We’re wrapping up the shortest month of the year with more selections from the latest groundbreaking research published on our Open Access platform this month. With a range of topics including mental health, environmental motivation, and cultural stigmas around women’s reproductive health, our February Top Picks is guaranteed to offer you some crucial insights.
1. Till Death Do Us Part: How Important is Wedding Jewellery in Your Culture?
Jewellery has played an important role in weddings for thousands of years – whether made of shells or gold, diamonds or simple flowers, every culture has its own traditional forms of adornment for this sacred ceremony. However, the erasure of indigenous cultures in parts of the world has led to the disappearance of some of these ornate traditions. Padung-Padung, the indigenous Indonesian wedding earrings worn by brides-to-be, are an example of this trend.
Learn more about Padung-Padung, its symbolic value, and how Indonesian researchers are working to preserve its place in modern society here.
2. How is Social Media helping Small Businesses?
COVID-19 is typically depicted as the catalytic trigger for a surge in the growth of online shopping, as everyone was forced to shop from home. This phenomenon, coupled with global calls to support local businesses, has led many online users to seek out small businesses online. As small businesses with smaller revenue streams often face greater difficulty selling their products and services through traditional marketing practices, the use of online platforms – particularly social media – has provided a cost-effective and direct line of communication between businesses and their consumers.
Investigate how social media might be supporting your local economy here.
3. Danger in the Grapevine: How Can We Support Climate-Vulnerable Farms?
Grapes have long played an integral role in the culture and economy of Greece, symbolising abundance and fertility within the ancient civilisation. Today, grapes continue to maintain their legacy as an emblem of prosperity, as the Greek economy still relies heavily on the production and consumption of grapes. However, this long-established national revenue stream is being threatened by the impacts of climate change, as farmers struggle to make ends meet.
Find out more about how grape farm productivity is being threatened by environmental crises and the different methods employed by researchers & farmers to restore the balance here.
4. How Accessible is Tourism for People with Disabilities?
It might only be the start of the new year, but many of us are probably already dreaming of our next holiday, thinking wistfully about evergreen mountain ranges, vast oceans, bustling cities, unique cultures, and pristine sandy beaches. However, travel is not always easy to achieve, especially for people with disabilities. Major tourist operators are starting to recognize and address this issue, though there is still much room for improvement. In this article, researchers identify some of the key priorities needed to be addressed.
Learn more about the experiences of people with disabilities as tourists here.
5. Did COVID-19 Have Any Positive Impacts on Education?
Significant research has been conducted into the isolating and damaging consequences of COVID-19 within the education sector (impacting students, parents, and teachers alike). However, some research is now suggesting that the pandemic has also had a positive impact with regards to the practices of teachers. For example, mental health awareness produced more positive teaching methods in virtual classrooms, and researchers are forecasting that these new approaches will have a profound effect on current and future educational models, improving the overall well-being of students and the resilience of teachers.
Read more about the pedagogies revolutionising the education sector here.
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