Central Research Topics Research Articles

News Sources in the Sociology of the Media: A Critical Re-Examination

Sourcing practices are among the central research topics within the sociology of the media. Empirical studies have analysed what and who are the major journalistic sources, demonstrating that the selections journalists make not only depend on their subjective choices, but are connected to the norms and routines established in the profession. While invaluable, these studies are primarily media-centric and focused on small-scale investigations, meaning they regularly ignore the social totality in which sourcing is inevitably embedded. Such studies hence also pay too little attention to the external actors that provide ‘information subsidies’ to journalists. By employing the framework of the public sphere, we show that news sources should be viewed as a topic of central social relevance that touches on wider power relations within society. Sociological approaches should thus be complemented with other critical traditions, for instance the political economy of communication. The latter approach’s value is revealed in brief sketches that point to the possibilities of achieving deeper understanding of the topic.

Social Responsibility: A bibliometric analysis of research state and its trend

Introduction: Social responsibility is related to organizations' commitment to society and the environment. Recent research has shown the relationship between organizations' performance and some indicators such as economic performance or corporate image.Objective: This study analyzes the research on social responsibility to know the trend of studies. Method: Based on qualitative and quantitative research and with bibliometric techniques, a statistical analysis is made with the Vosviewer program of 1639 publications from the Scopus database to map the research based on publications, authors, and citations.Results: The geographical distribution shows that the United States and the United Kingdom have the most published documents. They have the greatest scientific impact and a strong collaboration network. From the above, it is evident that social responsibility research has been approached from different angles to verify its relationship with economic, societal, or environmental variables. There is a wide field of knowledge that scholars can address.Conclusions: The results indicate that central research topics include the connection of social responsibility with advancing technologies, globalization, and climate change. Mapping the co-occurrence of keywords by authors reveals four clusters related to ethics and social responsibility, corporate governance, corporate social responsibility, and sustainable development.

Social Responsibility: A bibliometric analysis of research state and its trend

Introduction: social responsibility is related to organizations' commitment to society and the environment. Recent research has shown the relationship between organizations' performance and some indicators such as economic performance or corporate image.Objective: this study analyzes the research on social responsibility to know the trend of studies. Method: based on qualitative and quantitative research and with bibliometric techniques, a statistical analysis is made with the Vosviewer program of 1639 publications from the Scopus database to map the research based on publications, authors, and citations.Results: the geographical distribution shows that the United States and the United Kingdom have the most published documents. They have the greatest scientific impact and a strong collaboration network. From the above, it is evident that social responsibility research has been approached from different angles to verify its relationship with economic, societal, or environmental variables. There is a wide field of knowledge that scholars can address.Conclusions: the results indicate that central research topics include the connection of social responsibility with advancing technologies, globalization, and climate change. Mapping the co-occurrence of keywords by authors reveals four clusters related to ethics and social responsibility, corporate governance, corporate social responsibility, and sustainable development

Women as Bangles, Bangles as Women: Migration, Gender, and Female Agency in Bangladeshi Writer Nashid Kamal’s The Glass Bangles

Migration, women, and agency are central research topics in the world literature in English. These topics have fascinated literary researchers since the late twentieth century and enabled debate on how and to what extent migration from post-colonial countries to the West shapes women’s sense of selfhood and identity. The article joins that debate, engaging with Nashid Kamal’s The Glass Bangles, a lesser-known Bangladeshi novel in English. It focuses on the rural, middle-class, and disadvantaged heroine Sheila. It examines how the novel represents the cultural dynamics of diaspora and what images of gendered migration the heroine’s translocal and transnational mobility reflect. The article frames the discussion with Judith Butler’s “gender and precarity” and Elora Shehabuddin’s “subaltern rationality.” It works on the textual metaphor of the glass bangles and their implications, as metaphors are powerful rhetorical devices to reflect migrants’ struggles, pains, and hopes. Accordingly, the article contends that, although romantic and, thus, debatable, Kamal’s novel deserves appreciation for presenting a robust vision of precarious women’s resilience and empowerment.

ИННОВАЦИИ В ЛЕСНОМ И ЛЕСОПРОМЫШЛЕННОМ КОМПЛЕКСЕ: АНАЛИЗ ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ В SCOPUS И WEB OF SCIENCE

Innovation is gaining more and more attention in the scientific community, and the study of innovation processes has become an advanced field of scientific and practice-oriented research. This article provides a systematic literature review of journal articles on innovation in forestry and the forestry industry. We include international, English-language, peer-reviewed scientific articles included in the scientific databases Scopus and Web of Science since the 1980s. Our search for articles that specifically mention “innovation/innovation” and “forest/timber/timber” from a social science perspective resulted in 230 studies. Our analysis provides a quantitative overview of institutional contexts, scientific fields, methods and thematic areas. Based on qualitative content analysis, we also describe the historical development of the research area, summarize the main ideas on central research topics at the firm and system level, and illustrate the state of knowledge in selected areas of innovation. In general, established concepts and approaches based on innovation research are well accepted in forest sector innovation research, although new trends could be used more progressively. The articles analyzed use a variety of quantitative and qualitative methods and are dominated by country and (sub) sectoral case studies. A greater variety of methods could enrich the knowledge base, and more cross-country and sectoral benchmarking could confirm previous findings.

The impact of digital technology use on youth sense of community: a case study from Croatia

The question of how digital technologies, especially the use of the Internet, affect young people's lives is one of the central research topics in contemporary sociology. On the one hand, the positive effects of digital technologies, enabling the emergence of online communities, are highlighted. On the other hand, there are also many negative effects, especially the fear of alienation. Based on the results of research conducted with 552 third and fourth grade high school students in Vukovar-Syrmia County (Croatia), this paper examines how social networking, frequency of digital technologies use, and technologically-mediated socializing influence attitudes towards the local community. It has been shown that the frequency of using digital technology does not have a negative effect on the sense of community, on the contrary – the use of mobile phones is positively correlated to support and emotional connection with peers. However, the tendency to use technology for socializing has a significant effect on two of the three measured dimensions of sense of community, in the way that young people who prefer to establish and maintain online relationships are less close to the local community. The findings support previous studies indicating multiple and varied effects of digital technologies, particularly the Internet use, on local social relationships. It has also been shown that the use of digital technologies had a much stronger effect on the assessment of attitudes towards peers in the community than in other studied dimensions of sense of community – support and emotional connection in the community and satisfaction of needs and opportunities for involvement.

Fusion of GNSS Pseudoranges with UWB Ranges Based on Clustering and Weighted Least Squares.

Global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) and ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging are two central research topics in the field of positioning and navigation. In this study, a GNSS/UWB fusion method is investigated in GNSS-challenged environments or for the transition between outdoor and indoor environments. UWB augments the GNSS positioning solution in these environments. GNSS stop-and-go measurements were carried out simultaneously to UWB range observations within the network of grid points used for testing. The influence of UWB range measurements on the GNSS solution is examined with three weighted least squares (WLS) approaches. The first WLS variant relies solely on the UWB range measurements. The second approach includes a measurement model that utilizes GNSS only. The third model fuses both approaches into a single multi-sensor model. As part of the raw data evaluation, static GNSS observations processed with precise ephemerides were used to define the ground truth. In order to extract the grid test points from the collected raw data in the measured network, clustering methods were applied. A self-developed clustering approach extending density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) was employed for this purpose. The results of the GNSS/UWB fusion approach show an improvement in positioning performance compared to the UWB-only approach, in the range of a few centimeters to the decimeter level when grid points were placed within the area enclosed by the UWB anchor points. However, grid points outside this area indicated a decrease in accuracy in the range of about 90 cm. The precision generally remained within 5 cm for points located within the anchor points.

The current state of criminology in Chile: between amateurism and professionalisation

This paper explores the criminological scientific community in Chile from 1990 to 2020. We use the sociology of scientific knowledge as a conceptual framework to apply to the Chilean criminology development stage. We analyse the criminological community using social network analysis based on the co-affiliation networks of researchers (N=62) affiliated with research centres, think tanks and universities producing criminological knowledge. We describe the actors involved in the network of researchers and identify the clusters shaping the main areas of the country’s production and dissemination of criminological research. The findings reveal a low density between scholars in the network; the existence of central research topics related to citizen security and criminal law; the presence of clusters (for example, juvenile justice and prison studies, among others), and areas that are emerging in the production of criminological knowledge in Chile (cybercrime, crimmigration). We conclude that criminology in Chile is still in the amateur stage. However, there are signs of growing professionalisation in the discipline.

Age images of older patients with psychiatric diseases -The importance of attachment and mentalization

Objectives: The emergence and effects of self-perception of ageing (SPA) are central gerontological research topics. SPA has an influence on numerous psychological, cognitive and physical parameters.The question of its significance for mental illness in old age, which was investigated in the present study, has so far remained in the background. Of particular interest was the connection to attachment and mentalization. Method: A clinical sample (N = 150) was compared with a non-clinical sample (N = 153). Both were divided into three age groups (40-54, 55-69 and over 70 years).The survey instruments used were the Attitude to Own Ageing subscale of the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Moral Scale (PGCMS) and a mentalizing and an attachment questionnaire (MZQ and ECR). Results:The clinical sample showed significantly lower scores in all age groups (more negative SWA), but only the non-clinical sample showed a decrease in age across the three age groups, thus the SPA became more negative. In the regression analytic evaluation, a more negative SPA was associated with an avoidant attachment orientation as well as reduced mentalizing skills. Conclusions: The results highlight the importance of SWA as a clinically and therapeutically significant variable. Finally, therapeutic implications are discussed.

Spin disorder in a stacking polytype of a layered magnet

Strongly correlated ground states and exotic quasiparticle excitations in low-dimensional systems are central research topics in the solid-state research community. The present work develops a layered material and explores the physical properties. Single crystals of $3R\text{\ensuremath{-}}{\mathrm{Na}}_{2}\mathrm{MnTe}{\mathrm{O}}_{6}$ were synthesized via a flux method. Single-crystal x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy reveal a crystal structure with ABC-type stacking and an $R\text{\ensuremath{-}}3$ space group, which establishes this material as a stacking polytype to previously reported $2H\text{\ensuremath{-}}{\mathrm{Na}}_{2}\mathrm{MnTe}{\mathrm{O}}_{6}$. Magnetic- and heat-capacity measurements demonstrate dominant antiferromagnetic interactions, the absence of long-range magnetic order down to 0.5 K, and field-dependent short-range magnetic correlations. A structural transition at $\ensuremath{\sim}23$ K observed in dielectric measurements may be related to displacements of the Na positions. Our results demonstrate that $3R\text{\ensuremath{-}}{\mathrm{Na}}_{2}\mathrm{MnTe}{\mathrm{O}}_{6}$ displays low-dimensional magnetism, disordered structure and spins, and the system displays a rich structure variety.

Evolution of Green Finance: A Bibliometric Analysis through Complex Networks and Machine Learning

A fundamental structural transformation that must occur to break global temperature rise and advance sustainable development is the green transition to a low-carbon system. However, dismantling the carbon lock-in situation requires substantial investment in green finance. Historically, investments have been concentrated in carbon-intensive technologies. Nonetheless, green finance has blossomed in recent years, and efforts to organise this literature have emerged, but a deeper understanding of this growing field is needed. For this goal, this paper aims to delineate this literature’s existing groups and explore its heterogeneity. From a bibliometric coupling network, we identified the main groups in the literature; then, we described the characteristics of these articles through a novel combination of complex network analysis, topological measures, and a type of unsupervised machine learning technique called structural topic modelling (STM). The use of computational methods to explore literature trends is increasing as it is expected to be compatible with a large amount of information and complement the expert-based knowledge approach. The contribution of this article is twofold: first, identifying the most relevant articles in the network related to each group and, second, the most prestigious topics in the field and their contributions to the literature. A final sample of 3275 articles shows three main groups in the literature. The more mature is mainly related to the distribution of climate finance from the developed to the developing world. In contrast, the most recent ones are related to climate financial risks, green bonds, and the insertion of financial development in energy-emissions-economics models. Researchers and policy-makers can recognise current research challenges and make better decisions with the help of the central research topics and emerging trends identified from STM. The field’s evolution shows a clear movement from an international perspective to a nationally-determined discussion on finance to the green transition.

Observation of oscillatory Raman gain associated with two-photon Rabi oscillations of nanofiber-coupled atoms

Quantum emitters with a Λ-type level structure enable numerous protocols and applications in quantum science and technology. Understanding and controlling their dynamics is, therefore, one of the central research topics in quantum optics. Here, we drive two-photon Rabi oscillations between the two ground states of cesium atoms and observe the associated oscillatory Raman gain and absorption that stems from the atom-mediated coherent photon exchange between the two drive fields. The atoms are efficiently and homogeneously coupled with the probe field by means of a nanofiber-based optical interface. We study the dependence of the two-photon Rabi frequency on the system parameters and observe Autler–Townes splitting in the probe transmission spectrum. Beyond shedding light on the fundamental processes underlying two-photon Rabi oscillations, our method could also be used to investigate (quantum) correlations between the two drive fields as well as the dynamical establishment of electromagnetically induced transparency.

Sketching the Landscape of Speech Perception Research (2000-2020): A Bibliometric Study.

Based on 6,407 speech perception research articles published between 2000 and 2020, a bibliometric analysis was conducted to identify leading countries, research institutes, researchers, research collaboration networks, high impact research articles, central research themes and trends in speech perception research. Analysis of highly cited articles and researchers indicated three foundational theoretical approaches to speech perception, that is the motor theory, the direct realism and the computational approach as well as four non-native speech perception models, that is the Speech Learning Model, the Perceptual Assimilation Model, the Native Language Magnet model, and the Second Language Linguistic Perception model. Citation networks, term frequency analysis and co-word networks revealed several central research topics: audio-visual speech perception, spoken word recognition, bilingual and infant/child speech perception and learning. Two directions for future research were also identified: (1) speech perception by clinical populations, such as hearing loss children with cochlear implants and speech perception across lifespan, including infants and aged population; (2) application of neurocognitive techniques in investigating activation of different brain regions during speech perception. Our bibliometric analysis can facilitate research advancements and future collaborations among linguists, psychologists and brain scientists by offering a bird view of this interdisciplinary field.

The JME’s 50-year contribution to moral education: A content analysis 1971-2021

ABSTRACT In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Journal of Moral Education (JME) in 2021, this study explores moral education research trends and changes as reflected in JME from 1971 to 2021, with special attention to significant changes in the last decade, a period of rapid digitalization and increasingly complex socio-cultural contexts, both local and global. Moral education trends, as reflected in the 1261 articles published in JME, were investigated using content analysis of disciplinary approaches, keywords, research methodologies, as well as the national and gender backgrounds of the first authors and JME editorial teams and trustees. The main findings point to specific and important issues, central research topics, and neglected areas in moral education and development over the past five decades. The review offers JME and the field of moral education some considerations for the development of moral education, observations on research method paradigms, insights on gender equity, and attention to cultural diversity.

ISTRAŽIVANJE UTICAJA MARKETINGA NA DRUŠTVENIM MREŽAMA NA LOJALNOST POTROŠAČA BRENDU U REPUBLICI SRBIJI

Building and maintaining brand loyalty is one of the central research topics for marketers. Marketin experts have used various means to maintain the loyality of their customers to the brand. One of the newer tools is social media marketing. The goal of this study is to identify the impact of social media marketing that is has on brand loyalty in the Republic of Serbia, given that the concept is gaining attention in marketing circles. The sample consists of customers who follow at least one brand on social networks in Serbia. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire with a sample of 238 people that have been tested through multiple regression analysis. The results of the study showed that customer loyalty to the brand has a possitive affect when the brand (1) offers useful campaigns, (2) offers relevant content, (3) offers popular content, (4) appears on various platforms and offers social media applications. Testing was performed using statistical-econometric software SPSS. Customers prefer to share music, technology-related content, fun content, but also

Parental investment in the Columbian ground squirrel: empirical tests of sex allocation models

Parental allocation of resources into male or female offspring and differences in the balance of offspring sexes in natural populations are central research topics in evolutionary ecology. Fisher (Fisher, R. A. 1930. The genetical theory of natural selection, Clarendon Press, Oxford, UK) identified frequency-dependent selection as the mechanism responsible for an equal investment in the sexes of offspring at the end of parental care. Three main theories have been proposed for explaining departures from Fisherian sex ratios in light of variation in environmental (social) and individual (maternal condition) characteristics. The Trivers-Willard model (Trivers, R., and D. Willard. 1973. Natural selection of parental ability to vary the sex ratio of offspring. Science 179:90-92) of male-biased sex allocation by mothers in the best body condition is based on the competitive ability of male offspring for future access to mates and thus superior reproduction. The local resource competition model is based on competitive interactions in matrilines, as occur in many mammal species, where producing sons reduces future intrasexual competition with daughters. A final model invokes advantages of maintaining matrilines for philopatric females, despite any increased competition among females. We used 29 yr of pedigree and demographic data to evaluate these hypotheses in the Colombian ground squirrel (Urocitellus columbianus), a semisocial species characterized by strong female philopatry. Overall, male offspring were heavier than female offspring at birth and at weaning, suggesting a higher production cost. With more local kin present, mothers in the best condition biased their offspring sex ratio in favor of males, and mothers in poor condition biased offspring sex ratio in favor of females. Without co-breeding close kin, the pattern was reversed, with mothers in the best condition producing more daughters, and mothers in poor condition producing more sons. Our results do not provide strong support for any of the single-factor models of allocation to the sexes of offspring, but rather suggest combined influences of relative maternal condition and matriline dominance on offspring sex ratio.

Laboratory plasma devices for space physics investigation.

In the past decades, laboratory experiments have contributed significantly to the exploration of the fundamental physics of space plasmas. Since 1908, when Birkeland invented the first terrella device, numerous experimental apparatuses have been designed and constructed for space physics investigations, and beneficial achievements have been gained using these laboratory plasma devices. In the present work, we review the initiation, development, and current status of laboratory plasma devices for space physics investigations. The notable experimental apparatuses are categorized and discussed according to the central scientific research topics they are related to, such as space plasma waves and instabilities, magnetic field generation and reconnection, and modeling of the Earth's and planetary space environments. The characteristics of each device, including the plasma configuration, plasma generation, and control method, are highlighted and described in detail. In addition, their contributions to reveal the underlying physics of space observations are also briefly discussed. For the scope of future research, various challenges are discussed, and suggestions are provided for the construction of new and enhanced devices. The objective of this work is to allow space physicists and planetary scientists to enhance their knowledge of the experimental apparatuses and the corresponding experimental techniques, thereby facilitating the combination of spacecraft observation, numerical simulation, and laboratory experiments and consequently promoting the development of space physics.

Atomic forces by quantum Monte Carlo: Application to phonon dispersion calculations

The accurate description of phonons in a solid is one of the central research topics in the field of condensed matter physics and materials science. Here, the authors report a successful application of the $a\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}b$ $i\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}n\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}i\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}t\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}i\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}o$ quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) framework to a phonon dispersion calculation. The full phonon dispersion of diamond has been successfully calculated at the variational Monte Carlo level, based on the frozen-phonon technique. The QMC calculations were performed by the TurboRVB software package.

Двумерные материалы на основе элементов группы IVA: последние достижения в эпитаксиальных методах синтеза

Two-dimensional materials have become one of the central research topics of scientists around the world after the production of graphene - a monatomic layer of carbon. Currently, two-dimensional crystals are among the most promising materials for next-generation nanoelectronics and photonics. The exploration of the feasibility of 2D materials devices causes a deeper insight into the physical properties of these new materials and provides a starting point for the development of a number of important practical areas. Over the past few years, researchers have been attracting increased attention from graphene-like materials of group IVA elements, such as silicene (Si), germanene (Ge), stanene (Sn), and plumbene (Pb). Experimental production and study of the unique properties of two-dimensional monatomic layers of carbon, silicon, germanium, tin and lead on various substrates created the prerequisites for the development of new generation devices based on them. The wide possibilities for controlling their exotic electronic, magnetic and optical properties through the choice of the substrate, the design and geometry of the two-dimensional layer, as well as by controlling the magnitude of elastic stresses, have made them a dominating topic for studying in the field of nanotechnology and materials sciences. This paper reviews the latest advances in growing silicene, germanene, stanene, and plumbene using epitaxial methods. Growth technologies for creation of high-quality two-dimensional structures of large area required for promising instrumentation area are considered in more details.

Coexistence of non-Fermi liquid behavior and biquadratic exchange coupling in La-substituted CeGe: Nonlinear susceptibility and DFT+DMFT study

Studies connected with the investigations of non-Fermi liquid (NFL) systems continue to attract interest in condensed matter physics community. Understanding the anomalous physical properties exhibited by such systems and its related electronic structures is one of the central research topics in this area. In this context, Ce-based and Ce-site diluted (with non-magnetic ions) compounds provide a fertile playground. Here, we present a detailed study of non-linear DC susceptibility and combined density functional theory plus dynamical mean field theory (DFT+DMFT) on Ce0.24La0.76Ge. Theoretical investigation of 4f partial density of states, local susceptibility and self-energy demonstrates the presence of NFL behavior which is associated with fluctuating local moments. Non-linear DC susceptibility studies on this compound reveal that the transition from NFL state to the new phase is due to development of the bi-quadratic exchange coupling and it obeys the non-linear susceptibility scaling. Under the application of magnetic fields, local moments interact spatially through conduction electrons resulting in magnetic fluctuations. Our studies point to the fact that the origin of the observed bi-quadratic exchange coupling is due to the spatial magnetic fluctuations.