Features Of Social Organization Research Articles

Capitalism and alienation: Towards a Marxist theory of alienation for the 21st century

Alienation is among the most influential terms in Marxist theory, but also one of the most ambiguous and controversial. Unlike previous literature, which has tended to focus on Marx’ early philosophical writings, this offers a novel reinterpretation of the theory of alienation found in Marx’s later works. Rather than conceiving alienation as a subjective experience or an inherent feature of social organization, I contend that alienation in the Marxist sense can be understood as an objective process arising from the appropriation of the results of production and their transformation into capital. This interpretation resolves the main theoretical problems conventionally associated with alienation theory, for example the tendency towards essentialism and moral paternalism. In particular, a Marxist theory of alienation explains the paradox of social power and isolation that characterizes contemporary capitalist societies, in which feelings of powerlessness and loneliness are intensified despite objective increases in humanity’s social power and interdependence.

The Relationship between Neighborhood Characteristics and Homicide in Karachi, Pakistan

The geographical concentration of criminal violence is closely associated with the social, demographic, and economic structural characteristics of neighborhoods. However, few studies have investigated homicide patterns and their relationships with neighborhoods in South Asian cities. In this study, the spatial and temporal patterns of homicide incidences in Karachi from 2009 to 2018 were analyzed using the local indicators of spatial association (LISA) method. Generalized linear modeling (GLM) and geographically weighted Poisson regression (GWPR) methods were implemented to examine the relationship between influential factors and the number of homicides during the 2009–2018 period. The results demonstrate that the homicide hotspot or clustered areas with high homicide counts expanded from 2009 to 2013 and decreased from 2013 to 2018. The number of homicides in the 2017–2018 period had a positive relationship with the percentage of the population speaking Balochi. The unplanned areas with low-density residential land use were associated with low homicide counts, and the areas patrolled by police forces had a significant negative relationship with the occurrence of homicide. The GWPR models effectively characterized the varying relationships between homicide and explanatory variables across the study area. The spatio-temporal analysis methods can be adapted to explore violent crime in other cities with a similar social context.

MENINGKATKAN HASIL BELAJAR KETERAMPILAN MEMBACA PEMAHAMAN PADA TEKS EXPLANASI DI KELAS X MIPA-1 SMA NEGERI 1 BOLA KABUPATEN SIKKA TAHUN PELAJARAN 2018/2019

The research was carried out starting from the early reflections on the results of formative test done in thescience class of X , Kab. Sikka, NTT Province. The test results of Basic competence: to analyze a social function, text structure and language features of explanation text shows that of the total 26 students only 15.38% are able to meet the criteria for a minimum mastery by 75. Starting from these problems need to be followed up by applying the SAVI technique in learning reading comprehension . The formulation of the problems in this study are 1) Can the use of the SAVI technique increase student activity in learning to read comprehension in Class X MIPA-2 SMA Negeri 1 Bola? (2) Can the use of the SAVI technique improve student learning outcomes in reading comprehension learning in Class XI MIPA-1 SMA Negeri 1 Bola? This type of research uses a classroom action research model designed in three cycles. Each cycle takes four stages, namely learning planning, implementing learning, observing, and reflecting. Sources of data in the study were 26 students of Class X MIPA-1 SMAN 1 Bola, consisting of 7 boys and 19 girls . In this study, the researcher is the author himself as a subject teacher and is assisted by a colleague as a collaborator. The data collection techniques used observation technique and test technique. Qualitative data from the results of observation about student activities are processed and analyzed descriptively with percentage to see trends that occur in each learning activity and are categorized into low, medium and high levels. The quantitative data from the test results were analyzed the average value to determine the achievement of the minimum completeness criteria of 75. The results of this study indicate that the use of SAVI techniques can improve learning activities and student learning outcomes in developing reading comprehension competencies . Student learning activities in cycle 1 were 54% increased to 78% in cycle 2 and 95% in cycle 3. The average student learning outcomes in cycle 1 were 71, increasing to 78 in cycle 2 and 82 in cycle 3.

‘Staying in the Nationalist Bubble’

‘Staying in the Nationalist Bubble’

Personal Value Preferences, Threat-Benefit Appraisal of Immigrants and Levels of Social Contact: Looking Through the Lens of the Stereotype Content Model.

The study examines a model proposing relationships between personal values, positive (i.e., benefits) and negative (i.e., threats) appraisal of immigrants, and social contact. Based on a values-attitudes-behavior paradigm, the study extends previous work on personal values and attitudes to immigrants by examining not only negative but also positive appraisal and their connection with social contact with immigrants. Using a representative sample of 1,600 adults in the majority population in Israel, results showed that higher preference for anxiety-avoidance values (self-enhancement and conservation) was related to higher levels of perceived threat and lower levels of benefit, while higher preference for anxiety-free values (self-transcendence and openness to change) was related to higher levels of perceived benefits and lower levels of threat. Greater opportunities for contact and perceived benefits and lower levels of threats were related to more social contact. The model showed good fit across the total sample, and across four diverse immigrant groups in Israel (diaspora immigrants from the Former Soviet Union, Ethiopia and Western countries, and asylum seekers). In line with a Stereotype Content Model, which suggests that group-specific stereotypes are related to social structural characteristics of the group, associations between variables differed by group. Results strengthen a theoretical conceptualization that posits an indirect relationship between personal value preferences and behavior through group appraisal. They highlight the importance of comprehensive conceptualizations including both positive and negative appraisal of immigrants, which take into account the way different groups may be appraised by the majority population.

Disorder or Disadvantage: Investigating the Tension Between Neighborhood Social Structure and the Physical Environment on Local Violence

A renewed interest in understanding the relationship of the built environment with neighborhood crime patterns has encouraged researchers to utilize novel methods (e.g., risk terrain modeling) to better examine the influence of environmental risk factors on types of crime. The current study engages with this research by operationalizing neighborhoods using Hipp and Boessen’s egohood strategy and using Drawve’s aggregate neighborhood risk of crime measure to assess the relationship of a neighborhood’s physical environment with its spatial vulnerability of experiencing a homicide. Findings demonstrate that the physical environment was a significant predictor of neighborhood homicide; however, social structural neighborhood characteristics were more important. This suggests crime prevention strategies like crime prevention though environmental design or blight remediation may provide prudent and straightforward methods to inhibit lethal violence in a community in the short run, but that addressing a neighborhood’s social structural characteristics may be more effective at reducing homicides in the long term.

Analysis of the Structural Characteristics of the Online Social Network of Chinese Professional Athletes

In response to the lack of research on the online social network structure of athletes, elements of research on the online social network structure of athletes were constructed based on the whole network perspective and through the study of the characteristics of the whole online social network structure of athletes, in order to provide reference for the physical and mental health development of athletes from a new perspective. Data were collected through questionnaires, and several software programs were used to preprocess and analyse the collected data. Through the analysis of the online whole network structure, it was found that the network density of the online support network was generally greater than that of the online discussion network, and athletes still showed stronger practical support demands and behaved more rationally in the process of training and learning life, while from the perspective of the relationship structure, the athletes’ family and classmates’ online support is weaker than that in previous studies; in terms of the whole network, strong relationships still dominate in this population, while attention should be paid to the impact of weak relationships.

Strandings provide insight into social group structure of Atlantic white‐sided dolphins

AbstractAtlantic white‐sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus acutus) are highly social odontocetes with a poorly understood tendency to mass strand. With limited capacity to study social ecology in the open ocean, mass strandings provide an opportunity to improve our understanding of group structure. Our study of 32 mass stranding events that occurred on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, between 1999 and 2009 identifies aspects of social ecology that vary across the year. A greater number of mass stranding events occurred outside of the breeding season and there was evidence of age‐structuring during the breeding season. We find generally low average intragroup pairwise relatedness assessed across eight microsatellite loci in a subset of 16 mass stranding events. Mass stranded groups do not show higher than expected relatedness when compared to a baseline estimate derived from single‐stranded individuals. Overall, our integration of genetic estimates of relatedness with data on sex and maturity‐class from stranded specimens suggests that Atlantic white‐sided dolphins fall near the more fluid end of the continuum from short‐term, highly fluid social associations to long‐term, stable groups represented among the odontocetes. Despite their tendency to mass strand, stable, kin‐based associations are not a defining feature of social group structure in this species.

The Neural Signature of Social Dominance Discrimination by Means of Fast Periodic Visual Stimulation

Hierarchy is a pervasive feature of social organization. The ability to rapidly discriminate hierarchical information is critical for social interaction. Here, we took advantage of a special technique in electroencephalography (EEG) known as fast periodic visual stimulation (FPVS). We used this technique, which captures the automatic perception of faces, to explore the neural signature of social dominance discrimination. A stream of computer-generated faces was presented at 6 Hz, i.e. six faces/second. In the experimental condition, faces alternated from high to low social dominance within a sequence, bringing about a frequency of interest of 3 Hz (6 Hz/2), i.e. three high/low dominance faces appeared in one second. In two control conditions, we presented faces which came exclusively from one of two hierarchical ranks (either lower or higher). Participants were asked to respond to information unrelated to this hierarchical information, namely pressing the spacebar when the fixation changes color. Results revealed a significant 3 Hz response for the experimental condition only. This response was located bilaterally in the occipito-temporal region, indicating discrimination of differences in social dominance. Through the use of FPVS, we provide electrophysiological evidence to show that social hierarchical information can be detected automatically.

The Characteristics of Social Network Structure in Later Life in Relation to Incidence of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Conversion to Probable Dementia.

Background:Larger, more active social networks are estimated to be associated with lower risks of cognitive decline. However, roles of various social relationships in a broad social network in protecting against cognitive decline remain to be elucidated.Objective:We aimed to investigate how social roles within a social network and number of social network members are associated with cognitive decline.Methods:Six waves of National Health and Aging Trends Study (2011-2016, NHATS) were utilized to examine the development of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and probable dementia determined using validated criteria. Multivariable-adjusted multi-state survival models were used to model incidences and transitions, jointly with misclassification errors.Results:A total of 6,078 eligible NHATS participants were included (average age: 77.49±7.79 years; female: 58.42%; non-Hispanic white: 68.99%). Multivariable-adjusted analyses revealed that having more social network members was associated with lower hazards of conversion from MCI to probable dementia (adjusted Hazard Ratio; aHR = 0.82; 95%confidence intervals; 95%CI = [0.67–0.99]), meanwhile having at least one college-educated family member within a social network was associated with lower incidence of probable dementia (aHR = 0.37 [0.26–0.51]). Having at least one friend within a social network was associated with a lower hazard of incidence of probable dementia (aHR = 0.48 [0.33–0.71]), but a higher risk of mortality in the MCI group (aHR = 2.58 [1.47–4.51]).Conclusion:Having more social network members, having at least one friend, and having at least one college-educated family member within a social network, were associated with lower risks of incidence of dementia or conversion from MCI to dementia.

Social Structural Characteristics and Turnover Intention of Experienced Employees: The Role of Perceived Insider Status and Overall Justice Perception

Social Structural Characteristics and Turnover Intention of Experienced Employees: The Role of Perceived Insider Status and Overall Justice Perception

What are the Economic Effects of Pandemic Containment Policies? Evidence from Sweden

This paper examines the economic effects of policies to contain Covid-19, by extracting lessons from Sweden’s experience during the ‘Great Lockdown’. Sweden’s approach was less stringent and based more on social responsibility than legal obligations compared to European peers. First, we provide an account of Sweden’s strategy and the health outcomes. Second, drawing on a range of data sources and empirical findings, our analysis of the first Covid-19 wave indicates that a less stringent strategy can soften the economic impact initially. These benefits could be eroded subsequently, due to potentially higher infection rates and a prolonged pandemic, but in Sweden’s case, the evidence remains mixed in this regard, and it is premature to judge the outcome of Sweden’s containment strategy. In addition, the economic effects of the containment strategy also depend on social behavior, demographics and structural features of the economy, such as the degree of export orientation, reliance on global supply chains, and malleability to remote working.

What are the Economic Effects of Pandemic Containment Policies? Evidence from Sweden

This paper examines the economic effects of policies to contain Covid-19, by extracting lessons from Sweden’s experience during the ‘Great Lockdown’. Sweden’s approach was less stringent and based more on social responsibility than legal obligations compared to European peers. First, we provide an account of Sweden’s strategy and the health outcomes. Second, drawing on a range of data sources and empirical findings, our analysis of the first Covid-19 wave indicates that a less stringent strategy can soften the economic impact initially. These benefits could be eroded subsequently, due to potentially higher infection rates and a prolonged pandemic, but in Sweden’s case, the evidence remains mixed in this regard, and it is premature to judge the outcome of Sweden’s containment strategy. In addition, the economic effects of the containment strategy also depend on social behavior, demographics and structural features of the economy, such as the degree of export orientation, reliance on global supply chains, and malleability to remote working.

Revisiting the social determinants of health agenda from the global South

Abstract Background One of the most marked characteristics of the global social structure is the existence of substantial social inequalities in wealth, which also find expression in health inequalities between and within countries. In an effort to provide an overview of the conceptual debates shaping the mobilisation around social determinants of health and health inequities, two of the most influential approaches in the field are compared: the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health approach (CSDH), strongly influenced by European Social Medicine, and the Latin American Social Medicine and Collective Health (LASM-CH) Social determination of the health-disease process approach, hitherto largely invisibilized. Methods A comprehensive literature review was conducted in three databases (Lilacs, Scielo, Medline/Pubmed), reference lists of selected papers, and citations in Google Scholar, including book titles. Results It is argued that the debates shaping the SDH agenda do not merely reflect terminological and conceptual differences, but essentially different ethical-political proposals that define the way health inequities are understood and proposed to be transformed. Conclusions While the health equity and SDH agenda probably also gained momentum due to the broad political alliance it managed to consolidate, it is necessary to make differences explicit as this allows for an increase in the breadth and specificity of the debate, facilitating the recognition of contextually relevant proposals towards the reduction of health inequities. Key messages Debates shaping the SDH agenda do not merely reflect terminological or conceptual differences, but distinct ethical-political proposals. Differences need to be discussed and made explicit to guide the development of contextually relevant efforts to reduce health inequities.

Philopatry at the frontier: A demographically driven scenario for the evolution of multilevel societies in baboons (Papio)

The baboons (Papio sp.) exhibit marked interspecies variation in social behavior. The thesis presented here argues, first, that male philopatry is a crucial factor, arguably the crucial factor, underlying the other distinctive features (one-male units, multilevel society) shared by hamadryas and Guinea baboons, but not other species of Papio. The second suggestion is that male philopatry as a population norm was not an adaptation to a particular habitat or set of ecological circumstances but evolved in the common ancestor of hamadryas and Guinea baboons as a response to natural selection in the demographic context peculiar to the frontier of a rapidly expanding population. Other derived features of social structure (male-male tolerance, some facultative female dispersal) subsequently evolved to accommodate male philopatry. The mitochondrial genetic population structure of extant baboons preserves a footprint of the initial expansion of ‘modern’ Papio. Immediately after the expansion, male-philopatric, multilevel populations with a general physical and behavioral resemblance to Guinea baboons occupied the whole northern hemisphere range of the genus. Behavioral and physical autapomorphies of hamadryas baboons evolved in a subpopulation of this ancestral northern base, in response to a less productive habitat of the Horn of Africa. Subsequently, ancestral olive baboons ‘reinvented’ male dispersal. They and yellow baboons, another male-dispersing species, then replaced most of the male-philopatric northern populations, by male-driven introgression and nuclear swamping.

Individual and Social Network Structure Characteristics Associated with Peer Change Agent Engagement and Impact in a PrEP Intervention.

Interventions that utilize the influence of peer change agents (PCAs) have been shown to be effective strategies for engaging key populations in HIV prevention. To date, little is known about the characteristics of PCAs associated with their effectiveness. Drawing on data from a peer leader PrEP intervention for young Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) (N = 423), we evaluated the effects of experiential (i.e., living with HIV, PrEP awareness, PrEP use), psychographic (i.e., self-perceived leadership, innovativeness), and network (i.e., degree centrality, eigenvector centrality, and brokerage) characteristics on three effectiveness outcomes: (1) recruiting peers into the study; (2) completing "booster" sessions; and (3) linking peers to PrEP care. For each outcome, multivariable regressions were performed. On average, PCAs recruited 0.89 peers, completed 1.99 boosters, and had 1.33 network peers linked to PrEP care. Experiential factors: Prior PrEP awareness was positively associated with booster completion. Network factors: Being a network broker (i.e., connecting otherwise disconnected communities) was positively associated with peer recruitment but negatively associated with linking peers to PrEP, and degree centrality (i.e., the number of network connections someone has) and eigenvector centrality (i.e., being connected to well-connected network associates) were positively associated with linking peers to PrEP. Psychographic characteristics were not associated with any outcome. These findings can be used to inform PCA selection and to identify subpopulations who require additional support to excel as PCAs.

When Wireless Crowd Charging Meets Online Social Networks: A Vision for Socially Motivated Energy Sharing

Individual users of a social crowd are bound by finite resource capacity. Other users (such as online friends) may have surplus capacity or resources that, if shared, could be used to meet fluctuating demand. A particularly important resource in modern societies is the energy supplies of mobile portable devices like smartphones; quick energy depletion is an everyday problem in the lives of billions of smartphone users worldwide. Peer-to-peer wireless crowd charging has recently emerged as an alternative energy replenishment option. Although there have been some recent advances on this type of wireless energy sharing, to the best of our knowledge, none of the related works has considered using online social network information as input. In this paper, for the first time in the state of the art, we introduce the vision of socially motivated wireless energy sharing and we provide a holistic framework for socially aware wireless crowd charging. We present a taxonomy of the existing representative use cases, and we define a model which takes into account not only the wireless power transfer specifics, but also the online social information. After having selected a target use case (balanced crowd energy efficiency), we design two socially aware wireless energy sharing protocols. The design of each protocol is inspired by the social topology and structural characteristics of diverse datasets of online social relationships among real users. In fact, aligning to studies on psychology which conclude that users typically favor friends over strangers in allocating resources (especially when the sharing task is costly), our protocols favor energy exchanges among friends or friendly groups. For the purposes of the protocol evaluation, we simulate the energy sharing interactions based on the user encounters, as reported in the datasets. In order to demonstrate the effects of the social component, we compare the performance of our protocols to the performance of another state of the art protocol that does not use online social information. Interestingly enough, we demonstrate that online social network information can indeed influence the selected use case, in terms of energy losses, as well as level of and time elapsed until a balanced energy distribution in the crowd. We conclude the paper by providing some interesting open research directions.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC VARIABLES AND TAX COMPLIANCE IN THE SCOPE OF FISCAL SOCIOLOGY: A RESEARCH ON THE EUROPEAN UNION AND OECD

Fiscal sociology investigates financial events from a sociological point of view and explores the effects of tax and spending policies on society and also the role and influence of the elements that constitute society in defining these policies. As the tax system and policies of each country reflect the characteristics of the country's social, political, cultural and economic structure, tax systems differ according to the characteristics of the structure of the society. Tax systems that are in line with the social structure ensure that tax compliance is achieved at a high level. From this point of view, aim of the study is defined as investigating the level of interaction of the structural elements with tax compliance. In this respect, tax compliance and socio-economic variables that affect the structure of the society are included in the study and they are analyzed using panel data analysis covering the 2008-2016 time period by making comparisons between the European Union and OECD countries. As a result of the analysis, the main point in increasing tax compliance is that the tax policies are adopted by the society, for this reason it is concluded that implementations that reflect the society need to be taken as a basis while making the regulations on the tax system.

ON THE ISSUE OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE-TERRITORIAL STRUCTURE OF NATIONAL MINORITIES IN THE TEREK DISTRICT OF THE NORTH CAUCASUS REGION

The article is devoted to the process and results of territorial self-determination of national minorities in the Terek district in 1924-1930 within the framework of the Soviet national construction. This problem has not yet found special coverage in the scientifi c literature. The study determined the nature and degree of infl uence of the geographical location of the Terek district and its ethno-social structure on the processes of administrative and territorial arrangement of national minorities. The features of settlement, social and religious structure of the largest ethnic groups are determined. The main priorities in the implementation of the policy of territorial separation of ethnic groups living in the region are indicated. The main criteria for creating national territorial entities, including Soviets of villages of the hill people and Soviets of villages of the Russian Cossacks, are highlighted. Projects on allocation of national districts and areas are analysed. Objective and subjective factors that hindered the implementation of these projects were identifi ed. It was proved that the national policy in the Terek district was subject to signifi cant adjustments due to local ethnic, social, cultural, economic and political specifi cs. It is noted that the ethnosocial structure of national minorities in the region was extremely heterogeneous. It was revealed that the Cossack factor continued to play an important role in the process of territorial self-determination of national minorities in the Terek district.

The impact of social structure and physical characteristics on housing estate renovation in postsocialist cities: Cases of Vilnius and Budapest

The article aims to analyse the renovation of housing estates in postsocialist cities. Two cities with different share of housing estates and public support system, Vilnius and Budapest are in the focus of the analysis. The renovation of housing estates is a new process in both of them; it started only in the 2000s and its outcome is far from spectacular. The most important and most common type of renovation activities is the insulation of blocks of flats because it significantly decreases the utility costs. The article investigates whether and how the social and physical characteristics of housing estates influence their renovation. The size, age, type, spatial location all have some impact on the renovation level. The authors point out that the necessity of renovation and its costs depend on the physical characteristics of the buildings but the opportunity for renovation derives from the ability to finance it. Consequently, the social status of the inhabitants and the availability of state support are of crucial importance. The findings of the analysis indicate that different combinations of state support and social status result in very different renovation activities in the two cities.