Overrepresentation of Indigenous students in school suspension, exclusion, and enrolment cancellation in Queensland: is there a case for systemic inclusive school reform?

Well-established evidence of the ill-effects of exclusionary school discipline, its disproportionate use on students of colour, and association with the “school-to-prison pipeline” has, in the last decade, led to systemic reforms in the United States, which are successfully reducing exclusion and improving outcomes. Few studies, however, have similarly investigated overrepresentation in Australia, with little attention to systemic reform as a result. In this study, we analysed suspension, exclusion, and enrolment cancellation rates in Queensland (QLD) government schools between 2013 and 2019 and found Indigenous students were consistently overrepresented. Suspension incidents proportionate to enrolments increased for all students, but this increase was faster for Indigenous than non-Indigenous students and driven primarily by steep rises in short suspensions during primary school (Preparatory-6). Exclusions increased—again disproportionately—for Indigenous students, chiefly in secondary school (7–12). During 2019, Physical Misconduct had the highest incident rate for both groups; however, Indigenous students were most overrepresented in suspensions for Disruptive/Disengaged behaviours. Further, while Indigenous students were overrepresented in all QLD regions, one region’s Indigenous suspension rate was higher than all others despite no difference in the distribution of Indigenous/non-Indigenous enrolments across regions. The scale and nature of Indigenous overrepresentation in exclusionary discipline incidents in QLD indicate clear need for further research to secure political commitment to systemic inclusive school reform, as well as to produce high-quality evidence capable of guiding that reform.

The Syndemic and One Health Nature of Pandemics

The interdependence of humans, animals, plants, and their social and abiotic environment is highlighted by past and recent pandemics. A good example to understand and tackle threats to ecosystems is the COVID-19 pandemic. A syndemic is a complex and multilevel phenomenon of epidemics interacting synergistically at individual, societal, and environmental levels. Understanding the syndemic nature of pandemics will facilitate the adoption of a One Health approach to improve planetary health. To address the eco-complexity underlying One Health issues, the development of intelligence management systems through a planetary perspective is of key importance. This requires the capacity to capture, process, and communicate data on human, animal, and plant health and well-being, and on their social and environmental determinants. The implementation of such systems will need political commitment at all levels of action, deployment of adequate resources and expertise, reliable and comprehensive data flowing pathways through interoperable, flexible, and secure data sharing systems.

Intervenções Psicológicas na Iminência do Suicídio à Luz da Gestalt-Terapia / Psychological Interventions in the Imminence of Suicide in the light of Gestalt Therapy

Resumo: A proposta deste artigo é discutir os processos de intervenção da Gestalt-terapia em situação de iminente suicídio, dentro do processo de psicoterapia. Para tal, foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa através de uma revisão bibliográfica, utilizando-se da análise de conteúdo do material encontrado. Desse modo, ressalta-se que a pesquisa percorre um caminho histórico do fenômeno suicida e da abordagem gestáltica, para assim, entender e discutir sobre possíveis intervenções frente a iminência do ato suicida. Ademais, pretende-se refletir sobre o papel do Gestalt-terapeuta, frente a esta demanda e como é visto a pessoa que atenta contra a sua própria vida. Posto isso, salienta-se o papel do Gestalt-terapeuta com o manejo as situações de suicídio, possibilitando uma abertura para ouvir o desejo de morte, atuando de modo a realizar desvios éticos, políticos e antropológicos, bem como prestando acolhimento ao sofrimento dos consulentes para a criação conjunta de novas possibilidades de futuro para além da morte. Logo, destaca-se a importância do compromisso ético-político do profissional psicólogo perante o sofrimento do sujeito frente ao suicídio. Palavras-chave: Gestalt-Terapia; Suicídio; Clínica psicológica. Abstract: The purpose of this article is to discuss the intervention processes of Gestalt therapy in situations of imminent suicide, within the psychotherapy process. To this end, a qualitative research was carried out through a literature review, using the content analysis of the material found. Thus, it is noteworthy that the research follows a historical path of the suicidal phenomenon and the gestalt approach, in order to understand and discuss possible interventions in view of the imminence of the suicidal act. Furthermore, it is intended to reflect on the role of the Gestalt-therapist, facing this demand and how the person who attacks his own life is seen. That said, the role of the Gestalt-therapist with the management of suicide situations is highlighted, enabling an opening to listen to the death wish, acting in a way to carry out ethical, political and anthropological deviations, as well as welcoming the suffering of the consultants for the joint creation of new possibilities for the future beyond death. Therefore, the importance of the ethical-political commitment of the professional psychologist is highlighted in the face of the subject's suffering in the face of suicide.Keywords: Gestalt-Therapy; Suicide; Psychological clinic.

Involvement and Multi-Sectoral Collaboration: Applying Principles of Health Promotion during the Implementation of Local Policies and Measures—A Case Study

Five principles for health promotion (HP) stand out in various forms, providing guidance for HP measures and policy implementation: (1) a broad and positive health concept, (2) participation and involvement of key stakeholders, (3) build action and action competence by involving and empowering target groups, (4) a setting perspective, and (5) equity in health. The purpose of this study is to describe, and critically discuss, how the five HP principles can be applied to structure collaboration processes for implementing HP measures in local communities. A case study methodology was applied when investigating how the HP principles guided actions and focus-of-attention throughout the process of implementing a local community HP measure. Of special importance was the broad involvement of stakeholders and the anchoring of overarching, as well as specific, HP goals in the municipal strategic documents to ensure political commitment, ownership, and adequate resources. Direction on how to apply or achieve the HP principles should be further explored, described, and brought into systematic day-to-day work for a better society-development.

Generating Political Commitment for Regulatory Interventions Targeting Dietary Harms and Poor Nutrition: A Case Study on Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxation in Australia

Background: Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes are an effective public health policy intervention for improving nutrition and public health. Although implemented in over 50 jurisdictions worldwide, this intervention remains vastly underutilised, and in Australia political commitment for such a tax is low. The aim of this study is to understand the politics of SSB taxation in Australia, what factors have constrained political commitment for a tax, and what might enable such commitment in future. Methods: We adopted a case study design, guided by a theoretical framework developed from the political economy of nutrition literature. Data were collected from 16 interviews with informants from multiple sectors, supported by media articles, journal articles, and grey literature. Data were coded and organized by thematic analysis, and synthesised into the final results. Results: Nutrition actors have made significant progress in generating commitment for a SSB tax by producing relevant evidence, raising awareness, advocating for action, employing resonating frames, collaborating with civil society organisations, and forming coalitions increasing their overall cohesion. Nevertheless, political commitment for a SSB tax is low and was found to be impeded by the powerful influence of the food, beverage, and sugar industries, opposition from both major Australian political parties, ideological resistance to regulation, a low quality monitoring and surveillance system for food and nutrition, and limited public advocacy. The influence of nutrition actors was also impeded by weak connections to key policymakers and missed collaborative opportunities with pro-SSB tax organisations. Conclusion: The identification of several impediments provides an explanation for why political commitment for a SSB tax is low in Australia and reveals several opportunities for how it might be generated in the future. Political commitment may come about through, for example, actions to limit the influence of industry in policy decision-making, and by strengthening the existing pro-SSB tax coalition.

Interruption of mother-to-child transmission and detection and treatment of children of infected mothers as a contribution to eradicate Chagas disease in Europe

Chagas disease is grouped among the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD), according to the classification of WHO and among the Neglected Infectious Diseases susceptible to be eliminated according to PAHO (EID). Chagas disease is the most common NTD (or EID) in wide areas of South and Central America where the vector – an insect, which transmits the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi via its bite – and the great majority of patients live. However, due to population movements, this disease has now become a global problem, especially in the USA and Spain. The control of transmission by the vector or by blood transfusions has progressed considerably. However, transmission by other routes, namely oral and mother-to-child are still a challenge in regards of control and access to health care. In the countries where transmission by the vector doesn’t take place, vertical transmission is the main route of transmission. Taking into account that there is a huge gap in diagnosing and treating patients suffering from Chagas disease, early diagnosis and treatment of infected women in childbearing age, pregnant women and children, as well as asymptomatic infected people, is an important contribution towards the control of this disease which is potentially fatal if left untreated. Aiming for this objective, all available tools should be optimized and implemented. There are several countries and regions already implementing this strategy in this particular group of women and children. The advances achieved are a good example of the collaboration between organizations and institutions in the public and private sectors, although a greater political commitment is needed in order to achieve Chagas elimination as a public health problem by 2030 as promoted by the ETMI-Plus strategy established by PAHO, the new WHO-NTD road map, the UN sustainable development goals (SDG) and the program “No baby with Chagas” launched by the SEGIB.

Poetic Utterances and Socio-Political Commitment in Ọbasa’s Poems

Yorùbá literary critics such as Olabimtan (1974a), Fo ̣ lọ runs ̣ ọ (1998), among ̣ others, have classified D. A. Obasá as a unique colonial poet whose poems ̣ were committed to the promotion of Yorùbá cultural heritage. Tus, a lot of critical works that exist on Obasa’s poems largely concentrate on the cultural ̣ and the philosophical dimensions with little or no focus on the socio-political commitment of the poet. The objective of this study therefore, was to examine the socio-political commitment of Obasa and his poetic utterances. The research methodology is descriptive. It is a corpus study or content analysis of the poetry books. Poems that are relevant to socio-political issues in the three books (Ìwé Kinni Awon Akéwì, ̣ Ìwé Kejì Awon Akéwì and ̣ Ìwé Kéta ̣ Àwoṇ Akéwì) were analyzed within the theory of Nativism. The major findings of the study were that: the selected poems have diverse socio-political themes as related to traditional politics, colonial politics, Yorùbá civil wars, first world war, migration and the need to remember one’s home or country; some of the poems were used as viable tool for political education; while others were essentially to ignite political consciousness in the readers. The paper concluded that Obasá was a committed poet who used his poetic utterances to disseminate, analyze, and educate the readers on the socio-political climate of colonial days. His non-violence ideological position in resolving socio-political issues is in consonance with the theory of Nativism and it is recommended for modern Yorùbá society and other African societies.

Sensitivity to Injustice of Politicians and Voters

This explorative study compares the sensitivity to injustice of 116 Members of the German National Parliament and 998 German citizens eligible to vote, from the perspective of a victim, an observer, a beneficiary, and a perpetrator. Politicians were found to have a significantly higher observer, beneficiary, and perpetrator sensitivity and a significantly lower victim sensitivity than voters. These results fit with the findings that observer and perpetrator sensitivity usually correlates positively with political engagement and beneficiary sensitivity, whereas victim sensitivity correlates negatively with political commitment.

Evolution in Public Governance Models: From Administrative Management to the Hybrid and Normative Concept of Good Governance (Part II)

Bulgaria adopts the principles of good governance along with its EU membership. That occurred with harmonization of public policies. The study makes a review on the application of the following principles of good governance: sustainability and long-term orientation in development, effectiveness and efficiency, accountability and transparency and the adoption of these principles at local level. The general evaluation: Bulgaria follows and applies in great extent the principles of good governance, but in the reality, there are numerous deviations, delays and negligence, which lead to their partial implementation. The country needs more political commitment, regulatory changes and institutional efforts to reach better levels of good governance.

Autonomy of Public Service Delivery Units in Vietnam: An Institutional Perspective

<p>Intrigued by the burgeoning commercialisation of public services in Vietnam, this research seeks to understand the nature of autonomy that public service delivery units have been given as part of the greater effort of the Government of Vietnam to separate business and service provision from state management. In addressing this objective, the research bases its analysis on historical institutionalism and sociological institutionalism that illuminate insights into institutional factors shaping the autonomy policies and the implementation of the policies in practice. The main data sources the research draws on are legal documents, government reports and in-depth interviews with managers and staff of public service delivery units. The research findings illustrate that autonomy is very limited in many aspects of management because the autonomy reforms are largely influenced by the socialist-oriented market path dependence. Amidst the exhaustion of resources and legitimacy due to the regime’s flawed economic structure and inherent problems of cronyism and corruption, autonomy is utilized primarily as a strategic instrument to mobilize resources indispensable for the socialist survival. This policy direction creates incentives for the various forms of rent-seeking and corrupt behaviour among public service delivery units, occasioning the rapid and aggressive commercialization of public services. While the root of these problems lies in the intent of the policies, these problems are further nurtured by historical and cultural factors, and seriously compounded by the absence of an effective regulatory and accountability system and the lack of political commitment to fight corruption from the top leaders. The research addresses the gap in the academic literature by offering an illuminating insight into the nature of autonomy of a country context and demonstrating the merit of converging historical institutionalism and sociological institutionalism for the study of public policies. The research’s significant contribution to policy-making is that it highlights the need to build institutions to fit in well with the reform ideas, especially when such ideas are borrowed or transferred from advanced countries with well-developed institutional foundations.</p>