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Volume 13
Issue 4
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Soc. Sci., Volume 13, Issue 4 (April 2024) – 49 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): Critical suicide studies is an area of research, practice, and activism that offers creative ways to ‘rethink’ suicide. This qualitative research investigated how critical suicide studies is being conceptualized by those who draw from it. Four themes were generated from the interviews: critical suicide studies is a site of respite and fortification; critical suicide studies is a felt experience; critical suicide studies is a desire line; critical suicide studies is yearning. Metaphors were important in the conceptualizations; we argue that the dominant language to describe suicide might not be adequate for expressing its complexities and contradictions. We call for more diverse frameworks for understanding and responding to suicide and show the potential of joining other social movements to build a more just, caring, and inclusive world. View this paper
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16 pages, 1679 KiB  
Article
Abuse in Chilean Trans and Non-Binary Health Care: Results from a Nationwide Survey
by Miguel Roselló-Peñaloza, Lukas Julio, Izaskun Álvarez-Aguado and Maryam Farhang
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 228; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040228 - 22 Apr 2024
Viewed by 366
Abstract
Abuse in health care (AHC) is an emerging concept used to describe healthcare practices and conduct that health services users find belittling and degrading. Such experiences, whose causes are not always voluntary but systematic and structural, have been described as one of the [...] Read more.
Abuse in health care (AHC) is an emerging concept used to describe healthcare practices and conduct that health services users find belittling and degrading. Such experiences, whose causes are not always voluntary but systematic and structural, have been described as one of the main barriers to the trans and non-binary population’s access to health care. To study this problem in Chile, the country’s first trans and non-binary health survey was conducted between January 2021 and June 2022 with the participation of 1116 people. Univariate statistical analyses were performed to calculate the frequencies (f) and percentages (%) of the different forms of AHC reported. Chi-squared tests (p < 0.01) and the Pearson correlation coefficients (r > 0.10) were used to identify statistically significant correlations between experiences of AHC, the health personnel reportedly involved, and participants’ responses to these experiences. About 84% of the participants who replied to questions on this subject said that they had experienced some form of AHC. The most frequently reported were inappropriate use of pronouns (65.9%) and stereotypical comments about genders (48.3%). These events occurred mostly in encounters with secretaries and receptionists, followed by psychologists and nurses. The most frequent response of participants to these situations was to change the medical staff responsible for their care, followed by ceasing to seek professional attention. A mainstreamed relational gender perspective is required to address the complexity of this problem. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Gender Studies)
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12 pages, 268 KiB  
Article
Theorising Digital Afterlife as Techno-Affective Assemblage: On Relationality, Materiality, and the Affective Potential of Data
by Anu A. Harju
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 227; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040227 - 21 Apr 2024
Viewed by 622
Abstract
In the ongoing academic discussion regarding what happens to our data after we die, how our data are utilised for commercial profit-making purposes, and what kinds of death-related practices our posthumous data figure in, the notion of digital afterlife is attracting increasing attention. [...] Read more.
In the ongoing academic discussion regarding what happens to our data after we die, how our data are utilised for commercial profit-making purposes, and what kinds of death-related practices our posthumous data figure in, the notion of digital afterlife is attracting increasing attention. While the concept of digital afterlife has been approached in different ways, the main focus remains on the level of individual loss. The emphasis tends to be on the role of posthumous digital artefacts in grief practices and death-related rituals or on data management issues relating to death. Building on a socio-technical view of digital afterlife, this paper offers, as a novel contribution, an understanding of digital afterlife as a techno-affective assemblage. It argues for the necessity of examining technological and social factors as mutually shaping and brings into the discussion of digital afterlife the notions of relationality, materiality, and the affective potential of data. The paper ends with ruminations about digital afterlife as a posthumanist project. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue DIDE–Digital Death: Transforming History, Rituals and Afterlife)
15 pages, 342 KiB  
Article
Rethinking Sporting Mystification in the Present Tense: Disneylimpics, Affective Neoliberalism, and the Greatest Transformation
by Junbin Yang
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 226; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040226 - 20 Apr 2024
Viewed by 289
Abstract
While questioning the universalization, naturalization, neutralization, and idealization of sport and physical culture, this paper examines the ultimate mystification process of sport and physical culture by expanding upon two conceptual frameworks: Jules Boykoff’s celebration capitalism and Lawrence Grossberg’s affective landscape. It first analyzes [...] Read more.
While questioning the universalization, naturalization, neutralization, and idealization of sport and physical culture, this paper examines the ultimate mystification process of sport and physical culture by expanding upon two conceptual frameworks: Jules Boykoff’s celebration capitalism and Lawrence Grossberg’s affective landscape. It first analyzes the evolution of the Olympics into a corporatized, commercialized, spectacularized, and celebritized “Disneylimpics” that can consistently evoke an affective reverberation. It then introduces the idea of “affective neoliberalism” to highlight neoliberalism’s affective and ideological aspects. With Grossberg’s concept of affective landscape, this paper explores the internalization and intensification of anxiety and affective isolation within society. Additionally, the paper utilizes Karl Polanyi’s analysis in his influential book, The Great Transformation, to investigate the historical expansion of affective neoliberalism. By highlighting the 11 September 2001, attacks in the United States, it points out provocative militarization and (re)organization of the soul into a fictitious commodity, in addition to labor, land, and money, which triggers the greatest transformation. Lastly, summarizing central arguments, this paper concludes with modest suggestions, mainly focusing on two questions: (1) where are we now? and (2) how can we more effectively respond to the present context? Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Contested Terrain of Sport: Sociological, Political and Policy Perspectives)
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12 pages, 278 KiB  
Article
The Teachability of Global Citizenship to Children through Empirical Environmental Education: Reflections from a Horticultural Project in a Spanish School
by Isabel Pérez-Ortega and Iñigo González-Fuente
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 225; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040225 - 20 Apr 2024
Viewed by 216
Abstract
In a context defined by the internationalisation of educational policies and the supranational nature of school programmes, we highlight the desirability of promoting local strategies for teaching environmental sustainability in order to contribute to the formation of global citizenship in children. Based on [...] Read more.
In a context defined by the internationalisation of educational policies and the supranational nature of school programmes, we highlight the desirability of promoting local strategies for teaching environmental sustainability in order to contribute to the formation of global citizenship in children. Based on the experience of a horticultural curricular project in a school in northern Spain, the aim of this article is to reflect on the need for socio-educational communities to transform the objectives of environmental education into tools with which children can co-responsibly build connections to modify or enrich their everyday concepts of caring for the planet. To do this, semiotic analysis of different official school documents is used as a key methodology. Our findings invite consideration of the fact that pedagogies designed to train children in global citizenship competencies should not be limited to the classroom or to reproducing the proposals of institutional documents. Rather, they should be based on the prior knowledge and experiences of all members of the community, above all, of the children. From this perspective, the promotion of empirical learning situations is essential for the acquisition of meaningful and appropriate environmental contents, in the sense that they allow children, as future global citizens, to recognise the ethical repercussions of their own actions and decisions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Childhood and Rights in a Global World)
14 pages, 7887 KiB  
Article
An Assessment of Socio-Economic Status of Women on Family Farms: Slovenian Case Study
by Jernej Prišenk, Urška Vesenjak, Črtomir Rozman, Jernej Turk and Karmen Pažek
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 224; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040224 - 18 Apr 2024
Viewed by 349
Abstract
The question of gender equality is increasingly being raised today and is present at all levels of society. The topicality of the issue on farms is particularly evident, due to the particular inheritance processes on farms, the clear division of labour, and intergenerational [...] Read more.
The question of gender equality is increasingly being raised today and is present at all levels of society. The topicality of the issue on farms is particularly evident, due to the particular inheritance processes on farms, the clear division of labour, and intergenerational cooperation that characterise the agricultural sector. In this research, a multi-criteria model (DEX-SOCIAL) was developed to understand the broader aspect of rural sociology and the issue of women’s status on the farm. The paper discusses the status of women on a farm and assesses their social and economic situation. The methodology includes an online questionnaire in which women in the Eastern and Western Cohesion Regions participated, as well as other farm members and owners. Subsequently, the questions were transformed for the requirements of the assessment model, which assessed the life prospects of women on farms in both the Eastern and Western Cohesion Regions who were aged both over and under 40 years (criteria for “young successor”). The results of the study show that there is a clear difference in the qualitative assessment of women’s socio-economic position in relation to the East–West cohesion region. The social position of women does not differ according to age structure. The conclusions of the study also present broader applications of the results in the field of rural development and rural sociology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Social Economics)
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29 pages, 365 KiB  
Article
Migrant Organisations on the Rise after 2015/2016? Between “Projectitis” and the Formation of New Structures and Types
by Kirsten Hoesch
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 223; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040223 - 18 Apr 2024
Viewed by 380
Abstract
The paper departs from the observation that the role of migrant organisations (MOs) in Germany has changed significantly since the strong influx of refugees in 2015/16. As a result of this specific historical situation, it seems that MOs were able to strengthen their [...] Read more.
The paper departs from the observation that the role of migrant organisations (MOs) in Germany has changed significantly since the strong influx of refugees in 2015/16. As a result of this specific historical situation, it seems that MOs were able to strengthen their position as important civil society and integration policy actors and reduce reservations about them. While there has been growing attention on MOs’ civic and social contributions, both in public and academic debates, this article also highlights the risks of failure and inflated expectations and the often rather fragile structures of MOs. Thus, the article aims to broaden the view on MOs by focusing on aspects which have been neglected in the course of recent public and academic interest and rather optimistic perceptions. The methodological approach is one of “embedded research”: the author has been a senior executive of one of the largest German MOs for six years and, at the same time, a migration researcher for many years. From this special inside/outside view, an ambivalent picture emerges: despite a significantly greater appreciation of the achievements of MOs and much verbal recognition, there is a clear lack of the necessary material/structural support, jeopardising the sustainability and viability of many MOs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Migrant Organizations: Multifunctional and Flexible Providers of Social Protection and Welfare in Changing Societies)
20 pages, 667 KiB  
Article
Effectiveness of School Violence Prevention Programs in Elementary Schools in the United States: A Systematic Review
by Ie May Freeman, Jenny Tellez and Anissa Jones
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040222 - 18 Apr 2024
Viewed by 581
Abstract
School violence remains a major concern for scholars, policymakers, and the public in the United States. Despite the implementation of various school violence prevention programs, information regarding their effectiveness in the United States is outdated and limited. This systematic review identified current elementary [...] Read more.
School violence remains a major concern for scholars, policymakers, and the public in the United States. Despite the implementation of various school violence prevention programs, information regarding their effectiveness in the United States is outdated and limited. This systematic review identified current elementary school programs that effectively reduce school violence in the United States and determined the types of elementary school violence prevention programs implemented, their effectiveness, and the types of tools used to enhance such programs. A qualitative methodological approach was employed, and four databases were searched. English articles published between 2012 and 2023 were selected. Furthermore, data involving elementary school education, school personnel, teachers, and children (5–12-year-old) in the United States were included in the thematic analysis. Results confirmed that the school-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports program effectively decreases violence, suspensions, office referrals, and disruptive behaviors, whereas positive action effectively reduces negative violent behaviors. Social–emotional learning (SEL) implementation also reduced behavioral issues. The findings of this study are relevant for guiding teachers, school administrators, policymakers, teacher education preparation programs, and health professionals in constructing evidence-based violence prevention programs with an added SEL component for elementary schools. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reducing School Violence)
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22 pages, 367 KiB  
Article
From Intersex Activism to Law-Making—The Legal Ban of Intersex Genital Mutilation (IGM) in Greece
by Nikoletta Pikramenou
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 221; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040221 - 18 Apr 2024
Viewed by 641
Abstract
In 2022, Greece became the fifth country in the world to legally ban Intersex Genital Mutilation (IGM). The bill was prepared by the Ministry of Health and the intersex-led organisation “Intersex Greece”. Even though the organisation was only established in 2021, it was [...] Read more.
In 2022, Greece became the fifth country in the world to legally ban Intersex Genital Mutilation (IGM). The bill was prepared by the Ministry of Health and the intersex-led organisation “Intersex Greece”. Even though the organisation was only established in 2021, it was actively engaged in the whole law-making process, which resulted in a legal text that became a best practice worldwide. This article tracks the history of the intersex movement in Greece and shows that the movement emerged around 2009. Then, based on online interviews, blogs, videos and articles, all strategies and alliances used by the movement over the years to advocate for intersex rights are explored, especially in the year 2017 when the law on Legal Gender Recognition (LGR) was passed and in 2022 when IGM was banned. Furthermore, online public documents from the Greek Parliament are consulted to provide a comprehensive analysis of how the social, cultural, economic, and political environment in the country affected these legal developments. Based on the above evidence, this article shows that the law-making process on IGM in Greece started 13 years before the law and was the outcome of a long process of multiple and unique intersecting factors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from Centring Intersex: Global and Local Dimensions—International Conference)
13 pages, 246 KiB  
Article
“Making Sure the Path Is Safe”: A Case Study of the Influence of Aboriginal Elders on Non-Aboriginal Organisational Leadership
by Tiana Culbong, Uncle Albert McNamara, Aunty Irene McNamara, Uncle Peter Wilkes, Aunty Sandra Wilkes, Adrian Munro, Anne-Marie Eades, Margaret O’Connell, John Fielder and Michael Wright
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 220; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040220 - 18 Apr 2024
Viewed by 254
Abstract
The question of how Aboriginal Elders influence the leadership of non-Aboriginal led service organisations when working biddiya to biddiya (boss to boss) emerged while conducting a qualitative analysis as part of the evaluation of the Looking Forward Moving Forward project. This project brought [...] Read more.
The question of how Aboriginal Elders influence the leadership of non-Aboriginal led service organisations when working biddiya to biddiya (boss to boss) emerged while conducting a qualitative analysis as part of the evaluation of the Looking Forward Moving Forward project. This project brought together non-Aboriginal service leaders, Aboriginal Elders and Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers to implement and evaluate a framework for engagement to promote organisational change and transform the way in which services respond to Aboriginal people in need of mental health and drug and alcohol support in Perth, Western Australia. This paper uses a case study to demonstrate how Elders on Nyoongar Country have influenced one non-Aboriginal service leader. At the heart of this case study is a close examination of a recorded, semi-structured, in-depth focus group exchange between a non-Aboriginal leader, Elders and co-researchers. This exchange foregrounds the Elders’ and co-researchers’ voices, capturing the dialogic nuances and interplay of the interaction to provide a more detailed picture of how building long-term relationships with Elders influences leaders. A key theme to emerge from the data was the developmental change in leadership approaches resulting from the biddiya to biddiya working relationship between Elders and this non-Aboriginal leader. The data show that, along with their deepening relationship, the leader demonstrated an openness and humility to be teachable. This leader demonstrated how he applied his new learning, integrating new ways of working into his leadership practice to change the way his organisation responded to Aboriginal people seeking support and to enhance the organisation’s cultural safety. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intergenerational Research—A Multi-Perspective Collection of Evidence for Theory and Best Practice)
13 pages, 2635 KiB  
Article
The Driving Federal Interest in Environmental Hazards: Weather Disaster as Global Security Threat
by Lance L. Larkin and Nicholas M. Josefik
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 219; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040219 - 18 Apr 2024
Viewed by 347
Abstract
The U.S. federal government manages many domestic and global operations, including environmental disasters. With the need to both mitigate and adapt to climate change, legislative and executive branches have spurred research efforts as the impacts of the Anthropocene accelerate around the country. The [...] Read more.
The U.S. federal government manages many domestic and global operations, including environmental disasters. With the need to both mitigate and adapt to climate change, legislative and executive branches have spurred research efforts as the impacts of the Anthropocene accelerate around the country. The Army Corps of Engineers’ overlapping interest in security and providing technological answers to mitigate weather disasters has led to recent research and development, including facilitating the federal mandate to convert military fleets to electric vehicles by 2027 while also building a hydrogen fuel cell emergency operations vehicle. The emergency vehicle, H2Rescue, has recently been tested in the field, and further refinements in the technology are leading towards a transition out of development and into production. However, the engineered solution must also attend to the social dimensions of disaster relief. This paper examines past environmental disasters in one location, the Navajo Nation, to describe how the vehicle could provide a combination of technological and societal future research possibilities for environmental anthropology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anthropological Reflections on Crisis and Disaster)
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16 pages, 278 KiB  
Article
Protecting Protection Programmes or Engaging with People? Conditional Inclusion and Evolving Relational Dynamics in Anti-Trafficking Programmes
by Michela Semprebon
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 218; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040218 - 18 Apr 2024
Viewed by 287
Abstract
Anti-trafficking programmes in Italy have been implemented for more than two decades. Yet, little empirical evidence is available regarding their functioning. This paper draws on 56 semi-structured interviews carried out in the period of 2019–2021 with practitioners and beneficiaries of the N.A.Ve anti-trafficking [...] Read more.
Anti-trafficking programmes in Italy have been implemented for more than two decades. Yet, little empirical evidence is available regarding their functioning. This paper draws on 56 semi-structured interviews carried out in the period of 2019–2021 with practitioners and beneficiaries of the N.A.Ve anti-trafficking programme. The interviews focused on practitioners’ experience working with Nigerian women and on Nigerian women’s experiences of the programme upon completion. By building on critical anti-trafficking studies and the autonomy of migration perspective, this contribution looks at the relationship between practitioners and Nigerian women admitted to the programme by addressing the following questions: what is the experience of practitioners and beneficiaries in the N.A.Ve programme? To what extent is the structural violence of the counter-trafficking apparatus reproduced in the relational dynamics between practitioners, particularly Case Managers, and beneficiaries? How do beneficiaries cope with such violence? I argue that the Case Managers’ approach builds on “stratified layers of institutional knowledge” and that this concept is useful to highlight how their knowledge derives both from the counter-trafficking apparatus and their social work background. Furthermore, I present evidence that such an approach reproduces structural violence through processes of “conditional inclusion”. Nigerian women denounced this violence but also seized the relational capital grown from rapport, calling for more engagement with people rather than programme objectives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue International Counter-Trafficking: A Zero-Sum Game?)
19 pages, 336 KiB  
Article
Teacher Motivation: Exploring the Integration of Technology and Didactics in the Narratives of Future Teachers
by Isabel María Gómez-Trigueros, Mónica Ruiz-Bañuls, José Maria Esteve-Faubel and Francisco Mareque León
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 217; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040217 - 17 Apr 2024
Viewed by 430
Abstract
Different theories addressing the motivational process in educational practice highlight the importance of the teacher’s perspective in the effective integration of technologies as pedagogical–didactic tools in the classroom. The current study consists of a manifest content analysis applying a non-experimental, cross-sectional, qualitative research [...] Read more.
Different theories addressing the motivational process in educational practice highlight the importance of the teacher’s perspective in the effective integration of technologies as pedagogical–didactic tools in the classroom. The current study consists of a manifest content analysis applying a non-experimental, cross-sectional, qualitative research design. A longitudinal study was conducted through semi-structured individual interviews over three academic years (2020–2023) with a sample of 36 teacher-training students, including undergraduate and postgraduate students from the Valencian Community. The results obtained reveal the participants’ perceptions of the motivations for using technology in their self-learning process, highlighting the positive value they attribute to these tools as resources to motivate their future students. The narratives compiled highlight the relationship between the use of technology and improved academic performance in teacher training. Furthermore, they underline the need to incorporate educational models that not only foster digital skills but also provide solid pedagogical training in this area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Student Motivation and Satisfaction with Participation in Blended Learning)
15 pages, 293 KiB  
Article
Children’s Rights to and in Sport: A Comparative Analysis of Organizational Policies in the Scandinavian Countries
by Sine Agergaard, Karin Redelius and Åse Strandbu
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 216; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040216 - 17 Apr 2024
Viewed by 341
Abstract
It has long been stated that children have the rights to protection from, e.g., abuse and to the provision of age-appropriate leisure, play, and recreational activities along with participation in all matters that concerns them. Yet, the full range of children’s rights to [...] Read more.
It has long been stated that children have the rights to protection from, e.g., abuse and to the provision of age-appropriate leisure, play, and recreational activities along with participation in all matters that concerns them. Yet, the full range of children’s rights to and in sport has not yet been explored in detail. To do so, it is relevant to turn to the Scandinavian countries, which are praised for promoting children’s rights and well-being, with organized sport forming part of the daily lives of many children and youths. In this paper, we examine the organizational policies in Scandinavian sport in order to develop foundational knowledge about how the range of children’s rights to and in sport may be supported. Comparing key policy documents of the major sports confederations in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, these analyses identify great variety in the following: 1. when and how children’s rights to and in sport have been made explicit in the three countries; 2. whether the emphasis is on protection and/or provision of sport to children and youths or their participation in shaping sporting activities; 3. the degree to and ways in which such rights are regulated. In sum, our findings reflect a disparity between organizational policies in the three countries, with a more liberal and individualistic approach to public policy in the Danish context, providing some explanation of the only recent development in and scattered enaction of regulations to support children’s rights to and in sports. Furthermore, we identify that political attention has mainly been drawn to the protection and provision of sports to children and youths, while their participation in shaping sport is a shared challenge for sport confederations in the Scandinavian countries and beyond. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Children’s Wellbeing and Children’s Rights—A Nordic Perspective)
11 pages, 250 KiB  
Article
The Punishable Child in Sweden—The Tidö Agreement from a Children’s Rights Perspective
by Jeanette Sundhall and Sandra Hillén
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 215; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040215 - 17 Apr 2024
Viewed by 440
Abstract
The discourse that has so far dominated in Sweden, and which has manifested itself in various legislation concerning children who commit crimes, is going to change soon. We argue that this discourse is set to be replaced by one that does not consider [...] Read more.
The discourse that has so far dominated in Sweden, and which has manifested itself in various legislation concerning children who commit crimes, is going to change soon. We argue that this discourse is set to be replaced by one that does not consider the subordinate position of children as a result of their age but rather equates them with adults, thus making invisible the power imbalance between children and adults. In this article, we analyze a political document, the Tidö Agreement, and its articulations on youth criminality. We consider the Tidö Agreement to be an important tool in the process of social change, and we carry out this discussion in connection to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which became law in Sweden in 2020. By using a discourse theory perspective, we examine the articulations in the Tidö Agreement and discuss how these articulations can reproduce or challenge the current discourses by fixing meaning in certain ways. For instance, the word “child” is ambiguous, and its identity changes depending on how it is positioned in relation to other words in a concrete articulation. In this article, we discuss how this word is used in some contexts but avoided in others, and what consequenses this has. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Children’s Wellbeing and Children’s Rights—A Nordic Perspective)
11 pages, 651 KiB  
Article
Community Social Capital Enhances the Subjective Well-Being of Urban Residents: The Mediating Role of Psychological Flourishing and Moderating Effect of Educational Attainment
by Xiangshu Deng, Zhenyu Wei, Hang Lu, Chunfang Tu and Yanrong Yang
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 214; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040214 - 16 Apr 2024
Viewed by 370
Abstract
According to Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory, the interaction between micro- and macro-factors improves human development. Previous studies suggest that community social capital, which refers to the interaction between residents and communities, promotes the subjective well-being of residents in residential communities. However, little is known [...] Read more.
According to Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory, the interaction between micro- and macro-factors improves human development. Previous studies suggest that community social capital, which refers to the interaction between residents and communities, promotes the subjective well-being of residents in residential communities. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying this relationship. This study explored the link between community social capital and life satisfaction among urban residents and examined the mediating role of psychological flourishing and moderating effect of educational level. Data were obtained from a cross-community survey of 816 urban residents in China aged 20–60 years. The results indicated that psychological flourishing mediated the link between community social capital and life satisfaction among urban residents after controlling for gender, age, marital status, dwelling time, and monthly income. Furthermore, educational attainment moderated the association between community social capital and psychological flourishing. The mediating effect of psychological flourishing was stronger among residents with low educational attainment than those with high educational attainment, indicating that the benefits of community social capital were greater among the former group. This study extends our knowledge of the effect of community social capital on urban residents’ subjective well-being, including its role in reducing educational inequality in human well-being. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Community and Urban Sociology)
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10 pages, 218 KiB  
Article
‘The Ball of Cooperation Rolls on’: Some Personal Reflections on My Experiences as a Researcher
by Mark Koning, Miriam Zaagsma, Geert Van Hove and Alice Schippers
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 213; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040213 - 16 Apr 2024
Viewed by 282
Abstract
People with disabilities are increasingly actively involved within research projects. For many of them this is a temporary role, but some work on longer-term projects and even build a career out of it. This is the case for the first author of this [...] Read more.
People with disabilities are increasingly actively involved within research projects. For many of them this is a temporary role, but some work on longer-term projects and even build a career out of it. This is the case for the first author of this paper. He has worked as a researcher for almost six years. He is involved in various projects, all highly diverse in terms of subject, design, scope and collaboration with fellow researchers. In this paper, he looks back on his experiences in recent years. Together with colleagues, he reflects on his contribution to the various projects, his own development as a researcher and the impact of the work on his personal life. He finds that the essence of the motto ‘Nothing about us, without us’ has become increasingly intertwined with his life and identity through his work. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inclusive Research: Is the Road More or Less Well Travelled?—2nd Edition)
14 pages, 1397 KiB  
Article
‘For Those Who Like the Life Nothing Could Be Better’: The Games Mistress in 1920s Britain
by Dave Day
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 212; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040212 - 15 Apr 2024
Viewed by 294
Abstract
During the Edwardian period, women’s physical education colleges were graduating significant numbers of gymnastics and games teachers, the demand for whom had increased rapidly following an expansion in the playing of team sports in girls’ schools. Much of the subsequent development of women’s [...] Read more.
During the Edwardian period, women’s physical education colleges were graduating significant numbers of gymnastics and games teachers, the demand for whom had increased rapidly following an expansion in the playing of team sports in girls’ schools. Much of the subsequent development of women’s physical activity in the 1920s can be credited to the passion and commitment of these women, who were not only key role models within the school setting but who also coached and organised women’s sport at club, regional, and national level. Given that the education sector operated a ‘marriage bar’ until 1944, the critical juncture in their careers was the decision to marry or not, and several of these women decided to remain single. This, and the strong bonds they often formed with other practitioners, has resulted in a great deal of unsubstantiated speculation about their private lives. Combining evidence from a variety of primary sources, including newspapers, census returns, college records, literature, girls’ annuals, specialist periodicals, photographs, and local and family histories, this paper illuminates some of the biographies and experiences of these women and questions the stereotypical image of the games mistress as an unfulfilled spinster. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport, Gender and Stereotypes)
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13 pages, 677 KiB  
Article
Burnout Syndrome and Emotional Labor in Leaders and Subordinates: A Dyad Analysis
by Michelle Engers Taube, Mary Sandra Carlotto, Sonia Maria Guedes Gondim and Carla Carvalho
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 211; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040211 - 15 Apr 2024
Viewed by 393
Abstract
Burnout Syndrome is considered a chronic response to occupational stressors in the work environment. Social interactions constitute one of the stressors at work that can generate negative feelings that trigger a process of contagion of the syndrome among workers in interdependent relationships. This [...] Read more.
Burnout Syndrome is considered a chronic response to occupational stressors in the work environment. Social interactions constitute one of the stressors at work that can generate negative feelings that trigger a process of contagion of the syndrome among workers in interdependent relationships. This study aimed to analyze whether emotional labor (emotional demands, emotional dissonance) at the level of the leader and subordinate dyad contributes to the manifestation of Burnout Syndrome. The participants included 244 leader–subordinate dyads who answered a questionnaire with sociodemographic and labor data, the Spanish Burnout Inventory, a subscale of the Questionnaire on the Experience and Assessment of Work, and a subscale of the Frankfurt Emotion Work Scale. Analyses were performed using the actor–partner interdependence model (APIM) through path analysis. The results indicate that the emotional demands of the leaders and the emotional dissonance of the subordinates predict the leader’s Burnout Syndrome. The Burnout Syndrome of subordinates was predicted only by the emotional demands of subordinates. Organizational actions are necessary for the better functioning of this dyad, aiming to mitigate the negative consequences of emotional labor on workers’ mental health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emotional Labor, Stress, and Well-Being: Components of the Sustainability and Dignity of Work)
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15 pages, 293 KiB  
Article
Strengths Perspective: How Social Work Students Use Mindfulness as a Self-Care Strategy
by Rosalind Evans, Alicia Hawley-Bernardez and Greg Gibbons
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 210; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040210 - 13 Apr 2024
Viewed by 402
Abstract
(1) Background: As helping professionals, social workers are more susceptible to compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and burnout due to regular exposure to clients’ trauma, traumatic situations, and heavy caseloads. Social work students also face similar experiences during their field placement as they prepare [...] Read more.
(1) Background: As helping professionals, social workers are more susceptible to compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and burnout due to regular exposure to clients’ trauma, traumatic situations, and heavy caseloads. Social work students also face similar experiences during their field placement as they prepare to enter the profession. In addition, stress, a significant factor affecting academic performance, is prevalent among social work students. Prolonged stress can lead to chronic health conditions, emphasizing the need to develop effective stress management practice techniques. (2) Objective: To examine the impact of a four-week mindfulness strengths-perspective synchronous series and the impact on social work students’ personal strengths, self-care, stress, and coping strategies. (3) Methods: The purpose of this study was to examine social work students’ experiences with using mindfulness from a strengths perspective. Twenty-three (n = 23) social work students participated in a four-week synchronous mindfulness series that incorporated a strengths perspective, focusing on stress reduction and self-care practices. The series consisted of weekly mindfulness activities and writing prompts, concluding with a focus group in the final week. A thematic analysis was utilized to identify key themes. (4) Results: The researchers identified six themes: consistency and commitment, affirmations and self-love, a caring community, mindfulness strategies, physical restoration, and enrichment and learning. (5) Conclusion: Students were able to develop a better understanding of self-care and the benefits of taking time to incorporate practices for their health and wellness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mindfulness in Social Work: Special Issue Exploring Current Application and Potential in Social Work Practice and Education)
17 pages, 348 KiB  
Article
Why Do We Run in a Sporting Event? A Gender Perspective through the Half-Marathon of Cordoba, Spain
by Jose E. Ramos-Ruiz, Miguel A. Solano-Sanchez, Lucia Castaño-Prieto and Lucia Garcia-Garcia
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 209; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040209 - 12 Apr 2024
Viewed by 354
Abstract
The study of participants’ motivations in sporting events is a recurring topic that provides valuable information for stakeholders interested in the event’s success. This motivation structure varies between geographies and evolves, so addressing new case studies from fresh perspectives updates and enriches the [...] Read more.
The study of participants’ motivations in sporting events is a recurring topic that provides valuable information for stakeholders interested in the event’s success. This motivation structure varies between geographies and evolves, so addressing new case studies from fresh perspectives updates and enriches the knowledge on the subject. Through a survey of 416 participants in the Córdoba Half-Marathon, Spain, we aim to explore the existence of new dimensions of motivation to participate in running events, as well as to analyse if there are statistically significant differences between men and women in their participation motivations and the magnitude of these differences. To this end, an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) has been conducted, and the Mann–Whitney U and Hedges’ G statistics have been utilised. The results of this research complement previous studies with two new dimensions of motivation: inclusivity at various levels and the posting of images on social networks. Additionally, the leading role of female participants is evident, as they are more motivated than men to compete and surpass themselves. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport, Gender and Stereotypes)
17 pages, 294 KiB  
Article
Grief Universalism: A Perennial Problem Pattern Returning in Digital Grief Studies?
by Mórna O’Connor
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 208; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040208 - 11 Apr 2024
Viewed by 541
Abstract
The year 2024 marks one decade of scholarship in the new interdisciplinary field of Digital Death, concerning the study of death, dying and grief in the digital age. This paper addresses one key subfield of Digital Death Studies, here termed Digital Grief Studies, [...] Read more.
The year 2024 marks one decade of scholarship in the new interdisciplinary field of Digital Death, concerning the study of death, dying and grief in the digital age. This paper addresses one key subfield of Digital Death Studies, here termed Digital Grief Studies, which centres on theory, research and design concerning grief in today’s digitally saturated contexts. It argues that a classic grand pattern in scholarly treatments of grief—Grief Universalism—with a long, problematic history in Grief and Bereavement Studies, is reappearing in Digital Grief Studies. The Continuing Bonds theory of grief and its application in theory, research and design in Digital Grief Studies is used to demonstrate Grief Universalism in action in our field via hypothetical and fictional examples. This builds toward this paper’s big aim: to illustrate what we as an emerging field stand to gain from positioning the established field of Grief and Bereavement Studies as a veritable goldmine of advances—as well as pitfalls, wrong turns, and recurrent problem patterns to be avoided—generated over a hundred years of scholarship concerning human grief. Harnessing this wealth of prior learning and leveraging it toward the furtherance of our field in the coming decade and beyond becomes more crucial as we repel the seemingly perennial magnetism of Grief Universalism, as we operate within an interdisciplinary field vulnerable to Universalism and as yet unaware of its perils, and amid contemporary digital cultures and environments that may preserve and reinforce universalist grief framings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue DIDE–Digital Death: Transforming History, Rituals and Afterlife)
14 pages, 306 KiB  
Article
Nigerian Migrant Women and Human Trafficking Narratives: Stereotypes, Stigma and Ethnographic Knowledge
by Estefanía Acién González
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 207; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040207 - 11 Apr 2024
Viewed by 411
Abstract
During the last decades, Nigerian migrant women in the European sex market, described as victims of trafficking, have generated consistent concern and outrage. This article analyzes data from an ethnographic study of more than 800 Nigerian sex workers in southern Spain, describing the [...] Read more.
During the last decades, Nigerian migrant women in the European sex market, described as victims of trafficking, have generated consistent concern and outrage. This article analyzes data from an ethnographic study of more than 800 Nigerian sex workers in southern Spain, describing the networks used by these women to carry out their migration projects and the relationships they establish with their agents. Thus, it contributes to refuting the hegemonic narrative about trafficking and its victims by contrasting it with data collected and systematized over almost a decade of participant observation and informal conversation. This paper argues that the stereotypical image of the Nigerian migrant women as victims of abuse and violence by transnational trafficking networks functions to justify strict migration-control policies and the denial of labor rights to sex workers. As an antidote to the dominance of narratives based on stereotypes and pseudoscientific claims, this paper underscores the urgent need for ethnographic research and its focus on emic (participant) perspectives. The goal is to develop tailored and effective policies and practices for the prevention of and intervention in migrant women’s experience of exploitation, abuse, and violence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue International Counter-Trafficking: A Zero-Sum Game?)
18 pages, 289 KiB  
Article
The Power, Capacity, and Resiliency of Women in Substance Use Disorder Recovery to Overcome Multiple and Complex Housing Transitions
by David Patton
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 206; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040206 - 10 Apr 2024
Viewed by 465
Abstract
Gendered understandings of housing transitions amongst women and especially amongst those in substance use disorder recovery are under-researched. To address this gap, this study explores the multifaceted challenges and pathways to housing stability amongst women in substance use disorder recovery in the UK. [...] Read more.
Gendered understandings of housing transitions amongst women and especially amongst those in substance use disorder recovery are under-researched. To address this gap, this study explores the multifaceted challenges and pathways to housing stability amongst women in substance use disorder recovery in the UK. Through qualitative analysis of life course interviews with 15 women in recovery, it becomes evident that housing insecurity, instability, and frequent transitions are common experiences. The women in the sample faced housing instability, ranging from temporary supported accommodations to homelessness. Notably, escaping negative relationships with male partners emerged as a primary cause of homelessness among these women. What this article highlights, which has not been found elsewhere to date, is that housing transitions are essentially a social process for women in recovery. This study highlights the social dimension of housing transitions. The potency of social capital and social networks in determining housing stability and security amongst women is emphasised as they exchange negative forms of social capital for positive forms of social capital. Recommendations stemming from this study include the need for drug recovery and housing policies to integrate gender-specific strategies to adequately support women in recovery. Further, they need to adopt a broader perspective, emphasizing the importance of fostering positive social connections and networks when considering housing options for individuals in recovery. For women who have spent a long time in supported residential and therapeutic environments, there is a need to develop a scaffolded support system to help women transition to independent living. The utilisation of recovery capital (and CHIME) as frameworks may provide a basis upon which to map out holistic and sustainable pathways to housing stability and security for women in recovery due to their acknowledgement of interconnected and related life domains that produce change and transformation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rethinking Women’s Homelessness: Understanding Complex Lives)
19 pages, 316 KiB  
Article
Europeanization as Pragmatic Politics: Italy’s Civil Society Actors Operating in the Face of Right-Wing Populism
by Fazila Mat, Luisa Chiodi and Oliver Schmidtke
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 205; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040205 - 09 Apr 2024
Viewed by 477
Abstract
This article examines how and under what conditions Italy’s civil society organizations (CSOs) have resorted to transnational activism and to what extent these efforts translate into impactful political advocacy. The analysis focuses on the action strategies of these civil society actors that have [...] Read more.
This article examines how and under what conditions Italy’s civil society organizations (CSOs) have resorted to transnational activism and to what extent these efforts translate into impactful political advocacy. The analysis focuses on the action strategies of these civil society actors that have come under considerable pressure through the resurgence of populist–nationalist actors in the domestic arena. Developing an actor-centred perspective from below, this article draws on a series of 27 interviews conducted with these organizations’ representatives working primarily on issues related to migration and refugees in Italy. The empirical study examines some key initiatives that see domestic CSOs as protagonists in the transnational realm and explicates their motivations, approaches, and experiences. Conceptually, the article distinguishes between the vertical and horizontal Europeanization of CSOs. While there are notable opportunities for CSOs to engage in Brussels-centred governance and policy making, the effectiveness of horizontal Europeanization in the form of cross-border networking is—at first sight paradoxically—limited by the EU’s system of multi-level governance. The central argument about Europeanizing civil society activism is that these processes are primarily driven by a pragmatic pursuit of solutions to concrete political challenges that could not be properly addressed in an increasingly hostile domestic environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Contemporary Politics and Society)
21 pages, 295 KiB  
Article
A Tale of Two Realities: Gendered Workspace during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Taipei
by Chyi-Rong Tsai
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 204; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040204 - 06 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1147
Abstract
This study examines how heterosexual couples in Taipei used space when both were working from home. I interviewed 29 heterosexual couples on how they arranged working space at home and how these spatial arrangements influenced their working experiences and career development. I found [...] Read more.
This study examines how heterosexual couples in Taipei used space when both were working from home. I interviewed 29 heterosexual couples on how they arranged working space at home and how these spatial arrangements influenced their working experiences and career development. I found that space was gendered: men tended to work in a preferable space at home compared to their partners. However, a preferable space was not always defined by its physical setting, such as a room. Interviews revealed that women tended to move around to accommodate their family members’ needs when they worked from home, having unstable and interrupted working environments. Their experiences revealed that women’s family roles, such as mother, daughter, and wife, are prioritized at home, resulting in constant interruptions. On the contrary, men’s roles as workers were prioritized and protected when they worked from home. Gender superseded and transformed the physical space and reproduced gender inequality at work for people who work from home. This study suggests the need to consider the impact of gender norms before treating remote work as a pro-work–family policy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender, Work and Family in Turbulent Times: COVID-19, Remote Work and Diversity)
29 pages, 343 KiB  
Article
Social Disability as Disaster: Case Studies of the COVID-19 Pandemic on People Living with Disabilities
by Irena L. C. Connon, Alexandra Crampton, Christopher Dyer and Rita Xiaochen Hu
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 203; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040203 - 05 Apr 2024
Viewed by 531
Abstract
Social disability is a process or event that significantly disrupts, paralyzes, or prevents the formation and/or sustaining of interpersonal social relations required for meeting human needs. When prolonged, the ‘disabling’ of essential human interrelationships can have a destructive impact. This is especially true [...] Read more.
Social disability is a process or event that significantly disrupts, paralyzes, or prevents the formation and/or sustaining of interpersonal social relations required for meeting human needs. When prolonged, the ‘disabling’ of essential human interrelationships can have a destructive impact. This is especially true in communities where people are highly interdependent and where individuals living with disabilities rely upon social relationships to prevent isolation and decline in overall wellbeing. Meanwhile, disaster response systems have developed to first rescue or protect individuals’ ‘bare life’ and immediate, bodily needs. We argue that these systems, intended to mitigate disaster, can exacerbate social disability as a kind of collateral damage. We explore this problem as it unfolded amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in two research sites: one located in rural, northern Scotland and another located in rural, Midwestern United States. The Scottish research focuses on experiences, causes and risks of social disability for adults living with disabilities within a small rural community, while the U.S. research focuses on emergence of and resistance to social disability among residents of a continuing care retirement community for 55+ aged adults. We conclude with implications and recommendations for disaster intervention and future research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anthropological Reflections on Crisis and Disaster)
16 pages, 351 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Different Dimensions of Loneliness among Adults Living with Chronic Diseases
by Dijana Babić, Snježana Benko Meštrović, Želimir Bertić, Milan Milošević and Gordana Kamenečki
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 202; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040202 - 05 Apr 2024
Viewed by 464
Abstract
Background: Loneliness has become a growing public health problem. Adult people who live with chronic health problems often experience more severe consequences of this condition. The purpose of this research is to determine the level of loneliness and differences in dimensions of [...] Read more.
Background: Loneliness has become a growing public health problem. Adult people who live with chronic health problems often experience more severe consequences of this condition. The purpose of this research is to determine the level of loneliness and differences in dimensions of loneliness in adults living with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Methods: The study was conducted in the Magdalena Clinic for Cardiovascular Diseases. The selected sample consisted of a group of patients admitted for short-term hospital treatment. The data were collected using the 11-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGLS). Differences in outcomes with respect to gender, educational level and marital, work and living status, as well as medical diagnoses of the participants, were compared using the Kruskal–Wallis test or the Mann–Whitney U test. Spearman’s rho coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between the independent variables and the total score on different categories of loneliness. Results: A moderate level of loneliness (SD = 3.53; M = 3.0) was determined in almost half of the participants (N = 52; 49.1%). A statistically significant positive correlation was confirmed in the relationship between the emotional dimension of loneliness and the gender of the participants. The participants that had a lower education level showed a higher level of emotional loneliness, but also a higher overall level of loneliness. The age of the participants correlated negatively with the level of social loneliness (rho = −0.029). Conclusions: Loneliness is present among adults living with cardiovascular diseases in different dimensions and intensity. Although the connection between loneliness and health outcomes needs to be further investigated, the negative impact of this psychosocial problem on cardiovascular health cannot be ignored. Full article
18 pages, 286 KiB  
Article
Migration and Youth: The Lived Experiences of Russian Youth in Finland
by Anita Stasulane
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 201; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040201 - 03 Apr 2024
Viewed by 590
Abstract
The number of Russian immigrants to Finland has already been steadily increasing since 1990, when the President of Finland launched an initiative aimed at facilitating the repatriation of Ingrian Finns living in the territories incorporated into the USSR. Today Russian-speaking immigrants account for [...] Read more.
The number of Russian immigrants to Finland has already been steadily increasing since 1990, when the President of Finland launched an initiative aimed at facilitating the repatriation of Ingrian Finns living in the territories incorporated into the USSR. Today Russian-speaking immigrants account for approximately 1.3% of Finland’s population. The segmented assimilation theory encourages one to explore the lived experiences of second-generation immigrants. This article analyses the data from qualitative interviews conducted within the framework of the field work carried out in the central part of Finland, from 1 October to 31 December 2021. Young people who spoke Russian in their family and were a part of groups where Russian is a tool of communication and used for the intergenerational transmission of cultural traditions were selected for interviews. The empirical data resulting from a study conducted in Finland provide insight into the factors that have contributed to the migration of their families, from the perspective of these young people. Applying the concept of identity as a “moveable feast”, this article focuses on the process of self-identification as depending, first, on the dynamics between inherited and obtained identity and, second, on the identity level (ethnicity, nationality, global identity) at which these dynamics are present. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Inclusion of Children, Youth and Families from Refugee and Migrant Backgrounds)
20 pages, 1508 KiB  
Article
Flextime/Flexspace for All in the Organization? A Study of the Availability, Use, and Consequences of Flexible Work Arrangements for Low and High SES Employees in Nine European Countries
by Tanja van der Lippe, Laura den Dulk and Katia Begall
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 200; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040200 - 03 Apr 2024
Viewed by 484
Abstract
This article investigates the relationship between employee socioeconomic status (SES) and the availability, use, and consequences for employees of flexible work arrangements (working from home and flexible starting and finishing times). Multi-level analyses based on the European Sustainable Workforce Survey (11,011 employees nested [...] Read more.
This article investigates the relationship between employee socioeconomic status (SES) and the availability, use, and consequences for employees of flexible work arrangements (working from home and flexible starting and finishing times). Multi-level analyses based on the European Sustainable Workforce Survey (11,011 employees nested in 869 teams at 259 organizations in nine European countries) reveal a negative relationship between low SES employees and the availability of working from home. Lower-status employees also perceive working from home and flexible work times as less available to them and use these arrangements less than higher-status employees. Findings suggest similar outcomes of use for both groups. We found almost no differences between lower and higher SES employees in how using flexible work arrangements affected performance, commitment, and work–life conflict. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Work, Employment and the Labor Market)
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18 pages, 290 KiB  
Article
You Can Knock on the Doors and Windows of the University, but Nobody Will Care: How Universities Benefit from Network Silence around Gender-Based Violence
by Vilana Pilinkaite Sotirovic, Anke Lipinsky, Katarzyna Struzińska and Beatriz Ranea-Triviño
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 199; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040199 - 02 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1332
Abstract
This paper exposes the role of universities in creating silence around gender-based violence in higher education, drawing on narratives from 39 qualitative interviews with victims/survivors and bystanders about reporting incidents and experiences. In this paper, we extend concept of ‘network silence’ around sexual [...] Read more.
This paper exposes the role of universities in creating silence around gender-based violence in higher education, drawing on narratives from 39 qualitative interviews with victims/survivors and bystanders about reporting incidents and experiences. In this paper, we extend concept of ‘network silence’ around sexual harassment to other forms of gender-based violence. Our research applies three components of the theoretical model of network silence, namely, self-silencing by victims/survivors, silencing, and not hearing by others, and analyses their contextual manifestations through the reporting experiences of victims/survivors and bystanders. This helps to identify the traits of the informal organisational structures and power dynamics, gendered attitudes, actors, and factors which facilitate silencing. The intersectional approach in our analysis of organisational contextual traits contributes to the research on inequality regimes in universities. The findings suggest that universities are making limited efforts to address silence around gender-based violence. We conclude that shared beliefs among the leadership about the reputation and prestige of the university facilitate the endurance of silence in universities. Our findings indicate reasons why universities fail to create spaces that are safe from gender-based violence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Social Power of Gender-Based Violence and Abuse in the Workplace)
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