Social Construction Research Articles

Makna Generasi Sandwich Pada Film Cinta Pertama, Kedua, dan Ketiga (Analisis Semiotika Charles Sanders Peirce)

Indonesia is facing the phenomenon of the sandwich generation, which plays a dual role in the financial affairs of three generations at once. Data from the March 2022 National Socio-Economic Survey shows that 8.4 million Indonesians (62.71%) belong to the sandwich generation. The movie "First, Second, and Third Love" reflects this reality, directed by Gina S. Noer based on a true story. This study applies Charles Sanders Peirce's Semiotic method to analyze triadic signs. The research shows that individuals give meaning to societal experiences by using the Social Reality Construction Theory. The movie becomes a representation of social reality, helping to understand the complexity of the sandwich generation's life in the context of Indonesian families. To break the chain of the sandwich generation that can damage the next generation, priority awareness, implementation of life limit setting, role as an entrepreneur, and increased educational awareness are needed to change the toxic culture.

When given two choices, take both! Social impact assessment in social entrepreneurship

ABSTRACT This paper examines how social entrepreneurs construct impact arguments as they begin to assess social impact. We examined the experiences of 68 social entrepreneurs in Chile and discovered that the construction of arguments for the purpose of thinking about and experiencing impact is different than the arguments constructed to establish dialogues around it. We explain this dual argument construction as arguments for worth and arguments for legitimacy. We expand scholarship on argumentation by clarifying social entrepreneurs’ efforts to pursue adherence facing competing demands and reinforcing their willingness and ability to engage with social impact assessment. We advance the understanding of social impact assessment in social entrepreneurship across three areas: tensions, accountability and performance and extend Nicholls’ general theory by explaining what precedes the discursive space where the assessment of social impact reconciles facticity and validity to establish materiality.

Impact of Technological Advancements on Human Existence

Purpose: The general objective of the study was to examine the impact of technological advancements on human existence. Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library. Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to impact of technological advancements on human existence. Preliminary empirical review revealed that technology exerted a dual influence on society, both enhancing and detracting from human well-being. Empirical findings revealed that while innovations like smartphones and social media platforms offered unprecedented connectivity, they also posed risks to mental health and social relationships. Similarly, workplace automation and AI integration improved productivity but raised concerns about job displacement. Furthermore, the study emphasized the importance of considering socio-cultural, economic, and environmental factors in understanding technology's impact. Overall, the findings underscored the need for a balanced approach to technological innovation that prioritizes human well-being, equity, and sustainability, suggesting initiatives such as promoting digital literacy and fostering inclusive technological development. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Technological Determinism, Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) and Actor-Network Theory (ANT) may be used to anchor future studies on technological advancements on human existence. The study provided recommendations that contributed to theory, practice, and policy. It suggested further exploration of interdisciplinary theoretical frameworks to understand technology's complex dynamics, advocated for proactive strategies in organizations to mitigate negative impacts, and called for regulatory frameworks balancing innovation with societal values. These recommendations aimed to foster digital literacy, ethical innovation, and equitable access to technology, guiding stakeholders in navigating the complexities of technology's influence on society. Keywords: Technological Advancements, Human Existence, Interdisciplinary, Digital Literacy, Ethical Innovation, Regulation, Equity, Innovation, Societal Values, Technology's Influence

Exploration of Course Ideological and Political Reform in Cultural and Art Courses Empowered by the Metaverse

Course ideological and political education, as an important part of moral education and talent cultivation in higher education, reflects the fundamental purpose of higher education in teaching and educating people. The ideological and political education in cultural and artistic courses in universities should adapt to the development of digital technology and innovate teaching methods, and combine the development of the metaverse and service design thinking to carry out ideological and political education reform. The article combines the background of the metaverse era, from classroom teaching to online teaching to practical teaching, to explore how to better utilize the metaverse to reform ideological and political education in cultural and artistic courses. By combining the metaverse context to enhance the effectiveness of ideological and political education in cultural and artistic courses, and by expanding the functions of the metaverse platform and designing teaching methods to comprehensively enhance students' comprehensive literacy, it promotes the reform of ideological and political education in higher education courses and serves the high-quality development process of national economic, social, and cultural construction.

The Social Construction of Tolerance Discourse through Online Media: Study of NU Online

As the largest Islamic organization in Indonesia, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) plays a major role in maintaining the country's diversity. As we know, intolerance among Indonesians has become a major problem for the nation. This research examines how NU constructs and spreads the value of tolerance through its online media, called “NU Online.” The theory of the social construction of reality, written by Berger and Luckmann, is used as a theoretical framework to depict internalization, objectification, and externalization processes in NU Online while constructing and spreading tolerance issues. Data were collected using a qualitative method, interviewing NU Online's members and editorial teams. The results of this study show that NU has an organizational value that regards tolerance as an important aspect of religious life. Moreover, the Islamic value of NU became a behavioral basis for all NU members, including members of NU Online. This value is called Ahlusunnah Waljamaah. Since becoming NU members, they have been internalized by the Ahlusunnah Waljamaah as a core value of the organization. Furthermore, in NU Online, this value spreads to the public through objectification and externalization processes.

Queering children’s rights: a critical queer analysis of the UNCRC

ABSTRACT While there is increasing attention for LGBTQIA+ concerns within human rights, the legal instruments and academic discussions regarding children’s rights remain largely silent on issues involving sexuality and gender. Due to pervasive protectionist narratives and heteronormative assumptions governing modern childhood, children’s rights implicitly limit the expression of (queer) children and lack the tools and guidance to navigate complex queer disputes. In this context, this paper explores the world’s leading document on children’s rights – the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) – from a queer theoretical perspective, uncovering how children’s rights are interwoven with social constructs surrounding gender and sexuality. In doing so, this paper first explores the relevance of queering the UNCRC and sets out a queer theoretical framework within the human rights context. Through this lens, finally, the paper discusses three overarching areas of queer critique within the UNCRC: 1) the construction of childhood, 2) child sexuality and gender and 3) the normalising impacts of restrictions on child agency on queer children. It concludes that the UNCRC has great potential to catalyse the implementation of LGBTQIA-focused protections, but more work is needed to clarify and strengthen the legal position of the queer child within its ambit.

Illustrating Tomorrow: The Role of Comics in Engaging Research Participants in Disruptive Futures Research

This study examines the application of comics in futures research to involve stakeholders in infrastructure strategy discussions for disruptive futures. It employs a graphic novel called “Vanishing Point! Our Built World,” which augments generative AI art with human storytelling to transport participants into a speculative 2150 with a solarpunk theme. The narrative applies the concept of future-self continuity and a temporal discontinuity framework to promote visions of sustainability for both humanity and the environment. The research emphasises the ability of comics to foster meaningful discussions on future infrastructure coordination by incorporating Social Construction Theory, Social Construction of Technology Theory, and Actor Network Theory. Comics being adapted into videos and used in workshops highlight their effectiveness in promoting engagement and facilitating semi-structured discussions. This demonstrates comics as a dynamic tool in futures research and participatory methodologies. Relevant themes: Anthropocene, Ecocene and Climate Change/Post-capitalism/Utopias, Eutopias and Dystopias/Solar Punk and its relations/Artificial Intelligence and Automation/Wicked Problems/Futures and Metaphor/Reimagining Futures Tools and Methodologies. Statement acknowledging use of Generative AI Art and copyright ownership: “Vanishing Point! Our Built World” graphic novel artwork was created with Midjourney generative AI. These images were created using the author’s prompts and ideas. The author owns these AI-generated photos and their derivatives. Synthesia was used to create animated films and AI-generated avatars from comic artwork. Statement on the use of Generative AI in the production of this manuscript: Referring to Author Guidelines on Using Generative AI and Large Language Models| Sage Learning Resources (sagepub.com ), this manuscript employed various AI tools to assist with research and writing. ChatGPT4 and its plugin, Scholar AI, helped identify relevant literature in addition to traditional research. Litmaps revealed article linkages, clarifying the research landscape. ChatGPT4 critiqued the manuscript. Quillbot improved the manuscript's clarity and consistency by improving its language.

Enhancing Urban Resilience: Strategic Management and Action Plans for Cyclonic Events through Socially Constructed Risk Processes

Enhancing Urban Resilience: Strategic Management and Action Plans for Cyclonic Events through Socially Constructed Risk Processes

Tensions of place and opposing emblems of authenticity and marginal gentrification in Grünerløkka, Oslo

This study investigates multiple discourses surrounding the trends, changes and opposing emblematic signage of authenticity and the ideological constructions of place within Grünerløkka, Oslo, Norway. Our theoretical framework is grounded within the political economy of place and the sociolinguistics of authenticity. Three different datasets are used in the analysis: a) 60 interviews conducted with local residents, business owners and journalists; b) multilingual and multimodal signage found within this neighborhood's changing linguistic and semiotic landscapes; and c) texts from online media. We take both a discourse and multimodal analytic approach in our investigation of the circulating tensions of place found both ‘online’ and ‘offline’ of what constitutes an ‘authentic’ neighborhood to individuals. Our findings suggest that the conflicting ideologies of authenticity are bound to the pressures of change and resistance. These are inextricably connected to local consumer practices that are inevitably tied to global market forces and marketing strategies within the social and material constructions of urban landscapes.

Uncertain Blackness: The Mysterious Case of Joseph Stadler

Abstract Historians have identified George Coleman Poage as the first African American Olympian. Poage won two bronze medals in the hurdles at the 1904 St. Louis Olympics. In that same year, the name of another potential Black Olympian, Joseph Stadler, appeared briefly in a few newspaper stories previewing the games. Stadler clearly competed in St. Louis, winning a silver medal and bronze medal in the now-archaic forms of standing jumps. Whether he should join Poage on the roster of pioneering African American Olympians, however, remains a mystery among Olympic researchers—as does his racial identity. Analyzing the historical record regarding these claims and employing new information from census data and other public records reveals that Stadler was most likely white. His “misidentification,” however, reveals more than just a trivial episode about an inaccurate reading of racial identity from limited sources. The long history of narratives about Joseph Stadler's identity reveals important patterns about the social construction of race, illuminates the complexities of more than a century of seeking to depict the Olympics as a fulcrum of racial progress in American culture, and showcases the dangers of attempting to read “race” from historic photographs.

GENDER AND SEXUALITY AS MODI OF LONELINESS IN CHRISTOPHER ISHERWOOD’S “THE WORLD IN THE EVENING”

The paper offers an insight into the functioning of the phenomenon of loneliness in Christopher Isherwood’s “The World in the Evening”. Despite the text being dismissed as a failure by the writer himself, some scholars note its innovative treatment of gender and sexuality. The fact that psychological and sociological research often lists sex, gender, and sexual orientation as most frequent causes for loneliness, as well as the author’s peculiar interest in the depiction of the marginalised and alienated allow for a reading of the novel through the lens of identity studies. The paper’s focus is on understanding of gender as a social construct and a performative category. The protagonist’s self is developed, transformed, and readjusted under the influence of female characters, and this situation contrasts with the androcentric homodiegetic narration.  With his very masculinity questioned, under the pressure of societal expectations to perform a certain gendered role, the protagonist experiences an identity crisis and feels lonely in all of his relationships. He avoids taking responsibility for his own life, constantly seeking some sort of validation or guidance from the women around him and becoming childish and deliberately cruel towards others when he gets none. The sexual aspect of identity is analysed within the framework of queer theory. The protagonist’s bisexuality is treated by Isherwood as a somewhat neurotic condition arising from the clash between heteronormativity and ‘perverse’ homosexual desire. It is opposed to another part of the queer sexuality spectrum represented by two gay male characters successfully building a harmonious relationship. This image of the homosexual not as a deviation but rather an integral part of society is further reinforced by the alternative models of masculinity, those of gay men not only accepting their sexuality but willing to fight both for their country in the Second World War and their right to existence in the heteronormative world.

Malaysian Chinese folk beliefs on Facebook based on LDA topic modelling

In the digital age, as social media evolves into a new and significant centre for the dissemination of Chinese folk beliefs, the Malaysian Chinese have actively shared information about these folk beliefs on their social media platforms. The dissemination has transcended regional barriers, encouraging more Malaysian Chinese across various states to actively participate in public discussions on this topic. This study delves into Malaysian Chinese folk beliefs by analysing data from Facebook. A comprehensive examination of 4012 text posts was conducted using the latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) model for topic modelling. The analysis identified four main themes on social media: ‘Practitioners Worship’, ‘Temple Activities’, ‘Deity Legends’, and ‘Merchandise about Deity Statues’. Based on integrating social construction theory and media ecology theory, the study first explores the varied constructors, including practitioners, temple organisations, media organisations, and merchants. Secondly, Malaysian Chinese folk beliefs on social media present characteristics of utilitarianism, regional diversity, multiple social functions, flowing realms, strong Taoist elements, commercialisation, and a close relationship with the Spring Festival. Furthermore, ‘Safety and Peace’, ‘Pray for Demands’, and ‘Merits and Virtues’ form an interconnected semantic nexus. Hence, the findings theoretically highlight the interaction and significance of social media in the construction and practice of folk beliefs within the Malaysian Chinese community. Practically, this research provides valuable insights into the understanding and dissemination of Malaysian Chinese religious culture in the digital era.

Corporeal Conflict: Unmaking and Making the Self in Margaret Atwood’s The Edible Woman

The classical canons of literature create and consider the construction of women as objects of beauty and desire, who are motivated by no concern for themselves, inherently weak and impoverished. This study seeks an alternative narrative structure to such cultural constructions by exploring how Margaret Atwood’s The Edible Woman (1969) portrays and represents the female body in connection with female agency and power by writing against classical representations. Accordingly, this study employs recent theorists who blend feminist perspectives with theories based on the body including Elizabeth Grosz, Susan Bordo and Kim Chernin along with feminist literary critics including Simone de Beauvoir and Linda Hutcheon. By incorporating feminist theory and body politics together with literary criticism, this study presents a discourse of resistance and the potentiality of a new meeting point for shared experience and a common knowledge. In this regard, Atwood’s The Edible Woman suggests that there is agency and power to be attained through the knowledge of our bodies. As a counter-narrative, The Edible Woman promotes a resistance to dominant cultural and social constructions that proceed to objectify and undervalue the female body. Atwood’s novel attempts to bring a credibility and a value to knowledge to which we gain through our corporeal experience. What emerges from this perception is that corporeal knowledge appears to be essential to be able to acquire an understanding of our existence as well as to be read as a means to resistance.

Local Institutional Collaboration Models for Coastal Communities in North Sumatra

The social network of those managing mangrove forests sustainably in the districts of Langkat and Batu Bara is the subject of this study. The state of affairs indicates that the government has not been able to collaborate with stakeholders on mangrove forest management projects involving the local community that are systematic, synergistic, and sustainable. Finding a network of stakeholders is crucial to designing a mangrove forest management program holistically and sustainably. Stakeholders in the Nibung Hangus Sub-district, Batu Bara Regency, namely Lubuk Kertang Village, Pasar Rawa Village, Tapak Kuda Village, and Bagan Baru Village, maintain mangrove forests symmetrically through cooperative efforts. Rehabilitating degraded mangrove forests is heavily impacted by the structure of current networks, which includes social and economic construction and tenure components or rights to forest property. This research aims to determine the structure of networks and the function of stakeholders—actors and institutions—in managing mangrove forests. Descriptive analytic approaches were employed in the qualitative conduct of this study. 

Preferences of Medical Technology Students on COVID-19 Personal Preventive Behaviors and University Safety Protocols: A Conjoint Analysis

The increase in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines has created an alarming issue in high-density public places, such as schools and universities. Personal preventive behaviors that the students exercise play a big part in whether such behaviors prevent or only predispose them even more to contracting the virus. Several factors may influence the personal preventive behaviors of an individual. These include attitude, awareness, personal beliefs, and culture concerning the disease. Through outlining these several factors, the researchers aim to identify the main attributes that determine students’ preferred COVID-19 personal preventive behavior and implemented precautionary measures. The researchers used a two-part survey: socioeconomic and demographic followed by an orthogonal plan. The safety protocols implemented by the university were found to be the most important factor, followed by knowledge about the disease, communication channels, attitude, and social construct of the family. Thus, this follows that based on the attribute’s importance value, the students prefer safety protocols that are most implemented by the university while social construct of the family is the least preferred. These findings suggest that the safety protocols implemented by the university are the most important factor, hence, policy implementation and strengthening should be observed by the university. Keywords: COVID-19, preventive behavior, knowledge, perception, attitude

Technology and geopolitics: The social construction of Huawei’s 5G controversy in Europe

This article examines the Huawei 5G controversy in Europe through the lens of social group dynamics and power shifts. It traces Huawei’s European journey from the deregulation of telecommunications in the 1980s to the company’s recent challenges following the US ban. Utilizing theories of the social construction of technology, the study investigates four meta-categories of social actors defining the 5G technology disruption in the Huawei situation, showcasing the evolving roles of various social groups and the impact of geopolitical rivalry.

Research on Consumer Willingness to Purchase Time-honored Brand Products Based on TPB Theory in the New Media Environment

In the context of the digital economy, utilizing new media for marketing and brand promotion has become the direction of digital transformation for China’s time-honored brand enterprises. This paper takes consumer research data as a sample and based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), establishes a mechanism model for the impact of consumer willingness to purchase China’s time-honored brand products in the new media environment. The conclusion of this paper is as follows: First, subjective norms become the most important factor influencing consumer attitudes. Secondly, the level of new media marketing for time-honored brands can significantly influence consumer attitudes and promote the conversion of consumer purchase intention. Finally, perceived behavioral control can significantly influence the attitude of consumers, but it cannot significantly affect their behavior. This paper provides policy recommendations for improving the competitiveness and marketing level of China’s time-honored brands in the new media environment from the aspects of social media construction, new media operation, promoting product innovation and model innovation.

An Investigation of the Determinants of Child Sexual Abuse in Tanzania: A Case of the Kilwa District-Lindi Region

Child sexual abuse (CSA), which includes assault and rape, encompasses all sexual activities involving a child. Internationally, there has been a recent surge in reports of CSA and other forms of violence against children. This substantiates the global significance and gravity of the matter, given its magnitude and impact on children. The current study on assessing CSA determinants in Tanzania for the Kilwa–Lindi region is presented as a case study, intending to uncover the socioeconomic determinants of CSA. The primary data were collected from 32 parents/guardians, who were systematically selected from 384 individuals who had reported CSA to social welfare offices. The presented findings were based on the observed meanings and realities that family members and the community ascribed to CSA through the lens of social construction theory. The qualitative data were analysed using Atlas.ti, and the quantitative data was analysed using Microsoft Excel. The following factors influenced CSA in the study area of Kilwa district: the socioeconomic status of women; the belief of community members in witchcraft as a method of purging misfortune and acquiring wealth; the use of remedies for HIV and other incurable diseases; the excessive workload and passivity of parents or guardians; the apathy of community members; the prevalence of myths and sexual taboos among parents or guardians; the ignorance of parents or guardians regarding indicators of CSA; and the scarcity of parental competence. Having the presented findings, it is therefore timely for the government to consider investing in prevention measures such as the early warning signs of CSA among children and parents and the reporting points, among others. The study recommends a comprehensive study on the awareness of CSA warning signs among children and parents in Tanzania

The social construction of sustainable futures: how models and scenarios limit climate mitigation possibilities

ABSTRACT This article shines a light on the act of social construction of climate change mitigation as a policy issue at the hands of expert bodies enjoying epistemic power, notably the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), using Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) as key tools. This is crucial to the politics of tackling climate change as IPCC models and scenarios profoundly shape what are seen as viable futures and mitigation policy options. Analysing how technocratic governance bodies broach climate change, its mitigation, and the associated economic costs and implications, reveals contestations within the technocratic politics of climate change. The particular social construction of mitigation as a policy issue through IAMs and IPCC scenarios has important and real socio-ecological consequences. This engagement with the technocratic politics of mitigation problematises five key assumptions that are fed into modelling, and reveals why and how they matter politically. We also highlight ways in which contestable assumptions built into IPCC IAMs undermine their credibility and usefulness for planning mitigation strategies.

Organization Studies and the Legal Person

Abstract The social construction of legal persons developed in the Western world about one thousand years ago has historically influenced the construction of organizations, including monasteries, guilds, cities, universities, states, associations, and businesses. Yet the notion of legal person was not present in influential, early definitions of organizations; rather organizations were understood as systems of interacting physical persons. This understanding is problematic in several respects, whereas the notion of legal person helps to explain many fundamental characteristics of organizations. Furthermore, a definition of organizations inspired by the notion of legal person makes it easier to distinguish clearly among the three phenomena that constitute the main objects of organization studies: organizations, organizing, and the organized. A clearer distinction among three concepts has the potential to revive old questions and generate new questions for organizational research.