Electronic copies of Faculty of Social Sciences conference papers and proceedings. http://hdl.handle.net/1893/3481 2026-10-25T13:32:32Z 2026-10-25T13:32:32Z Wright, Jennifer McDougall, Michael Fullerton, Christopher http://hdl.handle.net/1893/38386 2026-10-09T00:01:55Z 2026-06-08T00:00:00Z

Title: Beyond the Team Talk: Half-Time as a Coaching Environment in Elite Women's Field Hockey Author(s): Wright, Jennifer; McDougall, Michael; Fullerton, Christopher Abstract: Half-time represents one of coaching’s most compressed and constrained environments. Beyond tactical instruction, coaches must make sense of an evolving match situation while working with players and support staff to shape the conditions for a coordinated second-half performance. Guided by a social-relational perspective, this qualitative study explored half-time experiences in an elite women’s national field hockey team. Data were generated through observations, interviews and focus groups with players and coaching staff. Reflexive thematic analysis was organised around four themes: Leading the Way, Inside the Room, Against the Clock, and From Reflection to Readiness. Findings suggest that effective half-time practice depends on recognising that coaches and players do not always experience or prioritise half-time in the same way. Reflecting on how half-time routines are structured may help establish shared expectations and better balance competing tactical, emotional and relational demands. More fundamentally, by framing half-time as a distinct coaching environment rather than vehicle for tactical instruction, this study encourages coaches to critically reflect on what half-time is intended to achieve and how its limited time can be used most effectively.

2026-06-08T00:00:00Z Connon, Irena Egan, Mo Hamilton-Smith, Niall Mackay, Niamh Miranda, Diana Webster, C. William http://hdl.handle.net/1893/37816 2026-01-27T01:13:10Z 2024-10-16T00:00:00Z

Title: Embracing Emerging Technologies in Policing: Key Considerations Author(s): Connon, Irena; Egan, Mo; Hamilton-Smith, Niall; Mackay, Niamh; Miranda, Diana; Webster, C. William Abstract: Emerging technology offers the potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of policing. However, efficiency and effectiveness must be considered in light of existing legal frameworks, and the perhaps more nebulous relationship between the state and citizens that police actors must deftly navigate. In addition, given the evolving nature of technological innovation it is necessary to carefully consider the evolving social and ethical issues associated with specific forms of these technologies, regulatory frameworks that might require adaptation, what policy needs developing, and how each can be can implemented in ways that meet societies expectations. In 2022, the authors of this paper were commissioned to conduct research that examined the social and ethical implications of particular types of emerging technologies in policing practice and the legal concerns associated with the adoption of emerging technologies in policing in Scotland. To do this, they also explored the evidence concerning the use of these technologies from beyond the policing context by reflecting on experiences from other sectors (Health, Children and Family) and other jurisdictions. This paper sets out a series of priorities for further research, policy development and key recommendations for practice in the use of specific types of emerging technologies. In addition, we also discuss how legal framework may constrain the adoption of different types of emerging technologies to within the policing practice context and steps that can be taken to navigate such constraints.

2024-10-16T00:00:00Z Buchko, Kateryna Connon, Irena L C Dominelli, Lena http://hdl.handle.net/1893/37707 2025-12-11T01:08:23Z 2024-06-18T00:00:00Z

Title: Improving support for internally displaced people with disabilities when fleeing war: Lessons from Ukraine Author(s): Buchko, Kateryna; Connon, Irena L C; Dominelli, Lena Abstract: Internally displaced people (IDPs) are among the most socially marginalised groups and often face additional barriers accessing safety, protection, and assistance services when fleeing war. Lower levels of social connectivity means they are often more dependent upon families and other caregivers for accessing support necessary to maintain wellbeing, overcome trauma and avoid becoming more isolated during displacement and resettlement processes. They also face a heightened risk of discrimination by authorities. Concerns have been raised regarding the well-being and human rights of IDPs with disabilities in Ukraine and their abilities to obtain protection, essential services, healthcare, and humanitarian assistance. However, less is known about the particular barriers and challenges that IDPs with disabilities face in accessing services and how challenges may be differentiated according to age, gender, specific nature of disability (acquired, life-long or war-related), community of origin and receiving community, as well as how their needs and challenges evolve over the course of the conflict. Drawing upon an analysis of secondary qualitative and quantitative survey data, this study examines the experiences of Ukrainian IDPs with disabilities in accessing essential support. Drawing on relational and intersectional theories, we argue that their enhanced vulnerability does not result from the presence of disability alone, and instead represents a conditional consequence of societal perceptions, priorities, decisions, and practices’ that place IDPs with disabilities at particular disadvantage. We show how this reveals that greater consideration needs to be made to improving support provision for people living with disabilities and trauma in situations of conflict-induced displacement.

2024-06-18T00:00:00Z Connon, Irena http://hdl.handle.net/1893/37509 2025-10-15T00:30:33Z 2024-03-26T00:00:00Z

Title: Fifty Years of Disaster Study: Changing Imperatives, Outlived Terms, New Frontiers - Perspectives from The Next Generation: Decolonization and More Author(s): Connon, Irena Abstract: Critical examination of recent as well as longstanding approaches to the study of disasters is fundamental for rethinking how researchers and practitioners can improve the ways in which they engage with those affected by them. Bringing the panel on Fifty Years of Disaster Study to a close, this paper explores how recent efforts to diversify, indigenize and de-colonialize disaster anthropology have sought to address existing power imbalances. While this has resulted in new methodological innovations, imbalances in efforts to rebalance power remain and superficial adoption of the language of diversification and decolonization risks enhancing their potential for abuse.

2024-03-26T00:00:00Z