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architectuul · 9 months ago

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Tinatin Gurgenidze: Between Two Cities

Continuing our talks on the Independent Coastal Radio NOR with Tinatin Gurgenidze, an architect and urban researcher from Georgia. She is one of the co-founders of the Tbilisi Architecture Biennial. Listen to new edition of Weltraum.

Explain me more about the Tbilisi architectural biennial?

Tinatin Gurgenidze: Since I've left Georgia, I always wanted to do something there. I started my PhD research about a neighbourhood in Tbilisi and at some point in 2017 spent half a year in Georgia. This is when the idea of making a cultural event in this district came up. With some friends we made this utopian idea of establishing an architectural biennial in 2017. Afterwards we managed to organise the first edition in 2018. The main reason was the lack of cultural activities in Georgia concerning architecture and also a lack of critical discourse. It was important to create a platform to bring different actors together and talk about certain topics. The second important reason was to engage with the city critically and talk about existing problems.

The inaugural Tbilisi Architecture Biennial was based in the suburb of Gldani. Photo is by Tako Robakidze

Do you also involve different communities in this discourse?

TG: The initial idea is to create it for the local audience but as we had less expertise, and we were lacking experiences of creating such events we made it quite international at the beginning. The local audience at first was not so much present, probably because it was the first time, they didn't really understand what we were doing, but it radically grew in the last two editions. Our audience is very different because we make very interdisciplinary activities. For example, in the last edition we had the film screenings where completely other audience attended compared to the symposium. Each activity has different audiences and it's always open to new people depending on what is happening. Participation wise it's quite international but oriented and based on local topics.

Young architects built guerrilla structures into existing buildings, like this pavilion by Maria Kremer. Photo is by Stefan Rusu

What did LINA offered the the biennial?

TG: This was probably the most important things for us, being part of LINA platform gave us so much connections throughout all Europe with different organisations and also so much support. Without LINA we have not gone so far. I feel very grateful for that, and I think we sometimes forget how important it is to come together and share, what LINA is doing. We've got also partners for another project that we have met through LINA.

How is to create such events in a precarious situation of work as a freelance?

TG: I am not completely a freelancer because I work for a local NGO in Berlin which is partnering with biennial and also my colleagues in Georgia they get their part time employment as well. Creative Europe funding allows us to have the salaries, which is a very positive thing. There is so much energy and time that we invested for free, overworking, but slowly with experiences and the results we get it pays back.

Your PhD thesis is based on the (post-) Soviet mass housing settlement of Gldani, a suburb of Tbilisi; What are you researching?

TG: It's a complicated story. When I started my PhD I did my research and stop it because of lack of time as I was involved in the organising the biennial. I have a plan to start again this year. It changed a lot from what I was researching and what I want to research now because I am working on the period of transformation after the break up of the Soviet Union and introduction of the market economy and how this influenced the built environment. I would like to research the typologies of the self-made structures and this transformation that happened in this period and archive the cases. I know the typologies will disappear but I would like to pay attention to this phenomena because this is also the period when self-made architecture was done and it's also an architectural style that needs to be studied.

Soviet mass housing settlement of Gldani, a suburb of Tbilisi. Photo © Tbilisi Architectural Biennial

Some people doesn't consider the self-made as an architectural style. I have to proof why it is it important to document this.

How did neoliberal period influenced on the architecture and society in Georgia?

TG: Extremely. From one radical system we entered to another radical system. This is having a massive influence, specially exploiting all the resources like selling out to foreign investors valleys and forests. The feeling of common ship is completely lost. This process has gone so far that since few years there are movements and protest. Since there is another side there is some hope. The situation is so extreme that people are also loosing their homes in a very brutal way. The banking system is super violent and influences drastically on people's life. The discourse is now opening more and more around the topic of common resources and that forests shouldn't be sold to one owner. People are slowly starting to understand this and these protest start from the region, they didn't started in the big cities, this fact makes it strong as well. It is very important that they reached the centre and are more and more people understand the problematic.

What about the privatisation of water in Georgia?

TG: We worked on this topic during the Venice biennial last year and we will continue to talk about it this year during the Tbilisi biennial. Water in Georgia is one of the most valuable resources as the territory in Georgia has so many different bodies of water - from nature springs to lakes, rivers, glacial, sea. The reality is that not everybody has equal access to the drinking water. Rather that some made water into a commodity and earning money from it, while on the other hand locals might not have the access to drinking water in their homes. It is a paradox how this can happen and a way of modern colonisation that affects environment and ecosystems because t's not really controlled. There is a problem of what kind of contracts are being made and how the natural resources are being sold out.

Exploring the Relationship Between Time and Energy: The Georgian Pavilion at the 2023 Venice Biennale is Curated by the Tbilisi Architecture Biennial Photo © Gigi Shukakidze

It is not possible to sell an entire valley or a river to a private investor, this is something that has to belong to the country and its people.

How do you see architecture in the future?

TG: A lot of rethinking must be done of what is architecture and what it can be in the future. We must really think if we need to build completely new buildings and urbanise so much territory. We must start to radically change not to build new things. It's proven many times that reconstruction is much more eco-friendly and cheaper. How much more can we build? According to the calculations where more people are coming into cities, we shall build more, but how far can we go? If we build more, more people will come therefore we need to find a balance between land, regions and cities, which can't grow endlessly.

Architecture is not an alone standing profession, it's connected with everything around it.

Tinatin Gurgenidze lives and works in Berlin. She studied architecture and urban design in Tbilisi and Barcelona. Trained as an architect and urban designer, Tinatin is involved in research and curatorial work regarding critical urban issues. She is one of the co-founders of the Tbilisi Architecture Biennial. Tinatin is also an author of several publications and articles in journals as ‘Architectural review’ and ‘Failed Architecture’. Currently, she is working on her PhD thesis concerning the (post-) Soviet mass housing settlement of Gldani, a suburb of Tbilisi. Tinatin’s work concentrates on a sociological approach towards architecture and urban space. In her work she tries to understand what happened to Gldani in the transition period after Georgia regained its independence in 1991.

Here You can listen to the WELTRAUM interview.

#architecture #interview #lina community #venice biennale #collective

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solatom123 · 3 months ago

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solomon lartey , PhD student at Teeside university.

Exploring the mechanisms behind the impact of alcoholic beverages on social behavior and health

1. Introduction to Alcohol Consumption

The consumption of alcoholic beverages represents one of the oldest cultural practices in humankind. Today's global alcohol market is among the largest consumer goods markets and continuously growing. In 2017, the alcoholic beverage world market amounted to 1.5 trillion USD (Statista, 2023). While positive aspects of moderate use are acknowledged, including conviviality enhancement (Wills et al., 2006), improvements in social skills, lower inhibitions, and, hence, greater openness, talkativeness, and assertiveness (Käkelä, 1999; Stoner et al., 2020), far more people are involved in negative consequences. Among them are intoxication-related accidents, including car accidents and drowning (Sullivan et al., 2001). Other socially unwanted effects are aggression and violence, including sexual and verbal abuse and destruction of property (Graham et al., 2006). Consequently, crimes believed to be alcohol-related constitute the largest part of the Dutch police crime statistics (CBS, 2022). Moreover, heavy and chronic drinking is correlated with alcohol use disorders (AUD), which negatively compromise individual health and social roles and are among the world's leading causes of morbidity & mortality (Ezzati et al., 2002).

The effect of alcohol on social behavior has traditionally been in focus, resulting in the notion that drinking has socializing or social lubricating effects. In many cultures, moderate drinking before or during social interaction is suspected to enhance enjoyment and smoothness of the interaction (Dimech et al., 2020). Ethanol is indeed crucial in easing socializing in cultures with a long tradition of drinking. In young naive socialize (drinking) contexts, it is also associated with later and overall higher consumption (Anderson et al., 2009). Learning processes (observational learning, social modeling) and environmental factors (socialization norms, peer socialization) contribute to these long-term effects (Foroud & Li, 2000).

1.1. Historical and Cultural Perspectives

Alcoholic beverages have been an integral part of human culture for thousands of years. The history of alcohol consumption is rich and diverse, with people from different cultures and regions developing unique alcoholic drinks. Ancient civilizations produced fermented drinks from grains, fruits, and honey. For instance, beer was brewed in ancient Mesopotamia around 4000 BCE, and wine was produced in ancient Egypt around 3000 BCE. These drinks played important roles in religious and social rituals, as well as in daily life. The ancient Greeks, for example, held symposiums where wine was consumed in moderation to foster intellectual discussions. Similarly, the ancient Chinese brewed rice wine approximately 7000 BCE, which was used in ceremonial offerings to ancestors. Such historical accounts suggest that alcohol consumption has long been intertwined with culture and society. (Rawat et al.2021)

The cultural significance of alcoholic beverages continued to evolve through the ages. In the Middle Ages, monasteries in Europe became centers of brewing and winemaking, and abbey beers and monastic wines gained renown. The consumption of alcoholic beverages was associated with Christianity and religious devotion. However, in the wake of the Protestant Reformation, cultural attitudes toward alcohol shifted dramatically, leading to the rise of temperance movements in the 19th century that condemned alcohol as sinful and destructive. The interplay between culture and alcohol was not only limited to the West. In Asia, colonial encounters reshaped traditional drinking cultures, often leading to social problems and abuses. (Schrad, 2021)

As familiar as drinking is to many, it is also a misunderstood and contentious subject, particularly in the West. Drinking can induce pleasurable effects such as relaxation, group bonding, conviviality, and sociability. Yet, it can also incite aggressive and violent behavior, abusive and demeaning conduct, and disturbing and dangerous actions. There is a common belief in many cultures that alcohol use helps unfold the ‘true self’ of the drinker. The intoxicated individual may become uninhibited, frank, cheerful, friendly, boisterous, quarrelsome, abusive, or aggressive, fully displayed in actions. However, this belief is culturally contingent. This discrepancy points to the complexity of alcohol’s social effects, revealing what is crucial in understanding the social world. This understanding has implications for public policy regarding alcohol consumption and violence. Furthermore, investigating the mechanisms underlying the cultural shaping of alcohol’s social effects can contribute to the larger theoretical endeavor of understanding the relationship between culture and behavior. As such, it is a worthwhile undertaking. (Thurnell-Read, 2021)

2. Physiological Effects of Alcohol

Alcohol has a range of physiological effects on the body. The concentration of alcohol in the bloodstream and its speed of delivery to the brain will determine the intoxication and its resulting effects. The 'buzz' commonly associated with alcohol consumption is a euphoric feeling experienced within minutes of drinking. This occurs before significant impairment of motor or cognitive function, and it is associated with alcohol’s ability to boost dopamine levels in the mesolimbic system. (Domi et al.2021)

Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is the ratio of alcohol in the blood measured by mass/volume, percentage weight/volume (wt/w), or common (mass/volume) percentage (g/mL). The amount of alcohol consumed, consumed in a short period of time, and the person’s body composition will impact their BAC. Intoxication is defined in table “Classification of Intoxication by Blood Alcohol Concentration”. Women consistently reach a BAC higher than men after consuming the same amount of alcohol due to the difference in the mean body water composition. People with lower body fat percentages will reach a lower BAC.] (Greaves et al.2022)

Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream quickly through the aerial surface of the gastrointestinal tract. Ethanol is highly soluble in water, resulting in rapid absorption through the mucous membranes lining the stomach and upper intestinal tract. The onset of intoxication occurs faster when alcohol is drank on an empty stomach (high alcohol concentrations in beverages) due to a delay in gastric emptying. Women have delayed gastric emptying compared to men, resulting in women’s BAC being elevated further than men’s. CO2-rich drinks, such as champagne, will reach the systemic circulation more quickly as they promote gastric emptying and may cause exaggerated time courses of effects. Paxil, a common antidepressant that causes doses to be absorbed into the bloodstream slowly, may negate the fast absorption of alcohol. (Cox & Klinger2022)

2.1. Metabolism and Absorption

Alcoholic beverages contain various psychoactive substances, the most offensive of which is ethanol (C2H5OH), commonly known as alcohol (Babor et al., 2010). Ethanol is a colorless, volatile, and flammable liquid that can be manufactured either synthetically or by the fermentation of carbohydrates (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2006). Ethanol is widely used as a recreational beverage and as a humectant, solubilizing agent, and medicinal agent. Ethanol intoxication induces mood swings, disinhibition, and socialization, which may facilitate drinking behaviors. Although moderate drinking is said to have health benefits, it has been undeniably linked to various hepatotoxic diseases and other health conditions, such as neurodegeneration and breast cancer, particularly among young women (Liu et al., 2014; Tchouaket et al., 2022; Yamada et al., 2023). (Koob et al., 2021)(Baltariu et al.2023)

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic, relapsing brain disease characterized by compulsive alcohol intake, loss of control over drinking, and negative emotional states when alcohol is not available. Recently, safe and effective pharmacotherapies for managing AUD have been drawn increased attention (Volpicelli et al., 1992). AUD is characterized by brain maladaptation to chronic alcohol drinking, including adaptive changes in neurotransmitter signaling systems. In particular, the neurotransmitter systems that mediate the actions of ethanol include the gamma-amino butyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor, opioid, serotonin, dopaminergic, and glutamate systems (Volpicelli et al., 1992). Normalization of forebrain neuroadaptations to chronic ethanol through region-specific electrophysiological approaches provides a promising new pharmacotherapy that holds broader implications for other neurological disorders associated with behavioral inhibition and compulsive behaviors (Babor et al., 2010). (Ferreira et al.2021)

The bioavailability of ethanol is almost 100%, with peak blood concentrations reached 30 to 90 min after ingestion of alcohol in a fasting state and about 120 to 240 min in a fed state. The rate of gastric emptying affects peak blood alcohol concentration. During acute exercise, subcutaneous alcohol injection increased blood ethanol levels faster and created a higher peak blood ethanol concentration than intragastrically administered alcohol. Gender differences exist in ethanol absorption, with higher blood alcohol concentrations noticed in females. Ethanol absorption is also dependent on age, body weight, concomitant carb intake, psychological condition, drinking history, type of beverage (carbonated beverage has a more prominent effect), and other factors. Ethanol is distributed in body water and body tissues in a relatively uniform manner. Ethanol is a small polar molecule that is lipophilic, and its small molecular weight (46.07 g/mol) plays a role in its rapid absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. After rapid absorption, ethanol flows into the blood circulation. According to the theory of alcohol spectrum, ethanol can passively diffuse across biological membranes via the lipid bilayers, resulting in concentration gradients of alcohols across membranes (Yamada et al., 2023). Ethanol is absorbed with a very low first-pass metabolism in the gastrointestinal tract and liver (Babor et al., 2010). The body weight-adjusted volume of distribution for ethanol is 0.6 to 0.7 L/kg in males and 0.5 to 0.6 L/kg in females. Ethanol concentration in tissues and organs can be predicted based on the body water and body fat contents. (Wilson & Matschinsky, 2020)(Tarantino et al.2022)

3. Social Behavior and Alcohol Use

The association between alcohol use and social behavior has been a topic of interest for social psychologists, sociologists, physicians, and epidemiologists for years. There is substantial empirical evidence that social context plays a role in influencing differential levels of alcohol consumption. This is particularly relevant for young adults, who tend to consume alcohol more frequently and in greater quantities when with friends. However, there is still much to explore regarding the nature of this association. A social networking perspective is proposed to better understand the role of social context in influencing drinking behavior. (Corbin et al.2021)

The expression of social behaviors is not solely based on internal factors such as individual motivation, personality, or drug use. Context matters. Social networks, which are the web of social ties linking individuals, have been shown to influence behavior. Network attributes, including individual positioning in the network, the network's structural and homophilic features, and peer effects, have all been linked to social behavior. Networks are crucial for the transmission of social behavior and social norms through relational ties.

Normative mechanisms are important for understanding how social context shapes behavior. Social norms define acceptable conduct in a given context and regulate social behavior by sanctioning norm violations. Social norms regarding alcohol use can either encourage or discourage behavior within a network, regardless of individual characteristics. East African communities are used as an example where drinking norms have shifted, promoting consumption among women and economically disadvantaged individuals. This highlights that social norms may promote both individual and collective risky behaviors.

Descriptive norms refer to perceptions of typical behaviors within a social context, while injunctive norms refer to perceptions of approval/disapproval. A pipeline model is proposed to understand how these normative mechanisms and social contexts interrelate to shape individual behavior, taking into account relative timing in alcohol use behavior. Contextual aspects such as physical environment and network homophily are relevant for drinking behavior. Normative mechanisms are explained, and convergence between descriptive and injunctive norms is considered.

3.1. Social Norms and Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol use is commonly embedded in the social life of different cultures, and the availability of alcoholic beverages facilitates such consumption. Understanding how social contexts shape drinking behaviors has been a focal point of research, leading to a large body of work on normative influences. Numerous cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have shown associations between alcohol use and the attitudes and behaviors of peers and friends, but it remains to be understood how such influences come into play. Social norm approaches have been employed in several interventions, both in public campaigns and as "brief interventions" in treatment programs for problem drinkers. The latter are commonly called "feedback" interventions, where survey feedback is used in one-to-one settings to confront drinkers with a higher personal use compared to their peers. Feedback interventions have often produced an immediate decrease in alcohol consumption. (Marziali et al., 2022)

Several mechanisms have been suggested that may explain the impact of social norms on drinking behaviors. Social norms processing is facilitated by the tendency of individuals to fall back on common sense when they lack information. In the absence of direct experience on how much alcohol is consumed by peers or friends, default assumptions are that consumption is close to limits permitted by the law, or even above the average limits suggested by population statistics. Norm comparisons are also facilitated by the prevalence of thus shared estimates rooted in culturally transmitted knowledge. Such estimates easily come to mind when individuals seek advice on whether their personal consumption is inappropriate, inviting students and other young adults to be concerned about their drinking as potentially high. Alternatively, exposure to drinking may boost activated estimates and filtering norms, rendering high individual consumption acceptable.

Both normative processing styles and consumption levels go through systematic changes during the transition into independent drinking, creating an intertwining of the two processes that cross-fuel the impact of social norms on drinking. In early phases of drinking, high normative estimates provide a protective window of opportunity against binge drinking in normatively constrained group settings. Once individuals increase drinking, normative estimates adjust to match drinking levels within social groups, which may set the stage for drinking escalation within resulting drinking cultures. Alcohol consumption is a variable that has attracted much attention in both the social sciences and the biomedical sciences. In recent years, attempts have been made to find common ground among these fields, and interest groups have attempted to utilize knowledge gained in the social sciences on the social risk factors of drinking behavior for the development of intervention policies to diminish alcohol-related problems. (Graupensperger et al.2021)

4. Alcohol Use Disorders

In Western societies, alcohol use is ubiquitous, and a large majority of the population consumes alcoholic beverages of various kinds. For most, alcohol consumption is limited, involves only the occasional drink, and does not lead to any adverse consequences. However, for a sizable minority, alcohol use leads to a chronic social and health problem characterized by hazardous and harmful consumption. According to the latest guidelines of the World Health Organization, about 40% of the Western adult population qualifies as having an alcohol use disorder (AUD), defined as at least one of the following 11 criteria within the last 12 months: 1) consuming alcohol in larger amounts or over a longer period than intended; 2) wanting to cut down or stop, but not succeeding; 3) spending a significant amount of time obtaining, using, or recovering from alcohol; 4) craving alcohol; 5) causing conflicts with family or friends; 6) neglecting social, occupational, or recreational activities due to drinking; 7) using alcohol in hazardous situations; 8) continuing to use alcohol despite causing problems; 9) developing tolerance; 10) experiencing withdrawal symptoms; 11) engaging in behavior that poses a risk to health, such as liver disease, accidents, and overdosing. In the United States, someone dies of alcohol consumption every 12 minutes. It has been estimated that alcohol consumption costs the United States over $223.5 billion per year, accounting for 1.9% of its gross domestic product (GDP). In 2004, Canada drank on average 14.9 liters per person, the second highest among the countries more developed organizations. (Neufeld et al.2021)

There is a clear need for effective preventive measures to deal with AUDs. A wide range of risk factors have been identified that make individuals more vulnerable to develop an AUD, which can be divided into factors that are biological, genetic, environmental, social, and psychological in nature. The implementation of preventive measures should focus on combating the impact of these factors. Several institutions provide clear insight into AUDs and guidelines focused on at-risk populations, available for health workers, educational institutions, governments, and online.

4.1. Risk Factors and Prevention

Causal pathways exist through which such risk factors exert their effects, modifying, mediating, or influencing measures of social behavior in youth. In turn, such behaviors affect alcohol use and intoxication and, consequently, the risk for the development of AUDs later in life. In recognizing how time and different levels of organization along such pathways may modify the effects of risk factors on the progression of alcohol use, intoxication, and abuse would allow for development of more effective approaches for prevention and intervention at different stages in development. (Karunamuni et al., 2021)

Although relationships exist between higher level demographic and societal influences, such as advertising, pub and bar availability, and college status, there has been less focus on identifying specific mechanisms through which higher level influences affect individual level risk factors. This has limited understanding of how societal level forces, such as alcohol marketing directed at youth and the availability of alcohol on campuses, shape the risk of early onset drinking across different cultures and societies.

Persons who drink to intoxication are at elevated risk for alcohol dependence. Because alcohol intoxication is the putative mediator of most of the acute pharmacological effects of alcohol consumption on social behavior, it is important to identify risk factors that affect the progression of drinking and intoxication. Various risk factors are likely to exert their effects on drinking and intoxication in different ways over the course of development. Factors that affect the earlier and initial use of alcohol are likely to have different effects on the risk and timing of intoxication. Factors that influence drinking in adolescence and young adulthood are likely to be distinct from those that influence use patterns in older adults.

The concept of drinking trajectories is introduced as a way to explore individual differences in drinking and intoxication patterns over the course of development. Such trajectories can be inferred indirectly through the analysis of longitudinal data or can be modeled directly from cross-sectional data. Trajectories of use can take different forms, such as user/non-user, increasing/decreasing, or stable patterns, or they can involve different types of use (e.g., average quantity or frequency of use), different substances (e.g., alcohol and cigarettes), or levels of a dependent variable (e.g., alcohol abuse, sensation-seeking, neuropsychological functioning). Likewise, trajectories of intoxication can vary, ranging from never intoxicated to a steady increase in intoxication as drinking increased.

5. Conclusion and Future Directions

Throughout this essay, alcohol's wide range of effects—both socially and physically—has been examined. It was revealed that when consumed in moderation, alcoholic drinks can improve confidence and decrease anxiety or discomfort in company settings. However, the motivation behind alcohol consumption often changes as consumption escalates. The negative impact of excessive drinking becomes evident, as this change can include violence or disagreements. Furthermore, while binge drinking occasionally can be viewed as harmless fun, at-risk groups often develop substance abuse, which heavily affects health and social engagement. Such groups often include younger people, who are still learning social norms and have less experience with substance use. Studies show that those aged 18-30 account for the highest number of deaths due to binge drinking, and that those who begin drinking before age 15 are more likely to develop substance abuse.

There are many factors that lead to this escalation of drinking patterns. Properties of the drink itself can play a role; alcohol consumption increases in bars or clubs after drinks are bought, because of their higher alcohol content and cheap price. The environment can also affect drinking patterns; programs intending to reduce drinking in bars often focus on the drinking culture, which consists of music and dancing, and urges the idea of drinking to escape reality. Women’s drinking often shapes the social culture in such venues. However, it does not appear that alcohol programs successfully reduce drinking, often leading to disappointment, an increased need for alcohol, and uptake in drug use. Future directions could include investigating the intoxication of substances other than alcohol, exploring whether binge-drinks increase or decrease drug use, and utilizing rodent models with social behavior experiments greatly differing from existing paradigms, with a focus on sex differences.

References:

Rawat, J.M., Pandey, S., Debbarma, P. and Rawat, B., 2021. Preparation of alcoholic beverages by tribal communities in the Indian himalayan region: A review on traditional and ethnic consideration. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 5, p.672411. frontiersin.org

Schrad, M. L., 2021. Smashing the liquor machine: A global history of prohibition. [HTML]

Thurnell-Read, T., 2021. 'If they weren't in the pub, they probably wouldn't even know each other': Alcohol, sociability and pub based leisure. International Journal of the Sociology of Leisure. springer.com

Domi, E., Domi, A., Adermark, L., Heilig, M. and Augier, E., 2021. Neurobiology of alcohol seeking behavior. Journal of Neurochemistry, 157(5), pp.1585-1614. wiley.com

Greaves, L., Poole, N. and Brabete, A.C., 2022. Sex, gender, and alcohol use: implications for women and low-risk drinking guidelines. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(8), p.4523. mdpi.com

Cox, W.M. and Klinger, E., 2022. Alcohol and its effects on the body. In Why People Drink; How People Change: A Guide to Alcohol and People’s Motivation for Drinking It (pp. 25-38). Cham: Springer International Publishing. [HTML]

Koob, G. F., Arends, M. A., McCracken, M. L., & Le Moal, M., 2021. Alcohol: Neurobiology of Addiction. [HTML]

Baltariu, I.C., Enea, V., Kaffenberger, J., Duiverman, L.M. and aan het Rot, M., 2023. The acute effects of alcohol on social cognition: A systematic review of experimental studies. Drug and alcohol dependence, 245, p.109830. sciencedirect.com

Ferreira, G.M., Lee, R.S., Piquet-Pessôa, M., de Menezes, G.B., Moreira-de-Oliveira, M.E., Albertella, L., Yücel, M., dos Santos Cruz, M., dos Santos-Ribeiro, S. and Fontenelle, L.F., 2021. Habitual versus affective motivations in obsessive-compulsive disorder and alcohol use disorder. CNS spectrums, 26(3), pp.243-250. [HTML]

Wilson, D. F. & Matschinsky, F. M., 2020. Ethanol metabolism: The good, the bad, and the ugly. Medical hypotheses. sciencedirect.com

Tarantino, G., Cataldi, M. and Citro, V., 2022. Could alcohol abuse and dependence on junk foods inducing obesity and/or illicit drug use represent danger to liver in young people with altered psychological/relational spheres or emotional problems?. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(18), p.10406. mdpi.com

Corbin, W.R., Hartman, J.D., Bruening, A.B. and Fromme, K., 2021. Contextual influences on subjective alcohol response. Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology, 29(1), p.48. apa.org

Marziali, M. E., Levy, N. S., & Martins, S. S., 2022. Perceptions of peer and parental attitudes toward substance use and actual adolescent substance use: The impact of adolescent-confidant relationships. Substance abuse. nih.gov

Graupensperger, S., Jaffe, A.E., Hultgren, B.A., Rhew, I.C., Lee, C.M. and Larimer, M.E., 2021. The dynamic nature of injunctive drinking norms and within-person associations with college student alcohol use. Psychology of addictive behaviors, 35(8), p.867. apa.org

Neufeld, M., Bunova, A., Ferreira-Borges, C., Bryun, E., Fadeeva, E., Gil, A., Gornyi, B., Khaltourina, D., Koshkina, E., Nadezhdin, A. and Tetenova, E., 2021. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) in the Russian language-a systematic review of validation efforts and application challenges. Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy, 16, pp.1-14. springer.com

Karunamuni, N., Imayama, I., & Goonetilleke, D., 2021. Pathways to well-being: Untangling the causal relationships among biopsychosocial variables. Social science & medicine. osf.io

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trh-thesussexes · 5 years ago

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Inside Duchess Meghan’s Emotional Farewell to Royal Life at a Private Engagement

It was supposed to be a quiet day off in the countryside until my phone went berserk—the staccato buzz I set for palace correspondence almost sending it off the table. “His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince Harry to Ms. Meghan Markle,” the November 27, 2017, email read, followed by a note inviting royal correspondents to join the couple for a special photo call to mark the occasion. A few road rules may have been bent to make the 80-ish mile drive from Oxfordshire to Kensington Palace—in traffic—but it was worth it. Standing by the lily-covered Sunken Pond as Harry shared his joy at finally finding his teammate, it was the perfect start to a chapter that would finally bring the royal family into the 21st century. Over the months and years that followed, I closely shadowed the work of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, getting to know the couple better through their humanitarian endeavors, engagements, and overseas visits. Their high-energy work ethic and passion for social justice attracted a new, more diverse demographic of royal watcher to the scene. As a young(ish), biracial royal correspondent, the change was exciting. And as their popularity grew around the world, so did a new golden era for the House of Windsor. Never did I expect that less than two and half years later I would be standing in one of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace as the Duchess of Sussex emotionally bids much-loved aides farewell, with her flight “home” to Canada leaving in a matter of hours. But then, neither did the couple. After starting the year with a formal proposal to move into part-time working royal roles, and bring some much-needed privacy and safety to their family life, Harry and Meghan’s hopes were quickly dashed by an institution seemingly unable to accept change as a viable option (even though some royals across Europe—and even other members of the British royal family—have succeeded in balancing duties to the crown and individual careers). To say they were crushed is an understatement. It’s a decision that the couple still feel wasn’t necessary, but also wasn’t a surprise, given the lack of support they received as they were relentlessly attacked by sections of the British press with almost daily mistruths and hateful commentary. While recent tabloid coverage has made it seem like the Sussexes’ half-in-half-out bid was about wanting it all, the reality was a couple who were left with no other choice but to create their own change after being left to fend for themselves against impossible circumstances—even during her pregnancy. They knew something had to change, but they also didn’t want to stop supporting the queen. One can’t help but wonder if things might have been different if a family member or two had stood up for them during the darkest times. Despite the pain and difficulties behind the scenes, work has continued to be a priority for the duchess, who is excited to be carrying over her four royal patronages into the Sussexes’ new chapter. It’s also the reason why I was at Buckingham Palace's 1844 Room on Monday, having been invited alongside two other journalists to cover Meghan’s final engagement as a senior working royal: meeting 22 students who have received scholarships from the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU). As their royal patron—a role she took over from the queen in 2019—Meghan will continue to prioritize the organization even after officially stepping back on March 31, especially given her position as the vice president of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust and a former scholarship student herself. In fact, Meghan’s time at Illinois’s prestigious Northwestern University, where she majored in international relations and theater, is what drew her to the ACU in the first place. “The value and importance of higher education is why it should be accessible to everyone, no matter your background,” she says. For Commonwealth Day, March 9, the ACU brought together some of their brightest minds for a private meeting with the duchess, ahead of their attendance at Westminster Abbey’s Commonwealth Service, where some would bear the flags of their countries. The students are all studying masters or PhDs in the U.K. after receiving scholarships from the ACU’s three programs—Commonwealth Scholars, Chevening Scholars, and the ACU Blue Charter Fellow. “That’s what so powerful,” says Meghan, a long-time champion of the importance of universal access to higher education. “This incredible union and the ability to gain so much knowledge and to be able to take that back home.” Chatting with the scholars, the duchess is eager to hear more about how their studies will contribute to tackling the many challenges our world faces today. As she talks with the students, it becomes clear that she’s already done her research on why each guest was invited. It’s inspiring to seeing someone so prepared for these types of engagements, as opposed to just showing up for the photographs. But Meghan doesn’t know any other way of doing it. “I think it’s so important to actually engage with people,”she explains.“I care about these things!” The ACU has seen over 90,000 scholars come through their administered programs, and those invited to Monday’s meeting represent 11 Commonwealth countries in total. Halima Ali, a lawyer from Kenya who is currently studying for her masters in energy and natural resources law at London’s Queen Mary University, says Meghan’s role as patron is hugely important. “For Commonwealth and also Africa countries,” she says,“to see her, her interest, her participation, means a lot to us.” Meghan seems particularly impressed as she chats with Archana Kaliyaraj Selva Kumar, a chemistry student at Oxford University, who has devoted much of her time to using her research to create a new sustainable energy-storing battery that can help communities back in India without wired power. She is also an advocate for helping more women get into science. “What an incredible role model you are,” Meghan tells her. “And seeing is believing. Others see you and ... seeing someone in that space is so inspiring.” During a conversation with a female PhD student from Kenya, Meghan’s eyes light up when the subject of sustainable travel comes up. “That’s something my husband is incredibly passionate about,” she tells the Sheffield Hallam University student. “During our travels to Botswana and different parts of Africa, we’ve seen the link between tourism and how much money is going outside of the country instead of back to communities. There has to be a symbiotic relationship.” For her own travels with Harry, Meghan prefers to move around in a way that allows them to integrate with the locals. “When we go to Botswana, we grab a backpack and pitch a tent!” Meghan laughs. “It’s not much, but that’s how we like it!” Standing at the side of the room, I spot Secretary General of the ACU Joanna Newman looking on proudly. She came to know the duchess well from their numerous ACU engagements and meetings together, and is excited about their relationship continuing long into the future. “She has been a fantastic amplifier of ACU messages to much broader audiences for us,” she tells me, adding that her patronage has given the ACU coverage in places they could have never reached before, including Harper's BAZAAR. She calls Meghan a powerful spokesperson, recalling how she started public conversations about the lack of Black professors and even period poverty.>“The headlines haven’t been about what our patron is wearing or the official engagement started at this time and ended at that time and there was a cup of tea in the middle, it’s about why we are doing what we do and why ACU exists. She’s been a real champion of the work that universities do.” The ACU meeting came at the end of what Sussex aides have nicknamed a “farewell tour” for Harry and Meghan—a chance to tie up loose ends at the palace while taking on a slew of final royal engagements. The itinerary has been packed, starting when I joined the Duke of Sussex in Edinburgh, Scotland, on February 26 as his sustainable travel initiative, Travalyst, entered its next development phase. The ambitious project will be a key component of the Sussexes’ philanthropic portfolio, and it’s become extremely clear just how important the cause is to Harry, who regularly takes part in meetings behind the scenes. Chatting with him one-on-one recently, I was struck by how knowledgeable he has become in this field; his many trips to Botswana inspired the beginnings of the initiative more than a year ago. As one of the attendees at the Edinburgh work summit whispered to me after his speech, “He’s about to change the game for good.” Reuniting after five days apart, Harry and Meghan’s showstopping arrival at the Endeavour Fund Awards served as a reminder of their ability to command the world’s attention. “Nothing to see here, just Meghan Markle showing the fuck out during her final round of royal duties,” wrote a Twitter user, as the pictures of the couple beaming under their umbrella went viral around the world. Inside the ceremony, the focus was firmly on the veterans being honored, all speaking highly of the duke, or Captain Wales, as he’s better known in the veteran community. It’s that mission to support servicemen and servicewomen that has seen Harry pledge to continue to support the community in his new non-working royal life, not just in the United Kingdom but also in North America too. The first task? Bringing the work of the Endeavour Fund and Invictus Games, both of which he helped establish, closer together. Harry’s lifelong commitment is why Saturday’s Mountbatten Festival of Music was a particularly difficult moment, wearing his Captain General of the Royal Marines uniform for the last time. Giving up his royal duties has resulted in his military honors coming to an end—a particularly tough pill to swallow and something that has been just as difficult for his wife to witness. It is, a source close to the couple tells me, a wound that will take time to heal for Harry. Meghan’s surprise appearance at an East London school for International Women’s Day and more traditional royal engagements such as Harry opening an immersive British motorsport museum alongside Lewis Hamilton (“There's nothing better than officially opening a building that is very much open,” the duke joked about the Silverstone Experience, which first opened its doors in October 2019) that rounded out what has been a roller coaster of a farewell visit for the Sussexes. Getting on with the work has always been what it’s been about for Harry and Meghan, but behind the smiles of the photos has been a vulnerable couple who are still very much hurting. Back at Buckingham Palace, the ACU students now en route to Westminster Abbey and Harry quietly slipping through the door to say hello, the reality—and the emotions—finally set in as I give Meghan a goodbye hug. She’s flying back to Canada on the last commercial flight of the day, eager to be back in Vancouver Island to be there when Archie wakes up. For a couple who only ever wanted to focus on their work and bring good to the world, it seems like an unnecessarily cruel ending to their royal lives. Forced to give up roles they’re incredibly proud of after sacrificing so much to get there. At this point, the grand Drawing Room is almost empty and tears that the duchess had been bravely holding back are free to flow among familiar faces. As she embraces some of the loyal staff she will most likely not see again, I can’t help but feel sad for the dedicated team members whose tireless efforts—to promote the couple’s work, launch landmark projects, and deal with the near-daily crises brought on by tabloid lies—have come to an abrupt end. Compared to other royal households, it was a smaller operation, with less resources than the more sophisticated offices at Clarence House and Kensington Palace, but in the short space of a year since setting up, Team Sussex had become like a family, looking out for the couple as much as they could. While the weeks and months ahead will no doubt present new challenges for the Sussexes, the couple genuinely feel a sense of excitement about what’s to come, which includes the freedom to work at a pace that suits them, no longer weighed down by protocol or threatened by toxic agendas. And while much has been (incorrectly) speculated about specific commercial endeavors they might be taking on, both Harry and Meghan are eager to get stuck into their work, which will still revolve around their humanitarian efforts and helping amplify the voices of young people around the world on a wide gamut of issues. “The terrain may be a little different but their priorities are exactly the same as before,” a well-placed source tells me. “Keeping the family, most importantly Archie, safe is what will make all of this worth it.” (x)

#this made me cry :(#They deserved so much better #Duchess of Sussex #Duke of Sussex #Meghan Markle #Prince Harry #article #ACU20 #amazing piece by omid

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diarrheaworldstarhiphop · 5 years ago

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...And what about the significant skilled and white-collar migrant workforce? Despite the rhetoric about “shithole countries” or nations “not sending their best,” the toll of the migration brain drain on developing economies has been enormous. According to the Census Bureau’s figures for 2017, about 45 percent of migrants who have arrived in the United States since 2010 are college educated.8 Developing countries are struggling to retain their skilled and professional citizens, often trained at great public cost, because the largest and wealthiest economies that dominate the global market have the wealth to snap them up. Today, Mexico also ranks as one of the world’s biggest exporters of educated professionals, and its economy consequently suffers from a persistent “qualified employment deficit.” This developmental injustice is certainly not limited to Mexico. According to Foreign Policy magazine, “There are more Ethiopian physicians practicing in Chicago today than in all of Ethiopia, a country of 80 million.”9 It is not difficult to see why the political and economic elites of the world’s richest countries would want the world to “send their best,” regardless of the consequences for the rest of the world. But why is the moralizing, pro–open borders Left providing a humanitarian face for this naked self-interest?

...

As the child of migrants, and someone who has spent most of my life in a country with persistently high levels of emigration—Ireland—I have always viewed the migration question differently than my well-intentioned friends on the left in large, world-dominating economies. When austerity and unemployment hit Ireland—after billions in public money was used to bail out the financial sector in 2008—I watched my entire peer group leave and never return. This isn’t just a technical matter. It touches the heart and soul of a nation, like a war. It means the constant hemorrhaging of idealistic and energetic young generations, who normally rejuvenate and reimagine a society. In Ireland, as in every high-emigration country, there have always been anti-emigration campaigns and movements, led by the Left, demanding full employment in times of recession. But they’re rarely strong enough to withstand the forces of the global market. Meanwhile, the guilty and nervous elites in office during a period of popular anger are only too happy to see a potentially radical generation scatter across the world.

...

I’m always amazed at the arrogance and the strangely imperial mentality of British and American pro–open borders progressives who believe that they are performing an act of enlightened charity when they “welcome” PhDs from eastern Europe or Central America driving them around and serving them food. In the wealthiest nations, open borders advocacy seems to function as a fanatical cult among true believers—a product of big business and free market lobbying is carried along by a larger group of the urban creative, tech, media, and knowledge economy class, who are serving their own objective class interests by keeping their transient lifestyles cheap and their careers intact as they parrot the institutional ideology of their industries. The truth is that mass migration is a tragedy, and upper-middle-class moralizing about it is a farce. Perhaps the ultra-wealthy can afford to live in the borderless world they aggressively advocate for, but most people need—and want—a coherent, sovereign political body to defend their rights as citizens.

Trump infamously complained about people coming from third-world “shithole countries” and suggested Norwegians as an example of ideal immigrants. But Norwegians did once come to America in large numbers—when they were desperate and poor. Now that they have a prosperous and relatively egalitarian social democracy, built on public ownership of natural resources, they no longer want to.17 Ultimately, the motivation for mass migration will persist as long as the structural problems underlying it remain in place.

Reducing the tensions of mass migration thus requires improving the prospects of the world’s poor. Mass migration itself will not accomplish this: it creates a race to the bottom for workers in wealthy countries and a brain drain in poor ones. The only real solution is to correct the imbalances in the global economy, and radically restructure a system of globalization that was designed to benefit the wealthy at the expense of the poor. This involves, to start with, structural changes to trade policies that prevent necessary, state-led development in emerging economies. Anti-labor trade deals like nafta must also be opposed. It is equally necessary to take on a financial system that funnels capital away from the developing world and into inequality-heightening asset bubbles in rich countries. Finally, although the reckless foreign policies of the George W. Bush administration have been discredited, the temptation to engage in military crusades seems to live on. This should be opposed. U.S.-led foreign invasions have killed millions in the Middle East, created millions of refugees and migrants, and devastated fundamental infrastructure.

Marx’s argument that the English working class should see Irish nationhood as a potential compliment to their struggle, rather than as a threat to their identity, should resonate today, as we witness the rise of various identity movements around the world. The comforting delusion that immigrants come here because they love America is incredibly naïve—as naïve as suggesting that the nineteenth-century Irish immigrants Marx described loved England. Most migrants emigrate out of economic necessity, and the vast majority would prefer to have better opportunities at home, among their own family and friends. But such opportunities are impossible within the current shape of globalization.

Just like the situation Marx described in the England of his day, politicians like Trump rally their base by stirring up anti-immigration sentiment, but they rarely if ever address the structural exploitation—whether at home or abroad—that is the root cause of mass migration. Often, they make these problems worse, expanding the power of employers and capital against labor, while turning the rage of their supporters—often the victims of these forces—against other victims, immigrants. But for all Trump’s anti-immigration bluster, his administration has done virtually nothing to expand the implementation of E-Verify, preferring instead to boast about a border wall that never seems to materialize.18 While families are separated at the border, the administration has turned a blind eye toward employers who use immigrants as pawns in a game of labor arbitrage.

Meanwhile, members of the open-borders Left may try to convince themselves that they are adopting a radical position. But in practice they are just replacing the pursuit of economic equality with the politics of big business, masquerading as a virtuous identitarianism. America, still one of the richest countries in the world, should be able to provide not just full employment but a living wage for all of its people, including in jobs which open borders advocates claim “Americans won’t do.” Employers who exploit migrants for cheap labor illegally—at great risk to the migrants themselves—should be blamed, not the migrants who are simply doing what people have always done when facing economic adversity. By providing inadvertent cover for the ruling elite’s business interests, the Left risks a significant existential crisis, as more and more ordinary people defect to far-right parties. At this moment of crisis, the stakes are too high to keep getting it wrong.

#immigration #angela nagle

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wiqi4love · 6 years ago

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careerxlsstudyabroad · 6 years ago

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~CXL~Study MSc in Bioprocess Engineering from Dublin City University, Ireland

~CXL~

Ireland is a beautiful green country located in northwest Europe. It is an island that is separated from Great Britain by the Irish Sea. The island is considered the 20th largest island in the world, Its currency is the Euro. The country’s official language is both English and Irish.Northern Ireland is governed by the United Kingdom, while the rest of Ireland is an independent nation.

Dublin City University is located in the north of Dublin city centre and a short bus ride to the heart of this vibrant capital city of over 1 million people. DCU is internationally recognised as a top young university, being both a QS Top 100 under 50 and THE Top 150 under 50. We have an extensive range of courses, including Undergraduate Programmes of 3-4 years, 1-year taught Masters programmes, research programmes and Study Abroad programmes. DCU is Ireland’s most innovative university, and in 2016 will deliver more than 200 programmes to over 16,000 students across its five faculties – Humanities and Social Sciences, Science and Health, Engineering and Computing, DCU Business School and the DCU Institute of Education. In the last nine years, DCU has twice been named Sunday Times ‘University of the Year’.

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The programme has an excellent reputation in the biopharmaceutical industry, with a number of companies (Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Merck, BMS) registering employees for the full or partial programme. This post-graduate programme builds on the world-renowned experience of the course presenters, including professors, lecturers and industrial experts. The programme provides a platform for entry into research-level positions (PhD, further specialised programmes) and industries involved in the production of recombinant therapeutic proteins/diagnostics. It also provides a highly interactive environment for the understanding of real bioprocesses, and to encourage discussion with industry experts in a dynamic environment, on actual problems and challenges in the bioprocessing sector.

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arcticdementor · 6 years ago

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Of course, the Reaganite project did not end with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Reagan—and his successors from both parties—used the same triumphalist rhetoric to sell the hollowing out of trade unions, the deregulation of banks, the expansion of outsourcing, and the globalization of markets away from the deadweight of national economic interests. Central to this project was a neoliberal attack on national barriers to the flow of labor and capital. At home, Reagan also oversaw one of the most significant pro-migration reforms in American history, the 1986 “Reagan Amnesty” that expanded the labor market by allowing millions of illegal migrants to gain legal status.

Popular movements against different elements of this post–Cold War vision came initially from the Left in the form of the anti-globalization movements and later Occupy Wall Street. But, lacking the bargaining power to challenge international capital, protest movements went nowhere. The globalized and financialized economic system held firm despite all the devastation it wreaked, even through the 2008 financial crisis.

Today, by far the most visible anti-globalization movement takes the form of the anti-migrant backlash led by Donald Trump and other “populists.” The Left, meanwhile, seems to have no option but to recoil in horror at Trump’s “Muslim ban” and news stories about ICE hunting down migrant families; it can only react against whatever Trump is doing. If Trump is for immigration controls, then the Left will demand the opposite. And so today talk of “open borders” has entered mainstream liberal discourse, where once it was confined to radical free market think tanks and libertarian anarchist circles.

While no serious political party of the Left is offering concrete proposals for a truly borderless society, by embracing the moral arguments of the open-borders Left and the economic arguments of free market think tanks, the Left has painted itself into a corner. If “no human is illegal!,” as the protest chant goes, the Left is implicitly accepting the moral case for no borders or sovereign nations at all. But what implications will unlimited migration have for projects like universal public health care and education, or a federal jobs guarantee? And how will progressives convincingly explain these goals to the public?

…

The transformation of open borders into a “Left” position is a very new phenomenon and runs counter to the history of the organized Left in fundamental ways. Open borders has long been a rallying cry of the business and free market Right. Drawing from neoclassical economists, these groups have advocated for liberalizing migration on the grounds of market rationality and economic freedom. They oppose limits on migration for the same reasons that they oppose restrictions on the movement of capital. The Koch-funded Cato Institute, which also advocates lifting legal restrictions on child labor, has churned out radical open borders advocacy for decades, arguing that support for open borders is a fundamental tenet of libertarianism, and “Forget the wall already, it’s time for the U.S. to have open borders.” The Adam Smith Institute has done much the same, arguing that “Immigration restrictions make us poorer.”

Following Reagan and figures like Milton Friedman, George W. Bush championed liberalizing migration before, during, and after his presidency. Grover Norquist, a zealous advocate of Trump’s (and Bush’s and Reagan’s) tax cuts, has for years railed against the illiberalism of the trade unions, reminding us, “Hostility to immigration has traditionally been a union cause.”

He’s not wrong. From the first law restricting immigration in 1882 to Cesar Chavez and the famously multiethnic United Farm Workers protesting against employers’ use and encouragement of illegal migration in 1969, trade unions have often opposed mass migration. They saw the deliberate importation of illegal, low-wage workers as weakening labor’s bargaining power and as a form of exploitation. There is no getting around the fact that the power of unions relies by definition on their ability to restrict and withdraw the supply of labor, which becomes impossible if an entire workforce can be easily and cheaply replaced. Open borders and mass immigration are a victory for the bosses.

…

Today’s well-intentioned activists have become the useful idiots of big business. With their adoption of “open borders” advocacy—and a fierce moral absolutism that regards any limit to migration as an unspeakable evil—any criticism of the exploitative system of mass migration is effectively dismissed as blasphemy. Even solidly leftist politicians, like Bernie Sanders in the United States and Jeremy Corbyn in the United Kingdom, are accused of “nativism” by critics if they recognize the legitimacy of borders or migration restriction at any point. This open borders radicalism ultimately benefits the elites within the most powerful countries in the world, further disempowers organized labor, robs the developing world of desperately needed professionals, and turns workers against workers.

…

It has now become a common slogan among advocates of open borders—and many mainstream commentators—that “there is no migrant crisis.” But whether they like it or not, radically transformative levels of mass migration are unpopular across every section of society and throughout the world. And the people among whom it is unpopular, the citizenry, have the right to vote. Thus migration increasingly presents a crisis that is fundamental to democracy. Any political party wishing to govern will either have to accept the will of the people, or it will have to repress dissent in order to impose the open borders agenda. Many on the libertarian Left are among the most aggressive advocates of the latter. And for what? To provide moral cover for exploitation? To ensure that left-wing parties that could actually address any of these issues at a deeper international level remain out of power?

The immigration expansionists have two key weapons. One is the big business and financial interests all working on their side, but an equally powerful weapon—wielded more expertly by the left-leaning immigration expansionists—is moral blackmail and public shame. People are right to see the mistreatment of migrants as morally wrong. Many people are concerned about the growth of racism and callousness toward minorities that often accompanies anti-immigration sentiment. But the open borders position does not even live up to its own professed moral code.

There are many economic pros and cons to high immigration, but it is more likely to negatively impact low-skilled and low-paid native workers while benefiting wealthier native workers and the corporate sector. As George J. Borjas has argued, it functions as a kind of upward wealth redistribution. A 2017 study by the National Academy of Sciences called “The Economic and Fiscal Consequences of Immigration” found that current immigration policies have resulted in disproportionately negative effects on poor and minority Americans, a finding that would have come as no surprise to figures like Marcus Garvey or Frederick Douglass. No doubt they, too, would have to be considered “anti-immigrant” by today’s standards for warning of this.

…

If open borders is “a Koch brothers proposal,” then what would an authentic Left position on immigration look like? In this case, instead of channeling Milton Friedman, the Left should take its bearings from its own long traditions. Progressives should focus on addressing the systemic exploitation at the root of mass migration rather than retreating to a shallow moralism that legitimates these exploitative forces. This does not mean that leftists should ignore injustices against immigrants. They should vigorously defend migrants against inhumane treatment. At the same time, any sincere Left must take a hard line against the corporate, financial, and other actors who create the desperate circumstances underlying mass migration (which, in turn, produces the populist reaction against it). Only a strong national Left in the small and developing nations—acting in concert with a Left committed to ending financialization and global labor exploitation in the larger economies—could have any hope of addressing these problems.

To begin with, the Left must stop citing the latest Cato Institute propaganda in order to ignore the effects of immigration on domestic labor, especially the working poor who are likely to suffer disproportionately from expanding the labor pool. Immigration policies should be designed to ensure that the bargaining power of workers is not significantly imperiled. This is especially true in times of wage stagnation, weak unions, and massive inequality.

With respect to illegal immigration, the Left should support efforts to make E-Verify mandatory and push for stiff penalties on employers who fail to comply. Employers, not immigrants, should be the primary focus of enforcement efforts. These employers take advantage of immigrants who lack ordinary legal protections in order to perpetuate a race to the bottom in wages while also evading payroll taxes and the provision of other benefits. Such incentives must be eliminated if any workers are to be treated fairly.

…

#american affairs journal #angela nagle #immigration #open borders #brain drain #new helot caste

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southeastasianists · 6 years ago

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When Indonesia’s New Order regime met its end in May 1998, I was a PhD student researching Indonesian opposition movements while teaching Indonesian language and politics at a university in Sydney. Along with other lecturers and students, I watched the live broadcast of Suharto’s resignation speech, listening to the words of one of our colleagues as she translated the president’s fateful words for Australian TV. Clustered around a television screen in a poky AV lab, everyone present felt awed by the immensity of what we were witnessing, relieved that a dangerous political impasse had been broken, and nervously hopeful about the future after so many long years of political stagnation.

The extraordinary achievements of political reform in the years that followed formed one of the great success stories of the so-called “third wave” of democratisation—the worldwide surge of regime change that began in Southern Europe in the mid-1970s and then spread through Latin America, Africa and Asia. The post-Suharto democracy has now lasted longer than did Indonesia’s earlier period of parliamentary democracy (1950–1957), and the subsequent Guided Democracy regime (1957–65). While it still has another dozen years to pass the record set by Suharto’s New Order, Indonesian democracy has proved that it has staying power.

What few would question, though, is that the quality of Indonesia’s democracy was a problem from the beginning—and that under President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) democratic quality has begun to slide dramatically.

Earlier this year, the Economist Intelligence Unit gave Indonesia its largest downgrading in its Democracy Index since scoring began in 2006. With a score of 6.39 out of a possible maximum of 10, the country is now bumping down toward the bottom of the index’s category of “flawed democracies”, on the verge—if it sinks just a little lower—of crossing into the category of “hybrid regime”. This downgrading of Indonesia’s position follows similar drops for the country in other democracy indices like the Freedom in the World surveycompiled by Freedom House.

Indonesia’s trajectory is not bucking the global trend. Around the world, democracy is in retreat. Freedom House says democracy is facing “its most serious crisis in decades”, with 71 countries experiencing declines in political rights and civil liberties in 2017 and only 35 registering gains, making 2017 the twelfth year in a row showing global democratic recession.

Unlike during an earlier era of military coups, today the primary source of democratic backsliding is elected politicians. Leaders such as Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán undermine the rule of law, manipulate institutions for their own political advantage, and restrict the space for democratic opposition. Elected despotism is, increasingly, the order of the day. Indeed, as I argue here, the primary threat to Indonesia’s democratic system today comes not from actors outside the arena of formal politics, like the military or Islamic extremists, but the politicians that Indonesians themselves have chosen.

Eroding democracy, in democracy’s name

Over recent years, successive central governments have introduced restrictions on democratic rights and freedoms in Indonesia. This process began during the second term of the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono presidency, which began in 2009, but has accelerated significantly since the election of Jokowi in 2014.

The immediate backdrop to some of the most regressive moves has been the contest between Jokowi and his Islamist and other detractors, especially in the wake of the mobilisations against the Chinese Christian governor of Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok).

In July 2017, Jokowi issued a new regulation, subsequently approved by the national legislature, that granted the authorities sweeping powers to outlaw social organisations that they deemed a threat to the national ideology of Pancasila. The new law actually built on an earlier, somewhat less harmful version issued during the Yudhoyono presidency. The government quickly took advantage of the law to outlaw Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia, a large Islamist organisation that, while openly rejecting pluralism and democracy, has also pursued its goals non-violently.

At the same time, several critics of President Jokowi have been arrested on charges of makar, or rebellion (though it appears the authorities may not be proceeding with these cases). The government has coercively intervened in the internal affairs of Indonesia’s political parties so as to attain a majority in parliament. A prominent media mogul supportive of anti-Jokowi political causes was slapped with what appeared to many to be politically-motivated criminal investigations. Foreign NGOs and funding agencies face an increasingly restrictive operating climate.

Meanwhile, the military has been brought back into governance, at least at the lowest levels of the state, with the government reinstituting the Suharto-era of babinsa—junior officers assigned to villages—and promoting military involvement in non-security related functions as fertiliser distribution.

A related source of decline in the quality of Indonesia’s democracy, meanwhile, is intolerant attitudes toward religious and other social minorities, alongside narrowing public space for critical discussion of religious topics, and the growing ascendancy of religious conservatism in social and political life.

A few years ago, religious minorities such as Shia Muslims and members of the Ahmadiyah sect were the most frequent target of violent attack and restrictions; recently, the country has been gripped by an anti-LGBT panic. It is possible that Indonesia will soon criminalise homosexuality. At a time when many third-wave democracies, notably those in Latin America, are becoming more respectful of the rights of homosexuals and other sexual minorities, Indonesia is moving in the opposite direction.

While none of these government measures has in itself been a knockout blow against freedom of expression and association, taken together they constitute a significant erosion of democratic space. As the global democracy indices recognise, it already makes no sense to speak of Indonesia as being a full, or liberal, democracy. These developments point toward, at best, Indonesia’s becoming an increasingly illiberal democracy, where electoral contestation continues as a foundation of the polity, but coexists with significant restrictions on political and religious freedoms, and where the rights of at least some minority groups are not protected.

Defying the odds

But the picture is not unremittingly gloomy. Indonesia has a long way to go before it sinks to the level of Russia or even Turkey, and it is worth pausing to contextualise the recent trends in the context of the achievements of Indonesian democracy over the last 20 years.

Many of these gains remain firmly established. Democratic electoral competition has become an essential part of Indonesia’s political architecture. Apart from sporadic calls to do away with direct elections of regional heads (pilkada), no mainstream political force calls openly for electoral mechanisms to be replaced with a rival organising principle. Even when the authoritarian populist Prabowo Subianto ran for the presidency in 2014, he had to disguise his anti-democratic impulses with talk of returning to Indonesia’s original 1945 Constitution—i.e. the version of the constitution that the Suharto regime had relied upon, but which seems attractive to many Indonesians because it resonates with Indonesia’s nationalist history.

Public opinion surveys demonstrate continuing strong support both for democracy as an ideal, and for the democratic system actually practised in Indonesia. Moreover, Indonesia still has a relatively robust civil society and independent media, at least in the major cities. Political debate on most topics remains lively. For example, it is generally easy for critics of President Jokowi to express their views loudly and directly—not something that can be done in most of Indonesia’s ASEAN neighbours. Indeed, some of the recent attempts to curtail free speech has been prompted by concerns about the ease with which so-called “fake news”, conspiracy theories and wild rumours circulate through social media.

Moreover, it is worth emphasising that many of the very people who pose the greatest threat to Indonesian democracy—its elites—have in fact bought into the new system. Elites throughout the country have benefited from the new opportunities for social mobility and material accumulation they have been able to secure through elections and decentralisation.

A recent survey of members of provincial parliaments, conducted by Lembaga Survei Indonesia (LSI) in cooperation with the Australian National University, shows that while Indonesia’s regional political elites are certainly illiberal on many issues, they are strongly supportive of electoral democracy as a system of government. Indeed, on many questions their views are markedly moredemocratic than the general population.

For example, when asked to judge on a 10-point scale whether democracy was a suitable system of government for Indonesia, the average score provided by these parliamentarians was 8.14—not far from the maximum score of 10 for “absolutely suitable”, and a full point higher than the 7.14 given by respondents in LSI’s most recent general population survey in which the same question was asked. Likewise, these legislators were considerably less likely to support military rule or rule by a strong leader than were the population at large.

These responses are significant, because democracy is not simply a system favouring protection of civil liberties and ensuring accountability of officials to the public (areas where Indonesia has, to spin it positively, a mixed record). It is also a means of ensuring regular and open competition between rival political elites.

Viewed in this light—as a means of regulating elite circulation—Indonesian democracy looks more robust. Though elite buy-in does not preclude continuing erosion of civil liberties at the centre, or guarantee protection of unpopular minorities, it does pose a considerable obstacle to the return of a command-system of centralised authority such as that which ruled Indonesia under the New Order.

A consolidated low-quality democracy?

It is in no small part due to this elite support for the status quo—in part begrudging and contingent, but nevertheless real—that Indonesian democracy has proven resilient to potential spoilers. This resilience is in itself an important achievement: there is a body of scholarly literature that suggests that once a country has experienced democratic rule for a lengthy period—one scholar, Milan Svolik, puts the figure at 17–20 years—it is very unlikely to regress toward outright authoritarianism.

Moreover, Indonesia’s present backsliding—as with the wider global trend—can arguably be viewed in part as a retreat that comes after a democratic high water mark is reached. If the last century is any guide, democratic progress and regression come in worldwide waves: the third wave of democratisation which began in the 1970s was preceded by two earlier waves that came in the wake of World War I and World War II. In both periods, many of the newly democratic regimes that were established in the wake of the breakup of multinational and colonial empires did not last long. But in each case, these retreats were superseded by new waves of democratisation.

Obviously, we need to be cautious when thinking about future trends. We are in the midst of a new world-historic transition and we do not know whether we are merely at the start of the worldwide retreat of democracy, or already near the turning of the authoritarian tide.

Most worryingly, some of the ingredients giving rise to democratic weakening in the current period are new, and do not yet show signs of abating. Strikingly, for the first time in decades, there are signs of weakness in advanced democracies—both in terms of declining popular support for democracy as measured in some opinion polls, and in the election of would-be autocrats such as Donald Trump. Wealth inequality in many countries is reaching levels not seen since the dawn of the age of mass democracy a century ago, with the result that the growing political dominance of oligarchs—a major focus of academic analysis in Indonesia—is a worldwide trend. Meanwhile, new communication technologies of the internet and social media are opening up participation in political debate, but also driving a polarisation that undermines a shared public sphere and delegitimises opponents.

The forces conspiring to undermine democracy globally, the resulting unsupportive international climate for Indonesia’s democratic revival, plus the growing signs of democratic decline in the country itself, should make us cautious about celebrating the twentieth anniversary of reformasi with a tone of triumph.

Nevertheless, it is worth viewing contemporary predicaments from the perspective of those of us who watched Suharto resign 20 years ago. Back then, as we watched Suharto read out his speech, my friends and I mixed astonishment, excitement and relief with genuine anxiety about what was in store for Indonesia. Many expert commentators were very sceptical of the notion that Indonesia could become a successful democracy. Some urged caution, pointing to the acrimony that had dogged Indonesia’s earlier democratic experiment in the 1950s, and highlighting the under-development of civilian politics and the continuing influence of the armed forces.

Indonesian democracy exceeded most expectations back then. It might just do so again.

#Southeast Asia #Indonesia #Politics #Democracy #History

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iamaraja · 3 years ago

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LiDAR Market Opportunities, planning, procedure and Strategies to 2027

Overview

The LiDAR market is set to grow at a CAGR of 14.14% during the forecast period 2018 to 2023. As per the market research report, the market will hit US$4158.8 million in terms of valuation by the end of 2023. The market growth will be driven by automated processing in LiDAR systems. Based on the research report, better efficiency than other technologies will accelerate growth in the market till 2023. Although the high cost of products will have a negative impact on the global LiDAR market’s growth during this period. Concerns regarding high cost will likely become a threat. The LiDAR market report published by expert analysts includes primary and secondary data and suggests that component, functional areas, technology, and product type segments are anticipated to witness tremendous growth till 2023. Factors such as rising demand for 3D imaging will be major growth factors during the forecast period and cloud-based processing of collected data points is also said to be supporting the market globally, however, the growth projected for the forecast period could be affected by the shortage of professional services which could negatively affect activities taking place across the market. The availability of substitutes is another challenge the market could face till 2023.

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https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2460

Market Segmentation

The LiDAR market is segregated into different market segments based on component, functional areas, technology, and product type. For a comprehensive analysis of the market, the component, functional areas, technology, and product type segments are further split into smaller segments. The product type segment is categorized into airborne LiDAR, terrestrial LiDAR, and others. Furthermore, based on technology, the global market is also segmented into 1D, 2D, and 3D. Based on the market segmentation analysis, the report covers market forecasts. On the basis of components, the global market is split into sub segments including navigation & positioning systems, laser scanner, and other components. Based on functional areas the market is segmented into ADAS & driverless cars, cartography, corridor mapping, engineering, environment, meteorology, and urban planning.

Automation of the LiDAR processing system will support the market growth from 2018 to 2023. As per the market research report, the global market for LiDAR is anticipated to grow at a healthy rate across all the component, functional areas, technology, and product type segments. However, the presence of active threats such as the increasing demand for product substitutes could hamper the market growth. Business activities across imaging have also been examined and studied by imaging industry’s experienced analysts. The LiDAR market research report covers findings with predictions and forecasts till 2023.

Regional Overview

The LiDAR market, with its segments, is present in different parts of the world. Imaging based regional markets are also covered in the market research report. The regional markets are Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa and the rest of the world. Automated LiDAR processing systems is anticipated to be a major factor for growth across the imaging space during the forecast period. The regional market in North America is classified as the United States, Mexico, Canada, and others. The imaging sector based regional markets in Europe are split into Italy, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. In the Asia Pacific region, the market is segmented into China, India, Japan, and others. Imaging based businesses in these regional markets are anticipated to grow due to the growing applications such as planning & monitoring activities related to roadways during the forecast period 2018 to 2023. Although the market’s growth could be affected by the lack of awareness. The analysts have also segmented markets of the Middle East, Africa, and the rest of the world.

Competitive Landscape

Imaging based organizations are profiled in the market research report. The LiDAR market along with companies and segments have been studied. The analysis of imaging based business is also done to identify challenges such as the weak supply chain and strengths of these companies. The global LiDAR market research report covers SWOT analysis, Porter’s Five Force analysis of major imaging related organizations. The strategy and other key details of these companies for the forecast period 2018 to 2023 are covered in the report. Technology for the driverless car is anticipated to support the market growth as the market is set to grow at a CAGR of 14.14% and reach a value of US$4158.8 million by 2023.

Industry News

Aurora, the self-driving car firm that recently acquired Uber's self-driving division, has acquired yet another startup. Aurora is purchasing OURS Technology this time, the company's second lidar acquisition in less than two years. In May of this year, Aurora acquired Blackmore, a lidar company located in Montana. The purchase price and other financial terms of the contract were not disclosed by Aurora. OURS Technology employs 12 people and was created in 2017 by a group of University of California-Berkeley scientists and PhDs. As per the organisation, the whole team will travel to Aurora.

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thegreenroomstrive · 4 years ago

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Laura started her theatre career aged 17, touring in the UK and Europe with a Deaf – led dance theatre company, performing on international stages in both British Sign Language and English. She combined her theatre and dance work with a physiotherapy degree and a year of specialised anatomy training to enhance her understanding of the body. Her PhD found the site where the two passions of arts and science were combined in the field of psychophysical performance training. In her work, Laura loves examining how we communicate through the body, and finding new creative possibilities working across languages and cultures. She is interested in how embracing diversity can impact positively on creative approach. Her research interests are in working across languages and cultures, inclusive theatre practice and neuroscience. Laura has taught internationally, in conservatoires, drama schools and universities, and is now based in New Zealand convening the Theatre Studies programme at the University of Waikato. Since arriving in New Zealand, Laura has directed and devised two large scale original theatre productions, working with Deaf and hearing actors. At The End Of My Hands toured across New Zealand in 2016, and Salonica toured internationally to prestigious theatres such as the National Theatre in Belgrade in 2017, then in New Zealand in 2018. Laura has recently been awarded with the inaugural ‘NZSL in Arts’ award, presented at Parliament in May 2018.

Rachel is a producer for Equal Voices Arts, and is also our NZSL consultant, working closely with the creative team. She is Deaf and a native New Zealand Sign Language user. She organises and helps to manage our many different projects, including our performances, tours and our community workshops. Rachel keeps us all organised on tours, and makes sure things run smoothly. She has a keen eye for detail and loves playing with the language options that NZSL provides. She works with international Deaf artists to ensure the language choices on stage are in the hands of a first language NZSL user. Rachel is passionate about raising the profile of signed languages on stage, and supporting Deaf performers and Deaf audiences. Outside of her work with Equal Voices Arts, Rachel is a qualified NZSL tutor, and supports young Deaf people in educational contexts. She is the wife of actor Shaun Fahey - https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/11...

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architectnews · 4 years ago

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Alpex Cultural Centre, Haute-Savoie France

Alpex Cultural Centre, Scionzier Building, French Sustainable Development, France Architecture

Alpex Cultural Centre, Haute-Savoie France

17 Mar 2021

Alpex Cultural Centre

Design: Atelier Archiplein

Location: Scionzier, Haute-Savoie, France

Atelier Archiplein, a firm renowned for its commitment to sustainable development from both an environmental and cultural perspective, is proud to unveil the Alpex Cultural Centre in Scionzier, a town in the Rhône-Alpes region of south-eastern France. The project involved the transformation of a former machining factory, with the firm commissioned to extend and convert the building into a new cultural centre, forming part of a broader master plan to renovate and revitalize the heart of Scionzier.

In association with (MAW) scenographer, Atelier Archiplein was commissioned to undertake all aspects of the project, which involved the resolution of sensitive issues inherent in the major transformation of a building designated as a local heritage site.

Colorful past In the initial stages of the project, a detailed heritage diagnosis was conducted and revealed an original color palette associated with the historic past of the building. The original structure included shades of green, red, and yellow, all of which the firm embraced in restoring the existing façades of the building. The riverside façade was the only original facade visible to the surrounding community at that time, and the emergence of the retro color palette was embraced by local inhabitants during the refurbishment.

A colonnade of stone A large, open space between the new cultural centre and the Scionzier Town Hall building presented an opportunity to convert the structure’s existing gable façade into a main façade that closes off a newly constructed town square. Using locally-sourced Hauteville stone, Atelier Archiplein designed an expansive colonnade entry porch that reshaped the façade into a stunning new entranceway, signalling the importance and prestige of the building’s new public function.

Extracted from a site located less than 100 km from Scionzier, the use of Hauteville stone reflects Atelier Archiplein’s commitment to using natural, locally-procured materials whenever possible. Completion of the Alpex Cultural Centre marks the latest contribution to a series of solid-stone projects in the region which Atelier Archiplein have been involved in over the past several years.

A ray of light The completed Alpex Cultural Centre offers great ﬂexibility, with radiant, eye-catching beauty defining the service areas of its two main exhibition rooms. Low-arched bays infuse the space with natural light, providing greater ﬂexibility in terms of its potential uses. Sliding along the full length of the structure, the building’s new extension houses a temporary exhibition room. The extension’s saw-tooth roof delivers a further abundance of natural light and is the only element of the design that is visibly exposed to the town square.

Alpex Cultural Centre in Scionzier, France – Building design

Design: Atelier Archiplein Client: Municipality of Scionzier Type: Renovation – extension MOE: MAW scenography, Arnaud Economist, Plantier Structure, Berger CVSE

Location: Scionzier, Haute-Savoie, France Area: 900 sqm Date: 2017 – 2021

About Atelier Archiplein Atelier Archiplein was founded in 2008 by Francis Jacquier (EPFL architect, DSA Ecole de Chaillot) and Marlène Leroux (EPFL architect, PhD in town planning). With offices in Shanghai and Geneva, the agency embraces its position at the crossroads of the Greater Geneva region, while tempering its vision with an infusion of globalized influences derived from eastern Asian exchanges.

The firm is proud of its responsible posture in respect to sustainable development, environmental impact, and historical context. Those issues play an important role in influencing the firm’s contemporary interventions in the built environment, which are driven by a methodology that has proven itself time and again over more than a decade of practice in Europe and Asia.

Photos: Aurélien Poulat

Alpex Cultural Centre, Haute-Savoie France images / information received 170321 from v2com newswire

Location: Scionzier, Haute-Savoie, France

New Buildings in France

French Architectural Projects

French Architecture Design – chronological list

French Building News

Another spectacular Alps Building on e-architect:

“Hut of the Future” Design: ETH Zurich and the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) photo : ETH-Studio Monte Rosa/Tonatiuh Ambrosetti Neue Monte Rosa Hut

More French Alps buildings on e-architect:

Chalet Dag, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Haute-Savoie, France Design: Chevallier Architectes photograph : Alexandre Mermillod Onixstudio.com Chalet Dag in Chamonix – French Alps Property

Espace Killy Chalet Husky, Val d’Isere, Espace Killy mountain range, French Alps Design: Jean-Charles Covarel photograph © Athena Advisors Chalet Husky, Val d’Isere – French Alps Accommodation

French Building News

Paris Architecture Tours by e-architect

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French Architect – design firm listings

Comments / photos for the Alpex Cultural Centre – French Alpine Architecture page welcome

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The post Alpex Cultural Centre, Haute-Savoie France appeared first on e-architect.

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evoldir · 4 years ago

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Fwd: Graduate position: TrinityCollegeDublin.DiseaseClimateChange

Begin forwarded message: > From: [email protected] > Subject: Graduate position: TrinityCollegeDublin.DiseaseClimateChange > Date: 17 July 2020 at 06:14:00 BST > To: [email protected] > Reply-To: [email protected] > > > --_000_DBAPR02MB6054BBE75031146B641C7AF7B17F0DBAPR02MB6054eurp_ > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" > Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable > > A four-year funded PhD position (€18,500 per year) starting either October 2020 or January 2021 (Covid-19 allowing) is available at the Zoology Department of Trinity College Dublin, on how climate change affects disease, under supervision of Pepijn Luijckx. This position is only available for citizens of Europe (that is, it does not cover international fees). > > Interested candidates should send: 1) a curriculum vitae and 2) a cover letter outlining your research interests and why you would like to do a PhD to: [email protected] > > Project description > The health and economic impact of recent epidemics like Zika and Covid-19 underline the urgency of understanding how diseases spread and transmit. Moreover, as disease transmission is sensitive to temperature climate change may alter disease outbreaks. Indeed, there is an increasing number of examples that rising mean temperatures may affect diseases dynamics. However, climate change is not only expected to alter mean temperatures but also the frequency of extreme weather events and temperature variation, which may further affect disease outbreaks. In addition, natural systems experience both diel and seasonal temperature fluctuations which could change disease dynamics. To better understand how temperature variation (that is extreme weather, diurnal fluctuations, greater variance in temperature) affects diseases systems, and develop new theory, the candidate will conduct experiments using the Daphnia-Ordospora host-pathogen system under different temperature regimes. This Da > phnia model system is well established and can be used to study both the effect of parasitism and temperature in individual hosts (virulence, fitness) and whole populations (growth rate of the disease Ro, disease dynamics). Experiments could be supplemented with theoretical approaches in collaboration with Andrew Jackson (theoretician in the Zoology Department), genetic approaches to gain better insight in the role of host genetics, or field experiments, depending on the candidates interests and strengths. > > Requirements > - Undergraduate or Master's degree in ecology, evolution or parasitology (or related field) and a keen interest in host-disease interactions and climate change. > > Desirable > - Creative, motivated and resilient. > - Experience running large laboratory experiments. > - Experience with aquatic insects. > - Knowledge of experimental design and experience using R. > - Willingness to contribute to laboratory maintenance and animal care. > - Capable of working both independently and as part of a team. > - Proficient in written and spoken English. > > Research group > > The candidate will be joining PhD candidates Floriane O'Keeffe and Qi Su and Pepijn Luijckx in the sick-waterflea@tcd laboratory at the Zoology Department in Trinity College Dublin. The lab has a keen interest in empirically testing evolutionary and ecological theories pertaining to disease interactions. For example, past work has tested underlying assumptions of theory on host-parasite evolution (Luijckx et al. 2013 Current Biology), the evolutionary maintenance of sexual reproduction (Luijckx et al. 2017 PNAS) and how a warming climate may alter disease outbreaks (Kirk et al 2018). In addition to the sick-waterflea@tcd laboratory the Zoology Department (https://ift.tt/34lH1J4) is home to research groups with expertise in statistics and modelling, community ecology, parasitology, and aquatic biology providing ample opportunities for collaborative work. > > > --_000_DBAPR02MB6054BBE75031146B641C7AF7B17F0DBAPR02MB6054eurp_ > Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" > Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable > > > > > P {margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;} > > >

> A four-year funded PhD position (â‚¬18,500 > per year) starting either October 2020 or January 2021 (Covid-19 allowing) is available at the Zoology > Department of Trinity College Dublin, on how climate change affects disease, under supervision of Pepijn Luijckx. This position is only available for citizens of Europe (that is, it does not cover international fees). > > Interested candidates should send: 1) a curriculum vitae and 2) a cover letter outlining your research interests and > why you would like to do a PhD to: > [email protected] >

> Project description > The health and economic impact of recent epidemics like Zika and Covid-19 underline the urgency > of understanding how diseases spread and transmit. Moreover, as disease transmission is sensitive to temperature climate change may alter disease outbreaks. Indeed, there is an increasing number of examples that rising mean temperatures may affect diseases > dynamics. However, climate change is not only expected to alter mean temperatures but also the frequency of extreme weather events and temperature variation, which may further affect disease outbreaks. In addition, natural systems experience both diel and > seasonal temperature fluctuations which could change disease dynamics. To better understand how temperature variation (that is extreme weather, diurnal fluctuations, greater variance in temperature) affects diseases systems, and develop new theory, the candidate > will conduct experiments using the Daphnia-Ordospora host-pathogen system under different temperature regimes. This Daphnia model system is well established and can be used to study both the effect of parasitism and temperature in individual > hosts (virulence, fitness) and whole populations (growth rate of the disease Ro, > disease dynamics). Experiments could be supplemented with theoretical approaches in collaboration with Andrew Jackson (theoretician in the Zoology Department), genetic approaches to gain better insight in the role of host genetics, or field experiments, > depending on the candidates interests and strengths.

> Requirements > - Undergraduate or Master's degree in ecology, evolution or parasitology (or related field) and a keen interest in host-disease interactions and climate change. >

> Desirable > > - Creative, motivated and resilient. > - Experience running large laboratory experiments. > - Experience with aquatic insects. > - Knowledge of experimental design and experience using R. > - Willingness to contribute to laboratory maintenance and animal care. > - Capable of working both independently and as part of a team. > - Proficient in written and spoken English.

> Research group >

> The candidate will be joining PhD candidates Floriane O'Keeffe and Qi Su and Pepijn Luijckx in the sick-waterflea@tcd > laboratory at the Zoology Department in Trinity College Dublin. The lab has a keen interest in empirically testing evolutionary and ecological theories pertaining to disease interactions. For example, past work has tested underlying assumptions of theory on > host-parasite evolution (Luijckx et al. 2013 Current Biology), the evolutionary maintenance of sexual reproduction (Luijckx et al. 2017 PNAS) and how a warming climate may alter disease outbreaks (Kirk et al 2018). In addition to the sick-waterflea@tcd laboratory > the Zoology Department (https://www.tcd.ie/Zoology/) > is home to research groups with expertise in statistics and modelling, community ecology, parasitology, and aquatic biology providing ample opportunities for collaborative work.

> >

> > > > --_000_DBAPR02MB6054BBE75031146B641C7AF7B17F0DBAPR02MB6054eurp_-- > via IFTTT

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wiqi4love · 6 years ago

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Funded PhD Positions for International Students in Germany, 2018

The International Max Planck Research School for Successful Dispute Resolution in International Law (IMPRS-SDR) is calling applications from international students to apply for its 5 funded PhD positions. These positions are available within the research areas of the Department of International Law and Dispute Resolution and the Department of European and Comparative Procedural Law.

The IMPRS-SDR…

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#open phd positions #PhD Positions #phd positions 2018 #phd positions europe #phd positions in europe 2017 #phd positions in europe for international students #phd positions in germany #phd positions usa #study in germany for free #study in germany for indian students #study in germany for pakistani students #study in germany in english #study in germany requirements #study in germany scholarships #study in germany without ielts #study phd in germany

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jasonlawson0 · 4 years ago

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Victoria woman who talked to unconscious husband for 30 years gets solace from B.C. study

VANCOUVER — For 30 years, Hilary Jordan talked to her husband about the goings on in their family and the world but she wasn't sure if the police officer injured in a crash could hear anything as he lay unconscious in a hospital bed.

"I like to believe that he did hear me," she said in an interview this week.

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