Social Sciences

37 pages, 1651 KB

Open AccessArticle

Transnational Families and Welfare Corridors in Central and Eastern Europe: Migration, Family Decommodification Potential and Welfare Policy

by Ciprian Bădescu, Cristina Gavriluță and Maria Mitrică

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 567; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080567 - 21 Aug 2026

Viewed by 391

Abstract

Comparative welfare research studies social protection within national regimes and asks how responsibility is shared between the state, the market and the family. That perspective captures only part of transnational family life. Families living across borders need to bring together income, care and [...] Read more.

Comparative welfare research studies social protection within national regimes and asks how responsibility is shared between the state, the market and the family. That perspective captures only part of transnational family life. Families living across borders need to bring together income, care and practical knowledge while also dealing with different legal and institutional settings. This study develops two connected ideas—social corridors of migration and family decommodification potential—and examines them through an integrative synthesis of research with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Greater security for one person may rest on another person’s action in the form of either unpaid care or continuing labour-market dependence. Family decommodification potential is therefore regarded as both conditional and sensitive to how benefits and costs are distributed within the family. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Comparative Welfare Study)

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14 pages, 450 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Urban Middle-Income Squeeze in Malaysia: A Conceptual Framework of Financial Strain, Behavioural Adaptation and Perceived Inequality

by Ilya Irwan Sanei and Noor Shahaliza Othman

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 566; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080566 - 21 Aug 2026

Viewed by 406

Abstract

The financial well-being of urban middle-income households in developing economies is an urgent yet theoretically underexplored issue. In Malaysia, the Middle 40 percent (M40) group faces a middle-income squeeze, where wage growth has failed to keep pace with rising urban costs, leaving them [...] Read more.

The financial well-being of urban middle-income households in developing economies is an urgent yet theoretically underexplored issue. In Malaysia, the Middle 40 percent (M40) group faces a middle-income squeeze, where wage growth has failed to keep pace with rising urban costs, leaving them ineligible for means-tested aid but lacking the financial resilience of higher income-earners. Existing research largely links financial vulnerability to absolute poverty among the Bottom 40 percent (B40), treating financial strain, financial behaviour, and perceived inequality as separate factors. This leaves the M40’s financial erosion conceptually disjointed and untested as a cohesive system. This paper fills that gap by proposing an integrated framework positioning financial well-being as shaped by strain and perceived inequality, with financial behaviour as a mediator and household size as a moderator. It draws on the Family Economic Stress Model, Relative Deprivation Theory, and the Life Cycle Hypothesis to explain how economic pressure, social comparison, and life-stage disruptions interact. By synthesising these three theoretical lenses the framework repositions financial well-being, rather than income or poverty status alone, as the central outcome of interest for Malaysia’s structurally underserved urban middle class, and offers a theoretically grounded and testable basis for future empirical validation and policy design. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Communication, Language, Education and Society in a Digital Age: Emerging Interdisciplinary Perspectives from DIFCON-CLESS 2026)

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18 pages, 723 KB

Open AccessArticle

Who Teaches Digital Citizenship? Private Actors, Educational Resources and Individualising Discourses

by Marta Estellés, Andrew Doyle and Zara Fraser

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 565; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080565 - 20 Aug 2026

Viewed by 341

Abstract

Over the last few decades, private organisations involved in the development of educational resources for digital citizenship have proliferated: from Google to Disney, from MediaSmarts to Common Sense. There has been, however, little interrogation (and therefore, investigation) of the underlying discourses of digital [...] Read more.

Over the last few decades, private organisations involved in the development of educational resources for digital citizenship have proliferated: from Google to Disney, from MediaSmarts to Common Sense. There has been, however, little interrogation (and therefore, investigation) of the underlying discourses of digital citizenship education that these organisations seek to transmit. In this article, we analyse the discourses of digital citizenship education from teaching resources developed by multiple global actors, including Big Tech, philanthropies, international organisations and professional’ associations. The analysis draws on our previous analytical framework of digital citizenship education that distinguishes between safeguarding, equipping, empowering and resisting educational approaches. The study shows the dominance of equipping approaches that emphasise the role of individual behaviour in the development of safer and more democratic online spaces and have little discussion or criticality with the role of governments and Big Tech in the promotion of such spaces. This approach is partially explained by the key role played by Big Tech in the funding and/or design of these resources. The article concludes with a call for critical teachers and educational scholars to challenge these discourses and to take inspiration from the few resources found that embrace empowering and resisting approaches. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Civic Education in the Digital Age)

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18 pages, 378 KB

Open AccessArticle

Are Chinese Families “Flexible”? Family Strategies, Post-Patriarchy and the Enigma of Individual Ethics in 21st Century PRC

by Jean-Baptiste Pettier

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 564; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080564 - 20 Aug 2026

Viewed by 341

Abstract

Recent years have seen renewed, at times seemingly contradictory, trends in socio-anthropological studies of Chinese urban families, in which the places of the individual, filial piety, and patriarchy have remained theoretically unsettled. These transformations have renewed the conversation around the early anthropological studies [...] Read more.

Recent years have seen renewed, at times seemingly contradictory, trends in socio-anthropological studies of Chinese urban families, in which the places of the individual, filial piety, and patriarchy have remained theoretically unsettled. These transformations have renewed the conversation around the early anthropological studies that made Chinese society a cornerstone of kinship and social theories. Taking the form of a critical essay, this text engages in depth with the recent literature on the transformation of families—read alongside brief fieldwork revisits carried out in Chengdu and Guangzhou in 2024—and questions the tendency to set a prototypical Chinese family against a so-called Western model. Three trends are examined: the first is the flexibilization of family models; the second is the renewal, reinvention, or reversion of earlier “patriarchy”; and the third is an affective transformation of earlier “filial piety” with the appearance of a puzzling “intergenerational integration of personhood” associated with a return of “familism,” paradoxically happening in parallel with a rise of “individualization.” Situating these trends within the political conditions that allow increased individual autonomy to coexist with the renewed family influence over their members’ fates, the article advances three arguments: that “Chineseness” here designates a political and economic situation rather than a cultural given; that what has been called “altruistic individualism” is better understood as a pragmatic familism, familism and individualism serving as alternative solutions to the same practical problems; and that, extending Foucault’s account of the individual as a political technology, the family itself can be read as a form shaped by state objectives. Kinship here appears to be as much politically bonded as culturally defined. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intimate Relationships in Diverse Social and Cultural Contexts)

70 pages, 111130 KB

Open AccessArticle

Caught Between Slavery and Precarity in the Agricultural Sector: South Asian Migrant Farm Laborers’ Working Conditions, Health, and Quality of Life in Nea Manolada, Greece

by Theodoros Fouskas

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 563; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080563 - 20 Aug 2026

Viewed by 521

Abstract

The agricultural sector in Greece heavily relies on migrant workers, particularly from South Asian countries, such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. Research has shown that these workers face numerous challenges, including unsanitary living conditions, exposure to hazardous working conditions, harmful chemicals, a lack [...] Read more.

The agricultural sector in Greece heavily relies on migrant workers, particularly from South Asian countries, such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. Research has shown that these workers face numerous challenges, including unsanitary living conditions, exposure to hazardous working conditions, harmful chemicals, a lack of safety equipment, accidents, abuse, violence, and exploitative conduct from employers. Drawing on 45 in-depth interviews, this article analyzes the experiences of Bangladeshi migrant farmworkers employed as strawberry pickers in Nea Manolada, Greece. This study specifically examines how precarious and harsh working conditions in the agricultural sector affect the health, quality of life, and social integration of these unskilled workers. Evidence from the empirical sample reveals that Bangladeshi workers experience hazardous working environments, a lack of labor rights and contracts, chronic job insecurity, and exposure to harmful chemicals and are particularly vulnerable to injury, exploitation, and poverty due to the ethnic–racial division of labor, legal uncertainty, threats of deportation, overcrowded and unsanitary housing, poor nutrition, persistent job insecurity, health risks, and limited access to healthcare. These challenges and inequalities, both in employment and health, are seen as situations akin to modern slavery. This study underscores the urgent need for legislative, labor, and public health interventions to address the specific conditions faced by Bangladeshi migrant workers in the agricultural sector. While this research provides an in-depth insight into this group, it also acknowledges limitations regarding gender, sector, and wider representativeness. The results contribute to a nuanced understanding of the intersection between legal status, the ethnic–racial division of labor, working conditions, health, and quality of life among South Asian migrant agricultural workers in Southern Europe. Full article

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23 pages, 429 KB

Open AccessArticle

Local Integration as a Pathway to Sustainable Livelihoods: Attractions and Dilemmas of Home-Brewed Alcohol Production Among Refugees and Host Communities in Rural Bidibidi in Uganda

by Godfrey Makoha

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 562; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080562 - 20 Aug 2026

Viewed by 265

Abstract

Uganda hosts one of the largest refugee populations in Africa, with South Sudanese refugees forming the majority. Uganda’s progressive approach to refugee protection is recognized globally as a model for economic inclusion, integration, and self-reliance. Notwithstanding global praise, empirical evidence indicates an increasingly [...] Read more.

Uganda hosts one of the largest refugee populations in Africa, with South Sudanese refugees forming the majority. Uganda’s progressive approach to refugee protection is recognized globally as a model for economic inclusion, integration, and self-reliance. Notwithstanding global praise, empirical evidence indicates an increasingly challenging situation for refugees’ socio-economic well-being and the difficulties this poses for pursuing sustainable lives. With limited access to agricultural land, limited formal employment opportunities, and rising budget cuts, refugees in rural settlements are often compelled to diversify their livelihoods and enter the informal economy, where home-brewed alcohol production is a visible strategy. Drawing on eight months of ethnographic fieldwork in Bidibidi from January 2025 to August 2025, this paper explores the attractions and dilemmas of home-brewed alcohol production and sale as a rural livelihood from the perspectives of South Sudanese refugees and host communities in Bidibidi. This paper advances a debate on the under-researched prospects of refugee integration and inclusion through rural livelihoods. These findings suggest areas where Uganda’s current refugee settlement agenda and alcohol policies may benefit from reconsideration. In addition, this paper highlights gaps in refugee and host community involvement in policy making and proposes ways to better address their livelihood needs for socio-economic inclusion and local integration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inclusion and Integration Issues Among Forced and Voluntary Migrants in Social Work)

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19 pages, 454 KB

Open AccessArticle

Equitable Access to Curriculum Content and Pedagogical Strategies for Academic Success in Rural Public Schools in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

by Anathi Koko and Fhulu H. Nekhwevha

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 561; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080561 - 19 Aug 2026

Viewed by 281

Abstract

Despite persistent inequalities and severe resource constraints in South Africa’s education system, some rural public schools continue to achieve strong academic results. This study investigates how curriculum accessibility and pedagogical strategies influence academic performance in public senior secondary schools in the Amathole West [...] Read more.

Despite persistent inequalities and severe resource constraints in South Africa’s education system, some rural public schools continue to achieve strong academic results. This study investigates how curriculum accessibility and pedagogical strategies influence academic performance in public senior secondary schools in the Amathole West Education District in the Eastern Cape Province. Drawing on Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, the study examines how teachers negotiate structural inequalities through adaptive pedagogical practices. A qualitative research design was used that involved in-depth interviews with teachers, principals, and education officials. The findings reveal that collaborative learning, scaffolding, inquiry-based teaching, and informal resource sharing practices play a critical role in sustaining academic success in resource-constrained contexts. The study argues that teacher agency and community participation function as important mechanisms that mitigate structural inequalities in rural schooling. The paper contributes to debates on educational inequality and sustainable development by demonstrating how localized pedagogical strategies can support academic success in marginalized schooling environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Achieving Sustainability through Educational Advances: Deep Dives into Social, Economic, and Environmental Perspectives)

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22 pages, 464 KB

Open AccessReview

A Comparison of the Italian and Chinese Health Care Systems: Policy, Convergence, and the Need for Reform

by Filippo Gibelli, Giovanna Ricci, Giulio Nittari, Alberto Blandino, Jingyi Liu, Tommaso Spasari and Paolo Bailo

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 560; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080560 - 19 Aug 2026

Viewed by 498

Abstract

Health systems are fundamental to ensuring the right to health and maintaining the stability of welfare states. In this broad framework, this narrative review takes a look at Italy and China—two countries with very different historical backgrounds and institutional paths—as they deal with [...] Read more.

Health systems are fundamental to ensuring the right to health and maintaining the stability of welfare states. In this broad framework, this narrative review takes a look at Italy and China—two countries with very different historical backgrounds and institutional paths—as they deal with challenges like demographic aging, increasing chronic illnesses, and ongoing disparities in access to care. This paper aims to examine the most relevant peer-reviewed studies, as well as current legal and policy documents, in order to outline a comparative overview of the approaches to financing, coverage, and service provision in Italy and China, two very different countries. The Italian National Health Service, financed through general taxation and designed to be universal, aims to ensure equitable access to healthcare while having to contend with significant regional differences and financial difficulties. On the other hand, China, which operates with a mixed model, has rapidly expanded its insurance coverage using a variety of schemes and embracing technological advances, which has enabled large-scale access to healthcare, although considerable differences remain between urban and rural areas and provinces. When compared, each system shows particular strengths: Italy’s local care networks and focus on continuous services offer a model for inclusive welfare, while China’s use of digital tools demonstrates how innovation might help overcome obstacles in settings with limited resources and maintain continuity of care. There is a noticeable overlap in how both countries handle chronic diseases and their shared concern for equity in health policy. Considering these points, mixed approaches that combine universal coverage, financial viability, and flexible use of technology could provide useful ideas for crafting more fair, effective, and resilient health policies in various settings. Rather than proposing direct policy transfer, the comparison identifies context-dependent strategies that may inform future healthcare reforms. Full article

12 pages, 244 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Study of the Cash Allowance Schemes for Family Caregivers in Hong Kong and Macao

by Vincent W. P. Lee, Xin Guan and Shaofen Ding

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 559; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080559 - 19 Aug 2026

Viewed by 695

Abstract

Against the backdrop of rapid population ageing, Hong Kong and Macao, the two special administrative regions of China, have introduced cash allowance schemes to support family caregivers of older adults. These policies recognise the immense pressure on informal caregivers. This paper presents a [...] Read more.

Against the backdrop of rapid population ageing, Hong Kong and Macao, the two special administrative regions of China, have introduced cash allowance schemes to support family caregivers of older adults. These policies recognise the immense pressure on informal caregivers. This paper presents a comparative analysis of the caregiver allowance schemes, examining their target groups, eligibility criteria, benefit adequacy, and governance issues. We offer a mechanism-based account: delivery architecture yields Hong Kong’s conditional, tiered model and Macao’s simple, household-anchored scheme, highlighting trade-offs between strict targeting and broader but flat, co-residency-tied support. This comparison shows that although both regions formally recognise the value of family caregiving through financial subsidies, significant policy limitations undermine the schemes’ effectiveness. Without relaxing restrictive eligibility criteria, reviewing the adequacy of benefits, the co-residency requirement, and holistic support for caregivers, these allowances will remain a limited solution to the escalating caregiver crisis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Family Studies)

27 pages, 2467 KB

Open AccessArticle

Cognitive and Structural Pathways to Preventive Health Behaviours in the Digital Era: A Case of Sierra Leone

by Umaru Jabbie, Seah Shuo and Li Kankan

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 558; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080558 - 18 Aug 2026

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Abstract

Purpose: Despite the increasing use of digital platforms during health emergencies, little is known about the cognitive and structural mechanisms through which social media quality information influences preventive healthcare behaviour, particularly in low-resource settings. Drawing on the integration of the Protection Motivation [...] Read more.

Purpose: Despite the increasing use of digital platforms during health emergencies, little is known about the cognitive and structural mechanisms through which social media quality information influences preventive healthcare behaviour, particularly in low-resource settings. Drawing on the integration of the Protection Motivation Theory and Andersen’s Behavioural Model, this study examines how social media quality information shapes preventive healthcare behaviour in Sierra Leone by investigating the mediating role of risk perception and the moderating role of psychological resilience. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional survey approach was adopted, and data were collected from social media users in Sierra Leone, Africa, and analysed using IBM SPSS 25 and SmartPLS 4.1 to evaluate the measurement and structural models. Results: The findings disclose that SMQI significantly influences preventive behaviour both directly and indirectly via RP. Furthermore, RES positively and significantly moderates the relationship between risk perception and preventive healthcare behaviour, acting as a catalyst for action, while access to preventive resources (AcPR) serves as a critical enabling factor. Implications: This study advances health behaviour theory by integrating cognitive, psychological, and structural determinants into a cohesive model and establishes resilience as a vital boundary condition for effective crisis response. The findings offer actionable insights for policymakers and health communicators to design high-quality social media interventions that not only inform citizens but also foster the psychological resilience necessary for sustained health compliance. Full article

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17 pages, 981 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Evolution of the Fight Against Disinformation by European Public Broadcasters of the CIRCOM Network: A Comparative Perspective from 2023 to 2024

by José Rúas-Araújo, Julia Fontenla-Pedreira and Uxía Seijas-Vidal

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 557; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080557 - 18 Aug 2026

Viewed by 283

Abstract

The fight against disinformation has become a major issue within the European context and, therefore, also affects public media. This research analyzes the evolution, over the years 2023 and 2024, of the perceptions held by the European regional public broadcasters that make up [...] Read more.

The fight against disinformation has become a major issue within the European context and, therefore, also affects public media. This research analyzes the evolution, over the years 2023 and 2024, of the perceptions held by the European regional public broadcasters that make up the CIRCOM network, as they pertain to this struggle. To this end, a total of 28 interviews were conducted, including with the heads of 21 broadcasters from 16 countries, with the aim of observing the possible similarities and differences between different geographical areas (northern, southern, eastern and western Europe), including by comparing with the Spanish regional broadcasters and by determining the main needs and challenges in this regard. It is evident that the fight against disinformation is a very important issue for 80% of those interviewed. Roughly three-quarters of networks combine human and digital resources in their verification processes, though only about one in five has a dedicated fact-checking department. Among the main challenges is the need to strengthen audiences’ media literacy, to incorporate specialized professional profiles in combating disinformation, and to understand new technological tools that may be involved in disinformation, such as AI-generated image manipulation. It is essential that regional public television stations consolidate their position throughout Europe as a benchmark in the production of truthful information and in the development of joint strategies to strengthen verification and media literacy. Although differences between the media systems reflect their distinct institutional structures, the disparities in counter-disinformation resources warrant collective attention. Full article

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20 pages, 280 KB

Open AccessProject Report

We Are Not Lazy! Employment and Racialized Immigrants in Edmonton, Alberta

by Hellen Gateri, Jennifer Long, Doriane Intungane and Rita Dhungel

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 556; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080556 - 18 Aug 2026

Viewed by 249

Abstract

Canada’s labour force has depended on immigrant populations to drive economic growth and workforce development. However, racialized immigrants face significant barriers in securing employment that aligns with their foreign education, training, and work experience. This qualitative study utilized seven focus group interviews with [...] Read more.

Canada’s labour force has depended on immigrant populations to drive economic growth and workforce development. However, racialized immigrants face significant barriers in securing employment that aligns with their foreign education, training, and work experience. This qualitative study utilized seven focus group interviews with 44 racialized immigrants to explore their experiences in job searching, employment retention, and career advancement in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The findings revealed five main themes: (a) lack of recognition for foreign credentials; (b) absence of Canadian work experience and survival jobs; (c) language and accent barriers; (d) childcare and motherhood; and (e) Islamophobia. This study offers a comprehensive understanding of systemic discrimination and gender-related obstacles encountered by racialized immigrants, which hinder their integration into the labour market. It underscores the need to revisit immigration policies to better align with labour market realities and address these inequalities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section International Migration)

37 pages, 6150 KB

Open AccessArticle

Consumption of Coffee, Tobacco, Opium, and Alcohol in Ottoman Society Through the Eyes of Western Travelers

by Mert Ağaoğlu and Görkem Işık

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 555; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080555 - 17 Aug 2026

Viewed by 354

Abstract

Drawing on phenomenological observations from an extensive corpus of 68 Western travelogs and memoirs, this study analyzes the Ottoman urban and social fabric from the 15th to the early 20th century through the lens of stimulants and intoxicants. It examines how coffee and [...] Read more.

Drawing on phenomenological observations from an extensive corpus of 68 Western travelogs and memoirs, this study analyzes the Ottoman urban and social fabric from the 15th to the early 20th century through the lens of stimulants and intoxicants. It examines how coffee and tobacco, entering the empire as cultural commodities in the 16th century, transitioned from theological objections to socio-legal legitimacy, fostering the emergence of coffeehouses as dynamic “third spaces” that reproduced social hierarchies. Concurrently, the consumption of alcohol and opium—evaluated from a jurisprudential perspective due to their intoxicating effects—is shown navigating a paradoxical relationship between official prohibitions and civil reality. Rather than replicating the Orientalist imagination that frequently encoded Eastern pleasure rituals through an ontology of inertia and indolence, this paper repositions these practices as constitutive elements of social dynamism, urban identity, and spatial memory. Ultimately, by deciphering the historical dichotomy between constructed Western discourse and the heterogeneous, everyday reality of the empire, this study offers a holistic perspective on Ottoman material culture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Community and Urban Sociology)

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38 pages, 7005 KB

Open AccessArticle

Emergent Cooperation in Socio-Ecological Systems Under Resource Scarcity: An Agent-Based Analysis of Sustainability

by Angela Isabel Giraldo-Suárez, Yenith Cristina Ortiz-González and José Ignacio García-Valdecasas

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 554; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080554 - 17 Aug 2026

Viewed by 318

Abstract

A growing demand for resources that exceeds the capacity of the biophysical system to regenerate puts environmental resources under stress, and society faces uncertainties about their scarcity and climate change. In this context, understanding how interactions among environmental, social, and economic systems shape [...] Read more.

A growing demand for resources that exceeds the capacity of the biophysical system to regenerate puts environmental resources under stress, and society faces uncertainties about their scarcity and climate change. In this context, understanding how interactions among environmental, social, and economic systems shape behavioural responses becomes essential for explaining the emergence of sustainable socio-ecological dynamics. Therefore, this research explores how interactions among environmental, social, and economic systems influence sustainability outcomes, where emergent behaviours, including cooperation, reveal the interaction mechanisms connecting environmental, social and economic subsystems. A simulation model is built using the agent-based model method for this goal. The simulations suggest that scarcity may reinforce non-cooperative behaviours and generate lock-in dynamics that hinder transitions toward more sustainable system states. Additionally, cooperative behaviours emerge from the interactions among heterogeneous agents embedded within environmental, social, and economic subsystems, highlighting cooperation as a key mechanism connecting these subsystems and supporting more sustainable socio-ecological dynamics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Socio-Ecological Systems, Environmental Awareness, and Sustainable Environmental Education)

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17 pages, 1339 KB

Open AccessReview

The Echo-Chamber Trap: Symbolic Self-Completion and the Stagnation of Digital Activism

by Simona Sciara, Federico Contu and Peter M. Gollwitzer

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 553; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080553 - 17 Aug 2026

Viewed by 337

Abstract

Social movements increasingly rely on digital platforms to mobilize support, raise awareness, and coordinate collective action. At the same time, however, the rise of online activism has intensified concerns regarding “slacktivism”, namely forms of symbolic and low-effort engagement that fail to translate into [...] Read more.

Social movements increasingly rely on digital platforms to mobilize support, raise awareness, and coordinate collective action. At the same time, however, the rise of online activism has intensified concerns regarding “slacktivism”, namely forms of symbolic and low-effort engagement that fail to translate into consequential social action. Existing theoretical accounts have explained this phenomenon in terms of impression management, in-group enhancing, or moral licensing, but have paid little attention to how publicly expressing support for a social cause through online behaviors should undermine actual action, while overlooking the role of audiences in such a process. Drawing on symbolic self-completion theory (SCT), the present paper proposes a complementary motivational perspective. Specifically, we argue that publicly displaying identity-relevant symbols (e.g., posts supporting social causes) within like-minded online networks may generate a premature sense of completeness regarding an aspired-to identity (e.g., being a gender equality advocate), thereby reducing motivation to pursue difficult, high-effort behaviors required for genuine social change. Furthermore, we conceptualize social media echo chambers not merely as informationally homogeneous environments, but as non-dissenting validators of one’s identity goal symbols. By prioritizing symbolic recognition over cross-group dialogue and intervention, social media echo chambers may inadvertently undermine the social progress they purport to promote. Full article

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21 pages, 269 KB

Open AccessArticle

Negotiating Family Life in Foster Care: Child Welfare Managers’ Constructions of Family Life and Temporality in Norway

by Cecilie Marie Zachariassen

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 552; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080552 - 15 Aug 2026

Viewed by 447

Abstract

Temporary foster placements and recent European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and Supreme Court decisions on Article 8 raise questions about how child welfare services (CWS) balance reunification goals and children’s need for stability. This study examines how CWS managers conceptualise the right [...] Read more.

Temporary foster placements and recent European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and Supreme Court decisions on Article 8 raise questions about how child welfare services (CWS) balance reunification goals and children’s need for stability. This study examines how CWS managers conceptualise the right to family life and mobilise these constructions when negotiating temporality and contact. Drawing on a social constructivist perspective and critical discursive psychology (CDP), I analysed 19 semi-structured interviews with 15 managers from across Norway using a three-step CDP procedure. Four interpretative repertoires emerged: an expanded rights repertoire that broadens notions of family and child participation; a legal guidance repertoire that treats ECtHR and Supreme Court rulings as resources legitimising reunification; a juridical pressure repertoire describing how legal expectations constrain professional judgement and can lead to increased contact despite welfare concerns; and a temporality and stability repertoire that emphasises tensions between presumptions of temporariness and attachment-based arguments for permanence. The findings suggest that legal texts function as negotiable discursive resources that both empower and constrain practice, creating ethical and practical dilemmas for managers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Childhood and Youth Studies)

18 pages, 329 KB

Open AccessArticle

Correct, Incorrect, or Uncertain? Factual Science Knowledge, Conspiratorial Anti-Science Beliefs, and “Don’t Know” Responses in Post-Pandemic Romania

by Ana Maria Alessandra Dobra, Cosima Rughiniș, Răzvan Rughiniș and Dinu Țurcanu

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 551; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080551 - 15 Aug 2026

Viewed by 345

Abstract

One respondent says antibiotics kill viruses. A second says they do not know. A third says cancer cures are hidden for profit. A standard literacy score counts all three as one deficit. This exploratory study asks whether they behave alike. In a July [...] Read more.

One respondent says antibiotics kill viruses. A second says they do not know. A third says cancer cures are hidden for profit. A standard literacy score counts all three as one deficit. This exploratory study asks whether they behave alike. In a July 2025 Romanian telephone survey (analytic N = 1007), six factual, two worldview-linked and two conspiratorial anti-science (CAS) items were analyzed separately, treating “don’t know” (DK) as a third response. The response patterns did not converge. Factor analysis of substantive answers retained two factors, not one, and the six-item core’s weighted internal consistency among answerers was 0.379. DK responding formed a coherent cross-item pattern, but less uniform than the full-sample alpha of 0.926 implies: it falls to 0.803 once the 135 all-DK respondents are set aside. CAS endorsement converged with generic conspiracist belief and tracked institutional distrust, where factual accuracy did not. Education and internet frequency mainly differentiated DK responding; economic security and democratic satisfaction were associated with lower CAS endorsement. Against Eurobarometer 95.2 (2021), Romanian factual accuracy sits about two items lower than the EU27 average excluding Romania, and CAS endorsement is roughly 1.7 times as high, in both Romanian waves. Uncertainty, error and conspiratorial belief remain conceptually distinct. Full article

12 pages, 234 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Dilemma of the Child’s Best Interests in High-Conflict Custody Cases: Judges’ Views and Experiences

by Vibeke Samsonsen and Inger Kristin Heggdalsvik

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 550; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080550 - 14 Aug 2026

Viewed by 314

Abstract

This study explores judges’ experiences of assessing parental high-conflict cases in Norwegian courts, focusing on dilemmas in applying the principle of the child’s best interests. Twelve judges from district and appellate courts in Norway were interviewed using a semi-structured guide, and the data [...] Read more.

This study explores judges’ experiences of assessing parental high-conflict cases in Norwegian courts, focusing on dilemmas in applying the principle of the child’s best interests. Twelve judges from district and appellate courts in Norway were interviewed using a semi-structured guide, and the data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings show that these cases are characterised by persistent complexity, including polarised parental perspectives, challenges in determining the “truth”, and uncertainty about the long-term outcomes. We discuss these dilemmas through the lens of wicked problems theory, highlighting how legal processes often struggle to address multifaceted and evolving conflicts. The study underscores the need for flexible approaches and interdisciplinary collaboration to safeguard children’s well-being in high-conflict custody disputes. However, children need stability during lengthy legal proceedings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Family Studies)

16 pages, 309 KB

Open AccessArticle

Do Parents and Children Share the Same Kinds of Interpersonal Sense of Guilt? An Exploratory Study

by Francesco Gazzillo, Cristina Mazza, Marianna Santodoro and Renata Tambelli

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 549; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080549 - 14 Aug 2026

Viewed by 427

Abstract

A growing body of research documents intergenerational transmission of trauma, attachment, parenting practices, and vulnerability to psychopathology. Another relevant component of psychopathology that may show parent–child associations is maladaptive interpersonal guilt, which may be shaped by parental teachings and role modelling. The present [...] Read more.

A growing body of research documents intergenerational transmission of trauma, attachment, parenting practices, and vulnerability to psychopathology. Another relevant component of psychopathology that may show parent–child associations is maladaptive interpersonal guilt, which may be shaped by parental teachings and role modelling. The present cross-sectional study examined whether parents’ self-reported guilt was associated with children’s self-reported guilt and with parents’ perceptions of their children’s guilt. The sample included 323 parent–child dyads. Parents completed the Interpersonal Guilt Rating Scale-20s (IGRS-20s) and the Interpersonal Guilt Rating Scale—Child Informant (IGRS-18CI); children completed the Interpersonal Guilt Rating Scale for Children (IGRS-17C). Spearman correlations revealed significant parent–child associations: parents’ Separation/Disloyalty guilt was positively associated with children’s Separation/Disloyalty and Omnipotent Responsibility guilt, whereas parental Burdening guilt was positively associated with children’s Self-Hate/Burdening guilt. Moreover, parents’ Survivor guilt, Separation/Disloyalty guilt, and Self-Hate guilt were significantly associated with higher levels of the corresponding and related kinds of guilt as perceived in their children. These findings suggest that specific forms of interpersonal guilt may be similarly present in parents and children and highlight the clinical relevance of addressing parental pathogenic beliefs in child psychotherapy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Parent–Child Bonds and the Psychology of Development)

14 pages, 279 KB

Open AccessArticle

Plural Social Justice in the Graduation Profiles of Social Work Programs at Chilean State Universities

by Cristian Orellana Fonseca, Rodrigo Salazar Jiménez, Juan Salinas Valdés, Lury Reyes Pérez and Katherine López Jiménez

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 548; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080548 - 14 Aug 2026

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Abstract

This article analyzes the explicit and implicit presence of social justice in the graduation profiles of Social Work programs at Chilean state universities, as well as the way in which its distributive, recognition, and participatory dimensions are articulated within the declarative curriculum. An [...] Read more.

This article analyzes the explicit and implicit presence of social justice in the graduation profiles of Social Work programs at Chilean state universities, as well as the way in which its distributive, recognition, and participatory dimensions are articulated within the declarative curriculum. An exploratory qualitative design was developed based on a comparative documentary analysis of twelve official graduation profiles, retrieved from institutional sources and analyzed through a matrix grounded in a plural conception of social justice. The results show that explicit references to social justice are exceptional and that, more frequently, it is expressed indirectly through references to human rights, public policies, diversity, human development, citizenship, or territory. The distributive dimension shows the greatest operational development, especially through public policies, program management, state action, social equality, and intervention in vulnerable contexts. The recognition dimension appears mainly at a declarative level, linked to diversity, pluralism, interculturality, and gender. The participatory dimension is the least operationalized, with limited references to deliberation, democratic governance, or shared decision-making. The study identifies three profile typologies: distributive-institutional; rights-, diversity-, and recognition-oriented; and relatively integrated profiles of plural social justice. The findings suggest that strengthening curricular coherence may require moving from general normative statements toward competencies, learning outcomes, and assessment criteria capable of integrating redistribution, recognition, and participation in professional education. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Constructing and (Re)constructing Social Identities in Educational Contexts: Power, Norms, and Resistance)

32 pages, 88791 KB

Open AccessArticle

An Examination of the Levantine Influence on Turkish Culture in the Context of the Sixth Municipality Department

by Mert Ağaoğlu and Ömer Göktaş

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 547; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080547 - 13 Aug 2026

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Abstract

Beyoğlu emerged as one of the principal centers of Western influence in the late Ottoman Empire due to the presence of Levantine communities and European institutions. This study investigates the role of the Sixth Municipal Department, the first modern municipal organization in the [...] Read more.

Beyoğlu emerged as one of the principal centers of Western influence in the late Ottoman Empire due to the presence of Levantine communities and European institutions. This study investigates the role of the Sixth Municipal Department, the first modern municipal organization in the Ottoman Empire, in shaping urban governance, architecture, and cultural transformation in Beyoğlu. Using a historical-analytical approach, the research examines Ottoman archival documents, travelogues, memoirs, contemporary newspapers, architectural evidence, and secondary literature. The findings demonstrate that Levantines occupied influential positions within the municipal administration and significantly shaped urban development through investments in transportation, lighting, sanitation, public spaces, and architectural projects. However, municipal services were distributed unevenly and primarily benefited affluent Levantine and European residents, while poorer Muslim and non-Muslim neighborhoods received limited attention. The study further reveals that the Sixth Municipal Building, designed in a European Neo-Classical style, symbolized the institutional and architectural dimensions of Ottoman Westernization. Beyond urban administration, Levantine influence contributed to transformations in social life, consumption patterns, language, and architectural culture. The article concludes that the Sixth Municipal Department played a pioneering role in the emergence of modern municipal governance in the Ottoman Empire, while simultaneously reflecting the social inequalities and cultural dynamics that accompanied the Westernization process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Community and Urban Sociology)

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16 pages, 636 KB

Open AccessArticle

Institutional Mentoring, Educational Aspirations, and Social Inequality in Hungary

by Zita Horváth and Emese Nagy

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 546; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080546 - 13 Aug 2026

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Abstract

Educational inequality and early school leaving remain persistent challenges in stratified education systems, particularly for disadvantaged students in rural areas. Although mentoring programmes are widely promoted as compensatory interventions, relatively little is known about how institutionally embedded mentoring influences educational aspirations and trajectories [...] Read more.

Educational inequality and early school leaving remain persistent challenges in stratified education systems, particularly for disadvantaged students in rural areas. Although mentoring programmes are widely promoted as compensatory interventions, relatively little is known about how institutionally embedded mentoring influences educational aspirations and trajectories within highly stratified school systems. This study examines the nationwide Hungarian Teach for Hungary mentoring programme, in which university students provide formally organised peer mentoring to disadvantaged lower secondary school students. The study adopts a triangulated mixed-methods design, integrating longitudinal administrative education data (2018–2024), pre–post survey data, and qualitative interviews. The dataset includes 25 higher education institutions, 108 partner schools, and more than 3300 mentored students, enabling an analysis of mentoring processes across diverse institutional and regional contexts. The findings suggest that mentoring is associated with more structured educational aspirations, smoother transitions to upper secondary education, and more stable patterns of school participation, particularly in disadvantaged rural settings. Rather than producing direct academic effects, mentoring appears to operate through institutional mechanisms that shape students’ access to educational information, expectations, and opportunity structures. Formal mentor preparation, ongoing supervision, and institutional coordination emerge as key conditions for sustaining high-quality mentoring relationships and supporting students’ educational orientation. The study contributes to international research on mentoring and educational inequality by conceptualizing mentoring as an institutionally mediated mechanism embedded within stratified education systems. Beyond the Hungarian context, the findings provide analytically transferable insights for education systems seeking to address persistent inequalities in educational access and transition opportunities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Formal and Non-Formal Learning Contexts: Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Educational Sciences)

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13 pages, 240 KB

Open AccessArticle

Gender and Implicit Representations of Stepparents in Adolescents and Emerging Adults

by Sonia Plasencia-Carrillo and Elena Chirino-Alemán

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 545; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080545 - 13 Aug 2026

Viewed by 289

Abstract

The growing diversification of family structures has increased the prevalence of stepfamilies, yet implicit representations of stepfather and stepmother figures remain understudied, particularly among adolescents and emerging adults. This study examines these representations, considering the influence of gender, developmental group, and prior stepfamily [...] Read more.

The growing diversification of family structures has increased the prevalence of stepfamilies, yet implicit representations of stepfather and stepmother figures remain understudied, particularly among adolescents and emerging adults. This study examines these representations, considering the influence of gender, developmental group, and prior stepfamily experience. A cross-sectional, ex post facto quantitative design was used with 372 participants aged 15–25 (198 women, 174 men), divided into adolescents (15–18 years) and emerging adults (19–25 years). Participants completed an adapted questionnaire measuring implicit representations across three dimensions: structural-conjugal, affective-relational, and parental-functional. Exploratory factor analyses confirmed the instrument’s three-factor structure for both stepfigures. Both figures were primarily associated with the parental-functional and structural-conjugal dimensions. Women assigned greater relevance to the affective-relational dimension of the stepmother figure. Participants without stepfamily experience showed more idealized representations of both figures across the affective-relational and parental-functional dimensions. Minor differences between developmental groups emerged only for the parental-functional dimension of the stepfather figure. Implicit representations of stepfathers and stepmothers remain shaped by sociocultural processes linked to gender, parenthood, and care, reflecting persistent differential expectations regarding emotional availability and relational functions within reconstituted family contexts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Family and Marriage Behaviors and Values)

20 pages, 359 KB

Open AccessArticle

Against Disappearance: A Clandestine Stratagem of Community Defense in Community-Engaged Research

by Eleanor (Ellie) Estrada

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 544; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080544 - 12 Aug 2026

Viewed by 417

Abstract

At the height of the second Trump presidency, the elaboration of violence in Latiné/x immigrant communities has taken a familiar discursive shape: as disappearance. The enforced disappearance, a name for the arrest, detention, and abduction of persons, followed by denial of the act(s), [...] Read more.

At the height of the second Trump presidency, the elaboration of violence in Latiné/x immigrant communities has taken a familiar discursive shape: as disappearance. The enforced disappearance, a name for the arrest, detention, and abduction of persons, followed by denial of the act(s), has been leveled against numerous Black and brown communities. From legal concessions granting immunity to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to racially profile individuals, to a widespread surge in deportations, detentions, and deaths, there is a need for culturally congruent and flexible forms of solidarity that honor waywardness. For if disappearance is an attack on and through visibility, clandestine communication plots and echolocates resistance at the periphery of visibility’s enforcement. In this essay, I forward clandestine communication as a theory and tactical stratagem that maps the transmission of vernacular discourse according to fugitive strategy. Stratagems articulate tactics of trickery often found in gossip/chisme/kikis, redaction strategies, sonic upheaval, and whisper networks. But as a theory, clandestine communication charges community-engaged research with being actively political by considering the theoretical, methodological, analytical, and material tactics of fugitivity as significant to the ways we identify power and resistance in our communities. In drawing from queer, trans*, and feminist of color (QTFOC) genealogies, clandestine communication denotes flexible forms of solidarity that scaffold these fugitive vernacular practices. This theoretical paper thinks with Latiné/x immigrant communities by arguing that community defense initiatives, such as neighborhood defense workshops and rapid response networks, outline participatory and ephemeral (or less visible) ways that vernacular communities can co-create clandestine networks of care. Ultimately, this essay calls for greater consideration to be given to the everyday, defiant ways that community-engaged research is premised on the pragmatism of trust and hiddenness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Community-Engaged Research: Strategy, Dilemmas and Solidarities in Contentious Times)

25 pages, 1468 KB

Open AccessArticle

Perceptions of Place: Neighbourhood Social Tension, Marginalisation, and the Endorsement of Violence in Four European Countries

by Tahir Abbas

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 543; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080543 - 12 Aug 2026

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Abstract

Do people become more willing to accept violence simply because of where they live? Using survey data from over 5000 residents across nineteen cities in Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway, this study finds that the perceived social climate of a neighbourhood, that [...] Read more.

Do people become more willing to accept violence simply because of where they live? Using survey data from over 5000 residents across nineteen cities in Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway, this study finds that the perceived social climate of a neighbourhood, that is how much tension people sense between ethnic and religious groups, and how widespread they believe local problems are, shapes willingness to endorse violence even after accounting for personal grievance, humiliation, anxiety, and general pessimism. The effect holds in all four countries, and while cities whose residents collectively perceive more tension also show somewhat higher support for violence, this pattern is promising but not yet statistically proven because only nineteen cities were studied. The research also reveals that feeling marginalised strongly predicts support for violence among younger and middle-aged adults but fades by roughly half after age forty eight, whereas the neighbourhood climate effect remains steady across the entire life course. Notably, the neighbourhood pathway is more than twice as strong among Muslim residents, even though Muslims are no more likely to endorse violence overall, suggesting that policies concentrating surveillance on Muslim communities while neglecting the urban conditions they experience are misaligned with the evidence. Tests of possible explanations, such as distrust of local institutions, weakened community bonds, or feeling threatened by other groups, explain only a small fraction of the link, leaving most of it unresolved and pointing to the need for better measures of how neighbourhoods shape social norms. The core message is that preventing the attitudinal roots of violence is not only a policing matter; it is also a question of urban investment, namely decent housing, public spaces, community institutions, and inclusive governance, because what our neighbourhoods tell us daily about trust, conflict, and belonging shapes whether we come to regard violence as acceptable. Full article

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3 pages, 162 KB

Open AccessEditorial

As the Pendulum Swings

by Saran Donahoo and Denise O’Neil Green

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 542; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080542 - 12 Aug 2026

Viewed by 217

Abstract

In creating this Special Issue, we set out to reclaim both the language and the academic ability to account for the existence and influence of race [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Race and Ethnicity Without Diversity)

1 pages, 137 KB

Open AccessCorrection

Correction: Eliyahu-Levi and Gvura (2026). Light Against Darkness: Rhetoric and the Struggle over LGBTQ+ in Israel. Social Sciences 15: 373

by Dolly Eliyahu-Levi and Avi Gvura

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 541; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080541 - 12 Aug 2026

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Abstract

There was an error in the original publication (Eliyahu-Levi and Gvura 2026) [...] Full article

22 pages, 320 KB

Open AccessArticle

Meritocracy, Legitimation and Belonging on the University of Cambridge’s Foundation Year

by Jacob Tuncel

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 540; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080540 - 11 Aug 2026

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Abstract

Widening participation spans the whole student lifecycle, from access through to success within higher education and progression beyond it, yet policy and evaluation have concentrated on the access stage alone. Far less is known about how students admitted through widened access routes come [...] Read more.

Widening participation spans the whole student lifecycle, from access through to success within higher education and progression beyond it, yet policy and evaluation have concentrated on the access stage alone. Far less is known about how students admitted through widened access routes come to understand the legitimacy of their place, and the terms of their belonging, once inside an elite university. Reporting twenty-one (n = 21) walking interviews with students who entered the University of Cambridge through its Foundation Year, a one-year pre-degree programme for applicants whose educational opportunities have been constrained by structural disadvantage, this article examines a tension at the heart of meritocracy. Belonging is approached throughout as a relational and processual accomplishment practised in situ rather than as a psychological state to be measured, and the article asks on what terms it is made available along a visibly marked route. Participants recognized that admissions standards are shaped by unequal opportunity, though the recognition appeared not to weaken their commitment to meritocratic judgement, and they endeavored to suffuse their belonging with proof of deservingness. Such a pattern sits uneasily with Bourdieusian accounts of symbolic domination grounded in misrecognition, and points towards a compliance sustained through lucid perception of meritocracy and its ideological demands. Analysis of the walks suggests that the route organizes this tension by marking students publicly as different, by tying belonging to a competitive progression threshold, by collapsing heterogeneous experiences into a single administrative category, and by locating institutional judgement in everyday encounters with teaching staff. Belonging emerges less as a settled outcome of admission than as a conditional status that must be repeatedly earned. Widening access may therefore secure entry without securing the later stages of participation, so long as the legitimacy of membership continues to be organized through meritocratic evaluation that students simultaneously critique and reproduce. Full article

15 pages, 1488 KB

Open AccessArticle

Platform Ecosystems Matter: A Multi-Platform Risk Typology and Policy Simulation for Student Digital Wellness Safeguards: A Methodological Proof of Concept

by Norainy Abdul Razak, Mohamad Izani Zainal Abidin and Aishah Abdul Razak

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 539; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080539 - 11 Aug 2026

Viewed by 238

Abstract

Digital wellness policies in universities often rely on uniform daily screen time caps, yet platform-specific risks may shape student outcomes as strongly as total time online. This paper presents a methodological proof of concept: it demonstrates an analytical pipeline that converts multi-platform outcome [...] Read more.

Digital wellness policies in universities often rely on uniform daily screen time caps, yet platform-specific risks may shape student outcomes as strongly as total time online. This paper presents a methodological proof of concept: it demonstrates an analytical pipeline that converts multi-platform outcome data into a graduated, affordance-informed policy typology, rather than offering validated platform-risk classifications or ready-to-implement policy. Using a publicly available student dataset covering twelve social networks, we aggregate four harm-aligned outcomes—addictive use, poorer mental health, shorter sleep duration, and interpersonal conflict—to the platform level and apply hierarchical clustering to derive a four-tier risk typology. We stress that the clustering and the subsequent principal component analysis operate on only twelve platform-level observations, not on the 705 individual students. We then project the tiers onto a two-dimensional risk map and simulate three illustrative policy regimes: a uniform daily cap, a tier-calibrated cap, and an affordance-targeted short-video cap. In this illustrative dataset, the tier-calibrated cap reproduces roughly seventy percent of the harm reduction in a blanket cap while directly affecting about three-quarters of students, and the three regimes deliver near-equivalent harm reduction per percent of students affected. Because the source data show characteristics consistent with synthetic or semi-synthetic simulation and lack established provenance, all quantitative results are presented as demonstrations of the pipeline. We describe the sensitivity of the typology to clustering choices, the ethical risks of tiered classification, and the replication required before any tier could inform practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Communication, Language, Education and Society in a Digital Age: Emerging Interdisciplinary Perspectives from DIFCON-CLESS 2026)

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23 pages, 2091 KB

Open AccessArticle

Grit, Achievement and Achievement Gaps: A Sociological Assessment

by Benjamin G. Gibbs, Eliza Morris, Jane Smith Carson, Lear Burton and Devon Winn

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(8), 538; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15080538 - 11 Aug 2026

Viewed by 398

Abstract

Are student differences in “grit” a key to explaining achievement gaps in the United States? Despite the widespread persistence of policies that promote academic perseverance and related traits in American schools, to date, there has been no formal assessment of grit using data [...] Read more.

Are student differences in “grit” a key to explaining achievement gaps in the United States? Despite the widespread persistence of policies that promote academic perseverance and related traits in American schools, to date, there has been no formal assessment of grit using data from a nationally representative longitudinal cohort. Using the ECLS-K 2011, we document the size of socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities in math and reading achievement in 5th grade and examine whether self-reported grit and related skills meaningfully account for these gaps. We find that grit has only modest links to academic performance and does not attenuate socioeconomic and racial/ethnic achievement gaps. Instead, we find evidence that other related factors—approaches to learning and attentional skills—may account for a nontrivial portion of these gaps, but urge caution in how these findings are interpreted. Full article

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Soc. Sci., Volume 15, Issue 8 (August 2026) – 75 articles

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