Need to know vs. need to share: information technology and the intersecting work of police,fire and paramedics

Emergency preparedness concerns over inadequate emergency interoperability among police, fire and emergency medical services (EMS) have led to the adoption of shared information technologies. Using a social worlds/arenas framework, I ethnographically study police, fire and EMS, as ‘users’ of technology, to understand how they interact with their technologies, and the ways in which their respective organizational contexts, cultures and practices shape technological functioning and collaborative action. From this analysis, I uncover social world contexts (ideologies) and individual actions (social legitimation and hierarchy of credibility) that alter technological functioning and create impediments to emergency interoperability. I further highlight an important ideological disconnect between the design and in-situ application of emergency technologies. I conclude by discussing the extent to which policies and technological innovations cannot, in and of themselves, address emergency preparedness concerns.     

Putting the “S” Back into Sexual and Reproductive Health

ABSTRACT

Sexuality is the most fundamental aspect of our lives and yet it has long been the silent partner in sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Growing awareness of the rights-based approach to health, the commitment of governments and international bodies to promote sexual health and well-being, and the failure of many of the interventions to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic are helping the reproductive health community put the “S” back into SRH even as the Millennium Development Goals fail to address SRH directly. The disconnect is due to the fragmented, non-holistic approach to reproductive health, short-sightedness in neglecting violations like gender-based violence, a lack of training for students and health care professionals in sexuality, a dearth of indicators and sexuality research and discrimination against vulnerable groups like youth and sexually diverse populations. Recommendations include reaching consensus about the nexus between sexuality and reproductive health and strengthening the commitment to gender equity, empowerment, sexuality and sexual rights among policymakers. Ensuring that explicit and positive references to sexuality are universal, especially in comprehensive sexuality education, youth-focused programs and the integration of HIV and other SRH programs, and strengthening the ability of program managers and service providers to work on sexual health issues are key to successful integration and program sustainability. Strengthening understanding, acceptance and competence in serving sexually diverse populations and improving the research and evaluation specific to sexuality are longer processes, but equally important in the paradigm shift to non-stigmatizing, gender-equitable, rights-based, pleasurable sexual health services.     

生命之迷与社会超越性：中国西南景颇人不可言说的痛、想象与口舌鬼

本文讨论了21世纪以来影响中国西南景颇人生活和社区走向的几个事件。这几个事件都有自身的逻辑，是主体选择和社会整合的结果，但在并置个体生命的起伏恩怨和变幻的社会历史后可以发现，这些事件呈现出无名和无关联性。这种“无”跳脱了自我和逻辑，逸出了结构和规律，成为生命的迷茫与贪欢以及社区的焦虑与新方向。对“无”的处理方式体现出社会超越性和生命之迷，凸显于旧结构将消未消、新结构将生未生之际，人在其中悬置伦理，可能迈向社会超越性，脱离集体表象控制，从而创造全新的社会事实，也可能陷入茫然、无所适从而又无所不用其极的生命之迷中。