'Sociological Theory in Transition' (always ..?)

Conclusion: Sociology as a Skin Trade

In other writings (O'Neill, 1972, 1985) I have set out a rival conception of the embodied subject who suffers the hopes and defeats of what I have called 'sociology as a skin trade'. At the same time I began to renovate the imagery of society as a body-politic, to differentiate the levels of the bio-body, the productive body and the libidinal body as sites where human beings pursue the relevant knowledge and values of health, work and happiness. Each level of discourse requires he formulation of relevant technical knowledge (medicine, political economy, sociology and psychoanalysis) and each level has its own emancipatory discourse about health creativity and self-expression. Because each of these discursive interests is likely to be articulated by professional social scientists and therapists, it is necessary to require the institutionalization of mechanisms of political and ethical accountability to laypersons' common-sense knowledge and values regarding their bodies, their families, their work and their souls. Medical and sociological nemesis is not the result of a therapeutic conspiracy against society. It belongs to the radical technological a priori of Western knowledge whose ambition is fundamentally bio-technological. The sin of Adam and Eve was the best humankind could manage at the time. In today's laboratory Adam and Eve can be bypassed and life can be set in motion according to the best genetic formulas. Huge legal, ethical and sociological problems are simultaneously generated. And thus we step into a new 'crisis of opportunity` for which very few social scientists are prepared - whether by training or morals.' p.35.

INDIVIDUAL

|

     INTERPERSONAL    :     SCIENCES               

HUMANISTIC --------------------------------------  MECHANISTIC      

SOCIOLOGY  :   POLITICAL 

|

GROUP

psychoanalysis	body as a machine bio-technological body- bio-
sociology	-politic bio-politics of the population

'In concrete terms, starting in the seventeenth century, this power over life evolved in two basic forms ... One of these poles - the first to be formed, it seems - centered on the body as a machine: its disciplining, the optimisation of its capabilities, the extortion of its forces, the parallel increase of its usefulness and docility, its integration into systems of efficient and economic controls, all this was ensured by the procedures of power that characterised the disciplines: an anatomo-politics of the human body.
The second, formed somewhat later, focussed on the species body, the body imbued with the mechanics of life and serving as the basis of the biological processes: propagation, births and mortality, the level of health, life expectancy and longevity, with all the conditions that can cause them to vary. Their supervision was effected through an entire series of interventions and regulatory controls: a bio-politics of the  population. (Foucault, 1980a, p. 139; altered for my emphasis)' p.24.

'Bio-power regulates bodies individually, as in the clinical model. and collectively, as on the model of social medicine. The two strategies are combined to produce the most complete system of discipline ever known in the history of power. Disciplinary power works in hospitals. schools, prisons, armies, factories and bureaucracies. It is compatible with shifting vocabularies of rights, reform and welfare. It is intimate and collective; it is obeyed not because of its power over death but because of its power over life. It is this shift in emphasis that is the source of the expansion of bio-power whose corresponding apparatus we may call the therapeutic state.' p.25.

 

O’Neill, J. Sociological Nemesis: Parsons and Foucault on the Therapeutic Disciplines, Chapter 1 (pp.21-35). In. Wardell, M.L. and Turner, S. (Eds.). (1986) Sociological Theory in Transition. London: Allen & Unwin, Inc. https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/phi_facpub/86

Previously: 'sociology' : 'power' : 'body'

What! Nursing reduced to objects! Do you realise what you're saying?

Wittgenstein to the rescue?

Revisting a theme, and while it is not new - as in use of objected oriented approaches in health informatics; as a nurse, to suggest there's a need to view the elements of care systems as a series of objects surely runs counter to nursing's theory, practice, professional standing and values.

Or, does Wittgenstein come to the rescue in his 'Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus'?

'2.01231 In order to know an object, I must know not its external but all its internal qualities'.

[My emphasis - and as ever high degree of selectivity.] 

In reading 'internal qualities' I can equate internal with a person; and qualities with subjectivism, what is inherently seen as humanistic, a set of characteristics, and properties. Can it be argued that in the context of healthcare and person-centredness we can also take 'internal' as potentially referring to what happens in the mind, an individual's mental life, for example? This can be applied physically too. To bodily properties, which ultimately are internal genetically, and influenced by - expressed in-part - by the external environment.

While I sort books, creating space, there is the small matter that Wittgenstein walked away from philosophy after the Tractatus was published. Then, realising he had not answered the questions concerning human language and reality, he returned to Cambridge and his studies, with Philosophical Investigations published after his death.

Does this invalidate the thoughts above?

Another post to follow drawing from the Tractatus. 

Previous posts:

Reflection: programming and caring II

Abstract [working] Hodges’ model as a mathematical object, a lens for social care and inclusion: category theory or category mistake?

Person to object: Surely you're joking* ...!

Complexity science as a frame; or, a frame for complexity science?

In reading for WCCS later this month, I wonder if Braithwaite et al. (open access) may have found Hodges' model useful in addressing both the learning objectives and questions they raise in their chapter; and as a response to the recommendations?

Braithwaite J, Ellis LA, Churruca K, et al. Complexity Science as a Frame for Understanding the Management and Delivery of High Quality and Safer Care. 2020 Dec 15. In: Donaldson L, Ricciardi W, Sheridan S, et al., editors. Textbook of Patient Safety and Clinical Risk Management [Internet]. Cham (CH): Springer; 2021. Chapter 27. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK585611/ doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-59403-9_27

' Learning Objectives and Questions Covered in the Chapter

• How does a linear view of improvement contrast with a complexity science approach? 
• The complexity frame makes it harder to manage and deliver high quality and safer care — does it therefore need to be rejected in favour of simpler improvement models?
• What examples can be brought to bear to show how studies in the complexity frame can lead to good outcomes and positive change?'

'In addition, in homing in on any part of a CAS, we can discern elements of both selfsimilarity and local nuances. Self-similarity can manifest fractally, at different scales (e.g., features of the culture of the organisation at the team level approximate to that of the culture of the department, and then division, and then the whole organisation) or laterally (e.g., one department looks comparable structurally to another). It might seem paradoxical, but healthcare levels or departments, despite being self-similar in some respects, also each operate as unique entities. There are always localised contextual, cultural and structural distinctions. Such local nuances occur as the result of the particular configurations of agents (e.g., nurses, doctors, quality managers, patients) following their internalised rules and shared mental models (e.g., put the patients first, project a good reputation to the outside world, prioritise safety) in that unique setting.' pp.378-379.

'Bringing clinicians from different departments together with the patient as the focus, provided a deeper understanding of other’s roles and barriers, helped create a shared mental model, and fostered a whole-of-system approach to the care for patients with this condition.' p.382.

[CAS - Complex Adaptive System]
 

'Recommendations

1. Sensitise those with responsibility for leading, managing, improving or researching care settings to a systems view. 
2. Train sufficient staff in the tools of complexity: FRAM, network analyses, system dynamics modelling, process mapping, and the like. 
3. Approach quality and safety and risk management activities with a knowledge of complexity science, sense-making, and non-linearity rather than as a set of linear problems amenable to simplistic causal change logic. 
4. Consider how our studies, borrowing from complexity theory, have resisted simplifying the challenges, but have nevertheless made progress in understanding care systems and their improvement.' p.389.

 [FRAM - Functional Resonance Analysis Method]

 I will include this in my presentation, duly cited:

 'Complexity science as a frame: or, frame for complexity science?'

New student? What's that? You're worried about your finals!

For a new student nurse, mention of your finals, as in, exams - seems a world-away. After a paroxysmal attack of fear (and motivation!), time resolves. "It's fine. I can relax. We're good!"

Especially so in the pre-Project 2000 days (Swaby, 2021), when nurse education was conducted in more local schools of nursing. You could be forgiven for feeling reassured that there's plenty of time; if your first step was to work as a nursing assistant (or cadet) prior to starting as a student.

Then all of a sudden, you can point to many wornout shoes. You've been busy; helped run a ward, a caseload, a team, and raised a family. And, while the NHS, nursing, society, and much else besides have continued their relentless pace of change, change and more change.

You blink,* look again and you're starting what will be your final 3-year period of nurse registration. What this will bring: who knows?

Kelly Swaby (2021) Did Project 2000 fulfil the intention set out by nursing’s leadership to create
a profession of highly educated practitioners. Thesis.
https://pure.hud.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/70492399/Swaby_THESIS.pdf

*'Blink' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f0p5KqdU9U

Caring with Excellence, Care that Evolves: Filipinos in Care Anniversary Event 2026

Time & Location

17 Apr 2026, 14:00 – 23:00 BST

St Mary Abbots Centre, Vicarage Gate, London, W8 4HN

About the event

This engaging 2-panel session will delve into the inspiring journeys of Filipino nurses and nurse leaders who are making significant contributions in the social care sector. Participants will have the opportunity to hear firsthand accounts of challenges, triumphs, and the unique experiences that shape their careers. The session aims to highlight the vital role that Filipino nurses play in providing compassionate care and leadership in diverse settings.

Panel 1: Personal Journeys and Experiences of Award-Winning Filipinos

The first panel will feature a diverse group of nurses who will share their personal stories. Topics will include:

• Overcoming cultural and professional challenges
• Adapting to different healthcare environments
• Building resilience and community support

Panel 2: Transitioning to Social Care

The second panel will focus on the experiences of Filipino nurses who moved from the NHS to social care. Key discussions will revolve around:

• Developing skills in a care home setting
• Key tips for the career move
• Key learnings from the shift from acute to chronic care

Takeaways: A Practical Toolkit

Attendees will leave the session equipped with a practical toolkit designed to inspire and guide them in their own nursing careers. This toolkit will include:

• Resources for professional development
• Strategies for effective leadership in nursing
• Networking opportunities with fellow nurses and leaders

Join us for this enlightening session to celebrate the contributions of Filipino nurses in social care and to gain valuable insights that can enhance your own journey in the field. Sessions moderated by Filipinos in Care Founder Kier Dungo and Co-Founder Jay Trondillo.

Tickets and website: https://www.filipinosincare.org.uk/event-details/fic-anniversary-event

My source: RCN North West Multicultural Group

Kantian Justice: A Desert-sensitive Responsibility-enhancing Theory

On Nov 3rd & 4th last year, I was able to attend a launch event in Liverpool, UK - which I intended to post:

KantianDESERT* is designed to formulate a new model of distributive justice in response to growing economic disparities globally, by offering a distinctive position within dominant egalitarianisms in current political theory/philosophy. Through several original contributions, the project builds an innovative case for a theory sensitive to individual just deserts.

This 5-year, €2 million Advanced Research Project, selected by the European Research Council and funded by the UK Research and Innovation, is led by Professor Sorin Baiasu (Liverpool). With this conference, the project will be officially launched.

The launch has been followed  by a reading group working through (now chapter 4) of Shelly Kagan's -

The Geometry of Desert

Chapter 3 on Desert Graphs - seemed somehow familar, at least in the structures first presented:

Abstract

This chapter is concerned with desert graphs, which help clarify and demonstrate the complexity of the topic of desert. The first section includes graphs that explain the fault forfeits first view and its two extensions. It then studies varying slopes, graphs that depict the desert line of two different individuals, and rotation. The next section discusses the concept of peak, which represents the exact level of suffering or happiness a person actually deserves. It also includes a comparison of the eastern and western slopes of one and two individuals, as well as a section on the Sym Mountain. This chapter also introduces the mountain as the characteristic shape of an individual desert line.

Kagan, Shelly, The Geometry of Desert (New York, 2012; online edn, Oxford Academic, 24 Jan. 2013), https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199895595.001.0001, accessed 16 Mar. 2026. 

The main launch programme is copied below for reference:

Day 1

9.00-9.15: Coffee/tea. Welcome addresses from Professor Peter Buse (Liverpool, Dean of the School of the Arts) and Professor Michael Hauskeller (Liverpool, Head of the Philosophy Department)

9:15-10:15 Introduction; about the project. Sorin Baiasu (Liverpool): Kantian Justice: A Desert-sensitive Responsibility-enhancing Theory; Tom Bunyard (Liverpool): 'Is Desert a Viable Concept?'; Tom Whyman (Liverpool): 'Food Justice and Desert'

10.20-11.20: Sebastian Orlander (Independent): ‘Kant, Freedom, Desert and Practical Faith’
...
11.30-12.30: Tommaso Mauri (Perugia): ‘Desert and Inequality in Kant: A Theologico-Political Approach’
...
1.15-2.15: Elisabeth Widmer (LSE): ‘What’s the point of Kantian Inequality?’
2.20-3.20: Huub Brouwer (Tillburg): ‘Defending Asymmetries of Desert’
...
3.30-4.30: Tom Mulligan (Georgetown): ‘Who deserves what AI produces?

4.35-5.20: Roundtable

7.00: conference dinner ...

Day 2

9:30-9.45: Welcome; coffee

9.45-10.45: Seniye Tilev (Kadir Has University): ‘Kant on Well-Being and Virtue: A Framework for Desert Without Consequentialism’

10.50-11.50: Krishna Pathak (Delhi): ‘Institutional Desert, Injustice, and Adaptive Preference for Suicide: A Kantian Perspective’
...
12:10-1.10: Jochen Bojanowski (Illionois): ‘Luck Egalitarianism and the Limits of Desert’
...
2.10-3.10: Gabriel Maruchi (Campinas): ‘Denotational Revisionism Cannot Escape Basic Desert’

3.15-4.15: Marius Baumann (LMU): ‘Desert, Responsibility and Skepticism’
..
4.30-5.15: Roundtable & close

Commentators: Tom Whyman (Liverpool), Sorin Baiasu (Liverpool), Bertjan Wolthuis (VU Amsterdam), Christian Españo (University of the Philippines Diliman), Sung-Yeop Jo (LMU), Tom Bunyard (Liverpool), Robin Eliath Joy (Calicut), Beşir Özgür Nayır (Boğaziçi).

https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/philosophy/research/research-projects/kantian-justice/

My source: *Philos-L https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/philosophy/philos-l/ 

Presentation: 'An example of open research sharing Hodges’ Health Career Model'

From: Ulster University Open Research Conference 2026 

Simms, V., Jacobs, N., Magee, J., De Ornellas, K., Mollik, E., Kernohan, W. G., Leacock, J., Akter, J., Sempey, C., Beech, S. E., Naz Asif, R., Yap, L. K., & Miller, K. (2026, Jan 16). Ulster University Open Research Conference 2026: Conference Speaker Abstracts. Ulster University. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.21251/0d7780ce-ce97-468f-b5d5-69201ca90b20

Speaker: Professor George Kernohan 

School or Department: School of Nursing and Paramedic Science Ulster University 

Email: wg.kernohan AT ulster.ac.uk 

The area(s) of open research talk relates to: 
  Practice as research; Open data/ Open code 

Talk Title: An example of open research sharing Hodges’ Health Career Model 

Abstract: 

This paper examines a blog post [see below, pj], “Thinking about a comprehensive framework for dementia,” as a case study illustrating the integration of open research practices within dementia palliative care research. The post introduces the Hodges’ Health Career Model— a four-domain conceptual framework encompassing biomedical, psychological, social, and policy perspectives— to articulate the multidimensional nature of dementia and inform care planning. As an openly accessible research communication, the blog contributes to transparent and inclusive knowledge exchange beyond traditional academic channels. 

The blog exemplifies practice-as-research, translating conceptual development from theory into a form of scholarly exposition that invites engagement from practitioners, policymakers, carers, and people living with dementia. It forms part of a wider programme of work in which the research team openly documents methods, emerging findings, and reflections across scoping reviews, surveys, and service case studies hosted on the same platform. These materials complement peer-reviewed open access outputs, including open publications. 

The project demonstrates alignment with open research principles through prospective protocol registration: the scoping review protocol is publicly available on PROSPERO. The team’s prior work on blogging as a mechanism for knowledge mobilisation strengthens the methodological coherence of using this medium to disseminate conceptual frameworks and preliminary insights.

Although the blog does not itself provide underlying datasets or analytic code, it outlines methodological approaches that could facilitate future open data practices, particularly in qualitative and mixed-methods research. Overall, the case illustrates a pragmatic and pluralistic adoption of open research methods across dissemination, protocol transparency, and public engagement, offering a model for enhancing accessibility and reproducibility in dementia palliative care research.

.

Title: “Thinking about a comprehensive framework for dementia”

Author: Professor George Kernohan

Date: 7 November 2019

Link: https://pallcare4dementia.com/thinking-about-a-comprehensive-framework-for-dementia/

2026 Lancaster Philosophy of Psychiatry Work in Progress Workshop

I am looking forward to, and preparing for this event next week:

====================================================

Thursday 26 February 2026, 11:00am to Friday 27 February 2026, 3:30pm

Venue: Storey Lecture Theatre, Lancaster , LA1 1TH

Open to: Postgraduates, Staff

Event Details:
 
Sponsored by the British Society for the Philosophy of Science.
This workshop provides an informal forum where PhD students, and more experienced researchers, can present and discuss short works in progress. All paper slots are taken for 2026. 
Please email r.v.cooper AT lancaster.ac.uk if you'd like to attend.
THURSDAY 26th  FEB

10.45-11 Welcome
11-11.30 Hane Maung - Philosophy in Healthcare Practice: A Case Study.
11.30-12 Peter Jones - Hodges' model: A work-ALWAYS-in-progress and this is why...
12-12.30 Matthew Williams - The failure of the harm-minimisation argument for BID Surgery and the necessity of therapeutic justification
12.30-1 Clive Duddy – Autonomy in mental health care
1-2 LUNCH
2-2.30 George Turner - Difference denied.
2.30-3 Dieneke Hubbeling - Different ways of medical knowing in Walzer's different spheres of justice?
3-3.30 Ali Walker - Forget Fictionalism: Psychiatric Disorders are Quasi-Real
3.30-4 Ewa Grzeszczak - Philosophy of psychiatry and the methodology of social ontology.
4-4.30 Break
4.30-5 Alessandra Civani - What kind of concept is ‘incongruence’?
5-5.30 Anna Golova - Self-illness ambiguity without a self-illness distinction.
5.30-6 Break
6-7 Prof Miriam Solomon – Royal Institute of Philosophy talk ‘Stigma as an actant in the history of psychiatry’

FRIDAY 27th Feb

11-11.30 Sam Fellowes - Modelling psychiatric diagnoses when self-diagnosing - how does this work?
11.30-12 Giulia Russo - Epistemic and political role of experience
12-12.30 Frank Denning - Using Stebbing’s Directional Analysis to Evaluate ‘Mentalizing’.
12.30-1 Gloria Ayob - Flourishing as mental health
1-2 LUNCH
2-2.30 Richard Hassall - Hermeneutical Injustice and Damaged Intellectual Self-Trust in Psychiatric Service Users.
2.30-3 Lara Calabrese - Exploring epistemic injustice in dementia care: a scoping review and a qualitative study
3-3.30 Jacob Barlow - Epistemic borders: experts, communities, communication

<>

Bridging Gaps in Oral Health Frameworks: Mapping With Hodges' Health Career - Care Domains - Model

 ABSTRACT

Objectives

Despite decades of national and global strategies, persistent inequities in oral health outcomes, access, and service provision remain. Existing frameworks often fail to integrate clinical and behavioral factors with social, cultural, and political determinants. This study aimed to map and evaluate oral health frameworks using Hodges' Health Career—Care Domains-Model (HCM), a meta-framework that spans clinical, behavioral, sociological, and political domains. The goal was to identify conceptual gaps and opportunities for greater integration.

Methods

A structured scoping review was conducted using MEDLINE, CINAHL, EBSCO, and search engine Google Scholar (1995–2025) to identify oral health-related conceptual frameworks. Frameworks were eligible if they addressed oral health determinants, behaviors, policies, or interventions. Two reviewers independently screened records and analyzed full-text articles. Frameworks were categorized by theoretical orientation and mapped against the four HCM domains to identify patterns of emphasis or omission.

Results

Of 226 identified records, 21 frameworks met inclusion criteria. These were classified into three thematic groups: balanced (addressing all domains), clinically led (focused on clinical/behavioral aspects), and policy/public health-focused (emphasizing sociological/political factors). Seven cross cutting themes emerged, including health promotion, systems integration, social justice, and cultural safety. While many frameworks promoted equity and policy reform, few offered implementation guidance or had been empirically validated.

Conclusions

HCM proved useful for systematically comparing frameworks and revealed consistent underrepresentation of political and structural domains. It offers a practical tool for oral health professionals, educators, and policymakers developing integrated oral health models that align with equity, sustainability, and universal health coverage goals.

S. Bettiol, P. Jones, H. A. Onyedikachi, and W. G. Kernohan, “ Bridging Gaps in Oral Health Frameworks: Mapping With Hodges' Health Career - Care Domains - Model,” Journal of Public Health Dentistry (2026): 1–14, 
https://doi.org/10.1111/jphd.70034

European Character and Virtue Association (ECVA) Conference 2026

Theme: Bridging the Knowledge – Action Gap in Character Development

Re: invitation to the ECVA 2026 conference: reminder ...

Established in 2022, the European Character and Virtue Association offers a forum for promoting research, training and networking in the field of character education. We bring together educational institutions in Europe and scholars from around the world, providing unrivalled opportunities for members to share best practices and shape European policies affecting higher education and research. 

The 2026 conference of ECVA will take place in Trnava University, Slovakia, in cooperation with the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues, University of Birmingham, the Private University College of Teacher Education of Christian Churches, and the Virtues and Values Education Center of Francisco de Vitoria University. 

The Executive Board of the European Character and Virtue Association (ECVA) cordially invites you to attend the 2026 ECVA Conference in Trnava, Slovakia. 

• President: Prof. Dr. James Arthur (Harvard University)
• Vice President: Prof. Dr. Verónica (Francisco de Vitoria University Madrid)
• Secretary: Prof. Dr. Tom Harrison (Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues, University of Birmingham)
• Treasurer: Prof. Dr. Roland Bernhard (University of Teacher Education of Christian Churches Austria)

Conference Information Trnava, Slovakia, 2026, 24th to 26th of June 

We expect more than: 📍100+ researchers 🏫 40+ universities 🌍 20+ countries 🎤 60+ presentations & keynote addresses 

📝 Submit your abstract and find all conference details at the link below:

👉 https://ecva-character.org/ecva-conference-2026

Deadline for Abstract Submission: 31st of January, 2026.

All abstracts will undergo a review process over the course of the following month. Once your proposal has been accepted, you will receive detailed information about registration, conference fee (275,- EUR) processing, accommodation options, and other necessary information.

Notification of Acceptance: 1st of March 2026.

Contributions that demonstrate high quality and close relevance to the main theme of the conference will be accepted for review in preparation for the next scientific monograph produced by the ECVA.

Warm regards,

Dr. Martin Brestovanský
(Trnava University, Slovakia)

on behalf of the ECVA Steering Group

Prof. James Arthur (Harvard University)
Prof. Verónica Fernández (Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Madrid)
Prof. Tom Harrison (Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtue, University of Birmingham)
Prof. Roland Bernhard (University of Teacher Education of Christian Churches, Vienna)
Prof. Claudia Navarini (Università degli Studi Europea di Roma)
Prof. Ines Weber (Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg)

Conference description 

Bridging the Knowledge – Action Gap in Character Development 

Moral education often assumes that ethical knowledge or cognitive competence alone will result in moral behaviour. Yet lived experience, philosophical reflection, and empirical research consistently show otherwise. A persistent gap exists between what individuals know is right and what they actually do—a phenomenon recognized since antiquity. 

Aristotle observed that “we reason here not to know what virtue is, but to become good” (Nicomachean Ethics, 1103b), highlighting that moral reasoning is directed toward formation, not just information. Immanuel Kant similarly acknowledged that a person may clearly understand moral duty and yet lack the will to act accordingly, pointing to the human struggle between reason and inclination. 

David Hume went further, arguing that “reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions,” insisting that moral knowledge without rightly ordered desires lacks the power to move us to action. And Martin Buber wittily adds: “The worst notorious liar in the classroom will write a brilliant treatise on the destructive power of falsehood”. 

This enduring challenge – now referred to as the knowledge–action gap – remains a pressing concern across education, psychology, and the social sciences. Scholars have described related phenomena in various conceptualizations, such as the reason–action gap, attitude–behaviour gap, intention–behaviour gap, or the knowledge–attitudes–practice (KAP) gap. Each term reflects a common concern: knowing what is right does not reliably lead to doing what is right. 

Bridging this divide is a complex task, compounded by the dynamic, deeply personal, and context-sensitive nature of character formation. Educational and behavioural sciences are increasingly turning to integrative approaches that go beyond cognitive instruction. Interventions such as moral sensitization, dramatization, habit training, and reflective practice are being explored to enhance the coherence between values and actions. 

There is growing consensus that this so-called “gappiness problem” cannot be resolved through one-size-fits-all solutions (e.g., moral emotions alone or identity-based interventions). Instead, promising “multi-component” models are emerging that draw on diverse disciplines and methodologies to address the challenge. 

Conference Goals 

By bringing together interdisciplinary perspectives and diverse methodologies, the ECVA 2026 conference aims to deepen our understanding of the knowledge–action gap and to promote innovative, research-informed strategies for strengthening moral coherence and character development in real-world settings. 

We look forward to welcoming those committed to advancing theory-informed practice and practice-informed theory in the service of ethical integrity and flourishing lives.

Previously: 'character' 

Webinar “From Global to Local: Enhancing the UK Healthcare System with Lessons from CEI in LMICs” 10 February, 3–4PM (GMT)

The NIHR Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) team are pleased to invite you to our fourth webinar in the PPIE/CEI Bidirectional Learning Series “From Global to Local: Enhancing the UK Healthcare System with Lessons from CEI in LMICs”.

Date: 10th February 2026

Time: 3.00–4.00 PM GMT, London UK (Online via zoom)

Join us to explore how Community Engagement and Involvement (CEI) approaches developed in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) are actively shaping health research and service delivery in the UK. This session will demonstrate how global CEI principles —collaboration, equity, and shared learning - can be translated into local action to build trust and create more responsive healthcare systems.

What you will hear about:

- Global to local CEI strategies: Insights into how CEI strategies from LMICs can be used to strengthen community relationships and healthcare practice in the UK. 
- Driving Innovation through Reciprocity: Discover how a "virtuous circle of learning" between global and local systems enriches inclusion and equity. 
- Translate Insight into Action: Practical examples and expert perspectives on turning global health CEI approaches into practical, equitable healthcare solutions within the NHS.

Speakers include: - Farrah Lunat (Research Operations Manager at Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust and Joint Lead Author of the NIHR ROSHNI-2 study) - Professor Nusrat Husain (Professor of Psychiatry and Director of Global Health at the University of Manchester and NIHR Senior Investigator) - Dr. Matthew Harris (Clinical Senior Lecturer in Public Health at Imperial College London and Honorary Consultant in Public Health Medicine)

Submit your questions & register via Eventbrite: 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/from-global-to-local-cei-lessons-from-lmics-enhancing-the-uk-healthsystem-tickets-1976864265233?aff=oddtdtcreator

Sarah Betts

*Programme Manager (PPIE)* | NIHR Coordinating Centre

My source: HIFA

Biology, axioms, teleology and knowledge c/o Cox & Forshaw (2012)

'Teleological ideas generally have a rather bad reputation in science, and it's easy to see why. In biology, a teleological explanation for the emergence of complex creatures would be tantamount to an argument for the existence of a designer, whereas Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection provides a simpler explanation that fits the available data beautifully. There is no teleological component to Darwin's theory - random mutations produce variations in organisms, and external pressures from the environment and other living thing determine which of these variations are passed on to the next generation. This process alone can account for the complexity we see in life on Earth today. In other words, there is no need for a grand plan and no gradual ascent of life towards some sort of perfection. Instead, the evolution of life is a random walk, generated by the imperfect copying of genes in a constantly shifting external environment. The Nobel-Prize-winning French biologist Jacques Monod went so far as to define a cornerstone of modern biology as "the systematic or axiomatic denial that scientific knowledge can be obtained on the basis of theories that involve, explicitly or not, a teleological principle".

As far as physics is concerned, there is no debate as to whether or not the least action principle actually works, for it allows calculations to be performed that correctly describe Nature and it is a cornerstone of physics. It can be argued that the least action principle is not teleological at all, but the debate is in any case neutralized once we have a grasp of Feynman's approach to quantum mechanics. The ball flying through the air 'knows' which path to choose because it actually, secretly, explores every possible path.' pp.52-53.

Cox, Brian, and Jeff Forshaw. (2012) Quantum Universe, the: Everything That Can Happen Does Happen. London: Penguin Books Ltd.

See also: 

Jacques Monod - https://www.informationphilosopher.com/solutions/scientists/monod/

Harrison, Peter. 2022. 'The History of Science and Theology', St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology. Edited by Brendan N. Wolfe et al. https://www.saet.ac.uk/Christianity/TheHistoryofScienceandTheology

Greslehner GP. "Molecular Biology"- Pleonasm or Denotation for a Discipline of Its Own? Reflections on the Origins of Molecular Biology and Its Situation Today. Biomolecules. 2023 Oct 12;13(10):1511. doi: 10.3390/biom13101511. PMID: 37892193; PMCID: PMC10605324.

Previously: 'axiom' : 'biology' : 'corner'

Person-centredness, Holistic approach, Prevention c/o Hippocrates

“It is more important to know what sort of person 
has a disease than to know 
what sort of disease a person has.” Hippocrates

 

Individual

|

      INTERPERSONAL    :     SCIENCES               

HUMANISTIC  --------------------------------------  MECHANISTIC      

 SOCIOLOGY  :    POLITICAL 

|

Group

To say that Hippocrates was ahead of his time is a gross understatement. Hippocrates recognised the importance of person-centredness and prevention, and contributed to the emergence of several medical specialties. (Kostakopoulos, et al., 2024).

'Holistic Approach One of the most significant innovations of the founding father of clinical medicine was the holistic approach for the diagnosis and treatment of disease. This approach is based on the assumption that the human body is a sum of many parts that function in harmony and that if one part is ill, the balance will be affected and the whole person will suffer. Hippocrates considered that patients consisted of body, mind, and spirit and this is also the modern physicians' approach when treating a disease [2].'

Health and social care are still playing catch-up. The vitriolic 'debate' on X over psychiatry - anti-psychiatry and DSM-X. The total inability now to shift to preventive healthcare due to the perverse, entrenched economic incentives, which facilitate increasing inequity, inequality. Whichever Government does switch to preventive medicine, perhaps other governments had better take note?  I think Hippocrates would have approved - wholeheartedly - of Hodges' model.

'Prevention of Disease Another important aspect of Hippocrates' works that is widely applied in 21st-century medicine is the prevention of disease. The phrase “Κάλλιον το προλαμβάνειν του θεραπεύειν,” which means that it is better to prevent than to treat a disease, was the cornerstone of his teachings and is based on the observation that healthy Mediterranean diet and daily moderate physical activity can prevent disease. The ancient Greeks believed that all maladies started from the gut and that walking was the best available medicine [2].'

Kostakopoulos NA, Bellos TC, Katsimperis S, Tzelves L. Hippocrates of Kos (460-377 BC): The Founder and Pioneer of Clinical Medicine. Cureus. 2024 Oct 1;16(10):e70602. doi: 10.7759/cureus.70602. PMID: 39483540; PMCID: PMC11526839.

Gabbard, G. The Person with the Diagnosis. Psychiatric News. 49;6. 19 March 2014. 
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2014.3b19.

Brigić, A., Hasanović, M., Pajević, I., Aljukić, N., Hamidović, J., & Jakovljević, M. (2021). Principles of Hippocratic Medicine from the Perspective of Modern Medicine. Psychiatria Danubina, 33(Suppl 4), 1210–1217. 

See also: 'medicine' : 'person' : 'diagnosis' : 'prevention'

Q. Is Hodges' model Person OR University-centered? [ 'Big Mind' iii? ]

To date, I have not written a paper on Brian Hodges' original purpose for his model in curriculum development, design, planning and evaluation. Geoff Mulgan's book and referenced sources provide support, if not evidence, for the increasing relevance of Hodges' model.

The center of Hodges' model, the nexus, can be variously occupied by an individual student, researcher; a group, or team, or even an institution. Why not a university?

Since 1987-88, when I applied Hodges' model in a case study, I've acquired a broad understanding of the 'POLITICAL' domain in terms of institutions and organisations. Even if that learning is now 'archived':

https://web.archive.org/web/20150414073721/http://www.p-jones.demon.co.uk/linksIV.htm

In 'Big Mind', Chapter 14, The University as Collective Intelligence (pp.174-180) refers to 'third-loop learning' and a document from Nesta:

Geoff Mulgan, Oscar Townsley, and Adam Price, "The Challenge-Driven University: How Real-Life Problems Can Fuel Learning", Nesta, accessed April 28, 2017.
accessed 15/12/2025: https://media.nesta.org.uk/documents/the_challenge-driven_university.pdf 

'This paper focuses on one important strand of change: the rise of what we call ‘challenge-driven’ university models. These models develop students by putting them up against difficult problems and challenges for which there are no established answers.  Instead students to draw on many disciplines to solve them; they have to work in teams; and they have to collaborate with organisations outside higher education.

These models aren’t a replacement for the classic core of university education - mastering a discipline.   But they provide an important complement to this core, and they may be better suited to preparing young people for the needs of the world. They also re-emphasise one of the founding principles of some ancient universities: a focus on questions rather than answers as the key to deep learning.'

Within the Nesta document, Mulgan et al. list educational institutions who have succeeded, and are trying to effect change (with much editing):

US

The approach was pioneered by McMaster University Medical School in the late 1960s where in response to changing demands on the profession, the curriculum was changed so that students learned collaboratively, working on real-life cases in small groups. ...

... examples like High Tech High in the US, use project-based learning, centred on real-life problems, as the core curriculum for students.

Olin College of Engineering has quickly gained a reputation for being one of the most innovative institutions in the US since it opened in 1997.

Last year, the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the Harvard Kennedy school founded the ‘Urban Innovation Field Lab’, a project aiming to improve social conditions in cities in Massachusetts.

Canada

In Canada, the University of Waterloo uses a model of co-operative education, where students’ time is split between study and assessed work experience.

Europe 

Aalto University in Finland was created out of a merger between Technology, Economics and Art Universities in Helsinki and now runs four interdisciplinary ‘factories’ - Design, Health, Media and Service, where teams of academics and students work with companies and communities to develop new products that respond to demand from the real economy. 

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim has a similar approach. As part of their courses, students are required to join a ‘village’ (i.e. area of interest) of around 30 members which address questions such as ‘Biofuels - a solution or a problem?’, ‘Sustainable, affordable housing for all’, and ‘Portable technology and well-being’.

At Maastricht University (the second youngest university in the Netherlands), all teaching uses a problem-based learning model, and this has become one of the main attractions of the university. 

Twelve to fifteen students discuss problems in group sessions, with one student appointed to lead the discussion. The students are given complex problems from everyday professional practice which they brainstorm and research both together and separately. ...

UK 

Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art (RCA) are two particularly innovative higher education institutions. For the last ten years, Imperial has been running the Energy Futures Lab - a cross-discipline, issue-based department aimed at tackling global energy challenges. It was established to bring together disparate fields of study that are relevant to energy including engineering, environmental sciences, computer science, business, policy and mathematics. ...

Imperial and the Royal College of Art also run a Double Masters in Innovation Design Engineering (IDE) which is well known for producing some of the best talent in the field. Their flagship international module ‘GoGlobal’ takes students abroad for three week cross cultural, collaborative projects with academics and industry partners. ... The University of Lincoln has challenge-driven education at the core of its teaching.

Globally? South?

... 

Over the years I've reached out to a great many private and public bodies. 

MEMO TO: New College of Humanities and London Interdisciplinary School

I note the NESTA document is a 'draft'. I'd be pleased to help update and complete this work. Keen to frame Hodges' model not just in the context of problems, but strengths, weaknesses, risks, opportunities and more. When your model emerges from health, you quickly learn when it comes to problems that versatility and adaptability are essential. Always ready to cross disciplines - insofar as I understand them, borders and boundaries as required.

Previously:

https://hodges-model.blogspot.com/2025/07/big-mind.html

https://hodges-model.blogspot.com/2025/12/ii-big-mind-book.html

Geoff Mulgan (2017) Big Mind: How Collective Intelligence Can Change Our World, Princeton University Press.

Bourdieu: systems, axes, maps, practical logics

I have checked these quotes and am fairly sure they are accurate. The first, I feel, improves with re-reading, and presents a clearing at the end? 

The clearing could be a template, and as per the second it may be old; but retains its practical function.

'Intellectualism is inscribed in the fact of introducing into the object the intellectual relation to the object, of substituting the observer's relation to practice for the practical relation to practice. Anthropologists would be able to escape from all their metaphysical questioning about the ontological status or even the 'site' of culture only if they were to objectify their relation to the object, that of the outsider who has to procure a substitute for practical mastery in the form of an objectified model. Genealogies and other models are to the social orientation which makes possible the relation of immediate immanence to the familiar world, as a map, an abstract mode of all possible routes, is to the practical sense of space, a "system of axes linked unalterably to our bodies, which we carry about with us wherever we go", as Poincaré put it.' p.34.

The Logic of Practice

'The logical [kinship] relations he constructs are to 'practical' relations - practical because continuously practised, kept up and cultivated - as the geometrical space of a map, a representation of all possible routes for all possible subjects, is to the network of pathways that are really maintained and used, 'beaten tracks' that are really practicable for a particular agent. The family tree, a spatial diagram that can be taken in at a glance, uno intuitu and scanned indifferently in any direction from any point, causes the complete network of kinship relations over several generations to exist in the mode of temporal existence which is that of theoretical objects, that is, tota simul, as a totality in simultaneity. It puts on the same footing official relationships, which, for lack of regular maintenance, tend to become what they are for the genealogist, that is, theoretical relationships, like abandoned roads on an old map; and practical relationships which really function because they fulfil practical functions.' p.35.

My source:

Bourdieu, P. (1990). The Logic of Practice. Stanford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781503621749 [and image source].

Bourdieu, Pierre, "The Logic of Practice (1990)" (1990). eTextbooks for Students. 875.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etextbooks/875

See also: https://hodges-model.blogspot.com/search?q=bourdieu

Working title: 'Can Hodges’ model provide a foundation for a mathematically informed ...

... epistemology and relational ontology? Part 1'

Abstract

Aims: To begin a process of examining a ‘model of care’ and conceptual framework known as Hodges’ model as a mathematical object. This paper examines the structural elements of this model, its axes and domains through a formal, logical and mathematical lens. To establish the extent to which a combined relational understanding and mathematical approaches can provide avenues for further research.

Design: This study adopts the design of a two-part exploratory and descriptive paper, using an inquiry-based approach throughout.

Methods: The method is interdisciplinary, descriptive, and involves conceptual analysis. Rather than Hodges’ Model acting as a model of, and for care, here the model is used to investigate how health and social care can be better conceptualised. The question is: What is the result when Hodges’ Model is treated as a mathematical object? Here, Hodges’ model is used as an inquiry-based model with reflection and critique.

Results: Readers will see the development of ideas, driven by the structure of a model of care, existing taxonomy defined by nursing theory, associated with foundational mathematical concepts.

Conclusion: The questions introduced and deliberated here will identify avenues for further study. And highlight Hodges’ model to other researchers; less familiar with Hodges’ model, and yet more skilled – adept mathematically.

What does this paper contribute to the wider global clinical community?

Re-assert the importance of theory development in nursing and health disciplines.

Draw attention to the relational (and reflexive) potential of Hodges’ model and in healthcare to abstract the collective dimensions of healthcare, especially those that are political.

Given the problems faced in the century to follow, encourage researchers within and without healthcare to further develop these ideas.

Impact:

Extend the relevance and scope of mathematical abstraction, in healthcare disciplines and the humanities, beyond statistical analysis.

This paper confirms: the conceptual utility of Hodges’ model; the challenge of requisite mathematical skills; the need for interdisciplinary cooperation.

Theorists in health and social care, policy makers and researchers seeking to apply mathematical techniques, especially category theory in the social science may find this work helpful and encouraging.

Reporting Method: N/A

Patient or Public Involvement: This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct, or reporting.

Keywords: nursing, theory, relational ontology, health, Hodges’ model, mathematics

See also: Draft notes - 'Hodges' model - Locus of Care & Control?'

Hodges' model - Locus of Care & Control?

Draft notes:

There are obvious geometric features (Stewart, 1981) in Hodges’ model. Application of the model is a holistic affair. The centre of the model is its centre (as a template), but in application it is not fixed. There are several degrees of freedom, determined by the context of application. Consider figures 4a, 4b and 4c. Perhaps it can be argued there is what amounts to a care locus? As Persons (2025) notes:

‘Primary care is considered the first line of defense in health care, and it is the locus of the maintenance of both individual and population health.‘ p. 15.

 Emphasis can be placed on selected domains, as the situation dictates:

Stewart, I. (1981) Concepts of Modern Mathematics, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books.

Persons, G. A. (2025). Health Care Safety Nets: Vital Participant Roles and Varying Policy Contexts. Phylon (1960-), 62(1), 5–30. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27396595

'Nurses and Nursing's Issues' ...

1975 .. plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose .. 2025

"The question I ask myself all the time is not can we close the gaps in practice and administration, but, more importantly, can we develop a nursing system, not the profession of nursing, but a nursing system which will weave together all practitioners with what-ever skills they bring to the system" Jessie Scott, p.1854. 

 
Nurses and Nursing's Issues. The American Journal of Nursing, Vol. 75, No. 10, 75th Anniversary Issue (Oct.,1975), pp. 1848-1859. Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3423579

Now, in 2025 we can make an impression - not just on the nursing profession, but in how all the health professions work, learn and relate to each other and social care colleagues too.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessie_M._Scott

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/plus_%C3%A7a_change,_plus_c%27est_la_m%C3%AAme_chose

RCN Older People's Forum “Frailty & Falls – A holistic approach to safer mobility and reablement"

Dear Colleagues,

The Royal College of Nursing Older People's Forum is hosting an online webinar, “Frailty & Falls – A holistic approach to safer mobility and reablement,” on 12th November 2025, 12:30–14:00.

This webinar explores frailty, ageing, and falls from a multidisciplinary perspective, with speakers from occupational therapy, older-people nursing, and orthopaedic care. It’s a great opportunity to update knowledge and share good practice in fall prevention and reablement.

You can find full details and register here:
https://www.rcn.org.uk/news-and-events/events/frailty-and-falls

Kind regards,

Steph Craig
RCN OPF Chair

Apologies for short-notice. PJ

Free online mindfulness programme & ¥3800 (≈ £20) reward - research study

Dear all,

My name is Francesco Saldarini. I am a postdoctoral fellow at Waseda University (Japan) and a visiting researcher at the University of Surrey. My research focuses on investigating the (potential) effects of mind-body practices (e.g., mindfulness and martial arts) on psychology.

I am running a longitudinal intervention study investigating the effects of a digital mindfulness-based programme on a variety of health and cognitive outcomes and I would like to invite you to participate.

The study takes place entirely online and will require you to participate in two or three main experimental sessions, when you will be asked to complete a task and answer some questions. Each session will take approximately 40 minutes to complete. Moreover, you will get to participate in an online NHS-approved mindfulness-based programme! The programme is pre-recorded and you can flexibly choose when to attend a session. I will also reward you ¥3800 (≈ £20) for your participation.

This study was approved by the Waseda University research ethics committee (REF : 2024 - 314).

If you are interested in participating in the study and wish to know more about it, please contact me at:
w.iac23317 AT kurenai.waseda.jp.

Basic inclusion criteria:

- Currently feeling stressed
- Between 18 and 65 years of age
- Willing to complete a screening questionnaire
- No previous mindfulness experience
- Willing to practice mindfulness for minimum 2 hours per week for 4 weeks

Thank you,

Francesco Saldarini

My source: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=VIRTUAL-METHODS