Groundwater science has a well-known relationship with social issues when dealing with risk assessment, yet there is a lack of case studies on the topic. Here, we present reflections for dealing with two ethical challenges: (i) the access and use of public domain monitoring data and (ii) the dissemination of scientific research data and its controversial character. The case study is a long-term collaborative research project aiming to bridge the social and natural sciences to tackle ethical questions and their implications for technical reporting and scientific production in a highly contaminated area situated in Portugal. The method included comprehensive interviews with hydrogeologists within the common project, the consulting of documents and the collaborative analysis of situations in online meetings between sociologists and hydrogeologists. The interviews and formal discussions were recorded, transcribed and analysed. In the two cases related to groundwater assessment in contaminated areas we found that researchers refer to emotions and moral dilemmas when they come into regular contact with social actors. Results also show that a different kind of knowledge is produced in these cases and point to three types of researchers’ positionality. The significance of this paper is to encourage reflection and action on ethical issues in the scientific community and specifically in geoethics. Bringing researchers together to share their practice will help to disentangle some of the negative emotions and moral dilemmas of scientific practice and increase the attention researchers pay to other people’s points of view and interests so as to improve the robustness of scientific data.

Protection against labour discrimination on the grounds of disability is guaranteed by the Portuguese legal system. People with disabilities have a diverse range of abilities, so measures to reasonably adapt the workplace play a fundamental role in the maintenance of the labour relationship and the struggle against discrimination. Starting from the problematisation of the dynamic concept of disability, this article reports on the results of two exploratory studies (questionnaires and interviews) carried out in 2022 among disabled people with work experience. The studies focused on the provision of reasonable accommodation measures in their workplace, with a view to understanding the adequacy of the legal solutions offered by current labour legislation, as well as the knowledge and recognition of the rights in question by its holders.

BackgroundIn 2009, Portugal ratified the UN CRPD and a turn to a rights-based approach in disability law and policy has intensified since. It thus becomes important to understand whether these legal changes are furthering the social inclusion of adults with intellectual and complex disabilities. MethodQuestionnaires were applied to a stratified sample of 127 adults with intellectual and complex disabilities attending social care and vocational training programmes across the country. ResultsParticipants reported low rates of social participation, and many (49%) were found to live below the poverty line. High rates of discrimination and violence and feelings of loneliness and sadness were also reported, which can be strong indicators of the oppression that many of them daily endure. ConclusionAdults with intellectual and complex disabilities in Portugal face exclusion, discrimination, and violence. The poverty and isolation in which many of them live compounds their (de)citizenship status in Portuguese society.

Visual communication is widely and commonly used in environmental impact assessment (EIA) practice by all stakeholders. It includes maps, photographs, tables, info-graphics and other images used in environmental impact statements, as well as videos and graphics in online materials or in face-to-face consultation sessions (e.g., posters and PowerPoint presentations). The purpose of this research was to understand the practice of visual communication in EIA, focusing upon the perceptions and experiences of stakeholders. Surveys were conducted with international EIA practitioners along with observations of consultation sessions for three EIA projects in Portugal and interviews with proponents, regulators and members of the public involved. Specific focus was on (i) understanding stakeholder perspectives on the advantages and disadvantages of visual communication in EIA; (ii) proponent perceptions about the creation and use of visual communication; and (iii) public perceptions regarding their understanding and experience of visual communication as recipients of this material during public engagement in EIA. The mode and content of presentation, visual literacy of stakeholders and technical arrangements interact to determine the efficacy of visual communication. All stakeholders expected visual communication to be employed in EIA, but proponents and public were found to have low visual literacy. Proponents had pre-conceived notions for visual communication, without considering the needs of their audience, resulting in complex content being delivered inappropriately – too fast, without opportunity for reflection and dialogue. Frustrated public recipients tended to distrust proponents and be opposed to their projects, an unintended emotional response arising from cognition challenges with visual communication, combined with insufficient time for explanation, interpretation, and dialogue. This paper seeks to trigger reflection by practitioners and researchers on how and by whom visual communication in EIA should be designed, and what inhibits their comprehension and understanding. Considering visual literacy levels of EIA stakeholdersand tailoring the mode and style of delivery accordingly is critical for effective visual communication.

The eGROUNDWATER project aims to improve sustainable, participatory groundwater management in the Mediterranean region by developing and testing Enhanced Information Systems (EIS) that integrate citizen science and information and communication technology (ICT) tools. A key component of the EIS is a mobile app that will allow farmers and other groundwater users to report groundwater levels in their wells and the amount of water used for irrigation and other purposes. At the same time, the app will provide users with information about the state of the aquifer and recommendations for sustainable water use (for example, short-term and seasonal predictions of irrigation water needs).The eGROUNDWATER app has the potential to be a valuable tool for improving the sustainable use and management of aquifers in the Mediterranean region. By gathering real-time data from a wide range of users, the app will help to create a more complete and accurate picture of groundwater conditions and usage. Policymakers and resource managers can use this information to make informed decisions about the allocation and use of water resources. It can also help to identify potential problems and areas where conservation efforts may be needed.The development of an app that meets the needs of the users required first to understand their perspectives and experiences related to the groundwater body. eGROUNDWATER has organized interviews and meetings in each case study to characterize the vision of the different agents on the groundwater bodies, and to try to build a collective framing of the current groundwater status and use in the area. On these meetings, the users identified lack of information about the aquifer as a critical issue to solve in order to advance towards a sustainable management of the resource.In addition to providing valuable data and information, the eGROUNDWATER app has the potential to engage and educate farmers and other users about the importance of sustainable water management. The app can foster a sense of ownership and responsibility for the aquifer's health among users, as it offers personalized feedback and information about the use of water and the aquifer’s health. This, in turn, could lead to more responsible water use practices and help to preserve groundwater resources for the long-term.The eGROUNDWATER project and its accompanying mobile app offer a promising approach to improving the sustainable use and management of aquifers in the Mediterranean region. The engagement of stakeholders in the development process and the collection and sharing of useful data and information through the app can help promoting education and awareness about water resource management. These efforts can help to foster a greater understanding of the importance of these resources and encourage more sustainable use of aquifers in the region, significantly contributing to the long-term sustainability of Mediterranean aquifers.Acknowledgements:This study has received funding from the eGROUNDWATER project (GA n. 1921) a project from the PRIMA programme, supported by Horizon 2020, the European Union's Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

This text explores the meaning of the expression “mined future,” which has been used by local populations who oppose lithium production in Northern Portugal. We argue that the expression encapsulates the existence of a conflict for the “ownership” of future, unfolding a battle of visions of the future between local populations and governments. The local population sees the exploitation of lithium as a takeover of future. In contrast, the governments justify the project by promising a sociotechnical future in convergence with European green energy rhetoric. This article follows a grounded theory approach. It relies on information collected about the lithium exploration in Portugal, mainly through journalistic pieces and opinion articles disseminated between 2019 and 2020. In particular, the paper proposes that political action that involves large sociotechnical ventures with the potential of contamination needs to consider the local collective perceptions of the future.

This paper looks at three contaminated communities in southern Europe facing pollution from industrial and mining activity and analyses forms of avoidance behaviour, using both economic and sociological approaches.Based on a quantitative household survey, we show that avoidance behaviour is mainly explained by residential location and socio-economic characteristics.Pollution perception is not statistically correlated to most avoidance behaviour.From in-depth qualitative interviews we learn more about people's risk perception and whether and why people adopt avoidance behaviour, including discovering some inventive solutions.To conclude, our results cast doubt on the efficacy of current public advisory communications.

O presente estudo retrata aspectos ambientais, sociais, econômicos e políticos propagados na praia de Pipa, pertencente ao município de Tibau do Sul, estado do Rio Grande do Norte. Portanto, o objetivo geral da pesquisa é "Verificar a aplicabilidade dos princípios de governança de Ostrom como mecanismo de análise do contexto turístico em Pipa, a fim de superar os obstáculos atuais, em favor da cooperação voltada à preservação do uso. comum". Para viabilizar os resultados do objetivo anterior, o referencial teórico-metodológico de Ostrom (1990, 2007 e 2009) possui diretrizes a serem investigadas, com auxílio de visitas in loco (2014 a 2018), observação participante, análise de documentos e entrevistas semi-estruturado Acredita-se que o autogestão dos ativos naturais, liderado pela comunidade local, possa ser apontado como uma estratégia capaz de propor um desenvolvimento turístico mais equilibrado de sistemas e unidades de recursos comuns. A população da praia da Pipa pode deixar um grupo de atores com objetivos comuns, enfatizando a necessidade de manter sistemas de recursos como a praia, a lagoa, a floresta e as falésias.

Neste texto as autoras analisam a relevância dos trabalhos de grupo para o ensino da Sociologia, identificando alguns dos desafios que esta metodologia de ensino e aprendizagem impõem. O texto apoia-se na revisão da literatura, pesquisa documental e análise de resultados de um questionário respondido por estudantes que frequentam unidades curriculares de Sociologia. Os resultados indicam que os trabalhos de grupo são perspetivados pelos e pelas estudantes como uma metodologia relevante, com elevado potencial para a aquisição e o treino de competências. Todavia, indicam também, a necessidade de serem profundamente repensados no contexto dos objetivos de cada unidade curricular e plano de estudos.

The need to rethink the role of groundwater science in risk assessment and society results of a joint reflection between a sociologist and a hydrogeologist and arises from a research collaboration in a long-term highly contaminated area. The objective is to bridge social and natural sciences in the reflection of ethical questions and their implications for technical reporting, scientific production and societal impacts. The authors aim to understand the various social, economic and political components of long-term hydrogeological investigations and to test the application of ethnographic methodology in ethical issues. The investigation addresses three experiences that pose ethical challenges: the access and use of public domain monitoring data; the dissemination of scientific research data and its controversial character; and the lessons and necessary connections between scientific results, policy regulation and the design of water governance programs. Ethical issues should be addressed by the scientific community as are technical results discussed and scrutinized in conferences and scientific papers. In the framework of hydrogeological investigations in contaminated areas, ethics should help scientists to move from the present situation (based on science) to what should be in the future (based on environmental, human health and societal protection goals).

Teamwork in teaching Sociology: practices, discourses and tensions In this text, the authors analyse the relevance of team-based work in teaching and learning Sociology, identifying some of the challenges brought about by this methodology

Local organizations and communities mobilized in different ways against pollution in the Alviela River: not just denouncing pollution, they also proposed ways of ameliorating it, and acted and protested to make them possible. The “Anti-Pollution Commission of Alviela,” created in 1957, was one of the first public forums for discussion and action on pollution in Portugal. Later, in 2009, the Commission for the Defense of Alviela River brought together 40 entities (riverside municipalities and parishes, parliament deputies and NGOs) with the aim of deciding on and implementing actions.

O artigo traz o caso de um destino consolidado de turismo costeiro no Brasil, a praia da Pipa - localizada em Tibau do Sul, estado do Rio Grande do Norte. Tem-se como objetivo principal “resgatar historicamente o processo de desenvolvimento turistico em Pipa”. O estudo de carater qualitativo faz uma revisao literaria, com respaldo de pesquisas em fontes secundarias e primarias, com visitas in loco que possibilitaram observacao nao participante e oportunidade de maior contato com a realidade local. Assim, foi possivel construir um grafico com a transicao de quatro importantes fases do desenvolvimento de Pipa para entendimento da trajetoria turistica, sendo constatado que o povoado passou de vila de pescadores a destino consolidado em virtude da exploracao do turismo costeiro. Com a compreensao das fases, fica evidente uma serie de reflexos provenientes da inexistencia de planejamento, envolvendo desde exclusao dos nativos de suas moradias, apropriacoes em areas irregulares e reordenamento do uso do solo, com danos para o meio ambiente, colocando em risco a propria manutencao da atividade turistica.

As the need to address climate change is ever more urgent, many have emphasised the importance of community-level responses. The Transition movement has advanced community-based action to increase resilience for over a decade and has expanded significantly. Thus, it is a critical setting for examining community engagement towards climate change in practice. Our study is based on 39 interviews with facilitators of Transition initiatives in Portugal, coupled with observational data, and is guided by two main research questions: how do Transition initiatives promote community engagement at the local level? What are the factors constraining or facilitating community engagement within Portuguese Transition initiatives? We identify several aspects of Transition's constructions of community resilience and engagement that indicate ambivalence towards, or avoidance of, certain issues. They relate do agency, structure, power and inclusion, as well as to the modes of engagement and the communication practices of Transition initiatives. We argue that strategies for community engagement should be specific to social contexts rather than internationally uniform and be based on participatory approaches. Drawing on an extensive empirical analysis, the article contributes to theory building on the Transition movement beyond the Anglo-Saxon context and to the wider field of community-based environment initiatives.