CORA
Cork Open Research Archive (CORA) is UCC’s Open Access institutional repository which enables UCC researchers to make their research outputs freely available and accessible.
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The Chicago School through a Polish lens: Krzysztof Czekaj’s legacy in urban sociology
(Springer, 2025-07-04) Kaucz, Błażej
This paper honours the late Professor Krzysztof Czekaj (1958–2024), a pioneering figure in Polish urban sociology. Czekaj was the first scholar to extensively explore the Chicago School in Polish, and his seminal 2007 book, The Sociology of the Chicago School and Its Reception in Poland (Czekaj, 2007), meticulously explored the historical context and contributions of this influential school of thought. He critically evaluated its enduring legacy. Maps played a central role in Prof. Czekaj’s work. Inspired by the work of William I. Thomas, Florian Znaniecki, and Jane Addams, Czekaj adopted Chicago School methodologies, particularly the use of maps and personal documents, to investigate crime in Poland, especially in the Silesian region. He placed particular emphasis on periods of economic hardship and social transformation, notably after the collapse of communism in 1989. His research focused on local and urban issues by employing social mapping to examine and address social problems in Poland. Throughout his career, he mentored countless sociology and social work students. His book on the Chicago School (viewed over 7,300 times on Academia.edu) continues to shape the field. This paper explores how the Chicago School tradition informed Czekaj’s work. It will examine how he adapted Chicago School methods (Park, 1915) to the Polish context (Czekaj, 1992, 2007), using archival court documents to map social factors such as alcohol abuse, unemployment, and crime in Silesian cities. These projects resulted in the publication of Atlases of Social Problems for various Silesian cities (1995–2012) and Local Strategies to Solve Social Problems (1997–2015). Both monographic series are collectively known as the Silesian Cities Series. By analysing Czekaj’s work, we gain a valuable Polish perspective on the global history of the Chicago School.
Leveraging sustainability tensions: A framework for understanding multi-level dynamics in small entrepreneurial firms
(Elsevier Inc., 2026-07) McGrath, Helen; Tanner, Sean; Palo, Teea; Alton, David; Drummond, Conor; Ryan, Annmarie; Royal Irish Academy
Sustainability creates tensions for small entrepreneurial firms yet understanding of how these firms navigate such tensions within business networks remains limited. Drawing from an Industrial Marketing and Purchasing (IMP) perspective, this paper explores how small entrepreneurial firms experience and navigate sustainability tensions. Using in-depth interviews with 32 craft food and drink enterprises across Ireland and Scotland, we develop a conceptual framework revealing how sustainability and network paradoxes become knotted in resource-constrained entrepreneurial contexts. Our findings identify four novel relational sustainability tensions: Values vs. Commerciality, Legitimacy vs. Authenticity, Competition vs. Collaboration, and Fidelity to Craft vs. Scaled Production. Rather than viewing these tensions solely as constraints, we demonstrate that they can be actively leveraged, functioning simultaneously as catalysts for innovation, collaboration, and competitive advantage. Three network-level mechanisms enable this leveraging: circular innovation emerging from environmental constraints, sustainability certification as strategic asset, and collaborative sustainability networks. We extend paradox theory by revealing leverage as a third response beyond resolution and acceptance, advance IMP scholarship by demonstrating how sustainability tensions catalyse novel network configurations, and contribute to sustainability entrepreneurship by showing how resource constraints become sources of competitive advantage. Implications for entrepreneurial practice and policy are discussed. We propose a research agenda for examining how leveraging capabilities develop over time and across contexts.
Comparison of AI-assisted and human-produced podcasts derived from cochrane plain language summaries: Protocol for a randomized noninferiority trial (Health Information Effectiveness Trials-2)
(Elsevier Inc., 2026-05-19) O'Byrne, Isabel; Pope, Johanna; Byrne, Paula; Dahly, Darren; Judge, Conor; O'Donnell, Martin; Krewer, Finn; Li, Mengqi; Saif-Ur-Rahman, K. M.; Conway, Tom; Thomas, James; Sheils, Geraldine; Burke, Nikita; O'Byrne, Marie; O'Byrne, Aislinn; Devane, Declan; Health Research Board, HRB, INFO-2021-001; University of Galway; Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland)
Background and objectives Podcasts can make health evidence easier to follow, but it is unclear whether artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted production can match human production when both use the same audio format. This trial will evaluate whether a vetted AI workflow can match human communicators on comprehension, quality, safety, accessibility, and trust when both deliver podcasts derived from the same evidence base. Methods We will run a randomized, two-arm, noninferiority trial comparing AI-assisted podcasts with human-produced podcasts. Adults (≥18 years; English-proficient) will be recruited from the general public via Prolific, an online research participant recruitment platform, and randomly allocated 1:1 to listen to three short episodes (6–8 minutes each) based on the same Cochrane Plain Language Summaries. The AI arm uses Wondercraft AI in a human-in-the-loop workflow; the human arm features experienced communicators working to an identical brief. In both arms, content is limited to the plain language summary, with authorship masked for participants and expert raters. The primary outcome is comprehension, measured by a 10-item test per episode, with the primary analysis using the participant-level mean score across the three episodes, aligned with the “Understanding” dimension of the Quality, Understanding, Expression, Safety, and Trust framework. Secondary outcomes include format accessibility (listenability), quality of information, perceived trust, and safety. Noninferiority margins are prespecified; for comprehension, the margin is 1 point on the 10-item scale. If noninferiority is shown, we will also assess superiority. We plan to recruit 458 participants. Differences between arms will be estimated using appropriate repeated-measures models, with two-sided 95% confidence intervals. Results This is a study protocol; results will be reported on completion of the trial.
The concept of the inner self in European human rights Law
(Brill Academic Publishers, 2026-06-18) Benziger, Felicitas; Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland
This article seeks to uncover and then analyse the concept of the ‘inner self’ as it finds expression in European Human Rights law (EHRL) using personality rights as a case study. It submits that although the inner self is not a term traditionally used in the field, it underlies the idea of human rights law. Briefly, the inner self is defined as the entirety of a person’s internal processes – thoughts, emotions and identity – unmanifested to others. The article situates the inner self within existing legal categories like the forum internum. By analysing rights such as freedom of thought (Art. 9) and respect for private and family life (Art. 8) under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the article evaluates both the strengths and limitations of current protections, particularly in addressing emerging technological threats to cognitive freedom and mental privacy.
“Will I ever recover?”, Women’s experiences and perceptions of mental health following pregnancy and birth complications: A qualitative study
(Elsevier B.V., 2026-06-25) Bodunde, Elizabeth O.; Khashan, Ali S.; McCarthy, Fergus P.; O’Connor, Karen; Matvienko-Sikar, Karen; Health Research Board Ireland
Background Experiencing complications in pregnancy and birth is often associated with poor postpartum health outcomes and can have lasting consequences for women. Understanding women’s subjective experiences of pregnancy and/or birth complications and how they feel such experiences impact their current mental health is essential to better inform supports and resources. Aim To explore how women experience and describe their mental health following pregnancy and birth complications in Ireland. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with 21 women from February to May 2024. Participants were purposively sampled. Eligible women were ≥ 18 years of age and had been between 12 months and 5 years since experiencing a pregnancy and/or birth complication. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to develop themes and subthemes. Findings We developed four main themes: 1) ‘Expectations versus reality’ highlighted the disconnect between women’s hopes for pregnancy and birth, and the unexpected nature of their actual experiences. 2) ‘Unresolved consequences’ reflected women's ongoing psychological and mental health challenges, particularly regarding anxiety and concerns for future pregnancies. 3) ‘Perception of healthcare experiences’ highlighted the importance of effective communication with healthcare providers, 4) ‘Support and systems’ described interpersonal and structural supports, and networks important to women. Conclusion Women’s experiences of mental health following pregnancy and birth complications are impacted by multiple factors throughout their pregnancy and birth journey. To improve the mental health experiences of women who have pregnancy and/or birth complications, access to information, resources, and supports at interpersonal and structural levels is needed.