Search Results (92)

In China, communities are the primary living environments for older adults, where the neighborhood environment is closely linked to their mental well-being (MW). Old urban residential communities commonly encounter problems including poor housing quality, inadequate public resources, and substandard living conditions. The association between such neighborhood environments and the MW of older adults is particularly worthy of examination. Therefore, based on empirical survey data from Nanjing, China, and from a subjective perception perspective, this study explores how the perceived neighborhood environment in old urban residential communities correlates with older adults’ MW. The findings indicate that both the perceived built environment (BE) and social environment (SE) are correlated with the MW of older adults. The BE has a stronger correlation with MW than the SE, which mediates the correlation between the BE and MW. The correlation between the neighborhood environment and MW is moderated by factors including age, residence type, and average monthly income. Among the component factors of neighborhood environment in old urban residential communities, housing quality, shopping convenience, neighborhood interaction, and community services show significant positive correlations with the MW of older adults. These findings provide valuable implications for the age-friendly renewal of old urban residential communities, the development of age-friendly communities, and the improvement in the subjective well-being of older adults in such communities. Full article

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disproportionately affects women and often disrupts work, intimate relationships, and reproductive life. Although stigma is increasingly recognized in chronic illness, less is known about how it is experienced among women with SLE in China. Using an interpretive phenomenological design informed by health stigma theory, this qualitative study examined how stigma was produced, experienced, and managed in the everyday lives of 20 Chinese women living with SLE. Data were generated through semi-structured online interviews, chosen because of participants’ geographic dispersion and health-related constraints, and analyzed using an iterative thematic approach. The findings show that stigma operated through interconnected forms: visible bodily stigma linked to treatment-related appearance changes, invisible-symptom stigma that demanded ongoing credibility work, institutional stigma in employment, and gendered stigma in intimacy and motherhood. Participants responded through concealment, selective disclosure, and narrative labor: the work of presenting themselves as credible, responsible, and morally worthy despite social devaluation. These findings suggest that SLE stigma is not only interpersonal but also institutional and gendered, highlighting the need for stigma-sensitive clinical communication, workplace support, and reproductive counseling for women living with chronic illness. Full article

The 10.29 Itaewon Disaster in Seoul, which claimed 159 lives during a Halloween celebration in 2022, has divided Korean Protestant discourse on Halloween into two opposing theological positions: one that interprets Halloween as inherently superstitious and satanic based on its historical origins, and another that embraces it as a contemporary youth cultural phenomenon worthy of protection under principles of cultural diversity. These theological frameworks are intertwined with questions of disaster accountability within the political–historical context of Korean Protestantism’s social engagement, with the former—corresponding to the conservative stream of Korean Protestantism—implicitly attributing responsibility to festival participants while absolving the government, whereas the latter—corresponding to the progressive stream—emphasizes institutional failures in crowd management and public safety protocols. Through comparative analysis with established American Protestant discourse on Halloween, this study examines how Korean Protestant theological interpretations of Halloween intersect with both the specific context of the 10.29 Itaewon disaster and political orientations within Korean Protestantism. The research draws on diverse primary sources, including articles, commentaries, official statements, social media discourse, and sermonic materials, to analyze the emergent Protestant narratives following the disaster. Full article

The Song 宋, Yuan 元, and Ming 明 dynasties (960–1644) witnessed the flourishing development of the Chinese Buddhist Canon (CBC), with about fifteen editions of the CBC constructed in this period. This was also an important period for the merging of different schools of Buddhism in Yunnan with mainstream Chinese Buddhism in the border regions of Southwest China. Over the past millennium, more than twenty sets of the CBC have circulated in Yunnan Province, which can be classified into seven editions and have exerted a profound influence on Chinese Buddhist literature in Yunnan. Unfortunately, most of these Buddhist Canon sets were lost, with only a few of them surviving. While most of them are kept in the Yunnan Provincial Library 雲南省圖書館 and the Library of Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences 雲南社會科學院, three kinds of CBC sets remain in private hands; however, these sets have long been neglected. In particular, these three editions of the CBC are the Qisha Canon 磧砂藏 carved during the Southern Song and Yuan dynasties (1127–1368), the Puning Canon 普寧藏 engraved during the Yuan dynasty (1206–1368), and the Jiaxing Canon 嘉興藏 constructed during the Ming and Qing dynasties from the 16th to 18th centuries. This paper presents a preliminary bibliographic survey of fragmentary fascicles of these three editions of the CBC kept in Yunnan. We aim to explore the transmission timeline, version details, collection templates, and dissemination process of these three editions of the CBC in Yunan. We argue that these three Chinese Canons are not entirely identical to those housed in the Yunnan Provincial Library and possess irreplaceable documentary value. The Qisha Canon, engraved during the Southern Song dynasty 南宋 (1127–1279) and the Yuan dynasty 元朝 (1206–1368), was shipped to Yunnan in the twenty-second year of Hongwu 洪武二十二年 (1389). The Tusi 土司 (native chieftains) and Fobian 釋佛辨 (?–?), a monk of Taihuashan Temple 太華山寺 in Kunming, were involved in requesting this set of Buddhist Canons. A set of the Puning Canon constructed during the Yuan dynasty was bestowed by Emperor Kublai Khan 忽必烈 (r. 1260–1294). The emperor donated this Buddhist Canon to Xingzu Temple in Yuanzhao Mountain 圓照山興祖寺 in Kunming. As for the Jiaxing Canon, monks in Baohua Temple in Shuimu Mountain in Dali 大理水目山寶華寺 made a request to the imperial court for a set of Buddhist Canons. Another Canon was obtained upon request by the believers of Songshan Temple in Kunming 昆明嵩山寺. The import of the Jiaxing Canon into Yunnan is closely related to Yunnan Chan Buddhism, which is also worthy of special attention. Previous studies on the CBC in Yunnan have neglected these sources. People have now realized that the private collections of fragmentary fascicles of the CBC are of great value. The study of these extant volumes of the CBC may enrich people’s knowledge of the CBC in Yunnan Province. Full article

Lump sum compensatory damages awarded through court adjudication are regarded as the proper result of tort personal injury litigation delivering corrective justice to worthy plaintiffs and delivering public statements of moral blameworthiness. In this article, we show that the problem of premature dissipation of lump sum compensation is a problem of ‘private’ tort law and also of the public aspect of private tort law. We argue that the theoretical account that corrective justice for personal injury occurs by the delivery of lump sum damages is heavily compromised by how rarely plaintiffs are likely to receive what might be considered a full measure of damages compared to the wrong and harm suffered. In addition, the reality that those ‘reduced’ damages are delivered via confidential settlement diminishes the public aspects of tort law. We show that the premature dissipation of lump sum damages by injured plaintiffs is a wicked problem caused by many intersecting factors including aspects of tort law (common law and statutory); institutional factors; the impact of early settlement of claims; treatment of legal costs; the interaction between tort law and other systems such as social security; and factors personal to plaintiffs. Full article

Wittgenstein had significant religious impulses, from his early Notebooks to his late entries in Culture and Value. Christian religious texts seemed to him to articulate significant human experiences that were worthy of respect. Yet he found himself consistently unable to commit himself to any organized institutional religious life. This essay investigates the reasons (as opposed to psychological peculiarities with causal force) that might lie behind Wittgenstein’s stance. Friedrich Schiller describes modern, socially induced unsatisfiable longings for meaningful life. Northrop Frye describes the rhetorical form of the Christian Bible as having an indispensable role in orienting us toward reconciled life, but in the end more imaginatively than in effective worldly practice. Against this background, Wittgenstein’s combination of passionate attraction to Christianity with an inability to accept it emerges as an exemplary expression of a widely shared modern human condition. Full article

Using a structural equation modeling approach, this study has attempted to untangle the underlying pathways on how students’ demographics and pre-college characteristics that reflect academic preparation, combined with major factors formulated in the university environment, affect time to degree. It does so by developing and evaluating a conceptual framework whereupon time to degree is associated with specific observed or latent factors. A properly tailored Multiple Indicator Multiple Causes SEM was used for evaluating the hypotheses made on a sample of 1137 graduates which came from a Greek University of Social and Political Science, Athens, Greece. AMOS and LISREL packages were used for the analysis. The results reveal interesting direct and indirect relationships of the various predictor variables with time to degree. In particular, the great contribution of student performance and academic integration to time to graduation has been highlighted. However, the contribution of the pre-university features is also worthy of attention. Full article

Perceived ESG performance refers to stakeholders’ assessment of a company’s efficacy in implementing and maintaining ESG initiatives. This perception is crucial as it influences stakeholders’ trust and engagement with the company. The present study aims to test the relationships between the perceived performance of Chinese e-commerce firms and their employees’ green behaviors, with the mediating role of green psychological climate and the moderating role of ESG actions: substantive vs. symbolic. Employees’ green behavior is defined as any measurable individual behavior that contributes to environmental sustainability goals in the work context. Green psychological climate is defined as employees’ perceptions and interpretations of their organization’s policies, procedures, and practices regarding environmental sustainability. The sample includes 1285 employees from various Chinese e-commerce firms. Participants ranged in age from 19 to 66 years, with a mean age of 37.27 years (SD = 10.35). This study examines the impact of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance on green behaviors among employees in Chinese e-commerce companies. Leveraging data from organizational surveys, the findings reveal that perceived ESG performance significantly influences green behaviors, both directly and indirectly, through the mediating role of green psychological climate. Mediation analysis underscores the pivotal role of green psychological climate in bridging ESG performance and individual green behaviors, with the strength of this relationship varying significantly across levels of substantive ESG actions. Furthermore, while the moderating effects of ESG substantive and symbolic actions on the relationships between ESG performance, green psychological climate, and green behaviors did not achieve conventional statistical significance, observed trends suggest a nuanced interplay worthy of further exploration. These findings highlight the complexity of translating organizational ESG commitments into employee actions, emphasizing the importance of both substantive and symbolic ESG initiatives in fostering a green psychological climate. This study contributes novel insights into the mechanisms driving green behaviors in organizational contexts, offering implications for both academic research and managerial practice. Full article

Individuals, families, and communities are impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias worldwide. In Canada and elsewhere, family members commonly see loved ones living with dementia experience difficult moments, including anxiety, stress, and fear. Struggling health care systems strive to apply the latest evidence-based interventions. In this case report, we explore how individuals who care for people with dementia can help redirect difficult personal and interpersonal moments towards hopeful moments in the presence of therapy dogs. The cases of four individuals diagnosed with dementia and interacting with therapy dog intervention in one of three environments—at a family home, in a hospital awaiting placement to a long-term care facility, and in a psychiatric centre—are reviewed from the perspectives of two attending therapy dog handlers. In addition to being researchers in the therapy dog field and authors on this case report, both handlers were guided in a 110 min focused conversational method by a third author, from which self-affirmation theory surfaced as a guiding framework for explaining their observations and experiences. Therapy dog visiting appears to facilitate positive social interactions that can help redirect difficult moments to moments defined by self-affirmation or experiencing a positive sense of self. This is an under-recognized association in the dementia literature. Self-affirmation is demonstrated through four themes during therapy dog visits: (a) physical movement, (b) psychological shift, (c) a transition in the experience of time, and (d) connective interactions. Therapy dogs are identified here as a promising self-affirming psychosocial intervention for individuals with dementia and their caregivers worthy of further research and practice attention. Full article

The Peranakan Chinese, formed through intermarriage between Chinese immigrants and Southeast Asian indigenous people, represent a unique example of cultural amalgamation. As modern society evolves, the conservation of their culture faces significant challenges, particularly in balancing heritage preservation with contemporary relevance. Addressing how Peranakan cultural products can meet the functional and emotional needs of modern audiences while achieving sustainable cultural development is a question worthy of in-depth exploration. This study uses the “SR” furniture series from Singapore’s “I” brand as a case study to examine how cultural products can integrate Peranakan heritage into modern life while promoting cultural conservation. Guided by affordance theory and thematic analysis, this research identifies four key strategies: (1) Cultural Integration and Expression; (2) Modern Innovation in Furniture Design; (3) Promotion and Sustainability; and (4) Social Engagement and Education. Based on these strategies, this study proposes a framework for cultural conservation in furniture development. This framework offers actionable strategies for designers, businesses, and policymakers to create products that meet both functional and emotional needs while fostering cultural conservation and adaptation in a globalized context. Full article

This article explores the specific role of courage in the context of the Anthropocene’s moment; it first examines Aristotle’s conception of virtues, focusing on courage, before comparing it to Confucian thought and analyzing the historical dialogue between Western and Chinese traditions on ethics through the works of François Noël (1651–1729). Aristotle views moral cultivation as a social process wherein habits shape inner dispositions; in his view, courage is linked to other virtues, such as temperance and justice. For Aristotle, courage implies the appropriate balance between extremes and must be directed toward a worthy end, such as promoting positive change within a community. This Aristotelian perspective was later incorporated into a biblical framework by Aquinas and Suarez, emphasizing dichotomies between body and soul, as well as between humans and other living beings. These dichotomies must be challenged in the face of the Anthropocene’s emergencies. The second part of this contribution proceeds to a detour examining Confucian ethics, which rests on a different anthropology, emphasizing continuities rather than discontinuities. Like Aristotelian thought, Confucian thought also underscores moral education within a community; it prioritizes humanity, embodied through empathy and loyalty. In the Analects, courage is balanced by a sense of rituals and righteousness. Mencius further distinguishes several types of courage, stressing self-cultivation and the ruler’s responsibility to make empathetic, appropriate decisions for the community’s sake. From this perspective, courage is understood as the continuous perseverance in self-cultivation, coupled with a firm intention oriented toward the good of the community. Zhu Xi’s comments on Zilu’s courage in the Analects extend this Confucian tradition. Finally, this article highlights how a dialogue between Aristotelian and Confucian ethics began four centuries ago, particularly through Noël’s Philosophia Sinica, which combined these traditions. This inter-religious approach to ethics, enriched by figures such as Aquinas, Suarez, Zhu Xi, and neo-Confucian thinkers, requires re-evaluation because the understanding of personal ethics and nature has evolved. The modern naturalistic approach, with its emphasis on dichotomies, has contributed to a mechanistic view of nature, fostering its exploitation, and a devaluation of the body. This contrast highlights the urgent need for renewed dialogue between Western and Chinese ethical traditions to address contemporary challenges, with François Noël serving as a historical witness of these exchanges. Full article

This article lies at the intersection of migration studies and disability studies and aims to contribute to redressing the considerable gap in knowledge regarding disabled voluntary migrants. These two areas, migration and disability, respectively, have rarely been considered together, a significant gap given the situation faced by disabled migrants and crosscutting issues confronting disabled people and migrants. Dynamics of exclusion are viewed as a shared experience of migrants, disabled people and disabled migrants. This paper is based on qualitative semi-structured interviews with voluntary EU migrants to the UK, disabled British people and disabled EU migrants, which are supplemented by key informant interviews. All were conducted in 2019 in the north of England. The findings highlight that when migration and disability are considered concurrently, barriers multiply and result in a nuanced disadvantage and experiences of social marginalisation. Migrant and disability experience translates into social vulnerability and is a contributing cause of exclusion in relation to social expectations and mainstream services. This paper concludes that there is an urgent need to change the narrative and perception that migrant and disabled people are less worthy of attention and bring their needs to the fore. Full article

As awareness of sustainable development has increased, the corporate advantages of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) have attracted widespread attention from investors, and research has demonstrated that ESG has a sustained impact on long-term business operations. At this new stage of market development, the relationship between ESG rating performance and corporate innovation is worthy of in-depth study. The effect of corporate ESG rating performance on innovation based on stakeholder theory was tested using data from Chinese A-share listed companies from 2009 to 2021. The results show that ESG rating performance can significantly improve corporate innovative output and R&D (research and development) investment. This promotional effect is more significant in large enterprises, state-owned enterprises, and companies in the eastern region of China. ESG rating performance promotes corporate innovation by improving firm financial performance and expanding internationalization. In addition, ESG rating performance not only increases the quantity of innovative output, but also helps to improve the quality of R&D investment. ESG strategy, standardized and mandatory disclosure of information pertaining to ESG, improved quality of information disclosed, and promotion of corporate innovation are all necessary to help enterprises develop in this new era. Full article

The rent-free farmland transfer that exists widely in China’s rural areas is a topic worthy of attention. Particularly, the regional heterogeneity of its occurrences implies regional cultural heterogeneities. Using local dialects to proxy regional cultural features, this study applies econometric methods to examine the impacts of dialect diversity on rent-free farmland transfers. It also considers possible mechanisms through a mediation analysis, based on a combined two-year rural household survey dataset from the Guangdong and Jiangxi Provinces in 2015 and 2016. Robust estimation results reveal that dialect diversity increases the probability of rent-free farmland transfers at the household and village levels. According to the mediation analysis, dialect diversity influences villages’ farmland abandonment, rural farmland market development, and the flexibility of farmland transfer contracts, which further affects rent-free farmland transfer. Rent-free farmland transfer depends on social trust and contracts’ self-fulfilling advantages. Therefore, cultural and traditional factors should be taken into consideration, which would form beneficial interactions between the selections of rural farmland institutional arrangement and land rights policy implementations. Full article

During the COVID-19 crisis, organizations had to demonstrate organizational resilience (OR) to continue to carry out their missions. We conducted qualitative research to identify the factors that contributed to the OR of police and penitentiary institutions in French-speaking Switzerland, in terms of their operations and management. The modes of action and crisis responses of these emergency services, regularly confronted with crises and particularly impacted during the pandemic, are worthy of attention. To this end, we synthesized the OR factors that are frequently identified in both theoretical and empirical review articles and identified four theoretical conceptualizations: (a) resilience engineering, (b) ecological resilience (these two are the most widely used), (c) a third way situating resilience at an intermediate stage in a metamodel representing the evolution of organizations from a fragile to antifragile state, and (d) a conceptualization focusing on the temporal dimension of OR. Based on the results of 25 semi-structured interviews with executives from cantonal police forces and prisons, we present what we consider to be the key levers in a three-phase resilience process (upstream, during, and after the shock): anticipatory and proactive organizational culture, information management and communication, liminal leadership practices, social and environmental practices, agility-enhancing governance practices, and learning capabilities. Our results largely confirm that these parameters significantly contributed to the OR of the institutions in question. They also enable us to propose winning configurations of factors that can increase the potential for OR. Full article