Dimensions Of Social Inclusion Research Articles

Exploring the Socio-Economic Determinants of Mental Well-Being of Marginalized Roma Communities in Slovakia

Health and mental well-being are essential dimensions of social inclusion in labour market and education. Despite the Roma marginalized communities in Slovakia encounter adverse health conditions that negatively affect their work integration and educational prospects, a little attention is paid to exploring the determinants of mental health of this vulnerable group. The aim of the paper is to explore socio-economic determinants of mental well-being of marginalized Roma communities in Slovakia by utilizing regression analysis of the EU-SILC MRC 2018 module survey data about the living conditions of the marginalized Roma communities. The results of the analysis show that there is a significant impact of the poor housing conditions, and dissatisfaction with the financial situation on the self-perceived feelings of anxiety and depression, and nervousness among the inhabitants of the marginalized Roma communities. At the same time, possessing social capital in terms of being satisfied with relationships with the family relatives, friends, and other people around, decreases the probability of feelings of anxiety and nervousness which refers to the benefits of social capital for copying with hardships. Based on the intersectionality theoretical framework and social ecosystem approach to social inclusion of disadvantaged groups, these findings call for an awareness of policy makers of a crucial part of the social inclusion, including the integration of this cohort at the labour market.

The language that unites us is the one that also separates us

This paper analyses whether the Portuguese language spoken by young people from the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries in Portugal involves dimensions of social inclusion or exclusion. It employs an interdisciplinary approach (with concepts from sociology and linguistics), and a qualitative methodology in the shape of thirty-three interviews with young people from Brazil and Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa living in the Portuguese municipality of Sintra. While ‘speaking Portuguese’ facilitates the integration of these young people, their inclusion is also hindered by the coexistence of this language with other native languages in the case of Africans, and by the use of standard Brazilian Portuguese in the case of Brazilians.

Kernel Estimation of the Quintile Share Ratio index of Inequality for Heavy-tailed Income distributions

Evidence from micro-data shows that capital incomes are exceedingly volatile, which makes up a disproportionately high contribution to the overall inequality in populations with the heavy-tailed nature on the income distributions for many countries. The quintile share ratio (QSR) is a recently introduced measure of income inequality, also forming part of the European Laeken indicators and which cover four important dimensions of social inclusion (health, education, employment and financial poverty). In 2001, the European Council decided that income inequality in the European Union member states should be described using a number of indicators including the QSR. Non-parametric estimation has been developed on the QSR index for heavy-tailed capital incomes distributions. However, this method of estimation does not give satisfactory statistical performances, since it suffers badly from under coverage, and so we cannot rely on the non-parametric estimator. Hence, we need another estimator in the case of heavy tailed populations. This is the reason why we introduce, in this paper, a class of semi-parametric estimators of theQSR index of economic inequality for heavy-tailed income distributions. Our methodology is basedon the extreme value theory, which offers adequate statistical results for such distributions. Weestablish their asymptotic distribution, and through a simulation study, we illustrate their behaviorin terms of the absolute bias and the median squared error. The simulation results clearly showthat our estimators work well.

Social work and social inclusion in sports-based programs: A qualitative study

Summary Although the literature is rich in contributions analyzing the role of social workers in sports, there remains a lack of empirical research with respect to how these workers can be determinant in the development of inclusion outcomes in sports-driven interventions targeting socially vulnerable youth. The investigation analyzes the case of a sports-based program run by an Italian non-profit organization (NGO) from an ecological system perspective. Data from interviews and focus groups with youth involved in the program (21), parents (15), sport coaches (9), and the social workers of the NGO (15) were triangulated with the aim of exploring how social workers promoted inclusion through sport. Data were analyzed in a top–down thematic analysis. Findings Social workers promoted many social inclusion outcomes: (1) they linked sport clubs with the youth excluded from the sport system, thus sustaining access to sport; (2) they emotionally supported youth and their families in the program, fostering the relational dimension of social inclusion; (3) they formed alliances between the diverse systems of youth life, enhancing youth capacity to overcome their personal challenges in sports; and (4) they encouraged the integration of people coming from different socio-economic backgrounds within the sport context. Applications The case informs the practice of social workers in sport-driven interventions providing insights around the tasks they should achieve to promote social inclusion, including (1) recruitment of youth excluded from the sport system and linkage with sport clubs, (2) sport bureaucracy support, and (3) dialogue with diverse youth life systems.

Unravelling the relationship between spatial and social inclusion: evidence from Korean cities and regions

ABSTRACT Spatial inclusion is defined as the availability of space and mobility for underprivileged people, as well as the physical closeness of different social groups. This study seeks to uncover the key components of spatial inclusion that increase social inclusion by investigating the links between spatial and social inclusion characteristics in South Korean cities and regions. A micro-dataset on personal health and social life, as well as other publicly available data, such as Census data are examined. The results suggest that increased spatial inclusion improves social inclusion of socially underprivileged people. However, the effects of each component of spatial inclusion are distinct. While housing affordability has mixed effects on different dimensions of social inclusion, an open settlement environment generally has a positive effect on social inclusion. The findings provide important implications for promoting social inclusion in cities and regions.

Friendship networks in inclusive elementary classrooms: Changes and stability related to students’ gender and self-perceived social inclusion

Friendships with classmates play a significant role in student’s development. However, only some friendships are maintained for longer than a school year and their formation depend on many factors. One important factor is gender because gender homophily is consistently found in friendship networks. In addition, there is evidence that same-gender friendships are more stable. In the context of inclusive education, friendship can be considered as one of four key dimensions of social inclusion. While three of these dimensions are assessed from others’ perspective, self-perception of social inclusion focuses solely on the individual students’ view. However, hardly any studies investigated how students’ self-perception of social inclusion is related to friendships, and more specifically, whether and how self-perceived social inclusion is related to changes in friendship networks in the classroom. To contribute to this research gap, friendship networks of 280 students aged 9–11 years (49% girls) in 15 classes of Grade 4 were examined at the beginning and at the end of one school year. Network changes were analyzed with longitudinal social network analyses. Students’ gender and self-perception of inclusion were added as predictors of changes in the friendship networks. The results confirmed gender homophily for formation and stability. The analyses also showed that students who perceived themselves as socially included nominated more best friends at the end of the school year but were not necessarily perceived as best friends by their peers. This highlights the importance of considering different perspectives to better understand social inclusion in classrooms.

Social inclusion and subjective well-being of tourism entrepreneurial migrants: mobility patterns as moderators

ABSTRACT Despite growing interest in various groups of tourism-led migrants, limited research has concerned whether and how social inclusion contributes to tourism entrepreneurial migrants’ lives. This study explores the dimension of social inclusion and its effect on tourism entrepreneurial migrants’ subjective well-being and further tests the moderating effects of mobility patterns. The main effects were analyzed with structural equation models and the moderation effect was tested via multigroup analysis, respectively using 298 and 157 samples from China’s Lijiang and Dali heritage cities. Results confirmed the significant role of migrants’ motivation in their social inclusion and revealed several significant impacts of such inclusion on their subjective well-being. Moreover, mobility patterns moderated linkages between the above constructs in certain model relationships. These findings enrich the knowledge of tourism entrepreneurial migrants and offer practical implications for destinations.

Social inclusion of refugees into higher education: policies and practices of universities in Norway

ABSTRACT Pursuing higher education is one of the top priorities of many refugees after settlement in host countries. However, refugees’ participation in the labour market is the prime focus of integration policies and practices in various host nations, including Norway. This coupled with some complex challenges embedded in institutional policies and practices impede social inclusion of refugees into higher education in host countries. There is hitherto less attention on the role higher education institutions play in social inclusion of refugees into higher education. Hence, this article aims at exploring policies and practices of two universities in Norway regarding refugees’ access to, participation and success in higher education. To address this purpose, the data was collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with experts at both universities. Moreover, diverse institutional documents were consulted as supplementary to the interviews. The data were analysed through a step-by-step thematic analysis. The study reveals that the universities’ roles are characterised by ad hoc, spontaneous, and lack of durable initiatives and many of the existing initiatives are aimed at refugees’ access to higher education without considering the participation and empowerment dimensions of social inclusion. Therefore, it is recommended that universities should have clear comprehensive social inclusion policies specifically targeting refugees as equity groups. In addition to this, it is important that the universities implement concrete initiatives such as opening dedicated centres focusing on refugee (higher) education, English language, acculturation and bridging programmes for refugees, to contribute to the empowerment of refugees through higher education.

DEVELOPMENT OF AN AGGREGATED SOCIAL INCLUSION INDICATOR. DISPARITIES IN THE EUROPEAN UNION ON INCLUSION/EXCLUSION SOCIAL DETERMINED WITH SOCIAL INCLUSION INDEX

When we mention social inclusion, most of us think of political participation, social rights, civil liberties, equal access to race, ethnicity and gender, access to social services and the labour market, basically to a broader concept than social development. Social inclusion is a concept that can actually be defined, which means it can probably be measured. On this basis, a continuous effort is being made to measure the social inclusion elements, so the results can be used to build new indicators that help measure the multiple dimensions of social inclusion: The Social Inclusion Index, the Human Opportunity Index. This paper presents the development, based on multivariate data analysis techniques and methods, of an aggregated indicator of social inclusion for the member countries of the European Union which, besides the traditional variables (GDP), also measures the factors related to civil and political rights, women’s rights or perception of the LGBT community.

Investigating diversity in European audiences for public engagement with research: Who attends European Researchers' Night in Ireland, the UK and Malta?

European Researchers' Night is an annual pan-European synchronized event devoted to public engagement with research. It was first held in 2005 and now occurs in over 400 cities across Europe, with the aim of bringing researchers closer to the general public. To investigate social inclusion in these events, we conducted survey research across three national contexts (Ireland, Malta and the UK) and events in seven cities between 2016 and 2019 (n = 1590). The results from this exploratory descriptive study confirmed one hypothesis, namely that event attendees had substantially higher levels of university qualification than the national publics. This is in line with wider patterns of unequal participation in public engagement with research activities based on socio-economic status. However, we also found mixed evidence on the prevalence of ethnic minority representation among event attendees compared to the general population, thus failing to uphold the second hypothesis that predicted an over-representation of white majority participants. This second finding diverges from existing research findings about ethnic diversity amongst science communication audiences, raising the possibility that some public engagement events are over-performing on this dimension of social inclusion. Overall, the findings demonstrate that European Researchers' Night has potential for addressing the critical goal of enhancing the diversity of audiences for public engagement with research, even as it falls short on the key metric of socio-economic diversity.

Determinants of social exclusion among the elderly

The paper presents the results of a qualitative research conducted among providers of social and socio-medical services for older persons. The research objectives were to collect opinions with regard to the societal transformations that constitute risk factors for the social inclusion of the elderly; to identify the dimensions of social inclusion of the elderly in Romania most impacted by the societal transformations, as well as measures and actions that could counter acting the negative effects of social exclusion of the elderly. Data collection included semi-structured interviews with experts from social and health care services providers. Technological transformations, the ageing phenomenon, the migration, the negative perceptions regarding the elderly population; the uneven development of urban areas compared to rural areas, are most likely to influence the social exclusion of older persons. Participation in cultural, sports, and voluntary activities, access to appropriate social and health care services and housing conditions may lead to a better social inclusion.

Cultural strategy for people with disability in Australia

ABSTRACT This paper analyses the first cultural strategy introduced in Australia for people with disability and its evaluation reports. For an in-depth understanding of the cultural strategy, it reviews the literature on disability in historical and socio-political contexts, and on human rights for people with disability. It also discusses three key recommendations identified from the evaluations of the cultural strategy: first, to develop an information hub for the arts and disability sector; second, to facilitate collaboration between Australian governments, including arts agencies and national disability support agencies; and third, to revisit and renew the existing cultural strategy. The paper assesses the desired goals and strategies of the cultural strategy, and examines ways in which outcomes can be measured to achieve social inclusion for people with disability in three dimensions of social inclusion: ‘access’, ‘participation’ and ‘empowerment’.

Exploring the Shared Meaning of Social Inclusion to Children with and without Disabilities

Aims Perspectives of children with and without disabilities on social inclusion are seldom sought in the childhood disability literature, impeding the ability to provide inclusive experiences for all children. This qualitative study explored meaningful aspects of social inclusion from the perspectives of children with and without disabilities in an inclusive recreation program. Methods Drawing on the interpretive paradigm and subjectivity epistemology, this study adopted a generic qualitative methodological approach. Seventeen children with and without disabilities involved in the same inclusive recreation program participated in two semi-structured interviews. These interviews were analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis. Results Three key themes emerged and were interpreted as dimensions of social inclusion: contextual, intrapersonal, and interpersonal. The contextual dimension included the freedom to choose activities and receiving equal attention from staff. The intrapersonal dimension was characterized by psychological safety and group fellowship. The interpersonal dimension included having positive authentic interactions and giving/receiving help. Conclusions These findings may influence future program development and implementation to promote inclusive experiences for all children.

Two Linguas Francas? Social Inclusion through English and Esperanto

New forms of mobility presuppose a technological factor that frames it as ‘topological proximity,’ regardless of the nature of the mobile agent (human being, robot ware, animal, virus, digital object). The appeal of the so-called linguas francas is especially evident in human beings showing high propensity to move, i.e., motility. They are usually associated with transnational communication in multilingual settings, linguistic justice, and globalization. Paradoxically, such global languages foster mobility, but, at the same time, they may hinder social inclusion in the hosting society, especially for people in mobility. The article compares English as a lingua franca and Esperanto in the European context, putting together the linguistic hierarchy of transnational communication (Gobbo, 2015) and the notion of linguistic unease, used to assess sociolinguistic justice (Iannàccaro, Gobbo, & Dell’Aquila, 2018). The analysis shows that the sense of belonging of their respective speakers influences social inclusion in different ways. More in general, the article frames the linguistic dimension of social inclusion in terms of linguistic ease, proposing a scale suitable for the analysis of European contexts.

COVID-19 Crisis: Impact on Households of the Roma Community

The aim of this study is to analyse the impact that COVID-19 has had on the Roma population, showing results of a telephone interview on a sample of 592 Roma households in phase 0 of confinement. This study has been developed by means of an alliance in which researchers from the public universities of Alicante and Navarre and the Health Institute Carlos III have participated, as well as several Roma associations. The results reflect the significant impact that the pandemic has caused in households that were already affected by social exclusion and inequality. This impact goes beyond health and affects all dimensions of social inclusion, from employment to education, including income, meeting basic needs and discrimination.

URBANISM AND SECURITY ASPECTS OF INCLUSION AND REGIONAL MIGRATION

The submitted contribution responds to the current global migration and integration issues. It presents a comparison of the knowledge in areas of social inclusion, social exclusion and social cohesion and their interrelations. It points to basic theoretical starting points and concepts solving social exclusion, to the dimensions of social inclusion from the perspective of including marginal groups in the majority society, and to the importance of social capital. It provides a basic analytical and comparative orientation in the field of social inclusion from the perspective of immigration and those socially excluded or at risk of social exclusion. It provides basic information on basic initiatives in the field of social inclusion within the EU, presents a practical project aimed at solving the social integration of people excluded or at risk of social exclusion at the regional level as innovative solutions and aspect of originality. Practical applications in different countries are related to public and social politics. Comparative analysis and research reports have provided an adequate level of knowledge about the problem.

Meeting Boundaries: Exploring the Faces of Social Inclusion beyond Mental Health Systems

This article examines social inclusion in the context of the deinstitutionalisation of mental health care. It draws on a scientific evaluation of the Belgian reform of mental health care (2010), designed to assess the influence of organisational mechanisms on the social and care trajectories of service users. The findings highlight the ongoing challenge for mental health systems to support the inclusion of service users within the community, and the increasingly difficult access to mental health care for people with complex and chronic mental health problems. Drawing from Systems Theory (Luhmann, 2013) and the analysis of subjective experiences, this article delves into the complex processes of social inclusion using the empirically-grounded concepts of the patient role and the impatient role. By acknowledging the relational dimensions of social inclusion, this article argues that complementarities between two faces of the mental health system are key to achieving inclusion beyond the walls of institutions and within society at large.

Discapacidad intelectual y calidad de vida escala de evaluación

Objetivo. Evaluar la calidad de vida en personas con discapacidad Intelectual.
 Diseño. Cualitativo de tipo fenomenológico.
 Metodología. La población del centro de educación especial de Comfaboy comprende 70 Niños y jóvenes en condición de discapacidad intelectual, la muestra seleccionada a través de muestreo no probabilístico por conveniencia son dos personas. Se aplicó la escala INICO-FEAPS validada en Colombia que permite describir por medio de 72 ítems distribuidos en ocho dimensiones de calidad de vida, según el modelo de Schalock y Verdugo, se utilizaron dos cuestionarios de la escala, el autoinforme y el informe de otras personas
 Resultados. En el análisis por dimensiones de la escala de calidad de vida, se destaca que las 2 personas evaluadas presentaron diversas puntuaciones, tanto en el autoinforme como en el informe de otras personas.
 Conclusión. Los evaluados mostraron menores puntajes en las dimensiones de inclusión social y derechos, revelando la necesidad de orientar a las familias en la compresión de sus derechos y que estos le permitan ser parte de una sociedad incluyente.

How Mobile Platform Empowers Villagers in Rural Governance?From Digital Divide to Social Inclusion

Digital divide and social inclusion in rural area are important social and economic issues. Mobile platform is regarded as a new information and communication technology (ICT) to motivate villagers inner strength, achieve digital divide elimination and social inclusion. Based on the case of WeCountry in Chinese rural area, this study illustrates how mobile platform bridge digital divide and empower villagers in rural governance. Results show that: (1) mobile platform has functions of village management, affective interaction and e-commerce; (2) according to different types, mobile platform can empower villagers in structural, psychological and resource dimensions; (3) platform provider and government help the empowerment process as the technology supplier and platform regulator, and politic pusher, respectively; (4) through empowerment, there are three dimensions of social inclusion can be achieved: political inclusion, social participation inclusion and economic inclusion, which result in digital divide elimination. This paper concludes with the theoretical and practical implications.

Education as a mechanism of social inclusion - The role of education in reducing the risks of social exclusion -

The author is addressing the social inclusion, as a prerequisite forthe optimal satisfaction of human needs (from biological to social),respectively the mechanisms by which individuals and social groupsare involved in the wider community, and that are giving them therights and the opportunities to achieve integration in one or moresocial systems (democratic - legal, labor - market, social welfare system,family system and the local community system). The dimensionof social inclusion (education, employment, health, etc.) to which theauthor’s analysis will be oriented is education, because the inclusionin the education system (either as a teacher or professor, either asa student) is to partake in the ‘sociopolitical context’. So it will bedrawn the attention to the link between the education with the economic(employment) and the socio-cultural (social inclusion) space,in order to emphasize the importance of including in the all threementioned areas, with aim of reducing the risk of social exclusionand its overcoming. Therefore, the inclusive education and lifelonglearning, as mechanisms of social inclusion and reducing the risks ofsocial exclusion, are the main assumptions that this work proceeds.