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Digital Wellbeing and Sustainability

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Health, Well-Being and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (6 October 2024) | Viewed by 4127

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
The Economic and Social Research Institute, Whitaker Square, Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, D02 K138 Dublin, Ireland
Interests: impact of digital technologies on the economy and society, particularly for vulnerable groups; digital divides; remote healthcare; sustainability in digital technologies; effects of policy-making in electronic communications

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Promoting sustainability and the wellbeing of all actors in society are key global policy priorities. This Special Issue will publish a collection of papers concerned with digital wellbeing and how this can intersect with sustainability considerations. Digital wellbeing spans the impact of technologies and digital services on people's mental, physical, social, and emotional health. Sustainability involves promoting and facilitating the everyday conduct of individuals, businesses, and nations in such a way that does not negatively impact our environment, community, or society as a whole. The most commonly adopted definition of sustainability is derived from the 1987 Brundtland Report, "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

This Special Issue will edit articles from experts working on research spanning the breadth of sustainability considerations linked to digital technologies, communications networks, digital wellbeing, policy making and regulation in electronic communications. This collection is intended to inform and advance academic and policy understanding of these pressing modern-day phenomena, and to bolster the adoption and embedding of sustainability efforts and social wellbeing in the area of digital technologies.  

Papers which develop and advance a theoretical link between sustainability and digital technologies are welcomed, as well as original contributions which explore methodological issues, reviews of research, and empirical studies based on observational and experimental research. One major question asks how digital technologies can advance sustainable development, and whether there is a link between the wellbeing effects of digital technologies and sustainability efforts.

The specific papers that will be included in this Special Issue will depend on the expertise and enthusiasm of contributors.

We look forward to receiving your contributions in this important research area.

Dr. Gretta Mohan
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • digital wellbeing
  • digital technologies
  • electronic communications networks
  • sustainability
  • environmental sustainability
  • economic sustainability
  • social sustainability
  • sustainable behaviors

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 4244 KiB  
Article
Understanding Dual Effects of Social Network Services on Digital Well-Being and Sustainability: A Case Study of Xiaohongshu (RED)
by Qingyue Wu, Lei Gu, Mingxiao Zhang and Huimei Liu
Sustainability 2024, 16(15), 6709; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16156709 - 5 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1141
Abstract
Social networking services (SNSs) address estrangement in cyberspace through their communication, recognition, and resonance features, yet they simultaneously generate new forms of alienation. This dual effect can both advance and hinder sustainability. This phenomenon is particularly evident in Xiaohongshu (RED), a platform widely [...] Read more.
Social networking services (SNSs) address estrangement in cyberspace through their communication, recognition, and resonance features, yet they simultaneously generate new forms of alienation. This dual effect can both advance and hinder sustainability. This phenomenon is particularly evident in Xiaohongshu (RED), a platform widely used in China and beyond, which has evolved from providing consumption guidance to facilitating lifestyle sharing. This paper utilizes Hartmut Rosa’s Resonance Theory to explore resonance and alienation within RED, examining the multifaceted impact of SNSs on digital well-being and sustainability through qualitative methodologies, including netnography and thematic analysis. The study reveals that RED fosters material, spiritual, and social resonance, thereby enhancing digital well-being and sustainability. However, RED also generates alienation in these dimensions, which can impede sustainability. Moreover, the resonance and alienation generated by the RED platform affect not only its own sustainability but also broader environmental, social, economic, and cultural sustainability. Theoretically, this study constructs a sociological framework integrating resonance and alienation within SNSs to interpret digital well-being and sustainability. Practically, it offers recommendations for promoting sustainable practices among SNSs, addressing material, spiritual, and social dimensions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Wellbeing and Sustainability)
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14 pages, 1551 KiB  
Article
Managing the Right to Disconnect—A Scoping Review
by John Hopkins
Sustainability 2024, 16(12), 4970; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16124970 - 11 Jun 2024
Viewed by 2283
Abstract
In recent years, several countries have introduced ‘right to disconnect’ laws to protect workers’ rest times, giving workers legal rights to disconnect from work-related communication outside normal working hours. This is a response to growing concerns for the digital wellbeing of workers, the [...] Read more.
In recent years, several countries have introduced ‘right to disconnect’ laws to protect workers’ rest times, giving workers legal rights to disconnect from work-related communication outside normal working hours. This is a response to growing concerns for the digital wellbeing of workers, the state of hyperconnectivity created by today’s digital technologies, and how it can result in constant connectivity to work. The aim of this paper is to review the existing academic literature available on this topic, in order to identify key themes and potential research gaps relating to the right to disconnect and derive practical implications for managers needing to adopt this policy. Using the scoping review method and keywords ‘right to disconnect’, n = 9966 records were retrieved from the databases APA PsycNet, EBSCOhost, Emerald Insight, Gale, ProQuest Central, Scopus, and Web of Science, from which a final sample of n = 21 journal articles from n = 15 different countries were eligible for analysis. These articles were found to primarily span three academic disciplines: law, health, and business. Four key themes were highlighted—work–life balance, scope, governance, and health and wellbeing—as being critical factors for the successful implementation of the right to disconnect, as a sustainable digital wellbeing initiative for employees. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Wellbeing and Sustainability)
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