#sustainablefashion on Instagram: A content and network analysis of user-generated posts

The social and environmental impacts of the global fashion industry face increasing scrutiny. As such, consumers and brands look towards ‘sustainable fashion’ for low-impact alternatives. Simultaneously, visual social media platforms such as Instagram have become prevalent places for fashion advertising and discourse. To investigate this under-researched area, the current study utilises visual content and social network analysis to explore how sustainable fashion is presented on Instagram, specifically: (a) what visual characteristics are present within sustainable fashion content, and (b) in what broader contexts and communities is discussion of sustainable fashion taking place? Posts included under the hashtag #sustainablefashion (N = 650) were inspected for visual characteristics, including type of clothing, presence of person, post setting, presence of nature, and post format. Most posts were photographs located indoors with no person and no nature-based elements. The hashtags used alongside #sustainablefashion were analysed with Gephi software to establish a social network and community groups of related topics. Network analysis revealed four key community groups: online-promotional, artisan-traditional, eco-ethical, and Malay-online-selling. Secondhand fashion also appeared to be the most prominent sustainable fashion alternative on Instagram. This study is one of the first to investigate the characteristics of user-generated #sustainablefashion content on Instagram. Whilst social media is a burgeoning avenue for research, existing studies primarily investigate how these platforms can be harnessed for advertising, rather than what users themselves are already posting. Implications for brands who use this platform and opportunities for future research are discussed.     

The dark side of Instagram: Predictor model of dysmorphic concerns

Background/ObjectiveDysmorphic concern are excessive preoccupation about one or several physical characteristics perceived as defects, usually unnoticeable by others. This study was intended to explore the relationship between Instagram use and dysmorphic concerns through appearance-related comparisons, ideas of reference and problems with emotion regulation, and find out whether this relationship is moderated by gender. Method: The sample was comprised of 796 participants (M_age = 22.49; SD = 3.56; 54% women). Results: The results showed a non-significant direct effect between Instagram use and dysmorphic concerns. However, the relationship between these variables was statistically significant through appearance-related comparisons, ideas of reference about “laughing, commenting” and difficulties in emotion regulation. Gender did not moderate any relationship. Conclusions: Men and women who made the most use of Instagram were equally vulnerable to dysmorphic concerns when they tended to compare their appearance with other users, had problems regulating their emotions, and showed interpretative biases related to the belief that others could make comments about them or laugh at them because of their imperfections. The implications of the study are discussed.     

Foundations of Wildlife protection attitudes

The history of ideas normally invoked by animal liberationists and their opponents cannot account for our basic wildlife protection attitudes, which actually developed out of the worldwide species‐classification project begun by Linnaeus in the eighteenth century. These attitudes, formed in terms of a pre‐evolutionary and pre‐ecological belief in fixed and immutable species, were weakened to some degree by the rise of evolutionary theory and ecological science, since evolution provides a mechanism for the replacement of extinct species and depicts extinction as natural, and ecology teaches that ecosystems naturally adjust when species are lost. Wildlife protection attitudes are preservationist in so far as they are concerned with the preservation of species and conservationist in so far as they are concerned with the lives of individual animals and populations. From all perspectives except that of animal liberation, wild animals are predominantly viewed in terms of instrumental value: as a means to the continuation of species, the maintenance of healthy ecosystems, and for various other anthropocentric purposes. These various perspectives fit together within an aesthetic conception of wildlife which is strongly Platonic. From an aesthetic standpoint, wild animals, as exemplications of various species, are more analogous to mass‐produced toys, admired for their design or structure, than the natural equivalent of original works of art admired for their own sakes.     

Instagram Use and Self-Objectification: The Roles of Internalization,Comparison, Appearance Commentary,and Feminism

The current study examined potential mediators (i.e., internalization of cultural standards of beauty, engaging in upward and downward appearance comparison, and receiving positive and negative appearance-related commentary), moderators (i.e., feminist beliefs), and moderated mediation of the links between Instagram (an electronic way to share visual images) use and self-objectification and body surveillance among 492 undergraduate women from the Southeast United States. Results revealed that internalization of cultural standards of beauty and engaging in upward appearance comparison uniquely mediated Instagram usage and self-objectification and body surveillance links. Additionally, findings from the moderation analyses indicated that the direct effect of Instagram usage on body surveillance was contingent on feminist beliefs, such that this relationship was only significant among women with lower and moderate feminist beliefs. This finding suggests that higher feminist beliefs play a buffering or protective role whereas lower feminist beliefs play an intensifying role. Implications and future directions are discussed.     

Assessing U.S. Wildlife Trafficking Patterns: How Criminology and Conservation Science Can Guide Strategies to Reduce the Illegal Wildlife Trade

Illegal wildlife trade is among the most profitable transnational crimes in the world. In the U.S. fewer than 330 agents from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services are tasked with inspecting 72 air and seaports to intercept illicit wildlife products. This paper suggests a risk assessment strategy that utilizes analytical techniques from criminology to wildlife contraband entering the U.S. Using the LEMIS database, 40,113 incidents of seized wildlife products from 2003 to 2012 were identified. Results suggest a disproportionate share of export countries, ports of entry, times and genera account for a majority of incidents. Resource allocation should be prioritized accordingly.     

Comparing Illicit Trades in Wildlife and Drugs: An Exploratory Study

This article is an exploratory study into the similarities, differences, and overlaps between the illegal wildlife trade and the illegal drug trade, using original and literature-based research from the Russian Far East and Western Europe, respectively. The purpose of such a comparison is to gain further insight into the illegal wildlife trade through the examination of the more thoroughly studied illegal drug trade. We first examine the global size of these markets and then detail and compare actors and smuggling operations found in each. This leads to a possible typology of features that the trades have in common and to discussion of the direct linkages between these two illicit markets.     

Picture Perfect: The Direct Effect of Manipulated Instagram Photos on Body Image in Adolescent Girls

This study investigates the effect of manipulated Instagram photos on adolescent girls’ body image, and whether social comparison tendency moderates this relation. A between-subject experiment was conducted in which 144 girls (14–18 years old) were randomly exposed to either original or manipulated (retouched and reshaped) Instagram selfies. Results showed that exposure to manipulated Instagram photos directly led to lower body image. Especially, girls with higher social comparison tendencies were negatively affected by exposure to the manipulated photos. Interestingly, the manipulated photos were rated more positively than the original photos. Although the use of filters and effects was detected, reshaping of the bodies was not noticed very well. Girls in both conditions reported to find the pictures realistic. Results of this study implied that the recent societal concern about the effects of manipulated photos in social media might be justified, especially for adolescent girls with a higher social comparison tendency.     

Poverty tourism and the problem of consent

Is it morally permissible for financially privileged tourists to visit places for the purpose of experiencing where poor people live, work, and play? Tourism associated with this question is commonly referred to as ‘poverty tourism’. While some poverty tourism is plausibly ethical, other practices will be more controversial. The purpose of this essay is to address mutually beneficial cases of poverty tourism and advance the following positions. First, even mutually beneficial transactions between tourists and residents in poverty tourism always run a risk of being exploitative. Second, there is little opportunity to determine whether a given tour is exploitative since tourists lack good access to the residents' perspectives. Third, if a case of poverty tourism is exploitative, it is so in an indulgent way; tourists are not compelled to exploit the residents. In light of these considerations, we conclude that would-be tourists should participate in poverty tours only if there is a well-established collaborative and consensual process in place, akin to a ‘fair trade’ process.     

Designing Post-Visit Action Resources for Families Visiting Wildlife Tourism Sites

ABSTRACT

Interpretation at zoos, aquariums, and other wildlife tourism sites is generally designed to raise visitors’ awareness and appreciation of natural resources and alert them to the impact of human activities on wildlife populations. However, there has been little investigation of what prompts visitors to adopt conservation actions, and whether reinforcing on-site messages with post-visit support can assist in this process. The aim of the present research was to firstly, design family learning materials to support and extend the learning that occurs as a result of viewing wildlife; and secondly, to ask families visiting a turtle rookery in Queensland, Australia to use the resources and report on their effectiveness. One hundred Australian families were sampled at the site; 3 months later 45 families returned questionnaires relating to the impact of the support materials on their long-term conservation knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. Components that were rated as particularly effective are presented and the importance of providing post-visit updates that connect visitors directly back to their viewing experience is discussed.     

A Typology of Market Sellers of Protected Wildlife Across Peru

This exploratory field investigation describes five categories of sellers (casual, transient, opportunistic, hidden, and professional) who commercialize protected wildlife out of open-air markets across Peru. These categories were created through an analysis of interviews with wildlife market sellers (N = 15), observations across 13 open-air markets where protected wildlife are sold, and interviews with persons involved in wildlife trade processes (N = 45). The market sellers’ accounts highlight the changes of Peru’s informal wildlife trade and help to contextualize the social, cultural, and economic realities connected to this commerce. Market sellers describe nuanced motivations behind their involvement in the wildlife trade that go beyond economic gains.     

Camouflage-Collar Crime: An Examination of Wildlife Crime and Characteristics of Offenders in Florida

Fish and wildlife crime is an understudied area of criminology and criminal justice and when it is the focus of research, studies tend to be characterized by small samples and a lack of multivariate analyses. This study examines the nature and extent of cited fish and wildlife offenses and characteristics of offenders through quantitative analysis of 15,657 incidents of cited fish and wildlife offenses in Florida. The results indicate that a viable typology of wildlife crime is emergent and that there are important racial and ethnic differences across types of wildlife offenses.     

道教生命伦理学说及其对现代旅游的启示

本文从道家、道教的生命伦理学说出发论述了道家、道教文化资源对创建有中国特色的现代旅游文化的启示。提出道家、道教文化能够为现代旅游文化经济的发展提供一种理性睿智的思维方式和经营管理理论。     

The Role of Reputation in the Illegal Purchase of Protected Wildlife in China

Why would a consumer trust that his/her supplier would honor their agreement in illegal transactions? What mechanisms do consumers rely on to enhance the credibility of their agreements? In this article, these questions are examined in the light of illegal transactions of protected wildlife in China for consumption as a delicacy. Based on interviews with actors involved in this illegal market and open sources, this article shows that consumers rely on the supplier’s reputation to access protected wildlife, along with their reputation of having the culinary skills necessary to cook the wildlife in order to enhance the credibility of their agreements.     

Using an Ecological Ethics Framework to Make Decisions about the Relocation of Wildlife

Relocation is an increasingly prominent conservation tool for a variety of wildlife, but the technique also is controversial, even among conservation practitioners. An organized framework for addressing the moral dilemmas often accompanying conservation actions such as relocation has been lacking. Ecological ethics may provide such a framework and appears to be an important step forward in aiding ecological researchers and biodiversity managers to make difficult moral choices. A specific application of this framework can make the reasoning process more transparent and give more emphasis to the strong sentiments about non-human organisms held by many potential users. Providing an example of the application of the framework may also increase the appeal of the reasoning process to ecological researchers and biodiversity managers. Relocation as a conservation action can be accompanied by a variety of moral dilemmas that reflect the interconnection of values, ethical positions, and conservation decisions. A model that is designed to address moral dilemmas arising from relocation of humans provides/demonstrates/illustrates a possible way to apply the ecological ethics framework and to involve practicing conservationists in the overall decision-making process.     

Self‐concept: a tourism application

Although well accepted by consumer behaviourists in general, self‐concept has received relatively little attention from tourism researchers. This is despite the potential it would appear to offer in terms of enabling an enhanced understanding of how tourists feel and what they seek from the tourism experience. The application of a model of self‐concept in this study suggests self‐concept may provide an alternative segmentation base, giving insights into how people perceive themselves in the tourist role and their consequent behaviour. Copyright © 2001 Henry Stewart Publications.     

对西部地区发展宗教旅游的思考

宗教旅游是市场规模大、需求稳定的优质旅游客源市场,西部地区拥有发展宗教旅游的良好基础.但是,从整体来看,西部地区宗教旅游业不仅竞争优势缺乏,而且比较优势并不明显.因此,应该从比较优势与竞争优势的关系出发,大力提升西部地区宗教旅游业的竞争优势.