Search results

This research aims to identify users' goals and strategies when searching for podcasts and their impact on the design of podcast retrieval technology. In particular, the paper seeks to explore the potential to address user goals with indexing based on podcast metadata and automatic speech recognition (ASR) transcripts.

The paper conducted a user study to obtain an overview of podcast search behaviour and goals, using a multi‐method approach of an online survey, a diary study, and contextual interviews. In a subsequent podcast retrieval experiment, the paper investigated the retrieval performance of the two choices of indexing features for search goals identified during the study.

The paper found that study participants used a variety of search strategies, partially influenced by available tools and their perceptions of these tools. Furthermore the experimental results revealed that retrieval using ASR transcripts performed significantly better than metadata‐based searching. However, a detailed result analysis suggested that the efficacy of the indexing methods was search‐goal dependent.

The research constitutes a step towards a future framework for investigating user needs and addressing them in an experimental set‐up. It was primarily qualitative and exploratory in nature.

Podcast search engines require evidence about suitable indexing methods in order to make an informed decision concerning whether it is worth the resources to generate speech recognition transcripts.

Systematic studies of podcast searching have not previously been reported. Investigations of this kind hold the potential to optimise podcast retrieval in the long term.

Education and employment are important elements of successful integration for immigrants in a host country. In Germany, young immigrants and members of the second immigrant generation have only limited access to higher education pathways and academic careers. Their trajectories are shaped mainly by the vocational training system, if they obtain any qualifications at all. Social risks for young people with immigrant backgrounds, and women in particular, such as being unemployed or having unstable careers, have frequently been pointed out by researchers, but little has been said about more qualified pathways available through privileged apprenticeships or academic qualifications. This article explores the social risks in trajectories of female immigrants following middle‐range or higher educational pathways in Germany. The cases discussed focus on young women who arrived in Germany during childhood or adolescence. The paper will first discuss the institutional settings of the German education system, focusing on their impact on pupils with immigrant backgrounds and how they overlap with existing gender inequalities in the recipient country. Discussion of the particular methodological approach will follow, before presentation of the findings of the case studies on female immigrants' transitions from education to work. The concluding discussion considers potential means to support participation in education and work for young women with immigrant backgrounds.

The unexpected and rapid outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic increased the vulnerability of forcibly displaced (migrant) women, who were a social group already at risk of health inequities and poorer health outcomes. This study aims to examine the health literacy of forcibly displaced (migrant) women during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany using a multidimensional health literacy model as a framework.

A grounded theory methodology was implemented including interviews with 33 forcibly displaced (migrant) women from July to September 2021. An experienced female researcher interviewed all forcibly displaced (migrant) women, and apart from one telephone interview, all interviews were conducted in person.

Following data analysis, the category, “Use of health information in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic of forcibly displaced (migrant) women”, was identified as a core category. The findings provide valuable insight into the health literacy of forcibly displaced (migrant) women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Societal and environmental determinants, personal determinants and situational determinants were identified as factors impacting health literacy. Furthermore, health literacy was distinguished as competence to make informed decisions in the health domains “health care” and “disease prevention”.

Although previous research often focuses on the deficits of forcibly displaced (migrants), this study highlights the resources forcibly displaced (migrant) women use to deal with health-related difficulties, especially during a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Importantly, such resources were available even if the study participants did not speak the language of the immigration country.

This paper aims to examine the present Sri Lankan political-economic crisis and its connection to corruption. The paper will discuss the autocratic rule, elite domination of state extractive systems, which have been moulded and configured by Sri Lanka’s political environment over decades. Elite capture has become a significant factor. Sri Lanka’s authoritarian model exercised by Gotabaya Rajapaksa reduced competitive mode and shifted towards a monopolistic corruption structure, centralising on the first family and military rule where powerful elites supported the model. The paper attempts to find the connection between dysfunctional political model and economic crimes committed through several case studies.

The paper discusses five case studies using qualitative analysis using secondary data. The insider trading case study is discussed with quantitative data. Several political and social analyses were carried out with primary data captured from field research by the author.

Sri Lankan economic crisis was triggered because of high-level corruption. The autocratic model introduced by the political authority failed to fight corruption. Transnational mechanisms will fail if there is no credibility and commitment in their own respective nations such as in the USA. External factors such as China in Sri Lanka did have an impact for elite capture.

This study is limited only to five case studies. Transnational mechanism and recommendations require a lengthy study. Only one external factor was assessed because of its significance; there could be other external factors for elite capture.

This study has limited access to capture primary data because of sensitivity during a heavy autocratic regime. Because of state and self-censorship, secondary data had to be tested.

Economic crisis in Sri Lanka is an example to many developing nations fighting corruption. The autocratic family rule supported by external forces crippled the state anti-corruption processes. Economic crime is a key driver for poverty and economic crisis.

This is a unique paper that examines Sri Lanka’s present economic crisis and its political model and economic crime. The paper will discuss transnational mechanisms for anti-corruption and attempt to apply to the Sri Lankan crisis.