This study identifies global factors conditioning the global problematics of the direction of social development. Global threats were evaluated and defined as dangerous processes, phenomena, and situations that cause harm to health, safety, well-being, and the lives of all humanity, and require removal. The essence of global risks was defined. These risks were defined as events or conditions that may cause a significant negative effect for several countries or spheres within a strategic period if they occur. Global problems (...) were conceptualized. These problems were defined as phenomena, matters, and situations that are not completely understandable, interesting, actual, require solving and regulation, and in addition do not have unified solutions. Current global challenges were analyzed, defined as strategic guidelines that cause transformational changes and are receiving attention from humanity. Global trends were defined as courses of social development. The composition and role of global actors were described, and defined as international organizations, leading states, regional organizations, powerful corporations, institutional investors, large cities, and well-known personalities. The directions of positive courses of social development were developed by means of using the authors’ mechanism of solving the global problematics. (shrink)

This edited volume is designed to explore different perspectives of culture, identity and social development using the impact of the digital age as a common thread, aiming at interdisciplinary audiences. Cases of communities and individuals using new technology as a tool to preserve and explore their cultural heritage alongside new media as a source for social orientation ranging from language acquisition to health-related issues will be covered. Therefore, aspects such as Art and Cultural Studies, Media and Communication, (...) Behavioral Science, Psychology, Philosophy and innovative approaches used by creative individuals are included. From the Aboriginal tribes of Australia, to the Maoris of New Zealand, to the mystical teachings of Sufi brotherhoods, the significance of the oral and written traditions and their current relation to online activities shall be discussed in the opening article. The book continues with a closer look at obesity awareness support groups and their impact on social media, Facebook usage in language learning context, smartphone addiction and internet dependency, as well as online media reporting of controversial ethical issues. The Digital progress has already left its dominating mark as the world entered the 21st century. Without a doubt, as technology continues its ascent, society will be faced with new and altering values in an effort to catch-up with this extraordinary Digitization, adapt satisfactorily in order to utilize these strong developments in everyday life. (shrink)

The article is devoted to the study of the evolution of socio-philosophical approaches to charity in the context of social development. The author analyzes the phenomenon of mercy through the prism of various philosophical traditions and views: Confucianism and the period of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, German classical philosophy, Russian religious philosophy, Western philosophical thought of the twentieth century, neo-Marxism and post-Marxism. The author comes to the conclusion that at different periods of the socio-philosophical thought development, the (...) understanding of mercy is different and receives a variety of interpretations: charity, love for neighbors, altruistic love-agape, the manifestation of the subject’s activity in the context of social practice, etc. Mercy appears as an inner motive based on compassion, sacrifice, and active participation in the needs of others. Moreover, the value of mercy permeates all religious trends, defining the role of a person in his/her interaction with all others. At the present stage of development, mercy can be considered as an element of the social ethics of responsibility, and also serves as a factor in the active participation of individuals in self-organizing self-government, the formation of civil associations with the aim of implementing reforms in society. (shrink)

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is one of the most prominent concepts in the literature and, in short, indicates the positive impacts of businesses on their stakeholders. Despite the growing body of literature on this concept, the measurement of CSR is still problematic. Although the literature provides several methods for measuring corporate social activities, almost all of them have some limitations. The purpose of this study is to provide an original, valid, and reliable measure of CSR reflecting the responsibilities (...) of a business to various stakeholders. Based on a proposed conceptual framework of CSR, a scale was developed through a systematic scale development process. In the study, exploratory factor analysis was conducted to determine the underlying factorial structure of the scale. Data was collected from 269 business professionals working in Turkey. The results of the analysis provided a four-dimensional structure of CSR, including CSR to social and nonsocial stakeholders, employees, customers, and government. (shrink)

The article titled “Multiculturalism is the key philosophic concept of a modern society’s social development” is devoted to analysis of cultural- political concerns taking place in modern societies from socio- philosophic aspects. The article outlines such topics as addressing this matter from the aspect of urgent demand of the time and period, respect to other cultural identities, and prevention of radicalism, terrorism, extremism, religious fundamentalism, and racial discriminatory acts that may upset the equilibrium in the system of ethnic- (...) political relationships of multiethnic societies against the background of globalization process, and criticality of taking complex measures aimed at safe future in respect of ethnic – political subjects. Term of multiculturalism from philosophic point of view has a broader definition being a generic manifestation of the cultures to which various social entities integrating various values belong to. It is a well-known fact that culture and moral virtues are a historic- philosophic system of views and, depending on dictate of the time and form of public order established at each historic development phase, culture and moral virtues are subject to change and renewal. Multiculturalism is a form of tolerance where representatives of different national cultures coexist in a country and assert themselves. Mutual understanding, joint activity, including equal dialogue between parallel cultures, are the factors forming philosophic- theoretical base of multiculturalism paradigm. The article analyzes multiculturalism concept philosophically and is primarily explained as a synthesis of communitarism and liberalism ideas. It is specifically stressed that multiculturalism reflects the equality promoted by communitarism as a concept and respect towards a personality, other cultures and religions as asserted by liberals. Readers’ attention are called to transformation of multiculturalism paradigm into main philosophic- political concept of modern societies and its constitution of the political doctrine of many developed countries, including the Republic of Azerbaijan in state policy context. (shrink)

The first part of the article examines some recent studies on the early development of social norms that examine young children’s understanding of codified rule games. It is argued that the constitutive rules than define the games cannot be identified with social norms and therefore the studies provide limited evidence about socio-normative development. The second part reviews data on children’s play in natural settings that show that children do not understand norms as codified or rules of (...) obligation, and that the norms that guide social interaction are dynamic, situated, and heterogeneous. It is argued that normativity is intersubjective and negotiable and starts to develop in the first year, emerging as a practical skill that depends on participatory engagement. Three sources of compliance are discussed: emotional engagement, nonverbal agreement, and conversation. (shrink)

This study aimed to develop and evaluate a community-based and project-based instructional model for social studies to promote disciplinary behavior and learning responsibility among primary school students in small-sized schools. Using a research and development (R&D) approach guided by the ADDIE model, the study involved 30 Grade 5 students from two small schools in Songkhla Province, Thailand. Participants were divided into experimental and control groups. The PPRSE instructional model, implemented over 20 weeks, was assessed using behavioral scales, academic (...) achievement tests, and satisfaction questionnaires. Data analysis revealed that the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher levels of disciplinary behavior and academic achievement in social studies compared to the control group (p < .05). Students also reported high satisfaction with the model, particularly regarding its real-world relevance and educational benefits. The findings highlight the model's effectiveness in fostering self-discipline, responsibility, and academic success through active, community-engaged learning. The study offers practical implications for educators seeking to enhance student engagement and lifelong learning competencies, especially in resource-constrained or small-school environments. The model provides a replicable framework that bridges classroom learning with local contexts, reinforcing 21st-century skills through meaningful and student-centered pedagogical practices. (shrink)

This qualitative study presents 27 students’ insights about four teachers’ implementation of an immersive Native American history curricular unit designed to equip students with digital skills to critically navigate complex, polarizing social issues. The Digital Civic Learning (DCL) curriculum used Google Suite and Google Classroom or Schoology to provide collaborative slides supporting immersive 2D-graphics, children’s books/resources, immersive activities/artefact-creation, and multimodal tools (e.g., discussion posts, Flipgrid video-essays). Teachers regulated student thinking/behavior towards cohesive outcomes, and encouraged open-ended exploration, operationalizing the design (...) framework as a zone of proximal development (ZPD). The history unit incorporates four cybernetic design features (DF) that enable teachers to steer student-centered collaboration within the curricular unit. The teacher serves four diverse roles (guide, facilitator, modeler, participant observer) mapping onto the DF. Results of focus group interviews with students, which were analyzed based on a theory-informed coding scheme and narrative inquiry, suggest ways for social studies teachers to operationalize the DCL immersive history unit as a cybernetic ZPD by adapting its basic structure to technologies accessible in their schools by adapting its basic structure to technologies accessible in their schools. (shrink)

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become an integral component of contemporary business practice, encompassing activities aimed at meeting the expectations of all stakeholders, maintaining environmental sustainability, and supporting the social sphere through initiatives such as educational projects and assistance to vulnerable population groups. The authors discuss various approaches to CSR, which differ according to the extent to which stakeholder interests are considered. The article examines the social responsibility practices of leading global pharmaceutical companies with long-standing experience and (...) established traditions. Their CSR policies are structured around three key dimensions: environmental protection, social development, and corporate governance. Furthermore, the paper analyzes the development of CSR within domestic enterprises, focusing on the practices of major Ukrainian pharmaceutical companies whose activities are significantly influenced by current national circumstances. Internal CSR initiatives primarily aim to improve employees’ working conditions and overall job quality, whereas external CSR practices include the implementation of quality management, environmental management, and socially oriented governance systems that foster partnerships with key stakeholders. Based on the conducted analysis, the study outlines the main prospects for enhancing CSR in Ukrainian enterprises, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector, and identifies strategies for its further advancement. The findings indicate that only a limited number of domestic companies are fully engaged in CSR activities, with their progress hindered by insufficient funding, lack of financial incentives for socially oriented projects, and inadequate legislative support for socially responsible business practices. (shrink)

Democratic citizenship is based on the belief that we have the capability of self-development and freedom to choose our own lifestyle because we select the best through trial and error. Therefore, democracy is a political system that the people are autonomous. Developing good citizens by the way of democracy through civic duty, cultural and social life course is one of the courses that help students raise awareness of Thai citizenship to have knowledge, basic skills and positive attitude about (...) democracy. Moreover, learning of civic duty in Thai education system has some flaws, because they are stuck to the contents based on the curriculum rather than learning through practicality. Thus, the school is an important place in encouraging and teaching the students to realize the importance of being good citizens. Schools should cultivate children and youth to learn theories through practice every day. This can be a preparation of students to become good adults in the future and can also be an important basis in continually applying to society and nation. (shrink)

With increasing development and widespread interest in artificial intelligence and robotics over the last several years, novel solutions are being considered for addressing specific problems in a number of domains. In particular, caring for elderly individuals in regions where human labour is insufficient is of special interest. One aspect of this involves an ability to communicate and socialize with people in a familiar and humanlike manner, with an ability to understand human emotion through behavioural cues and language. Furthermore, (...) class='Hi'>social robots should be able to act with empathy if we are interested in using them for tasks related to eldercare and healthcare, as empathy involves the adoption of another person’s perspective. This work investigates whether social robots are capable of meeting these requirements, and ultimately demonstrates that they cannot exhibit genuine acts of empathy. By investigating one robot in particular named iCub, it becomes apparent that it will not be able to understand human emotions given its cognitive architecture. iCub’s framework lacks the kind of affective regulation observed in people and animals, and as such, is unable to experience its own form of emotions. Consequently, iCub is incapable of understanding what emotions are and what they mean to humans. For social robots, an alternative solution which relies on experiences of emotions should instead be pursued. The cognitive architecture developed by Pentti Haikonen is preferable because it is modelled on biological functionality, creating better analogues of living beings than previous efforts in AI. By creating associative networks of neurons which establish connections between stimuli and their effects on the robot’s body, it is able to learn what a stimulus means for its continued functioning. By using signals representing analogues of pain and pleasure, emotional information learned by the robot is grounded on how stimuli impact the robot’s body. This architecture provides a foundation for empathy since the robot is able to appeal to its own experiences of pain and pleasure to understand the meanings of behavioural cues exhibited by humans. (shrink)

The purposes of this study were 1) to develop an instructional model based on active learning concept to enhance ability of social studies learning management design for student teachers and 2) to study the effectiveness of an instructional model by the target group, 29 undergraduate students of social studies, faculty of Education at Thaksin University who have enrolled in a specific teaching course for Semester 1, Academic Year 2020, as 1 classroom. Research instruments included 1) learning management plan (...) based on active learning concept 2) knowledge and understanding test of specific teaching 3) ability assessment of social studies learning management design and 4) student satisfaction assessment towards instructional model. Data were analyzed by using mean score, standard deviation and independent t-test. The findings were as follows: 1) the instructional model based on active learning concept consisted of (1) principles, (2) objectives, (3) 6 stages of instructional procedures including, stimulate social studies learning management, learn how to design social studies learning management, brainstorm the design of the social studies learning process, disclose the design of the social studies learning process, improve the design of the social studies learning process and evaluate of the design of the social studies learning process; and (4) conditions of model implementation. 2) The effectiveness of instructional model revealed that (1) students have more knowledge and understanding after studying, (2) students have ability of thinking, designing, and managing social studies learning management higher than the criterion 3.90%, (3) students have ability of writing social studies learning management plan higher than the criterion 1.37% and (4) students have satisfaction towards instructional model at the highest level. (shrink)

AI is increasingly becoming based upon Internet-dependent systems to handle the massive amounts of data it requires to function effectively regardless of the availability of stable Internet connectivity in every affected community. As such, sustainable development (SD) for rural and mountain communities will require more than just equitable access to broadband Internet connection. It must also include a thorough means whereby to ensure that affected communities gain the education and tools necessary to engage inclusively with new technological advances, whether (...) they be focused on machine learning algorithms or community infrastructure, as they will be increasingly dependent upon the automational capabilities of AI. In this essay, an exploration will be conducted into the means whereby student-engaged learning (SEL) can effectively be utilized to provide targeted, inclusive education to rural and mountain communities regarding the implications of AI for SD. (shrink)

In this condensed survey, I look to recent perspectives on evolution suggesting that cultural change likely alters the genome. Since theories of development are nested within assumptions about evolution (evo-devo), I next review some oft-cited developmental theories and other psychological theories of the 20th century to see if any match the emerging perspectives in evolutionary theory. I seek theories based neither in nature (genetics) nor nurture (the environment) but in the creative play of human communication responding to necessity. This (...) survey finally looks to more recent work to do with the appearance of independent self-consciousness in the individual following empathic group awareness. The result of such self-created group awareness and symbolic communication is seen to be cultural consciousness, unique to humanity, from which individual consciousness and personhood derive. I conclude by noting the general implications for these approaches in our schools, politics, and in ultimate ontological questions. (shrink)

This research aimed to develop a social studies instructional model integrating community-based learning (CBL) and project-based learning (PBL) to foster disciplined behavior and learning responsibility among primary school students in small-sized institutions. A one-group pretestposttest experimental design was employed with Grade 5 students and one teacher from Ban Koh Nok School. Research instruments included a demographic questionnaire, instructional model evaluation form, and satisfaction survey, validated through the Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC). Data analysis used descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation).Findings (...) revealed five learning management strategies developed and evaluated as highly appropriate by experts. Both teachers and students expressed high satisfaction, and the model effectively promoted disciplined behavior and learning responsibility. The study suggests that integrating CBL and PBL provides a meaningful, community-responsive approach that strengthens academic skills, civic engagement, and personal accountability. However, the study’s limitation lies in its small sample size and single-site implementation, restricting the generalizability of the findings. Future research should explore the long-term impacts of the CBL-PBL integrated model on student behavior and academic outcomes across diverse educational contexts and larger sample groups. Additionally, there is a need to develop and validate assessment tools specifically designed to measure behavioral growth and socialemotional learning within CBL-PBL frameworks, as well as investigate the integration of digital technologies to enhance project sustainability and student engagement. (shrink)

The article describes the features of social entrepreneur development as a way of government regulation of labor market. Different ways of definition “social enterprise” are analyzed. During the research, the models of improvement and development about regulation of this activity in other countries were analyzed. Analyzing the modern models of social entrepreneurship in other countries demonstrates how it is popular and deals with the problems of unemployment and social safety. In the current situation in (...) Ukraine this model of entrepreneurship is not so popular. For the changing situation we described and proposed the mechanism of development of social entrepreneurship. For the more active development of this entrepreneurship model we have proposed: to create, pass and apply the law about social entrepreneurship, which can measure the criteria for this type of activities and the law mechanism to support social entrepreneurship; to spread information about this type of activity through the informational channels; to develop and establish programs about professional education for people, who would like to work at the social entrepreneurship area. The characteristics of social entrepreneurship were compared, charitable organizations and traditional business. Features and criteria, which characterize the social entrepreneurship are described. Experience of developing social entrepreneurship in other countries and the benefits of involving labor force in Ukraine are compared. The methods used for research are comparing and analyzing. The main goal of social entrepreneurship is producing goods and services for solving social problems and searching the ways of improving the economic situation in Ukraine. (shrink)

The article is devoted to educational opportunities for the formation of social capital. Social capital is manifested in the ability of people to communicate and work together. Analysis of the concept of social capital allows understanding the foundations of social interaction, the need for trust, and the relationship between the formation and distribution of the social trust, norms, and social capital itself. Social capital does not exist outside people. Social capital cannot be (...) characterized as an attribute of a separate individual. Social capital belongs to the group, the community. Learning is a situation of joint activity. In modern pedagogy, the problem is how to teach, organizing effective joint forms of educational activity. In distance learning (e-learning), it is important to organize the educational environment to have properties that make up for the lack of live communication. Today, the subjective nature of the educational process, focused on the formation of a creative personality, is being affirmed. Educational priorities are aimed at comfortable, conflict-free cooperation between the student at all levels of the educational process and the teacher, perhaps even partnership. The teacher and the student jointly develop goals, objectives, problem search field of research, working "cocreatively," a mini-team. This anthropocentric pedagogical technology relates to project and problem technologies in the educational process. (shrink)

The advancement of information and communication technology today inevitably exposes individuals to a vast amount of information and news. Therefore, promoting advanced thinking skills is an essential competency for individuals to discern situations and apply knowledge in problem-solving effectively in the future. This book on social studies and the development of advanced thinking skills integrates conceptual knowledge, theories, and approaches to developing critical thinking, analytical thinking, problem-solving, and creative thinking both inside and outside the classroom in social (...) studies. These are important tools that social studies teachers can apply to help students become successful thinkers in achieving their set goals. (shrink)

The presented Research Topic explores the potential of citizen science to contribute to the development of social innovations. It sets the ground for analysis of mutual relations between two strong and embedded in the literature concepts: citizen science and social innovation. Simultaneously, the collection opens a discussion on how these two ideas are intertwined, what are the significant barriers, and the need to use citizen science for social innovation.

Near the end of December 2019, the globe was hit with a major crisis, which is nothing but the coronavirusbased pandemic. The authorities at the train station should also keep in mind the need to limit the spread of the covid virus in the event of a global pandemic. When it comes to controlling the COVID-19 epidemic, public transportation facilities like train stations play a pivotal role because of the proximity of so many people who may be exposed to the (...) virus. Using common place CCTV cameras and deep learning with simple online and real-time (DeepSORT) methods, this study develops social distance monitoring using a YOLOv4 identification of a Surveillance Object Model. Based on experiments conducted with a minicomputer equipped with an Intel 11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-1115G4 at 3.00GHz, 2995 Mhz, two Core(s), four Logical processor, four gigabytes of random-access memory (RAM), this paper makes use of CCTV surveillance, which was put into practice at the Guindy railway station, Chennai, Tamilnadu in India in order to detect the violation of social distancing. (shrink)

Local participation is always beneficial for sustainable action and environmental problems resulting from urban implementation due to the failure of social and institutional change necessary for a successful transformation of rural life to urban life ahead of the rapid movement of the population. Despite good legal practice and comprehensive guidelines, evidence suggests that Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or more broadly Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA) have not yet been found satisfactory in Nigeria, as the current system (...) amounts to duplication of efforts and cost. However, ESHIA has been developed and integrated to help manage project activities, facilities, and operations sustainably, so that both economic and ecological profits are accrued (sustainable development) or ensure that any development project does not result in excessive deterioration of and/or the irreversible adverse effect on any component of the environment – a recite for sustainable development. A literature review was done by using a variety of search engines including Research Gate, Google Scholar, Academia, Mendeley, SSRN search strategy to retrieve research publications, “grey literature” and expert working group reports. The thrust of this study is to evaluate the potential benefits of ESHIA as a tool for sustainable environmental development. The evaluation and implementation of EIA are one of the strengths of these tools. Indeed, EIA is the first and foremost management tool employed to help mitigate adverse, potential, and associated impacts of proposed major developments in our environment. EIA is a regulatory requirement that is efficiently used to improve performance, project design, enhancing decision-making, and facilitating policy programs in a sustainable environment. An evaluation of the EIA systems reveals several weaknesses of the EIA system. These include the inadequate capacity of EIA approval authorities, deficiencies in screening and scoping, poor EIA quality, insufficient public participation, and weak monitoring, and erratic government policies. Overall, most EIA study rarely meets the objectives of being a project planning tool to contribute to achieving sustainable development and mitigate the impact of the development project. The study recommends some directions for the future to ensure that entire content of the EIA are religiously implemented, review the existing EIA act, increase the expertise of EIA consultants, create a liaison office with an international organisation and with sister agency, ESHIA must enjoy Improved budgetary provision, time latitude, spatial contexts and methodological improvements for outcome measures to achieve results that are relevant to sustainable development by improving project design, enhancing decision making and facilitating policy programs. (shrink)

Claude Ake was interested in how the depoliticization of African societies has led to their existing in a state of permanent crisis, and, in particular, to the impossibility of their development. He understood depoliticization as a situation where the right to possess a political sphere of life is withheld from most members of the state and, at the same time, politics is monopolized by those in power. He showed the error of seeing the African crisis primarily as an economic (...) crisis and emphasized that in the literature concerning African problems it was mistakenly assumed that African political elites were interested in development. Ake’s thoughts about the connection between, on the one hand, authoritarian power and the depoliticization of African societies, and, on the other, the lack of development does not exhaust the question of the crisis of the African state. But his opinions are valuable as an African viewpoint, which is not often taken into account. (shrink)

This chapter examines the relation of the Human Development or Capability Approach to liberal political theory. If development is enhancement of capabilities, then this chapter adds that development is human and social: development includes (1) the creation of value as a social process that is (2) a dialectical product of people in their relations. Specifically: (1) The place of the individual within political theory must be revised if the political subject is, as Carol Gould (...) argues, an “individual-in-relations” rather than an autonomous individual agent. (2) New possibilities for valuation are also relational: value is created dialectically along with those possibilities through processes that may be modeled on Denis Goulet’s account of dialectical recognition. These axiological claims hold importance for the place of democratic participation in just politics and development. Building upon David Crocker’s work, this chapter argues that just politics may require a participative approach that is undercut by Martha Nussbaum’s suggestion that a list of central capabilities should guide the drafting of national constitutions. The assimilation of the indigenous concept sumak kawsay to the ideal of buen vivir within Ecuador’s constitution is illustrative, suggesting that prior specification (a list) may limit and distort the dialectical generation of new capabilities. (shrink)

Social studies education is critical in preparing students for active citizenship and addressing the demands of a rapidly evolving, globalized world. However, small schools, particularly in rural or under-resourced areas, face significant challenges in delivering effective social studies curricula. These challenges include resource limitations, multi-grade classrooms, and a shortage of qualified educators trained in 21st-century pedagogies. Traditional methods of instruction, such as rote memorization, often fail to engage students or equip them with essential skills like critical thinking, collaboration, (...) and creativity. This study explores innovative solutions, including problem-based learning (PBL), community-based learning (CBL), and the integration of localized content and digital technologies, to address these issues. Key findings highlight the transformative potential of these approaches in overcoming systemic barriers while fostering 21st-century skills. PBL and CBL empower students to engage with real-world problems, enhancing their understanding of social studies concepts while cultivating critical thinking and collaboration. Technology, such as virtual field trips and digital storytelling, bridges resource gaps and creates immersive learning experiences, ensuring equitable access to quality education. Community involvement emerges as a pivotal factor, allowing small schools to leverage local expertise and foster culturally relevant learning. The study underscores the need for targeted teacher training, increased resource allocation, and flexible curriculum frameworks to support the implementation of innovative methods. Recommendations include investing in professional development, strengthening community partnerships, and integrating adaptive technologies to create dynamic and inclusive social studies programs. These strategies aim to empower educators and students in small schools, equipping them with the tools needed to succeed in a complex and interconnected world. Future research should focus on longitudinal impacts, cross-cultural comparisons, and scalable, cost-effective solutions to further advance social studies education in diverse contexts. (shrink)

Social innovations are usually understood as new ideas, initiatives, or solutions that make it possible to meet the challenges of societies in fields such as social security, education, employment, culture, health, environment, housing, and economic development. On the one hand, many citizen science activities serve to achieve scientific as well as social and educational goals. Thus, these actions are opening an arena for introducing social innovations. On the other hand, some social innovations are further (...) developed, adapted, or altered after the involvement of scientist-supervised citizens in research and with the use of the citizen science tools and methods such as action research, crowdsourcing, and community-based participatory research. Such approaches are increasingly recognized as crucial for gathering data, addressing community needs, and creating engagement and cooperation between citizens and professional scientists. However, there are also various barriers to both citizen science and social innovation. For example, management, quality and protection of data, funding difficulties, non-recognition of citizens’ contributions, and limited inclusion of innovative research approaches in public policies. In this volume, we open theoretical as well as empirically-based discussion, including examples, practices, and case studies of at least three types of relations between citizen science and social innovation: domination of the citizen science features over social innovation aspects; domination of the social innovation features over the citizen science aspects; and the ways to achieve balance and integration between the social innovation and citizen science features. Each of these relationships highlights factors that influence the development of the main scales of sustainability of innovations in the practice. These innovations are contributing to a new paradigm of learning and sharing knowledge as well as interactions and socio-psychological development of participants. Also, there are factors that influence the development of platforms, ecosystems, and sustainability of innovations such as broad use of the information and communications technologies including robotics and automation; emerging healthcare and health promotion models; advancements in the development and governance of smart, green, inclusive and age-friendly cities and communities; new online learning centers; agri-food, cohousing or mobility platforms; and engagement of citizens into co-creation or co-production of services delivered by public, private, non-governmental organizations as well as non-formal entities. (shrink)

Being supposedly the ground for an exchange system that does not depend on central, top-down regulation, cryptocurrencies increasingly need new algorithmic and policy-driven rules to maintain their trustworthiness and capacity to exhibit empirically supported growth. The present paper offers a conceptual and philosophical discussion on whether and how cryptosystems could be able to generate resilient development in a way that is coherent with a non-reductionist view of positive economics. As proposed, a plausible way to understand them can be achieved (...) considering their complexity and their concrete, local features, which have to be grasped both in terms of formal and material specificity. (shrink)

Can we ever justly critique the norms and practices of another culture? When activists or policy-makers decide that one culture’s traditional practice is harmful and needs to be eradicated, does it matter whether they are members of that culture? Given the history of imperialism, many argue that any critique of another culture’s practices must be internal. Others argue that we can appeal to a universal standard of human wellbeing to determine whether or not a particular practice is legitimate or whether (...) it should be eradicated. In this paper, I use the FGC eradication campaigns of the 1980s to show that the internal/external divide is complicated by the interconnectedness of these debates on the international level. As the line blurs between internal and external criticism and interventions, new questions emerge about the representativeness of global institutions. (shrink)

The 21st century global society is an information society that comes with advances in technology and communications. Accordingly, the learning management process of social studies teachers requires a modification to reflect the changing social conditions by focusing on the need of developing learners with critical skill. Critical thinking skill is a fundamental part of the thinking of other levels and the path to better advancing intelligence of students in the new era in leading a life in a modern (...) society. Students are often faced with different situations in daily life that require a proper thinking in the identification of what should or should not be done to enable the students to solve problems by their own. However, by not indulging in naïve, ignorant beliefs or agreeable with others without reason, such beliefs are dependent on the experiences and opportunities that have been opened to them. In this way, students can be exposed to the opportunity and gain the experience with explicit behavior in a sustainable manner. (shrink)

Education is the key to national development and a cornerstone in the development of perfect human, particularly in a changing and dynamic world of the 21st century. Therefore, it is the duty of teachers, especially in the social studies learning subject, to provide assistance to the learners to be able live as an individual and the co-existence in the society. In the learning process, the teachers must undergo the following procedures: 1. Preparation stage, 2.Putting the learning process (...) into practice, and 3.Evaluation. The procedures are operated by raising awareness of the importance and role of citizenship in a democratic society, including knowledge, skills and attitudes of individuals in functioning as a good citizen through the democratic approach. (shrink)

Since the beginning of humanity and up till now, education is a cornerstone in building human communities. No real social development will take place unless there are scientific and specific education principles. Pursuing the human march is the best example. During the Greek times, the philosophers focused their attention on education. Plato's Academy and Lyceum Aristotle's are educational institutes which produced designs for educational curricula delineated by Plato in his Republic and Aristotle in Nichomachean Ethics. Within Islamic heritage, (...) Prophet Mohamed (Peace Be Upon Him) freed the prisoner of war when he taught ten Muslims literacy. Muslim thinkers focused on education.Al- Farabi was a cultural adviser for organizing educational affairs at the court of Sayf ad-Daulah Ibn Hamdan in Damascus, and during the rule of sultan Abo Yakub Youssef,Ibn Tufail organized the educational affairs in Al Andalus. Dar Al Hekma in Baghdad is a model for the standard educational institute in Arab Muslim civilization. The curriculum is the practical translation of educational objectives, plans and orientations. Curricula makers seek to make better live in human societies. Most contemporary societies departed the traditional curriculum which based on students theoretical knowledge. Accordingly their perception is confirmed through tests. This transformation took place as a result of the industrial revolution which focused on vocational education in addition to what the two great philosophers Francis Beckon, Jean Jack Roseau and the fruits of the psychological though which connects between cognitive education and physical, mental and emotional preparation. For all these reasons as well as other reasons, the curriculum with its modern concept that contradicts with the classical concept, is the result of the interaction between the student, the teacher, the environment, and the culture of the society. The affecting factors are human, social, natural and intellectual. Countries differ in the design of curricula. Some develop them according to the needs of work market while other countries consider the opposite. It is not the market which controls science and culture. Rather, culture drives the market but slow reading affirms that curricula should be developed according to the needs of their societies. Thus, we witness variations taking place in our educational curricula from time to time. We always call upon the most progressive and tend to the most preferable. In this paper, I discussed a number of issues to answer the research main question: why do we develop curricula in human and social sciences? (shrink)

Today’s global society is reflected in technological advances, complicated communications and quick and convenient access to information. To cope with such advancement, the learning management for learners in the 21st century requires the instillation in individuals to possess a higher level of thinking ability, make appropriate social adjustment and know how to solve the problem faced with situations in daily life. Solving the problem creatively is an ability that is essential for the development of children and youth of (...) the nation. This is due to the fact that various organizations require individuals who are creative to improve the work in accordance with each aspect of problems effectively and select the best option in solving the problems creatively. However, creative problem solving can be trained by social studies teachers providing the learning process through the content in the lessons with step by step and in a systematic way. (shrink)

This paper argues that there is a need to reconstruct a new paradigm for poverty policy planning in Africa because Neo-liberalism, Ubuntu ethics and African Socialism as proposed paradigms for Africa’s development are untenable. This is so because the above trio are sexist, androcentric and oblivious to structural injustices that feminize poverty in Africa. The paper further argues that even in the Western world, the neo-liberal GDP metric has been challenged and the search for alternative development indicators and (...) paradigms is on. In addition, there is a fully fledged post-neo-liberalism movement in Latin America and a de-growth and post-growth social movement in the West against neo-liberalism and its nebulous economic growth understanding of wellbeing. The paper contends that Africa cannot afford to remain aloof to all these developments. There is therefore a need to develop Pan African paradigms to articulate an endogenous perspective to African development. The paper thus advocates for the Dignified Humanness Paradigm (DHP) as an alternative to neo-liberalism, Ubuntu ethics and African Socialism. The paper also surmises that the actualization of the DHP requires an immediate awakening of the Pan African Moral Consciousness since this will militate on decolonization of the African mind from the amoral neo-liberal economism. (shrink)

We take up the challenge of developing an international network with capacity to survey the world’s scientists on an ongoing basis, providing rich datasets regarding the opinions of scientists and scientific sub-communities, both at a time and also over time. The novel methodology employed sees local coordinators, at each institution in the network, sending survey invitation emails internally to scientists at their home institution. The emails link to a ‘10 second survey’, where the participant is presented with a single statement (...) to consider, and a standard five-point Likert scale. In June 2023, a group of 30 philosophers and social scientists invited 20,085 scientists across 30 institutions in 12 countries to participate, gathering 6,807 responses to the statement Science has put it beyond reasonable doubt that COVID-19 is caused by a virus. The study demonstrates that it is possible to establish a global network to quickly ascertain scientific opinion on a large international scale, with high response rate, low opt-out rate, and in a way that allows for significant (perhaps indefinite) repeatability. Measuring scientific opinion in this new way would be a valuable complement to currently available approaches, potentially informing policy decisions and public understanding across diverse fields. (shrink)

This article engages closely with David Owen’s ‘Autonomy, Self-Respect, and Self-Love: Nietzsche on Ethical Agency.’ Owen argues that Kant tried, but ultimately failed, to resolve the tension between law and love that is characteristic of European modern philosophy. This is because Kant takes a ‘highly critical stance to self-love throughout his moral philosophy’ since he conflates self-love with psychological egoism and sees it as ‘opposed to morality as a threat, a challenge, a danger…’ Owen articulates Nietzsche’s main objections to the (...) Kantian opposition between self-love and the moral law and argues that Nietzsche has a rather greater claim than Kant to have resolved this tension. In this article, I explore whether some of the arguments developed in Owen’s text represent serious challenges to Kant’s position and develop a reading of Kant’s ethics which can answer most of the challenges. First, I argue that Kant is committed to a version of the ‘agency free will’ model. I show that, on the Kantian model, one constitutes oneself as self by becoming what one is through reflecting about one’s ability to live up to what one considers one’s fundamental commitments. Second, I argue that on this model, there is no universal list of maxims or commitments that can be fully specified in advance for all agents in all times. Each person’s project of moral transformation is personal and ultimately shaped by features of their own psychology and personal history as well as features of their social circumstances. Third, I argue that the Kantian project of moral transformation, which involves repenting immoral maxims, can also be understood as a form of flourishing and self-affirmation, which includes the pursuit of happiness as one of its components. On this reading, far from endorsing an ‘ascetic ideal’ of the moral agent, Kant embraces an ideal of the human life in which there is significant space, and even a duty, to pursue pleasurable endeavours. However, although morality and happiness are not intrinsically incompatible, they are likely to conflict under unstable and unjust external conditions. Thus, the extent to which we can live a completely morally good life is not independent of social and political conditions. Ultimately, in the Kantian picture, the task of moral self-improvement also has a social dimension: we must avoid being complicit with the injustices of our time and instead work towards overturning them. It is in fair (or at least fairer) social and political conditions that we can pursue both moral and personal ends and flourish. (shrink)

The concept of human development, formulated explicitly in the nineteenth century, expands upon the notion of economic development to include social, political and even ethical dimensions. Since the mid-twentieth century, international organisations such as the United Nations and the World Bank have adopted human development as a holistic approach to evaluating a country’s progress that considers living conditions, social relations, individual freedoms and political institutions that contribute to freedom and well-being, in addition to standard measures (...) of income growth. The 1990 Human Development Report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was a significant milestone in establishing the concept of human development. Expanding the freedom of individuals to lead long, healthy and creative lives is at the heart of UNDP’s focus on human development. Beyond the UNDP approach, other human development frameworks, such as those proposed by Martha Nussbaum, have emerged and are based explicitly on self-fulfilment, well-being and happiness. Recent studies add ethics to the latter approach and emphasise the importance of pro-social behaviour and holistic mental health in achieving a good life. (shrink)

This article presents an overview and critique of current interdisciplinary research on the nature and development of intellectual humility (IH), with the aim of systematically outlining currently debated open questions. We focus on four specific areas of research: (1) theoretical questions regarding the nature of IH, (2) issues with the measurement of IH in development, (3) existing research on the development of IH and related socio- cognitive abilities, and (4) interventions to increase IH in children and adolescents. (...) We critically review the existing empirical and theoretical literature in these areas, identify and articulate open questions, and map out directions for future research that follow from these questions. The main theoretical issues we identify concern the distinction between different features of IH (i.e., internal vs external, self- vs other-directed) and their relation to each other as well as the distinction between IH as a prescriptive virtue as opposed to a descriptive character trait. As we will demonstrate, taking seriously the notion of IH as a virtue raises crucial questions for its empirical study in the contexts of measurement, development, and potential interventions. (shrink)

There is much that Christian churches can learn from relevant secularapproaches and adapt to support integration and participation within ourcongregations for adults with impairments. One of these approaches isSocial Role Valorization developed by Dr. Wolf Wolfensberger. In thisapproach, one considers the relevance of image and competency of deval-ued individuals and how these two areas impact access to “the good thingsof life.” This article applies these principles to the inclusion of vulnerablecongregational members into the life of the Christian church, asking thequestion, (...) “What would be better?” as a prompt for those in leadership toreflect on their current practices with an eye toward maturity in their prac-tices as they intersect the lives of devalued people. (shrink)

The influence of the 21st century technology plays an important role in determining human behavior to the extent of instilling materialism and consumerism in mankind. Such behaviors will only lead to the behavior that deviates from the social norms, causing social disorder and lack of moral and ethical responsibility in performing duty for oneself and forothers in society. Therefore, it is the essential task of social studies teachers in instilling and enhancing the good qualities in the learners (...) by way of providing diverse approaches in learning management for learners. Students are encouraged to practice on their own by following the procedures: 1) Interest in Accountability;2) Endorsement Accountability 3) In Quest of Accountability 4) Exhibition of Accountability and 5) Inference of Accountability, in order for the learners to behave in a socially responsible manner. (shrink)

Naturally man always seeks a better life; therefore, man needs of products and services indefinitely while being faced with a limited amount of resources. For this reason, economics was emerged providing a way to allocate available limited resources to meet human needs of humans in the most effective way. In view of the foregoing, the learning management guideline for social studies teachers in developing basic concepts in economics becomes an essential tool to help teachers in providing encouragement to students (...) in the form of imparting knowledge, skills and appropriate attitudes on economics to students. Students learn to make decision on purchasing essential products and selecting services. They are taught to engage in saving and investing in various ways and to be able to adapt themselves to ever-changing economic conditions. In addition, they are trained to use the knowledge of economics and their lifestyle effectively so that they are able to enjoy living in society. (shrink)

The authors of the scientific monograph concluded that sustainable development can be effectively achieved only within an integrated paradigm that ensures the systemic unity of economic efficiency, social justice, and environmental balance. The findings demonstrate that the harmonization of economic, social, and environmental objectives enhances the resilience of socio-economic systems, supports inclusive growth, and creates the preconditions for intergenerational equity. Basic research focuses on the conceptualization and theoretical substantiation of the integrated paradigm of sustainable development, including (...) the identification of its core principles, structural components, and interrelationships between economic efficiency, social justice, and environmental balance. The results of the study can be used in the development and improvement of public policies, national and regional sustainable development strategies, and regulatory frameworks aimed at balancing economic, social, and environmental objectives. They may also be applied in corporate governance and strategic management to integrate sustainability principles into business models, as well as in academic and educational activities for teaching and further research in the fields of sustainable development, economics, public administration, and environmental management. (shrink)

Presently philosophers, social theorists, educationists and legal scholars are busy with issues of contemporary importance such as affirmative actions, animal’s rights, capital punishment, cloning, euthanasia, immigration, pornography, privacy in civil society, values in nature, human rights, cultural values and world hunger etc. Since ancient time ethics is one of the most important part of philosophical speculations and human development. The development of morality comes under three stages viz. intrinsic morality, customary morality and reflective morality. Intrinsic morality has (...) traditionally been thought to lie at the heart of ethics and this is the first stage of morality where the objective is to be moral is to lead one’s life according its basic needs. Customary morality is the second stage of morality, where customs of a particular group and tribe rule the life of the man living in this group and morals based on the customs and traditions of society. Members of the group are motivated to sacrifice their lives to save the culture and norms of the particular group or tribe. In the last reflective morality, man started thinking himself and started to do reflection on their life and contributed to the development of the nation or society where he/she lives. Here he/she is independent to think and follow the best for his life. Reflective morals are those that are based on what you believe to be right and not others. The ideas related to the development of art, values, human rights and quality education etc., all are because of man’s reflection. Reflective morality is the best stage of development of morality in human society. In this paper an attempt is made to draw an outline of development of morality in human life and its application of morality in public and personal life. (shrink)

This article will show that the work of international development organizations requires a constant reflection of the moral and political philosophical kind. A major reason for this is that while people agree that the abstract concept of development, in its normative usage, indeed, simply means social progress or good, or desirable, social change, they disagree profoundly about what social progress consists in exactly. There exists a normative disagreement about the conception of development that expresses (...) best how social progress ought to be defined in concrete terms. For example, should we really think of social progress only in terms of economic growth, i.e. in the accumulation of goods and services? Or should we instead, for example, think of it in terms of the eradication of extreme poverty? Or in terms of yet something else, like the expansion of options for human choice? (shrink)

Nativists about theory of mind have typically explained why children below the age of four fail the false belief task by appealing to the demands that these tasks place on children’s developing executive abilities. However, this appeal to executive functioning cannot explain a wide range of evidence showing that social and linguistic factors also affect when children pass this task. In this paper, I present a revised nativist proposal about theory of mind development that is able to accommodate (...) these findings, which I call the pragmatic development account. According to this proposal, we can gain a better understanding of the shift in children’s performance on standard false-belief tasks around four years of age by considering how children’s experiences with the pragmatics of belief discourse affect the way they interpret the task. (shrink)

Recent feminist critiques of development have questioned some fundamental assumptions of feminist political theory; such critiques have also been successful in subverting long-held assumptions of conventional economic development. Viewed in the context of women’s subordination in third world countries, a redefinition of development must not only be about economic growth, but ensure a redistribution of resources, challenge the gender-based division of labour and also seek to provide for an egalitarian basis in social arrangements. Further, as this (...) article argues, any starting point for feminist critiques of development must also seek to link the end of gender oppression to multiple theories of justice – a justice not juridical but one that recognises the cultural membership of women in the community. (shrink)

In this article, I consider whether there are values intrinsic to development theory and practice that are dubious in light of a characteristically African ethic. In particular, I focus on what a certain philosophical interpretation of the sub-Saharan value of communion entails for appraising development, drawing two major conclusions. One is that a majority of the criticisms that have been made of development by those sympathetic to African values are weak; I argue that, given the value of (...) communion, development should not be rejected because it is essentially, say, overly materialistic and scientistic, or insufficiently spiritual and local. The second conclusion, however, is that three criticisms of development are strong from the perspective of Afro-communalism and are particularly powerful when set in that context. I argue that development theory and practice are characteristically anthropocentric, individualist and technocratic, and that a reading of the sub-Saharan value of communion provides a unitary foundation for rejecting these features and for grounding an alternative, more relational approach to social progress and to what justice demands from the West in relation to Africa. (shrink)

An extended analysis compared to observations shows that modern “globalised” world civilisation has passed through the invisible “complexity threshold”, after which usual “spontaneous”, empirically driven kind of development (“invisible hand” etc.) cannot continue any more without major destructive tendencies. A much deeper, non-simplified understanding of real interaction complexity is necessary in order to cope with such globalised world development problems. Here we introduce the universal definition, fundamental origin, and dynamic equations for a major related quantity of (systemic) risk (...) characterising real complex system development tendencies at any level of dynamics. Practically important conclusions are derived, opening further detailed applications in economy, finance and development practice. (shrink)

Background: Community-based education (CBE) involves educating the head (cognitive), heart (affective), and the hand (practical) by utilizing tools that enable us to broaden and interrogate our value systems. This article reports on the use of virtue ethics (VE) theory for understanding the principles that create, maintain and sustain a socially accountable community placement programme for undergraduate medical students. Our research questions driving this secondary analysis were; what are the goods which are internal to the successful practice of CBE in medicine, (...) and what are the virtues that are likely to promote and sustain them? -/- Methods: We conducted a secondary theoretically informed thematic analysis of the primary data based on MacIntyre’s virtue ethics theory as the conceptual framework. -/- Results: Virtue ethics is an ethical approach that emphasizes the role of character and virtue in shaping moral behavior; when individuals engage in practices (such as CBE), goods internal to those practices (such as a collaborative attitude) strengthen the practices themselves, but also augment those individuals’ virtues, and that of their community (such as empathy). We identified several goods that are internal to the practice of CBE and accompanying virtues as important for the development, implementation and sustainability of a socially accountable community placement programme. A service-oriented mind-set, a deep understanding of community needs, a transformed mind, and a collaborative approach emerged as goods internal to the practice of a socially accountable CBE. The virtues needed to sustain the identified internal goods included empathy and compassion, connectedness, accountability, engagement [sustained relationship], cooperation, perseverance, and willingness to be an agent of change. -/- Conclusion: This study found that MacIntyre’s virtue ethics theory provided a useful theoretical lens for understanding the principles that create, maintain and sustain CBE practice. (shrink)

Why would we want to develop artificial human-like arithmetical intelligence, when computers already outperform humans in arithmetical calculations? Aside from arithmetic consisting of much more than mere calculations, one suggested reason is that AI research can help us explain the development of human arithmetical cognition. Here I argue that this question needs to be studied already in the context of basic, non-symbolic, numerical cognition. Analyzing recent machine learning research on artificial neural networks, I show how AI studies could potentially (...) shed light on the development of human numerical abilities, from the proto-arithmetical abilities of subitizing and estimating to counting procedures. Although the current results are far from conclusive and much more work is needed, I argue that AI research should be included in the interdisciplinary toolbox when we try to explain the development and character of numerical cognition and arithmetical intelligence. This makes it relevant also for the epistemology of mathematics. (shrink)