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Societies, Volume 13, Issue 2 (February 2023) – 32 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): Over the last few decades, there has been a huge debate on the transformations of the European Welfare State, and the Social Investment Approach has become an emerging reference paradigm, especially to tackle new social risks. However, despite this success, Social Investment still seems to be a rather ambiguous concept, too vague to result in precise and univocal policy prescriptions and open to the risk of a neoliberal interpretation, which would eventually lead to an erosion of social rights. In this paper, we propose a theoretical framework to better clarify the normative ground, the moral foundation, and political justification of the Social Investment Approach and to understand whether it can avoid the risk of erosion of social rights. View this paper
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15 pages, 257 KiB  
Concept Paper
Conceptualizing Task Force Sustainability
by Jennifer Paul Ray
Societies 2023, 13(2), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020050 - 20 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1626
Abstract
In the anti-human trafficking movement, multi-disciplinary teams have emerged as a best practice for collaborating and coordinating efforts in combating human trafficking. Many multi-disciplinary teams are comprised of federal, state and local partners representing law enforcement, prosecutors and service providers. The concept of [...] Read more.
In the anti-human trafficking movement, multi-disciplinary teams have emerged as a best practice for collaborating and coordinating efforts in combating human trafficking. Many multi-disciplinary teams are comprised of federal, state and local partners representing law enforcement, prosecutors and service providers. The concept of sustaining the multi-disciplinary teams is a relatively new area of discussion in the anti-human trafficking movement. This paper explores the Greater New Orleans Human Trafficking Task Force sustainability process as an illustrative example to shed light on the issues that arose during the process for this Task Force, and which may be salient for other Task Forces. This retrospective presentation of the comments and observations made by the Greater New Orleans Human Trafficking Task Force members suggest emerging themes that may help to clarify the concepts other Task Forces should consider and to predict the sustainability outcomes. The members’ accounts incorporated in this article are presented as valid points of view for framing conclusions that may be applicable in other contexts and to further the conversation in this understudied area of sustainability. The key focal points related to sustainability explored in this conceptual paper include leadership, funding, collaboration, trust and relationship building, and change is constant. Full article
27 pages, 1027 KiB  
Article
Examining How Equalities Nonprofit Organizations Approach Policy Influencing to Achieve Substantive Representation in Sub-State Government Policymaking
by Amy Sanders
Societies 2023, 13(2), 49; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020049 - 20 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1389
Abstract
This article is concerned with equalities nonprofit organizations’ activities to achieve substantive representation in policy-making through a sub-state government. It draws on three strands of the interest representation literature from equalities theory, nonprofit sector studies, and social movements theory. The analytical framework synthesizes [...] Read more.
This article is concerned with equalities nonprofit organizations’ activities to achieve substantive representation in policy-making through a sub-state government. It draws on three strands of the interest representation literature from equalities theory, nonprofit sector studies, and social movements theory. The analytical framework synthesizes these to provide a new approach for examining equalities nonprofit organizations’ policy influencing. Drawing on equalities theorists’ accounts of mainstreaming, and understandings of campaigns from social movement literature, it explores nonprofit organizations’ positioning in relation to government in order to advance equality. This analysis engages with questions raised by nonprofit scholars about nonprofit organizations’ independence from government and their capacity to retain a critical voice. An overarching institutionalist lens enables an examination of the formal and informal facets that shape policy influencing approaches. The research question is: How have equalities organizations engaged with the institution of a nonprofit-government partnership to promote substantive representation in policy? This research uses semi-structured elite interviews to explore key policy actors’ accounts. The case study is the statutory Welsh nonprofit sector–government partnership. Findings suggest the equalities nonprofit organizations involved in this partnership deploy a sophisticated array of action repertoires as part of an interrelated web of nuanced, multi-positioned influencing activities. This agility enables the sector to maintain some capacity to be critical of the state whilst sustaining informal relations with state policy actors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nonprofit Organizations and Societal Approaches to Policy)
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17 pages, 279 KiB  
Article
How He Got His Scars: Exploring Madness and Mental Health in Filmic Representations of the Joker
by Jeff Preston and Lindsay Rath-Paillé
Societies 2023, 13(2), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020048 - 17 Feb 2023
Viewed by 5002
Abstract
In May of 1939, DC Comics introduced their popular Batman series, but it was a year later when the iconic villain, the Joker, entered the story. What began as a lighthearted pulp comic has since evolved, with Batman’s enemies growing darker and more [...] Read more.
In May of 1939, DC Comics introduced their popular Batman series, but it was a year later when the iconic villain, the Joker, entered the story. What began as a lighthearted pulp comic has since evolved, with Batman’s enemies growing darker and more sinister. In the film, the Joker is now less “clown prince” than violent madman, determined to wreak havoc and spread his warped view of society. Through a thematic discourse analysis, this article explores how Batman films featuring the Joker routinely naturalize and reinforce sanist beliefs about mental illness and are deployed as narrative prostheses to rationalize his heinous crimes. Blending work from both disability studies and mad studies, we explore the cultural construction of madness as animated by filmic representations of the Joker and consider how these narratives inform perceptions of mental illness and subsequently rationalize the disciplining of mad people. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Disability and the Media)
18 pages, 734 KiB  
Article
Children’s Online Safety: Predictive Factors of Cyberbullying and Online Grooming Involvement
by Antonio Tintori, Giulia Ciancimino, Ilaria Bombelli, Daniele De Rocchi and Loredana Cerbara
Societies 2023, 13(2), 47; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020047 - 17 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3714
Abstract
The increase in the use of the Internet, strongly boosted by the spread of COVID-19, has amplified the risk of involvement in cyberbullying and online grooming among minors. To date, most research on these phenomena has focused on middle and high school students, [...] Read more.
The increase in the use of the Internet, strongly boosted by the spread of COVID-19, has amplified the risk of involvement in cyberbullying and online grooming among minors. To date, most research on these phenomena has focused on middle and high school students, with fewer studies on younger children. The present study aims to fill this knowledge gap by measuring the spread of cyberbullying and online grooming in a sample of 410 primary school students in the city of Rome and by identifying the main individual and environmental predictors associated with the involvement of children in these phenomena using factor analysis. Results indicate that both cyberbullying and online grooming are widespread among respondents, showing common traits within the four latent dimensions identified. Screen time is among the main predictors of children’s involvement, together with parental supervision, phubbing behaviours, prosocial tendencies and family socio-economic background. These findings highlight the need for further studies on representative samples of this age group, as well as for a greater cooperative effort among schools, parents and caregivers to keep children safe in the virtual world. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Education and Digital Societies for a Sustainable World)
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16 pages, 733 KiB  
Article
Does Civic Engagement Support Relational and Mental Health of Urban Population?
by Michal Hrivnák, Peter Moritz, Katarína Melichová and Soňa Bellérová
Societies 2023, 13(2), 46; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020046 - 17 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1499
Abstract
There is a general assumption that there is a relationship between civic engagement and mental health, but it has still received limited attention in empirical studies. This study provides estimates of the impact of civic engagement (measured in terms of political and community [...] Read more.
There is a general assumption that there is a relationship between civic engagement and mental health, but it has still received limited attention in empirical studies. This study provides estimates of the impact of civic engagement (measured in terms of political and community engagement) on the health of individuals in the case of a medium-sized urban settlement within the context of a post-socialist country. The impacts of civic engagement on mental and relational health are distinguished, which have received little attention in studies on the topic. Using primary data and utilising the tools of econometrics, we found positive effects of the population’s community engagement, including positive effects of volunteering, on relational health. Political participation of the population contributed to the reduction of depressive symptoms, but the relationship between community engagement and mental health was not found. A relatively high propensity towards participation in health and well-being projects, leading to improvements in the collective approach to public health and addressing unhealthy conditions in communities, was identified in the sample. Full article
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18 pages, 658 KiB  
Article
Use of Instagram as a Resource for the Adoption of Behaviors Related to Health and Well-Being of Young College Students: Associations between Use Profile and Sociodemographic Variables—A Cross-Sectional Study
by Kaline Pessoa, Cícero Luciano Alves Costa, Ana Cláudia Coelho, Ana Bastos and Isilda Rodrigues
Societies 2023, 13(2), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020045 - 14 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2328
Abstract
The use of Instagram and content from digital influencers to gain information and adopt behaviors related to health and well-being may be associated with sociodemographic variables. Few studies have been conducted in different contexts regarding the use of Instagram to obtain information about [...] Read more.
The use of Instagram and content from digital influencers to gain information and adopt behaviors related to health and well-being may be associated with sociodemographic variables. Few studies have been conducted in different contexts regarding the use of Instagram to obtain information about health and well-being and its relationship with sociodemographic variables. A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed with a convenience sample of the population of students attending a degree course in physical education, in the northeast region of Brazil, to assess the prevalence of Instagram use as a resource for the adoption of behaviors related to health and well-being, as well as to understand the associations between use profiles and sociodemographic variables. An online validated questionnaire was completed by 162 students from March to June 2021. Descriptive statistics and analysis of artificial networks were used. Results indicate the profile of using Instagram to obtain information about health and well-being is impacted by sociodemographic variables such as gender, age, monthly income, and the semester the student is attending. Specifically, although men adopt health and well-being behaviors more frequently, the relationship between variables such as age and monthly income and the variables of the Instagram use profile is stronger among women. However, the adoption of behaviors and the belief in their contribution to self-care establish a strong relationship among both genders. It is concluded that sociodemographic variables can contribute to a better understanding of the use of Instagram to adopt behaviors related to health and well-being. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Healthy Lifestyle: The Relevance of Health Promotion for Society)
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31 pages, 363 KiB  
Article
Exploring Private Investigation Agencies’ Experience of Collaboration with Law Enforcement in Investigations of Human Trafficking Cases
by Charles Hounmenou and Sachi Toepp
Societies 2023, 13(2), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020044 - 13 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3482
Abstract
In their forefront role to address human trafficking, law enforcement agencies (LEAs) have often faced challenges in efforts to investigate this crime. Non-traditional partnerships should be explored to improve strategies to investigate human trafficking. Could private investigation agencies (PIAs) collaborate with LEAs to [...] Read more.
In their forefront role to address human trafficking, law enforcement agencies (LEAs) have often faced challenges in efforts to investigate this crime. Non-traditional partnerships should be explored to improve strategies to investigate human trafficking. Could private investigation agencies (PIAs) collaborate with LEAs to help improve human trafficking investigations? The present study examines PIAs’ experiences of collaboration with LEAs for human trafficking investigations. A mixed research method design was used. Purposive sampling was used to select 81 participants representing 81 PIAs for a survey. Follow-up semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 of the 39 survey participants who reported that their agencies had collaborated with LEAs for human trafficking investigations. The findings show varying levels of success and challenges for PIAs in interagency collaboration with LEAs. The challenges to collaboration identified could be mostly explained by LEAs’ misperceptions of private investigators, their over-reliance on a criminal approach instead of a victim-centered one in investigating trafficking cases and recovering victims, and legal or ethical limitations. Positive aspects of PIA–LEA partnerships regarding human trafficking investigations were discussed and so were strategies to address inherent challenges to interagency collaboration. Several policy implications were discussed for developing and improving partnership initiatives with law enforcement in an effort to prevent human trafficking, protect victims, and prosecute trafficking cases. Full article
15 pages, 1065 KiB  
Article
Bottom-Up Approach to Language Policy and Planning in Kazakhstan
by Dinara Tlepbergen, Assel Akzhigitova and Anastassia Zabrodskaja
Societies 2023, 13(2), 43; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020043 - 13 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2954
Abstract
National and world news is constantly accompanied by inter-group dramas which are permeated by the dynamics of language use and attitudes. Conflicts can arise between the state insisting on an official language and the family and community who may support the preservation or [...] Read more.
National and world news is constantly accompanied by inter-group dramas which are permeated by the dynamics of language use and attitudes. Conflicts can arise between the state insisting on an official language and the family and community who may support the preservation or revitalisation of heritage languages. Kazakhstan is an example of how languages (official Kazakh, the language of communication Russian and international English) coexist peacefully. Language policy and planning depend on the ability and willingness of individual members of the speech community to adopt a language. Language planning is often seen as a top-down, government-controlled activity. This paper shows that language planning can also be carried out from below. Here, we analyze the main initiatives of grassroots movements in promoting the status of the Kazakh language and the emergence of new bottom-up approaches facilitated by the Internet and present sociolinguistic survey results regarding the roles, importance and prestige of languages for the people of Kazakhstan. The focus of the study reported in this article is to monitor the transformative character of bottom-up approaches to language-policy study in Kazakhstan. Full article
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10 pages, 234 KiB  
Concept Paper
A Critical Lens on Health: Key Principles of Critical Discourse Analysis and Its Benefits to Anti-Racism in Population Public Health Research
by Jessica Naidu, Elizabeth Oddone Paolucci and Tanvir C. Turin
Societies 2023, 13(2), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020042 - 08 Feb 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 6005
Abstract
Critical discourse analysis (CDA) is an interdisciplinary research methodology used to analyze discourse as a form of “social practice”, exploring how meaning is socially constructed. In addition, the methodology draws from the field of critical studies, in which research places deliberate focus on [...] Read more.
Critical discourse analysis (CDA) is an interdisciplinary research methodology used to analyze discourse as a form of “social practice”, exploring how meaning is socially constructed. In addition, the methodology draws from the field of critical studies, in which research places deliberate focus on the social and political forces that produce social phenomena as a means to challenge and change societal practices. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the benefits of CDA to population public health (PPH) research. We will do this by providing a brief overview of CDA and its history and purpose in research and then identifying and discussing three crucial principles that we argue are crucial to successful CDA research: (1) CDA research should contribute to social justice; (2) CDA is strongly based in theory; and (3) CDA draws from constructivist epistemology. A key benefit that CDA brings to PPH research is its critical lens, which aligns with the fundamental goals of PPH including addressing the social determinants of health and reducing health inequities. Our analysis demonstrates the need for researchers in population public health to strongly consider critical discourse analysis as an approach to understanding the social determinants of health and eliminating health inequities in order to achieve health and wellness for all. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-racist Perspectives on Sustainabilities)
16 pages, 600 KiB  
Article
Young Adults’ Perception of Breadcrumbing Victimization in Dating Relationships
by Vivek Khattar, Shreya Upadhyay and Raúl Navarro
Societies 2023, 13(2), 41; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020041 - 08 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 6211
Abstract
Background: Breadcrumbing is an unexplored dating trend disguised in the form of subtle manipulation in relationships. With the increase in online dating apps, people have started to initiate, maintain and end relationships, and the use of manipulative tactics have increased on such platforms. [...] Read more.
Background: Breadcrumbing is an unexplored dating trend disguised in the form of subtle manipulation in relationships. With the increase in online dating apps, people have started to initiate, maintain and end relationships, and the use of manipulative tactics have increased on such platforms. The present study explores the meaning of breadcrumbing and its effects on the breadcrumbie’s mental health and wellbeing. Method: The research design was qualitative in nature through the use of focus group discussions. Two focus group discussions were conducted including nine participants in total (one male, eight females). Results: After the data analysis, five major themes emerged defining breadcrumbing—charm, leading on, incongruence, avoiding emotional investment and commitment uncertainty. Conversational fragments also revealed that breadcrumbing had an impact on the breadcrumbie’s future relationships, emotional disturbance, self-concept, and signs of depression. The red flags and effective coping strategies were also discovered with the help of a thematic analysis. Further research on personality correlates of breadcrumbing perpetration and victimization is recommended. Full article
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11 pages, 280 KiB  
Article
At the Origins of Migration Choices: A Survey of Students at Two South European Universities
by Felice Addeo, Rocío Blanco-Gregory, Domenico Maddaloni and Grazia Moffa
Societies 2023, 13(2), 40; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020040 - 07 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1164
Abstract
Migration research has long highlighted the role of factors influencing migration flows at the structural level. Recent literature has shifted researchers’ attention to the individual drivers influencing the definition of migration strategies and, before that, the individual propensity for mobility. In this paper, [...] Read more.
Migration research has long highlighted the role of factors influencing migration flows at the structural level. Recent literature has shifted researchers’ attention to the individual drivers influencing the definition of migration strategies and, before that, the individual propensity for mobility. In this paper, we present the results of a multiple regression model applied to data collected by means of an online survey of students at the universities of Salerno (Italy) and Extremadura (Spain). The model highlights the low prominence achieved by factors such as gender and parental cultural capital on this propensity. A more important role is played by the personal experience of living abroad, a proactive attitude toward the future, and the propensity to seek professional self-fulfillment even at the price of sacrificing one’s territorial affiliation. Full article
10 pages, 575 KiB  
Article
A Conversation about Ethics: A Deliberative and Practice-Based Approach to Ethics in Arts Education
by Samantha Broadhead, Karen Tobias-Green and Sharon Hooper
Societies 2023, 13(2), 39; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020039 - 07 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1581
Abstract
This article reports on a practice-based research project that examined the various orientations of practice to ethical deliberation. The aim was to produce a film that captured ethical debate between two creative practitioners as they walked through their local streets. The film would [...] Read more.
This article reports on a practice-based research project that examined the various orientations of practice to ethical deliberation. The aim was to produce a film that captured ethical debate between two creative practitioners as they walked through their local streets. The film would be a catalyst for staff and students at an arts institution to think about their own ethical practices. The approach taken was based on Aristotelian notions of phronesis or practical wisdom, which is concerned with making ethical judgments based on deliberation. Issues were raised by the project, such as the tensions between policy and practice and the tensions between aesthetic considerations and ethical practice. Questions about the value of narrative, representation, and learning through doing were raised by the work. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Visual Arts and Design: Practice-Based Research)
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17 pages, 311 KiB  
Article
Perceptions of the Benefits and Barriers to Anti-Human Trafficking Interagency Collaboration: An Exploratory Factor Analysis Study
by Tonisha Jones
Societies 2023, 13(2), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020038 - 07 Feb 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2606
Abstract
To effectively address human trafficking, it is increasingly recognized that anti-human trafficking efforts need to include a collaborative approach between agencies most likely to come into contact with human trafficking victims and offenders. While literature is available that discusses the benefits and barriers [...] Read more.
To effectively address human trafficking, it is increasingly recognized that anti-human trafficking efforts need to include a collaborative approach between agencies most likely to come into contact with human trafficking victims and offenders. While literature is available that discusses the benefits and barriers to such collaboration, there is limited empirical research on the topic. Surveying professionals engaged in anti-human trafficking interagency collaboration in a Midwest state in the United States, this exploratory factor analysis study explores their perceptions of the benefits and barriers to such collaboration. Based on the results, professionals’ perceived benefits and barriers to anti-human trafficking interagency collaboration, with capacity perceived as the underlying benefit and collaborative uncertainty, agency incongruence, an unfavorable collaborative environment, and inadequate problem framing perceived as the underlying barriers. These findings can inform anti-human trafficking interagency collaborative practice, leading to more successful collaborative outcomes. Future research should include a confirmatory factor analysis to validate the factor structure found in this study. Full article
20 pages, 1779 KiB  
Article
The Politicization of COVID-19 Origin Stories: Insights from a Cross-Sectional Survey in China
by Annah Lake Zhu, Ruishan Chen, Jessica Rizzolo and Xiaodan Li
Societies 2023, 13(2), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020037 - 04 Feb 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2589
Abstract
The search for the origins of COVID-19 has yielded no conclusive evidence. In the face of this uncertainty, other social and political factors can influence perceptions of virus origins, which in turn can influence policy formation and global efforts to combat future pandemics. [...] Read more.
The search for the origins of COVID-19 has yielded no conclusive evidence. In the face of this uncertainty, other social and political factors can influence perceptions of virus origins, which in turn can influence policy formation and global efforts to combat future pandemics. Vastly different COVID-19 origin stories may circulate both within the same country but also between different countries. This article examines COVID-19 origins debates as they circulate in China, drawing from a 974-respondent survey conducted in mainland China. Our results show that within China there is a strong belief that COVID-19 originated outside the country, either in the United States or Europe. This contrasts with mainstream media coverage in the United State and Europe, which generally holds that the virus most likely originated in China. Given such global dissonance, moving forward with pandemic prevention reforms is challenging. Yet, even in the face of such diverse beliefs, building support for reform is still possible. As the search for COVID-19 continues, policy reform can be pursued across a plurality of domains, including wet markets, the wildlife trade, cold-chain products, and gain-of-function virology research, all in the interest of preventing the next global pandemic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fake News Post-COVID-19)
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16 pages, 270 KiB  
Concept Paper
XR Embodiment and the Changing Nature of Sexual Harassment
by Erick J. Ramirez, Shelby Jennett, Jocelyn Tan, Sydney Campbell and Raghav Gupta
Societies 2023, 13(2), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020036 - 02 Feb 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2713
Abstract
In this paper, we assess the impact of extended reality technologies as they relate to sexual forms of harassment. We begin with a brief history of the nature of sexual harassment itself. We then offer an account of extended reality technologies focusing specifically [...] Read more.
In this paper, we assess the impact of extended reality technologies as they relate to sexual forms of harassment. We begin with a brief history of the nature of sexual harassment itself. We then offer an account of extended reality technologies focusing specifically on psychological and hardware elements most likely to comprise what has been referred to as “the metaverse”. Although different forms of virtual spaces exist (i.e., private, semi-private, and public), we focus on public social metaverse spaces. We do this to better explain how the concept of sexual harassment must be adjusted to such spaces and how approaches aimed at mitigating harassment must be sensitive to the type of metaverse spaces users utilize. We then offer a typology of sexual harassment for the metaverse focusing on three distinct forms of sexual harassment: (1) invariant (2) mixed variance or modified and (3) unique or metaverse specific. Although existing normative and legal frameworks may function well with respect to the first and, possibly, second forms of harassment, we argue such frameworks will not helpfully address metaverse-specific harassment. Ultimately, the changing nature of privately owned public spaces (POPS) which metaverses are likely to represent pose distinct ethical and regulatory challenges. Full article
17 pages, 352 KiB  
Article
Family Leisure in Rural and Urban Environments: A Question of Context
by Mª Ángeles Hernández-Prados and José Santiago Álvarez-Muñoz
Societies 2023, 13(2), 35; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020035 - 02 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1569
Abstract
Family leisure increasingly plays a fundamental role as an educational resource that enhances human development and enriches intrafamily relationships. Theoretically, the conceptualization of free time and leisure, the typologies and agents of family leisure, and the benefits, difficulties, and satisfaction are discussed at [...] Read more.
Family leisure increasingly plays a fundamental role as an educational resource that enhances human development and enriches intrafamily relationships. Theoretically, the conceptualization of free time and leisure, the typologies and agents of family leisure, and the benefits, difficulties, and satisfaction are discussed at home. This empirical study aims to describe the family leisure patterns shown by adolescents according to the context in which they reside, allowing a comparison of the rural leisure profile with the urban leisure profile, which are traditionally considered as differentiated contexts. The sample consisted of 1054 adolescents (51.6% boys and 48.4% girls) from Spain, stratified by place of residence (48.2% urban and 51.8% rural), who were administered the questionnaire “Evaluation of family leisure practices”. The data were processed using SPSS, and the results indicate that scarcity of time and economic resources in an urban setting and repetition and family conflicts in a rural setting are the most representative difficulties. In addition, the adolescents living in urban environments identify more benefits, have a more diversified practice, and have greater family satisfaction than the adolescents in rural areas. Both coincide with the importance of the family itself as a promoter of family leisure. In conclusion, the reconversion of social policies and the promotion of family educational procedures in rural areas to reduce the differences between the two contexts are highlighted. Full article
15 pages, 1483 KiB  
Article
Communication of Results of Educational Policies: Impact Levels of Educational Policies in the Digital Society
by Javier Vega-Ramírez, Paola Castro-Duarte and Claudia Quintana-Figueroa
Societies 2023, 13(2), 34; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020034 - 31 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1172
Abstract
The levels of adherence to results in the implementation of public policies within educational communities can vary greatly depending on several factors: program coverage, funding level, the level of understanding of program goals, the duration of implementation, and the dissemination of results. In [...] Read more.
The levels of adherence to results in the implementation of public policies within educational communities can vary greatly depending on several factors: program coverage, funding level, the level of understanding of program goals, the duration of implementation, and the dissemination of results. In today’s digital society, the most relevant factor is precisely the communication of results, even when the way in which these are reached is overlooked. As a result, non-causal, high-impact relationships are installed in the collective consciousness. This article presents the results of a study that aims to measure the level of impact of the implementation of a public policy developed over two years in educational establishments in the Los Ríos Region of Chile, and it looks into the level of adherence to results three years after its implementation. The results explain that the differentiating factor is the type of dissemination of results, in direct correlation to the digital media used and the digital culture of the establishment, which allows to previously project the conditions of possibility for a type of adherence, even though we need larger scale measurements to determine with certainty this point of causality. Full article
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19 pages, 1549 KiB  
Article
Children’s Participatory Capability in Organized Leisure: The Mediation of Transactional Horizons
by Daniel Stoecklin, Ayuko Berchtold-Sedooka and Jean-Michel Bonvin
Societies 2023, 13(2), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020033 - 31 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 996
Abstract
This research conducted in Switzerland addresses the participatory capability of children regarding their organized leisure activities. Observations were made in 2016 in three French-speaking counties in Switzerland within 11 leisure facilities differentiated by their structural organization. Individual interviews were conducted with 34 children [...] Read more.
This research conducted in Switzerland addresses the participatory capability of children regarding their organized leisure activities. Observations were made in 2016 in three French-speaking counties in Switzerland within 11 leisure facilities differentiated by their structural organization. Individual interviews were conducted with 34 children aged 13 to 16 as well as 11 managers of the leisure centers and three county-level child and youth policy-makers (Fribourg, Valais, Vaud). The findings are that children’s participatory capability in organized leisure facilities depends on a combination of factors that are both societal (economical, political, organizational) and personal. Three forms of participatory capability emerge around the opportunities for effective participation that are provided by the children’s social environment, corresponding to (1) the adaptive participation, (2) the innovative participation and (3) the cooperative participation. However, there is no strict correspondence between the types of organization of leisure structures and forms of participatory capability. This is due to the mediation of “transactional horizons”, acting as symbolic landscapes that are channeling social interactions and the negotiation of forms of participation. This confirms the relevance of an interpretive approach to children’s rights in order to better understand how they actually translate into practice. Full article
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18 pages, 591 KiB  
Article
Ambiguous Facilitation: An Ethnographic Study of the Contextual Aspects of Participation in Group Activities in a Norwegian Healthy Life Centre
by Tonje Cecilie Indrøy, Lisbeth Kvam and Aud Elisabeth Witsø
Societies 2023, 13(2), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020032 - 31 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1453
Abstract
Background: Participation is essential in health promotion initiatives such as the Norwegian Healthy Life Centres (HLCs) which offer lifestyle-related guidance to people with lifestyle-related diseases or at risk for such diseases. While participation has been studied in this setting from the perspectives of [...] Read more.
Background: Participation is essential in health promotion initiatives such as the Norwegian Healthy Life Centres (HLCs) which offer lifestyle-related guidance to people with lifestyle-related diseases or at risk for such diseases. While participation has been studied in this setting from the perspectives of health personnel or service users, no studies have been conducted on the contextual aspects of participation through studying the interactions between the actors involved in group activities within the service. To lead group activities requires competency in facilitation of learning in groups. The aim of this study is to explore participation in group activities in the context of a Norwegian HLC by studying the interaction between the various actors involved in the activities there. Methods: An ethnographic study was designed based on participant observation of physical activity groups and a healthy nutrition group in a Norwegian HLC over a period of three months. Findings: The findings suggest that (1) the multiple roles of the Health Professional (HP), (2) the process of goal setting, and (3) time frames and the physical context are central contextual aspects of participation in this setting, leading to an ambiguous facilitation of group activities. Full article
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13 pages, 1331 KiB  
Article
Barriers to Educational Inclusion in Initial Teacher Training
by Pilar Arnaiz-Sánchez, Remedios De Haro-Rodríguez, Carmen María Caballero and Rogelio Martínez-Abellán
Societies 2023, 13(2), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020031 - 31 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4412
Abstract
Initial teacher training within the framework of an inclusive school constitutes a fundamental challenge in order to meet the needs of 21st century society. The 2030 agenda establishes in the target of goal four the need for well-qualified teachers, capable of developing inclusive [...] Read more.
Initial teacher training within the framework of an inclusive school constitutes a fundamental challenge in order to meet the needs of 21st century society. The 2030 agenda establishes in the target of goal four the need for well-qualified teachers, capable of developing inclusive educational responses to the diversity of the needs of the students enrolled in their centres. The objective of this article is to analyse the perception of the school community regarding the initial training of future teachers in providing an inclusive and quality educational response for all students. The design was qualitative, non-experimental and descriptive. The participants were 78 people involved in teacher training and the educational exclusion–inclusion processes in the region of Murcia (Spain). The information collection techniques were 39 semi-structured interviews and 10 focus groups. The analysis of the information was carried out through an inductive categorization process, classifying the information into different analysis codes with the Atlas.Ti program (V. 8). The results of the work indicate that with regard to inclusive education, there is a clear shortfall in the initial training of teachers, a limitation in the acquisition of competences regarding attention to diversity, the presence of theoretical learning which has limited relevance to practical intervention, and a training approach anchored in models from the past which refers to student deficiencies. This work has the value of providing an insight into the barriers present in initial training from the perspective of all the educational actors involved in the educational system, which has not been sufficiently investigated in this field of study. Full article
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19 pages, 11731 KiB  
Article
Rethinking Sense of Place Interpretations in Declining Neighborhoods: The Case of Ami-dong Tombstone Cultural Village, Busan, South Korea
by Sreenidhi Konduri and In-Hee Lee
Societies 2023, 13(2), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020030 - 30 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1876
Abstract
In recent years, urban regeneration strategic plans have been implemented across South Korea to curb the negative impacts of depopulation, physical deterioration and economic decline. By adopting a people-centered regeneration process, context-sensitive plans are formulated by integrating local people’s perceptions and expectations. This [...] Read more.
In recent years, urban regeneration strategic plans have been implemented across South Korea to curb the negative impacts of depopulation, physical deterioration and economic decline. By adopting a people-centered regeneration process, context-sensitive plans are formulated by integrating local people’s perceptions and expectations. This paper examines urban regeneration plans implemented in Ami-dong Tombstone Cultural Village, a declining hillside village in Busan, using “people–place–process framework of place attachment” to analyze the process of articulating “sense of place” through community-driven approaches. Based on archival research, site investigations, secondary data and semi-structured interviews, the paper explores the revival of social capital, integration of place-sensitivity and improvement of everyday landscapes through affective, behavioral and cognitive responses of urban professionals and community members involved in the project. Findings of the study show that place attachment, sense of community and community participation in regeneration can help in re-creating meaningful places. Lessons from Ami-dong offer insights on ways to strengthen people–people and people–place relationships through design and planning processes in a declining context with an aging population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Sustainability in Aging and Depopulation Societies)
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14 pages, 1598 KiB  
Review
Inclusive Active Methodologies in Spanish Higher Education during the Pandemic
by Fernando Lara-Lara, María Jesús Santos-Villalba, Blanca Berral-Ortiz and José Antonio Martínez-Domingo
Societies 2023, 13(2), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020029 - 29 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1642
Abstract
The period of pandemic caused by the arrival of COVID-19 had a series of repercussions at the personal, social, cultural and educational levels. The confinement declared by government agencies caused a shift from face-to-face to virtual learning, which led to certain adaptations and [...] Read more.
The period of pandemic caused by the arrival of COVID-19 had a series of repercussions at the personal, social, cultural and educational levels. The confinement declared by government agencies caused a shift from face-to-face to virtual learning, which led to certain adaptations and the use of digital tools in order to carry out the teaching-learning process. This technological proliferation became a challenge for the educational community and for the development of pedagogical and inclusive models that could ensure pedagogical continuity. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to analyse the scientific production on active and innovative methodologies that were used during the COVID-19 pandemic period and their effect on the personal, academic and social performance of Higher Education students in the Spanish context. A systematic review of the scientific literature was carried out in accordance with the criteria established in the PRISMA declaration. Among the results obtained, flipped learning stands out as the most used methodology, which increases motivation among other aspects. In terms of knowledge areas, Social Sciences prevails. Finally, it should be noted that the use of active and innovative methodologies improves performance at academic, personal and social levels. Full article
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17 pages, 1084 KiB  
Article
Let’s Play Democracy, Exploratory Analysis of Political Video Games
by Angel Torres-Toukoumidis, Isidro Marín Gutiérrez, Mónica Hinojosa Becerra, Tatiana León-Alberca and Concha Pérez Curiel
Societies 2023, 13(2), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020028 - 28 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2734
Abstract
In current times, the concept of democracy has been transformed due to the ups and downs of the hyperdigitalized society, modifying its discourses and forms of participation. Recognizing that video games maintain a prominent role in the new generations, this research has the [...] Read more.
In current times, the concept of democracy has been transformed due to the ups and downs of the hyperdigitalized society, modifying its discourses and forms of participation. Recognizing that video games maintain a prominent role in the new generations, this research has the objective of analyzing independent video games related to the notion of democracy. For this reason, 26 video games were analyzed according to their democratic principles, their typology and their key components, resulting in a tendency towards the guarantee of civil liberties, political pluralism and separation of powers; likewise, there is a clear differentiation between persuasive and expressive video games, the former linked to polarization and criticism, while the latter responded to a reflexive conceptual line, added to the use of reward systems and progression in their key design components. It can be concluded that video games linked to democracy respond to an innovative interactive dimension that converts the traditional political canons by the creativity, freedom, and autonomy of the current audiences. Full article
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14 pages, 255 KiB  
Article
Athlete Activists, Sports Diplomats and Human Rights: Action versus Agency
by Stuart Murray and Gavin Price
Societies 2023, 13(2), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020027 - 27 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4327
Abstract
A glance at the international sporting landscape suggests that more athletes are representing human rights causes and engaging in off-the-field activism. The 21st century athlete, apparently, does much more than “shutting up and just playing”. This article examines how, where, and why athletes [...] Read more.
A glance at the international sporting landscape suggests that more athletes are representing human rights causes and engaging in off-the-field activism. The 21st century athlete, apparently, does much more than “shutting up and just playing”. This article examines how, where, and why athletes represent, communicate and negotiate complex human rights issues. It finds, and argues, that both the theory and practice of athlete activism—as a means to achieving measurable, sustainable diplomatic and human rights outcomes—needs to be reviewed, re-imagined and re-branded, particularly in international relations. Currently, the practice is only open to the privileged few, occurs almost exclusively within Western societies, and its track record of affecting lasting policy change amongst those it targets is dubious. This paper prefers, and introduces, a new label for sportspeople wishing to affect change in human rights, politics, and diplomacy: the sports diplomat. This paper reviews the concept of the athlete activist and suggests how they differ from the sports diplomat. In terms of sportspeople using diplomacy to solve human rights issues, it asks is there a best practice model that can be identified? Furthermore, assuming the practice of sports diplomats representing human rights issues is good, how might scholars and practitioners better understand and promote the practice? Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Rights through Sport)
22 pages, 2393 KiB  
Article
Typology of Teaching Actions during COVID-19 Lockdown in the Valencian Community (Spain)
by María Jesús Perales-Montolio, Sonia Ortega-Gaite, José González-Such and Purificación Sánchez-Delgado
Societies 2023, 13(2), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020026 - 27 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1012
Abstract
The COVID-19 coronavirus affected all countries, changing living practices and patterns of social structures. Spain confined all citizens to their homes from 14 March until 21 June 2020. All schools were closed, and education was suddenly converted to an online format. This study [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 coronavirus affected all countries, changing living practices and patterns of social structures. Spain confined all citizens to their homes from 14 March until 21 June 2020. All schools were closed, and education was suddenly converted to an online format. This study is part of wider research and analyzes the ways in which teachers in the Valencian Community (Spain) have approached School at Home (SH) The approach of the study is based on mixed methods (quantitative surveys and qualitative focus groups) and has an exploratory aim. Multivariate profiles of the gaps (represented by composite indicators) in both groups are analyzed based on k-means cluster analysis, as well as the variables associated with each profile, using non-parametric tests. The results show three groups of teachers, established according to four types of gaps, with different perceptions of the situation. ICT proficiency was very important, as well as family situation and support during confinement. The main lines of research derived from this study in relation to CSE and teacher outcomes are proposed. Full article
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14 pages, 4063 KiB  
Article
On Politics and Pandemic: How Do Chilean Media Talk about Disinformation and Fake News in Their Social Networks?
by Luis Cárcamo-Ulloa, Camila Cárdenas-Neira, Eliana Scheihing-García, Diego Sáez-Trumper, Matthieu Vernier and Carlos Blaña-Romero
Societies 2023, 13(2), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020025 - 26 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3299
Abstract
Citizens get informed, on a daily basis, from social networks in general and from the media in particular. Accordingly, the media are increasingly expressing their concern about phenomena related to disinformation. This article presents an analysis of the social networks of 159 Chilean [...] Read more.
Citizens get informed, on a daily basis, from social networks in general and from the media in particular. Accordingly, the media are increasingly expressing their concern about phenomena related to disinformation. This article presents an analysis of the social networks of 159 Chilean media that, over 5 years, referred to fake news or disinformation on 10,699 occasions. Based on data science strategies, the Queltehue platform was programmed to systematically track the information posted by 159 media on their social networks (Instagram, Facebook and Twitter). The universe of data obtained (13 million news items) was filtered with a specific query to reach 10,699 relevant posts, which underwent textual computer analysis (LDA) complemented with manual strategies of multimodal discourse analysis (MDA). Among the findings, it is revealed that the recurrent themes over the years have mostly referred to fake news and politics and fake news related to health issues. This is widely explained on the grounds of a political period in Chile which involved at least five electoral processes, in addition to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Regarding the multimodal analysis, it is observed that when the dissemination of fake news involves well-known figures such as politicians or government authorities, an image or a video in which such figure appears is used. In these cases, two phenomena occur: (a) these figures have the opportunity to rectify their false or misinforming statements or (b) in most cases, their statements are reiterated and end up reinforcing the controversy. In view of these results, it seems necessary to ask whether this is all that can be done and whether this is enough that communication can do to guarantee healthy and democratic societies. Full article
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13 pages, 298 KiB  
Article
Two Years of the COVID-19 Crisis: Anxiety, Creativity and the Everyday
by Raffaela Puggioni
Societies 2023, 13(2), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020024 - 25 Jan 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1474 | Correction
Abstract
Doubtless, the COVID-19 pandemic has been extremely challenging in all aspects. However, rather than looking at COVID-19 exclusively as a catastrophic event, which has generated insecurity, anxiety, panic and helplessness, I suggest investigating this insecurity and anxiety through the prism of existential philosophy. [...] Read more.
Doubtless, the COVID-19 pandemic has been extremely challenging in all aspects. However, rather than looking at COVID-19 exclusively as a catastrophic event, which has generated insecurity, anxiety, panic and helplessness, I suggest investigating this insecurity and anxiety through the prism of existential philosophy. Drawing, in particular, on the work of Søren Kierkegaard and the literature on the existentialist anxiety of international relations, this study suggested looking at anxiety not in terms of insecurity but as “freedom’s actuality”. In other words, the attention was focused not so much on the many restrictions and bans imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but on the many quotidian and minuscule creative interventions through which people attempted to counterbalance, respond and react to them by creating new possibilities of freedom. Special attention was devoted to the distinction between normal and neurotic anxiety. This distinction is especially important, as it connects to two different and opposing subjectivities. While normal anxiety encourages a proactive approach to life—inspiring individuals to change the present through new daily strategies—neurotic anxiety prevents it, as it tends to replicate the ordinary, the known and the familiar. Full article
22 pages, 303 KiB  
Article
“(De)constructing NASCAR Space”: A Black Placemaking Analysis of Fan Agency, Mobility, and Resistance
by Joshua D. Vadeboncoeur
Societies 2023, 13(2), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020023 - 23 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1312
Abstract
This article examines how blackness is not only situated within sporting spaces, but also, and more narrowly, experienced within a historically and predominantly White sporting space—that of NASCAR. To explore and define Black individuals’ racialized experiences and movements as NASCAR fans from their [...] Read more.
This article examines how blackness is not only situated within sporting spaces, but also, and more narrowly, experienced within a historically and predominantly White sporting space—that of NASCAR. To explore and define Black individuals’ racialized experiences and movements as NASCAR fans from their perspective, this article uses a qualitative approach as grounded in narrative inquiry. Findings suggest that Black fans shift the otherwise oppressive geographies of NASCAR into sites of belongingness, celebration, and enjoyment, which advances the theoretical understanding of how “White spaces” can be contested through processes of racialized resistance. Thus, through the process of Black placemaking, Black fans construct and employ practices to transform their geographic “immobility” (both discursive and physical) into a reality that subverts racism and White supremacy more broadly. Full article
24 pages, 4225 KiB  
Article
#NotDying4Wallstreet: A Discourse Analysis on Health vs. Economy during COVID-19
by Merve Genç
Societies 2023, 13(2), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020022 - 20 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1581
Abstract
This paper combines political/poststructuralist discourse theory with actor–network theory to explore dystopian visions in the context of a discourse around the hashtag #NotDying4Wallstreet. The call for protest against former US president Donald Trump’s demand to reopen the economy during lockdown dominates the discourse. [...] Read more.
This paper combines political/poststructuralist discourse theory with actor–network theory to explore dystopian visions in the context of a discourse around the hashtag #NotDying4Wallstreet. The call for protest against former US president Donald Trump’s demand to reopen the economy during lockdown dominates the discourse. The tweets were analyzed with quantitative discourse analysis and network analysis to identify key terms and meaning clusters leading to two main conclusions. The first (A) is an imaginary dystopic future with an accelerated neoliberal order. Human lives, especially elderly people, are sacrificed for a well-functioning economy in this threat scenario. The second (B) includes the motive of protest and the potential of the people’s demands to unite and rally against this threat. Due to the revelation of populist features, this (online) social movement seems to be populist without a leader figure. The empirical study is used to propose a research approach toward a mixed-methods design based on a methodological discussion and the enhancement of PDT with ANT. Thus, the article has a double aim: an update of contemporary approaches to social media analysis in discourse studies and its empirical demonstration with a study. Full article
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12 pages, 566 KiB  
Concept Paper
Contemporary European Welfare State Transformations and the Risk of Erosion of Social Rights: A Normative Analysis of the Social Investment Approach
by Gianluca Busilacchi and Benedetta Giovanola
Societies 2023, 13(2), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020021 - 19 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1436
Abstract
Over the last decades, there has been a huge debate on the transformations of the European Welfare State. The issue of its financial sustainability together with the emergence of new social risks has put under pressure the traditional model of social protection and [...] Read more.
Over the last decades, there has been a huge debate on the transformations of the European Welfare State. The issue of its financial sustainability together with the emergence of new social risks has put under pressure the traditional model of social protection and created the conditions for a change in the gist of the welfare state provisions. In this context, the social investment approach has become an emerging reference paradigm to tackle new social risks and meet the need to recalibrate the European welfare state and ensure its economic sustainability. However, despite this success, social investment still seems to be a rather ambiguous concept, too vague to result in precise and univocal policy prescriptions and open to the risk of a stretch of its interpretation by neoliberal politics, to erode social rights. In this paper we propose a theoretical framework to better clarify the normative ground, the moral foundation and political justification of the social investment approach and to understand whether it can avoid the risk of the erosion of social rights. Full article
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