Search Results (119)

This study maps the landscape of initial teacher education (ITE) research in Central Asia and its positioning within global academic discourse between 2004 and 2024. Drawing on a systematic scoping review of 144 publications conducted using the PRISMA-ScR protocol, it analyses publication trends, methodological approaches and thematic foci. The findings indicate that although Central Asia’s contributions to global ITE discourse remain limited, scholarly output is growing, particularly in Kazakhstan, while publications from Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are notably absent. Most studies are empirical and predominantly quantitative, with a strong thematic focus on curriculum-related areas, with limited attention to research and practicum in ITE programmes, teaching practices of teacher educators and educational reform and policies in the field, including issues of equity. By critically assessing these trends, the study identifies key gaps and proposes directions for future research, contributing to a more coherent and connected body of ITE scholarship in and on Central Asia. As the first synthesis of ITE research across the region, it offers a foundation for comparative analysis and cross-national dialogue on teacher education reform. Full article

School dropout and the recruitment of minors by criminal organizations have become deeply intertwined phenomena in Ecuador, particularly in territories marked by extreme violence and institutional fragility. This study investigates how Ecuadorian national media construct and frame these issues in 2025, using a qualitative content analysis of 85 opinion columns, editorials and analytical pieces published in leading outlets including El Comercio, El Universo, La Hora, Primicias, GK, Vistazo and Mercurio. Through a critical analysis of discursive patterns, the study identifies dominant narratives that reflect the normalization of violence, the erosion of schools as protective spaces, polarized portrayals of youth as victims or delinquents and a general critique of state inaction. Media narratives were found to vary ideologically, with some reinforcing stigma while others advocated for structural reform and rights-based approaches. The results highlight the role of media in shaping public understanding of educational exclusion and juvenile vulnerability in contexts of conflict. This research concludes that while Ecuadorian media serve as both mirrors and mediators of social crisis, their potential to influence educational policy and child protection efforts remains uneven. A more inclusive, critical and community-oriented media discourse is needed to confront the challenges of educational abandonment and youth recruitment. Full article

The current conservative wave of U.S. policies on higher education lacks the recognition of international students’ various backgrounds and ideologies, economic contributions, and nuanced experiences that would enrich college campuses. This paper provides a critical discourse analysis of anti-DEI rhetoric and legislation with Ohio’s higher education senate bill (S.B. 1 signed March 2025) as an exemplary case and with international students in mind. With this, I explicated some relevant legal issues of the bill (intellectual diversity, DEI programs, American civic literacy course, evaluating faculty’s role in maintaining a bias-free classroom, and partnership with People’s Republic of China) and their implications on freedom of expression and international student admissions, retention, safety, and student services. As a scholar from abroad, I aim to provide a voice, perspective, and analysis for international students in these politically charged times in U.S. higher education. Full article

This paper investigates the impact of demographic changes on regional disparities within the European Union. The analysis focuses on key demographic trends—population ageing, low fertility rates, and migration flows—and their long-term implications for labor markets, economic growth, and the sustainability of social systems across EU regions. Using Eurostat data for 169 NUTS2 regions for 2022 and 2023, the study applies descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression models to quantify the effects of life expectancy, fertility rates, and educational attainment on GDP growth and employment in knowledge-intensive and high-tech sectors. Findings indicate that regions with higher shares of highly educated labor and favorable demographic profiles tend to achieve greater economic resilience and competitiveness. In contrast, demographic decline and outmigration continue to deepen structural disparities, particularly in rural and less developed regions. The results underscore the importance of integrated EU policies aimed at addressing demographic challenges while promoting regional cohesion through investment in human capital, innovation, and infrastructure. By highlighting the critical role of demographic factors in shaping regional development, this study contributes to the discourse on designing effective policies to foster sustainable and inclusive growth within the European Union. Full article

This article critically examines the evolution of EU migration policy discourse from 1989 to 2024, highlighting the shift from overt securitization to a more humanitarian and managerial framing, which still retains some securitization elements. By analyzing key policy documents, including the Hague and Stockholm Programmes, the Global Approach to Migration and Mobility (GAMM), and the 2024 Pact on Migration and Asylum, this paper demonstrates how migration has been increasingly framed as a technical and economic issue while still maintaining exclusionary logics. Although humanitarian language has softened, policy goals remain focused on containment, selective inclusion, and externalizing responsibility. The second part of the article explores the religious aspect of EU migration policy, arguing that, despite the formal secularism of EU institutions, religious identity, particularly Islam, is implicitly intertwined with discourses of risk, cultural incompatibility, and integration. Drawing on Peter Berger’s theory of pluralism, the paper highlights a fundamental tension between the EU’s normative claims to diversity and its implicit preference for secular Christian frameworks. The analysis examines pathways for integrating religious consultation into EU governance and its potential to address the persistent marginalization of religion as a factor in inclusion and political agency. By linking migration discourse to the often-overlooked role of religion, this article calls for a more coherent, pluralist-informed EU strategy for migration and integration. Full article

Air traffic control is widely recognized as one of the most psychologically demanding occupations, where safety and operational performance are tightly interwoven. This study explores the relationship between occupational health and safety (OHS) systems and the psychological well-being of Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs), focusing on factors such as perceived safety, job satisfaction, stress, and mental strain. Conducted within the Hellenic Air Navigation Services Provider, the research adopts a cross-sectional design using a structured questionnaire distributed nationwide. The study draws upon the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) theoretical framework to examine how organizational resources, such as training, clarity of role, supervisor support, and employee autonomy, interact with job demands to shape occupational outcomes. Special emphasis is placed on understanding how the presence and awareness of structured OHS systems influence ATCOs’ perceptions of safety and well-being. Our analysis indicated that participants who reported the presence of an OHS system perceived their workplace as significantly safer than those who reported no such system. Hence, the existence of structured measures allows ATCOs to feel confident in their work environment. By assessing a range of psychosocial and organizational variables, this study seeks to contribute to both the academic discourse and practical strategies aimed at improving safety culture and psychological resilience in high-risk work environments. The findings are intended to inform policy development and organizational practices within the air traffic control sector and other safety-critical domains. Full article

The global community remains significantly off track in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), prompting calls for not only stronger political commitments but also more effective and credible expert guidance. This paper contributes to this discourse by examining a critical form of global environmental expertise: the conduct of global environmental assessments. Such expertise has become a foundational component of the institutional architecture underpinning global sustainability governance. Focusing on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), one of the most prominent and widely recognized international expert bodies, this study examines the challenges that researchers face when synthesizing research findings and making them policy-relevant within the IPCC’s assessment work. The empirical material consists of an interview study (N = 18) conducted with experts involved in the IPCC, from its first assessment (1990) to the most recent one (2023). The data were analyzed thematically using NVivo. The analysis reveals four key internal challenges that the IPCC must address to enhance its advisory capacity: epistemic hierarchies, leadership and management dynamics, the complexities of formulating recommendations, and inequities in recognition and reward systems. By identifying and analyzing these challenges, the paper contributes to ongoing discussions about the IPCC’s future development and offers broader insights into the evolving role of scientific expertise in global environmental governance. Full article

This article examines the rhetorical affordances of political claims to victimhood by US president Donald Trump during his first and second terms in office. By applying Critical Discourse Analysis to victimhood claims tactically deployed in the discursive performances of the US president, this analysis demonstrates the versatility and multi-functionality of victimhood claims as a political communication strategy in different contexts, which may account for, at least partly, the appeal of far-right populist leaders to national electorates. The analysis calls attention to a novel argumentative pattern, attested in Trump’s empowered victimhood rhetoric upon his inauguration as second-term president of the USA. This pattern consists of constructing prolonged economic injury inflicted on the nation and announcing retribution against the constructed victimizer(s). This emancipated performative style of claiming victimized nationhood is used to justify and forewarn the implementation of illiberal and coercive politics, in this case, the waging of a global trade war by the US president. Focusing on Trump as an original case study of the construction of ‘economic victimhood’ to justify aggressive economic policy, this paper aims to advance our understanding of the rhetorically complex and continuously evolving victimhood rhetoric of authoritarian populists, as well as the leverages accrued thereof, and adds to a growing body of the literature on the discursive–ideological shifts triggered by authoritarian populism. Full article

Media coverage plays a pivotal role in shaping public perception of the energy transition. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of how the lignite phase-out is represented in Greece, both by national and regional media, with a specific focus on the impacted region of Western Macedonia. Using data from the Leipzig Corpora Collection and regional news portals from 2013 to 2022, the analysis reveals significant divergences between media levels. While both show synchronized peaks for key terms like “Climate change” (2019) and “Western Macedonia” (2021), regional media addressed the direct impacts of the transition earlier and more intensely, with terms like “post-lignite” and “de-lignification” peaking in 2020 following the announcement of the Master Plan. National media framed the transition within a broader, top-down policy context, often with an optimistic tone, reflecting EU directives. In contrast, regional media provided a community-centric perspective, highlighting concerns over job losses and the preservation of local identity. The findings underscore a clear tension between official narratives of progress and local-level concerns, demonstrating that media discourse is a critical, multi-faceted component of just transition processes that policymakers must consider. Full article

This study examines the evolution of the European Union’s regulatory framework addressing energy market manipulation, focusing on recent amendments introduced by Regulation (EU) 2024/1106 (REMIT II) to the original REMIT—Regulation on Market Integrity and Transparency (EU) No. 1227/2011. Employing logical interpretation and comparative legal analysis, the paper explores the rationale and challenges of developing a proportionate yet dissuasive sanctioning regime for acts of market manipulation. The study commences with a comprehensive overview of manipulative practices within energy markets and the legal thresholds they must meet to fall under REMIT. A critical evaluation of the role of the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) is conducted, with particular attention to its updated guidelines following the revision of the REMIT regulation. A particular emphasis is placed on the evidentiary standard that is required to establish manipulation, a matter of particular significance in the context of enforcement. The comparative section analyses REMIT and REMIT II, identifying significant legal innovations and the regulatory intent behind them. The study highlights the need for enhanced legislative harmonization among Member States and strengthened coordination among national regulators under ACER. It is noteworthy that Romania has proactively aligned its policies with those of REMIT II, a development that is presented as a case study and a call for more widespread implementation. This analysis contributes to the existing body of knowledge in academic discourse since this topic has not been widely covered in the literature, despite the heightened relevance of energy market regulation in the current European context. Full article

Teachers can be transgressive agents to foster the inclusion of the growing migrant population in European schools. However, they are often faced by many challenges working with the ethnic/religious diversity in their classrooms. Moreover, they sometimes adopt stigmatised views about minoritised students that affect their attitudes and discourses towards them. Muslim migrant students tend to endure discrimination and essentialist discourses in their educational experiences. Thus, this study aims to analyse teachers’ discourses and attitudes towards Moroccan Muslim migrant students in their formal education, from the perspective of their mothers. A critical qualitative study with a mixed thematic content analysis was carried out. In-depth interviews with a total of nine Moroccan mothers were conducted. There are still cases in which teachers’ discourse and attitudes can marginalise Moroccan Muslim migrant students. This can be explained by the lack of teacher training. Teachers sometimes struggle to tackle discrimination, which is eased by well-established action plans. There is a need for contextualised and specific training for teachers. Furthermore, policies, schools and the community should support and involve teachers in the development of more inclusive practices that are aware of systemic inequality and privilege. Full article

Economic systems face critical challenges, including widening income inequality, unemployment driven by automation, mounting public debt, and environmental degradation. This study introduces Economocracy as a transformative framework aimed at addressing these systemic issues by integrating democratic principles into economic decision-making to achieve social equity, economic efficiency, and environmental sustainability. The research focuses on two core mechanisms: Economic Productive Resets (EPRs) and Economic Periodic Injections (EPIs). EPRs facilitate proportional redistribution of resources to reduce income disparities, while EPIs target investments to stimulate job creation, mitigate automion-related job displacement, and support sustainable development. The study employs a theoretical and analytical methodology, developing mathematical models to quantify the impact of EPRs and EPIs on key economic indicators, including the Gini coefficient for inequality, unemployment rates, average wages, and job displacement due to automation. Hypothetical scenarios simulate baseline conditions, EPR implementation, and the combined application of EPRs and EPIs. The methodology is threefold: (1) a mathematical–theoretical validation of the Cycle of Money framework, establishing internal consistency; (2) an econometric analysis using global historical data (2000–2023) to evaluate the correlation between GNI per capita, Gini coefficient, and average wages; and (3) scenario simulations and Difference-in-Differences (DiD) estimates to test the systemic impact of implementing EPR/EPI policies on inequality and labor outcomes. The models are further strengthened through tools such as OLS regression, and Impulse results to assess causality and dynamic interactions. Empirical results confirm that EPR/EPI can substantially reduce income inequality and unemployment, while increasing wage levels, findings supported by both the theoretical architecture and data-driven outcomes. Results demonstrate that Economocracy can significantly lower income inequality, reduce unemployment, increase wages, and mitigate automation’s effects on the labor market. These findings highlight Economocracy’s potential as a viable alternative to traditional economic systems, offering a sustainable pathway that harmonizes growth, social justice, and environmental stewardship in the global economy. Economocracy demonstrates potential to reduce debt per capita by increasing the efficiency of public resource allocation and enhancing average income levels. As EPIs stimulate employment and productivity while EPRs moderate inequality, the resulting economic growth expands the tax base and alleviates fiscal pressures. These dynamics lead to lower per capita debt burdens over time. The analysis is situated within the broader discourse of institutional economics to demonstrate that Economocracy is not merely a policy correction but a new economic system akin to democracy in political life. Full article

Over a three-year R&D project, the perception of mobile phone use in Spanish secondary schools shifted from initial tolerance to increasingly prohibitive policies. Drawing on the Actor–Network Theory, this study examines how mobile phones—alongside institutional discourses and school and family concerns—acted as dynamic actants, shaping public and political responses. The research adopted a qualitative design combining policy and media document analysis, nine semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, ten regional case studies, and twelve focus groups. The study concluded with a public multiplier event that engaged the broader educational community. The Madrid region, among the first to adopt a restrictive stance, contributed two school-based case studies and three focus groups with teachers, students, and families. Findings suggest that the turn toward prohibition was motivated less by pedagogical evidence than by cultural anxieties, consistent with what it conceptualizes as a techno-pessimistic shock. This shift mirrors the historical patterns of societal reaction to disruption and technological saturation. Rather than reinforcing binary framings of promotion versus prohibition, such moments invite critical reflection. The study argues for nuanced, evidence-based, and multilevel governance strategies to address the complex role of mobile technologies in education. Full article

The need for integrated governance of water–energy–land–food (WELF) systems has become paramount in achieving sustainable low-carbon transitions, yet policy consistency across these interdependent sectors remains critically underexplored. This study presents the first systematic assessment of policy consistency and synergy within China’s WELF framework, employing an innovative mixed-methods approach that combines a modified Policy Modeling Consistency (PMC) Index with Content Analysis Methodology (CAM). Policy consistency follows a clear hierarchy: energy (PMC = 9.06, ‘Perfect’), water (8.26, ‘Good’), land (7.03, ‘Acceptable’), and food systems (6.91, ‘Acceptable’), with land–food policies exhibiting critical gaps in multifunctional design. Policy synergy metrics further reveal pronounced sectoral disparities: energy (PS = 0.89) and water (0.81) policies demonstrate strong alignment with central government objectives, whereas land (0.68) and food (0.64) systems exhibit constrained integration capacities due to uncoordinated policy architectures and competing sectoral priorities. Building on these findings, we propose three key interventions: (1) institutional restructuring through the establishment of an inter-ministerial coordination body with binding authority to align WELF sector priorities and enforce consistent and synergy targets, (2) the strategic rebalancing of policy instruments by reallocating fiscal incentives toward nexus-optimizing projects while developing innovative market-based mechanisms for cross-sectoral resource exchange, and (3) adaptive governance implementation through regional policy pilots, dynamic feedback systems, and capacity-building networks to enable context-sensitive WELF transitions while maintaining strategic consistency and synergy. These recommendations directly address the structural deficiencies in WELF governance fragmentation and incentive misalignment identified through our rigorous analysis, while simultaneously advancing theoretical discourse and offering implementable policy solutions for achieving integrated low-carbon transition. Full article

Oklahoma has become a focal point in the national escalation of anti-2SLGBTQIA+ and anti-DEI efforts, emerging as one of the most aggressive states in proposing and advancing bills that undermine queer and trans rights across sectors, including public education, healthcare, free speech, and civil liberties. Although many bills do not pass into law, the volume, language, and momentum constitute a discursive and political terrain that actively regulates 2SLGBTQIA+ lives. This study retools the concept of strategic planning—typically associated with institutions’ mission-setting—as an analytical heuristic to examine how legislative efforts operate as a coordinated political agenda. Drawing on critical policy analysis (CPA) and critical discourse analysis (CDA), the authors map selected legislative texts from 2021 to 2024 to demonstrate how Oklahoma lawmakers are using policy discourse to reshape higher education into an extension of state power, advancing white cisheteronormative logics. By framing these efforts as ideologically coherent rather than isolated, this analysis contributes to the urgent work of identifying and resisting the restructuring of public education against 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Full article