The book focuses on three key issues of international social work: on international dimensions of social problems and how social work practice can deal with these challenges, on cultural issues social workers have to consider when practising, teaching and developing social work on an international level and finally on aspects of international approaches in social work education. The authors practice and teach social work in several countries and their professional experience gave them the chance to gain profound experience in international social work. Therefore, the authors not only write about international perspectives but also from an international perspective.
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Purpose Green buildings which provide improved user health conditions and environmentally responsible applications have gained significant attention, due to the increasing environmental problems, particularly caused by the construction industry at the global scale. However, vegetation is still not sufficiently integrated into buildings, even though numerous benefits of plants have been proven by many studies in literature. This research aims to find out the opinions of professionals and academicians in architecture-related fields regarding the critical aspects, as well as the motivators and barriers faced in BIV applications, namely; green roofs, green walls and interior gardens. Hence, it strives to help increase their application rates by underlining the significant issues to be considered. Design/methodology/approach As to fulfilling these objectives, a questionnaire survey was conducted on 120 participants with varying professions including architects, landscape designers and civil engineers, from four countries. Findings The results of this study pointed out that, healthcare buildings were given the first priority among the building types for applying BIV. Moreover, among the motivator factors, receiving a certificate was found as an important incentive, besides the environmental, social and economic benefits of BIV. Furthermore, although the highly rated barriers were found as 'the lack of proper regulations' and 'lack of demand by the user/client', the findings showed that the highest responsibility for the implementation of these applications was placed on the architect. Research Limitations/Implications Based on the five major groups of Köppen climate classification system, the case countries were selected as one from each of the four main types, and by neglecting only Polar, as it lacks settlements. By considering diverse levels of development and economic welfare, countries were selected as; Canada (Snow: Humid-Subarctic), Libya (Dry: Desert-arid), Malaysia (Tropical: Tropical-Rain forest) and Turkey (Mild temperate: Mediterranean). Since the study covered four different countries, the survey was conducted by the use of Google Forms software program. This tool enabled the production and distribution of questionnaires, as well as the collection of data based on the responses of the participants. Furthermore, in order to provide consistency among the questionnaires applied in different countries, the survey was conducted in English language, although it was not the native language for a majority of the participants. Moreover, based on studies claiming that participants are more inclined to select the option with the mid-value in a Likert scale, which implies a neutral position, in the questionnaire, these types of questions were constructed with the forced choice method, by keeping the scales with even number of options. Practical Implications It is expected that the results of this study would be beneficial to both the academicians and professionals involved in the green building industry, as well as to the governmental and/or green building authorities. It is expected that this study will help serve as a guide for the stakeholders to increase the application rates of BIV in the construction industry. Social Implications The results of this study were also evaluated based on the findings of four case countries and certain conclusions were derived as to their underlying socio-economic and geographical reasons. Originality/value - Although studies on similar subjects have appeared in the literature, there are none which solely focuses on BIV applications by conducting a survey on the mentioned four case countries and compares its findings with the literature and presents an in-depth analysis on the issue.
This book provides insights into the complex labour and social security framework of EU employment and its enforcement. Starting from an analysis of the various EU instruments and case law, it outlines the complicated legal framework, the practical problems involved, and ways to overcome them. In turn, the book puts the evolution of the framework into perspective, reviews the numerous modifications made over the years, and describes interpretation-related difficulties. Since the formation of the European Community 65 years ago, migration and the European labour market have evolved considerably through special patterns of (temporary) mobility such as postings, simultaneous work in several Member States and high mobility, thus leading to major questions about the applicable legal framework. The interplay between the free movement of persons and services has produced a complex system of rules. Which law applies when a person crosses a border: that of the host State (and to what extent should this State take into account the legal rules from the home State?) or that of the home State? Does the person crossing the border have any choice in the matter? The book subsequently analyses the penetration of EU (market) law into national systems of labour and social security law. The divergent solutions and views within labour and social security law are considered and discussed from a critical point of view. As the positive elements of the European story are at risk of being overshadowed by the negative consequences of the European construction social dumping being the prime example special attention is paid to the cooperation between inspection services and other stakeholders in order to guarantee efficient enforcement. The latter is more than just sanctioning, but also includes prevention and monitoring issues. The unique strength of this book is that it brings together all legal-technical aspects of cross-border employment and its enforcement in both labour law and social security law in a single volume. Readers will find a wealth of detailed and specialised information, helping them to understand the topic in depth. Accordingly, the book will be of interest to academics, practitioners, enforcement bodies, judiciary policymakers, advanced law students, and researchers seeking to understand the law in context.
Abstract The paper analyses empirical research results comparing the impact of the medium (traditional, paper-based vs. screen-based) on the reading process and text comprehension. It focuses on two analytical approaches—the first looks at the construction of cognitive maps of texts and the other the material aspects of the medium – which enable readers to orientate themselves and to explore and interpret the text more comprehensively. The paper discusses differences in how readers approach textual meaning according to experience of using digital technologies, the text, and reader experience and abilities. It concludes by arguing that strengthening these individual experiences and abilities is key to effective inference of textual meaning.
The contributors to Bringing Back the Social into the Sociology of Religion explore how 'bringing the social back into the sociology of religion' makes possible a more adequate sociological understanding of such topics as power, emotions, the self, or ethnic relations in religious life. In particular, they do so by engaging with social theories and addressing issues of epistemology and scientific reflexivity. The chapters of this book cover a range of different religious traditions and regions of the world such as Sufism in Pakistan; the Kabbalah Centre in Europe, Brazil and Israel; African Christian missions in Europe; and Evangelical Christianity in France and Oceania. They are based upon original empirical research, making use of a range of methods - quantitative, ethnographic and documentary.
This article probes the intersection of spatial, caste, and gender axes of power in shaping contemporary inequalities in Kerala, through mixed-method research in an urban slum. Relying largely on qualitative data, it constructs a history of work in the slum for lower caste men and women against the backdrop of Kerala politics from the 1940s until the present. It examines the role of widening gender gaps, the persistence of secularized caste, and flagging working-class politics and discourse in shaping contemporary socioeconomic exclusion in urban areas. (Crit Asian Stud/GIGA)
"Der Beitrag beleuchtet die Hintergründe der studentischen Protestbewegung im Herbst 2009 an der Universität Wien aus Sicht eines Partizipierenden. Medientheoretische und gesellschaftskritische Aspekte der Proteste werden ebenso aufgezeigt wie protestinterne Differenzen und der innerstudentische Widerstand gegen die Besetzung. Schließlich wird auf die Reaktionen innerhalb der akademischen Psychologie eingegangen und ein Ausblick auf die Konsequenzen der Bewegung versucht." (Autorenreferat)
