Sustainability

Considering words and the areas of the mind that they impact as two-dimensional shapes forms the theoretical basis from which intercultural communication between the West and Sub-Saharan Africa are examined. Unique shapes of words are illustrated as arising from their meeting with equally unique 'impactible areas' of people's minds, and cultures, resulting in transmitted and received shapes differing in a way related to lexical content at both ends. Differences in overlap between word impacts, shapes of words and fit between words in different languages / cultures are shown to contribute to imprecision in translation, resulting in the recommendation that local policy be of local origin. The above is applied to Christian mission in Africa through diagrammatic representations of 'love' as a spiritual gift in comparison to fellow words, and by an inter-cultural consideration of public…

This study evaluates the impact of climate-related risks on global financial stability, emphasizing both physical and transitional risks. It explores the influence of these risks on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance) goals, particularly within the context of the European Green Deal and post-COVID-19 recovery efforts. Utilizing a dynamic common factor model, the research analyzes time-series data from 2010 to 2019 to measure relative and absolute carbon risks across regions such as Europe, North America, Japan, and the Eurozone. The Kalman filter tool facilitates a detailed examination of regional carbon emissions and associated risks. Findings reveal that relative carbon risk is highest in North America, followed by Japan, Europe, and the Eurozone. In contrast, absolute carbon risk is most pronounced in the Eurozone, with Europe and North America trailing. The study…

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has evolved globally from philanthropic acts to strategic initiatives with social, environmental, and economic implications. In Kenya, CSR is often applied philanthropically, with limited integration into long-term development strategies, especially in rural areas. This study investigates the social impacts of Rabai Power Company’s (RPL) CSR initiatives on sustainable rural development and corporate reputation in Kilifi County, Kenya. It aims to assess how CSR activities influence community beneficiaries and shape the company's legitimacy and stakeholder perceptions. A qualitative case study approach was used. Data were collected through four key informant interviews and one focus group discussion. The study was guided by Stakeholder Theory, Legitimacy Theory, and the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework. The data were thematically analyzed to…

This paper examines how climate-smart agriculture (CSA) and digital early-warning systems can jointly support household food-security resilience in Chivi District, a drought-prone area of south-eastern Zimbabwe dominated by rain-fed smallholder agriculture. Using a structured qualitative evidence synthesis with a district-centred case orientation, the study reviews 47 academic, policy and institutional sources published from 2021 to 14 September 2026. The study prioritises direct Chivi evidence, while using Zimbabwean, southern African, and wider African evidence comparatively where district-specific studies are limited. The synthesis identifies six interrelated themes concerning climate shocks, CSA adoption, small grains and water management, digital early warning, gender and institutional capacity, and integrated resilience. The findings indicate that CSA can strengthen food security…

The aim of this research is the theoretical development of cultural values to understand the unique human differences from the women's empowerment approach, implementing strengthening of the cultural literacy-based women's empowerment model in order to create a tourism-aware village in sustainable development. Employing a virtual ethnographic approach, the study involved an online search for digital literacy materials related to women's empowerment and literacy, applied specifically to women residing in the Serdang Bedagai tourist area. The model applied here blends with virtual data to derive contemporary findings. The empowerment model integrates educational, cultural, and health therapies to bolster literacy awareness and foster development, particularly targeting students in the Serdang Bedagai area. Educational therapy trains women in providing training on how to provide special…

The symbols and images projected through mass media shape and constrain an individual’s understanding of and interaction with their environment. Across cultures, road signs employ seemingly universal, generic, human symbols. Cross-cultural variance does occur, however, in the degree to which such icons include characteristically masculine, feminine, and gender neutral features. This investigation, a full scale study of an earlier pilot, proposes the human symbol communicates culturally-relevant information. Specifically, this study consists of a content analysis, further refinement of a fluid visual gender scale, and correlation with social effects using a semiotic, social cognitive, and code theory theoretical framework.

New media are changing the way identities are managed. This is increasingly relevant to global communication (Lévy, 2000). The purpose of this article is to understand how these changes effect individual perceptions of media within a new cultural environment. By applying Q-methodology to cultural migration, this research asked cultural sojourners to rank subjective statements of media. Factor analysis were applied to the rankings, which provided three main perspectives of media.. These three perspectives include Instrumental Adaptors, Social Connectors, and Abiders. These perspectives provide an alternative to traditional categories of culture and allow for a unique understanding of cultural adaptation theory.

This study aims to identify how solar adoption can alleviate energy poverty and sustain development in rural Zimbabwe, Chivi District. The research was qualitative, consisting of semi-structured interviews with locals, government officials and stakeholders, and secondary data collection. These results indicate large socioeconomic upsides, such as increased study time with solar lighting, better storage and healthcare provision through solar-powered refrigeration, and greater agricultural yields through solar irrigation. Despite these advantages, major impediments like the high initial cost of installing solar systems and the lack of technical support in-country hinder widespread deployment. Those outcomes require specific interventions, such as subsidies, capacity building to raise technical knowledge, and new forms of financing to improve affordability. Addressing these challenges…

Gender equality is the subject of Sustainable Development Goal 5, one of the UN's 17 objectives. Assuring women's full and effective involvement and equitable opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic, and public life is the emphasis of SDG target 5.5. In Bangladesh, there is still a significant gender gap in sports participation, which limits women's access to physical activity, personal growth, and social empowerment, a major hindrance to achieving SDGs within 2030. In Bangladesh, there is still a significant gender gap in sports participation, which limits women's access to physical activity, personal growth, and social empowerment, a major hindrance to achieving SDGs within 2030. The research aims to uncover the socio-cultural, institutional, and psychological barriers hampering women's active sports involvement through in-depth interviews,…

This study evaluated the environmental and socio-economic effects of timber harvesting and identified the drivers increasing the rate of timber exploitation in the Imo River Estuary, Eastern Obolo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Conducted across five LGAs, a random sampling technique selected 300 respondents, with 60 from each LGA. Data collection involved structured questionnaires, and analysis included percentages, frequencies, Likert scale rating, exploratory factor analysis, and Chi-square tests. Key findings indicated that the primary drivers of timber exploitation were unemployment, lack of forest regulations, unstable government policies, lack of trained officials, and high timber product costs. Factor analysis revealed that loss of biodiversity, disappearance of forest cover, and damage to immature trees and non-wood forest products are the most significant…