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Big data and wellbeing in the Arab world
Aamna Al-Shehhi, Ian Grey, and Justin Thomas
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019. All rights reserved. The rapid and widespread usage of social media platforms, such asTwitter, Facebook and Instagram has given rise to unprecedented amounts of user-generated data. This data contains expressions reflecting users thoughts, opinions and affective states. Systematic explorations of this type of data have begun to yield valuable information about a variety of psychological and cultural variables. To date however, very little of this research has been undertaken in the Arab world. It is important to extend this type of macro-level big data analysis across cultures and languages as each situation is likely to present different methodological challenges and to reveal findings particular to the sociocultural context. This chapter examines research-much of it our own-exploring subjective wellbeing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) using data from Twitter and explores the findings from cross-linguistic analysis of happiness (positive-negative affective patterns of language use) and other variables associated with subjectivewellbeing in the region. Additionally, we explore temporal patterns of happiness observed in relation to Ramadan and other events of sociopolitical and religio-cultural significance. The UAE focus is discussed with reference to broader trends in data science, sentiment analysis and hedonometry.
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Sleep, obesity and cardiometabolic disease in children and adolescents
Teresa Arora and Ian Grey
© 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus was previously limited to adults, but in recent decades, there has been an increased prevalence among children and adolescents. Given the cost burden and a plethora of adverse consequences with which these diseases are associated, obesity and cardiometabolic diseases now pose a major public health challenge. Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus are chronic conditions that commonly track into adulthood and also increase the likelihood of cardiovascular consequences. While these diseases can be caused by genetics, they are largely driven by lifestyle behaviors. Attempts at addressing the global epidemic have targeted behavior modification such as increasing physical activity levels and controlling dietary intake in the hope of restoring energy balance. Sleep impinges on both side of the energy balance equation and there is now an abundance of evidence to suggest that multiple features of sleep may be contributing to the onset and progression of these chronic conditions, which are discussed in this chapter. In particular, we discuss the literature pertaining to the relationship between sleep and obesity as well as type 2 diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents, while also drawing upon crucial information from adult studies. We also highlight potential mechanisms and make recommendations for future approaches which may enhance the effectiveness of interventions targeting the global epidemic of childhood obesity, which is the main driver of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
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Next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms: An exciting era of genome sequence analysis
B. Meera Krishna, Munawwar Ali Khan, and Shams Tabrez Khan
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2019. DNA referred to as blueprint of life codes for the diversity and function of all the living organisms. Determining DNA sequences of the living organisms not only gives an overview of their genetic makeup, but also provides information about their function. Nonetheless it was not easy to determine the genome sequencing of all the diversity around us especially with the technologies available before 2010. Therefore, determining the sequence of humans and some other organisms only was prioritized. Pioneering methods for DNA sequencing given discovered by Maxam and Gilbert, and Sanger although were very powerful and popular but were not high throughput and economic. Therefore, it was necessary to develop new economic and high-throughput methods that can sequence the biodiversity consequently providing better insights of their possible function. New methods were developed and commercialized by Roche Life Sciences, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Illumina, and Applied Biosystems. These methods generally referred to as next-generation sequencing methods have revolutionized the DNA sequencing. Many sequencing platforms employing NGS have been developed including pyrosequencing, Ion Torrent technology, Illumina/Solexa platform, and SOLiD (Sequencing by Oligonucleotide Ligation and Detection). Further optimization has led to innovative third and fourth-generation platforms as single molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing by PacBio, nanopore sequencing, etc. As a consequence there is a sharp increase in the number of genomes being published and other genome-based studies since 2012. This has made it easy even to imagine of sequencing the genomes of individuals. Furthermore, scientists are now looking for third-generation sequencers that may be significantly different from the sequencers that are currently available.
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Model course syllabus: Management of security issues in wearable technology
Michelle C. Antero
© 2018 by IGI Global. All rights reserved. This chapter briefly introduces some historical and contemporary context before proposing a model course syllabus to implement a course in Management of Security Issues in Wearable Technology. The course syllabus is developed in line with the IS2010 curriculum recommended by the peak bodies (ACM and AIS) for a degree in Information Systems, Computer Information Systems or Management Information Systems. The design further follows the guidelines developed by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) that advocates that Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) be developed for the list of topics covered by the material. In addition, the syllabus provides a basis for enterprise training relevant to managers and security specialists. The chapter also provides some general pedagogical guidelines on how each topic can be discussed and activities appropriate to the learners. It also uses Gluga et al.'s (2013) assessment criteria, based on Bloom's (1956) taxonomy to measure the depth of knowledge.
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Media narratives of gender in the contentious conservative age of Trump
Pam Creedon
© 2018 Taylor & Francis. Trump’s (s)election 1 has reinvigorated feminism around the globe. He has ignited the fourth wave of feminism - a “rebirth” of the movement for equality, gender equity, and the abolishment of discrimination. 2 Jodi Enda, assistant managing editor for special projects at CNN Politics, described Trump’s election as both the best and worst time for the future of feminism: The election of a president whom detractors view as misogynistic and backward-thinking has done nothing less than spark a wholesale resurgence of feminism. His defeat of the first woman who might have been president - coupled with his incendiary comments about women and his divisive policies on reproductive rights and other issues - lit a fire under a movement that had failed to excite younger generations of women who benefited from the battles of the last century and saw no need to keep fighting. (Enda, 2017).
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China's relations with the Arab Gulf monarchies
Jonathan Fulton
© 2019 Jonathan Fulton. All rights reserved. As China's international political role grows, its relations with states outside of its traditional sphere of interests is evolving. This is certainly the case of the Arab Gulf monarchies of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, which together comprise the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). China's levels of interdependence with these states has increased dramatically in recent years, spanning a wide range of interests. What motivating factors explain the Chinese leadership's decision to forge closer ties to the GCC? Why have GCC leaders developed closer ties to China, and what kind of role can China be expected to play in the region as levels of interdependence intensify? This book uses neoclassical realism to analyse the evolution of Sino-GCC relations. Examining the pressures that shaped China's policy toward the Arab Gulf monarchies, it demonstrates that systemic considerations have been predominant since 1949, yet domestic political considerations were also always an important consideration. Relations are examined across diplomatic and political interactions, trade and investment, infrastructure and construction projects, people-to-people exchanges, and military and security cooperation. This book will appeal to scholars in the fields of International Relations and International Political Economy, as well as area specialists on China, the Persian Gulf, the Arab Gulf Monarchies, and those working on foreign policy issues.
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The promise and perils of wearable technologies
John Gammack and Andrew Marrington
© 2018 by IGI Global. All rights reserved. Wearable technology collectively describes some of the most exciting emerging technologies, encompassing smart gadgets, garments, jewelry, and other devices worn on the user's body. In recent years, high profile wearable devices such as the Google Glass, Apple Watch, and FitBit have captured both the public imagination and headlines. Wearable technology has the potential to change the world even more profoundly than other mobile technologies. The appearance of such high profile wearable devices in the end-consumer market has also lead to serious consideration of the implications of such technologies, previously limited to the pages of science fiction. The implications for security and privacy of individuals and organizations, and the potential dangers to both society and the economy, must be considered and addressed in order for wearable technology to successfully deliver upon its many promises. Through addressing such concerns, the pathway to a "wearable future" can be unlocked, and users can adopt wearable technology with confidence.
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A new perspective on the swiss cheese model applied to understanding the anatomy of healthcare data breaches
Faouzi Kamoun and Mathew Nicho
© 2018, IGI Global. The healthcare industry has been lagging behind other industries in protecting its vital data. Over the past few years, researchers and practitioners have been trying to gain a better understanding of the anatomy of healthcare data breaches. In this chapter, the authors show how Reason's swiss cheese model (SCM) provides a powerful analytic model to explain the human, technical, and organizational factors of healthcare data breaches. They also show how the SCM brings forwards the latent conditions of healthcare data breach incidents that have often been overlooked in previous studies. Based on an extensive literature review and an analysis of reported breaches from credible sources, the authors provide an explanation of the cheese layers and the associated holes. Since the SCM endorses the "defenses in depth" approach, it can assist healthcare organizations and business associates in developing a comprehensive and systematic approach to prevent and mitigate data breach incidents.
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Conclusions: Where next for wearables?
Don Kerr and John Gammack
© 2018 by IGI Global. All rights reserved. This chapter provides a contemporary example of how data from wearable devices can be used for "big data" type research. It then asked the question of data policies for the use of data generated by wearable devices. This is followed by an overview of the chapters in the book and how they fit within the general theme of the book. In addition, each chapter is categorised into whether it is social research or more technical type research. The chapter also includes concluding suggestions on the possible future research agenda for privacy and security within the subject domain of the use of wearables. In addition, insights into the future of wearables in relation to ethical considerations, privacy, security and data ownership is also given.
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Glocalization
Habibul Haque Khondker
© Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved. This chapter provides a conceptual overview of glocalization, tracing its origin, and the intellectual milieu in which this concept evolved. It also examines how glocalization helps researchers understand the interpenetration of “global” with “local” in various institutions and everyday life. In explaining the relationship between the processes of globalization with glocalization, this chapter highlights the potential usefulness of this concept in global studies. It also introduces a distinction between a thin theory and a thick theory of globalization, arguing that glocalization is conceptually closer to the latter. The chapter posits that in order to understand the dynamics of the current phase of globalization, a top-down view of globalization may not be adequate, and that one also has to recognize the growing transglocal linkages portending the emergence of transglocalization, a new phase of globalization that may even contest the hegemony of the top-down, neoliberal globalization.
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Making sociology universal: Revisiting the contributions of Syed Hussein Alatas
Habibul Haque Khondker
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2018. This chapter examines two related problems: first, the discourse of corruption as a social problem, and secondly, certain problems of agenda-setting in sociology, which continues to be dominated by Anglo-American sectarian and national interests. The chapter calls for making sociology truly universal as an academic discipline. An understanding of such questions as to why corruption remains largely outside the purview of sociology and how sociological agendas are set can be found in the works of Syed Hussein Alatas, a prominent Southeast Asian sociologist. Alatas examined the subject of corruption as far back as the 1950s. Sociology of corruption as a sub-field failed to take off despite the ubiquity of this phenomenon. In recent years, a number of new books, including an updated version of Alatas’s book, have been published. Studies of corruption remain very much a prerogative of political scientists and public policy experts. Economists see corruption as a market-distorting externality and treat it as a peripheral subject. Gunnar Myrdal, who was an exception, in his Asian Drama identified the problem of corruption as a serious bottleneck for Asian development. The problem still persists forty years after Myrdal’s analysis. In a number of countries in the developing world, corruption has become a part of the fabric of society. Yet sociological theorization and empirical studies are lacking. This chapter examines corruption both as a social problem as well as an indicator of the “corruption of sociology” for which we can draw from the writings of Alatas, especially his notion of “captive mind” and the absence of intellectual autonomy on the part of Third World sociologists.
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Promoting or resisting change?: The United States and the Egyptian uprising, 2011–2012
Ahmed Ali Salem
© 2018 selection and editorial matter, Geoffrey F. Gresh and Tugrul Keskin; individual chapters, the contributors. After President Barack Obama’s electoral victory in 2008, an advisor of the outgoing president, Christian Brose, expressed the expectation that President Obama’s foreign policy would resemble that of President George W. Bush’s second administration and that the variance between the two foreign policies would be thinner than the variance between the foreign policies of Bush’s first and second administrations (Brose, 2009, p. 53). But President Obama was keen to distinguish himself, at least on the surface, from his unpopular predecessor, especially in foreign policy. As he arrived in office, Obama’s apparent embrace of “realism” was therefore a clear indication that his foreign policy was the opposite of Bush’s, which was characterized as “idealist” (to use International Relations Theory terms), particularly as far as the global spread of democracy was concerned (Cohen, 2016).
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Lincoln mediated: The president and the press through nineteenth–century media
Gregory A. Borchard, David W. Bulla, and David B. Sachsman
© 2015 by Taylor & Francis. All rights reserved. Lincoln Mediated provides new information about a historical figure everyone thinks they know. It describes how Abraham Lincoln worked with the press throughout his political career, beginning with his service in Congress in the late 1840s, and detailing how his ties to newspapers in Illinois, New York, and Washington played a central role in the success of his presidency. Gregory A. Borchard and David W. Bulla study how Lincoln used the press to deliver his written and spoken messages, how editors reacted to the president, and how Lincoln responded to their criticism. Reviewing his public persona through the lens of international media and visually based sources, a fascinating profile emerges.The authors cite the papers of Lincoln, the letters of influential figures, and content from leading newspapers. The book also features nineteenth–century illustrations and photographs. Lincoln Mediated ties the president’s story directly to the press, illuminating his role as a writer and as a participant in making the news. Lincoln’s legacy cannot be understood without understanding the role the press played in helping shape how he was viewed. As the authors show, Lincoln was a man, not just a political figure. Lincoln Mediated is a worthy addition to Transaction's Journalism series.
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European security culture: Language, theory, policy
Monica Gariup
© 2009 Monica Gariup. All rights reserved. Grounded on tenets of cultural realism and social constructivism, Monica Gariup develops a theoretical framework to enhance our understanding of security culture at the European Union level. She employs tools from political theory, linguistic analysis and international relations theory to examine the implications of discourse and practice in European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP). Innovative in scope, the volume analyzes whether elaborating a structurationist solution and proposing a discursive syntax of security makes it possible to identify and compare different types of security actors. Providing a comprehensive and objective analysis on the links and implications between the discourse and actual policy of the ESDP, this is essential reading for scholars and researchers in European politics, international relations, security and cultural studies.
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Africa and the middle east: Shifting alliances and strategic partnerships
Hamdy A. Hassan and Hala Thabet
© The Author(s) 2018. Traces the Cold War-era Afro-Arab cooperation as tied to the Arabs’ support for Africa’s struggles against racism and colonialism and the joint condemnation of Israel’s expansionist policies against the Palestine people at the United Nations. Turkey’s new Africa policy, however, has sought to strengthen its diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties with the continent. Much of the trade of the Middle East (Iran, Turkey, and Israel) in sub-Saharan Africa is with South Africa. The authors therefore argue that trade is the starting point, and there are still many opportunities to strengthen relations further between the Middle East and African countries, such as linking infrastructure for trade corridors, but more needs to be done by both parties to tap into these opportunities.
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Negotiating space for women's academic leadership within the Arab Gulf States
Linzi J. Kemp, Christina Gitsaki, and Wafa Zoghbor
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