Stance nouns in COVID-19 related blog posts

Author(s):  
Niall Curry ◽  
Pascual Pérez-Paredes

Abstract Research dissemination through academic blogs creates opportunities for writers to reach wider audiences. With COVID-19, public dissemination of research impacts daily practices, and national and international policies, and in countries like the UK and Spain, The Conversation publishes accessible COVID-19 themed research. Such academic blogs are important to the global academy, yet the role of authorial stance therein is notably under-investigated. This paper presents a corpus-based contrastive analysis of “stance nouns + that/de que” in a comparable corpus of English and Spanish COVID-19 themed academic blogs from The Conversation. The analysis identifies similarities and differences across languages that reflect how COVID-19 is framed in each language. For example, Spanish academics use Possibility and Factualness nouns when self-sourcing their stances with expanding strategies, while English academics use Argument and Idea nouns with external sources in contracting strategies. Overall, this paper adds to current linguistic knowledge on academic blogs and scientific communication surrounding COVID-19.

Author(s):  
Ratnaria Wahid ◽  
Bakri Mat

Scholarly publishing is central to the efficiency of research, dissemination of research findings and diffusion of scientific and technical knowledge. Studies however reported that gaining access to published research findings is still a problem due to the increasing costs of journal subscription, a system protected by copyright law. This chapter briefly explains open access and explores its strengths and weaknesses. It further explains why the UK accepted the Finch Report recommendations to encourage innovations by enabling more people to read and use research publications. This chapter emphasizes that the benefit of open access policy as an incentive to enhance innovation must be encountered with caution as it will bring varying implications for different countries and disciplines. It also argues that although those involved in scholarly publishing have the right to be fairly compensated, they also have the moral obligation to ensure its dissemination for the benefit of public interest.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 591-610
Author(s):  
Mark Ølholm Eaton ◽  
Andrew D Smith

This study examines how (and how well) politicians in the UK Parliament use their historical knowledge in debates about intra–Commonwealth trade following Brexit. Based on a rigorous analysis of 2 days of parliamentary debates in the House of Commons and House of Lords in early 2017, one of our conclusions is that UK parliamentarians used their historical knowledge in cross-domain (the practice of applying historical knowledge to a field of human activity that is very different from the original historical circumstances) ways. Our study thus develops our understanding of the role of analogical reasoning in the cognition of policymakers. On the other hand, although Conservative speakers did not refer to a wide range of economic or trade historical topics, they did use their historical knowledge from other domains in the promotion of deepening intra–Commonwealth ties as an alternative to the Europe-dominated focus of British international policies since 1973. In these ways, our study thus adds to our knowledge of how policymakers use historical knowledge to understand complex issues such as Brexit.


Author(s):  
Feryad A. Hussain

Radicalisation to violent action is not just a problem in foreign lands. Research has identified numerous politico–psychosocial factors to explain why young people from the UK are now joining terrorist groups such as ISIS. Our understanding has been expanded by the accounts of “returnees” who have subsequently either self-deradicalised or joined a government deradicalisation programme in the role of an Intervention Provider (IP). These individuals are now key to the deradicalisation programme. This article presents the reflections of a clinical psychologist who worked within a social healthcare team managing psychosocial issues related to radicalisation, in conjunction with an allocated IP. The project involved individuals from the Muslim community and, as such, issues discussed are specific to this group. It is acknowledged that the process in general is universally applicable to all groups though specifics may vary (under Trust agreement, details may not be discussed). This article also aims to share basic information on the current Home Office deradicalisation programme and raises questions about the current intervention. It also offers reflections on how the work of IPs may be facilitated and supported by clinical/counselling psychologists and psychotherapists.


1998 ◽  
Vol 38 (12) ◽  
pp. 51-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Henshilwood ◽  
J. Green ◽  
D. N. Lees

This study investigates human enteric virus contamination of a shellfish harvesting area. Samples were analysed over a 14-month period for Small Round Structured Viruses (SRSVs) using a previously developed nested RT-PCR. A clear seasonal difference was observed with the largest numbers of positive samples obtained during the winter period (October to March). This data concurs with the known winter association of gastroenteric illness due to oyster consumption in the UK and also with the majority of the outbreaks associated with shellfish harvested from this area during the study period. RT-PCR positive amplicons were further characterised by cloning and sequencing. Sequence analysis of the positive samples identified eleven SRSV strains, of both Genogroup I and Genogroup II, occurring throughout the study period. Many shellfish samples contained a mixture of strains with a few samples containing up to three different strains with both Genogroups represented. The observed common occurrence of strain mixtures may have implications for the role of shellfish as a vector for dissemination of SRSV strains. These results show that nested RT-PCR can identify SRSV contamination in shellfish harvesting areas. Virus monitoring of shellfish harvesting areas by specialist laboratories using RT-PCR is a possible approach to combating the transmission of SRSVs by molluscan shellfish and could potentially offer significantly enhanced levels of public health protection.


2021 ◽  
pp. 026858092199450
Author(s):  
Nicola Maggini ◽  
Tom Montgomery ◽  
Simone Baglioni

Against the background of crisis and cuts, citizens can express solidarity with groups in various ways. Using novel survey data this article explores the attitudes and behaviours of citizens in their expressions of solidarity with disabled people and in doing so illuminates the differences and similarities across two European contexts: Italy and the UK. The findings reveal pools of solidarity with disabled people across both countries that have on the one hand similar foundations such as the social embeddedness and social trust of citizens, while on the other hand contain some differences, such as the more direct and active nature of solidarity in Italy compared to the UK and the role of religiosity as an important determinant, particularly in Italy. Across both countries the role of ‘deservingness’ was key to understanding solidarity, and the study’s conclusions raise questions about a solidarity embedded by a degree of paternalism and even religious piety.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document