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No. 34: Food Insecurity And The Coping Strategies Of West African Migrants In Accra, Ghana, Ralph Armah, Mary B. Setrana, Peter Quartey, Aba Crentsil, Cynthia Addoquaye Tagoe, Innocent Agbelie

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

This paper examines the food insecurity experiences and coping strategies of West African migrants in Accra, Ghana, across three periods: pre-COVID-19, during the pandemic, and post-COVID-19. Utilizing a survey of 420 migrants, the study explores the interplay between remittances, socioeconomic factors, and food security. The findings reveal that food insecurity was most severe during the pandemic, with remittances—especially food remittances—offering limited mitigation due to underlying vulnerabilities. Coping strategies employed by migrants included reducing meal frequency, relying on less preferred foods, borrowing food, and seeking social support. The study highlights the need for targeted policies to strengthen urban food systems, provide …

Frameworks For Measuring Regenerative Tourism: Supply And Demand Indicators With A Dynamic And Holistic Approach, Asif Hussain

Journal of Sustainability and Resilience

This paper examines regenerative tourism as a holistic approach that goes beyond sustainability by actively restoring and enhancing social-ecological systems. Recognizing tourism’s interconnectedness with economic, social, cultural, and environmental systems, it presents regenerative tourism as a dynamic model integrating supply and demand perspectives to promote innovation, resilience, and renewal. On the supply side, regenerative tourism emphasizes ecological restoration, sustainable practices, economic stability with minimal environmental harm, and authentic experiences. On the demand side, it aligns with the rising preference for ethical, participatory, and immersive tourism, involving tourists as active contributors to destination well-being. The paper highlights the importance of multidimensional …

Developing Sustainable Medical Tourism: A Framework In The Perspective Of Developing Countries, Abel Ansporthy Mamboleo Dr.

Journal of Sustainability and Resilience

This study reviewed the literature to develop the framework for sustainable medical tourism in developing countries. According to the findings, the development of a sustainable tourist destination necessitates the involvement of various stakeholders and adherence to sustainability principles. The framework suggests five essential tasks for sustainable medical tourism development. It contributes to the knowledge of sustainable medical tourism by suggesting the framework for analysing a specific situation for the development of a medical tourist destination. It provides a better understanding of sustainable medical tourism operations by integrating medication, travel, hospitality, and tourism. Moreover, it contributes to the sphere of medical …

National Assessment Program Civics And Citizenship 2024. Public Report, Tim Friedman, Kate O'Malley, Wolfram Schulz, Judy Nixon, Dominique Hall, Frances Eveleigh

Civics and Citizenship Assessment

This report presents the findings of the 7th National Assessment Program – Civics and Citizenship, which was administered in May 2024, and which tests students’ civics and citizenship knowledge and understanding in a sample of Australian schools. The 2024 report reveals that Year 6 and 10 students have a high degree of trust in civic institutions, but considerably less trust in the media or social media. In addition, students have also expressed concerns about a range of issues affecting Australia, including pollution, climate change, crime, and racism. It also shows that, at the national level, results have fallen since the …

Laina Farhat-Holzman: Distinguished Iscsc Author, Incisive Thinker, Fearless Commentator, Innovative Leader, Joseph Drew

Comparative Civilizations Review

It is a sad duty to report that a luminary who was long associated with this journal and with the leadership of the International Society for the Comparative Study of Civilizations, Dr. Laina Farhat-Holzman, has died.

Full Issue

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

Editor’S Note: Want To Help Develop A Textbook On Comparative Civilizations?, Joseph Drew

Comparative Civilizations Review

Is anyone here in the United States or elsewhere teaching a course in the comparative study of civilizations at the undergraduate level these days?

Since I was thinking about organizing the writing of a textbook on the topic, I began recently by considering what the major areas were to be covered in such a book. What, I wondered, have been the significant approaches scholars have taken over the past century or so to address the fluid, debatable, tenuous meanings and shapes of civilizations?

Russia’S Geopolitical Civilizational Narratives And Strategic Direction In The Contemporary Multipolar World Order, Sharyl Cross, Igor Okunev

Comparative Civilizations Review

This article sets forth the foundations for recent geopolitical civilizational narratives in Russia that are influencing Moscow’s contemporary foreign policy behavior and the future direction of the Russian “civilizational state” in the global multipolar world order. This article is not intended to provide justification for Russia’s foreign policy choices and actions, but rather the purpose is to explain Moscow’s official geopolitical narratives, and thus to provide a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the considerations informing Russia’s foreign policy behavior.

Vladimir Putin has been at the helm of leadership in Russia exerting unparalleled influence as President and Prime Minister since …

The Perspectives Of Play Advocates On Children’S Unstructured Play In Turkey, Bengi Sullu

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The Convention on the Rights of the Child has established children’s rights to non- discrimination, development, participation and the observance of their best interests. With this recognition, there has been a growing global interest in acknowledging play as a right. Yet unstructured play, in which children can choose when, where and how to play, with control over their play, has not received the same attention, support and investment as organized, structured play (UNCRC General Comment 17, 2013). The way adults perceive and support play shapes the play opportunities that are available to children (Bianquin, 2018; Göl-Güven, 2017). Additionally, institutions and …

Wireless Access: A Barrier To Success?, Kara Dees Auger

The Kennesaw Journal of Undergraduate Research

This study investigates the differences in the speed of the Internet among various libraries in rural and urban counties, as well as how this difference affects KSU students' access to educational materials. The primary purpose was to determine how download and upload speeds compare across libraries and what impact those differences have on academic performance. A sample of libraries in counties with over 500 KSU students was selected, and speed tests were executed at two major libraries per county.

Data analysis by the Kruskal-Wallis test revealed the presence of considerable differences, with rural libraries like Maude P Ragsdale Public Library, …

Christopher Dawson And The Challenges Of Interdisciplinary Studies, Joseph T. Stuart

Comparative Civilizations Review

The following interview was conducted by Ms. Bibi Pelic, the Director of Communications for the International Society for the Comparative Study of Civilizations. The recording is available on the ISCSC YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so-hS2SdoZc

How The State Replaces Civilization: The Japanese Exception, Robert Bedeski

Comparative Civilizations Review

By conceptualizing civilization and state as integrated systems consisting of interacting subsystems, their similarities and differences can be analyzed. The central hypothesis is that civilization consists of three material subsystems — economy, government, and knowledge — and one non-material subsystem, transcendence. When the transcendent subsystem is diminished or destroyed by decree or overwhelming rational and scientific evidence, the emergence of the state occurs as in the cases of the Mongol Empire, the Soviet Union, and communist China.

The apparent universality of this observation is countered by an examination of the Japanese civilization and state, where imperial transcendence dominated and reinforced …

Repositioning North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato): The New Security Dilemma On Trans–Atlantic Relations Amid Shifting Global Geopolitics, Daniel C. George, Indra Alverdian

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

The shifting global geopolitics have led to a new security dilemma in Europe, especially in trans–Atlantic relations. NATO as the vanguard of the trans–Atlantic defense pact is faced with transitional conditions of non-conventional threats that return to conventional threats. Due to the shift in the new global order, these threats require a repositioning for NATO to counter the new security dilemma amidst shifting global geopolitics. By referring to the three asserted pillars–the return of conventional warfare on the European continent; a more assertive Russia in the European continent under Vladimir Putin; and the geopolitical of China's rise impacted trans–-Atlantic …

Expectations Versus Reality In New Cairo's Gated Communities: An Interdisciplinary Analysis Of Socio-Spatial Features, Ala'a Marwan

Theses and Dissertations

This research aims to introduce a new framework to identify the disparities between gated community residents’ experiences and real estate developers' visions towards the development. As New Cairo experiences significant growth, many residents are increasingly relocating to gated communities. It has become crucial to assess users’ expectations before moving and their lived experience post-moving to allocate the gaps between their expectations and reality, otherwise, the GC developments will grow apart from users’ updated preferences. The research focuses on the socio-spatial qualities such as accessibility to services and facilities, community interaction, and vast green areas between buildings for privacy, all of …

Celebrating Achievements As Digital Rituals Among Indonesian Youth On Social Media, B.J. Sujibto, Malikatun Natiqoh, Kafhaya Nuzulanisa, Saras Wati Widodo

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

Youth and social media are increasingly intertwined, as their socio-cultural trajectories accelerate digital connectedness and intensify the contestation of diverse identities. Posting on social media has thus become a ritualized practice. This article explores how Indonesian university students construct identities by sharing achievement stories and success narratives on Instagram. Using qualitative data, it examines the experiences of students who have excelled in academic competitions. The study identifies two key typologies behind such posts. Firstly, personal determinism, aimed at self- reward and self-branding. Secondly, social motivation, focused on inspiring peers and building supportive networks to achieve academic success. These typologies reflect …

Access, Community Capacity, And Socio-Economic Impacts On The Implementation Of Social Forestry Programs In The Perum Perhutani Kph Telawa Working Area, Esa Jati Manunggal Sukma Adhi, Trisni Utami

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

Despite increasing interest in social forestry, limited research has explored the interplay between community capacity and access within Indonesia’s Social Forestry Utilization Permit (IPHPS) scheme. This study examines the relationship between community capacity, access, and socio-economic impacts to inform effective policy implementation. Employing a qualitative case study approach, it focuses on a community granted an IPHPS Decree within the Perum Perhutani Forest Management Unit (KPH) Telawa. The findings identify three key dimensions of community capacity: technical capacity (local knowledge and skills), networking capacity (social capital and relationships), and cultural capacity (local wisdom and practices). While legal access to forest permits …

Investigating Suicide Risk Factors Among Appalachian West Virginian Adults, Erin D. Caswell, Angela M. Dyer, Summer D. Hartley, Caroline P. Groth, Mary Christensen, Sahiti K. Tulabandu, Bryce K. Weaver, Ruchi Bhandari

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Suicide rates in the United States have increased over the past two decades, with rural areas, particularly the Appalachian Region, facing unique challenges that elevate suicide risk. These include economic hardships, social isolation, and limited access to mental health services.

Purpose: This study addresses critical gaps in understanding lifetime suicide risk in West Virginia (WV), a predominantly rural state entirely within the Appalachian Region. By identifying the factors driving urban-rural differences in suicide risk, this research seeks to inform interventions tailored to the state's distinct needs and provide insights applicable to the broader Appalachian Region

Methods: Using 2021 Mountain …

Current Attitudes And Barriers Among Appalachian Patients Towards Orthopaedic Surgery, Dylan Smith Md, Justin B. West Ms, Wade Smith Md, Micah Macaskill Md, Jonathan Lash, Matthew W. Bullock Do, Mpt

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: This study explores the challenges faced by residents of rural West Virginia in accessing orthopaedic care due to geographic and socioeconomic barriers.

Purpose: This study seeks to survey rural West Virginia residents about their attitudes and experiences regarding access to orthopaedic care in southern West Virginia.

Methods: A total of 132 electronic surveys were collected from rural West Virginia residents during an appointment with their primary care provider located at an affiliated outreach clinic. The survey was designed to investigate various factors influencing their access to orthopaedic care.

Results: Delays in seeking orthpaedic care are common in rural West …

No. 33: Living Through The Covid-19 Pandemic As A Refugee In Secondary Cities In Canada: The Intersectionality Of Immobility, Gender And Food Insecurity, Zhenzhong Si, Zack Ahmed, Sujata Ramachandran, Neil Arya, Jonathan Crush

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed and exacerbated the vulnerabilities of migrants and refugees in secondary cities in Canada, where the restrictive food environment and limited resources heightened challenges related to food security. This study investigates how the intersectionality of immobility, gender, and food insecurity shaped the lived experiences of recently resettled Syrian, Somali and Afghanistan refugees in the Waterloo Region, Canada, during the pandemic. The mixed methods research approach integrates survey and in-depth interview data to examine refugees’ motivations for migration, economic conditions, challenges in accessing culturally appropriate food, and the impact of gender roles. Findings reveal that structural barriers within …

Enhancing Citizen Capacity Through Optimising Village-Owned Enterprises (Bumdes) Role In Strengthening Community Participation For Sustainable Development, Supandi Supandi, Saliman Saliman

Jurnal Civics: Media Kajian Kewarganegaraan

Sustainable development at the local level necessitates active community participation, bolstered by educational innovation and the optimisation of empowering institutions such as Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDes). This research investigates the impact of the Social Studies Outdoor Laboratory and BUMDes on development in the Bokoharjo, Prambanan, Sleman Regency. Specifically, the study examines three key areas: (1) the influence of the Social Studies Outdoor Laboratory on development, (2) the role of BUMDes in facilitating development, and (3) the collaborative effect between the Social Studies Outdoor Laboratory and BUMDes on regional growth. A quantitative approach was employed, sampling nine individuals from Bokoharjo Village from …

Rural, Gifted Student Experience In Appalachian Kentucky, Olivia G. Jarrell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Current literature shows that gifted students' experiences often differ from nongifted peers. Similarly, research shows that rural students’ experiences are unique compared to nonrural peers. This study hopes to address the gap in literature on experiences of students at the intersection of giftedness and rurality with the question: How do rural, gifted students in Appalachian Kentucky experience and perceive K-12 schooling? Rural, gifted students exist in the overlap between two unique groups. Using a multi-case study, participants came from three separate school districts in a region of Appalachian Kentucky, with each district being a separate case. Data collection included observations …

Suburbanization As A Post-Industrial Essentiality: Revisiting Sweden's Miljonprogrammet, Colin Wood

Swarthmore Undergraduate History Journal

Definitively speaking, suburbanization does not equate to post-industrialism in the same limelight as would urbanization and industrialism. However, anomalous cases, such as the one being discussed in this paper, tangentially interlink on a socioeconomic basis. In 1965, Sweden began construction of the Miljonprogrammet (Million Programme), where over the next ten years, over one million domiciles were built in a suburban setting leading to a mass diaspora of ‘slum living’ Swedish industrial workers. The nation’s renowned welfare state, built on a collaborative system between public and private sectors as well as federal and municipal actors, overlooked housing in its social …

Climate Conversations: An Intergenerational Artistic Exploration With Family, Julia A. Craven

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

This cross-generational study explores perceptions of climate change through interviews and visual art from three generations: the author, their grandparents, and their aunt. Guided by questions such as “Whose responsibility is it to address climate change?” and “How has climate change affected you?,” the interviews were used to create three art pieces that explore different aspects of climate change. The first art piece, titled “Eco-Anxiety,” visually represents the author's anxiety about climate change through the detangling of hair in their hands that "pull" at relevant climate news articles in the background. The second piece, “Beauty’s in the Eye of the …

From Land Reform To Landfare: Land Claims And The Welfare State In Kerala, India, Sudheesh R.C

Articles

While large-scale land reform may still be underway in many countries, other contexts have states responding to land claims through scattered land provision measures. This article puts forward “landfare” as a lens to capture such measures and unpacks its features in one location. The article first explains this term, outlining its location in and departure from the land reform scholarship. It next shows how Kerala, India, widely cited in the scholarship for its 20th century land reform, addresses the land claims of its Adivasi citizens in the 21st century through landfare. Through an exploration of Adivasi land claims and an …

Profiles Of Major Amish Settlements In North America: A Guide For Researchers And Service Providers, Cory Anderson, Rachel Bacon

Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies

Amish populations cluster in ethnic enclaves, or “settlements,” which are located across much of North America, notably in the regions of the Mid-Atlantic, Great Lakes, Midwest, and Upper South. This article profiles 38 of the largest and best known Amish settlements. The profiles include (1) a recent population tally and population projections to 2050, (2) population density maps, (3) settlement history, (4) socio-economic attributes, (5) religious affiliations, and (6) an overview of the physical and economic landscape. The purpose of this article is to provide scholars and service providers an informative introduction to the different settlements. This article can help …

From Climate To Conflict: Unravelling Multidimensional Vulnerabilities Of Small-Scale Fisheries In The Jaffna Peninsula Of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Senevi Gunaratne, R. B. Radin Firdaus, Augustine Sosai Sihivaitthasan, Sarjiyanto Sarjiyanto, Mohd Hafiidz Jaafar

The Qualitative Report

Vulnerability studies have often centered on climate change and catastrophic climatic events. Contrary to this trend, this study explores the multidimensional vulnerabilities faced by small-scale fisheries (SSFs) in the Jaffna peninsula of Sri Lanka. We employed the Integrated Vulnerability Analysis for Sustainability (IVAS) Framework for this analysis. Data was collected through focus group discussions and key informant interviews using semi-structured questionnaires. We analyzed our data following Reflexive Thematic Analysis using ATLAS.ti software and identified 15 vulnerability drivers across five domains specific to the local context, revealing that SSFs in the Jaffna peninsula are highly susceptible to multiple vulnerabilities. Notably, the …

Using Spatial Network Analysis To Explore Migration Of Extended Families In Historical Research, Rock Miller

Theses and Dissertations

This project proposes a geoinformatics approach for understanding the migration of extended families in historical contexts. It uses full-count longitudinal census data (developed by the Minnesota Population Center) and graph methods to define multi-generational extended family relationships and to model the locational structures of these families as a spatial network. Graph algorithms and mapping methods are used to interrogate these structures as reflections of the patterns of family outmigration and extension over time. The study is based on a set of extended families resident in a 15-county study area in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky in 1870, and their evolution …

Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Black Women In The Us, Brittany C Slatton, Farrah G Cambrice, Serwaa S Omowale

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

IMPORTANCE: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Black women is a critical public health concern, potentially exacerbating existing health disparities and impacting community-wide vaccination efforts.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Black women in the US and identify the specific concerns and experiences shaping hesitant attitudes toward vaccination.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Qualitative study using in-depth, semistructured interviews conducted virtually between June and November 2021. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes from the interview data. Participants were recruited through social media platforms and word-of-mouth referrals from various regions of the US. Interviews were conducted remotely …

Within-Day Diversity Change, Neighborhood Social Cohesion And Fear Of Crime, Chris Hess, Youngmin Yi, Gregory Sharp, Matt Hall

Faculty Articles

Research on neighborhood social organization and crime typically conceptualizes neighborhood change on the order of decades, even though the local social contexts that individuals experience change daily through mobility for work, errands and recreation. In this study, the authors analyze data from the Seattle Neighborhoods and Crime Survey linked to the Census Transportation Planning Products to investigate whether within-day changes in neighborhood diversity are associated with an individual’s social cohesion and fear of crime. The authors find that individuals living in neighborhoods where diversity increases during the daytime tend to report more social cohesion and relatively less fear of crime. …

National Assessment Program Civics And Citizenship 2024 : Technical Report., Kate O'Malley, Renee Kwong, Dulce Lay, Jorge Fallas

Civics and Citizenship Assessment

This report describes the procedures and processes involved in the conduct of the National Assessment Program – Civics and Citizenship (NAP – CC) 2024. The report is divided into chapters covering: the assessment framework and instrument design, item development, test design, scoring student responses, the student questionnaire, student background information, sampling and weighting, data collection procedures and data management, and scaling procedures. The report include an extensive collection of tables and figures.