Issues in agricultural and environmental biotechnology: identifying and comparing biotechnology issues from public opinion surveys, the popular press and technical/regulatory sources

1997 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Hagedorn ◽  
Susan Allender-Hagedorn

The formation of public perceptions of science is a very complex and problematic process, but a major factor is the information that is available and presented most frequently to the public. Issues of public concern over agricultural and environmental biotechnology were identified from opinion surveys, the popular press and technical/regulatory sources. A frequency index based on content analysis was used to rank issues within categories of genetically engineered foods, plants, animals and microorganisms; and the social/legal, risk assessment/regulation, science education and international aspects. These issues were compared to those similarly identified from scientific/regulatory sources. Results revealed that the scientific/regulatory communities have dealt primarily with one subset of issues (research oriented), while the public is largely concerned with a different subset (issues of ethics, safety and value). This paper describes each issue in detail, and the implications of the two subsets of issues are briefly discussed.

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1 (ang)) ◽  
pp. 10-17
Author(s):  
Andrzej Zybała

This paper focuses on the issue social economy entities and the role they play in the public policy. The paper argues in favour of the thesis that social economy entities are an important component of what can be described as the capacity of the public policy system in a given country. They contribute significant resources – intellectual, organisational, executive [financial], etc. – to the system. The larger these resources are, the more efficient the whole system becomes, i.e. the ability to identify key public issues and to program their solutions, to implement these solutions and to evaluate the results of public policy actions in various forms. It indicates that it is in the interest of the State and the general public to strengthen the social economy entity sector.


Author(s):  
Roman V. Petukhov

The author argues that the social studies devoted to the Russian local self-government are dominated by uncritical borrowing of the basic vocabulary and the axiomatics of the municipal law. Such studies reproduce ideal concepts enshrined in the legislation and legal doctrine to substitute for the critical analysis of the social reality processes. To understand the true meaning of what is referred to as local self-government the author proposes to consider the correlation between the legal-dogmatic concept and the results of empirical research. For that purpose, three constitutive features of local self-government are singled out:  inclusiveness, accessibility and autonomy of local authorities. Analyzing the data of the public opinion surveys, the author observes the lack of public confidence in the municipal authorities, their distancing from the local communities and proximity to the regional government.  As an example, the author examines cancelation of direct elections of heads of municipalities which brings into sharp focus contradictions between actual processes and the local self-government theory. At the same time, public perceptions of local self-government as a value and a directly observed phenomenon remain uncertain. Based on the results of the analysis, the author concludes that there is a principal divergence between the reality and the normative conception of local self-government which raises the issue of its rethinking in social sciences. The basis of the study is the data of the nationwide representative surveys conducted by the Institute of Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Russian Public Opinion Research Center and the Public Opinion Foundation. Acknowledgment. The paper is supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project no. 14-28-00218-II “Dynamics of social transformation in modern Russia in socio-economic, political, socio-cultural and ethno-religious contexts”. 


2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 321-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Drew

For over a decade the Qantas Spirit of Australia advertising campaign has worked to incite pride and nostalgia in Australian consumers. Its widespread success has led to four renewed television commercials, strategically released to coincide with key (inter)national sporting events, including the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2004 Rugby World Cup. All four Spirit commercials feature children singing Peter Allen's I Still Call Australia Home in picturesque global and national landscapes. As a result of the Spirit campaign's widespread success, Peter Allen's song has become almost synonymous with the Qantas brand. The iconic Spirit commercials are exemplary in (re)affirming the public consciousness towards Australian childhood identity. Exploring national issues of freedom, race, youth and adventure, the commercials are situated among diverse social signs that attempt to typify Australian children. Influenced by post-structural theoretical frames, the author analyses the ‘social’ semiotic dimensions of these advertisements. His intention is to contribute to understandings of the discursive constitution of Australian childhoods in advertising. The unique iconic status of the Spirit campaign, he argues, lies in its capacity to be commensurate with, and (re)affirm, Australia's public perceptions of self and community.


Author(s):  
Solomon Amadasun

Abstract The value of all hitherto existing professions stems from how the public in which they serve perceive the import of their services. This study examines the perceptions of a cross-section of Nigerians regarding their knowledge of the social work profession. Through a structured survey instrument, data were collected from a nationally representative sample of 350 Nigerians from the age of twenty years and above. Although the majority of the respondents were not familiar with the professional designation ‘social work’, they, however, demonstrated substantial knowledge about social workers’ roles, areas of practice and other measures. Since practitioners are actively involved in community organising and development practice across the country, more than two-thirds of the respondents believed that the profession has the potential to address social development problems not only in Nigeria but across the African continent.


EDIS ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelli Rampold ◽  
Ricky Telg ◽  
Alena Poulin ◽  
Sandra Anderson ◽  
Angela B. Lindsey ◽  
...  

The Prevent & Protect publication series focuses on the creation of different material formats to resonate with various audiences and ways to maximize their efficacy in communicating risk to the public about mosquito control. The overview of the Prevent & Protect project, developed by the UF/IFAS Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (PIE Center), can be found in EDIS publication AEC694/WC357, Public Perceptions of Mosquitoes and Mosquito Control. This new 3-page document describes the importance of understanding and adapting to public perceptions of information sources and how scientists can adapt their research findings based upon the needs of professionals in the field to create usable outreach materials. Written by Shelli Rampold, Ricky Telg, Alena Poulin, Sandra Anderson, Angela B. Lindsey, Ashley McLeod-Morin, and Phillip Stokes, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication.


Liquidity ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-118
Author(s):  
Iwan Subandi ◽  
Fathurrahman Djamil

Health is the basic right for everybody, therefore every citizen is entitled to get the health care. In enforcing the regulation for Jaringan Kesehatan Nasional (National Health Supports), it is heavily influenced by the foreign interests. Economically, this program does not reduce the people’s burdens, on the contrary, it will increase them. This means the health supports in which should place the government as the guarantor of the public health, but the people themselves that should pay for the health care. In the realization of the health support the are elements against the Syariah principles. Indonesian Muslim Religious Leaders (MUI) only say that the BPJS Kesehatan (Sosial Support Institution for Health) does not conform with the syariah. The society is asked to register and continue the participation in the program of Social Supports Institution for Health. The best solution is to enforce the mechanism which is in accordance with the syariah principles. The establishment of BPJS based on syariah has to be carried out in cooperation from the elements of Social Supports Institution (BPJS), Indonesian Muslim Religious (MUI), Financial Institution Authorities, National Social Supports Council, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Finance. Accordingly, the Social Supports Institution for Helath (BPJS Kesehatan) based on syariah principles could be obtained and could became the solution of the polemics in the society.


2019 ◽  
Vol 54 ◽  
pp. 235-246
Author(s):  
Alexey L. Beglov

The article examines the contribution of the representatives of the Samarin family to the development of the Parish issue in the Russian Empire in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The issue of expanding the rights of the laity in the sphere of parish self-government was one of the most debated problems of Church life in that period. The public discussion was initiated by D.F. Samarin (1827-1901). He formulated the “social concept” of the parish and parish reform, based on Slavophile views on society and the Church. In the beginning of the twentieth century his eldest son F.D. Samarin who was a member of the Special Council on the development the Orthodox parish project in 1907, and as such developed the Slavophile concept of the parish. In 1915, A.D. Samarin, who took up the position of the Chief Procurator of the Most Holy Synod, tried to make his contribution to the cause of the parish reforms, but he failed to do so due to his resignation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-36
Author(s):  
Syufaat Syufaat

Waqf has two dimensional meaning; the spiritual dimension that is taqarrub to Allah and the social dimension as the source of Islamic financial for the welfare of the people. Waqf disputes can be caused by several reasons; waqf land is not accompanied with a pledge; waqf is done on the basis of mutual trust so it has no legal proof and ownership. Currently, the choice to use the court is less effective in resolving disputes. Hence, the public ultimately chooses non-litigation efforts as a way to resolve the disputes. Mediation process is preferred by many as it is viewed to be the fairest way where none of the two parties wins or loses (win-win solution). It is also fast and cheap. This study is intended to examine how to solve waqf dispute with mediation model according to the waqf law, and how the application of mediation in the Religious Courts system


2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (Special Issue) ◽  
pp. 87-103
Author(s):  
Noémi Bíró

"Feminist Interpretations of Action and the Public in Hannah Arendt’s Theory. Arendt’s typology of human activity and her arguments on the precondition of politics allow for a variety in interpretations for contemporary political thought. The feminist reception of Arendt’s work ranges from critical to conciliatory readings that attempt to find the points in which Arendt’s theory might inspire a feminist political project. In this paper I explore the ways in which feminist thought has responded to Arendt’s definition of action, freedom and politics, and whether her theoretical framework can be useful in a feminist rethinking of politics, power and the public realm. Keywords: Hannah Arendt, political action, the Public, the Social, feminism "


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