Chronic loneliness: neurocognitive mechanisms and interventions

Loneliness has been associated with detrimental effects on mental and physical health and is increasingly recognized as a critical public health issue which may be further exacerbated by societal challenges such as increasing urbanization, an aging society as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. We here review recent findings on the neurocognitive mechanisms and brain alterations that underpin social disconnectedness, therapeutic approaches for chronic loneliness and how these lines of research can be integrated to improve the efficacy of loneliness interventions in healthy individuals and patients with mental disorders.

Social Support, Self-efficacy, Self-esteem, and Well-being During COVID-19 Lockdown: A Two-wave Study of Danish Students

Societal lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed everyday life across the globe, including requirements of social distancing which might limit the social support people derive from social interaction. Social support has proven to be a vital resource for well-being and coping during societal challenges. The present study examines how social support is associated with perceived stress and life satisfaction through self-efficacy and self-esteem among Danish students (N = 204). These psychological constructs were examined both during and after lockdown, assessing the possible aversive psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results did not yield any significant changes in either the mean scores of the constructs or the indirect effects model across the two timepoints. Moreover, the results indicate that social support derived from a significant person, family, and friends—but not student peers—is negatively linked with perceived stress and positively associated with life satisfaction through both self-efficacy and self-esteem. Although societal lockdown did not yield significant psychological impact, the results highlight the importance of social support among students, both during and after lockdown.

Social Innovation for Work Inclusion – Contributions of Swedish Third Sector Organizations

The innovative contributions of third sector organizations (TSOs) to tackle work-related societal challenges are increasingly acknowledged in policy and research, but rarely in Nordic working life studies. The article helps fill this knowledge gap by an empirical mapping of efforts by Swedish TSOs to promote work inclusion among people considered disadvantaged in the regular labor market, due to age, disabilities, origin, etc. Previous studies of social innovation help distinguish their innovativeness in terms of alternative or complementary ways to perceive and promote work inclusion in regard to Swedish labor market policies. By combining various measures for providing and preparing work opportunities, addressing their participants through individualistic and holistic approaches, and managing work inclusion by varying organization, funding, and alliances, the mapped cases seem to innovatively compensate for government and market failures in the work inclusion domain to some extent, while also being limited by their own voluntary failures.

Active Ageing in Italy: A Systematic Review of National and Regional Policies

Active ageing is defined as the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age. The design of active ageing policies intersects with different overarching societal challenges, especially ageing populations, social rights and sustainability. However, there are no previous attempts to review active ageing policies in the light of these challenges and the international policy objectives and targets that are guiding the international community. The aim of this study is to systematically identify, review and analyse all national and regional policies on active ageing adopted in Italy, by applying a conceptual framework derived from main international policy initiatives in the three areas. The research was conducted in two stages. First, a case study analysis was carried out per each relevant national institution and regional government. Standardised interviews were combined with policy document search, selection and analysis. Second, we performed a policy analysis in the light of a conceptual framework adopted. This latter was composed by nine policy domains, selected and integrated from principles and objectives of three overarching international frameworks on ageing—i.e., the Regional Implementation Strategy (RIS) commitments of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA), social rights—i.e., the European Pillar of Social Rights and sustainability—i.e., the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Results pointed out that out of the identified nine policy fields, the major intervention areas by Italian policy makers concerned labour market participation, life-long learning, social and economic inequalities, health and well-being. Less attention had been given to issues such as gender and equal opportunities and sustainable cities. This systematic policy review is a milestone for understanding how active ageing policies contribute to address major societal challenges and what domains need further policy development.

A matrix for assessing mutual impacts of human rights education and religious education

To address the societal challenges of global solidarity and sustainable societies there is clearly a need for human rights education (HRE). The question arises as to which school subject is capable of contributing to HRE in which way – and how different disciplines may ideally collaborate. The situation is particularly challenging for religious education in public schools. Here there is an inherent potential for HRE, but there are specific didactic issues related to civil rights and liberties. This article presents a ‘matrix for human rights awareness’ that is based on a systematic and multi-perspective analysis. The matrix can be used to categorise current HRE approaches. It can also serve the self-assessment of the various reference disciplines for HRE, while promoting and supporting mutual communication and collaboration among them. Furthermore, it may serve as a reference framework to map the field of different models of public religious education, establishing their specific potentials for HRE.

An organisational approach to meta-governance: structuring reforms through organisational (re-)engineering

This article outlines an organisation theory approach to meta-governance by illustrating how public organisations may organise policy change and reform by (re-)designing organisational choice-architectures. First, it outlines an organisational approach to meta-governance and, second, it offers an illustrative case of meta-governance by examining how public innovation processes are shaped by organisational designs. Two arguments are proposed: (i) first, that public meta-governance is an accessible tool for facilitating policy change, and (ii) second, that meta-governance may be systematically biased by organisational structuring. Examining conditions for meta-governance is important since governments experience frequent criticism of existing inefficient organisational arrangements and calls for major reforms of the state. The contribution of this article is to suggest how an organisational approach to meta-governance might both explain meta-governance and make it practically relevant for solving societal challenges in the future.

Introduction: An Overview of the Research

The ambition for this book is to demonstrate how higher education institutions (HEIs) can respond to societal challenges, support positive social change and influence the international public discourse on social innovation. It attempts to answer the question, ‘how does the present higher education system, in different countries, promote social innovation and create social change and impact’. In answering this question, the book identifies factors driving success as well as obstacles. The book offers suggestions about how the present system can be improved both based on existing data and international literature on social innovation in higher education. The book presents a selected set of peer reviewed chapters presenting different perspectives against which relevant actors can identify and analyse social innovation in HEIs.

Two Design Options for Compact Linear Accelerators for High Flux Neutron Source

We describe and compare two optimized design options of RF linear accelerators with different resonant frequencies at 162.5 MHz (f0) and 325 MHz (2∙f0). The RFQ + DTL linacs have been designed to provide 13 MeV acceleration to a proton beam for achieving a fast neutron yield of not lower than 1013 n/s via 9Be(p, n)9B reaction in pulsed-mode operation. Our design studies show that none of the two options is better than the other, but that the choice of operating frequency will mainly be determined by the accelerator length and RF cost consideration. This study can serve as a basis for the design of an initial stage of a new high brilliance Compact Accelerator-driven Neutron Source (CANS), aiming to use neutron scattering techniques for studying material properties in fundamental physics, materials science, nuclear energy, as well as for industries and societal challenges.

A plea for responsible and inclusive knowledge management at the world level

Purpose This essay aims to draw attention to the idea of a new research approach to knowledge management (KM) labelled responsible KM (rKM) as a possible answer to not only address the consequences of the pandemic but also other present and upcoming societal challenges. Design/methodology/approach This essay has been prepared by a KM researcher who shares their own personal views and opinion regarding past and current societal developments and based on that offers a potentially new KM direction. Findings Switching the focus to rKM may help address current and upcoming social challenges that can only be addressed jointly by the global community and which would also involve a new consideration of the “knowledge” resource. Originality/value The essay proposes a new alternative approach to KM called rKM that is based on ideas that to the author’s knowledge have not been discussed in this way in the contemporary literature on KM.