Jacob Mhlanga, Theodore C. Haupt and Claudia Loggia
This paper aims to explore the intellectual structure shaping the circular economy (CE) discourse within the built environment in Africa.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the intellectual structure shaping the circular economy (CE) discourse within the built environment in Africa.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted a bibliometric analysis approach to explore the intellectual structure of CE in the built environment in Africa. The authors collected 31 papers published between 2005 and 2021 from the Scopus database and used VOSviewer for data analysis.
Findings
The findings show that there are six clusters shaping the intellectual structure: demolition, material recovery and reuse; waste as a resource; cellulose and agro-based materials; resilience and low-carbon footprint; recycling materials; and the fourth industrial revolution. The two most cited scholars had three publications each, while the top journal was Resources, Conservation and Recycling. The dominant concepts included CE, sustainability, alternative materials, waste management, lifecycle, demolition and climate change. The study concludes that there is low CE research output in Africa, which implies that the concept is either novel or facing resistance.
Research limitations/implications
The data were drawn from one database, Scopus; hence, adoption of alternative databases such as Web of Science, Google Scholar and Dimensions could potentially have yielded a higher number of articles for analysis which potentially would result in different conclusions on the subject understudy.
Originality/value
This study made a significant contribution by articulating the CE intellectual structure in the built environment, identified prominent scholars and academic platforms responsible for promoting circularity in Africa.
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Keywords
Marie Claire Van Hout, Charlotte Bigland and Triestino Mariniello
The first prison system case in Zimbabwe was notified in July 2020 shortly after State declaration of disaster. A legal-realist assessment was conducted of the Zimbabwean…
Abstract
Purpose
The first prison system case in Zimbabwe was notified in July 2020 shortly after State declaration of disaster. A legal-realist assessment was conducted of the Zimbabwean correctional system response to COVID-19 during state disaster measures, with a focus on assessing right to health, infectious disease mitigation and the extent to which minimum state obligations complied with human and health rights standards.
Design/methodology/approach
The Zimbabwean correctional system operations during COVID-19 disaster measures are scrutinized using a range of international, African and domestic human rights instruments in relation to the right to health of prisoners. This study focused particularly on standards of care, environmental conditions of detention and right of access to health care.
Findings
Systemic poor standards of detention are observed, where prisoners experience power outages, water shortages and a lack of access to clean drinking water and water for ablution purposes, a severe lack of safe space and adequate ventilation, poor quality food and malnutrition and a lack of sufficient supply of food, medicines, clothing and bedding. Whilst access to health care of prisoners in Zimbabwe has greatly improved in recent times, the standard of care was severely stretched during COVID-19 due to lack of government resourcing and reliance on non-governmental organisation and faith-based organisations to support demand for personal protective equipment, disinfection products and medicines.
Originality/value
Prison conditions in Zimbabwe are conducive to chronic ill health and the spread of many transmissible diseases, not limited to COVID-19. The developed legal-realist account considers whether Zimbabwe had a culture of respect for the rule of law pertinent to human and health rights of those detained during COVID-19 disaster measures, and whether minimum standards of care were upheld.
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This chapter critically explores the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education, highlighting both the opportunities it presents and the challenges it…
Abstract
This chapter critically explores the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education, highlighting both the opportunities it presents and the challenges it imposes. Focused on pedagogical enhancement, it details how AI-driven adaptive learning systems, tutors, and curriculum adjustments contribute to personalized education. It further examines AI's efficiency in streamlining administrative tasks, like enrollment and support services, while addressing significant ethical concerns, including data privacy and algorithmic bias. Moreover, the impact of AI on research and development is discussed, showcasing its potential to revolutionize scientific discovery through advanced data analysis. A strategic framework is proposed for stakeholders to effectively navigate AI integration and digital transformation, emphasizing a balanced approach that prioritizes innovation, ethical considerations, and quality in the digital era of higher education.
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Morgane Innocent, Agnes Francois Lecompte, Samuel Guillemot and Ronan Divard
This aim of this study is to identify the ways of helping public authorities bring about change to environmentally sustainable household food practices.
Abstract
Purpose
This aim of this study is to identify the ways of helping public authorities bring about change to environmentally sustainable household food practices.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors identified the practices involved in this concept from the consumer perspective and measured their diffusion among French households. The analyses were conducted following two successive data collection campaigns comprising 571 and 501 respondents in France. The methodology involved two complementary scaling techniques: factor analysis and item response theory.
Findings
The results show that consumers understand sustainable food through five food practices: buying and cooking products with sustainable attributes, anti-waste storage, self-production, plant protein consumption and anti-waste cooking.
Originality/value
The findings suggest that while at the individual level people appear to have incorporated anti-waste practices into their daily lives, at the household level, there is still work to be done for improving diets and stimulating the production of home-grown food. It is also worth noting that the emerging vision typically involves sustainable foods that are organic, locally grown, seasonal, based on fair trade and packaging-free.