<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

The relationship between the judge and the parties to judicial proceedings must entail communication, including appropriate reactions, during the proceedings and be balanced and respectful, despite different views being held. Irrespective of a judge disagreeing with the parties and any actions by the parties in breach of the law, the judge is supposed to provide the parties with a genuine sense of respect. Judges thereby help realise the human dignity of the individuals involved in judicial proceedings. However, the abstract nature of the concept of human dignity means empirical research on the realisation of human dignity remains modest at the scientific level. This article builds a research framework for researching the ways in which the human dignity of an individual (more specifically, the accused person) is realised in the vertical relationships (judicial authority–individual) during criminal proceedings. In this respect, the article opens the door for future empirical research on the realisation of human dignity.
</abstract>

Building a Qualitative Research Framework for Researching How Human Dignity is Realised in Judicial Proceedings<xref ref-type="fn" rid="j_rsc-2022-0012_fn_001">†</xref>

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

The purpose of this paper is to explore the use of plastic waste to increase the sustainability of road construction in Auckland. An exploratory research strategy was used based on interviews conducted with infrastructure company and waste management company managers, road construction practitioners, academic experts relevant to the roading industry and technical personnel. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data for insights. There are some concerns regarding the quality and performance of roads affecting socio-sustainability, for which research is advised from the Auckland perspective. Research is recommended in the subject of recycling other waste material such as glass and rubber into roading all over New Zealand (NZ). Moreover, research is recommended specifically for walking and cycling tracks, which is a focus of the Auckland Council currently. The infrastructure companies and the Auckland Council must work together for incorporating plastic waste in roading. Companies can achieve higher sustainability as they will make a profit by saving costs, benefit the society by providing better quality and performance of roads and help the environment by green manufacturing. By using plastic waste, the Auckland Council can meet the targets of decarbonising the transport in Auckland by the year 2040; this is also a step towards the NZ targets of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
</abstract>

Increasing Sustainability in Auckland Road Construction by Using Plastic Waste

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

The countries in the Sahel, aside from being located in the same geopolitical region, also share similar socioeconomic and socio-political challenges. This includes political instability, insecurity, poor governance, climate change and democratic erosion – among others. The corrosion of the democratic gains recorded since the spread of democracy in the 1990s and the rise of autocratic regimes has become prevalent in the last decade. The subversion of the electoral process, limited freedom and military takeovers are an indication of the spread of autocracy in Africa (generally) and the Sahel (specifically). The paper which is anchored on the resource curse theory argues that the Sahel is rich in natural resources that when not properly managed breed corruption and increase the chances of conflict and the likelihood of military takeover. More so, faced with weak institutions, autocrats take advantage of abundant resources to increase patronage networks at the expense of development and democratic growth. The paper found that the rise of illiberal regimes is on the rise in Africa; suggesting a wave of autocracy. This is evident in the spate of autocratic and highly defective democracies in the region; one-party dominance; re-emergence of military coups; and circumvention of term limits. It is therefore concluded that electoral autocracy is on the rise in Africa and is a common phenomenon in the Sahel. This is given impetus by weak institutions which makes it difficult for rulers to utilize resource wealth for human capital development. To this end, the paper adopts a qualitative approach that relies on secondary data sourced from peer-reviewed journal articles, government reports, briefs and internet sources.
</abstract>

Department of Political Science and International Relations

The Rise of Autocracy in the Sahel of Africa: Insights from Resource Curse Theory

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

Human civilisation is undergoing a transformation, perceived as the institutionalisation of digital globalisation. The 20th century witnessed greater strides in the form of the internet revolution, automobile technologies and smart mobility, related transformation, dissemination and integration of related technologies as well, leading to the emergence of digital globalisation. The integration of cyber-physical systems has accelerated the rate of urbanisation, and the currently prevailing enhanced standards of living have increased the number of automobiles in cities that have been integrated into the digitally globalised ecosystems, leading to the emergence of autonomous vehicles (AVs). The present study analyses the emerging threats and vulnerabilities of AVs and smart mobility, which have created more security concerns for AVs across nation-states, leading as well to the emergence of digital globalisation. The article theorises the aspects of human security linkages and utilises a capacity matrix (qualitative approach) to examine the development, institutionalisation and integration of AVs into digital globalisation and the related challenges emerging along with it.
</abstract>

Department of International Studies, Political Science and History

Centre for East Asian Studies, School of International Studies

Autonomous Vehicles and the Linkages to Smart Mobility: Impact and Implications on Digital Globalisation

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

The advancement of technology and people's interactions virtually over social media has created many opportunities for online businesses to expand their scope and maintain their cost efficiencies by targeting customers on social media platforms. Twitter is one of the businesses’ actively used social media platforms to reach customers. Businesses seem to shift their scope more towards the online side because this is where they can reach customers. Social media platforms facilitate businesses in reaching out to customers and developing their brand image through marketing strategies. The features that attract users towards using Twitter are the word-of-mouth communication generated on it and the freedom of expressing and sharing opinions. This paper investigates how Twitter has played its role in shifting the scope of businesses online and developing their brand image using it as a platform. Additionally, it aims to ascertain how online business activities have impacted customers on Twitter. We used the quantitative method to discover the influence of Twitter activities on online business, and data were collected from 80 respondents. The results have been further analysed using the Likert scale analysis, and to determine the relationship between the variable and to test the hypotheses, multiple regression has been used. The study's results showed a significant relationship between the business's engagement online on Twitter and the customer's loyalty to the brand.
</abstract>

A Quantitative Survey of Twitter's Influence on Online Business

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Research in Social Change

 Research in Social Change (RSC) is an interdisciplinary journal aiming to engage a wider academic audience by questioning and exploring the nature and impacts of changes in social institutions, changes in social behaviour and changes in social relations as they occur on a daily basis. RSC publishes original research articles with a clear contribution to the social sciences and here discussed through empirical or theoretical argumentations while the editors especially encourage new methodological approaches as well as innovative theoretical considerations. RSC welcomes but is not limited to, the contributions of young and prospective academics both at the start or on the advancement of their careers. In doing so, RSC aims to become a vivid platform discussing up-to-date topics dealing with the most prominent themes within the social sciences.  Engaging in discussions on the topic of social change, RSC aims to better understand the phenomenon through varied perspectives, including, but not being limited to:   sociology,　  political science,　  history,　  anthropology,　  philosophy,  psychology,  economics,　  law and administration,  business &amp; management,　  computer sciences and information technology,  cultural studies,  education,  gender/women's studies,  theology &amp; religion,  library &amp; information science,  environmental studies and　  all other related fields.   RSC is not thematically or geographically limited, however, it encourages thematically rounded contributions (eg. through a guest edition on set thematic issues).　 　  Archiving  Sciendo archives the contents of this journal in Portico - digital long-term preservation service of scholarly books, journals and collections.  Plagiarism Policy  The editorial board is participating in a growing community of Similarity Check System's users in order to ensure that the content published is original and trustworthy. Similarity Check is a medium that allows for comprehensive manuscripts screening, aimed to eliminate plagiarism and provide a high standard and quality peer-review process. 

Research in Social Change

Volume 15 (2023): Issue 1 (November 2023)

Original Scientific Article

Building a Qualitative Research Framework for Researching How Human Dignity is Realised in Judicial Proceedings^†

Increasing Sustainability in Auckland Road Construction by Using Plastic Waste

The Rise of Autocracy in the Sahel of Africa: Insights from Resource Curse Theory

Autonomous Vehicles and the Linkages to Smart Mobility: Impact and Implications on Digital Globalisation

A Quantitative Survey of Twitter's Influence on Online Business

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Tutti i volumi ed i numeri in questa rivista

Research in Social Change

Volume 15 (2023): Issue 1 (November 2023)

Original Scientific Article

Building a Qualitative Research Framework for Researching How Human Dignity is Realised in Judicial Proceedings†

Increasing Sustainability in Auckland Road Construction by Using Plastic Waste

The Rise of Autocracy in the Sahel of Africa: Insights from Resource Curse Theory

Autonomous Vehicles and the Linkages to Smart Mobility: Impact and Implications on Digital Globalisation

A Quantitative Survey of Twitter's Influence on Online Business

Cerca

Tutti i volumi ed i numeri in questa rivista

Building a Qualitative Research Framework for Researching How Human Dignity is Realised in Judicial Proceedings^†