Societies

Tourism-related local development not only depends on economic resources, but also on stakeholder relationships and governance conditions. This study examines the associations among Social Connectivity Policy (SCP), Social Distance Reduction Attitudes (SDRA), and Perceived Tourism-Related Local Development (PTRLD) in Kuršumlija, Serbia. A questionnaire survey conducted between August and November 2024 included 151 respondents, predominantly tourists, alongside accommodation providers and tourism-related businesses. Correlation, regression, and exploratory bootstrap analyses were applied. In the full sample, SCP was positively associated with both SDRA and PTRLD. After accounting for SCP, SDRA remained positively associated with PTRLD, whereas the conditional SCP–PTRLD association was not statistically significant. The bootstrap analysis identified a statistically significant indirect association through SDRA. Within the supply-side subgroup, the SCP–SDRA association remained statistically significant, whereas the associations involving PTRLD did not achieve statistical significance in the corresponding regression models. These findings highlight the importance of relational attitudes in understanding perceptions of tourism-related local development. However, the small supply-side subgroup, the predominance of tourists in the full sample, and the cross-sectional design limit generalisability and preclude causal interpretation.

This study analyzes the motivational structure and participant profiles in the 2025 Naples Half Marathon. A questionnaire was administered to 791 runners, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were applied, followed by cluster analysis. The results identified a final structure of 19 items grouped into five dimensions: inclusion, socialization, sports hedonism, destination appeal, and competition. Inclusion presented the highest explanatory capacity, confirming the relevance of diversity, accessibility, and equitable participation values in running events. Segmentation allowed for the identification of three profiles: Inclusive Experimenters, Hedonists, and Enthusiasts. These groups differed mainly in the intensity and combination of their motivations, while associations with gender were weak and non-significant. Enthusiasts constituted the majority group and showed high scores across all dimensions, whereas Inclusive Experimenters stood out for inclusion and destination appeal. The findings expand the understanding of the runner’s experience and offer implications for the management of sporting events and tourism destinations.

Mental illness constitutes a substantial and growing share of Nepal’s disease burden, yet it remains marked by silence, stigma, and systemic neglect. This qualitative study examined how mental health stigma is experienced and negotiated in selected communities in Bara and Parsa districts, Madhesh Province. Drawing on Goffman, Link, and Phelan, Foucault, feminist theory, and intersectionality, the analysis conceptualises stigma as a relational and structural process shaped by caste, gender, poverty, and migration. Data were generated through 40 semi-structured interviews and three focus group discussions involving 30 participants. The findings show that household silence can protect family reputation and marriage prospects while delaying disclosure, help-seeking, and support. Derogatory labels such as “pagal” reinforce exclusion, while women experience intersecting burdens as people living with distress and as caregivers. Youth accounts reveal tension between growing mental health awareness and persistent social sanctions. Participants further indicated a local gap between national mental health commitments and available services. Rather than estimating prevalence, the study identifies the mechanisms that produce, negotiate, and resist stigma and silence. Moreover, it conceptualises silence as a protective yet stigma-reproducing social practice and identifies context-sensitive implications for primary care, schools, caregivers, and community-led anti-stigma initiatives.