Societies

Open AccessArticle

Reducing Prejudice against Children with Tungiasis: A Qualitative Study from Kenya on How a School Intervention May Raise Awareness and Change Attitudes towards Neglected Diseases

by

Åse Walle Mørkve

and

Mai Camilla Munkejord

Societies 2023, 13(6), 139; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13060139 - 03 Jun 2023

Abstract

Tungiasis/jiggers, which is caused by the sand flea, tunga penetrans, is a ferocious but neglected disease that affects millions of people in more than 80 low-income countries. If left untreated, jiggers may not only cause pain and secondary infection, but also lead to [...] Read more.

Tungiasis/jiggers, which is caused by the sand flea, tunga penetrans, is a ferocious but neglected disease that affects millions of people in more than 80 low-income countries. If left untreated, jiggers may not only cause pain and secondary infection, but also lead to disabilities, including difficulties grasping and walking, concentration problems, sleep disturbance, skin issues and, among children, exclusion from school due to stigma and prejudice. This study aims to shed light on how a sensitising school intervention may increase awareness and improve attitudes towards jiggers among non-affected pupils. The intervention included 11 h of teaching, involving 75 pupils. In addition to teaching and observation, a pretest and a posttest were conducted. The thematic analysis of the pretest statements resulted in the following themes: “Those affected by jiggers lack knowledge”, “Those affected by jiggers lack proper hygiene” and “Those affected by jiggers should be isolated from society”. Moreover, thematic analysis of the posttest statements resulted in the following themes: “Increased knowledge: ‘Now, I can even educate people about jiggers!’” and “Increased compassion: ‘I feel bad about those people’”. To foster a more inclusive school environment, including for children with disabilities due to jiggers, research on the long-term effects of similar school interventions is recommended. Full article

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Open AccessArticle

Analyzing and Leveraging Social Media Disaster Communication of Natural Hazards: Community Sentiment and Messaging Regarding the Australian 2019/20 Bushfires

by

Sarah Gardiner

,

Jinyan Chen

,

Margarida Abreu Novais

,

Karine Dupré

and

J. Guy Castley

Societies 2023, 13(6), 138; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13060138 - 31 May 2023

Abstract

This research presents a new model based on Twitter posts and VADER algorithms to analyze social media discourse during and following a bushfire event. The case study is the Gold Coast community that experienced the first bushfire event of Australia’s severe Black Summer [...] Read more.

This research presents a new model based on Twitter posts and VADER algorithms to analyze social media discourse during and following a bushfire event. The case study is the Gold Coast community that experienced the first bushfire event of Australia’s severe Black Summer in 2019/2020. This study aims to understand which communities and stakeholders generate and exchange information on disasters caused by natural hazards. In doing so, a new methodology to analyze social media in disaster management is presented. This model enables stakeholders to understand key message themes and community sentiment during and following the disaster, as well as the individuals and groups that shape the messaging. Three main findings emerged. Firstly, the results show that messaging volume is a proxy for the importance of the bushfires, with a clear increase during the bushfire event and a sharp decline after the event. Secondly, from a content perspective, there was a consistent negative message sentiment (even during recovery) and the need for better planning, while the links between bushfires and climate change were key message themes. Finally, it was found that politicians, broadcast media and public commentators were central influencers of social media messaging, rather than bushfire experts. This demonstrates the potential of social media to inform disaster response and recovery behavior related to natural hazards. Full article

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Open AccessArticle

Illuminating the Immigration–Crime Nexus: A Test of the Immigration Revitalization Perspective

by

Javier Ramos

,

Cristal Hernandez

and

Davis Shelfer

Societies 2023, 13(6), 137; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13060137 - 30 May 2023

Abstract

Research shows that immigration is often associated with less crime. Yet, what remains unclear is why this is the case. The primary explanation for why immigration reduces crime, according to scholars, is the immigration revitalization thesis. This perspective argues that immigration revitalizes communities [...] Read more.

Research shows that immigration is often associated with less crime. Yet, what remains unclear is why this is the case. The primary explanation for why immigration reduces crime, according to scholars, is the immigration revitalization thesis. This perspective argues that immigration revitalizes communities by promoting local business growth, bolstering social ties, and enhancing conventional institutions (e.g., churches, voluntary organizations), which then reduce crime. These ideas, however, have never been tested. Using longitudinal data from 139 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) between 2000 and 2019, we examine whether the relationship between immigration and violent crime is mediated by changes in the percentage of households headed by married couples, number of ethnic businesses, and/or number of immigrant/ethnic-oriented organizations. The results from the generalized structural equation models (GSEM) and mediation tests offer some support for the immigration revitalization perspective. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immigration and Crime)

Open AccessReview

A Review of Evolving Paradigms in Youth Studies

by

Laura Guerrero Puerta

Societies 2023, 13(6), 136; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13060136 (registering DOI) - 29 May 2023

Abstract

This article focuses on the changes experienced by European youth because of the neoliberal globalised model. It analyses the impact of these socio-economic changes on school-to-work transitions and explores different theoretical perspectives (from the linear to pinball models) to understand them from a [...] Read more.

This article focuses on the changes experienced by European youth because of the neoliberal globalised model. It analyses the impact of these socio-economic changes on school-to-work transitions and explores different theoretical perspectives (from the linear to pinball models) to understand them from a critical point of view centred on the individual. These transformations have caused the traditional markers of passage to adulthood to become diluted, generating de-standardised trajectories with possible “round-trip” states. The aim is to provide an understanding of youth-related phenomena under models described with the sociology of transition, exploring aspects such as reversibility and contextual influence on their life course. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Family and Social Environment on Shaping Juvenile Growth)

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Open AccessArticle

Staying under the Radar? Immigration Effects on Overdose Deaths and the Impact of Sanctuary Jurisdictions

by

Kelly Pierce

,

Diana Sun

and

Ben Feldmeyer

Societies 2023, 13(6), 135; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13060135 - 26 May 2023

Abstract

Growing political and public rhetoric claim that immigration has contributed to drug crime and the overdose crisis of the 21st century. However, research to date has given little attention to immigration–overdose relationships, and almost no work has examined the ways that the sanctuary [...] Read more.

Growing political and public rhetoric claim that immigration has contributed to drug crime and the overdose crisis of the 21st century. However, research to date has given little attention to immigration–overdose relationships, and almost no work has examined the ways that the sanctuary status of locales influences these connections. The current study draws on the immigrant revitalization perspective and Brayne’s (2014) systems avoidance theory to examine the connections between immigrant concentration, sanctuary status, and overdose mortality across MSAs for the 2015 period, overall and across races/ethnicities. The analysis uses data on overdose deaths drawn from the CDC’s Restricted Access Multiple Cause of Death Mortality files, combined with data on characteristics of MSAs drawn from the U.S. Census and other macro-level data sources. Findings reveal that the percent Latinx foreign-born is related to lower levels of overdose deaths overall and for White and Black populations but higher levels of Latinx overdose mortality. Contrary to expectations, sanctuary status has little effect on overdose deaths across most groups, and it does not significantly condition immigration–overdose relationships. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immigration and Crime)

Open AccessArticle

The Riddle of Community Resilience: Neighborhood Struggles for and against Clearance in Israel 1950s–1970s

by

Paula Kabalo

Societies 2023, 13(6), 134; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13060134 - 24 May 2023

Abstract

Resilience is a concept of concern to researchers of humanitarian disasters and crises as well as relief organizations and agencies. Compelling findings in recent studies demonstrate the centrality of social networks and connections, among individuals and groups, in powering rehabilitation processes after disasters [...] Read more.

Resilience is a concept of concern to researchers of humanitarian disasters and crises as well as relief organizations and agencies. Compelling findings in recent studies demonstrate the centrality of social networks and connections, among individuals and groups, in powering rehabilitation processes after disasters and crises. Derived from this perspective is the concept of community resilience, based on Ozawa’s definition as groups and individuals working together to minimize the adverse consequences of crisis. This study aims to demonstrate that the postulate that communities can attain their objectives if only they “work together”, irrespective of their material resources, remains valid in situations of protracted crisis such as economic distress or lengthy struggle against economically or politically powerful elements. I wish to substantiate and prove this hypothesis by micro-historical reconstruction and analysis that sheds light on practices used by local neighborhood committees in view of protracted crises resulting from severe poverty and clearance plans. The article is based on two case studies harvested from the history of Israel. The first looks at Nahalat Ahim, a neighborhood in the southern segment of the Nahlaot cluster of neighborhoods in central Jerusalem, and the second, at the Shemen Beach (Hof Shemen) neighborhood of Haifa. The advantage of historical research, which by nature deals with matters already concluded, lies in its retrospective gaze on ways members of a community in crisis coped. An after-the-fact contemplation such as this, allows us to identify additional variables that may enhance our understanding of the community-resilience phenomenon in current contexts as well. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resilient Communities)

Open AccessSystematic Review

The Impact of Transformational School Leadership on School Staff and School Culture in Primary Schools—A Systematic Review of International Literature

by

Inez Wilson Heenan

,

Derbhile De Paor

,

Niamh Lafferty

and

Patricia Mannix McNamara

Societies 2023, 13(6), 133; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13060133 - 23 May 2023

Abstract

The purpose of this review is to examine transformational school leadership, responding to the question: ‘What is the research evidence in the international literature pertaining to the impact of transformational school leadership in primary schools on school staff and school culture?’. This review [...] Read more.

The purpose of this review is to examine transformational school leadership, responding to the question: ‘What is the research evidence in the international literature pertaining to the impact of transformational school leadership in primary schools on school staff and school culture?’. This review presents a synthesis of 15 studies performed between 2012 to 2022. The data are presented within a framework constructed from the dimensions and characteristics of transformational school leadership. They show transformational school leadership as a positive leadership style with a close interconnection between positive impact of transformational school leadership for school staff and for an enhanced school culture. An increased motivation in staff and the fostering of more positive school culture were found to be the leading impacts of transformational leadership on school staff and culture in this systematic literature review. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Educational Leadership and Organizational Culture in Education)

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Open AccessArticle

Intercultural Opportunities to Evoke Empathy toward Minority Citizens: Online Contact with Chinese International Students at a Japanese Women’s University

by

Chie Sugino

Societies 2023, 13(6), 132; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13060132 - 23 May 2023

Abstract

Exchanges with Chinese students in Japan, who comprise the majority of international students, may be a worthwhile intercultural experience for Japanese students. However, because of the lack of contact between Chinese and Japanese students on campus, many Japanese students tend to form impressions [...] Read more.

Exchanges with Chinese students in Japan, who comprise the majority of international students, may be a worthwhile intercultural experience for Japanese students. However, because of the lack of contact between Chinese and Japanese students on campus, many Japanese students tend to form impressions of China through the media. This study aims to explore the factors influencing Japanese students’ positive attitudes toward Chinese students and the former’s awareness of stereotypes based on an online interview in Japanese conducted during an elective political science course. This study adopts a qualitative research methodology to analyze students’ written reflections contextually. The content analysis revealed that Chinese students’ “Japaneseness”, characterized by Japanese language fluency, affected the perceptions of Japanese students, who changed their attitudes toward Chinese people and intercultural exchanges. Further discussion is necessary to determine whether Japanese students’ preferences for “Japanese-like” international students may create new stereotypes rather than enhance diversity benefits. The findings illustrate the need for future research and practice on how students with no experience in communicating with minority citizens can overcome ethnocentric perspectives and embrace diversity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Migration and Multilingual Education: An Intercultural Perspective)

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Open AccessReview

Burnout through the Lenses of Equity/Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Disabled People: A Scoping Review

by

Gregor Wolbring

and

Aspen Lillywhite

Societies 2023, 13(5), 131; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13050131 - 20 May 2023

Abstract

Burnout is a problem within the workplace including in higher education, the activity of activism, and in reaction to experiencing systemic discrimination in daily life. Disabled people face problems in all of these areas and therefore are in danger of experiencing “disability burnout”/”disablism [...] Read more.

Burnout is a problem within the workplace including in higher education, the activity of activism, and in reaction to experiencing systemic discrimination in daily life. Disabled people face problems in all of these areas and therefore are in danger of experiencing “disability burnout”/”disablism burnout”. Equity/equality, diversity, and inclusion” (EDI) linked actions are employed to improve the workplace, especially for marginalized groups including disabled people. How burnout is discussed and what burnout data is generated in the academic literature in relation to EDI and disabled people influences burnout policies, education, and research related to EDI and to disabled people. Therefore, we performed a scoping review study of academic abstracts employing SCOPUS, the 70 databases of EBSCO-HOST and Web of Science with the aim to obtain a better understanding of the academic coverage of burnout concerning disabled people and EDI. We found only 14 relevant abstracts when searching for 12 EDI phrases and five EDI policy frameworks. Within the 764 abstracts covering burnout and different disability terms, a biased coverage around disabled people was evident with disabled people being mostly mentioned as the cause of burnout experienced by others. Only 30 abstracts covered the burnout of disabled people, with eight using the term “autistic burnout”. Disabled activists’ burnout was not covered. No abstract contained the phrase “disability burnout”, but seven relevant hits were obtained using full-text searches of Google Scholar. Our findings suggest that important data is missing to guide evidence-based decision making around burnout and EDI and burnout of disabled people. Full article

Open AccessArticle

Oral History as a Source for the Interpretation of UBH: The World War II Shelters in Naples Case Study

by

Roberta Varriale

Societies 2023, 13(5), 130; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13050130 - 18 May 2023

Abstract

What can be the contribution of oral history to the interpretation of tangible cultural assets? Starting from this conceptual question, this article focuses on the case study of the experiences Second World War in Naples bomb shelters, recently included within the Underground Built [...] Read more.

What can be the contribution of oral history to the interpretation of tangible cultural assets? Starting from this conceptual question, this article focuses on the case study of the experiences Second World War in Naples bomb shelters, recently included within the Underground Built Heritage (UBH) class. The hypothesis of the research is that bomb shelters are very significant elements in the subsoil of Naples but that, due to the lack of distinctive elements and dedicated storytelling, they are only partially exploited in the context of urban parks or generic itineraries Naples’s subsoil. The thesis of the research is that the memories of those children that took refuge there during World War II (WWII), which were collected with the adoption of the oral history methodology, can integrate their value as elements of local cultural heritage and eventually support their interpretation for the benefit of the new generations. The methodology adopted was the collection, via structured and unstructured interviews, of the direct testimonies of those who took refuge in Naples’ underground during the alarms. Twenty-three interviews were carried out, and all the issues introduced have been classified according to the various themes addressed during the narration in order to allow the reconstruction of dedicated storytelling in the future. The research was carried out immediately after the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, an event that claimed many victims belonging to the generation of our witnesses, whose memories were at risk of being lost forever. Full article

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Open AccessArticle

Leadership Opportunities in the School Setting: A Scoping Study on Staff Perceptions

by

Robert Hannan

,

Niamh Lafferty

and

Patricia Mannix McNamara

Societies 2023, 13(5), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13050129 - 17 May 2023

Abstract

The focus of this study was to explore teachers’ and middle school leaders’ perspectives of promotional policies and practices within the schools where they work. As this was an initial scoping study, a qualitative approach was adopted. Fifteen teachers and/or middle school leaders [...] Read more.

The focus of this study was to explore teachers’ and middle school leaders’ perspectives of promotional policies and practices within the schools where they work. As this was an initial scoping study, a qualitative approach was adopted. Fifteen teachers and/or middle school leaders participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was employed for data analysis. Themes that emerged from the data included a mix of perceptions, in that promotions were sometimes perceived to be based on appropriate measures of merit such as experience, but at other times were perceived to be unfair or based on cronyism, with female staff perceived to be at a disadvantage. Reasons for seeking out promotion were identified as predominantly being for personal ambition and increased salary. A dark side of promotions also emerged, and this referred to the breakdown of relationships with co-workers following promotions and implications for turnover. Implications for practice, policy, and research are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Educational Leadership and Organizational Culture in Education)

Open AccessArticle

Arab Youth Involvement in Delinquent Behaviors: Exploring Hirschi’s Social Bond Theory from a Qualitative Perspective

by

Mona Khoury-Kassabri

,

Edith Blit-Cohen

,

Mimi Ajzenstadt

and

Lana J. Jeries-Loulou

Societies 2023, 13(5), 128; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13050128 - 17 May 2023

Abstract

The current study is based on Travis Hirschi’s social bond theory, arguing that the debut of delinquent behavior is a result of the weakening of the ties that bind people to society. According to Hirschi’s social bond theory, all youth have the potential [...] Read more.

The current study is based on Travis Hirschi’s social bond theory, arguing that the debut of delinquent behavior is a result of the weakening of the ties that bind people to society. According to Hirschi’s social bond theory, all youth have the potential to commit delinquent behaviors, but they are kept under control by their relationships with friends, parents, neighbors, teachers, and employers. These factors could serve as protective factors from involvement in crimes. Most studies of social bond theory have been conducted in Western countries among male adolescents using quantitative methods, including cross-cultural approaches. However, the ability of social bond theory to explain youth involvement in delinquency in non-Western cultures, especially conservative and authoritarian cultures such as the Arab one, has not been widely examined. This study aims to fill this gap by exploring youth involvement in delinquency using qualitative research on Palestinian-Arab youth in Israel. Addressing youth delinquency within the unique sociocultural, economic, and political situation of the Arab minority in Israel will help us examine the theory’s applicability to the explanation of deviant behavior in a variety of contexts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Juvenile Delinquency: Causes and Solutions)

Open AccessReview

The Culturally Competent Healthcare Professional: The RESPECT Competencies from a Systematic Review of Delphi Studies

by

Costas S. Constantinou

and

Monica Nikitara

Societies 2023, 13(5), 127; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13050127 - 16 May 2023

Abstract

Background: In the existing literature, there are many guidelines regarding cultural competencies for healthcare professionals and many instruments aiming to measure cultural competence. However, there is no consensus on which core cultural competencies are necessary for healthcare professionals. Aim and Methods: [...] Read more.

Background: In the existing literature, there are many guidelines regarding cultural competencies for healthcare professionals and many instruments aiming to measure cultural competence. However, there is no consensus on which core cultural competencies are necessary for healthcare professionals. Aim and Methods: This study employed the PRISMA 2020 statement to systematically review Delphi studies and identify the core cultural competencies on which experts, who have been working with diverse populations in the fields of healthcare and allied healthcare, have reached a consensus. For this purpose, we searched, retrieved, and reviewed all Delphi studies conducted between 2000 and 2022 in the databases Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL, Medline, and PsycInfo and coded and synthesised the results qualitatively. Results: The systematic search resulted in 15 Delphi studies that met eligibility criteria and in which 443 experts from 37 different countries around the globe had participated. The review of these Delphi studies showed that the core competencies necessary for healthcare professionals to ensure that they provide culturally congruent care were: Reflect, Educate, Show Interest and Praise, Empathise, and Collaborate for Therapy. Discussion and Conclusion: These competencies make the abbreviation and word RESPECT, which symbolically places emphasis on respect as the overarching behaviour for working effectively with diversity. The study also provides a new, comprehensive definition of the cultural competence of healthcare professionals and opens new directions in formulating standardised guidelines and research in cultural competence in healthcare and allied healthcare. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Diversity Competence and Social Inequalities)

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Open AccessEditorial

Research on Digital Political Communication: Electoral Campaigns, Disinformation, and Artificial Intelligence

by

Paulo Carlos López-López

,

Daniel Barredo-Ibáñez

and

Erika Jaráiz-Gulías

Societies 2023, 13(5), 126; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13050126 - 15 May 2023

Abstract

In recent years, political communication has emerged as one of the most prolific subfields within political science and the social sciences as a whole [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Political Communication and Public Political Participation in the Digital Societies)

Open AccessReview

Transgender Health between Barriers: A Scoping Review and Integrated Strategies

by

Davide Costa

Societies 2023, 13(5), 125; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13050125 - 14 May 2023

Abstract

Transgender people have garnered attention in recent years. They have different health problems; the fact, however, that they belong to a minority means that this is characterized by complex mechanisms of stigmatization. This paper aims to analyze the current literature on the barriers [...] Read more.

Transgender people have garnered attention in recent years. They have different health problems; the fact, however, that they belong to a minority means that this is characterized by complex mechanisms of stigmatization. This paper aims to analyze the current literature on the barriers to health services encountered by transgender people. This scoping review is based on the following research questions: (1) What are the main barriers to health care encountered by transgender people? (2) Is it possible to organize these barriers according to a macro-, meso- and microanalysis approach? (3) What are the main characteristics of the barriers to health care encountered by transgender people? (4) Are there significant relations between the different types of barriers? The review was undertaken following the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews. In total, 32 studies were included from which three types of barriers with different subcategories were identified: health system barriers, social barriers, and individual barriers. In conclusion, due to the complexity of gender issues and barriers to health care, a multidisciplinary approach is necessary. In this regard, some integrated strategies to reduce barriers to health care for transgender people are proposed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Equity and Equality, Empowerment, Inclusiveness: The Pillars of Public Health Promotion in Modern Societies)

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Open AccessEditorial

Anti-Racist Perspectives of Sustainabilities

by

Ranjan Datta

Societies 2023, 13(5), 124; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13050124 - 12 May 2023

Abstract

This Special Issue centers on anti-racist and decolonial perspectives of sustainability [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-racist Perspectives on Sustainabilities)

Open AccessConcept Paper

Latino Paradox or Black Exception? Race, Ethnicity, and Crime in the 21st Century

by

Edward S. Shihadeh

and

Raymond E. Barranco

Societies 2023, 13(5), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13050123 - 12 May 2023

Abstract

George Floyd’s murder by a Minnesota police officer sparked outrage, protests, and a re-evaluation of racial inequities in America. Within criminology, we argue, that re-evaluation should include the Latino Paradox, the idea that Latino communities are an exception—a paradox—in that, while they face [...] Read more.

George Floyd’s murder by a Minnesota police officer sparked outrage, protests, and a re-evaluation of racial inequities in America. Within criminology, we argue, that re-evaluation should include the Latino Paradox, the idea that Latino communities are an exception—a paradox—in that, while they face economic deprivation, they also possess a magical something that makes them resistant to social problems like crime. Unfortunately, this compels the more delicate question; what is the deficiency in Black communities that makes them so vulnerable to crime? However, as we argue here, the Latino Paradox forces a false comparison. Its assumptions with respect to crime are factually incorrect, it demeans Blacks by neglecting their historical context, it romanticizes the Latino experience, and it misdirects policy making. It also leads to lazy theorizing by suggesting that the Latino Paradox forces a re-evaluation of a major criminology theory, Social Disorganization. Indeed, Social Disorganization Theory can adequately explain past and present links between immigration and crime. In light of these problems, it is time to drop the Latino Paradox as an explanation for the race/ethnic differences in crime. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immigration and Crime)

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Open AccessArticle

Rural–Urban, Gender, and Digital Divides during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Multi-Layered Study

by

,

,

and

Societies 2023, 13(5), 122; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13050122 - 09 May 2023

Abstract

This study explores digital divide issues that influenced online learning activities during the COVID-19 lockdown in five developing countries in South Asia. A multi-layered and interpretive analytical lens guided by three interrelated perspectives—structure, cultural practices, and agency—revealed various nuanced aspects across location-based (i.e., [...] Read more.

This study explores digital divide issues that influenced online learning activities during the COVID-19 lockdown in five developing countries in South Asia. A multi-layered and interpretive analytical lens guided by three interrelated perspectives—structure, cultural practices, and agency—revealed various nuanced aspects across location-based (i.e., rural vs. urban) and across gendered (i.e., male vs. female) student groups. A key message that emerged from our investigation was the subtle ways in which the digital divide is experienced, specifically by female students and by students from rural backgrounds. Female students face more structural and cultural impositions than male students, which restricts them from fully availing digital learning opportunities. Rich empirical evidence shows these impositions are further exacerbated at times of crisis, leading to a lack of learning (agency) for women. This research has provided a gendered and regional outlook on digital discriminations and other inequalities that came to the forefront during the COVID-19 lockdown. This study is especially relevant as online learning is being touted as the next step in digitization; therefore, it can inform educational policymaking and help build inclusive digital societies and bridge current gender and regional divisions. Full article

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Open AccessArticle

Serious Mortgage Arrears among Immigrant Descendant and Native Participants in a Low-Income Public Starter Mortgage Program: Evidence from Norway

by

Kristin Aarland

and

Anna Maria Santiago

Societies 2023, 13(5), 121; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13050121 - 08 May 2023

Abstract

Although low-income homeownership programs serving vulnerable families at the lower end of the income distribution have been the focus of housing policy in many countries over the past 50 years, little is known about the post-origination experiences of immigrant families participating in these [...] Read more.

Although low-income homeownership programs serving vulnerable families at the lower end of the income distribution have been the focus of housing policy in many countries over the past 50 years, little is known about the post-origination experiences of immigrant families participating in these programs. Notably absent from the extant literature are studies examining the sustainability of homeownership among immigrant homebuyers and their susceptibility to falling behind on payments and experiencing mortgage defaults, evictions, or short sales. Utilizing data from 8263 families participating in Norway’s Starter Mortgage Program (Startlån) during the first three calendar years after mortgage origination, we examine the extent to which serious mortgage arrears varies by immigrant background. Two primary questions shape our research: (1) What is the incidence of serious mortgage arrears among Western, Eastern European, and non-Western immigrant homeowners relative to ethnic Norwegians participating in a public low-income homeownership program? and (2) What pre- and post-origination characteristics of applicants and households, mortgage terms at the time of origination, and experiences of household financial vulnerability or economic shocks predict heterogeneity in serious mortgage arrears by immigrant backgrounds? We found that 6.1% of ethnic Norwegian, 6.2% of Western, 4.9% of non-Western, and 3.2% of Eastern European immigrant homeowners participating in the Starter Mortgage Program were in serious mortgage arrears at least once during the first three calendar years after mortgage origination. Results from our negative binomial regression analyses suggest that program participants who were sole owners, with larger families, and higher debt were more likely to experience serious mortgage arrears; these effects were accentuated for ethnic Norwegians. Additionally, mortgage terms at the time of origination produced differential effects by immigrant background. Compared to Western and Eastern European immigrant homeowners, ethnic Norwegians were more likely to have experienced serious mortgage arrears if they purchased a single-family home, had larger LTV and DTI ratios, or if the Startlån share of their mortgages was higher. Non-Western immigrant mortgagors were more likely to make late mortgage payments if they had larger LTV ratios, interest-only mortgage servicing, or if they were more reliant on Startlån funds to finance their mortgages; however, this risk was reduced if they had fixed-rate mortgages. Financial vulnerability in terms of higher debt or fewer assets also increased the risk of serious mortgage arrears for ethnic Norwegians and non-Western immigrant homeowners, while increases in real wealth reduced that risk for all immigrant mortgagor groups. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Society and Immigration: Reducing Inequalities)

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