Toward a digital civil society: digital ethics through communication education

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophia Kaitatzi-Whitlock
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
General Education ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Human Condition ◽  
Research Tool ◽  
Communication Education ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Digital Ethics ◽  
The Face

Purpose In the face of the enormous rise in digital fraud and criminality, resulting in diverse afflictions to millions of user-victims, emanating from users’ horizontal interactive and transactive exchanges on the internet, but due significantly to internet’s deregulation and anonymity, this study aims to showcase the need for a socially grounded self-regulation. It holds, that this is feasible and that it can be achieved through large scale, comprehensive digital communication education (DCE) programs. Design/methodology/approach The composite methodology of the study comprises four types of components, namely, analytic, exploratory-discursive, constructionist and propositional. The construction-creation element consists of the design of an original combinational research tool: triangular relational pattern (TRP). Through TRPs, researchers can locate the types of relations involved between three implicated entities, namely, the affliction, the culprit and the victim and can study them in-depth. Subsequently, based on the TRP, DCE programs are composed, which are, also, proposed to be deployed by educational authorities and digital civil society associations. Findings The created, applied here and proposed TRPs can be used by other researchers aiming to locate, map and analyze the variants of internet criminality and victimhood and their implications across the global frontierless world and in the digital human condition, educational purposes but also to create social cohesion. Originality/value The study offers two original contributions. The TRP as a significant relational research tool-grid. The DCE programs that are linked to the repertories of digital relations and can be introduced in the general education programs.

Resisting Democratic Backsliding: Malawi’s Experience in Comparative Perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 858-882
Author(s):  
Peter VonDoepp
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Collective Action ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Comparative Perspective ◽  
Economic Conditions ◽  
Collective Resistance ◽  
The Face ◽  
Democratic Rights ◽  
Action Theories

AbstractWhy does collective resistance to democratic backsliding emerge in some contexts and not others? The experience of Malawi in 2011–2012 offers an opportunity to explore this question. In the face of attacks on democratic rights and institutions, large-scale popular and civil society mobilization challenged the government’s authoritarian tendencies. Drawing on collective action theories and comparing Malawi’s experience to that of Zambia, VonDoepp argues that Malawi’s resistance arose in an environment that was favorable to its emergence. Economic conditions had generated grievances against government, polarization remained modest, and civil society organizations benefitted from credibility and the presence of allies that facilitated activism.

Egypt will resist pressure to improve rights record

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Political Prisoners ◽  
Content Type ◽  
State Security ◽  
Personal Rights ◽  
High Level ◽  
Near Future

Significance Three members of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) were arrested between November 15 and 19, after meeting top European diplomats two weeks earlier to discuss the country’s human rights situation. The men were released on December 3 following an international outcry, but their assets remain frozen. On December 10, Italian prosecutors formally charged four senior Egyptian state security officials with the 2016 kidnapping and murder of Italian PhD student Giulio Regeni, contributing to mounting pressure on Cairo for its human rights record. Impacts Egypt’s civil society community is under existential threat. Large-scale campaigns by international actors will be reserved for Egyptian organisations and individuals with high-level connections. No dramatic developments concerning Egypt’s tens of thousands of political prisoners are expected in the near future.

scholarly journals Phenotypic Screens Identify Parasite Genetic Factors Associated with Malarial Fever Response in Plasmodium falciparumpiggyBac Mutants

mSphere ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Phaedra Thomas ◽  
Jennifer Sedillo ◽  
Jenna Oberstaller ◽  
Suzanne Li ◽  
Min Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Function ◽  
Functional Annotation ◽  
Drug Targets ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
The Face ◽  
Parasite Biology ◽  
Fever Response

ABSTRACT Though the P. falciparum genome sequence has been available for many years, ~40% of its genes do not have informative annotations, as they show no detectable homology to those of studied organisms. More still have not been evaluated via genetic methods. Scalable forward-genetic approaches that allow interrogation of gene function without any pre-existing knowledge are needed to hasten understanding of parasite biology, which will expedite the identification of drug targets and the development of future interventions in the face of spreading resistance to existing frontline drugs. In this work, we describe a new approach to pursue forward-genetic phenotypic screens for P. falciparum to identify factors associated with virulence. Future large-scale phenotypic screens developed to probe other such interesting phenomena, when considered in parallel, will prove a powerful tool for functional annotation of the P. falciparum genome, where so much remains undiscovered. Malaria remains one of the most devastating parasitic diseases worldwide, with 90% of the malaria deaths in Africa in 2013 attributable to Plasmodium falciparum. The clinical symptoms of malaria include cycles of fever, corresponding to parasite rupture from red blood cells every 48 h. Parasite pathways involved in the parasite’s ability to survive the host fever response, and indeed, the functions of ~40% of P. falciparum genes as a whole, are still largely unknown. Here, we evaluated the potential of scalable forward-genetic screening methods to identify genes involved in the host fever response. We performed a phenotypic screen for genes linked to the parasite response to febrile temperatures by utilizing a selection of single-disruption P. falciparum mutants generated via random piggyBac transposon mutagenesis in a previous study. We identified several mutants presenting significant phenotypes in febrile response screens compared to the wild type, indicating possible roles for the disrupted genes in this process. We present these initial studies as proof that forward genetics can be used to gain insight into critical factors associated with parasite biology. IMPORTANCE Though the P. falciparum genome sequence has been available for many years, ~40% of its genes do not have informative annotations, as they show no detectable homology to those of studied organisms. More still have not been evaluated via genetic methods. Scalable forward-genetic approaches that allow interrogation of gene function without any pre-existing knowledge are needed to hasten understanding of parasite biology, which will expedite the identification of drug targets and the development of future interventions in the face of spreading resistance to existing frontline drugs. In this work, we describe a new approach to pursue forward-genetic phenotypic screens for P. falciparum to identify factors associated with virulence. Future large-scale phenotypic screens developed to probe other such interesting phenomena, when considered in parallel, will prove a powerful tool for functional annotation of the P. falciparum genome, where so much remains undiscovered.

scholarly journals How do governments cope with austerity? The roles of accounting in shaping governmental financial resilience

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 529-558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmela Barbera ◽  
Enrico Guarini ◽  
Ileana Steccolini
Keyword(s):  
Self Regulation ◽  
Financial Shocks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Managers ◽  
Financial Conditions ◽  
The Face ◽  
Short Run ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
The Government ◽  
And Coping

PurposeStudies on how accounting is involved in financial crises and austerity are limited. The context of austerity provides an interesting opportunity to explore the role of accounting in shaping governmental financial resilience, i.e. the capacity of governments to cope with shocks affecting their financial conditions.Design/methodology/approachBased on a multiple case analysis of eight Italian municipalities, this paper explores how accounting contributes to the government capacities which are used to anticipate and respond to shocks affecting public finances.FindingsMunicipalities cope with financial shocks differently; accounting can support self–regulation and can affect internally-led or externally-led adaptation. Different combinations of anticipatory and coping capacities lead to different responses to shocks.Practical implicationsThe findings can be useful for public managers, policymakers and oversight bodies for strengthening governmental financial resilience in the face of crises and austerity.Originality/valueThe results provide evidence of the conditions, contexts, processes under which accounting becomes a medium which can support both anticipation of and coping with financial shocks, supporting cuts in some cases and resistance in the short run or driving long-term changes intended to maintain public services as much intact as possible. This highlights the existence of different patterns of governmental financial resilience and thus indicates ways of best preserving the service of the public interest.

An ecological review of the WGEEP report (2011) and environmental management planning in India

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 712-722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Philippe Puyravaud ◽  
Priya Davidar
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
Environment Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Working Definition ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Western Ghats

Purpose – The Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India, set up the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) in March 2010 to provide guidelines for improved management within the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot. The WGEEP's Mandate was to identify ecologically sensitive areas (ESAs). The Panel submitted their report in 2011 but it remained unimplemented. It was not clear whether the delay was due to the unwillingness of civil society to accept ambitious environment management plans, or whether the report had shortcomings. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – The authors undertook a critique of the WGEEP report and its Mandate, to evaluate key issues that could have prevented its implementation. Findings – The analysis indicated that the WGEEP Mandate was ill-defined and the WGEEP report identified ESAs without providing a working definition. The absence of critical review of earlier environment management failures, the delayed dialogue with civil society, the absence of legislative foundation upon which such a management plan could be implemented, and the vague definition of ESAs were possibly the reasons for the unease among various stakeholders. Originality/value – The paper stresses that in order for large-scale biodiversity management projects to succeed, it is important that first, the civil society understands the project's objective before its initiation, second stakeholders are formally involved alongside ecological experts and third, that methods are critically reviewed. The lack of acceptance of the report cannot be dismissed only as a rejection of enlightened practices.

scholarly journals Does and how resilience matter? Global implications for the tourism industry in the context of COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Altshuler ◽  
Joshua Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Hospitality Industry ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Deep Uncertainty ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cascading Effects ◽  
Strategic Approach ◽  
The Face ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality Industry ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality

Purpose This paper aims to explore the concept of resilience both through conceptual lenses and an applied relevance and importance to the tourism and hospitality industry in the context of identifying the most effective approaches to cope with the worldwide epidemic of COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach This conceptual paper is based on a comprehensive literature review and strategic interdisciplinary analysis as a basis for comprehensive policy recommendations. Findings This paper suggests five clusters of globally applicable measures and approaches aimed to enhance the resilience of the tourism and hospitality industry in the face of COVID-19 and more broadly in the face of other regional and global large-scale disasters: fostering adaptive and creative leadership; humility and cautious navigating through a deep uncertainty; flexibility in building on the unknown; enhancing social capital; and developing mutual respect and positive interconnectivity among the various stakeholders. Originality/value Through policy-driven applied conceptual analysis, this paper provides the various audiences in the travel and hospitality sector across the globe with an original, flexible and strategic approach to effectively respond to the multiple cascading effects of COVID-19.

scholarly journals Civil Society, Law and New Normal Covid -19

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 310-320
Author(s):  
Prof. Dr.Edie Toet Hendratno
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Legal Research ◽  
New Normal ◽  
The World ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Government ◽  
New Phase ◽  
Laws And Regulations

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought countries in the world and Indonesia is no exception entering a new phase of life. The purpose of this study is to find various policy packages by the Government and individual countries to protect their citizens in relation to various laws and regulations to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic. This type of research uses normative legal research, and the research methodology used is Foucault's theory of power relations, that is, understanding will be built to find a synthesis in this study. The results of research investigations are related to various policy packages issued by various countries and also by the Indonesian Government to protect their citizens to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic including the various effects of its dominance through large-scale social restrictions and new normal life Covid-19. However, it turns out that this provision is not effective in Indonesia because people tend to ignore it. The solution offered is that the community as a civil society must be able to manage issues in the face of inadequate public compliance with various laws and regulations that govern the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, Civil society in Indonesia must be encouraged to change the basis of thought so that it has the same spatial frequency as the Government

Lebanon protests risk destabilising fragile status quo

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
The State ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The North ◽  
War Effort ◽  
The Face

Significance Uncollected waste has been piling up in the capital since the country's largest landfill closed on July 17. Prime Minister Tammam Salam has threatened to resign over the crisis, which has also seen mass protests organised by civil society groups. The protests raise questions over Lebanon's resilience in the face of domestic political paralysis and regional turmoil. Impacts Protest escalation could force resignation of prime minister or individual ministers, and throw Lebanon into a constitutional crisis. Destabilisation of the state could encourage Sunni militants to seek to control areas in Tripoli, the north and the Beka'a Valley. Turmoil in Lebanon could distract Hezbollah from its war effort in Syria, thereby weakening Syrian regime's territorial control. A political crisis in Lebanon would heighten regional tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

scholarly journals Supply chain involvement in business continuity management: effects on reputational and operational damage containment from supply chain disruptions

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 747-772 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arash Azadegan ◽  
Tahir Abbas Syed ◽  
Constantin Blome ◽  
Kayhan Tajeddini
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Supply Chain Integration ◽  
Business Continuity ◽  
Complementarity Effect ◽  
Supply Chain Disruptions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Continuity Management ◽  
The Face ◽  
Internal Integration

Purpose Does internal integration extend to business continuity and to managing supply chain disruptions (SCDs)? Despite the voluminous literature on supply chain integration, evidence on its effectiveness on risk management and disruption response is scant. The purpose of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of business continuity management (BCM) and of supply chain involvement in BCM (SCiBCM) on reputational and operational damage containment in the face of SCDs. Design/methodology/approach This study draws on Simons’ Levers of Control framework to explain how the involvement of supply chain in BCM affects firm capabilities in containing damages caused by major SCDs. The authors develop and test hypotheses by analyzing large-scale questionnaire responses from 448 European companies. Findings Results of the data analysis suggest that BCM improves reputational damage containment, whereas SCiBCM improves operational damage containment. The findings also show that the significant effects of BCM and SCiBCM on reputational and operational damage containment, respectively, were amplified for the firms facing higher supply chain vulnerability. Post-hoc analysis further reveals the complementarity effect between BCM and SCiBCM for the companies exposed to high supply chain vulnerability. Originality/value Evidence on the effects of BCM and its internal integration on performance is limited. This study offers empirical evidence on the topic. Also, while supply chain integration can improve information sharing and coordination, some may not fully recognize its potential benefits in addressing SCDs. This study theoretically and empirically demonstrates the role played by internal integration, in the form of SCiBCM, in improving organizational damage containment efforts.

Calls to audit social media algorithms will rise

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Legal Obligation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Independent Review ◽  
Harmful Content ◽  
End To End

Significance The problem of misinformation, polarisation and harmful content on social media has in recent years exposed the ineffectiveness of self-regulation by platform operators. Yet remedies are difficult to implement. One proposal is to require platforms to submit their algorithms -- the ones used to promote and filter content -- to independent review and audit. Impacts Further civil society reports on the role of social media algorithms in promoting disinformation will strengthen calls for audits. Independent audits will fail to tackle harmful content on end-to-end encrypted platforms, boosting calls to end encryption. Mainstream social media platforms face no legal obligation to stop monetising disinformation.

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