Examining the Association between Racialized Economic Threat and White Suicide in the United States, 2000–2016

Suicide is steadily rising. Many blamed worsening economic conditions for this trend. Sociological theory established clear pathways between joblessness and suicide focused on status threat, shame, and consequent disruption of social relationships. However, recent empirical research provides little support for a link between unemployment and suicide. I attempt to reconcile this contradiction by focusing on white suicide and white employment-to-population ratio. Whiteness is not just a default category but a pervasive ideology that amplifies the effects of status loss. The white employment-to-population ratio represents a form of racialized economic threat and accounts for discouraged workers who have exited the labor force. I use longitudinal hybrid models with U.S. state-level data, 2000 to 2016, and find that decreasing employment is associated with increasing suicide among the white population and white men. I discuss this study’s contributions to the literature on suicide and joblessness and the emerging scholarship on whiteness and health.

Cause-Related Marketing and Ethnocentrism: The Moderating Effects of Geographic Scope and Perceived Economic Threat

Amongst the various factors that managers need to consider when designing a CRM campaign is the cause’s geographic scope, i.e., should the CRM campaign benefit local, national, or international communities? Although previous research has examined the importance of geographic scope in the effectiveness of the CRM campaigns, it has largely ignored consumer reactions to CRM campaigns from a local cultural identity perspective, such as ethnocentric identity. This study brings together these two important factors to examine (through the lens of Social Identity Theory) how consumer ethnocentrism affects CRM effectiveness in campaigns varying in geographic scope. We test our hypotheses through an experimental study of 322 British consumers and three different geographic scopes (UK, Greece, and Ethiopia). Our results show that ethnocentric consumers show a positive bias towards products advertised through national CRM campaigns; however, there is a diversity of reactions towards different international geographic scopes, based on the levels of ‘perceived economic threat’. Ethnocentric consumers prefer international CRM campaigns that benefit people located in a country posing a lower vs. a higher economic threat to the domestic economy and the self. Our study contributes to a broader understanding of factors affecting the effectiveness of CRM campaigns and help managers design better CRM campaigns by carefully selecting the geographic scope, after considering a rising consumer segment: the ethnocentric consumer.

PATHOMORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES AND BACTERIAL PATHOGENS ASSOCIATED WITH SWINE PNEUMONIAS IN SOUTHWEST NIGERIA

Pneumonia is a major economic threat to swine industry worldwide, however, there is still dearth of information on the pathology and associated pathogens in Nigeria, and these were therefore investigated. Lungs from 408 slaughtered pigs were randomly collected from abattoirs in Abeokuta, Ibadan and Lagos. The lung samples were cultured for bacterial pathogens using standard techniques, while formalin-fixed tissues were processed for histopathological examination. Grossly, the most consistent lesion was bronchopneumonia (35.3%). The main histopathological findings were lymphoid hyperplasia of bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) (88.2%), suppurative bronchopneumonia (63.6%), suppurative bronchitis and bronchiolitis with concurrent epithelial hyperplasia (57.1%), as well as thickened alveolar septa due to cellular infiltration consisting predominantly of neutrophils (54.1%). Ten different species of bacteria were isolated from the lung samples in which two or more pathogens were isolated from each sample (82.7%). Pasteurella multocida was the most frequently isolated bacterium (54.8%). Among the bacteria isolated, there were significant (P < 0.05) differences in the frequencies of isolation of β-haemolytic Streptococci, P. multocida, Haemophilus species and Escherichia coli between the pneumonic lungs and apparently normal lungs. The results of bacterial culture, gross and histopathological changes recorded in this study are consistent with bacterial pneumonia possibly caused by most of the bacteria identified in the present study.

Is There a Shared History? The Role of Contextual Factors in the Psychology of Inter-Ethnic Relations in Estonia

<p>Due to socio-political changes in Estonia in early 1990s, Russians and Estonians exchanged their social status – the previous superior position of minority Russians' was reversed after the restoration of independence in Estonia, while the status of native Estonians changed from underprivileged to privileged. These historical developments have not only affected the adaptation of Russian-speaking minorities, but also impacted on interethnic relations. This thesis investigates the adaptation difficulties of Estonian Russians and the unsettled inter-group relations in Estonia. The first chapter explains the unique features of the Estonian context that underpins the current inter-group situation. Previous research shows that inter-ethnic tensions have not been reconciled in Estonia, and Russian-speaking minorities are deprived in socio-economic areas compared to native Estonians. Relevant psychological theories are discussed in chapter two as a conceptual framework for investigating inter-ethnic relations in Estonia, laying the foundation for further research. In chapter 3, Study 1 introduces a qualitative exploration of both ethnic majority and minority perspectives on adaptation of Russian-speaking minorities and inter-ethnic situation in Estonia, revealing several incompatibilities in perceptions of Estonians and Russians. Different histories were shown to be important for Estonians and Russians. The legitimacy of status relations was claimed by Estonians, but rejected by Russians. Relative deprivation and intergroup comparisons were important sources of dissatisfaction and negative inter-ethnic relations for Russians, while Estonians generally disputed the deprivation of Russians. Estonians perceived threat to the existence of their nationhood, which was absent in Russians' perceptions. In chapter 4, Study 2 examined the impact of contextual intergroup variables on Russians' psychological adaptation and outgroup attitudes. In the final regression model, perceived deprivation relative to Estonians, status non-legitimizing beliefs and temporal comparisons remained significant predictors of low psychological adaptation of Russians and further mediated the effects of identity and history on psychological adaptation. Strong Estonian identity, weak Russian identity and status non-legitimizing beliefs functioned as significant predictors of positive ethnic attitudes. Assimilated Russian participants exhibited the best psychological adaptation and most positive ethnic attitudes, while the poorest adaptation was shown by individuals preferring integration. In chapter 5, Study 3 examined the majority perspective on intercultural relations in Estonia by investigating Estonians' inter-ethnic attitudes and support for affirmative action. Political and economic threat and status legitimizing beliefs played a significant role in mediating the effects of identity and history on ethnic attitudes. Support for affirmative action was predicted by lower perceptions of economic threat, perceived status non-legitimizing beliefs, and importance of Russian history. Estonians preferring Russians' integration or separation showed the most positive ethnic attitudes and the strongest support for affirmative action. Estonians perceiving Russians to be assimilated or integrated had more positive ethnic attitudes and were more supportive of affirmative action in comparison to those perceiving Russians as separated or marginalized. The final chapter consolidates the contextual factors, relevant psychological theories and key findings of this research. It emphasizes the importance of the socio-political and historical context in shaping the results and makes recommendations for future research and considers ways for improvement of ethnic relations in Estonia.</p>

Is There a Shared History? The Role of Contextual Factors in the Psychology of Inter-Ethnic Relations in Estonia

<p>Due to socio-political changes in Estonia in early 1990s, Russians and Estonians exchanged their social status – the previous superior position of minority Russians' was reversed after the restoration of independence in Estonia, while the status of native Estonians changed from underprivileged to privileged. These historical developments have not only affected the adaptation of Russian-speaking minorities, but also impacted on interethnic relations. This thesis investigates the adaptation difficulties of Estonian Russians and the unsettled inter-group relations in Estonia. The first chapter explains the unique features of the Estonian context that underpins the current inter-group situation. Previous research shows that inter-ethnic tensions have not been reconciled in Estonia, and Russian-speaking minorities are deprived in socio-economic areas compared to native Estonians. Relevant psychological theories are discussed in chapter two as a conceptual framework for investigating inter-ethnic relations in Estonia, laying the foundation for further research. In chapter 3, Study 1 introduces a qualitative exploration of both ethnic majority and minority perspectives on adaptation of Russian-speaking minorities and inter-ethnic situation in Estonia, revealing several incompatibilities in perceptions of Estonians and Russians. Different histories were shown to be important for Estonians and Russians. The legitimacy of status relations was claimed by Estonians, but rejected by Russians. Relative deprivation and intergroup comparisons were important sources of dissatisfaction and negative inter-ethnic relations for Russians, while Estonians generally disputed the deprivation of Russians. Estonians perceived threat to the existence of their nationhood, which was absent in Russians' perceptions. In chapter 4, Study 2 examined the impact of contextual intergroup variables on Russians' psychological adaptation and outgroup attitudes. In the final regression model, perceived deprivation relative to Estonians, status non-legitimizing beliefs and temporal comparisons remained significant predictors of low psychological adaptation of Russians and further mediated the effects of identity and history on psychological adaptation. Strong Estonian identity, weak Russian identity and status non-legitimizing beliefs functioned as significant predictors of positive ethnic attitudes. Assimilated Russian participants exhibited the best psychological adaptation and most positive ethnic attitudes, while the poorest adaptation was shown by individuals preferring integration. In chapter 5, Study 3 examined the majority perspective on intercultural relations in Estonia by investigating Estonians' inter-ethnic attitudes and support for affirmative action. Political and economic threat and status legitimizing beliefs played a significant role in mediating the effects of identity and history on ethnic attitudes. Support for affirmative action was predicted by lower perceptions of economic threat, perceived status non-legitimizing beliefs, and importance of Russian history. Estonians preferring Russians' integration or separation showed the most positive ethnic attitudes and the strongest support for affirmative action. Estonians perceiving Russians to be assimilated or integrated had more positive ethnic attitudes and were more supportive of affirmative action in comparison to those perceiving Russians as separated or marginalized. The final chapter consolidates the contextual factors, relevant psychological theories and key findings of this research. It emphasizes the importance of the socio-political and historical context in shaping the results and makes recommendations for future research and considers ways for improvement of ethnic relations in Estonia.</p>

Tinjauan Yuridis Cyber Espionage Berdasarkan Hukum Internasional

Due to the rapid transformation of technology causing a subliminal changes on how states spy upon each other. With the help of technology and cyber infrastructure, states tend to use cyber technology as its main facility to conduct an espionage towards other states. Cyber espionage has come to represent national security and economic threat, due to all the classified information that already been massively stolen by another country. The aim of this research paper is to analyze and clarify pertaining the role of International law specifically towards this kind of act of espionage, and perceive the state responsibility of perpetrator which is states. It can be concluded that cyber espionage does not per se regulated under international law, but its lawfulness depends on the way in which it operation carried out may violate specific international conventions or any other international law principles.Keywords: Cyberlaw; Cyber Espionage; International Law.AbstrakPesatnya perkembangan teknologi dan digitalisasi mengakibatkan terjadinya perubahan metode dan cara dalam pelaksanaan tindakan spionase oleh negara terhadap negara lain guna mengumpulkan fakta dan informasi yang berkaitan dengan perkembangan politik, ekonomi, teknologi, dll melalui kapabilitas teknologi siber atau kerap disebut sebagai cyber espionage. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk menganalisis terkait peranan hukum internasional dalam mengatur tindakan tersebut dalam tataran internasional dan bagaimana pertanggungjawaban dari negara pelaku tindakan cyber espionage. Hasil dari penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa belum ada konvensi international khusus yang mengatur mengenai cyber espionage sehingga tindakan cyber espionage itu sendiri merupakan tindakan yang masih belum diatur secara international.Kata Kunci: Hukum Siber; Cyber Espionage; Hukum Internasional.

Regulatory Resistance? Narratives and Uses of Evidence around “Black Market” Provision of Gambling during the British Gambling Act Review

Commercial gambling is increasingly viewed as being part of the unhealthy commodities industries, in which products contribute to preventable ill-health globally. Britain has one of the world’s most liberal gambling markets, meaning that the regulatory changes there have implications for developments elsewhere. A review of the British Gambling Act 2005 is underway. This has generated a range of actions by the industry, including mobilising arguments around the threat of the “black market”. We critically explore industry’s framing of these issues as part of their strategy to resist regulatory change during the Gambling Act review. We used a predefined review protocol to explore industry narratives about the “black market” in media reports published between 8 December 2020 and 26 May 2021. Fifty-five articles were identified and reviewed, and themes were narratively synthesised to examine industry framing of the “black market”. The black market was framed in terms of economic threat and loss, and a direct connection was made between its growth and increased regulation. The articles mainly presented gambling industry perspectives uncritically, citing industry-generated evidence (n = 40). Industry narratives around the “black market” speak to economically and emotionally salient concerns: fear, safety, consumer freedom and economic growth. This dominant framing in political, mainstream and industry media may influence political and public opinion to support the current status quo: “protecting” the existing regulated market rather than “protecting” people. Debates should be reframed to consider all policy options, especially those designed to protect public health.

Perceptions, Resentment, Economic Distress, and Support for Right-Wing Populist Parties in Europe

Research has demonstrated that resentful emotions toward the politics<em> </em>and perceptions of being culturally and economically threatened by immigration increase support for populist parties in some European countries, and that macro-level economic conditions engender those perceptions and emotions and increase populist support. This article reveals that household-level economic conditions also affect perceptions of cultural and economic threat by immigrants. Low- and middle-income populations are more vulnerable to suffer economic distress due to macro-level factors such as import shock, which can increase their resentment toward democracy, and their perceptions that immigration is a cultural and economic threat, therefore increasing the likelihood to vote for populist parties. A mediation analysis using the European Social Survey data from 2002 to 2018 provides evidence for the argument.

Introduction

In contemporary Western societies, journalism often comes under fire. This is due in part to the increased economic threat posed to the profession by a steady decline in the consumption of news but also to increasing scepticism in the value of news and the media in general. This introductory chapter summarizes the theoretical approaches taken in this book, highlighting the unique contributions that a media psychological approach can make to our understanding of news-making and the construction of meaning. The chapter presents an overview of how psychology can contribute to our understanding of news, and it describes in relation to journalism uniquely media psychological constructs (parasocial interactions and the third-person effect). The chapter concludes with a chapter-by-chapter summary of the rest of the book.