scholarly journals Exploring Local People’s Perception of Ecosystem Services in Djoumouna Periurban Forest, Brazzaville, Congo

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
V. Kimpouni ◽  
J. D. D. Nzila ◽  
N. Watha-Ndoudy ◽  
M. I. Madzella-Mbiemo ◽  
S. Yallo Mouhamed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Urban Resilience ◽  
Ecological Value ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
The Social ◽  
Heads Of Household ◽  
Local Residents ◽  
Regulatory Functions

The perception of ecosystem goods and services by local residents is studied in Brazzaville, around the periurban forest of Djoumouna. This study, which documents the ecosystem services provided to communities by this ecosystem facing anthropogenic degradation, evaluates the understanding and consideration of these functions, according to socioprofessional categories. Socioeconomic and ethnobotanical surveys conducted among the group of informants are supported by direct field observations and literature review. The data collected within a 2 km radius around the forest were subjected to descriptive and statistical analysis. The group of informants, including all socioprofessional strata, was organised into 4 age groups and involved 143 heads of household aged from 15 to over 45. The survey reveals 14 ecosystem services that fall into three categories. The provisioning services included food, wood energy, pharmacopoeia, and wood services. The regulatory functions cited are maintaining air quality, shade, erosion control, and windbreak. Recognized sociocultural services are the source of income, recreation, and ecotourism, source of inspiration, fishing, initiation sanctuary, and hunting. According to gender, men are more dependent on the forest than women, and those aged 15–25 and over 45 are the most active. The socioprofessional scale shows an unequal exploitation of the forest. The informants, at least for the majority, integrate the notions of the value of ecosystem services, provided by the Djoumouna periurban forest, into their daily lives. Finally, the study highlights the social and ecological value of periurban and urban forests in the daily lives of people and urban resilience.

A study on the evaluation analysis of the library’s social values

2020 ◽  
pp. 096100062091169
Author(s):  
Younghee Noh
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Social Value ◽  
Final Evaluation ◽  
Preliminary Evaluation ◽  
Equal Opportunities ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
The Social ◽  
Local Residents

The purpose of this research is to develop evaluation indicators for assessing the social value of libraries. To this end, preliminary evaluation indicators were derived from a comprehensive analysis of approximately 60 domestic and overseas papers which focus on the value of libraries. On the basis of the derived preliminary evaluation indicators, 11 experts were selected and the final evaluation indicators were developed by conducting a Delphi survey three times. The final evaluation indicators are composed of five main issues, which are divided into areas around the social value of libraries. Included in this process are: the development of local communities, the network of local communities, the improvement of local residents’ quality of life, the levels of equal opportunities for local residents, and the information services necessary for local communities, along with 12 evaluation items, and 64 evaluation indicators. Based on this, public librarians and users were surveyed to obtain a measurement of the social value of libraries. Results showed that in general, there are negligible differences between genders and varying age groups. There are, however, significant differences in perception between people who visit the library with different frequencies; those who visit more often tended to have higher opinions on the library’s availability of resources and positive role in communities.

Do Older Adults Have Social Lifestyles That Place Fewer Demands on Hearing?

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (09) ◽  
pp. 697-711 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Hsiang Wu ◽  
Ruth A. Bentler
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Sound Level ◽  
Index Score ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Sound Levels ◽  
The Social

Background: Listening demand, or auditory lifestyle, is an important factor that needs to be considered when selecting a hearing aid and specific amplification features. Although elderly adults often report having fewer listening demands, auditory lifestyles of people in different age groups have not been objectively quantified and compared. Although it is assumed that the social lifestyles of older adults, e.g., retirement, place fewer demands on hearing, this assumption has not been examined empirically. Purpose: The purposes of the current study were to (1) objectively characterize and compare the auditory lifestyle of younger and older adults with hearing impairment and (2) examine the relationships between age, social lifestyle, and auditory lifestyle. Research Design: This is a nonexperimental study using a correlational design. Study Sample: Twenty-seven adults with bilateral hearing impairment aged 40–88 yr were recruited and served as subjects. Data Collection and Analysis: To objectively quantify auditory lifestyle, participants carried noise dosimeters to measure sound levels in their daily lives for 1 wk. To help interpret the dosimeter data, participants used paper-and-pencil journals to describe their listening activities and environments. The auditory lifestyle was also subjectively quantified by the Auditory Lifestyle and Demand Questionnaire (ALDQ). Three self-report inventories were used to characterize participants' social lifestyles: Social Network Index, Welin Activity Scale, and Social Convoy Questionnaire. Results: A total of 1,267 journal entries covering 2,032 hr of dosimeter recordings were obtained from participants for analyses. Although younger and older participants reported spending comparable time in a given category of listening event, the dosimeter-measured sound level was higher for younger listeners. For auditory lifestyle quantified by dosimeter, correlation analyses revealed that older age was associated with lower Social Network Index scores (smaller social networks) and fewer listening demands. Regression models further indicated that the Social Network Index score more accurately predicted listening demand than age. Finally, path analysis suggested that the effect of age on listening demand was mediated by the Social Network Index score. Self-report auditory lifestyle measured by the ALDQ was not associated with age and social lifestyle. Conclusions: The results indicate that older listeners tend to encounter quieter listening situations than younger listeners. The data are also consistent with the hypothesis that older adults have less active social lifestyles that place fewer demands on hearing. Therefore, the current study suggests the important role of social lifestyle in listening demand and the need to consider this factor in clinical management of hearing loss.

scholarly journals IFI Conditionality on Governance

2006 ◽  
Vol 45 (4II) ◽  
pp. 565-571
Author(s):  
Aziz Ali Mohammed
Keyword(s):  
Financial Institutions ◽  
Public Expenditures ◽  
International Financial Institutions ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
State Action ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
The Social ◽  
Extensive Range ◽  
Regulatory Functions ◽  
Social Entities

This note looks at the dilemmas faced in the application of conditions on governance by the international financial institutions (IFI) in the course of their lending operations in member states. Governance relates to the activities of governments and other public sector entities in the exercise of their financial and regulatory functions and that bear directly on the proper use of funds provided by the IFI. Given the extensive range of state action, conditions relating to governance can apply to diverse areas, including the allocation of public expenditures and the collection of taxes, the rules affecting procurement of goods and services by public authorities, the effectiveness of the judicial system in enforcing contracts and the arbitration of claims and obligations between governments and all the social entities they deal with.

scholarly journals Landscape Capacity for Ecosystem Services Provision Based on Expert Knowledge and Public Perception (Case Study from the Northwest Slovakia)

2014 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Bezák ◽  
Magdaléna Bezáková
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Social Preferences ◽  
Expert Knowledge ◽  
Spatial Dimension ◽  
Fine Tuning ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Local Residents

AbstractLandscape represents appropriate spatial dimension for a study of ecosystems, especially due to ability to translate scientific knowledge into proper guidance for land use practice and enhancing the inclusion of local stakeholders in decision-making procedures. We tested social preferences method to reach initial and raw overview of the ecosystem services (ES) distribution and their values in the study areas. Perception of experts and local residents about capacities of relevant CORINE land cover (CLC) types to provide various ES was linked with Geographic Information System databases. We quantified the results on the basis of the mean values for each CLC type and the ES groups and these were interpreted also in spatial context. The expectation about perceptible capacities of forest to provide goods and services was fulfilled by responses of the experts, as was the expected difficulty to assess capacities of transitional woodland shrub or complex cultivation patterns. However, additional land cover types in question are meadows and pastures or discon-tinuous urban fabric. Mostly middle ranking values prevail in responses of local residents and uncertainty in the background is much greater comparing to the experts. On the other hand, rural people may better recognise diversified fow of services due to their everyday close connection to more ES. Large variation in the scores of some valued CLC classes in responses of the local residents and also experts seems resulting from lack of knowledge in the background and differences in viewpoint and appreciation. We understand the gaps in evaluating ES by the experts and resident population as good experience and key challenge for the further steps and fine-tuning of the research methods.

scholarly journals The Connections of Elderly Characters and Taiwanese Society in Edward Yang’s Movie “Yi Yi” (A One and a Two)

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 101-102
Author(s):  
Sheng-Chin Hsu
Keyword(s):  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Aged People ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
The Social ◽  
Narrative Functions ◽  
Low Birthrate

Abstract As an aging society, Taiwanese is facing the low birthrate and low death rate, and many policies and social systems are facing difficulties. According to the social atmosphere, young and senior groups have many conflicts in between. Finding an alternative approach to reveal the social value of aged people becomes an important mission. The Taiwanese’ movie “Yi-Yi”(A one and a two, 2000) is the final masterpiece of Director Edward Yang, and he won the best director in Festival de Cannes. The story is taken place in a traditional Taiwanese wedding party, and there is a grandma who was invited to this party before her pass out. The grandma did not weak up until the end of this story. The director Yang filmed this sick character in the story and he showed the family members were gathering around their grandma. This study adopts the narrative analysis on elders in “Yi Yi”. There are three findings. First, the elder character is speechless but her sickness drives family members coming home. Second, the long term care is a heavy duty for family, but it reflects the preparations of individual physically and emotionally. Third, the meaning of image of elders is not image itself but family solidarity and social connection. The narrative theory and gerontology build a perspective to understand the social values and narrative functions of elderly people in “Yi-Yi”. It shows the conflict between different age groups and enlarges the spectrum of understanding elders in both Taiwanese’ movie and Taiwanese society.

A proposal to enhance national capability to manage epidemics: The critical importance of expert statistical input including official statistics

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
N.I. Fisher ◽  
D.J. Trewin
Keyword(s):  
Data Streams ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Economic Welfare ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Social ◽  
Novel Virus ◽  
High Level ◽  
Integration Analysis

Given the high level of global mobility, pandemics are likely to be more frequent, and with potentially devastating consequences for our way of life. With COVID-19, Australia is in relatively better shape than most other countries and is generally regarded as having managed the pandemic well. That said, we believe there is a critical need to start the process of learning from this pandemic to improve the quantitative information and related advice provided to policy makers. A dispassionate assessment of Australia’s health and economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic reveals some important inadequacies in the data, statistical analysis and interpretation used to guide Australia’s preparations and actions. For example, one key shortcoming has been the lack of data to obtain an early understanding of the extent of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic cases or the differences across age groups, occupations or ethnic groups. Minimising the combined health, social and economic impacts of a novel virus depends critically on ongoing acquisition, integration, analysis, interpretation and presentation of a variety of data streams to inform the development, execution and monitoring of appropriate strategies. The article captures the essential quantitative components of such an approach for each of the four basic phases, from initial detection to post-pandemic. It also outlines the critical steps in each stage to enable policy makers to deal more efficiently and effectively with future such events, thus enhancing both the social and the economic welfare of its people. Although written in an Australian context, we believe most elements would apply to other countries as well.

scholarly journals Risks inherent in the digital surveillance economy: A research agenda

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Clarke
Keyword(s):  
Research Agenda ◽  
Personal Data ◽  
Social Dimension ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Digital Surveillance ◽  
The Social ◽  
Alternative Scenarios ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Surveillance Society ◽  
New Phase

The digitisation of data about the world relevant to business has given rise to a new phase of digitalisation of business itself. The digitisation of data about people has linked with the notions of information society, surveillance society, surveillance state and surveillance capitalism, and given rise to what is referred to in this article as the digital surveillance economy. At the heart of this is a new form of business model that is predicated on the acquisition and consolidation of very large volumes of personal data, and its exploitation to target advertisements, manipulate consumer behaviour, and price goods and services at the highest level that each individual is willing to bear. In the words of the model’s architects, users are ‘bribed’ and ‘induced’ to make their data available at minimal cost to marketers. The digital surveillance economy harbours serious threats to the interests of individuals, societies and polities. That in turn creates risks for corporations. The new economic wave may prove to be a tsunami that swamps the social dimension and washes away the last five centuries’ individualism and humanism. Alternatively, institutional adaptation might occur, overcoming the worst of the negative impacts; or a breaking-point could be reached and consumers might rebel against corporate domination. A research agenda is proposed, to provide a framework within which alternative scenarios can be investigated.

The Social Meaning of Food Consumption Behaviors in Rural Brazil: Agreement and Intracultural Variation

Field Methods ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1525822X2199216
Author(s):  
Lesley Jo Weaver ◽  
Nicole Henderson ◽  
Craig Hadley
Keyword(s):  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
Cultural Consensus ◽  
Social Meaning ◽  
Coping Behaviors ◽  
The Social ◽  
Heads Of Household ◽  
Key Variables ◽  
Open Question ◽  
Qualitative Analyses

Food insecurity (FI) is often assessed through experienced-based measures, which address the number and extent of coping strategies people employ. Coping indices are limited because, methodologically, they presuppose that people engage coping strategies uniformly. Ethnographic work suggests that subgroups experience FI quite differently, meaning that coping strategies might also vary within a population. Thus, whether people actually agree on FI coping behaviors is an open question. This article describes methods used to test whether there was a culturally agreed on set of coping behaviors around FI in rural Brazilian majority-female heads of household, and to detect patterned subgroup variation in that agreement. We used cultural consensus and residual agreement analyses on freelist and rating exercise data. This process could be applied as a first step in developing experience-based measures of FI sensitive to intragroup variation, or to identify key variables to guide qualitative analyses.

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