabwe ethnic tensions originating from the Gukurahundi (1983-1987) between the Shona and the Ndebele people spilt over to the post-ethnic conflict society. Despite having the peace agreement known as the Unity Accord of 1987 to reduce tension in Zimbabwe, power-sharing remains the most untapped area for discussion. Similarly, the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992-1995) and the ethnic distribution of power given by the Dayton Peace Agreement are still one of the most significant elements of uncertainty and insecurity with dysfunctional ethnically based power-sharing as a result. With this review paper, we tend to answer several questions: What is the primary source of distrust and insecurity in post-conflict societies in Zimbabwe and Bosnia concerning the origins of those issues? What are the efforts of state institutions to promote unity and peace, and how do these peace accords affect institution-building processes?

Perceived stress and coping strategies among elderly people residing in geriatric centers of Nepal

Introduction: Senior citizens are one of the most vulnerable groups in Nepalese society. Loneliness and stress among senior people are on the rise due to a lack of dependable caregivers and unmet medical and emotional needs. However, some elders may have better coping strategies based on their life experiences and physical/mental well-being. The objective of our study was to assess the stress and coping strategies among elderly people residing in government and private geriatric centers in Central Nepal. Materials and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among the 54 respondents selected conveniently from two geriatric centers in Devghat, Nepal. The centers were Devghat Samaj Kalyan Kendra, a government geriatric center, and Devghat NRNA Briddashram, a private geriatric center. Results: Results show that 51.9% of the seniors living in the facilities had moderate levels of stress while 1.8% of respondents reported high levels of stress. The most commonly used coping strategies included self-distraction followed by the use of positive reframing and religion. Among the elders living in government and private geriatric centers, a significant difference was observed in behavioral disengagement (p-value 0.003). However, no significant correlation was seen between the perceived stress scale score and overall coping score (p-value 0.08) among the respondents. Conclusion: Our study suggests that respondents in private geriatric center display more stress than the respondents in government geriatric center.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DIGITAL POPULATION IDENTITY IMPLEMENTATION IN BANDUNG CITY

The Ministry of Home Affairs of Indonesia has set up a 25% of Digital Population Identity (DPI) coverage by 2023, and 30 percent in 2024. Unfrotunately, underachievement occured in some areas. This research assessed the effectiveness of the DPI program in Bandung City using a quasi-qualitative method. The commitment of regional leaders and Civil Servants, as well as an organized division of tasks was found adequate. The program has covered key groups of society, including Civil Servants, students, and high school/vocational students. Bandung City has managed to acheive the predtermined target, with proper outreach and apporach throguh online and offline modes. The underachievement of DPI program could be tirggered by unclear measurement indicators and inadequate community outreach and education. This research concludes that DPI program in Bandung City has been relatively effective despite some challenges.Keywords: Program Effectiveness, Digital Population Identity, Population Documents, Digitalization of Public Services.