71 results
Search Results
2. Smart energopower: Energy, work and waste within a UK smart grid trial.
- Author
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Angel, James
- Subjects
SMART power grids ,ENERGY development ,ENERGY industries ,POLITICAL ecology ,LOGIC - Abstract
In The Birth of Energy (2019), Cara New Daggett offers an incisive critique of the dominant thermodynamic concept of energy. 'Energy', Daggett shows, is inextricably tied to an exploitative productivist politics that extols the virtues of work and the sins of waste. In this paper, I seek to develop new conversations between Daggett's account in The Birth of Energy and an important empirical development within the energy industry that Daggett herself does not consider: the smart grid. The paper draws upon a mixed-methods research project, investigating a UK smart grid trial called 'OpenDSR' devised and implemented by Manchester-based co-operative Carbon Co-op, with funding from the UK government. I draw on my research within OpenDSR to make two interconnected arguments. Firstly, I argue that the smart grid sees an intensification of the energy-as-work logic that Daggett opposes, taking pre-existing preoccupations with calculation and measurement within the energy system to new extremes in pursuit of the maximisation of efficiency and the minimisation of waste. I then proceed to think through the political implications of this argument, contending that while the smart grid reproduces the dominant energy logic that Daggett critiques, it might still have a part to play within an emancipatory environmental politics. In making this claim, a second argument emerges, constituting a sympathetic critique of Daggett's account more broadly. Daggett offers an incisive and important contribution that does much to develop debates within the energy social sciences and humanities. However, I suggest that her account risks obscuring some important political differences between variegated forms of work and waste: while she makes a persuasive case for an anti-work conceptualisation of energy that portends liberation from waged labour, her analysis of the kinds of 'efficiency' that pertain to the energy system seems less compelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. Common difference: Conceptualising simultaneity and racial sincerity in Jewish-Muslim relations in the United Kingdom.
- Author
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Egorova, Yulia
- Subjects
ETHNOLOGY research ,INTERGROUP relations - Abstract
Building upon ethnographic research conducted among participants in UK-based initiatives in Jewish-Muslim dialogue, the paper contributes to anthropological literature on the essentialising nature of state-sponsored constructions of minoritised groups. More specifically, I put forward two sets of arguments. Firstly, I suggest a concept of simultaneity that challenges colonially inflected conceptualisations of the relationship between communities and their respective traditions. Activists of Jewish-Muslim inter-community work subvert dominant conceptualisations of intergroup commonalities and divergencies by developing a theorisation of Jewish-Muslim relations that acknowledges group similarities and differences as overlapping categories. Secondly, I contribute to John Jackson's (2005) theorisation of racial sincerity, a notion offering a conceptual challenge to the notion of authenticity. I argue that the complexity of my interlocutors' thematisations of Jewish-Muslim relations underpinned by the diversity of the sources of knowledge that they rely on could be best understood as an example of this analytic. On a broader theoretical plane, the paper proposes a framework that underscores the agentive power of minority communities and pays close attention to the way they define their positionalities vis-à-vis the majorities and each other in ways that go beyond binaries-based theorisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. Labour geography and the state: Exploring labour's role in working against, with and through the state to improve labour standards.
- Author
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Hastings, Thomas and Herod, Andrew
- Subjects
GEOGRAPHY ,SPATIAL ability ,ECONOMIC geography ,NATION-state - Abstract
State labour inspection has been relatively underresearched in economic and labour geography, despite its prospective role in tackling worker exploitation as part of national state regulatory strategies. This paper seeks to address this gap by critically examining state labour inspection as a government function capable of upholding labour standards within and across economic space. A key contribution of the paper is to make stronger connections between workers' spatial strategies and their ability to shape how labour inspection and standards enforcement is carried out. Focusing upon the UK and Ireland, we examine different ways in which some labour-friendly groups have sought to contest but also to support state labour inspection efforts with a view to protecting workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. 'A commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion': a conceptual framework for equality of opportunity in Patient and Public Involvement in research.
- Author
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Lignou, Sapfo, Sheehan, Mark, and Singh, Ilina
- Subjects
PATIENT participation ,JOB stress ,NORMATIVITY (Ethics) ,EQUALITY ,VALUES (Ethics) ,RESEARCH personnel - Abstract
Many research institutions and funders have recently stated their commitment to actively support and promote 'Equality, Diversity and Inclusion' (EDI) in various aspects of health research including Patient and Public Involvement (PPI). However, translating this commitment into specific research projects presents significant challenges that existing approaches, practical guidelines and initiatives have not adequately addressed. In this paper, we explore how the lack of clear justifications for the EDI commitment in existing guidelines inadvertently complicates the work of those involved with PPI and we stress the need for conceptual clarity for any EDI effort to yield meaningful results. Our focus centres on the first principle of the EDI discourse, 'equality', particularly in the form of 'equality of opportunity' as outlined in current guidance provided by the National Institute of Health Research in the United Kingdom. We examine challenges related to justifying and implementing a general, unspecified commitment to equality of opportunity and explain that this reflects a lack of consensus regarding the moral value of PPI in research – a profound problem that remains unaddressed. We then discuss how the presence of several opposing moral perspectives on PPI, makes determining the most appropriate way of addressing barriers to involvement complex and controversial, raising ethical implications for the work of health researchers, PPI specialists and coordinators. Finally we make suggestions on how future research can enrich the concept of 'equality of opportunity' in PPI and improve practice. While our primary focus is on the NIHR, a strong advocate of PPI in research, this analysis will point to normative and ethical considerations that may be relevant to other research institutions and funding organisations aiming to promote equality of opportunity in their public and patient involvement strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. The Role of the School Nurse in the United States, United Kingdom, and Italy During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review.
- Author
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Veronese, Veronica and Rossetto, Gianluca
- Subjects
NURSING audit ,NURSES -- United States ,OCCUPATIONAL roles ,ONLINE information services ,CINAHL database ,SYSTEMATIC reviews ,SCHOOL nursing ,NURSES ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics ,LITERATURE reviews ,MEDLINE ,COVID-19 pandemic - Abstract
The school nurse has a crucial role in the United States and the United Kingdom and has their own expertise dedicated to school assistance for children, families, school staff, and the community. This study aims to identify the role and skills of the school nurse and understand the effects of COVID-19 on nursing skills in the following countries: The United States, the United Kingdom, and Italy. A Scoping Review was conducted following the JBI methodology for scoping reviews, following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Three databases were consulted: PubMed, Cinahl, and Scopus. In all, 58 studies met the eligibility criteria and were included. 93.1% of the studies were carried out in the United States, 5.2% in the United Kingdom, and 1.7% in Italy. 34.5% of the articles were published in 2020, 15.5% in 2021, 31% in 2022, and 19% in 2023. 22.4% of the studies included in the review concerned health promotion and education. Regarding the methodology of the studies, 41.5% of the studies were commentary papers, 15.5% were observational studies, and 12% were cross-sectional studies. Considering the effects of the school nurse in the United States and the United Kingdom, it is possible to reflect on how the systematic presence of a nurse could also have benefits in Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
7. It's not just about the money: recruitment and retention of clinical staff in general dental practice – part 2: dental care professionals.
- Author
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Holloway, Jessica A. and Chestnutt, Ivor G.
- Subjects
PRACTICE of dentistry ,DENTAL care ,JOB satisfaction ,LITERATURE reviews ,SATISFACTION ,DENTISTS ,DENTAL auxiliary personnel - Abstract
As described in the first paper of this two-part series, increasing difficulties in recruitment and retention of dentists and dental care professionals (DCPs) in general dental practice in the UK is affecting delivery of NHS dental services. There is a significant risk to the future dental workforce supply which will affect access to dental care and worsen oral health inequalities. Understanding what factors contribute to job satisfaction and prevent job dissatisfaction of dental professionals would be useful in managing recruitment and retention issues. The aim of this literature review was to identify factors which contribute to job satisfaction of DCPs in general dental practice. Database searching was conducted systematically through PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Ovid, and the National Grey Literature Collection. Eleven relevant articles were identified, which were qualitatively analysed using Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory as an analysis tool. Unfair remuneration is a major contributor to dissatisfaction of DCPs, but job satisfaction could be promoted through increased recognition, variety of work, and opportunities to progress. Dental contract reform in the UK should aim to minimise factors contributing to dissatisfaction and increase factors which increase satisfaction, including the development of an acceptable remuneration model for NHS dentistry that facilitates skill mix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
8. Regulatory Capture in Transboundary Waste Dumping: (Lack of) Accountability in the Global North–South Context.
- Author
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Wijethilake, Chaminda, Adhikari, Pawan, and Upadhaya, Bedanand
- Subjects
HAZARDOUS wastes ,WASTE management ,DEVELOPING countries ,POLITICAL trust (in government) ,WELL-being - Abstract
By showcasing Sri Lanka's repatriation of hazardous hospital waste to the United Kingdom, this paper explores how the transboundary movement of waste management business model functions in the Global South. It builds on a framework that integrates the market and legal modes of accountability, regulatory capture, and an ethic of accountability. Data were collected using online ethnography and an interpretive case study method. The study demonstrates how the adherence to market and legal modes of accountability and the violation of an ethic of accountability have created loopholes for actors to capture regulatory and institutional provisions, making the transboundary waste management business redundant in the Global South. The traditional business model pursued in waste management has proved inadequate in realizing reciprocal societal rights and responsibilities and promoting public well-being. This has resulted in an erosion of public trust in government and state agencies. Thus, we argue that accountability-based accounting and the ethic of accountability can potentially mitigate the opportunities for regulatory capture, serve the public interests, and protect the ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
9. "It's Like a Drive by Misogyny": Sexual Violence at UK Music Festivals.
- Author
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Bows, Hannah, Day, Aviah, and Dhir, Alishya
- Subjects
VIOLENCE prevention ,CULTURE ,SEXISM ,SEX offenders ,RAPE ,RESEARCH methodology ,FEMINISM ,VIOLENCE ,INTERVIEWING ,SOCIAL context ,SEXUAL harassment ,CRIME victims ,CONCEPTUAL structures ,QUALITATIVE research ,SPECIAL days ,SEX crimes ,PSYCHOLOGY of women ,PUBLIC spaces ,GOVERNMENT policy ,RESEARCH funding ,MUSIC ,EMOTIONS ,PSYCHOLOGICAL adaptation ,HOLIDAYS ,WOMEN'S health - Abstract
Despite increasing scholarly and media attention on sexual violence in public spaces, including those associated with the night-time economy and licensed venues, music festivals have been largely absent from research and policy. This paper presents the findings from the first UK study of sexual violence at music festivals, drawing on data from interviews with 13 women who have experienced some form of sexual harassment or assault at a festival. Analysis reveals that sexual violence at festivals occurs on a continuum and represents an extension of rape culture through which sexual violence is culturally condoned and normalized, enabled through a number of environmental and culture features that are unique to festivals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
10. The spatial and temporal development of British prisons from 1901 to the present: The role of de-industrialisation.
- Author
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Jones, Phil Mike, Gray, Emily, and Farrall, Stephen
- Subjects
PRISONS ,POISSON regression ,COAL mining ,REGRESSION analysis ,DEMOGRAPHIC change ,TEMPORAL databases - Abstract
This paper combines archival data and statistical analysis to investigate the context-specific ways that prisons expanded and affected communities in the UK, focusing closely on the role of the UK's political economy. We present evidence of a significant increase of prisons in the counties where the coal-mining industry was dismantled during the 1980s and 1990s. We identify former coal-mining areas based on Coal Mining Reporting Areas and the methodology used by Beatty and Fothergill (1996) and test if more prisons were opened in former coal-mining areas than non-coal-mining areas per capita post-closures. Using Poisson regression analyses and controlling for population changes, we found that coal-mining counties were significantly more likely to acquire a new prison between 1981 and 2001 than those areas which were not affected by de-industrialisation. We apply Derrida's thinking on hauntology to reexamine the spatial legacy of Thatcherism in these communities as a means to understand history and culture, and the unraveling of the past, present, and future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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