Socio-economic Considerations Research Articles

Adjudicating socio-economic rights – transforming South African society: A response to Linda Jansen Van Rensburg’s paper

It is trite to say that the adjudication of socio-economic rights is a new enterprise in South African jurisprudence, as it is to the jurisprudence of many other jurisdictions. Professor van Rensburg’s paper seeks to analyse the influence of political, socio-economic and cultural considerations on the interpretation and application of socio-economic rights in the Bill of Rights. The pivots for discussion are the decisions of the Constitutional Court in the Soobramoney,1 Grootboom2 and Treatment Action Campaign3 cases which, thus far, are the only cases in which the Constitutional Court has substantively determined the nature and parameters of socio-economic rights and obligations under the South African Constitution. My response is somewhat deferential in that I largely concur with many of the observations that Professor van Rensburg makes. In some respects, however, I have attempted to bring into the analysis of Soobramoney, Grootboom and Treatment Action Campaign not so much new insights, but rather different emphases. Likewise, my response is constructed around the three cases. I begin with Soobramoney.

Culture (and Religion) in Constitutional Adjudication

The faculty of law of the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education in corroboration with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stifttung embarked on a study on Politics, Socio-Economic Issues and Culture in Constitutional Adjudication. The aim of the project is twofold. The first aim is to analyse the influence of political, socio-economic and cultural considerations on the constitutional court’s interpretation and application of the Bill of Rights. The second aim is to develop practical guidelines (based on the findings during the analysing process) for South African courts confronted with issues of a political, socio-economic and cultural nature. This article is concerned with initiating discussions of the decisions of the constitutional court with regard to cultural and religious rights.
 Before we can explore the role of political, socio-economic and cultural (and religious) rights in the decisions of the constitutional court it is important to discuss a few preliminary issues. In this article the meaning of culture and religion within the South African context receives some attention. Secondly, some preliminary comments regarding constitutional protection of culturally and religiously based rights will be made.
 We are well aware that this is a daunting task, not only in view of the seemingly abysmal gap between the applicable constitutional rights and values enshrined in the 1996 Constitution that, in some instances over centuries, brought about customs and practices within “traditional” communities which, seemingly, infringe on certain constitutional values and rights.
 

Scalable off-grid energy services enabled by IoT: A case study of BBOXX SMART Solar

This case study intends to show how Internet of Things (IoT) technology can be used to tackle development challenges by using the case study of BBOXX- a Solar Home Systems provider operating in South-Western Kenya and across Rwanda, and its SMART Solar platform applied to nearly 20,000 currently active systems. It aims to highlight the benefits of such technology to its users and how it can be utilised to create scalable business models for energy access through improved customer understanding. However, it also shows the difficulties in designing, developing and deploying appropriate technologies in an affordable and impactful way. Similar applications in the water sector are briefly looked at to further explore the potential and the challenges of IoT technologies in driving social and economic development. The case study raises ethical questions about the storage, collection and sharing of data and explores whether the data protection models prevalent in the developed world are applicable in a development context. It offers ideas for future research and policy recommendations, pointing to the need of including financial, socio-economic and ethical considerations in the processes of innovative solutions development.

Ecological-Economic Fisheries Management Advice—Quantification of Potential Benefits for the Case of the Eastern Baltic COD Fishery

Fishing is a social and economic activity, and consequently socio-economic considerations are important for resource management. While this is acknowledged in the theory of Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) and its sector-specific development Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM), currently applied fishery management objectives often ignore economic considerations. Year-to-year management, however, implicitly responds to short-term economic interests, and consequently, regularly resorts to tactical short-term rather than strategic long-term decisions. The aim of this article is to introduce a new way of estimating management advice referred to as an ‘ecologically-constrained Maximum Economic Yield’ (eMEY) strategy, which takes into account ecological criteria as well as short- to medium-term economic costs. We further illustrate what net cost reductions per year are possible applying the eMEY strategy compared with the existing way of setting total allowable catches (TACs). The eMEY approach aims at maximizing the economic benefits for the fishery as well as society (consumers), while safeguarding precautionary stock sizes. Using an age-structured optimization model parameterized for the Eastern Baltic cod case study, we find that application of eMEY advice results in more stability in catch advice. Quantification and visualization of the costs of deviating from eMEY advice offers a transparent basis for evaluating decision-making outcomes. The costs of overfishing are mainly borne by the commercial fishery, while fishing less than optimal is particularly costly for the processing industry and consumers. To foster the uptake of our eMEY approach in current advice given by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and the EU fishery management system, we suggest an easy-to-implement scheme of providing integrated advice, also accounting for economic considerations.

Addressing Socio-Economic and Ethical Considerations in Biotechnology Governance: The Potential of a New Politics of Care

There is a growing demand to incorporate social, economic and ethical considerations into biotechnology governance. However, there is currently little guidance available for understanding what this means or how it should be done. A framework of care-based ethics and politics can capture many of the concerns maintaining a persistent socio-political conflict over biotechnologies and provide a novel way to incorporate such considerations into regulatory assessments. A care-based approach to ethics and politics has six key defining features. These include: 1) a relational worldview, 2) an emphasis on the importance of context, 3) a recognition of the significance of dependence, 4) an analysis of power, including a particular concern for those most vulnerable, 5) a granting of weight to the significance of affect, and 6) an acknowledgment of an important role for narrative. This policy brief provides an overview of these defining features, illustrates how they can appear in a real world example and provides a list of guiding questions for assessing these features and advancing a politics of care in the governance of biotechnology.

Willingness to Adopt Biochar in Agriculture: The Producer’s Perspective

Most research on biochar has focused either on the mechanistic or the biophysical aspects, and there has been relatively little research into the social applicability and acceptance of biochar as a soil enhancer in agriculture. However, whether to adopt biochar in their practice is ultimately the farmers’ decision, and their willingness to do so is crucial. Here, we show the producer’s perspective on adopting biochar, using Polish farmers as a case study. Poland is an interesting case study because biochar has only recently attracted the attention of researchers, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders there. We performed standardized, semi-structured interviews with 161 Polish farmers to evaluate the socioeconomic potential of biochar application in practice. We found that 27% of the respondents claimed to be familiar with biochar. The respondents with a technical, non-agricultural level of education were most familiar with the term ‘biochar’ (36%), followed by the group of respondents with a higher-level agricultural education (31%). It was surprising that among the latter respondents, the majority (69%) did not know the term ‘biochar’, either in the context used for this study or in any other context. Twenty percent of the respondents expressed an interest in using biochar, while 43% were not willing to adopt it in their agricultural practice (37% ‘did not know yet’). If a farmer was familiar with the concept of sustainable agriculture, the probability of familiarity with biochar increased by 16% (p < 0.05). In addition, farmers interested in using biochar indicated that sustainable agriculture might improve the financial situation of their farms (52%). The perceived benefits of biochar that drive the willingness to adopt it included improved soil quality and increased income due to increased yields, while the constraints on its adoption were associated mainly with high costs. Our results also point to the necessity of information flow as well as engaging farmers in participatory research to adjust the research to their needs. Furthermore, our results highlight the importance of transparency with the farmers and appropriate dissemination and presentation of both the positive and the negative aspects of biochar adoption. We urge those studying biochar to engage in more interdisciplinary research and to go beyond laboratory and field research. Many innovations, even those that work, will not be adopted if socioeconomic considerations are not incorporated into the research.

Vulnerability of Southern Plains agriculture to climate change

Projections of greater interannual and intrannual climate variability, including increasing temperatures, longer and more intense drought periods, and more extreme precipitation events, present growing challenges for agricultural production in the Southern Plains of the USA. We assess agricultural vulnerabilities within this region to support identification and development of adaptation strategies at regional to local scales, where many management decisions are made. Exposure to the synergistic effects of warming, such as fewer and more intense precipitation events and greater overall weather variability, will uniquely affect rain-fed and irrigated cropping, high-value specialty crops, extensive and intensive livestock production, and forestry. Although the sensitivities of various agricultural sectors to climatic stressors can be difficult to identify at regional scales, we summarize that crops irrigated from the Ogallala aquifer possess a high sensitivity; rangeland beef cattle production a low sensitivity; and rain-fed crops, forestry, and specialty crops intermediate sensitivities. Numerous adaptation strategies have been identified, including drought contingency planning, increased soil health, improved forecasts and associated decision support tools, and implementation of policies and financial instruments for risk management. However, the extent to which these strategies are adopted is variable and influenced by both biophysical and socioeconomic considerations. Inadequate local- and regional-scale climate risk and resilience information suggests that climate vulnerability research and climate adaptation approaches need to include bottom-up approaches such as learning networks and peer-to-peer communication.

Transboundary Movements of Genetically Modified Organisms and the Cartagena Protocol: Key Issues and Concerns

Biotechnology or the engineering of the genetic material of species can give way to avenues of possibilities for the benefit of people, fauna and flora but also has the potential of posing untold and undiscovered threats to human beings and other living organisms. One of the first attempts to legislate on international rules on biotechnology can be traced back to article 19 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992. The CBD is indeed the first international legal instrument apart from the then European Community’s relevant directives to suggest that biotechnology is a matter of concern for the international community while providing a basis upon which more detailed procedures would be elaborated in the field of biosafety. While the CBD includes international rules on access to genetic resources, access to and the transfer of technology, the handling of biotechnology and the distribution of its benefits, it does not include a detailed regulation on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their possible adverse effects on the environment, human and animal health. It was only with the coming into existence of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (Cartagena Protocol) to the CBD in 2000 that the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) such as genetically engineered plants, animals, and microbes were at last being catered for, albeit leaving aside the broader categories of GMOs. Due to the need for the negotiators of this protocol to make compromises, there were still key issues on the international biosafety framework pertaining mainly to the scope of the GMOs to be covered by this protocol and by the Advanced Informed Agreement procedure; identification and traceability issues; and liability and redress issues.
 Nine years after the entry into force of the Cartagena Protocol the transboundary movements of GMOs have clearly increased with new categories of GMOs and genetically modified products to regulate. The debate on the safety of GMOs used for food and feed as well as the effects of GMOs on the receiving environment is still very lively throughout the world, amidst a lack of traceability of GMOs or epidemiological studies in the GMO-producing countries. However, there has been some progress on liability and redress with regard to damage resulting from the transboundary movement of LMOs with the adoption of rules and procedures for liability and redress in 2010 with the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol "(hereafter the Nagoya SP)" to the Cartagena Protocol, which is yet to enter into force. There are also concerns on the harmonisation of national biosafety regulation, risk assessment and risk management standards, the interpretation of socio-economic considerations, and the monitoring of compliance with the provisions of the Cartagena The scope of the GMOs covered by the Cartagena Protocol is discussed first, which discussion is followed by the discussion of identification and traceability issues, the harmonisation of national biosafety regulation, the harmonisation of risk assessment and risk management standards, the scope of the relevant socio-economic considerations, implementation, and concerns about the settlement of disputes.

River Ganges – Historical, cultural and socioeconomic attributes

The River Ganges (also referred to as Ganga) is a symbol of faith, hope, culture and sanity, as well as a source of livelihood for millions since time immemorial. She is the centre of social and religious tradition in the Indian sub-continent and particularly sacred in Hinduism. The very special faith and respect for the River Ganges in India are as old as Indian culture itself. These are amply reflected in such ancient Indian scriptures as: Vedas, Puranas, Mahabharata, Ramayana and several others. In fact, respect for Ganga is a part of Indian identity and the very symbol of Indian culture. The history of Ganga in nurturing culture and civilizations is appreciated through fostering native culture in its basin, shifting of the Indus-Sarasvati basin civilization into its fold, and promoting integration of cultures to develop Indian civilization. The Ganges alone drains an area of over a million square kilometers. Its extensive basin accounts for one-fourth of India's water resources and is home to more than 407 million Indians, or some one-third of India's population. The Ganges basin, with its fertile soil, is a significant contributor to the agricultural economies of both India and Bangladesh. The Ganges and its tributaries provide a perennial source of irrigation to a large area, in addition to recharging the groundwater table all along their course. By supporting agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries, tourism, river-based trade and transport, the river contributes significantly to the livelihood, food and nutritional security of about one-third of Indian and two-thirds of the Bangladeshi population. This article attempts to present a macro view of the Ganges and provide a broader context encompassing its historical, spiritual, cultural and socioeconomic attributes and considerations which often remain untouched in scientific papers.

Coupling of a distributed stakeholder-built system dynamics socio-economic model with SAHYSMOD for sustainable soil salinity management. Part 2: Model coupling and application

Many simulation models focus on simulating a single physical process and do not constitute balanced representations of the physical, social and economic components of a system. The present study addresses this challenge by integrating a physical (P) model (SAHYSMOD) with a group (stakeholder) built system dynamics model (GBSDM) through a component modeling approach based on widely applied tools such as MS Excel, Python and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). The coupled model (P-GBSDM) was applied to test soil salinity management scenarios (proposed by stakeholders) for the Haveli region of the Rechna Doab Basin in Pakistan. Scenarios such as water banking, vertical drainage, canal lining, and irrigation water reallocation were simulated with the integrated model. Spatiotemporal maps and economic and environmental trade-off criteria were used to examine the effectiveness of the selected management scenarios. After 20years of simulation, canal lining reduced soil salinity by 22% but caused an initial reduction of 18% in farm income, which requires an initial investment from the government. The government-sponsored Salinity Control and Reclamation Project (SCARP) is a short-term policy that resulted in a 37% increase in water availability with a 12% increase in farmer income. However, it showed detrimental effects on soil salinity in the long term, with a 21% increase in soil salinity due to secondary salinization. The new P-GBSDM was shown to be an effective platform for engaging stakeholders and simulating their proposed management policies while taking into account socioeconomic considerations. This was not possible using the physically based SAHYSMOD model alone.

Salient Needs for Conservation of Atlantic Salmon

A short review is presented on the major factors contributing to recent precipitous declines in populations of wild Atlantic Salmon Salmo salar, with the approach of describing the major needs for stabilizing or enhancing factors to conserve and reverse the decline of salmon populations and incidentally of other salmonid species. Some aspects of physiology and required habitat characteristics through the life history of Atlantic Salmon are reviewed that determine responses to degradation of habitats. Anthropogenic developments, including obstructions to migration and degradation of freshwater habitats, are major reasons for declines in the resource. Thus, habitat is a primary factor to be considered in conservation and restoration. Socioeconomic considerations may override ecological and public interest concerns, and examples are given from Canada, where environmental regulations have been relaxed in favor of economic interests. Public education and awareness and advocacy in order for political “will” for better conservation of the resource are required to slow, and eventually stop, the decline in Atlantic Salmon populations.

The Appropriateness of Using the Self-Directed Search Questionnaire in Developing Countries: A Pilot Study with South African Navy Divers

In contested labour markets in developing countries, vocational interest inventories could potentially match applicants to speciality occupations. This descriptive study investigated the appropriateness of career interest, represented by the SDS, to guide vocational placement in a developing country. The study applied Holland’s concepts of congruence, differentiation, and consistency of vocational profile to South African Navy divers as a case study. The 81 navy divers generated an S/R/E code, but with questionable congruence, and poor differentiation and consistency. The results suggested that the profile might reflect socioeconomic dynamics rather than the expression of personality-vocational matching, and such scales might not be useful for vocational placement in local environments. The study cautions the use of vocational guidance instruments in context of developing countries, where socio-economic considerations may outweigh personality characteristics in career choices.

Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy – An overview of surgical techniques

Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy is one of the commonest indications for epilepsy surgery. Presurgical evaluation for drug resistant epilepsy and identification of appropriate candidates for surgery is essential for optimal seizure freedom. The anatomy of mesial temporal lobe is complex and needs to be understood in the context of the advanced imaging, ictal and interictal Video_EEG monitoring, neuropsychology and psychiatric considerations. The completeness of disconnection of epileptogenic neural networks is paramount and is correlated with the extent of resection of the mesial temporal structures. In the Indian subcontinent, a standard but extended anterior temporal lobectomy is a viable option in view of the diverse socioeconomic, cultural and pathological considerations. The maximum utilization of epilepsy surgery services in this region is also a challenge. There is a need for regional comprehensive epilepsy care teams in a tertiary care academic hospital to form centers of excellence catering to a large population.

Nutritional characterisation of low-income households of Nairobi: socioeconomic, livestock and gender considerations and predictors of malnutrition from a cross-sectional survey

In sub-Saharan Africa, urban informal settlements are rapidly expanding, leading to overcrowding and constituting challenging environments for food and water supplies, health and nutrition. The study objectives were to characterise and compare two low-income areas of Nairobi according to socioeconomic (including livestock and gender) indicators and the nutritional status of non-pregnant women of reproductive age and 1 to 3 year-old children; and to investigate socioeconomic predictors of malnutrition in these areas. In this cross-sectional survey 205 low-income households in deprived areas of Dagoretti and Korogocho (Nairobi) were randomly selected. Socioeconomic data were collected via an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Maternal and child dietary data were collected by a 24-h dietary recall. Maternal and child anthropometric and haemoglobin measurements were taken. Chi-square, t-test and Wilcoxon-Mann–Whitney test were used to compare groups and multivariable linear regression to assess predictors of malnutrition. Dagoretti consistently showed better socioeconomic indicators including: income, education and occupation of household head, land ownership, housing quality and domestic asset ownership. Animal ownership was more than twice as high in Dagoretti as in Korogocho (53.0 % vs 22.9 % of households; p-value < 0.0001). A double burden of malnutrition existed: 41.5 % of children were stunted, and 29.0 % of women were overweight. In addition, 74.0 % of the children and 25.9 % of the women were anaemic, and were at risk of inadequate intakes for a number of micronutrients. Nutritional status and nutrient intakes were consistently better in Dagoretti than Korogocho; height-for-age (0.47 Z-scores higher; p-value = 0.004), the minimum dietary diversity (80.0 % vs 57.7 % in children, p-value = 0.001) and intakes of several nutrients were significantly higher. Positive predictors of maternal nutritional status were income, age and not having a premature delivery. Positive predictors of child nutritional status were area, household head education, mother not being married, female animal ownership and child’s sex (female). Malnutrition is prevalent in these settings, which could be partly due to low nutrient intakes, and to socioeconomic factors (including poverty), thus requiring comprehensive approaches that include increased accessibility and affordability of nutrient-dense foods. This study indicates that differences among low-income areas may need consideration for prioritisation and design of interventions.

Conditioning audience patronage using subject matters in Nollywood films: the example of 30 days in Atlanta

Films are subject-based and when producers set out to communicate their viewpoints, some do it flamboyantly while others take the subtle path. Unlike live theatre before it, the possibility of a virile spiral regarding the themes treated in movies can be as much repugnant as they can be fascinating. In this case, the audience are wont to receive without bias some nuances expressed in motion picture for several reasons. Notably, religious orientation, gender bias, cultural and racial views, intellectual and philosophical stand, genres as well as mode of reception condition the audience to relate with certain artworks. Without the audience, actors and show promoters would have birth a production meant only for the empty theatre. It is common knowledge that concerns with taste and culture, socio-economic and political considerations affect conception and execution of all audio-visual materials intended for audience consumption. Whether a producer knows it or not, his or her theatrical productions can meet stiff competition from other shows, meaning that the audience is a free for all market. 30 Days in Atlanta, with a favourable record of audience reception and patronage, stands tall as a reference point for manipulating social commentary in its contextual projection of notable issues. Adopting the historical-analytic review approach, the study evaluates the themes inherent in the film as a prerequisite for audience patronage. Keywords: Themes, Nollywood, 30 Days in Atlanta, Audience patronage, Funding

On risk assessment and risk acceptance of dangerous goods transportation through road tunnels in Greece

Prescriptive and risk-based methods including qualitative, semi-quantitative and quantitative approaches exist for the risk assessment of road tunnels. This paper provides an overview and a brief discussion of these methods and uses representative traffic and accident data in Greece in a typical tunnel conforming with the minimum infrastructure requirements of the European Directive 2004/54/EC to compare and discuss the resulting risk for each of these methods. Conclusions regarding the implementation of risk analysis methods and the use of the associated existing national guideline are drawn and recommendations for further developments in standards are provided. An integrated framework for the optimal selection of safety measures based on risk reduction and socio-economic considerations is proposed and its applicability in risk analysis of road tunnels is discussed.

Status of Water Supply in Parts of Umuahia South Local Government Area, Abia State, Nigeria: A Look at Alternatives

The study investigated the water supply sources in Old Umuahia semi-urban district in Abia State, Nigeria. Emphasis was on the quality and quantity of available water sources. Some socio-economic considerations such as family sizes, proximity of source, quality and quantity of water actually used per day as compared with quantity required per day were all evaluated. Water supply shortfall was hence evaluated and quantified. Different sources of water in use were evaluated. They include motorized boreholes, Springs, Streams, commercial water vendors and harvested rainwater. The study showed that the majority of residents had bread winners who were civil servants (48%) with an average family size of 5-8 people. Most people practice conjunctive water use of water combining more than one source with comparative advantages. 89% of the people depend on water boreholes for their drinking water supplies. Available hydrogeological data from the area were reviewed. The area was found to be underlain by a prolific aquifer capable of sustainably supplying the area. Water samples were collected from the different water sources and analysed for concentration of key physico-chemical parameters such as pH, Dissolve d Oxygen, conductivity, turbidity, totaldissolved solids, total hardness, chloride, salinity, total alkalinity, copper, iron, manganese, sulphate, chromium, colour and zinc. The results were compared with World Health Organisation (WHO) standards for domestic water supply. From the results, water in the area was found to be acidic with pH values ranging from 4.9 to 5.15 (mean value, 5.02). All the other physico-chemical parameters showed values that plot within the limit of acceptability of WHO standards except for two boreholes sources, two streams sources and samples from the commercial water vendors whose water samples indicated serious bacteriological contamination. Supplies from groundwater sources is of highest quality. Since the area is underlain by aquifers with excellent water yielding properties, the studyrecommended the development of water supply in the area mainly from groundwater sources. This will require additional hydrogeological studies to determine the number, location and depths of new boreholes to serve the domestic water demands of the inhabitants of the area. Existing four boreholes are grossly inadequate to meet and sustain the domestic water needs of about 8000 people who presently inhabit the area. Similarly, people should be discouraged from using the water from commercial water vendors for domestic purposes. This will drastically reducethe incidence of water-borne diseases in the area

The effect of disc degeneration on anterior shear translation in the lumbar spine: Still more problems lie ahead

Letter to Dr. Linda Sandell: Low back pain is the single most common cause for disability in individuals aged 45 years or younger and as a result carries tremendous weight in socioeconomic considerations. Undoubtedly, numerous factors are contributed to low back pain; mechanical causes of low back pain include degenerative spinal pathologies such as spondylolisthesis, disc herniation, discogenic pain, and so on. Although the study by Melnyk et al.1 has dramatically improved our knowledge about the effect of disc degeneration on anterior translation of the lumbar spine under shear loading, we do not completely agree with the conclusion indicating that disc degeneration, as classified with the Pfirrmann scale, does not predict lumbar spinal motion in shear. First, recent biomechanical studies have revealed distinct behavior at the different lumbar levels2; and the study of lumbar intervertebral disc morphology using MR images has shown segment-dependent geometric features.3 Moreover, different clinical outcomes following surgical treatment at the different lumbar levels have been reported.4 Various factors could influence segment-dependent function of the lumbar spine, such as the surrounding ligaments and muscles, vertebral geometries, the orientation of facet joints, and so on. Notably, the segment-dependent discrepancy may be an inherent factor on the effect of disc degeneration on anterior translation of the lumbar spine under shear loading, which specifically compared at different segment levels are necessary. Further, lumbar disc degeneration is found most often at the L5-S1 level.5 We believe that the study by Melnyk et al.1 has some important limitations. For example, the study only investigated the L3-4 and L4-5 levels that they did not take the other lumbar levels into account, especially the L5-S1 level. Finally, the in-vitro study applied shear loading conditions could be quite different from in-vivo shear loading conditions, which the surrounding ligaments and muscles are not considered. In addition, the in-vivo studies have reported that different abnormal vertebral motions are closely associated with different lumbar disc degenerations graded by Pfirrmann's criteria.6 The conclusion of Melnyk et al.1 may mislead the surgeons on the operative treatment options of lumbar disc degeneration. In the end, we unanimously applaud Melnyk et al. for their significant work and the diligence with which they handled this controversial topic. Currently, it is still more problems waiting to be solved. Therefore, substantial work to determine the effect of disc degeneration on anterior translation of the lumbar spine under shear loading is essential in the near future. YS made substantial contributions to manuscript drafting and approval. DP made substantial contributions to revising the manuscript critically for important intellectual content and approval. ZD made substantial contributions to manuscript revision and approval. WZ made substantial contributions to Conception and design of the manuscript; manuscript revision and approval for the final version submitted. Yi Shen, Dan Peng, Zhihui Dai, Weiye Zhong Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Second Xiangya Hospital and Central South University 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China

The Claims and Duties of Socioeconomic Human Rights

A standard objection to socioeconomic human rights is that they are not claimable as human rights: their correlative duties are not owed to each human, independently of specific institutional arrangements, in an enforceable manner. I consider recent responses to this ‘claimability objection’, and argue that none succeeds. There are no human rights to socioeconomic goods. But all is not lost: there are, I suggest, human rights to ‘socioeconomic consideration’. I propose a detailed structure for these rights and their correlative duties, while remaining neutral on substantive moral debates. I argue that socioeconomic-consideration human rights are satisfactorily claimable and sufficiently practical.

Stakeholder views on issues to consider when assessing the sustainability of genetically modified potato

The importance of assessing socio-economic and sustainability aspects of genetically modified (GM) crops is increasingly recognized by policy-makers, both within the EU and internationally. Nevertheless, experience has shown that it is challenging to assess and implement these aspects in actual decision-making processes. This paper argues that stakeholder engagement may provide valuable insights when developing frameworks for sustainability assessment of GM crops. We organized two stakeholder workshops with the aim to gather perspectives on the sustainability of cultivating late blight resistant (LBR) GM potato in Norway. Sixteen Norwegian stakeholders involved in potato production and in agriculture in general took part in the workshops. Here, we present and discuss the outcomes of this participatory approach. The stakeholders identified several conditions that an LBR GM potato ought to satisfy in order to contribute to sustainable development. These conditions concerned environmental and health safety aspects of cultivating LBR GM potato, potential for fungicide reductions, durability of the LBR GM potato plant's resistance, farmers' profitability and consumer acceptance. In addition, the stakeholders considered issues such as maintenance of a diversity of potato cultivars, transparency during product development and risk assessment processes, ownership and control and opportunity for independent risk research as important considerations in a sustainability assessment. While focusing on a specific application of agricultural biotechnology, we believe that these findings are useful contributions to the ongoing efforts to develop frameworks and guidelines for assessing sustainability and socio-economic considerations of GM crops in general.