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Soc. Sci., Volume 12, Issue 10 (October 2023) – 55 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): This research suggests that improving our understanding of the relationship between immigration-related insecurity and violence requires reconceptualising how we construct, measure, and analyse immigration-based characteristics. The article builds an analytical category of ‘insecure migration status’ that includes all forms of immigration status that internalise insecurity (which often incorporates gendered dynamics) in addition to being without status, or with an irregular status. I propose that grouping status around a common experience of insecurity permits a more comprehensive picture of migration-related harms that exist across states, status types, and borders while allowing researchers and data gatherers to be attentive to intersectional vulnerabilities that enhance insecurity for particular categories, subgroups, and populations. View this paper
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16 pages, 303 KiB  
Article
Revisioning Fitness through a Relational Community of Practice: Conditions of Possibility for Access Intimacies and Body-Becoming Pedagogies through Art Making
by Meredith Bessey, K. Aly Bailey, Kayla Besse, Carla Rice, Salima Punjani and Tara-Leigh F. McHugh
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 584; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100584 - 23 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 924
Abstract
ReVisioning Fitness is a research project and community of practice (CoP) working to reconceptualize “fitness” through a radical embrace of difference (e.g., trans, non-binary, queer, Black, people of colour, disabled, and/or fat, thick/thicc, curvy, plus sized), and a careful theorising of inclusion and [...] Read more.
ReVisioning Fitness is a research project and community of practice (CoP) working to reconceptualize “fitness” through a radical embrace of difference (e.g., trans, non-binary, queer, Black, people of colour, disabled, and/or fat, thick/thicc, curvy, plus sized), and a careful theorising of inclusion and access. Our collaborative and arts-based work mounts collective resistance against the dominant power relations that preclude bodymind differences within so-called “fitness” spaces. In this work, we build queer, crip, and thick/thicc alliances by centring relational and difference-affirming approaches to fitness, fostering a radical CoP that supports dissent to be voiced, access intimacies to form, and capacitating effects of body-becoming pedagogies to be set in motion. In this article, we consider how conditions of possibility both co-created and inherited by researchers, collaborators, and the research context itself contributed to what unfolded in our project and art making (multimedia storytelling). By a radical CoP, we mean that we mobilise a more relational and difference-affirming notion of CoP than others have described, which often has involved the reification of sameness and the stabilisation of hierarchies. Further, we call on leaders in fitness organisations to open conditions of possibility in their spaces to allow for alternative futures of fitness that centre difference. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rethinking Artful Politics: Bodies of Difference Remaking Body Worlds)
18 pages, 6411 KiB  
Article
Reconsidering the Empirical Measurement of Trust towards Unknown Others
by Ákos Bodor, Zoltán Grünhut, Dávid Erát and Márk Hegedüs
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 583; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100583 - 23 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1739
Abstract
Trust towards unknown others is a fundamental issue in trust research. Actually, it can be said that this problematization is a generative source for the whole scientific framing of trust, regardless of its specific perspective, whether it is a psychological, situational, institutional or [...] Read more.
Trust towards unknown others is a fundamental issue in trust research. Actually, it can be said that this problematization is a generative source for the whole scientific framing of trust, regardless of its specific perspective, whether it is a psychological, situational, institutional or structural-cultural interpretation. This means that the notion of ‘generalized trust’ is definitely a core concept and a reference point for all research agendas in the field of trust studies. However, this status of the notion is heavily criticized both from a theoretical and empirical point of view. The current paper tries to contribute to these academic discourses by proposing an extended reading of the concept of trust towards unknown others. By doing this, the paper suggests that the focus cannot be only on the aspect of how one perceives others’ trustworthiness, which is measured by the so-called ‘standard trust variable’; it should also be considered how the given agent relates herself/himself to other people’s otherness. Therefore, the argument simply claims that trusting people in general means being open to others’ otherness. If this link cannot be explored, then trust in unknown others is constrained and limited. Using data obtained from the last two rounds of the European Social Survey, the paper presents a 31-country-based comparative statistical analysis realized on both macro- and micro-levels in order to find out whether the above-described theoretical linkage is verifiable or not. Full article
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10 pages, 249 KiB  
Article
Important Perspectives and Concepts to Teach in Ethics Education
by Annika Lilja
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 582; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100582 - 22 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 957
Abstract
In the field of ethics, which is a part of the subject religious education (RE) in Sweden, there is still insufficient research related to powerful knowledge. The aim of this article is to contribute knowledge to the field by examining what teachers see [...] Read more.
In the field of ethics, which is a part of the subject religious education (RE) in Sweden, there is still insufficient research related to powerful knowledge. The aim of this article is to contribute knowledge to the field by examining what teachers see as important perspectives and concepts in ethics education. To fulfil this aim, eight teachers in Swedish compulsory schools have been interviewed about central perspectives and concepts related to their teaching in ethics. The results show that the interviewed teachers emphasize three perspectives which concern: (1) society locally and globally, (2) different ethical dilemmas and (3) the students’ experiences in school and at home. The teachers also believe that certain concepts are needed for students to understand what a democratic society means, to succeed in subsequent stages of education and to understand their own lives. The teachers’ descriptions of what they view as important perspectives and concepts relate to knowledge that has power and potential for social justice. They want to prepare and engage their students in relation to questions that they may face both now and in their futures. Full article
16 pages, 294 KiB  
Article
Sowing the Seeds of Commons in Education: Three Case Studies from the Horizon Project 2020 SMOOTH
by Yannis Pechtelidis, Ioannis Kozaris, Stelios Pantazidis and Angeliki Botonaki
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 581; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100581 - 22 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1621
Abstract
This paper explores how educational commons, in which education and learning are shaped by the members of the educational community in terms of equality, freedom, and creative participation, contribute to addressing inequalities, empowering democracy, and enhancing inclusion. The discussion focuses on the crucial [...] Read more.
This paper explores how educational commons, in which education and learning are shaped by the members of the educational community in terms of equality, freedom, and creative participation, contribute to addressing inequalities, empowering democracy, and enhancing inclusion. The discussion focuses on the crucial debate around public formal education and the potential for radical democratisation it offers through three case studies carried out in formal and non-formal educational settings in Thessaloniki, Greece. The research was conducted in three different types of education centres: a public kindergarten, a self-organised autonomous libertarian educational community, and an after-school programme of a primary school where Workshops for Nurturing and Developing Environmental Resilience (WONDER) were implemented by the environmental organisation Mamagea. Through patterns of commoning practices, like peer governance, co-creation of knowledge, and peer learning, the case studies aimed to establish the prerequisites for the co-creation of a community that offers pupils and students, teachers, and educators the chance for self-formation and equal participation. The article makes the case that educational hierarchies and governance models can be reconfigured in order to incorporate the democratic values of solidarity, equality, self-organisation, and self-formation even in structures that are still tailored to formal schooling. The article argues that educational commons can make a decisive contribution to tackling inequalities, and the commons logic can grow effectively in school education under specific conditions. The pedagogical practice is shifted in educational commons in ways that balance out contemporary enclosures based on several inequalities. Full article
11 pages, 256 KiB  
Article
Korean American Mothers’ Experiences of the Transition from School into Adulthood for Their Child with Disabilities
by Kyeong-Hwa Kim and Hyunsoo Kwon
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 580; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100580 - 19 Oct 2023
Viewed by 981
Abstract
In order to better understand how Korean American students with disabilities go through transitions and how education and services can more effectively target them, this study was designed to examine Korean American parents’ perceptions of transition experiences for their child with disabilities through [...] Read more.
In order to better understand how Korean American students with disabilities go through transitions and how education and services can more effectively target them, this study was designed to examine Korean American parents’ perceptions of transition experiences for their child with disabilities through collecting qualitative data. To achieve the purposes of the research, 9 mothers of Korean American young adults with disabilities aged 18–25 were interviewed. Overall, five themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: the importance and shortcomings of a transition program for students with disabilities aged 18–21, use of an ethnic informal organization, mothers’ readiness for the future, professionals’ negative attitudes, and transition planning. The findings were discussed to enhance the involvement of Korean American parents in the development of a long-range plan that will affect the postschool outcomes of their children with disabilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Family Studies)
18 pages, 391 KiB  
Article
Socio-Labour Inclusion of Low-Income Women in the Digital Economy: A Comparison between Corporate and Cooperative Domestic Work Platforms
by Denise Kasparian, Agustina Súnico, Julieta Grasas and Julia Cófreces
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 579; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100579 - 19 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1303
Abstract
It is often argued that digital labour platforms entail an expansion of opportunities for women for several reasons. They facilitate the balance between paid work and household chores as a result of time flexibility, they eliminate entry and permanence barriers for typically male [...] Read more.
It is often argued that digital labour platforms entail an expansion of opportunities for women for several reasons. They facilitate the balance between paid work and household chores as a result of time flexibility, they eliminate entry and permanence barriers for typically male work sectors, they enable economic independence, and they favour the creation of professional networks. Several studies, however, have shown that the wage gap, the sexual division of labour, occupational segregation, and gender stereotypes still persist. Hence, to what extent do the new forms of labour mediated by digital platforms lead to an expansion of opportunities for women? This article analyses the socio-labour inclusion of low-income women in digital labour platforms by contrasting the model of corporate platforms against the emerging alternative of platform cooperatives. The movement of platform cooperativism advocates for the creation of platform companies based on democratic ownership and governance models that reduce inequalities in a broad sense. The methodological approach is based on the comparison of two platforms: Zolvers, which was founded in 2013 with headquarters in Argentina and which operates as an intermediary or marketplace between those who offer and those who require home cleaning services, and Up & Go, which was founded in 2017 in New York and is owned by six worker cooperatives that use the platform to offer various services on demand, particularly home cleaning services. Whereas Zolvers offers job opportunities with possibilities of formalisation but no guarantee of stability, Up & Go is owned and managed by worker cooperatives that seek to guarantee living wages for their worker-members. Concerning working conditions, Zolvers reproduces power asymmetries of domestic work, subordinating workers to the platform and the hirers. On the contrary, Up & Go empowers women workers to decide on their schedules and hirers, among other issues. Finally, whereas Zolvers does not enable the participation of workers either in governance or in technology design, the cooperative nature of Up & Go promotes their involvement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender Gaps in Digital Labour Platforms)
10 pages, 283 KiB  
Article
Knowing and the Known: A Philosophical and Pedagogical Critique on the Concept of ‘Powerful Knowledge’
by Siebren Miedema
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 578; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100578 - 18 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1239
Abstract
It is remarkable how the popularity of the concept of ‘powerful knowledge’ has increased during the last decade in academic circles and among politicians, too. This is especially the case when the issue of the place and function of knowledge in the curriculum [...] Read more.
It is remarkable how the popularity of the concept of ‘powerful knowledge’ has increased during the last decade in academic circles and among politicians, too. This is especially the case when the issue of the place and function of knowledge in the curriculum is addressed. A strong impetus for the increased attention paid to this concept of knowledge came from the writings of Michael Young and Johan Muller. Based on his own critical-hermeneutical-pragmatist-and-(neo-)Vygotskian-inspired philosophy of education and philosophy of science as his ‘Vorverständnis’ (Gadamer), but also based on the recent criticism articulated by the philosophers of education John White and Ingrid Carlgren and educational theorist Gert Biesta, the author shows the philosophical, pedagogical and didactical inadequacy of this concept. The author is criticizing the philosophical and pedagogical presuppositions of Young and Muller’s stance in propagating their core concept of ‘powerful knowledge’ as it is grounded in a social realist view and the way this concept has been used in educational studies by others. It is the author’s conviction that the concept of ‘powerful knowledge’ and the underlying social realist paradigm are incompatible and even incommensurable (in a Kuhnian sense of the terms) with sociocultural and pragmatist paradigms. It is, in his view, theoretically and conceptually confusing when authors who work along the lines of these paradigms are trying to complement these with the concept of ‘powerful knowledge’ along the lines of social realism as outlined by Young and Muller. Let us stick to knowing and the known as a theoretical conceptualization of ‘knowledge’. Full article
11 pages, 270 KiB  
Article
Is the Coming Out of an LGBTQIA+ Child a Death-like Event for Italian Parents?
by Nicola Biancotto, Gianmarco Biancalani, Lucia Ronconi and Ines Testoni
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 577; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100577 - 18 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1019
Abstract
Parents of LGBTQIA+ individuals often report experiencing an affective state similar to grief after their children’s coming out. The current study explores whether this experience resembles that of people who have recently lost someone close. Furthermore, we tested whether the parents’ alexythimic traits [...] Read more.
Parents of LGBTQIA+ individuals often report experiencing an affective state similar to grief after their children’s coming out. The current study explores whether this experience resembles that of people who have recently lost someone close. Furthermore, we tested whether the parents’ alexythimic traits are associated with their grief-like experience. In a sample of 194 parents who experienced their children’s coming out, we administered the Integration of Stressful Life Events Scale (ISLES), the Social Meaning In Life Events Scale (SMILES), and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). The results showed no significant differences in the mean scores of ISLES and SMILES between the present and bereaved samples by their creators. In addition, in the present sample, lower ISLES and SMILES scores were associated with higher alexithymic traits. Overall, these findings suggest a resemblance between the experience of parents following their children’s coming out and that of bereaved individuals. Therefore, they could inform on how to assist parents in coming to terms with the coming out of an LGBTQIA+ child. Full article
12 pages, 274 KiB  
Article
Culturally Respectful and Competent Practice: What It Looks Like for Organisations Providing Services to Migrant Youth within the Illawarra Region of New South Wales, Australia
by Rugare Mugumbate and Imatakopate Gina
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 576; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100576 - 18 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1173
Abstract
The question of culturally respectful and competent practice is important for human services, particularly in Australia, which is characterised by a highly culturally diverse population as a result of migration. On arrival in Australia, migrants start using local services which they anticipate to [...] Read more.
The question of culturally respectful and competent practice is important for human services, particularly in Australia, which is characterised by a highly culturally diverse population as a result of migration. On arrival in Australia, migrants start using local services which they anticipate to be appropriate to their culture, situations and aspirations. This study explored what culturally respectful and competent practice looks like for organisations working with migrant youth in the Illawarra region of the state of New South Wales using in-depth interviews and focus groups. Although our focus was youth, responses were more broad to reflect the day-to-day roles of participants. From the responses, themes that came out included awareness of own culture as a practitioner and understanding the cultures of service users; paying attention to service user views of the dominant culture; employing staff from refugee and migrant communities; interpreter services; supporting practitioners in addressing agency limitations; and use of a strengths-based approach. What is central to these themes is capacitating human resources with cultural knowledge and a tendency towards prioritising service users’ interpretation of their culture and addressing the disadvantage and injustice that arise from cultural differences. For the organisations, a key barrier to achieving this is inadequate financial resources. In view of these findings, we conclude that, in relation to the topic and organisations we investigated, culturally respectful and competent practice means embedding service user cultural interpretations and priorities in organisational employment practices, staff skilling and service delivery in order to achieve the best and sustainable cultural, social and economic settlement outcomes. Full article
16 pages, 279 KiB  
Article
“You Don’t Want to Be Perceived as Wild and Unruly”: How Ethnic Minority Women Experience and Negotiate Their Autonomy within Honor-Related Contexts
by Menal Ahmad
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 575; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100575 - 16 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1376
Abstract
Within honor-related contexts, women’s appearances, actions, and life choices are closely tied to the honor of the entire family. As a result, women who opt to deviate from prevailing feminine honor codes are subject to violence as a means of restoring the family’s [...] Read more.
Within honor-related contexts, women’s appearances, actions, and life choices are closely tied to the honor of the entire family. As a result, women who opt to deviate from prevailing feminine honor codes are subject to violence as a means of restoring the family’s good name. Based on the life stories of fourteen Dutch ethnic minority women who deviated from feminine honor codes, this study investigates how women experience their autonomy as a process within their social context. Rather than analyzing this process through a binary conception of autonomy (i.e., agency/coercion), this study highlights women’s experiences through a relational approach to autonomy. In doing so, this study uncovers three overarching themes: (1) honor codes are enforced implicitly through expectations surrounding the role of “the honorable daughter/wife”, and explicitly through a shared religious and/or ethnic identity, (2) women detach themselves from honor codes either by strategically renegotiating honor codes or after experiencing a turning point that triggers an immediate process towards detachment from honor codes, and (3) women’s decision-making processes are accompanied with health concerns caused by lingering guilt, social shame, and isolation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Violence, Victimization and Prevention)
18 pages, 390 KiB  
Essay
Building Bridges, Forging New Frontiers: Meaning-Making in Action
by Pninit Russo-Netzer
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 574; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100574 - 13 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1533
Abstract
The need to experience life as meaningful is fundamental to human nature. Recent years have witnessed a growing sophistication in assessing meaning in life (MIL) and new conceptualizations regarding its place within general models of well-being and coping. As part of this surge [...] Read more.
The need to experience life as meaningful is fundamental to human nature. Recent years have witnessed a growing sophistication in assessing meaning in life (MIL) and new conceptualizations regarding its place within general models of well-being and coping. As part of this surge in research, increased attention has been given to the understanding, assessment, and practice of MIL in numerous arenas and contexts. However, despite these advancements, further knowledge is needed to explore the application of meaning interventions across more diverse contexts and non-clinical populations in the general community. The purpose of the present paper is to expand the existing knowledge on meaning-oriented interventions by introducing a community-based initiative that is directly responsive to this need. This includes describing its approach to meaning-making on multiple fronts: (1) Socratic Questions in the Public Sphere; (2) the Tribe Intergenerational Life Stories Project; (3) Literature, Arts, and Museums as Meaning-Making Sites; and (4) Education for Meaning. Each of these initiatives is described to propose more context-sensitive interventions that are applicable to everyday life in general society. Full article
12 pages, 257 KiB  
Article
Learning about What? Non-Confessional Religious Education after the Dissolution of the Binary Categories ‘Religion’ and ‘Secular’
by Peder Thalén
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 573; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100573 - 13 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1022
Abstract
The binary division between ‘religion’ and ‘secular’ as an analytical tool has long been criticised within the research field of ‘critical religion’ in religious studies. There has also been a parallel critique in the academic discussion about post-secularity. Recently, sociologists have picked up [...] Read more.
The binary division between ‘religion’ and ‘secular’ as an analytical tool has long been criticised within the research field of ‘critical religion’ in religious studies. There has also been a parallel critique in the academic discussion about post-secularity. Recently, sociologists have picked up and deepened this criticism, as expressed in Mitsutoshi Horii’s book ‘ReligionandSecularCategories in Sociology: Decolonizing the Modern Myth (2021). Based on a critical processing of Horii’s application to sociology, the aim of this article is to discuss the challenges for non-confessional religious education (RE) that the ongoing dismantling of this binary division entails. In particular, it looks at how a non-confessional RE could be designed that transcends the binary division and how powerful knowledge could be understood in a non-binary context. Full article
15 pages, 362 KiB  
Review
Advancing Sustainable Bio-Waste Management through Law and Policy: How Co-Creation Can Help Pursue Fair Environmental Public Policies in the European Context
by Ireneu Mendes, Pedro Rocha and Alexandra Aragão
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 572; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100572 - 12 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1475
Abstract
Alongside production and consumption, bio-waste management is central to the food systems debate. To achieve sustainable food systems—an essential component of the Sustainable Development Goals and the world they envision—public authorities must address the shortage of current bio-waste-management policies and strive towards a [...] Read more.
Alongside production and consumption, bio-waste management is central to the food systems debate. To achieve sustainable food systems—an essential component of the Sustainable Development Goals and the world they envision—public authorities must address the shortage of current bio-waste-management policies and strive towards a new paradigm of bio-waste management, where environmental justice primarily informs policy design and decision making. In order to achieve fair environmental policies, particularly in the context of food systems and bio-waste management, it is essential to understand what drives public policy in these matters. In the present review, we seek to contribute by closing a gap in the literature by proposing a set of bio-waste-management drivers in the European context. Moreover, we focus on the “policy and legislation” driver, hoping to examine its main components and understand both their limitations and the opportunities they provide. Finally, we explore the role that co-creation can play as a facilitator of a public-governance paradigm that promotes sustainable development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Local Governance, Wellbeing and Sustainability)
17 pages, 1039 KiB  
Article
Relationships between Military Spending and Green Capital Formation: Complementary or Substitutes?
by Ramesh Chandra Das and Imran Hussain
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 571; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100571 - 12 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1409
Abstract
The world’s so-called rich countries have still been spending a huge sum of their budgets on military heads, in spite of there being no such fears of multilateral formal wars. Further, there is no such strong evidence that military expenditures are capable of [...] Read more.
The world’s so-called rich countries have still been spending a huge sum of their budgets on military heads, in spite of there being no such fears of multilateral formal wars. Further, there is no such strong evidence that military expenditures are capable of raising the GDPs of the concerned countries. The countries, as a result, have been squeezing allotments in their budgets upon real asset building spending such as on the social sectors and natural resource development. There is thus a trade-off between military spending and real asset building. The present study examines the long-run relationships with causal interplays between military spending and green capital and also identifies the crowds-in or crowds-out effects of military spending on green capital in the top 20 military power-owning countries for the period 1991–2020. The results show the existence of long-run relations between the two in the majority of the countries and military spending makes a cause to green capital in the long run. But, for a few countries, the study observes causal interplay between military heads and green capital heads. Finally, the study finds that the militarization practices crowd out the green capital formation in eight countries and the opposite outcome, the crowding-in effects, works in twelve countries. Full article
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17 pages, 335 KiB  
Essay
Qualitative Research in Digital Era: Innovations, Methodologies and Collaborations
by Grzegorz Bryda and António Pedro Costa
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 570; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100570 - 12 Oct 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 6120
Abstract
The differentiation of contemporary approaches to qualitative data analysis can seem daunting even for experienced social science researchers. Especially when they move forward in the data analysis process from general analytical strategies used in qualitative research to more specific approaches for different types [...] Read more.
The differentiation of contemporary approaches to qualitative data analysis can seem daunting even for experienced social science researchers. Especially when they move forward in the data analysis process from general analytical strategies used in qualitative research to more specific approaches for different types of qualitative data, including interviews, text, audio, images, videos, and so-called virtual data, by discovering the domain ontology of the qualitative research field, we see that there are more than twice as many different classes of data analysis methods as qualitative research methods. This article critically reflects on qualitative research and the qualitative computer data analysis process, emphasising its significance in harnessing digital opportunities and shaping collaborative work. Using our extensive analytical and research project experience, the last research results, and a literature review, we try to show the impact of new technologies and digital possibilities on our thinking. We also try to do the qualitative data analysis. The essence of this procedure is a dialectical interplay between the new world of digital technology and the classic methodology. The use of digital possibilities in qualitative research practices shapes the researcher’s identity and their analytical and research workshop. Moreover, it teaches collaborative thinking and teamwork and fosters the development of new analytical, digital, and Information Technology (IT) skills. Imagining contemporary qualitative research and data analysis in the humanities and social sciences is difficult. Opening to modern technologies in computer-based qualitative data analysis shapes our interpretation frameworks and changes the optics and perception of research problems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 7th World Conference on Qualitative Research)
9 pages, 266 KiB  
Editorial
The Lives of Third-Country National Migrant Youth in Europe: Between Perceived Vulnerabilities and Available Resources
by Cristina Giuliani, Amalia Gilodi, Camillo Regalia, Jan Skrobanek and Birte Nienaber
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 569; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100569 - 12 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1020
Abstract
The idea for this Special Issue emerged from the Editors’ collaboration on the framework of the European project MIMY: EMpowerment through liquid Integration of Migrant Youth in vulnerable conditions [...] Full article
18 pages, 2449 KiB  
Article
Direct and Indirect Effects of Emotions towards Party Leaders on Voting: Evidence from the 2018 Andalusian Regional Election
by Ángel Cazorla Martín, Carmen Ortega and Juan Montabes
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 568; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100568 - 12 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1427
Abstract
Party leaders are increasingly relevant to voters’ choices in parliamentary systems. However, most studies addressing the electoral impact of leaders have largely ignored voters’ emotional responses to party leaders. Additionally, little is known about the effect of party leaders in subnational or regional [...] Read more.
Party leaders are increasingly relevant to voters’ choices in parliamentary systems. However, most studies addressing the electoral impact of leaders have largely ignored voters’ emotional responses to party leaders. Additionally, little is known about the effect of party leaders in subnational or regional elections. Using data from a specific election survey, this article examines the effect of emotions towards party leaders on regional voting. It assesses whether emotional responses to party leaders not only have direct effects, but whether they also have indirect effects through partisanship on voting. We found evidence that emotions towards party leaders have both direct and indirect effects through partisanship on vote choice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Political Communication and Emotions)
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15 pages, 312 KiB  
Article
“It’s Gone from More of Convenience to Necessity at This Point” Exploring Online Dating Use in the UK during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Thematic Analysis
by Nikki Dean Marshall, Benjamin John Partridge, Jade Mason, Chanda Purba, Amanda Sian, Jessica Tanner and Rosie Martin
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 567; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100567 - 11 Oct 2023
Viewed by 2222
Abstract
There were reported increases in negative emotions such as boredom and loneliness during lockdown; simultaneously, there was a notable increase in new users and activity on online dating platforms (ODPs). While motivations for using ODPs vary widely, there is limited understanding for users’ [...] Read more.
There were reported increases in negative emotions such as boredom and loneliness during lockdown; simultaneously, there was a notable increase in new users and activity on online dating platforms (ODPs). While motivations for using ODPs vary widely, there is limited understanding for users’ motivations to engage with ODPs in a time when restrictions were in place. To explore users’ motivations and the impact COVID-19 had on their online dating experiences during the pandemic semi-structured interviews (N = 12) were conducted in the UK during December 2020–July 2021. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Motivations for using ODPs during the pandemic included addressing negative emotions such as loneliness, but, crucially, they became a necessity for meeting new people and making romantic and non-romantic connections in a time of social isolation. Lockdowns had negative effects on creating and sustaining online connections; however, where online connections were made, lockdowns restricted contact through social distancing and tier systems, limiting the ability to progress a relationship by moving it offline. Online interactions provided a relationship building foundation; however, there was ultimately a need to move the interaction offline in order for the relationship to develop. Findings related to motivations fit with prior literature; however, there was a shift in priorities, with importance being placed on online spaces to meet social needs that were limited due to the pandemic. ODPs were important for society, they provided a space for connection and socialising, which was vital in helping people navigate the solitude of lockdown. Full article
19 pages, 3818 KiB  
Article
Multilateralism under Fire: How Public Narratives of Multilateralism and Ideals of a Border-Free World Repudiate the Populist Re-Bordering Narrative
by Kesi Mahendran, Anthony English and Sue Nieland
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 566; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100566 - 10 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1006
Abstract
How do global multilateral arrangements such as the United Nations (UN) and World Health Organization (WHO), vital to post-pandemic recovery, connect to the public understanding of multilateralism? The Citizen Worldview Mapping Project (CWMP) conducted in England, Scotland and Sweden examines how the degree [...] Read more.
How do global multilateral arrangements such as the United Nations (UN) and World Health Organization (WHO), vital to post-pandemic recovery, connect to the public understanding of multilateralism? The Citizen Worldview Mapping Project (CWMP) conducted in England, Scotland and Sweden examines how the degree of migration–mobility interacts with worldviews. CWMP asked participants (N = 24) to rule the world using an online interactive world mapping tool. Citizens were first interviewed on their migration–mobility, then invited to draw or remove borders on the world to manage human mobility. Citizens then engaged in a dialogue with António Guterres’ 2018 address to the United Nations General Assembly on multilateralism. Dialogical analysis showed how, when empowered to rule the world, the majority of participants, irrespective of the degree of migration–mobility, expressed an ideal of a border-free world, even if they then went on to construct borders around the world. We understand this as a democratic dialogical ideal of a border-free world. Participants articulated rich narratives and social representations of international relations, yet did not have a formal understanding of the reified concept of multilateralism. Bridging this gap between the consensual sphere of the public’s ideals based on social representations of cooperation and conflict and the reified sphere containing political narratives of multilateralism is a key step to longer-term post-pandemic recovery. A first step will be further studies into how an ideal of a border-free world can reconfigure political resistance to xenophobic populist re-bordering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Narratives of Resistance in Everyday Lives and the Covid Crisis)
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15 pages, 1400 KiB  
Article
Analyzing the Impact of Public Housing Privatization on Immigrant Micro-Segregation in Milan
by Igor Costarelli
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 565; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100565 - 10 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1268
Abstract
In several Western European countries, a significant share of social rental housing stock has been sold since the 1980s as part of government policies aimed at promoting homeownership societies. Research has shown that tenure conversion has contributed to increasing socio-spatial segregation of lower-income [...] Read more.
In several Western European countries, a significant share of social rental housing stock has been sold since the 1980s as part of government policies aimed at promoting homeownership societies. Research has shown that tenure conversion has contributed to increasing socio-spatial segregation of lower-income groups, with diverging spatial patterns of homeownership among immigrants. This paper examines the impact of recent public housing privatization schemes in Milan in relation to micro-segregation and peripheralization processes of foreign populations, which represent distinctive features of immigrant residential distribution in this city. By employing name analysis, an unconventional approach in segregation studies, I inferred the geographical origins of homebuyers and mapped their distribution across the city. The findings reveal divergent purchasing behaviors, whereby Italians predominantly acquire properties in semi-central areas currently undergoing urban regeneration. In contrast, immigrants tend to concentrate their acquisitions in peripheral post-war public housing neighborhoods or in areas predominantly inhabited by residents with similar geographical origins. This paper contributes to the existing literature on ethnic residential segregation in Southern European cities by shedding light on the underexplored role of public housing privatization policies in shaping specific residential patterns and housing outcomes among different groups. Full article
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27 pages, 1896 KiB  
Article
The Relationship between Career Calling and Workaholism: The Mediating Role of Career Orientation
by Liliana Pitacho and João Pedro Cordeiro
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 564; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100564 - 09 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1640
Abstract
The difference between having workers involved in their work, on the one hand, or too exhausted to contribute, on the other, can be tenuous and compromise work orientation. The positive outcomes of career calling (a deep purpose and meaningfulness in work characterized by [...] Read more.
The difference between having workers involved in their work, on the one hand, or too exhausted to contribute, on the other, can be tenuous and compromise work orientation. The positive outcomes of career calling (a deep purpose and meaningfulness in work characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption) to organizations are clear, namely the relationship of career calling with high levels of commitment and engagement. However, the dark side of career calling remains a less explored point. The main purpose of this study analyzes this side of career calling and explores the relationship between sense of work purpose—perceived career calling—and workaholism. The sample consists of 743 Portuguese employees from different sectors of activity. The main hypothesis intends to test the presence of career orientation as a mechanism to explain the ambiguity of career calling outcomes, that is, the mediating effect of career orientation on the relationship between career calling and workaholism. The results showed that the workers’ career orientation helps to explain this relationship. Career orientation partially mediated the relation between career calling and the positive dimension of workaholism, involvement and enjoyment, and completely mediated the relation between career calling and negative dimensions of workaholism, drive. These results allow us to reflect on career calling, and how organizations manage workforce efforts to avoid work addiction and the negative consequences that compromise workforce sustainability. Career calling was looked at as an element of a mixed profile work orientation, rather than not just as a pure work orientation. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Work, Employment and the Labor Market)
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19 pages, 384 KiB  
Review
Unpacking Gender for Flat Breast Cancer Survivors Assigned Female at Birth: A Methodological Application of Visually Informed, Critical Discursive Psychology
by Trisha L. Raque, Keiko M. McCullough and Maggie A. Creegan
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 563; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100563 - 09 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1612
Abstract
Given the high prevalence rates of breast cancer and mastectomy as recommended treatment, a large number of breast cancer survivors assigned female at birth may face contradicting messages about whether to pursue reconstruction. Survivors desire information outside of standard biased pro-reconstruction messages, with [...] Read more.
Given the high prevalence rates of breast cancer and mastectomy as recommended treatment, a large number of breast cancer survivors assigned female at birth may face contradicting messages about whether to pursue reconstruction. Survivors desire information outside of standard biased pro-reconstruction messages, with an increase in utilization of online social platforms to learn of the lived experiences of survivors who have gone flat. As breasts are socially constructed symbols connected to femininity, fertility, motherhood, and (hetereo)sexualization, the application of visually informed, critical discursive psychology holds promise as a method for analyzing how survivors “do” gender after going flat. This paper summarizes prior research on messages around reconstruction before diving into how breasts hold sociocultural meanings in relation to gender performance. A preliminary reading of a photo posted on Twitter by Tig Notaro, a comedian who has been public about breast cancer, and a photo posted on Instagram by entrepreneur Jamie Kastelic were analyzed using a visually informed, critical discursive psychology lens. Our preliminary analysis illustrates the utility of this method for understanding how flat survivors assigned female at birth construct gender for both themselves and a social media audience. This paper challenges assumptions regarding what a “healthy” breast cancer survivor looks like and aims to encourage future inquiries into how social media functions as a space where survivors can perform gender online after going flat themselves. Full article
24 pages, 381 KiB  
Article
“Actually Changing Our Way of Being”: Transformative Organizing and Implications for Critical Community-Engaged Scholarship
by May Lin
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 562; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100562 - 09 Oct 2023
Viewed by 992
Abstract
Because research alone cannot dismantle racial inequity, this article focuses on lessons for critical community-engaged scholarship (CCES) based on the Relationship-Centered Schools campaign of Californians for Justice (CFJ), an educational and racial justice youth organizing group. The campaign embraced transformative organizing—an approach to [...] Read more.
Because research alone cannot dismantle racial inequity, this article focuses on lessons for critical community-engaged scholarship (CCES) based on the Relationship-Centered Schools campaign of Californians for Justice (CFJ), an educational and racial justice youth organizing group. The campaign embraced transformative organizing—an approach to social change that encompasses reshaping oppressive institutions and healing trauma wounds wrought by injustice. I discuss findings and methodological implications for CCES, considering challenges in translating research to policy change for racial equity. This article situates the power and limitations of research within CFJ’s broad array of transformative organizing strategies to create more caring and equitable schools. Strategies include youth-led action research, voter engagement, lobbying, youth sharing power with adults, and healing practices of slowing down and relationship building to rehumanize youth of color. I then discuss implications for CCES. First, research supported CFJ youth leaders’ efforts to press institutions to value their full, emotionally complex humanity and legitimize their emotional knowledge. Yet because research is only one of many strategies for transformative change, fully participatory research is not always within organizing groups’ capacity. Thus, researchers can act more expansively by lending our time, energy, and labor to power building. Second, care and healing practices embodied by CFJ can inspire researchers to center relationship building and care as praxis and translate these lessons to transform the academy into a more equitable place. Ultimately, transformative organizing shows how CCES can extend beyond equitable research practices to include more liberatory ways of being, feeling, and acting towards justice. Full article
20 pages, 684 KiB  
Article
Surveying ‘Dating Violence’ and Stalking Victimisation among Students at an English University: Findings and Methodological Reflections on Using a US Survey Instrument
by Anna Bull and Alexander Bradley
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 561; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100561 - 09 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1385
Abstract
Domestic abuse and stalking in higher education (HE) have been overlooked in research in comparison to sexual harassment and sexual violence. This article reports on survey data from 725 students at an English university using measures of stalking and ‘dating violence’—physical and psychological [...] Read more.
Domestic abuse and stalking in higher education (HE) have been overlooked in research in comparison to sexual harassment and sexual violence. This article reports on survey data from 725 students at an English university using measures of stalking and ‘dating violence’—physical and psychological violence from an intimate partner—from a US survey instrument (the Administrator Researcher Campus Climate Collaborative (ARC3) survey). According to this measure, 26% of respondents had been subjected to ‘dating violence’ and 16% to stalking behaviours. However, these findings need to be contextualised within a critical discussion about the use of the ARC3 survey tool in the English context. The ARC3 questions on ‘dating violence’ focus on physical and ‘psychological violence’; the questions therefore omit further types of domestic abuse under UK definitions. In relation to stalking, US definitions—as captured in the ARC3 survey instrument—define specific behaviours. By contrast, in England and Wales, stalking involves behaviours that engender fear or distress in a pattern of behaviour over time. These differences mean that the ARC3 modules on stalking and ‘dating violence’ would need to be significantly adapted to be suitable for use in England and Wales. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives on Measuring Interpersonal Violence)
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24 pages, 1042 KiB  
Article
The Dynamics of Change in United States Foreign Policy: Contexts, Leadership, and Hegemonic Legitimacy
by Pedro Emanuel Mendes
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 560; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100560 - 08 Oct 2023
Viewed by 3048
Abstract
This article examines the dialectical relationship between continuity and change in the foreign policy of the United States, a hegemonic power. The article begins by exploring the agent–structure problem and the factors that affect changes in foreign policy and the legitimacy of hegemony. [...] Read more.
This article examines the dialectical relationship between continuity and change in the foreign policy of the United States, a hegemonic power. The article begins by exploring the agent–structure problem and the factors that affect changes in foreign policy and the legitimacy of hegemony. It compares the hegemonic leadership styles of three former United States Presidents: George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump. The article aims to contrast the foreign policy approaches of the three presidents and present two main arguments. In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of foreign policy, it is imperative to analyse dynamic components such as contextual factors and leadership. This includes the leaders’ worldviews and their ability to adapt to unanticipated crises. The gradual decline of the United States’ hegemony in the international order can be attributed to structural transformations within the international order and the erosion of its social capital and its role as hegemon. Yet, the leadership styles adopted by American presidents have a significant impact on the erosion of the nation’s hegemonic leadership. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section International Relations)
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12 pages, 258 KiB  
Article
The Ways of Overcoming the Impact of Graduation from School on the Mental State of Students and Their Parents: Counseling with a Social Worker to Solve Social and Psychological Problems
by Salah Gad, Enaam Youssef, Nagwa Babiker Abdalla Yousif and Mahra Almalek
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 559; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100559 - 07 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1323
Abstract
The study identifies and measures the emotional aspects affecting students’ learning and motivation as well as their relationship with the social and psychological environment in their family. Solving emotional problems was also one of the goals. In total, 50 schoolchildren, 16 to 18 [...] Read more.
The study identifies and measures the emotional aspects affecting students’ learning and motivation as well as their relationship with the social and psychological environment in their family. Solving emotional problems was also one of the goals. In total, 50 schoolchildren, 16 to 18 years of age, took part in the experiment. Their parents also participated in the study for family therapy sessions. The experiment was conducted at Ajman Private School, Ajman Emirate, Ajman, United Arab Emirates. Prior to the study, graduates took a series of questionnaires to measure their emotional state. During the experiment, respondents had conversations with a social worker and an art therapist once a week. During conversations, a social worker helped the students and their parents to understand the difficulties in their relationships and to come to compromises. In art therapy sessions, respondents expressed their negative emotions on the canvas using art materials. The study lasted four months. Also, at the middle and end of the experiment, respondents took a series of tests to measure their progress over time. The outcomes demonstrated not only the interrelation of family support and emotional state but also the effectiveness of the chosen methodology. The average score on the Beck Depression Inventory prior to the study was 6.8 out of 10 points. On the Taylor’s Manifest Anxiety Scale, the average score was 7.4 points. According to the WAM test, the ‘wellbeing’ factor before the beginning of the experiment was equal to 4.9 points. Full article
20 pages, 5409 KiB  
Article
The Role of COVID-19 in Molding the Economy and Social Inequity of Mexican Households
by Tonatiuh Suárez-Meaney, Ioannis Chatziioannou, Héctor Daniel Reséndiz López, Luis Chias-Becerril and Efthimios Bakogiannis
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 558; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100558 - 06 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 994
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply influenced the economy of all nations, and Mexico is no exception. This effect is distinct for different groups of the population, with variable socio-economic and demographic characteristics, that live in regions of contrasting features. An efficient apparatus for [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply influenced the economy of all nations, and Mexico is no exception. This effect is distinct for different groups of the population, with variable socio-economic and demographic characteristics, that live in regions of contrasting features. An efficient apparatus for measuring expenditure variations and tendency is the National Household Income and Expenditure Survey performed by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography in accordance with the international standardization established at the Canberra Conference; the latter permits, every two years, for different surveys to be comparable in time and space. Hence, in Mexico, there are three surveys for 2018, 2020, and 2022. The results of the comparison indicate that different groups of the Mexican population have experienced the pandemic with multiple impacts, apparently without large proportional variation regarding expenditure but with greater variation in time-use conditions. Moreover, it became apparent that even though the lower strata of Mexico’s population have fewer proportional variations concerning income after the COVID-19 outburst, they must incorporate more family members into working activities to achieve a survival line; the latter results in the abandonment of school from various young household members that will negatively impact the quality of their lives in the long term. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Social Economics)
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25 pages, 3111 KiB  
Article
Making Digital Government More Inclusive: An Integrated Perspective
by Yaser Hasan Al-Mamary and Mohammad Alshallaqi
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 557; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100557 - 05 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1533
Abstract
This study aims to identify the key factors that can contribute to making digital government more inclusive. This study developed a research model based on integrating the theory of e-government adoption and innovation resistance theory. The empirical testing was carried out in Saudi [...] Read more.
This study aims to identify the key factors that can contribute to making digital government more inclusive. This study developed a research model based on integrating the theory of e-government adoption and innovation resistance theory. The empirical testing was carried out in Saudi Arabia, which is widely considered one of the most progressive nations in the Middle East in terms of digital government transformation. In total, 412 people participated in this study. This study used structural equation modeling to validate the integrated model. Based on this study’s findings, this study identified the primary factors that can help make digital governments more inclusive. The most crucial elements are perceived compatibility, perceived awareness, availability of resources, perceived information quality, perceived trust, perceived functional benefits, and perceived service response. The results of this research inform government officials and policymakers in their move toward the goal of inclusive and easily accessible digital government services. Full article
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13 pages, 330 KiB  
Article
Can Powerful Knowledge Save Us? Critical Reflections through the Lens of Political Education
by Johan Sandahl and Mattias Björklund
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 556; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100556 - 05 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1272
Abstract
In most Western democracies, there is an ongoing discussion on the role of education, particularly in times of increasingly polarized political views, leading to democratic erosion and social unrest. Citizens have been described as living in echo chambers, relying on, and often receiving, [...] Read more.
In most Western democracies, there is an ongoing discussion on the role of education, particularly in times of increasingly polarized political views, leading to democratic erosion and social unrest. Citizens have been described as living in echo chambers, relying on, and often receiving, information that confirms their own world views and political ideas. In this climate, education has been emphasized as an important antidote to provide students with knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to strengthen democracy and social cohesion. In most cases, this assignment is primarily tasked with subjects that can be considered political education, such as social studies, civics or social science education. However, there is no consensus on what kind of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values students need to fulfil a “good political education”. Historically, there has been a rift between advocates of progressive ideas such as political deliberation and those who favor an emphasis on disciplinary-based knowledge. The latter perspective has been, for some time now, highlighted in educational sciences through Michael Young’s concept of powerful knowledge, where knowledge from academic disciplines is emphasized in shaping youth into critical thinkers on social and political issues. This article critically examines the ideas of powerful knowledge and its potential for political education in secondary school. An important argument is that powerful knowledge, or disciplinary thinking, is necessary for a good political education but not sufficient in its own right. In order to deal with complex political issues, students need to be invited with their life-world perspectives. Full article
13 pages, 2074 KiB  
Review
Women and Leadership in Higher Education: A Systematic Review
by Mónica del Carmen Meza-Mejia, Mónica Adriana Villarreal-García and Claudia Fabiola Ortega-Barba
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(10), 555; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12100555 - 04 Oct 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4689
Abstract
The theoretical postulates of gender studies demonstrate that inequality, when it comes to women, is more of a sociocultural construct than the result of nature. Gender inequality is typical of higher education, where inclusion of women was a milestone and where the “female [...] Read more.
The theoretical postulates of gender studies demonstrate that inequality, when it comes to women, is more of a sociocultural construct than the result of nature. Gender inequality is typical of higher education, where inclusion of women was a milestone and where the “female advantage” phenomenon refers to the rise of women at this level. Thus, this study aims to investigate the patterns of action that women take in academia when exercising leadership positions. It aims to understand the social behavior related to this phenomenon based on scientific research. The study followed a quantitative method, systematizing the process based on the PRISMA. 2020 guidelines to work with the bibliographic material identified in the Scopus database, and another qualitative method was used in conjunction for a resulting descriptive documentary analysis of the results obtained. This study concludes that women exercise leadership in higher education in teaching, research, and management roles with unequal participation in each of them. Full article
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