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Editor’s Choice Articles

Editor’s Choice articles are based on recommendations by the scientific editors of MDPI journals from around the world. Editors select a small number of articles recently published in the journal that they believe will be particularly interesting to readers, or important in the respective research area. The aim is to provide a snapshot of some of the most exciting work published in the various research areas of the journal.

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12 pages, 224 KB  
Article
Allocating Responsibility in Autonomous AI Systems: A Tiered Governance Model Under EU Regulation
by Foteini Papastergiou, Belen Quintero and Veronica Marin
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(6), 392; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15060392 - 16 Jun 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1037
Abstract
Autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) systems increasingly participate in decision-making processes that affect individuals, markets, and public administration. Their growing autonomy complicates the attribution of legal responsibility, particularly within regulatory frameworks that were designed around identifiable human actors and relatively stable products. Although European [...] Read more.
Autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) systems increasingly participate in decision-making processes that affect individuals, markets, and public administration. Their growing autonomy complicates the attribution of legal responsibility, particularly within regulatory frameworks that were designed around identifiable human actors and relatively stable products. Although European Union instruments such as the GDPR, the AI Act, and the revised Product Liability Directive address specific dimensions of risk and compliance, they do not fully resolve how responsibility should be allocated across the lifecycle of complex AI systems. The difficulty does not lie so much in the absence of legal rules. Rather, it reflects the structural tension between traditional liability models and the distributed architecture of contemporary AI development and deployment. By examining how existing EU regulatory instruments interact, the paper identifies fragmentation in responsibility allocation that may weaken institutional accountability. It then proposes a tiered model of legal responsibility based on meaningful control at different stages of system design, deployment, and operational oversight. Rather than introducing new forms of legal personhood, the model seeks to clarify how existing doctrines can be interpreted and coordinated in order to maintain regulatory coherence and socially intelligible accountability in digitally mediated environments. The model allocates responsibility according to meaningful control within distributed systems, offering a structurally coherent alternative for EU governance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Contemporary Politics and Society)
29 pages, 358 KB  
Article
Journalism and the Quarta Politica: Constitutional Protection of Democratic Accountability in the Digital Age
by Manuel Galiñanes and Leo Klinkers
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(6), 391; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15060391 - 15 Jun 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 707
Abstract
This article argues that journalism plays a structurally significant role in accountability within contemporary democratic governance and therefore warrants constitutional protection beyond traditional press-freedom guarantees. It develops the concept of the Quarta Politica as a constitutional order composed of four branches of democratic [...] Read more.
This article argues that journalism plays a structurally significant role in accountability within contemporary democratic governance and therefore warrants constitutional protection beyond traditional press-freedom guarantees. It develops the concept of the Quarta Politica as a constitutional order composed of four branches of democratic governance: legislative, executive, judicial, and ombudsman power. Within this framework, the Ombudsman Council constitutes the Fourth Branch of Power and safeguards the informational, participatory, deliberative, and corrective conditions necessary for democratic legitimacy. The article conceptualizes journalism not as a privileged profession or sovereign authority but as part of the informational infrastructure through which democratic systems monitor and contest the exercise of power. Particular attention is given to a Chamber for the Protection of Journalistic Independence within the Ombudsman Council, designed to protect editorial independence, media pluralism, and informational accountability. The analysis further examines how digital transformation, platform dominance, algorithmic amplification, ownership concentration, and fragmented communication environments undermine the institutional conditions necessary for independent journalism. Situating the framework within theories of horizontal accountability, monitory democracy, and digital constitutionalism, the article concludes that safeguarding the informational foundations of democratic accountability has become a central constitutional challenge of contemporary governance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Contemporary Politics and Society)
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17 pages, 891 KB  
Review
Hazards and Disasters in the Sociocultural Evolution of World-Systems
by Christopher Chase-Dunn and Qing Pei
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(6), 383; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15060383 - 11 Jun 2026
Viewed by 619
Abstract
Natural and human-caused disasters have operated as selection mechanisms in the evolution of within-polity and interpolity sociocultural systems by destroying lives and the human-built environment, and they have provoked challenge-and-response dynamics that caused human polities to innovate and to implement innovations that resulted [...] Read more.
Natural and human-caused disasters have operated as selection mechanisms in the evolution of within-polity and interpolity sociocultural systems by destroying lives and the human-built environment, and they have provoked challenge-and-response dynamics that caused human polities to innovate and to implement innovations that resulted in increases in complexity and hierarchy. Individuals, households, communities, settlements, and polities and interpolity systems that were most prepared and resilient to these selection mechanisms survived and prevailed. This article reviews the theoretical literature in geography, historiography, sociology, anthropology, political science and economics on hypotheses regarding the effects of disasters on human social change, including both increases and decreases in sociocultural complexity and hierarchy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Disasters, Social Movements, Policy Responses and Sociocultural Evolution)
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21 pages, 1642 KB  
Article
When Algorithms Guard Democracy: Measuring Authoritarian Rhetorical Behaviour in Political Speech
by Óscar Delgado-Mohatar and Raúl Alelú-Paz
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(6), 372; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15060372 - 8 Jun 2026
Viewed by 572
Abstract
Democratic erosion often begins rhetorically before institutions show visible damage. Here we test whether large language models (LLMs) can detect early linguistic signals of authoritarian drift in political speech. Formal speeches by Adolf Hitler (1922–1939), Donald Trump (2017–2025), Nicola Sturgeon (2014–2023), Giorgia Meloni [...] Read more.
Democratic erosion often begins rhetorically before institutions show visible damage. Here we test whether large language models (LLMs) can detect early linguistic signals of authoritarian drift in political speech. Formal speeches by Adolf Hitler (1922–1939), Donald Trump (2017–2025), Nicola Sturgeon (2014–2023), Giorgia Meloni (2022–2025) and Viktor Orban (2022–2025) were scored using an 11-indicator taxonomy derived from the Levitsky–Ziblatt framework and evaluated independently by GPT-4o, Gemini 2.5-Pro and Grok-4-Fast, with near-perfect inter-model agreement. Principal Component Analysis revealed two poles: an authoritarian–populist cluster (Hitler–Trump–Orban) and a democratic-institutional pole (Meloni–Sturgeon). To quantify proximity to an authoritarian reference, we introduce the Authoritarian Reference Index (ARI), defined such that it captures both its alignment and intensity relative to the Hitler gold-standard vector. Trump exhibited the highest proximity to the reference (99.1% alignment, 80.7% intensity), followed by Orban, who mirrored the structural alignment (97.6%) with a moderated intensity (72.4%). In contrast, the democratic-institutional pole was distinguished by significantly lower intensity scores, with Meloni (16.4%) and Sturgeon (22.3%) remaining distant from the authoritarian magnitude despite varying degrees of structural overlap. These results show that extreme rhetorical peaks carry disproportionate diagnostic weight and that LLMs can expose structural authoritarian patterns relevant for democratic monitoring. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Challenges to Democracy, Citizenship and Political Participation)
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15 pages, 466 KB  
Article
“Shattering” Allyship: Affect, Fragmentation, and the Remaking of Pride in Schools
by Huw Berry-Downs
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(5), 296; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15050296 - 4 May 2026
Viewed by 581
Abstract
This article examines how LGBTQ+ allyship is made, felt, and negotiated within a secondary school workshop using creative, participatory methods. Drawing on affect theory (see Sara Ahmed) and feminist new materialist scholarship (see Barad, Renold, among others), the paper analyses a collaborative collage [...] Read more.
This article examines how LGBTQ+ allyship is made, felt, and negotiated within a secondary school workshop using creative, participatory methods. Drawing on affect theory (see Sara Ahmed) and feminist new materialist scholarship (see Barad, Renold, among others), the paper analyses a collaborative collage activity centered on Pride flags and symbolic materials. Rather than treating allyship as a fixed identity or a knowledge-based achievement, the study explores how it emerges relationally through encounters with materials, symbols, bodies, and digital technologies. Through close analysis of moments of uncertainty, affective attachment, cutting and shattering of symbols, and the collective naming of the final artwork, the article traces how not-knowing, pleasure, confusion, and togetherness function as generative forces for allyship. The workshop is framed as a propositional research-creation space in which phones, Google searches, bunting, scissors, and book references intra-act with young peoples’ lived experiences, redistributing epistemic authority and unsettling school-based expectations of correct knowledge. The findings contribute to existing research on LGBTQ+ inclusion and allyship in schools by shifting focus from identity labels and institutional frameworks toward the affective, material, and speculative processes through which allyship is assembled in the moment. In doing so, the paper offers an alternative conceptualisation of allyship as relational practice rather than static position, with implications for creative pedagogy and inclusive educational research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Embodiment of LGBTQ+ Inclusive Education)
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21 pages, 296 KB  
Article
Migration as Democratic Boundary-Making: Far-Right Normalization in Europe
by Damjan Mandelc
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(4), 243; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15040243 - 9 Apr 2026
Viewed by 2043
Abstract
Over the past decade, far-right parties have moved from the political margins into the mainstream of several European democracies. This article examines how migration functions not primarily as a demographic driver of electoral change, but as a discursive resource through which democratic boundaries [...] Read more.
Over the past decade, far-right parties have moved from the political margins into the mainstream of several European democracies. This article examines how migration functions not primarily as a demographic driver of electoral change, but as a discursive resource through which democratic boundaries are redefined. Drawing on a qualitative comparative analysis of political speeches, party manifestos, and public debates in selected European countries between 2014 and 2022, the study investigates how migration is constructed as a threat to welfare systems, national cohesion, and liberal-democratic order. The analysis integrates three complementary frameworks of ethno-pluralism, welfare chauvinism, and civic nationalism to demonstrate how exclusion is legitimized through moralized appeals to culture, fairness, and liberal values. Rather than rejecting democracy outright, far-right actors reinterpret concepts such as citizenship, solidarity, and equality in conditional and culturally bounded terms. Migration thus operates as a symbolic condensation of broader anxieties related to globalization, economic insecurity, and political distrust. The findings show how democratic language itself can normalize exclusionary interpretations of membership, contributing to gradual forms of democratic erosion across Europe. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Challenges to Democracy, Citizenship and Political Participation)
16 pages, 342 KB  
Article
When in Rome, Work from Home? How Organizations Regulate Remote Work in Italy, France, Switzerland, and Quebec
by Valentina Dolce, Sandra Dubouloz, Céline Desmarais, Diane-Gabrielle Tremblay and Chiara Ghislieri
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(2), 93; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15020093 - 4 Feb 2026
Viewed by 1169
Abstract
The way in which remote working is interpreted by organizations (by top management, by human resources management), even in its being an element of possible sustainability, may vary in relation to national work cultures and laws, with differences between countries. This study, in [...] Read more.
The way in which remote working is interpreted by organizations (by top management, by human resources management), even in its being an element of possible sustainability, may vary in relation to national work cultures and laws, with differences between countries. This study, in particular, aims to trace the differences and similarities in terms of how organizations regulate and manage remote working by considering 294 organizations of four different countries: France (n = 92), Switzerland (n = 82), Italy (n = 60), and Quebec (n = 60). In each country, each response relates to an entire organization. The findings show that perceived pressure from the environment to implement remote working is higher in Quebec (Canada) than in Switzerland and Italy. In terms of regulations, 90% of Quebec organizations reported to have approved an internal regulation for remote working compared with European countries, ranging between 72% (for Italy) and 76% (for France). Finally, the findings confirm the role played by top-management positive beliefs for remote working and pressure from the environment for the implementation of different adaptations: All these findings show differences in particular between Quebec and European countries that are interesting to better understand and debate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Work, Employment and the Labor Market)
27 pages, 346 KB  
Article
Fusions and Frictions in G20 Climate Policy
by Patrick Bond
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(2), 92; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15020092 - 3 Feb 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1895
Abstract
Global climate policy requires constant attention due to shifting interests and alliances between national negotiators. Whether represented at global or national scales, three universal features of fused climate policy conjoin the wealthy and emerging G20 economies that are historically responsible for the most [...] Read more.
Global climate policy requires constant attention due to shifting interests and alliances between national negotiators. Whether represented at global or national scales, three universal features of fused climate policy conjoin the wealthy and emerging G20 economies that are historically responsible for the most greenhouse gas emissions. The former are represented by G7 Western powers—the United States, Europe, United Kingdom, Japan, and Canada—and the latter are centered on the fast-expanding ‘BRICS’ bloc: Brazil–Russia–India–China–South Africa (2010–2023), new members Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, and potentially also Saudi Arabia (a member invitee), along with ten new ‘partners’ designated in 2024, many of which have carbon-intensive economies. Although conflicts regularly arise—especially over emissions-related trade policy and climate financing—and although Donald Trump’s exit from United Nations climate politics profoundly disrupted the usually coherent G7 bloc, the consensual principles uniting these diverse Western and BRICS governments at multilateral climate summits include the following: (1) not cutting corporate, state, and household emissions to the extent necessary for avoiding unmanageable planetary disasters, in the process denying effective ways of leaving fossil fuels underground (by reimbursing poor countries); (2) not pricing carbon properly or acknowledging their economies’ ‘climate debt’; and (3) instead promoting carbon trading and offset mechanisms. The implications are important for alliance-formation involving climate-victimized, low-income countries and climate justice activists, alike. In sum, there is an increasingly urgent rationale to transcend ‘Global North’ and ‘Global South’ dichotomies and instead consider climate (like many other aspects of G7-BRICS relations) with a perspective open to critique of the imperial–subimperial fusions, not only oft-assumed frictions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Disasters, Social Movements, Policy Responses and Sociocultural Evolution)
20 pages, 733 KB  
Article
Dialogic Feminist Gatherings: Intergenerational Impact on Preventive Socialization of Gender Violence
by Laura Ruiz-Eugenio, Lidia Puigvert, Alba Crespo-López and Ane López de Aguileta
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(2), 75; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15020075 - 29 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1351
Abstract
Background: Dialogic Feminist Gatherings (DFGs) fostered gender violence prevention among adolescents and young women in diverse educational settings. However, little was known about their impact on adult and older women without higher education, particularly regarding their contributions to broader social change through family [...] Read more.
Background: Dialogic Feminist Gatherings (DFGs) fostered gender violence prevention among adolescents and young women in diverse educational settings. However, little was known about their impact on adult and older women without higher education, particularly regarding their contributions to broader social change through family and community relationships. This study addressed that gap by analyzing a DFG held in an adult education school in Barcelona with women from diverse backgrounds, as part of the R + D + i ALL WOMEN research project, aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 5. Methods: Using a qualitative case study with communicative methodology, the research drew on communicative observations, life stories, and a focus group. Results: Findings revealed that DFGs empowered participants individually and had a ripple effect in their communities. Through intergenerational dialogues with children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, participants began to challenge and transform socialization patterns linked to gender violence risk factors. Conclusions: The study highlights the transformative potential of DFGs beyond formal education. It underscores the value of integrating dialogic and community-based approaches into adult education to promote gender equality and prevent violence across generations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Gender Studies)
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14 pages, 275 KB  
Article
Decoloniality, Participation, Organisational Democracy, and Self-Management in Post-Apartheid South Africa and the Global South
by Dasarath Chetty, Sheetal Bhoola, Jos Chathukulam, John Moolakkattu and Nolwazi Ngcobo
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(2), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15020061 - 25 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1609
Abstract
This paper examines how colonial and neoliberal logics have influenced the ideas of self-management, democracy, and participation and how a decolonial perspective might reinterpret them. Although democracy and participation are celebrated in mainstream development discourse, they frequently serve as technologies of control that [...] Read more.
This paper examines how colonial and neoliberal logics have influenced the ideas of self-management, democracy, and participation and how a decolonial perspective might reinterpret them. Although democracy and participation are celebrated in mainstream development discourse, they frequently serve as technologies of control that uphold market rationalities and dependency. The paper presents a conceptual model for comprehending how political and organisational practices in the Global South are both resisted by and limited by these dynamics, drawing on the framework of the colonial matrix of power. With reference to grassroots movements like Abahlali base Mjondolo, which represent alternative democratic logics based on collective self-management and epistemic justice, South Africa is used as a focal case. How gaps in the global architecture of dominance create opportunities for pluriversal futures is further demonstrated by comparative observations from Latin America and other Global South contexts. By (i) exposing the limitations of institutionalised participatory frameworks, (ii) highlighting radical democracy at the grassroots level, and (iii) describing the structural and epistemic prerequisites for significant change, the paper adds to discussions on decolonial political economy. By doing this, it reinterprets participation as a fight for liberating alternatives outside of colonial modernity rather than as inclusion within the status quo. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Democracy, Politics and Innovation, Social Integration and Global Politics in the Contemporary World)
18 pages, 328 KB  
Article
Traveling Together, Traveling Alone: Experiences of Violence and Danger for Migrating Children and Families in the US–Mexico Borderlands
by Cherra M. Mathis, Melody Huslage and Mary Lehman Held
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(1), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15010023 - 4 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1836
Abstract
Decisions to migrate are based on individual and family assessments of risk and opportunity, shaped by economic conditions, risks and experiences of violence, resources, and networks, which interact with personal factors and opportunity. During the journey, migrating people may encounter threats to their [...] Read more.
Decisions to migrate are based on individual and family assessments of risk and opportunity, shaped by economic conditions, risks and experiences of violence, resources, and networks, which interact with personal factors and opportunity. During the journey, migrating people may encounter threats to their safety and wellbeing from both human and natural hazards. This study drew on survey data from 305 Mexican and Central American participants who migrated into the US between 2013 and 2022 alone or with families and children. Respondents provided demographic data and answered questions about stressors that prompted their migration, dangerous experiences encountered on their journey, sources of support, and what they wished they had known. Factors that influenced migration included economic stressors such as loss of job and poverty, witnessing or experiencing interpersonal violence or state violence such as kidnapping or threats to self or family, and environmental factors such as natural disasters. Approximately a third of participants traveled with their children, parents or siblings. Younger migrants and migrating people traveling with children reported significantly higher likelihood of encountering dangers during migration. Implications for supporting migrating children and families who have encountered violence and trauma are discussed, as well as limitations of the research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section International Migration)
26 pages, 357 KB  
Article
From Caring to Killing: A Typology of Homicides and Homicide–Suicides Perpetrated by Caregivers
by Siobhan T. O’Dwyer, Charlotte Bishop, Rachel Gimson, G. J. Melendez-Torres, Daniel Stevens and Lorna Hardy
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(6), 376; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14060376 - 16 Jun 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 6649
Abstract
In the news media, there are regular reports of family caregivers killing the people for whom they care, but scholarly research on this phenomenon is fragmented, and there has been little effort to predict or prevent future deaths. The aim of this study [...] Read more.
In the news media, there are regular reports of family caregivers killing the people for whom they care, but scholarly research on this phenomenon is fragmented, and there has been little effort to predict or prevent future deaths. The aim of this study was to develop a typology of caregiver-perpetrated homicides that could provide a framework for more rigorous research and targeted responses in policy and practice. Ideal Type Analysis was applied to sixty-four homicides and homicide–suicides perpetrated by family caregivers in England and Wales between January 2015 and December 2019. The cases clustered into seven clear types: Ending Suffering; Genuine Burden of Care; Pre-existing Mental Illness; Neglect; Exploitation; Caregiver as Victim of Domestic Violence, Abuse or Coercive Control; and Caregiver as Perpetrator of Domestic Violence, Abuse, or Coercive Control. Each type was characterised by a distinct motive, context, or course of events leading to the homicide. This is the first typology of homicides and homicide–suicides perpetrated by caregivers. The Caregiver-Perpetrated Homicide Typology challenges previous claims that caregiver-perpetrated homicides are isolated events and provides a framework for the development of evidence-based prediction and prevention initiatives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Family Studies)
20 pages, 1697 KB  
Article
Cyberbullying and Cybervictimization: The Role of Parental Psychological Control and Dark Triad
by Danilo Calaresi, Valeria Verrastro, Fiorenza Giordano and Valeria Saladino
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(6), 370; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14060370 - 12 Jun 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3482
Abstract
The rising prevalence of cyberbullying in online environments has raised concerns about the well-being and safety of individuals. The objective of this research is to explore if the dark triad traits (Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism) function as mediators in the connections between maternal [...] Read more.
The rising prevalence of cyberbullying in online environments has raised concerns about the well-being and safety of individuals. The objective of this research is to explore if the dark triad traits (Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism) function as mediators in the connections between maternal psychological control, paternal psychological control, cyberbullying, and cybervictimization. A sample of 1016 young adults participated in an online survey, providing self-reported data. The results revealed complex relationships among the variables examined. While most direct and indirect links were statistically significant, the direct connection between maternal psychological control and cyberbullying was significant only when paternal psychological control was not simultaneously included as a predictor. Furthermore, narcissism’s mediating effects were beneficial when Machiavellianism and psychopathy were excluded and negative otherwise. The results highlight that individuals with high degrees of parental psychological control are more prone to engage in manipulative actions and lack empathy, leading to cyberbullying and cybervictimization. Future research should disentangle the distinct roles of maternal and paternal control, investigate the interplay among dark triad traits in different social contexts, and consider how peer dynamics and digital environments may amplify or mitigate these effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Family Studies)
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16 pages, 234 KB  
Article
The Difference Between the Actual and Ideal Number of Children Depending on Socioeconomic Status: An Analysis of National Fertility Survey Data in Japan
by Tasuku Okui
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(6), 330; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14060330 - 26 May 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 7916
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the association between socioeconomic status and the difference between the actual and ideal number of children. We used cross-sectional data from the National Fertility Survey for married couples conducted by the National Institute of Population and Social Security [...] Read more.
This study aimed to investigate the association between socioeconomic status and the difference between the actual and ideal number of children. We used cross-sectional data from the National Fertility Survey for married couples conducted by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research in 2015 and 2021. Combining files from both years, responses from a total of 12,632 couples were analyzed. A modified Poisson regression model was used to investigate associations between the outcomes and the socioeconomic characteristics of the studied couples. The two outcomes were having fewer children than ideal and having more children than ideal, and their proportions were 47.2% and 3.4%, respectively. Husbands and wives who were high school graduates were less inclined to have fewer children than ideal, and wives who were non-regular workers or unemployed were less inclined to have fewer children than ideal than wives who were regular workers. In addition, couples in the lowest household income group were significantly associated with a higher prevalence of having fewer children than ideal. These results showed being in the lower household income group was associated with a higher prevalence of having fewer children than ideal and suggested the need for support for low-income households. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Family Studies)
20 pages, 262 KB  
Article
Support and Autonomy: Social Workers’ Approaches in Dutch Shelters for Female Survivors of Domestic Violence
by Chloé Roegiers Mayeux, Sawitri Saharso, Evelien Tonkens and Jonathan Darling
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(4), 241; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14040241 - 15 Apr 2025
Viewed by 5360
Abstract
It is not uncommon that women residing in Dutch shelters following domestic violence consider returning to their partners during the course of their stay. Social workers cannot prohibit return due to the importance of the client’s autonomy, as stated in the Code of [...] Read more.
It is not uncommon that women residing in Dutch shelters following domestic violence consider returning to their partners during the course of their stay. Social workers cannot prohibit return due to the importance of the client’s autonomy, as stated in the Code of Ethics. Simultaneously, social workers aim to ensure women’s safety and encourage a positive future, which can lead to tensions in their way of support-giving. Based on thirty-five interviews with social workers, this study explores how they navigate these tensions and the support they give in such cases. Building on Martha Nussbaum’s capabilities approach, we distinguish a hands-off and an interventionist approach to autonomy. While the hands-off approach leads to non-intervention and respecting the woman’s decision, the interventionist approach focuses on providing tools and encouraging safer alternatives. The findings show that the hands-off approach is the common type of support, leading to feelings of powerlessness for social workers and often prompting endeavors to intervene more actively. Simultaneously, we argue that, whilst the Code of Ethics demonstrates an ambivalence towards these different forms of autonomy, it is often interpreted by social workers as promoting only a hands-off approach. Consequently, we argue that social workers would benefit from a greater recognition of an interventionist approach to autonomy and more liberty in support-giving. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Approaches to Prevent and Intervene with Victims and Offenders of Gender-Based and Domestic Violence)
14 pages, 234 KB  
Article
Aggrieved White Men and the Danger They Pose to Democracy and Peace
by Bernd Reiter
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(2), 93; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14020093 - 7 Feb 2025
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 10116
Abstract
This article examines the resurgence of fascism and white supremacy politics in Western societies through the lens of status, honor, and dignity. By focusing on the political appeal of leaders like Donald Trump, Jair Bolsonaro, Viktor Orbán, and others, this study argues that [...] Read more.
This article examines the resurgence of fascism and white supremacy politics in Western societies through the lens of status, honor, and dignity. By focusing on the political appeal of leaders like Donald Trump, Jair Bolsonaro, Viktor Orbán, and others, this study argues that these leaders resonate with primarily white, male supporters who feel that their social status and cultural identity are under threat. Drawing on works by Isabel Wilkerson, Ashley Jardina, and Arlie Hochschild, this analysis highlights how anxieties surrounding demographic shifts, perceived “status loss”, and narratives of cultural displacement fuel support for authoritarian policies. It posits that contemporary right-wing movements in the US, Europe, and Latin America are less about economic grievances and more about defending a social hierarchy in which white identity is paramount. This pursuit, while objectively not the same, still mirrors struggles among historically marginalized communities, as discussed by scholars like Bhimrao Ambedkar and Gopal Guru, challenging traditional rational-choice models of political behavior. Relying on an auto-ethnographic account obtained from living in one of the US’s most conservative regions, the West Texas plains, this study suggests that authoritarianism’s appeal lies in its promise to restore a social order steeped in white male dominance, showing how feelings of honor and pride can override democratic principles and fuel political polarization. Ultimately, this article cautions that a social science approach relying solely on rational actor models risks overlooking the potent influence of status anxieties in shaping modern political landscapes, with significant implications for democracy and justice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from 54th NCOBPS Annual Conference: Democracy on the Brink: Are We Headed into an Era of Authoritarianism?)
29 pages, 575 KB  
Article
Authoritarianism in the United States: A Death Knell for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program
by Dorian Brown Crosby
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(2), 57; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14020057 - 22 Jan 2025
Viewed by 9846
Abstract
One of the United States’ two dominant political parties resembles global political parties favoring authoritarianism. Such directives are expressed through the transformed Republican party’s authoritarian messaging, policies, and many of its member’s behavior. The devastating impact of an energized U.S. authoritarian political party [...] Read more.
One of the United States’ two dominant political parties resembles global political parties favoring authoritarianism. Such directives are expressed through the transformed Republican party’s authoritarian messaging, policies, and many of its member’s behavior. The devastating impact of an energized U.S. authoritarian political party and the narrow narrative of who is and should be in the United States and a U.S. citizen is a necessary discussion following the U.S. 2024 Presidential election. It is foreseeable that an autocratic leader of the U.S. will be catastrophic for refugees, particularly refugees of color and especially refugees in the U.S. South, as the liberal ideals of democracy that undergird the institutions and policies that support U.S. refugee admissions and resettlement are attacked. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from 54th NCOBPS Annual Conference: Democracy on the Brink: Are We Headed into an Era of Authoritarianism?)
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22 pages, 1186 KB  
Article
Is Securitisation a Natural and Useful Response to Existential Threats? Introducing the Idea of Peacification
by Timo Kivimäki
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(1), 43; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14010043 - 15 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4746
Abstract
The need to decide whether to securitise an issue area that poses an existential threat, and then treat it as a security matter, is often regarded as a choice without positive alternatives. This article introduces an alternative framing: the “peacification” of issue areas [...] Read more.
The need to decide whether to securitise an issue area that poses an existential threat, and then treat it as a security matter, is often regarded as a choice without positive alternatives. This article introduces an alternative framing: the “peacification” of issue areas that pose existential threats. It also demonstrates that there is variation in the levels of security and peace framing in authoritative speech. By measuring these levels in authoritative US presidential papers and comparing them with levels of success in the US efforts to reduce organised violence, the article falsifies the assumption that securitisation is the only realistic way to frame existential threats. Correlative evidence fails to support the view that the securitisation of organised violence is useful. This finding is highly significant for challenging the naturalness of mainstream security framing, which, due to the very grammar of “security,” is premised on political othering. After all, security is a property of an agent, while security issues traditionally arise from threats posed by another agent. By disaggregating the elements of these two framings, this article offers plausible explanations as to why, in general, peacification may be a better framing for the prevention of organised violence than securitization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section International Politics and Relations)
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20 pages, 341 KB  
Article
“Chickens in the Slaughterhouse” Police-Inflicted Trauma and Mental Health Consequences for an Urban African American LGBTQI+ Community
by Daniela Jauk-Ajamie, Robert L. Peralta and Courtney Michael
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(10), 505; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13100505 - 26 Sep 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3818
Abstract
In this paper, we discuss qualitative findings drawn from a larger community-engaged project in a predominantly Black Midwestern city. Data collection for the project, which focused on the effects of policing on the city’s African American community, was carried out in collaboration with [...] Read more.
In this paper, we discuss qualitative findings drawn from a larger community-engaged project in a predominantly Black Midwestern city. Data collection for the project, which focused on the effects of policing on the city’s African American community, was carried out in collaboration with Black community organizations and an independent police oversight board. Using an intersectional queer politics lens, we present findings from a thematic analysis of field observations that focused on the city’s LGBTQI+ community. Major themes that emerged include the social context of Black LGBTQI+ oppression, the criminalization of the Black LGBTQI+ body, and mental health impact of policing experiences. Overall, we found that transgender and gender non-conforming experiences with police were particularly harmful. We conclude with insights into the strategies of resilience and resistance used by the community to navigate the impact police work has on their lived experience. Policy implications of our findings and the importance of queer politics to enable Black LGBTQI+ populations to access services and thrive, rather than survive are also addressed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foundational Social Science Research on LGBTQ+ Communities and Populations)
22 pages, 351 KB  
Article
Whither Feminist Solidarity? Critical Thinking, Racism, Islamophobia, Gender, Authoritarianism, and Sexism in a U.S. National Sample
by Kyle Killian
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(10), 502; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13100502 - 25 Sep 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5103
Abstract
Feminist solidarities form when people from a variety of social locations and accompanying power and privilege actively forge alliances across difference(s) to support gender equity and justice and to resist systemic gender bias. While nations from the Global North depict themselves as bastions [...] Read more.
Feminist solidarities form when people from a variety of social locations and accompanying power and privilege actively forge alliances across difference(s) to support gender equity and justice and to resist systemic gender bias. While nations from the Global North depict themselves as bastions of gender equity in comparison to nations of the Global South, countries such as the US, making dubious claims to “post-sexist” and “post-racial” societies, protest too much. Using a representative, national sample in the US, most participants did not disagree with sexist and racist attitudes and beliefs, and six variables accounted for 60.1% of the variance in sexism in a multiple regression model (F = 89.62, p < 0.001): racism, critical thinking dispositions, Islamophobia, conspiracy mentality, gender, and authoritarianism. Implications for educators and social science researchers are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feminist Solidarity, Resistance, and Social Justice)
13 pages, 282 KB  
Article
“The Adultery of a Woman Is a Very Serious Attack on the Honor and Dignity of a Man.” Perceptions about Gender Violence of Judges and Inmates
by Catarina Frois and Antónia Lima
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(7), 368; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13070368 - 12 Jul 2024
Viewed by 2374
Abstract
Crossing the analysis of court rulings on domestic violence produced in Portuguese courts and semi-structured interviews of men convicted of this same crime, this article emphasizes the transversality of gender categories as social markers in the different dimensions of Portugal’s social and institutional [...] Read more.
Crossing the analysis of court rulings on domestic violence produced in Portuguese courts and semi-structured interviews of men convicted of this same crime, this article emphasizes the transversality of gender categories as social markers in the different dimensions of Portugal’s social and institutional life, as well as the processes through which an inseparability between gender and state is built. From the comparative analysis of our research, we have identified the presence and relevance of these moral models that ascribe meanings and expectations to gender-based violence in different contexts—in courts and in prisons, with judges and inmates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Gender Studies)
28 pages, 1538 KB  
Article
Communication for Development: Conceptualising Changes in Communication and Inclusive Rural Transformation in the Context of Environmental Change
by Sarah Cardey, Pamela Joyce Moraleda Eleazar, Juliet Ainomugisha, Macneil Kalowekamo and Yurii Vlasenko
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(6), 324; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13060324 - 19 Jun 2024
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 11355
Abstract
Globally, rural conditions are in states of change. They are often highly vulnerable to climate and environmental change, extreme weather events, conflict, socio-economic changes, inequalities, and demographic changes. These changes are putting stress on rural areas, which rely upon agriculture and natural resources [...] Read more.
Globally, rural conditions are in states of change. They are often highly vulnerable to climate and environmental change, extreme weather events, conflict, socio-economic changes, inequalities, and demographic changes. These changes are putting stress on rural areas, which rely upon agriculture and natural resources for their livelihoods and are often the foundation of national economies. Communication for development (C4D) has played an important role in addressing these challenges. Its thinking is broadly consistent with rural development goals—indeed, the roots of C4D come in part from rural development and agricultural extension. Communication for development (C4D) was defined by the World Congress on Communication for Development as “…a social process based on dialogue using a broad range of tools and methods. It also seeks change at different levels, including listening, building trust, sharing knowledge and skills, building policies, debating, and learning for sustained and meaningful change. It is not public relations or corporate communications”. However, after decades of action to address these interrelated rural development challenges, much remains to be done. This paper critically considers the following: What does inclusive rural development mean now, in light of environmental change, and how does this affect the conceptualisation and practice of C4D? This was done by using three countries as case studies: Malawi, Ukraine, and the Philippines. Each of these countries represented contrasting challenges and opportunities for rural development and environmental change, with lessons from their experiences shedding insight into the communication for development thinking. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reconceptualising Communication for Development: A Critical Appraisal of the Field)
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23 pages, 2389 KB  
Article
The Impact of Partners’ Relative Wages on Couples’ Gender Division of Paid Work after Parenthood across Origin Groups
by Julie Maes and Leen Marynissen
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(6), 296; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13060296 - 29 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1816
Abstract
The transition to parenthood exacerbates gender inequality in couples’ division of paid work. While this is widely documented for general populations, in particular, potential underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon remain un(der)explored for couples with different migration backgrounds. Hence, this paper examines how women’s [...] Read more.
The transition to parenthood exacerbates gender inequality in couples’ division of paid work. While this is widely documented for general populations, in particular, potential underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon remain un(der)explored for couples with different migration backgrounds. Hence, this paper examines how women’s pre-birth relative wage potential affects the gender division of paid work after the transition to parenthood in Belgium among native, Southern-European and non-European origin couples. Our results show that, among all couples, the division of paid work is more gender-equal after childbirth when women’s wage potential is higher than or similar to that of their male partner. However, there is substantial variation by couples’ migration background and relative wage potential in partners’ gender division of paid work and the extent to which it changes after parenthood. These findings suggest that both normative and institutional factors moderate the impact of partners’ relative resources on couples’ division of paid work after parenthood, particularly among non-European origin couples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Family Studies)
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20 pages, 662 KB  
Article
Exploring Motivators for Trust in the Dichotomy of Human—AI Trust Dynamics
by Michael Gerlich
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 251; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13050251 - 6 May 2024
Cited by 43 | Viewed by 8964
Abstract
This study analyses the dimensions of trust in artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on why a significant portion of the UK population demonstrates a higher level of trust in AI compared to humans. Conducted through a mixed-methods approach, this study gathered 894 responses, with [...] Read more.
This study analyses the dimensions of trust in artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on why a significant portion of the UK population demonstrates a higher level of trust in AI compared to humans. Conducted through a mixed-methods approach, this study gathered 894 responses, with 451 meeting the criteria for analysis. It utilised a combination of a six-step Likert-scale survey and open-ended questions to explore the psychological, sociocultural, and technological facets of trust. The analysis was underpinned by structural equation modelling (SEM) and correlation techniques. The results unveil a strong predilection for trusting AI, mainly due to its perceived impartiality and accuracy, which participants likened to conventional computing systems. This preference starkly contrasts with the scepticism towards human reliability, which is influenced by the perception of inherent self-interest and dishonesty in humans, further exacerbated by a general distrust in media narratives. Additionally, this study highlights a significant correlation between distrust in AI and an unwavering confidence in human judgment, illustrating a dichotomy in trust orientations. This investigation illuminates the complex dynamics of trust in the era of digital technology, making a significant contribution to the ongoing discourse on AI’s societal integration and underscoring vital considerations for future AI development and policymaking. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Contemporary Politics and Society)
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17 pages, 4187 KB  
Article
Perpetuation of Gender Bias in Visual Representation of Professions in the Generative AI Tools DALL·E and Bing Image Creator
by Teresa Sandoval-Martin and Ester Martínez-Sanzo
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 250; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13050250 - 2 May 2024
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 16172
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI)-based generative imaging systems such as DALL·E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and Adobe Firefly, which work by transforming natural language descriptions into images, are revolutionizing computer vision. In this exploratory and qualitative research, we have replicated requests for images of women in [...] Read more.
Artificial intelligence (AI)-based generative imaging systems such as DALL·E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and Adobe Firefly, which work by transforming natural language descriptions into images, are revolutionizing computer vision. In this exploratory and qualitative research, we have replicated requests for images of women in different professions by comparing these representations in previous studies with DALL·E, observing that this model continues to provide in its last version, DALL·E 3, inequitable results in terms of gender. In addition, Bing Image Creator, Microsoft’s free tool that is widely used among the population and runs under DALL·E, has been tested for the first time. It also presents a sexualization of women and stereotypical children’s representations. The results reveal the following: 1. A slight improvement in terms of the presence of women in professions previously shown only with men. 2. They continue to offer biased results in terms of the objectification of women by showing sexualized women. 3. The representation of children highlights another level of gender bias, reinforcing traditional stereotypes associated with gender roles from childhood, which can impact future decisions regarding studies and occupations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender Equality in the Workplace: Theory and Practice for Decent Work and a Climate of Inclusion)
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11 pages, 278 KB  
Article
The Teachability of Global Citizenship to Children through Empirical Environmental Education: Reflections from a Horticultural Project in a Spanish School
by Isabel Pérez-Ortega and Iñigo González-Fuente
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 225; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040225 - 20 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2438
Abstract
In a context defined by the internationalisation of educational policies and the supranational nature of school programmes, we highlight the desirability of promoting local strategies for teaching environmental sustainability in order to contribute to the formation of global citizenship in children. Based on [...] Read more.
In a context defined by the internationalisation of educational policies and the supranational nature of school programmes, we highlight the desirability of promoting local strategies for teaching environmental sustainability in order to contribute to the formation of global citizenship in children. Based on the experience of a horticultural curricular project in a school in northern Spain, the aim of this article is to reflect on the need for socio-educational communities to transform the objectives of environmental education into tools with which children can co-responsibly build connections to modify or enrich their everyday concepts of caring for the planet. To do this, semiotic analysis of different official school documents is used as a key methodology. Our findings invite consideration of the fact that pedagogies designed to train children in global citizenship competencies should not be limited to the classroom or to reproducing the proposals of institutional documents. Rather, they should be based on the prior knowledge and experiences of all members of the community, above all, of the children. From this perspective, the promotion of empirical learning situations is essential for the acquisition of meaningful and appropriate environmental contents, in the sense that they allow children, as future global citizens, to recognise the ethical repercussions of their own actions and decisions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Childhood and Rights in a Global World)
14 pages, 299 KB  
Article
Excluded but Fighting: Where Are the Voices of Sex Workers and Their Allies in EU Anti-Trafficking Policymaking?
by Irena Ferčíková Konečná
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(3), 148; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13030148 - 5 Mar 2024
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 7860
Abstract
The ‘end demand’ approach to prostitution has been popping up in Europe through the anti-trafficking debate and receives increasing attention on the international agenda. It is well recognized that improving workers’ rights, increasing unionization and collective bargaining coverage are effective strategies for tackling [...] Read more.
The ‘end demand’ approach to prostitution has been popping up in Europe through the anti-trafficking debate and receives increasing attention on the international agenda. It is well recognized that improving workers’ rights, increasing unionization and collective bargaining coverage are effective strategies for tackling trafficking. However, with regard to sexual exploitation, focus is not on these strategies but instead on the abolition of the entire sex industry with the help of criminal justice systems. In first decade after the Palermo Protocol (2000), international organizations (IGOs) promoted a human rights-based approach to tackling trafficking, aiming to balance the criminal justice focus of the protocol. This work guided states on how to maintain and protect human rights while combating human trafficking. However, the explosive issue of sex work/prostitution was minimized, with IGOs avoiding the topic due to the fragile consensus about the definition of human trafficking and state obligations. Meanwhile, sex workers’ collectives and unions globally and throughout Europe developed their own strategies on how to address widespread criminalization, discrimination, violence and exploitation, with no or very limited funding and resources—and without recognition of their work, experience and expertise. This article presents how the European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance (ESWA) and other sex workers’ rights civil society organizations have sought to challenge the harmful impacts of the ‘end demand’ discourse and the criminalization of sex work in the name of anti-trafficking in Europe. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue International Counter-Trafficking: A Zero-Sum Game?)
23 pages, 1476 KB  
Article
Affirmative Action Policies in Higher Education in Brazil: Outcomes and Future Challenges
by Rosana Heringer
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(3), 132; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13030132 - 27 Feb 2024
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 16054
Abstract
This article presents the results of broad research developed by a group of Brazilian scholars to make an assessment of affirmative action policies in admissions to higher education in Brazil, namely the quota legislation in place since 2012, which reserves places for lower-income, [...] Read more.
This article presents the results of broad research developed by a group of Brazilian scholars to make an assessment of affirmative action policies in admissions to higher education in Brazil, namely the quota legislation in place since 2012, which reserves places for lower-income, Afro-Brazilians and indigenous students in federal universities. The research has been developed through a combination of methods including analysis of secondary data, case studies in six federal universities, and interviews with university leadership and faculty members. The article presents the main results of the study, including the effect of quota legislation in diversifying the profile of higher education students in the last decade. It shows that a significant proportion of Afro-Brazilian students have been able to access good-quality higher education because of this legislation. The article concludes by presenting some challenges faced by quota students in federal universities, especially related to student support policies and a sense of belonging. It also presents recommendations to improve these policies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Racial Injustice, Violence and Resistance: New Approaches under Multidimensional Perspectives)
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16 pages, 256 KB  
Article
Paid-Leave Availability and Public Health and Nutrition Program Participation Following a Birth in the U.S.
by Marci Ybarra, Alexandra B. Stanczyk and Dylan J. F. Bellisle
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(3), 126; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13030126 - 22 Feb 2024
Viewed by 2398
Abstract
This study examines the relationships between state-provided paid-leave availability and enrollment in public health and nutrition programs (SNAP, Medicaid, WIC) among single low-income women following a birth in the U.S. We hypothesize that women in paid leave states will be less likely to [...] Read more.
This study examines the relationships between state-provided paid-leave availability and enrollment in public health and nutrition programs (SNAP, Medicaid, WIC) among single low-income women following a birth in the U.S. We hypothesize that women in paid leave states will be less likely to participate in publicly available health and nutrition programs. Data are from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), a nationally representative panel survey data set (N = 1168). Descriptive tests of significance and probit regression models are used to examine the relationship between paid-leave availability and participation in SNAP, Medicaid, and WIC following a birth. A descriptive analysis suggests significantly lower enrollment in SNAP but not Medicaid or WIC for single low-income women in paid-leave states compared to those in non-paid-leave states. The finding of significantly lower post-birth SNAP participation in paid-leave states holds in probit models that include potentially relevant mother, household, and state controls. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Family Studies)
18 pages, 358 KB  
Article
“Not Everyone Can Become a Rocket Scientist”: Decolonising Children’s Rights in Ethnic Minority Childhoods in Norway
by Marit Ursin and Ida Marie Lyså
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(2), 117; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13020117 - 14 Feb 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5695
Abstract
This paper uses a case study to critically reflect on contemporary discourses in Norway connected to ethnic minority childhoods and children’s rights to education and work. Based on a narrative interview with an ethnic minority girl, Sadja (aged 16), who is in state [...] Read more.
This paper uses a case study to critically reflect on contemporary discourses in Norway connected to ethnic minority childhoods and children’s rights to education and work. Based on a narrative interview with an ethnic minority girl, Sadja (aged 16), who is in state custody and lives with a foster family, we use a decolonial lens to explore the tensions in expectations and rights in her life and education. The tensions encountered are situated along three axes. The first axis illustrates tensions related to education, work, and responsibilities, as Sadja’s family responsibilities are perceived by teachers and child welfare workers as preventing her from having “a proper childhood”. The second axis explores tensions connected to independence, educational choice, and “belonging to the state”, where Sadja experiences that being in state custody results in being unable to “follow her dream”. The third axis reflects the tensions between parental expectations of “dreaming big” versus her surrounding environment’s anticipation of her simply getting a job. In sum, Sadja’s experiences suggest that contemporary Western discourses—such as individualism, self-autonomy, and children as human capital—paradoxically curtail the educational rights and trajectories of ethnic minority children in foster care in Norway in unforeseen and unfortunate ways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Children’s Wellbeing and Children’s Rights—A Nordic Perspective)
11 pages, 223 KB  
Article
New Developments in Geopolitics: A Reassessment of Theories after 2023
by Georgios Tr Topalidis, Nick N. Kartalis, John R. Velentzas and Charalampia Gr Sidiropoulou
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(2), 109; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13020109 - 9 Feb 2024
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 23206
Abstract
The scope of this article is to make a synthesis of the theory of geopolitics with new trends and characteristics of the new global environment. Traditional geopolitical theories are established on the basis of sovereign states. The starting point of many theories is [...] Read more.
The scope of this article is to make a synthesis of the theory of geopolitics with new trends and characteristics of the new global environment. Traditional geopolitical theories are established on the basis of sovereign states. The starting point of many theories is for sovereign states to compete for world hegemony, or to gain an advantage in competition with their opponents. Geopolitical research also mostly starts from the interests of the country. However, as global environmental changes, transnational crimes, terrorism, information security, and other non-traditional security threats have become common threats to human society, their impact also crosses borders and has global characteristics, which also means solving geopolitical issues. Thinking needs to change from a national perspective to a global perspective. On the other hand, as the international community pays more and more attention to human rights, the challenge of human rights to sovereignty has become an unavoidable reality in current international politics. With the progress of the times, the protection and respect of civil rights has become the basic consensus of the international community. Nowadays, the issue of virtual rights such as carbon emission rights have also been included in the geopolitics theory, creating a strong shift of paradigm towards a renewed theory. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Contemporary Politics and Society)
17 pages, 1666 KB  
Article
Occupational Gender Segregation and Mental Health among Professionals: Women’s Risk Exposure in Five Micro Classes
by Lorenzo Cattani and Roberto Rizza
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(2), 92; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13020092 - 1 Feb 2024
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 7310
Abstract
This study explores the intricate interplay between gender, occupation, and mental health using data from the 2020 EU-LFS ad hoc module on 38,066 female professionals in Western Europe. We examine their exposure to work-related risks impacting mental health, focusing on variables such as [...] Read more.
This study explores the intricate interplay between gender, occupation, and mental health using data from the 2020 EU-LFS ad hoc module on 38,066 female professionals in Western Europe. We examine their exposure to work-related risks impacting mental health, focusing on variables such as work overload, violence, and challenging client interactions. Our primary objective is to discern how various occupations contribute to distinct experiences of work-induced strains. Key findings challenge the compensating differential theory, according to which the lower wages in female-dominated occupations are compensated by more friendly working conditions, revealing that interactive service-sector jobs pose higher risks to mental well-being. Health professionals, legal-cultural professionals, and teachers are particularly susceptible, with shift and weekend work exacerbating risk exposure to violence and violent behaviors. This study underscores the significance of a “within-gender” perspective, uncovering nuanced occupation-based inequalities for women. It introduces a novel approach to occupational segregation, highlighting the uneven distribution of work-induced strains among different occupations. It also urges to reassess customer-worker relationships and proposes gender-specific measures to alleviate heightened risks to mental well-being for interactive service occupations. In conclusion, this study analyzes the intersection of gender, occupation, and work-induced strains, emphasizing the role of micro-classes in shaping women’s mental health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Gender Studies)
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15 pages, 288 KB  
Article
Reconsidering Recognition in the Lives of Children and Young People in Care: Insights from the Mockingbird Family in South Australia
by Emi Patmisari, Helen McLaren and Michelle Jones
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(2), 81; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13020081 - 28 Jan 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4949
Abstract
This study explored the experiences of children and young people in the Mockingbird Family, South Australia, during implementation and roll-out. The study involved semi-structured interviews with a diverse group of 54 participants, including 21 children and young people, 12 foster carers, and 14 [...] Read more.
This study explored the experiences of children and young people in the Mockingbird Family, South Australia, during implementation and roll-out. The study involved semi-structured interviews with a diverse group of 54 participants, including 21 children and young people, 12 foster carers, and 14 agency workers. Thematic analysis, with the application of Axel Honneth’s recognition theory, showed the Mockingbird Family model to validate the emotional, cognitive, and social support needs of children and young people. Through interconnected experience, the nurturing of care and the promotion of rights-based, holistic approaches were crucial for achieving social recognition, dignity, and developmental growth. The study indicates the potential benefits of the Mockingbird Family model for addressing the needs of children and young people in care. The research suggests that a community-based support model such as the Mockingbird Family should be considered in child welfare practices. However, further research is necessary to fully understand the model’s long-term effects and justify its integration into wider child welfare policies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Child Abuse and Child Protection)
13 pages, 283 KB  
Article
The Challenges of Artificial Intelligence in Public Administration in the Framework of Smart Cities: Reflections and Legal Issues
by Pedro Miguel Alves Ribeiro Correia, Ricardo Lopes Dinis Pedro, Ireneu de Oliveira Mendes and Alexandre D. C. S. Serra
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(2), 75; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13020075 - 24 Jan 2024
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 13023
Abstract
In the last decade, artificial intelligence has generated several challenges in societies, with a special focus on public administration. Through the development of this literature review, we intend to underline the challenges that this has caused in the realm of public affairs, especially [...] Read more.
In the last decade, artificial intelligence has generated several challenges in societies, with a special focus on public administration. Through the development of this literature review, we intend to underline the challenges that this has caused in the realm of public affairs, especially in terms of the smart cities framework, considering the legal perspective that is intrinsically associated with it. In this way, we based our research on a wide range of articles, from which we considered those with the greatest relevance and the highest number of citations in order to substantiate this theme in a more precise way. Finally, we present a set of conclusions, as well as opportunities for future investigations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Local Governance, Wellbeing and Sustainability)
13 pages, 335 KB  
Article
“I Just Want to Live My Life”: Young Disabled People’s Possibilities for Achieving Participation and Wellness
by Anna Sigrún Ingimarsdóttir and Snæfrídur Thóra Egilson
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(1), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13010063 - 18 Jan 2024
Viewed by 4245
Abstract
This study aimed to (a) explore disabled children’s and adolescents’ possibilities for participation and (b) identify the practices and policies that affect their participation and how these are enacted. Case studies were conducted with seven children and adolescents with various impairments. Each case [...] Read more.
This study aimed to (a) explore disabled children’s and adolescents’ possibilities for participation and (b) identify the practices and policies that affect their participation and how these are enacted. Case studies were conducted with seven children and adolescents with various impairments. Each case included interviews with the young person, their parents and teachers, as well as observations in their usual environments. The interview topics covered the young people’s participation, their sense of belonging and aspects that were pivotal to their engagement and wellness. The observations focused on their possibilities for participation and interactions with peers and adults. These young disabled people’s possibilities for participation at home, in school and in their neighbourhoods were affected by complex dynamics between personal and environmental factors. Whether and how the young people’s disability-related rights were enacted depended on the socio-cultural–material arrangements and parents’ knowledge of the welfare system. To better understand and act on the complex and marginalised position of young disabled people, more focus should be directed at policies that affect their rights and possibilities for participation and how these are enacted in practice. Knowledge needs to be expanded to scrutinise the disabling hindrances hidden in social and structural spaces and implemented in services. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Children’s Wellbeing and Children’s Rights—A Nordic Perspective)
19 pages, 303 KB  
Article
Tackling Gender-Related Violence: How Can Theory Inform International Professional Education Projects?
by gigi guizzo and Pam Alldred
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(1), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13010061 - 17 Jan 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 5721
Abstract
Is it helpful to share feminist theory with youth practitioners and is there room for it on short training courses such as in EU Action Projects? Can theoretical work on intersectionality, and the concept of gender-related violence (GRV) which grew from it, be [...] Read more.
Is it helpful to share feminist theory with youth practitioners and is there room for it on short training courses such as in EU Action Projects? Can theoretical work on intersectionality, and the concept of gender-related violence (GRV) which grew from it, be shared in training interventions with professionals who work with children and young people? This article is based on the findings of the EU co-funded GAP Work Project that sought to improve GRV intervention and referral through training for practitioners in everyday (rather than specialist) contact with children or young people in four countries. Summarising how the project worked, and how theory informed it, including a brief account of how the concept of GRV worked in practice, guides the selection of material from the wider Project Final Report and offers a reflection on how educators used theory in the training, sometimes explicitly in the sessions. It therefore contributes our experiences to discussions about the design and implementation of education and training about violence and abuse. It concludes by sharing resources for designing and implementing training on sexual harassment, violence and hate crime, including from other recent projects that offer resources for incorporating an intersectional perspective when developing local government plans, programmes, and projects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender-Related Violence: Social Sciences’ Research & Methods)
16 pages, 5783 KB  
Article
Towards a Co-Creative Immersive Digital Storytelling Methodology to Explore Experiences of Homelessness in Loughborough
by Holly Turpin, Rebecca Cain and Michael Wilson
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(1), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13010059 - 16 Jan 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4781
Abstract
Despite the potential use of digital storytelling with marginalised groups, there are few examples of its application in homelessness or examinations of co-creative relationships in this context. Along with digital storytelling, this research used immersive media (virtual reality and 360 degree video) to [...] Read more.
Despite the potential use of digital storytelling with marginalised groups, there are few examples of its application in homelessness or examinations of co-creative relationships in this context. Along with digital storytelling, this research used immersive media (virtual reality and 360 degree video) to explore place-based social exclusion. In the feasibility study, with four doctoral researchers at Loughborough University as participants, immersive digital stories were co-created. The aim of this study was to understand how to create place-based immersive digital stories, through adapting existing digital storytelling methods and the co-creation of virtual reality, to inform best practices for future studies involving participants who have experienced homelessness. Participants created maps and empathy timelines, shared stories, recorded voiceovers and edited footage. The researcher facilitated this and recorded the 360-degree filmed footage. The final stories proved to explore place-based social exclusion. Co-creative relationships were found to be more significant between the researcher and individual participant than amongst the participants as a group. With immersive media, the researcher’s experience formed an active part of the finished pieces. Despite this, participants described their role as director, being ultimately in control. These findings will influence the methods that will be used in the future with those who have experienced homelessness in Loughborough. They also show how immersive media in digital storytelling can strengthen co-creation and acknowledge the researcher in the story. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from 11th International Digital Storytelling Conference 2023: Radical Listening: Story Work for a Just Future)
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14 pages, 282 KB  
Article
After Being Granted or Refused Asylum in Norway: Relational Migration Journeys among Afghan Unaccompanied Young Men
by Moa Nyamwathi Lønning
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(1), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13010045 - 10 Jan 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 5354
Abstract
This article considers experiences of moving and dwelling in Europe among Afghan unaccompanied young men in the context of stringent migration, asylum, and settlement processes. The young men embarked as minors and arrived unaccompanied in Norway. There, their claims for asylum had radically [...] Read more.
This article considers experiences of moving and dwelling in Europe among Afghan unaccompanied young men in the context of stringent migration, asylum, and settlement processes. The young men embarked as minors and arrived unaccompanied in Norway. There, their claims for asylum had radically different outcomes: some were granted international protection and others were refused asylum. The article sheds light on forms of relationality on migration journeys by focusing on relational selves and subjectivities regarding trajectories, processes of inclusion and exclusion, and family. Participants shared numerous challenges and struggles arising from their journeys, but also possibilities and transformations taking place alongside developmental changes and life transitions. While some attached meaning to experienced hardships and drew on a sense of direction, others spoke of exhaustion or inoculated themselves from an inability to pursue a direction they desired and saw as necessary for their lives. They made sense of their experiences relationally, relating to hopes and fears, idealised and longed for kinship ties and care, and the ongoing processes and positionings involved in shaping their present situations and imaginings of the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Relational Wellbeing in the Lives of Young Refugees)
19 pages, 1323 KB  
Article
The Shifting Stress of Working Parents: An Examination of Dual Pandemic Disruptions—Remote Work and Remote Schooling
by Wen Fan and Phyllis Moen
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(1), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13010036 - 4 Jan 2024
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 8132
Abstract
Working remotely at least some of the time has long been seen as promoting a better integration of work and care obligations, even though prepandemic research is mixed as to the extent to which parents benefit emotionally from remote work. We exploit dual [...] Read more.
Working remotely at least some of the time has long been seen as promoting a better integration of work and care obligations, even though prepandemic research is mixed as to the extent to which parents benefit emotionally from remote work. We exploit dual social experiments in schooling and work spawned by the COVID-19 pandemic to understand any stress-reducing effects of working from home under different school-closing state policy contexts. The pandemic led to an unprecedented shift to (and subsequent away from) remote and hybrid work but also to the implementation of various containment policies, most notably school closures driving a shift to remote learning that were put into effect to different degrees across U.S. states. Drawing on parents’ data from a U.S. nationally representative panel survey of workers who spent at least some time working from home since the pandemic onset, we use mixed-effects models to examine whether and in what ways cross-state and over-time variations in school closure policies shape any stress-reducing impacts of remote/hybrid work. Results show that when schools were not mandated to close, remote/hybrid work largely reduces parents’—especially mothers’—stress. However, an opposite pattern emerges in the face of closing mandates. These patterns are especially pronounced among white mothers and are not observed among nonparents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender, Work and Family in Turbulent Times: COVID-19, Remote Work and Diversity)
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15 pages, 288 KB  
Article
Exploring the Relational in Relational Wellbeing
by Sarah C. White and Shreya Jha
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(11), 600; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12110600 - 28 Oct 2023
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 16086
Abstract
This paper explores the different ways that relationships and the relational figure in the integrative approach, relational wellbeing (RWB). These are (1) conceptualising persons as relational subjects; (2) relationships as the means through which people seek to address a wide variety of needs; [...] Read more.
This paper explores the different ways that relationships and the relational figure in the integrative approach, relational wellbeing (RWB). These are (1) conceptualising persons as relational subjects; (2) relationships as the means through which people seek to address a wide variety of needs; (3) inter-relations between the experience of wellbeing and the underlying factors within persons and their contexts that either promote or undermine wellbeing; (4) relationships serving as conduits of power and the making of identities; and (5) inter-relations between the concepts and methods of research with representations of (persons and) wellbeing. The main thrust of the paper is theoretical, but it is anchored in long-standing research into wellbeing in the global South and practical experience in applying RWB in the global North. Empirically, it draws, in particular, on a case study from Zambia of a ‘meshwork’ of relations between birth and foster parents and children moving between households. This places the relational, rather than the individual, at the centre of analysis. It shows how different dimensions of wellbeing may coincide, but there may also be trade-offs between them. Relationships are bearers of power, and it is the interactions of structure and agency that ultimately limit or engender opportunities for sustained individual and collective wellbeing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Relational Wellbeing in the Lives of Young Refugees)
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16 pages, 318 KB  
Article
Skilled Migrants and Their Encounters with Care and Employment Regimes: Childcaring among Highly Skilled Female Migrants from Korea in Germany
by Jaok Kwon
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(9), 477; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12090477 - 28 Aug 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4098
Abstract
By analysing the childcaring experiences of female skilled workers from South Korea (hereafter, Korea) in Germany, this paper maintains that the challenges in labour market participation for highly skilled women, and especially those with children, should be understood in the context of their [...] Read more.
By analysing the childcaring experiences of female skilled workers from South Korea (hereafter, Korea) in Germany, this paper maintains that the challenges in labour market participation for highly skilled women, and especially those with children, should be understood in the context of their encounters with similar and different care and employment regimes between their home and host countries. On the theoretical level, this research confirms the argument that the migration of highly skilled workers should be contextualized not from a neoclassical perspective in which the maximization of economic profits takes priority, but from an institutional point of view in which social and cultural norms, practices, and policies in both the home and host societies are taken into consideration. Specifically, through a series of in-depth interviews conducted with skilled female migrants from Korea, this paper highlights the significance of taking the function of similar and different caring and employment regimes into account in explaining the challenges faced by highly skilled migrant women in labour market participation. On the empirical level, this paper sheds light on the migration experiences of skilled women from Asia as well as the (dis)integration processes of newcomers from third-national countries in Germany, with a focus on female migrants from Korea. Full article
15 pages, 348 KB  
Article
What ChatGPT Tells Us about Gender: A Cautionary Tale about Performativity and Gender Biases in AI
by Nicole Gross
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(8), 435; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12080435 - 1 Aug 2023
Cited by 138 | Viewed by 63697
Abstract
Large language models and generative AI, such as ChatGPT, have gained influence over people’s personal lives and work since their launch, and are expected to scale even further. While the promises of generative artificial intelligence are compelling, this technology harbors significant biases, including [...] Read more.
Large language models and generative AI, such as ChatGPT, have gained influence over people’s personal lives and work since their launch, and are expected to scale even further. While the promises of generative artificial intelligence are compelling, this technology harbors significant biases, including those related to gender. Gender biases create patterns of behavior and stereotypes that put women, men and gender-diverse people at a disadvantage. Gender inequalities and injustices affect society as a whole. As a social practice, gendering is achieved through the repeated citation of rituals, expectations and norms. Shared understandings are often captured in scripts, including those emerging in and from generative AI, which means that gendered views and gender biases get grafted back into social, political and economic life. This paper’s central argument is that large language models work performatively, which means that they perpetuate and perhaps even amplify old and non-inclusive understandings of gender. Examples from ChatGPT are used here to illustrate some gender biases in AI. However, this paper also puts forward that AI can work to mitigate biases and act to ‘undo gender’. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Gender and Fostering Positive Social Change in the 21st Century)
19 pages, 5635 KB  
Article
I Can Do: Co-Designing a Service with and for People with Dementia to Engage with Volunteering
by Kristina Niedderer, Isabelle Tournier, Laura Orton and Steve Threlfall
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(6), 364; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12060364 - 19 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 7715
Abstract
This article reports on the co-development of the concept of a skills exchange service for people with early to mid-stage dementia. The service was co-designed with people with dementia, carers and professionals from the health, care and volunteer sectors in Greater Manchester, UK. [...] Read more.
This article reports on the co-development of the concept of a skills exchange service for people with early to mid-stage dementia. The service was co-designed with people with dementia, carers and professionals from the health, care and volunteer sectors in Greater Manchester, UK. The idea for the service arose from the recognition that it is important to people with dementia to be able to continue contributing to the life of others and to be valued for it, but that there is little support for people to do so. The initial data collection with stakeholders into opportunities and barriers in Greater Manchester provided key insights as a starting point for the service concept development. For its development, seven co-design workshops were held: two with people with dementia and five with carers and health, care and volunteer professionals. The outcome was the development of the concept and criteria of the I Can Do Pathway to support people with a dementia diagnosis in identifying their interests and strengths and to connect them with relevant volunteer opportunities. The article explains the transformative co-design process and its results, followed by a reflection of the insights of designing a new service within an existing service system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychosocial Research Methods to Understand Lived Experience through Art and Design Collaborations)
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30 pages, 1142 KB  
Article
Returns to Relationships: Social Capital and Household Welfare in India
by Jaya Jha and Edward J. Kelley
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(3), 184; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12030184 - 17 Mar 2023
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 9056
Abstract
Sociological scholarship, economic theory, and empirical studies all indicate that interpersonal relationships are valuable productive assets and deserve to be formally incorporated into the study of human development. This paper employs the India Human Development Survey to examine, using OLS and logistic regressions, [...] Read more.
Sociological scholarship, economic theory, and empirical studies all indicate that interpersonal relationships are valuable productive assets and deserve to be formally incorporated into the study of human development. This paper employs the India Human Development Survey to examine, using OLS and logistic regressions, the impact of different dimensions of social capital on multiple proxies for household welfare. Social capital in the form of memberships in local community organizations and social network connections has a statistically and economically significant association with household consumption expenditures, physical asset ownership, and the probability of a household living in poverty. Households that are members of any formal community organization are expected to have higher monthly per capita consumption expenditures than households without any memberships. Estimates of a similar magnitude are observed when modeling a household’s stock of physical assets, a longer-term indicator of economic welfare. These indicators of social capital are also significantly associated with lower odds of a household living below the poverty line. Organizational memberships and social networks are also associated with considerably higher odds of a household assessing its own economic situation positively. Overall, social capital is a catalyst for increasing household welfare along multiple dimensions, and, therefore, a critical area of focus for economists, sociologists, development practitioners, and policymakers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Social Economics)
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20 pages, 427 KB  
Review
Intimate Partner Rape: A Review of Six Core Myths Surrounding Women’s Conduct and the Consequences of Intimate Partner Rape
by Caroline Lilley, Dominic Willmott, Dara Mojtahedi and Danielle Labhardt
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(1), 34; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12010034 - 4 Jan 2023
Cited by 47 | Viewed by 21472
Abstract
The focus of this paper is to highlight and review the evidence surrounding common intimate partner rape (IPR) myths, their prevalence in society, and identify those who are most likely to endorse such beliefs. Six core IPR myths are discussed related to misconceptions [...] Read more.
The focus of this paper is to highlight and review the evidence surrounding common intimate partner rape (IPR) myths, their prevalence in society, and identify those who are most likely to endorse such beliefs. Six core IPR myths are discussed related to misconceptions surrounding (1) women’s decisions to remain in abusive relationships, (2) why women delay or never report IPR, (3) women’s perceived motivations when an IPR report is made, (4) a perceived lack of trauma that occurs as a consequence of this type of rape, (5) male sexual entitlement within intimate relationships, and (6) whether it is even possible to rape a marital partner. This article draws together a wealth of studies and research that evidence why such IPR myths are indeed factually inaccurate and examines how victims, justice professionals, police practitioners, and legal decision-makers endorsement of false beliefs pertaining to intimate partner rape serve to hinder various justice pathways. We discuss the consequences of rape mythology in so far as they create social barriers that prohibit the reporting of rape, impact the progression of an allegation through the criminal justice system and ultimately, obstruct rape victims’ access to justice. The review concludes by considering evidence regarding the possible benefits of education interventions in reducing the problematic influence of rape myths. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gendered Violence: Victim Perceptions and System Responses)
17 pages, 301 KB  
Article
An Insider–Outsider Approach to Understanding the Prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation in Pusiga in the Upper East Region of Ghana
by Benedict Ekow Ocran and Godwin Agot Atiigah
Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(11), 526; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11110526 - 16 Nov 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 6292
Abstract
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) as a form of gender-related violence continues to thrive within communities and across borders, with (under)reported prevalence among communities in the diaspora. Reports of FGM/C among communities in the diaspora speak to the socio-cultural and religious factors which promote [...] Read more.
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) as a form of gender-related violence continues to thrive within communities and across borders, with (under)reported prevalence among communities in the diaspora. Reports of FGM/C among communities in the diaspora speak to the socio-cultural and religious factors which promote its prevalence. Successful interventions offer alternatives such as rites of passage to the socio-cultural-religious prospects offered by FGM/C to practicing communities. This suggests the need for a critical approach to research methods that engage intimately with the worldview of communities practicing FGM/C while inferring implications for designing health-promotion interventions in specific contexts. This paper draws on the insider and outsider approach to positionality to assess the factors accounting for the prevalence of FGM/C in Pusiga (3.8% nationally and 27.8% in Pusiga) in the Upper East Region of Ghana while inferring lessons for designing health promotion interventions. Applying a phenomenological qualitative design guided by focus groups and interviews, we draw on the insider approach to present a contextually and culturally sensitive report of five survivors, five non-survivors, and ten religious leaders on factors that account for the prevalence of FGM/C. Next, we assume an outsider approach to infer implications based on participants’ perspectives for designing health promotion interventions to curb FGM/C. The findings suggest shifting from socio-cultural-religious factors to economic undertones underpinning FGM/C. Inter-generational differences also vary attitudes toward FGM/C. We recommend a systematic approach to health promotion that addresses FGM/C’s deep socio-cultural and economic, religious underpinnings of FGM/C in Pusiga. The insider–outsider continuum in feminist research provides a powerful approach to producing knowledge on contextual factors that account for FGM/C in particular settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender-Related Violence: Social Sciences’ Research & Methods)
15 pages, 620 KB  
Article
Building Consensus during Racially Divisive Times: Parents Speak Out about the Twin Pandemics of COVID-19 and Systemic Racism
by Wendy Luttrell, Mieasia Edwards and José Jiménez
Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(10), 491; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11100491 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4099
Abstract
This paper utilizes narrative inquiry to examine the effect of COVID-19 on political resistance, focusing on education as a key site. Based on survey and interview data the paper considers parents’ perspectives about the impacts of COVID-19 and racial inequalities in their children’s [...] Read more.
This paper utilizes narrative inquiry to examine the effect of COVID-19 on political resistance, focusing on education as a key site. Based on survey and interview data the paper considers parents’ perspectives about the impacts of COVID-19 and racial inequalities in their children’s schooling. Two narrative types are constructed and analyzed: consensus narratives and parenting narratives that refute an overarching, manufactured political narrative in the United States of “divisiveness” about race and education, while also identifying the layers and complexities of individual parents’ everyday lives raising and educating children. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Narratives of Resistance in Everyday Lives and the Covid Crisis)
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14 pages, 388 KB  
Article
Inclusive Research and Intellectual Disabilities: Moving Forward on a Road Less Well-Travelled
by Patricia O’Brien, Edurne Garcia Iriarte, Roy Mc Conkey, Sarah Butler and Bruce O’Brien
Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(10), 483; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11100483 - 17 Oct 2022
Cited by 56 | Viewed by 8420
Abstract
In reflecting on the title of the special issue: Inclusive Research: A road less or more well-travelled, this paper reviews the strengths of inclusive research that have augmented the global knowledge about the lives of people with intellectual disabilities across the lifespan. The [...] Read more.
In reflecting on the title of the special issue: Inclusive Research: A road less or more well-travelled, this paper reviews the strengths of inclusive research that have augmented the global knowledge about the lives of people with intellectual disabilities across the lifespan. The successes of inclusive research are outlined with the respective ongoing individual challenges discussed. Authors will draw upon their own experiences of inclusive research, together with the seminal and current literature, as well as the dialogue between them. The conclusions of the article are in the form of recommendations aimed at increasing the traffic on the road of inclusive research through: 1. expanding its purpose and parameters across all forms of disability research; 2. developing systems for sustaining inclusive research as a funded model; 3. creating capacity to enable people with intellectual disabilities to be employed as researchers directing research projects; and 4. establishing bridges and crossroads with policy and practice through its findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inclusive Research: Is the Road More or Less Well Travelled?)
15 pages, 352 KB  
Perspective
Can the Sick Speak? Global Health Governance and Health Subalternity
by Tammam Aloudat
Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(9), 417; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11090417 - 13 Sep 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 7534
Abstract
Global Health Governance (GHG) uses a set of financial, normative, and epistemic arguments to retain and amplify its influence. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the GHG regime used its own successes and failures to prescribe more of itself while demanding further resources. However, the [...] Read more.
Global Health Governance (GHG) uses a set of financial, normative, and epistemic arguments to retain and amplify its influence. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the GHG regime used its own successes and failures to prescribe more of itself while demanding further resources. However, the consistent failures of this form governance and its appeasement to a dominant neoliberal ideology lead to the following question: Is the global health governance regime failing at its goal of improving health or succeeding at other political and ideological goals that necessitate such failures? Using concepts and ideas from social theory and post-colonial studies; I examine the definitions, epistemic basis, and drivers of GHG and propose certain conditions for the legitimacy of a global health governance system. Examining historical and current cases, I find that the GHG regime currently fails to fulfil such conditions of legitimacy and instead creates spaces that limit rather than help many populations it purports to serve. Those spaces of sickness confine people and reduce them into a state of health subalternity. In being health subalterns, people’s voices are neither sought nor heard in formulating the policies that determine their health. Finally, I argue that research and policymaking on global health should not be confined to the current accepted frameworks that assumes legitimacy and benevolence of GHG, and propose steps to establish an alternative, emancipatory model of understanding and governing global health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Science Perspectives in Global Health: Insights and Analysis of Issues at the Margins)
22 pages, 4535 KB  
Article
Exploring the Dynamic Shock of Unconventional Monetary Policy Channels on Income Inequality: A Panel VAR Approach
by Lindokuhle Talent Zungu and Lorraine Greyling
Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(8), 369; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11080369 - 18 Aug 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5535
Abstract
In response to the “Great Recession and Global Financial Crisis”, central banks had to deploy unconventional monetary policies (UMP) in order to fight the severe impact of the crisis. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the dynamic shock of unconventional [...] Read more.
In response to the “Great Recession and Global Financial Crisis”, central banks had to deploy unconventional monetary policies (UMP) in order to fight the severe impact of the crisis. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the dynamic shock of unconventional monetary policies through earning heterogeneity, income composition, and portfolio channels on income inequality in emerging economies covering the period 2000–2019, using the panel vector autoregressive (PVAR) model. A PVAR model was designed for this study because of its ability to address the dynamics of numerous entities considered in parallel. The findings suggest that the UMPs used by these countries’ central banks may have increased income inequality through all of the channels investigated in this study, as a shock to unconventional monetary policy results in a positive response in income inequality. Even when pre-tax income, held by the top 10%, is adopted to measure income inequality, the study yields similar results. It is evident that a central bank’s objective is and should be to fulfil its mandate of achieving maximum employment and price stability, thus bringing wide economic benefits. Thus, some forms of policies are more appropriate for addressing concerns about inequality (income policy or fiscal policy) than others. However, the current study alerts the central bank to the fact that monetary policies may have a wounding impact on income inequality. Therefore, the central banks should consider the cost of monetary policies on income inequality when drafting or implementing these kinds of policies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Social Stratification and Inequality)
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