scholarly journals BRIDGING THE CITY: CONNECTING ART, PERFORMANCE DESIGN, ENVIRONMENT AND EDUCATION

Author(s):  
Marija Griniuk

This study explores knotworks and networks within art, participatory performance design, the environment and education specialists and institutions within the case-project “Nomadic Radical Academy”, realised in 2019 and 2020. The novelty of the research lies in its investigation of how international collaborations impact the performance pedagogy project at the local level. The project bridged a wide spectrum of actors in order to design an interactive space and participatory infrastructure involving a diverse variety of stakeholders. The projects were created by the author of this paper and involved the art venue Gallery Meno Parkas in Kaunas, local Kaunas schools and environment-friendly local art initiatives, families in Kaunas, Kaunas Municipality, The Lithuanian Council for Culture, a performance designer and international artists from the Baltic-Nordic region. The author created the performative milieu in the gallery space with the intention of educating children and young people about the environment and climate change through performance pedagogy methods. The research question is as follows: How are the knotworks and networks created during the planning and realisation of the international performance pedagogy project, and how do they target the local community and influence projects locally in real-time? The study materials were collected by arts-based methods and analysed by utilising reflexive research. The data collected during the planning and implementation phases are the author’s notes and reflections, notes from feedback and discussions with the involved artists and photos and videos. This research can be valuable to educators, performance designers and artists interested in knotwork- and network-building. This research focused on the planning and realisation of the project by involving international performance professionals in site-specific projects designed for local communities. 

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1/2020) ◽  
pp. 33-67
Author(s):  
Olga Stevanovic

The subject of this paper encompasses US policy towards Poland and the Baltic States regarding energy security during Donald Trump’s presidency. It is discernible that vast domestic energy resources have created an opportunity for the US to project more power to these countries, and the surrounding region. We argue that Trump and his administration’s perceptions have served as an intervening variable in that opportunity assessment, in accordance with the neoclassical realist theory. The main research question addressed in this paper is whether US has used that opportunity to contribute to energy security in countries it has traditionally deemed as allies. Two aspects of US approach to energy security of the designated countries are taken into consideration: liquified natural gas exports and support for the Three Seas Initiative. The way Trump presented his policy and its results in his public statements has also been considered in this paper. The article will proceed as follows. The first subsection of the paper represents a summary of energy security challenges in Poland and the Baltic States. The second subsection is dedicated to the opportunity for the US to project energy power and to Trump’s perceptions relevant for the opportunity assessment. The third subsection deals with American LNG exports to these countries as a possible way for contributing to energy security in Poland and the Baltic States. The last part of the paper addresses the Three Seas Initiative and US approach to this platform.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 530
Author(s):  
Jeho Hwang ◽  
Sihyun Kim

Local residents living adjacent to ports are directly affected by the fine dust generated from the port operations. There is a need to prepare detailed measures according to cargo type given the high correlation between the types of dust-producing cargo primarily managed at ports and local industries. This study attempts to establish the attributes of the cargo handled at ports and the relationship between supply chains built for local key industries and the air quality of the local community. It aims to ascertain which cargo needs managing preemptively at the local level, based on the major cargo types handled in a port. A correlation analysis and Granger causality test were performed to investigate the causality between the factor of cargo and fine dust concentrations. The results in this study indicate the necessity for intensive management of scrap metal cargo among the major cargo handled at the target port, which confirms the large effect of management on fine dust reduction, as well as on reduction efficiency. The results suggest requirements to expand the regulations on the emissions of supply chains by cargo type, not by industry type. Additionally, it is required to minimize the blind spots of management and form an eco-friendly supply chain by introducing green technology. The preparation of emission control measures is also necessary. The findings provide useful insights for the sustainable operations of the local supply chain around the target port and will help the strategic agenda for future improvement.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 434-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelo Jonas Imperiale ◽  
Frank Vanclay

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reflect on what can be learned about disaster risk reduction (DRR) from the L’Aquila trial of scientists. The court case was initiated because of a controversial meeting on 31 March 2009 of the Major Risks Committee (MRC), held under the auspices of the Italian Department of Civil Protection. The purpose of the meeting was to consider (prior to the fatal earthquake of 6 April 2009) disaster risk in the L’Aquila area, which was being affected by an earthquake swarm since October 2008. Design/methodology/approach The authors undertook a document analysis of trial materials, and a review of academic and media commentary about the trial. Findings The legal process revealed that disaster governance was inadequate and not informed by the DRR paradigm or international guidelines. Risk assessment was carried out only in a techno-scientific manner, with little acknowledgement of the social issues influencing risks at the local community level. There was no inclusion of local knowledge or engagement of local people in transformative DRR strategies. Originality/value Most previous commentary is inadequate in terms of not considering the institutional, scientific and social responsibilities for DRR as exposed by the trial. This paper is unique in that it considers the contents of the MRC meeting as well as all trial documents. It provides a comprehensive reflection on the implications of this case for DRR and the resilience of peoples and places at risk. It highlights that a switch from civil protection to community empowerment is needed to achieve sustainable outcomes at the local level.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lwando Mdleleni

Purpose This paper aims to explore the role of university in promoting, generating and sustaining social innovation (SI). It aimed to understand how higher education institutions have extended their contribution beyond the traditional function of teaching and research to perform in socio-economic problem-solving. It looks at the kinds of contributions which universities potentially make to SI processes, and the effects that this has on the direction and magnitude of SI, and by implication social development. This was done by drawing lessons from a SI project that the University of the Western Cape has been involved in, i.e. Zenzeleni Networks Project. Design/methodology/approach To address the research question with this framework, the author adopted an exploratory research design using a case study. This research is qualitative, exploratory and descriptive, based on a case study built with secondary data. Findings This paper submits that universities can potentially function as key role players in promoting SI initiatives and fostering social transformations. Universities contribute with different kinds of resources and inputs to foster new SI ideas. Originality/value The paper suggests that socially innovative university projects may contribute to community social sustainability maintaining social cohesion by increasing social capital and providing resources for the empowerment of the marginalised communities. In so doing, they contribute to overcome social exclusion and promote more sustainable forms of development at community level. More research is needed on how universities can build community networks with local community partners, who can use the insights of academic research to replicate interventions and move to scale.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Mann ◽  
David Dallimore ◽  
Howard Davis ◽  
Graham Day ◽  
Maria Eichsteller

Epdf and ePUB available Open Access under CC-BY-NC licence. Drawing on place-based field investigations and new empirical analysis, this original book investigates civil society at local level. The concept of civil society is contested and multifaceted, and this text offers assessment and clarification of debates concerning the intertwining of civil society, the state and local community relations. Analysing two Welsh villages, the authors examine the importance of identity, connection with place and the impact of social and spatial boundaries on the everyday production of civil society. Bringing into focus questions of biography and temporality, the book provides an innovative account of continuities and changes within local civil society during social and economic transformation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 749-769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ank Michels ◽  
Harmen Binnema

Although deliberative reforms have been proposed to strengthen democracy, little is known about their impact on politics, public policies, and society. This article develops a framework to systematically assess this impact, differentiating between direct and indirect forms of impact. We apply this framework to two cases of deliberative citizens’ summits in the Netherlands. Our analysis reveals that these summits have a limited direct impact on local politics and policy making, but a relatively strong indirect impact on the local community. The article also discusses some conditions that mediate the impact of the forum.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Devi Dhian Cahyati

AbstractThis paper describes the formation of defence area that often triggers agrarian questions at local level. The determination of defence area frequently aroused conflicts with local community having evidence of land ownership and cultivating the land for productive purposes. Ironically, military power, as an instrument for national defence claimed those land and use it for economic interests. This research uses qualitative method. Data collection was conducted by literature study, in-depth interviews and observation. This paper concludes that military defence was used as a tool to secure economic interests of the Colonial Government in colonial era. Furthermore, Indonesian military following this pattern in post-reform era. This means that there is a dislocation of authority when the Military uses public assets for their private interests.    Intisari Tulisan ini menjelaskan mengenai pembentukan wilayah pertahanan yang sering kali memicu persoalan agraria di ranah lokal. Penentuan wilayah pertahanan sering kali memunculkan persoalan dengan masyarakat lokal yang memiliki bukti kepemilikan tanah dan menggunakan tanah tersebut untuk kegiatan produktif. Militer sebagai alat pertahanan negara secara ironis melakukan klaim tanah dan memanfaatkan tanah untuk kepentingan ekonomi mereka. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan metode pengumpulan data melaluistudi pustaka, wawancara mendalam dan observasi. Tulisan ini menyimpulkan bahwa pertahanan menjadi alat untuk mengamankan kepentingan ekonomi pemerintah kolonial dan diikuti oleh militer Indonesia pasca reformasi. Artinya terjadi dislokasi wewenang ketika militer menggunakan aset publik untuk kepentingan privat. 


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-81
Author(s):  
Malsawmi Pachuau

Local government plays an integral part in the mechanism of Disaster Management in Mizoram. The local bodies are the direct representatives of the local community and the local community places their full trust in them. Post disaster measures such as mock drills, training of search and rescue teams, physical and economic relief and rehabilitation are not something new to us, yet the aspect of disaster mitigation is something which has not bred familiarity among the Mizos. The need for sensitization of the public on the importance of Disaster Mitigation is a necessity. The saying ‘Earthquakes do not kill people; buildings do’ is pertinent in urban areas. Urban areas are congested and more prone to disasters. High rise buildings, squatter settlements due to high densities and low availability of land has endangered not just the lives of the public but has also caused a massive disturbance of the ecological system. The paper covers certain Acts and Regulations of the Aizawl Municipal Corporation dealing with structural mitigation and the detection of illegal construction, unsafe buildings, and encroachments on municipal and public properties. At the local level, the councillors are involved in making, unmaking and carrying out these rules and regulations, with direct bearing on the local people. The paper also gives an account of the need of reimplementation to generate awareness, knowledge and education on Disaster Management to the people of Mizoram.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Bradley James Gibbons

<p>The Papua New Guinea government has adopted a range of measures aimed at reducing the supply of illicit small arms and light weapons in response to persistent problems with their use in inter-communal fighting and crime. However, these measures have been largely ineffective at reducing the level of armed violence in PNG, in part because of the failure to also address the demand that exists for these weapons. A nascent demand reduction agenda has emerged at the local level throughout Papua New Guinea in response to the failure of the national government to adequately address small arms and armed violence problems. This thesis provides a detailed overview of national, regional and international initiatives to address small arms issues and examines how they have been implemented in PNG. It then examines initiatives by local community groups and NGOs that are aimed at reducing small arms and armed violence and considers how successful they have been.</p>


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