Social Ecology Research Articles

Post-Traumatic Growth, Resilience and Social-Ecological Synergies: Some Reflections from a Study on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence

The concept of post-traumatic growth (PTG) continues to generate significant interest, as reflected in the increasing number of studies. This article makes two novel contributions to existing scholarship on PTG. First, it seeks to demonstrate that the common framing of PTG as positive psychological change is too narrow. To do so, it looks to research on resilience and highlights the shift from person-centred understandings of resilience to more relational approaches that situate the concept in the interactions and dynamics between individuals and their social ecologies (environments). The article’s core argument is that there are social-ecological synergies between resilience and PTG, which, in turn, are highly relevant to how we think about and study growth. Second, the article empirically develops this argument by drawing on a larger study involving victims-/survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Colombia and Uganda. It is important to note in this regard that there are no major studies of PTG focused on CRSV, just as scholarship on CRSV has given little attention to PTG (or indeed resilience).

A Socio-Ecological Exploration of Sub-Saharan Migrant Students in Moroccan Public Schools

Education and migration intertwine as complex issues, impacting historical, social, cultural, economic, and political domains. While migration studies in the global north have extensively explored education trends among migrants, research in the global south, particularly in Morocco, where public schools host a significant number of Sub-Saharan migrant students, remains scarce. This study seeks to delve into the experiences of four Sub-Saharan students in Moroccan public schools, examining how they navigate the educational environment and the multifaceted impacts it generates. The study gathered data through in-depth, individual interviews with these migrant students. Utilizing a qualitative approach and drawing on the theory of social ecology of human development, the analysis reveals that despite a strong self-awareness, these minority students have unmet academic and non-academic needs. Their development is notably influenced by the diverse structures within their environment. Additionally, the study highlights how the interplay between conflicting microsystems, such as the school and the family, alongside broader macro-level structures like culture and belief systems, hampers the progress and education of these individuals. However, their personal attributes and support from key figures, notably teachers, play a pivotal role in assisting them in overcoming challenges within and outside the school environment. Consequently, the presence of cultural and religious minority students in Moroccan public schools represents a growing trend requiring thoughtful planning and targeted interventions.

Remembering a disastrous past to imagine catastrophic future(s) on social media: The expected Istanbul earthquake

This article explores how collective memory of the 1999 Marmara earthquake frames collective thinking of “the expected Istanbul earthquake” through numerous catastrophic earthquake scenarios posted on the prominent Turkish social media platform called Ekşi Sözlük for nearly two decades. The article first integrates memory, media, and disaster studies to theorize how a looming catastrophe is (re)imagined in retrospect. It then analyzes earthquake scenarios using representative samples to illustrate how the oscillatory dynamics and acts of disaster memory shape the future thinking of a not-yet-come threat within a Turkish social media ecology.

Ecología Social de las Redes Sociales Digitales

This article analyzes the symbiotic relationship between Digital Social Networks and Algorithms, seeking to understand their digital social ecology. Through bibliographic research and the content analysis method, we developed the documentary corpus with 56 journalistic reports from the Internet, related to the Pishtaco case, a psychosocial case that occurred in Huaycán. Supported by the MAXQDA software, 2,979 segments were coded with 211 codes and subcodes, grouped into 12 thematic categories. The research brings into discussion digital social networks, not only as a means of disseminating information, but as a means of influence and an effective instrument in Communication. The capabilities related to influence and information operations encourage the crisis of truth and mistrust in society. Beyond technological progress, a critical approach to the social ecology of social networks and algorithms is suggested, attempting to draw attention to the importance of informational regimes through power disputes and surveillance capitalism. Serving as an incentive to carry out studies that seek to understand the indirect and long-term effects on informational subjects in their sociocultural organization.

Social Ecological Systems in Flux

A world in flux confronts the present generation, raising fears of systems gone awry. Whether it is the prospect of runaway climate change or the dangers of unbridled artificial intelligence, these dilemmas suggest that scientific and technological remedies have not been matched by progress in harnessing social and political capacities for collective action. Part of this impasse stems from a gap between the multidimensional nature of contemporary global crises and unidimensional modes of understanding and managing them. In this article, we describe an integrative approach rooted in the paradigm of social ecology that might enable us to tackle these challenges more comprehensively. We discuss, for example, how a social ecological perspective focuses attention not only on the carbon footprint of society but also on the social footprint of carbon. We review the tenets of social ecology and reflect on its promise for spurring new modes of collaborative research and collective action, including more effective strategies for planetary governance.

The Social Ecology of Caregiving: Applying the Social-Ecological Model across the Life Course.

Family caregivers provide care to people with disabilities, as well as ill and older adults, often with little to no outside assistance from the formal long-term care system. They are the backbone of long-term care, and it is a misconception that the majority of people institutionalize disabled people and older adults in the United States. Youth caregiving is under-examined in the field of public health and is in need of theoretical and practical attention. Building upon the work of Talley and Crews and Bronfenbrenner, we aim to broaden the scope of the discussion around caregiving through the application of the social-ecological model (SEM) to inform research and practice. This paper picks up where they left off, digging deeper into the ecological model to reimagine research, policy, and practices related to youth and young adult caregivers that are rooted in this framework. This application highlights care as embedded in social relations while allowing for an exploration of the ways structural barriers impact the caring unit. Looking holistically at the unit, rather than individuals as service users, provides an opportunity for understanding the interconnectedness of those giving and receiving care. It does so by rendering visible the interdependence of the caring unit, and the myriad structures, which bear down on care at the individual and household levels. This approach runs counter to dominant thinking, which focuses exclusively on the individuals involved in caregiving relationships, rather than considering them as interdependent units of care. This paper provides an analytic contribution, utilizing a narrative composite vignette based on literature and previous research.

Societal factors impacting young Black men in South Africa

PurposeThis study employs the social ecology model to comprehensively explore the complex challenges young Black men face in South Africa and aims to highlight the importance of collaboration in addressing these multifaceted issues.Design/methodology/approachA multidisciplinary approach combines insights from sociology, education and the health literature with regard to government reports and academic data, and provides a holistic analysis of challenges faced by young Black men. Furthermore, it emphasises formal and informal learning, social and environmental influences and health disparities.FindingsYoung Black men in South Africa encounter complex challenges throughout their developmental journey, including limited family support, educational barriers, financial constraints, societal expectations and health disparities. Therefore, collaboration among stakeholders is essential for creating an equitable and inclusive environment that supports their development.Originality/valueThis research provides a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by young Black men in South Africa by emphasising the interconnectedness of informal education, economic empowerment and healthcare. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies, cultural influences and international comparisons, informing evidence-based interventions for a more equitable society.

Housing in the Capitalocene: Environmental education and sustainable living

Capital and property have been combined since Karl Marx wrote Das Kapital in 1867. Indeed, capitalism and the housing market are interlinked because property is an asset whose indexed value upholds global markets. On the other side of property as real estate is the environmental damage and augmentation of climate change that housing represents - mostly in advanced, technological societies. This paper attends to capital investment in housing as the Capitalocene and subsequently through environmental education according to environmental and social principles (social ecology). This article examines what is offered in the Australian curriculum for pre-tertiary and university students in terms of sustainable housing and uses the latest in sustainable housing research and practice to provide a new, visionary basis for environmental education, that tackles housing through 3D printing. The current Australian curriculum on sustainable housing centers on the ‘Illawarra Flame’ house (University of Wollongong), that presents a retrofitting solution to improve the quality of life of the occupants. Illawarra Flame house is a net-zero, energy-efficient, solar powered house which provides the tenants with thermal comfort. This article expands and updates the data on sustainable housing from the ‘Illawarra Flame’ house to 3D printing and applies the principles of social ecology to make a link with environmental education that deals with the Capitalocene by offering affordable and sustainable housing.

A Social Ecological View in Overcoming the Environmental Crisis

Humans contribute to preserving nature and are even responsible for ecological disasters that occur. Humans have different characteristics from other living beings, which tend to be manipulative and want power. Conflicts related to exploiting natural resources will continue to arise if the harmony of social structures remains a problem. The orientation of modern humans tends to be materialistic and hedonistic, thus affecting the way they view their environmental systems, and contributing greatly to environmental damage. The increase in ecological disasters today cannot be separated from the poor environmental governance that tends to use natural resources without proper and sustainable environmental restoration. Through a socio-ecological approach, we seek to eliminate the commercialization of natural resources by adopting a social approach that embraces ecology, reconstruction, and communitarian approaches. This theory seeks to reconstruct and revise current views on social issues and environmental factors. The research data was collected through news fact collection and literature searches which were then subjected to descriptive and interpretive analysis. The results showed that (1) social ecology provides an understanding by prioritizing an egalitarian and democratic social structure so that humans can walk in harmony with nature, this aspect can be the basis for environmental management (2) social ecology is influenced by aspects of spirituality and egalitarianism in social structures to be a solution to the environmental crisis through changes in perspective on environmental management.

Research on the Impact of Perfect Diary Brand Strategy

The arrival of the new media era has brought new publicity ideas to enterprises, enriched marketing methods and channels, and allowed brand and product information to be delivered to consumers in a more comprehensive and rapid manner, thereby achieving more efficient and comprehensive marketing. Effect. Through digital means, brands can better find target audiences, provide personalized interactive experiences, and achieve precision marketing. Among them, social media platforms are the main platform for Perfect Diary brand communication. Perfect Diary can be said to be a successful example of social media marketing. Through short videos, grass planting notes, combination of pictures and text, and social marketing, it has been widely used on Douyin, Kuaishou, Xiaomi, etc. Conduct all-round publicity on social media such as Red Book and WeChat to cater to the viewing habits and consumption habits of the younger generation on social media, communicate more directly with users, understand consumer psychology and needs, provide products that meet user requirements in a timely manner, and fully penetrate The social media ecology of the younger generation establishes deeper connections with consumers through social media.

The surge for local innovative institutions for transformation: community-based monitoring in the Andes

Abstract Non-technical summary There is abundant research about the impacts that large-scale mining produces on territories to the detriment of their social and environmental sustainability. However, during our research in Chile and Peru, we also identified local transformative initiatives that pursue sustainable development by proposing alternatives to how the socio-ecological impacts of natural resource extraction are produced and distributed throughout society. Specifically, we ask the question: How do local communities in Chile and Peru that are affected by mining activities engage in community-based environmental monitoring (CBEM)? Technical summary By examining how local communities in Chile and Peru engage in community environmental monitoring, this paper argues that local political organisation and institutional innovations are crucial for the emergence of transformations towards sustainability. Local political organisation and mobilisation can create a window of opportunity for discussion about extractive activities and their impacts, as well as possible proposals for alternatives. Institutional innovations triggered by local political work can lead to the implementation of such initiatives. Our findings are based on qualitative case studies of CBEM in Chile and Peru, in areas with high levels of environmental degradation due to mining. In Chile we analysed a case of community air monitoring in a copper processing area, and in Peru a case of community water monitoring in a mining area. Drawing on debates on social transformation and political ecology theory, this study aims to show CBEM promotes changes towards a more democratic and preventive environmental governance, and encourages the recognition of environmental injustices. Social media summary This paper analyses how local communities in Chile and Peru engage in community environmental monitoring in areas affected by the presence of extractive industries. We identified local transformative initiatives that pursue sustainable development by proposing alternatives to how the socio-environmental impacts of natural resource extraction are produced and distributed in society. Our findings are based on qualitative case studies of community-based air and water monitoring in extractive areas in Chile and Peru.

Water Conservation Through Local Wisdom As A Manifestation Of Social Justice And Ecological Justice

In all its manifestations, the ecological crisis include water crisis, threatens our world's ecosystem. The primary cause of the crisis is human attitudes and behaviours that objectify nature. In specific cases, the water resource crisis is as a consequence of tourism expansion that ignores the environment. Revitalizing local wisdom is one method for restoring nature's stability especially on water sustainability. There are numerous rites in our local community's that support efforts to conserve water sources. This article discusses the traditional practises of the Batu people of East Java for conserving water sources called Metri Banyu as an alternative to seeks the ecological and social justice. Through this rites the community of Pesanggrahan Village in Batu City honours water as the fundamental element of human existence. The revitalization of indigenous knowledge is critically important for Batu City's massive tourism expansion and other location which face similar situation. In addition to preventing natural damage and the depletion of water resources, it is a viable alternative for the development of tourism founded on culture. This research applies a qualitative approach. Interviews and observation were used for data collection. The findings of this study demonstrate that reviving local knowledge in contemporary society influences the creation of a balanced and harmonious relationship between humans and nature, one another, and their creators.

Unveiling the social ecology of migration in Darjeeling: A critical analysis through mental modeling

Unveiling the social ecology of migration in Darjeeling: A critical analysis through mental modeling

Картографирование шумового загрязнения урбанизированных территорий как инструмент формирования комфортной среды обитания человека

The article considers the issues of balanced functioning of urbanized territories (including urban environments) as objects of social ecology. The aim of this work is to analyze the current state of the urban environment in terms of noise pollution and the creation of thematic environmental maps of urban noise pollution. Using statistical methods, the authors justified the need for such maps and identified the main problems arising in their development. It was empirically confirmed that noise pollution has significantly increased across Russia against the backdrop of a steady growth in urban population. The experience of Russian developers of noise pollution maps was analyzed, showing how these maps can help in creating a comfortable living environment. The medical-ecological approach and statistical data analysis revealed a correlation between noise pollution in urbanized areas and negative social consequences for the population living in these areas. These consequences include not only an increase in diseases, such as cardiovascular and nervous system disorders, but also a general reduction in active life years. A unique aspect of the study is the approach to the problem from the perspective of creating spaces with positive soundscapes in urban environments and reflecting these on noise pollution maps. The necessity of such research is driven by the specifics of human adaptive mechanisms, which are unable to quickly adjust to changes in the environment. The conclusion is made that to mitigate the impact of noise pollution on the physical and psychological state of individuals, it is necessary to change the pattern of urban development towards an expanded understanding of functional zoning in urban areas.

The Social Ecology of Health Beliefs and Misinformation Framework: Examining the impact of misinformation on vaccine uptake through individual and sociological factors

BackgroundMisinformation presents a critical concern for academic and public health discourse, particularly around vaccine response. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine hesitancy was responsible for decreased immunization uptake for vaccine-preventable diseases. Misinformation connected to the novel COVID-19 vaccine has further fueled vaccine hesitancy in Colorado and the United States. Our study brings together three different perspectives – physicians, public health professionals, and parents – to understand the impact of misinformation on vaccine uptake in Colorado. Our study proposes a framework for combining the Health Belief Model with the Socio-Ecological model to account for societal factors in healthcare decision making. MethodsSemi-structured interviews and focus groups with public health professionals, physicians, and parents (n = 31) were conducted in late spring and summer 2022. Data were coded inductively using thematic analysis. Identified themes were deductively categorized according to the Socio-Ecological Model and Health Belief Model. ResultsUsing a theoretical framework that combined the Health Belief Model and the Socio-Ecological Model, we identified seven factors that influenced vaccine hesitancy in Colorado. Intrapersonal factors included routine vaccine hesitancy connected to perceptions of severity and susceptibility, efficacy, and benefits and barriers to vaccine uptake; interpersonal factors included social networks; institutional factors included mass mediated platforms, portrayals of uncertainty, distrust in institutional sources of information, and political influences in vaccine decision making; and structural factors included economic barriers behind vaccine hesitancy. ConclusionsOur study provides a unique, triangulated, post-positivist perspective on the role of misinformation in vaccine hesitancy in Colorado. The findings provide evidence that misinformation is an important barrier to vaccination uptake and can permeate multiple socio-ecological determinants/characteristics to influence vaccination behaviors including intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional, and structural levels. We introduce the Social Ecology of Health Beliefs and Misinformation Framework to account for how misinformation may interrupt vaccine uptake.

Social ecology of interpersonal relationships among pensioners participating in the “Moscow Longevity” project

The paper presents the results of the study of social intelligence in order to identify its features as a resource for reducing biopsychological age in pensioners studying under the programmes of the Moscow Longevity Project. Modern ideas about social intelligence are analysed. Social intelligence is understood as an acquired ability that allows a person to better recognise and understand other people, to act wisely in human relations. The study involved 20 pensioners participating in educational programmes “Moscow Longevity” (average age - 64.4 years). The following methods were used: Guilford Social Intelligence Test (J. Guilford, M. O’Sullivan); complex methodology of diagnostics of biopsychological age (compiled by T.N. Berezina); questionnaire “Resource areas» (by T.N. Berezina). For data processing, the methods of descriptive statistics and correlation analysis by Spearman’s criterion were used. The results show that in pensioners of this sample, the ability to understand the logic of development of interaction situations and the meaning of human behaviour in these situations (“History with additions”) determines the reduction of biological age and indicators of developmental ageing. Indicators of social intelligence are related to the resources of life activity organisation: pensioners are more often involved in intellectual pursuits in various fields of science and technology, less often use humour, communication with others, spiritual practices and self-improvement, and do not seek risky behaviour. The results obtained contribute to the ideas about the relationship between social intelligence and the characteristics of biopsychological ageing and the organisation of resource areas of life activities of the participants in educational programmes of the Moscow Longevity Project.

Beekeeping role in enhancing food security and environmental public health

This conceptual article delves into the intricate relationship between public health and environmental health, using the underutilisation of beekeeping in the United States as a case study. The concept of food security, established after the 1996 World Food Summit, encompasses pillars of availability, accessibility, utilization, and stability. This thorough framework creates the foundation for comprehending the crucial aspects of food security and prepares the reader for a careful examination of the implications presented by the US honeybee colonies’ decline. The decline in honeybee colonies in the United States poses a significant threat to food production. Loss of honeybee colonies and the lack of attention to apiculture have far-reaching consequences for public and environmental health. This article explores the often-overlooked intersection of food security and beekeeping, recognizing the intricate dependencies between pollinators and crop sustainability. Honeybees, crucial pollinators for essential food crops, offer not only ecological benefits but also socio-economic opportunities. The article also highlights beekeeping’s diverse contributions, such as enhanced pollination, increased crop yields, ecosystem health, and climate change resilience. Despite the evident benefits of beekeeping for food security and the nutritional richness of bee products, commercial beekeeping in the USA is monopolised by a mere 1.4% of beekeepers. The 1.4% commercial beekeepers control 89.7% of country colonies, an indication of the huge neglect of apiculture. This neglect led to an alarming 48.2% loss of honeybee colonies between April 2022 and April 2023. This unprecedented decline, often overlooked, highlights a deficiency in attention and strategic planning within agriculture, underscoring broader implications for public and environmental health in the United States. This article introduces a theoretical framework incorporating ecological systems, social ecology, system theory, resource-based views, livelihood diversification, and sustainability, emphasizing their role in understanding and improving food security through beekeeping.

The siren song of so-called evidence: Why the evidence for social ecology models is not as strong as we think

Ecological competition models from biology have been adopted for the study of a wide variety of social entities, including workplace organizations and voluntary associations.Despite their popularity, a number of fundamental challenges to these models have not been sufficiently recognized or addressed. As a result, it’s possible that some apparently supportive evidence for ecological competition is in fact the outcome of chance or other processes. We propose a permutation test to compare observed evidence for ecological competition against an appropriate counterfactual population. To demonstrate our approach and validate our concern about the quality of evidence for ecological competition models, we apply the permutation test to one specific case. The results indicate that K-correlation values that have been taken as evidence for a well-established model, the Ecology of Affiliation, are quite common even in the absence of ecological competition. We conclude that the existing evidence for social ecology models may not be as reliable as commonly believed due to the disconnect between theory and empirical testing.

Researching two Compassionate Cities: Study protocol for a mixed-methods process and outcome evaluation.

Background/Targeted community: Compassionate Cities are social ecology approaches that apply a set of actions, targeting a broad range of stakeholders, with the intention of renormalising caring, dying and grieving in everyday life. While several initiatives have been described in the literature, a rigorous evaluation of their processes and outcomes is lacking. This paper describes the protocol for a mixed-methods study to evaluate the development process and the outcomes of two Compassionate Cities in Flanders, Belgium. 
 Involved stakeholders: While the concept of Compassionate Cities is introduced by the researcher to the cities of Bruges and Herzele, the development is realised through the input from involved local stakeholders and the local project leaders. The project leaders are appointed by the cities of Bruges and Herzele. Their primary task revolves around coordinating the project and guarding its cocreational character. The stakeholders can be anyone with an interest in developing the Compassionate Cities. A community facilitator with expertise in change projects guides, with respect to local ownership, the development of both Compassionate Cities.
 Methods and analysis, planning: We will use a convergent multi-phase mixed-methods design, in which a combination of qualitative and quantitative data collection methods will be triangulated in the data analysis stage to capture both development processes and outcomes. Our design includes a quasi-experimental component of a quantitative outcome evaluation in both Compassionate Cities and two comparable control cities with no formal Compassionate City programme. A critical realism lens will be applied to understand how and why certain processes manifest themselves.
 Discussion: The creation of Compassionate Cities implies high levels of complexity, adaptivity, unpredictability and uncertainty. This requires various data collection methods that can be applied flexibly. A researcher taking on the role of active participant in the project’s development has several advantages, such as access to scholarly information. Reflexivity in this role is paramount to questioning where the ownership of the project lies. By applying a critical realism lens, we remain cautious about our interpretations, and we test the homogeneity of our findings through other forms of data collection.
 Learning for the international audience: This is the first published study protocol to describe both a process and outcome evaluation of a Compassionate City project. By transparently describing our aims and data collection methods, we try to maximise information exchange among researchers and to inform others who desire to implement and evaluate their own initiatives.

Traces of Hope from a New Transnational Well-Being Index: World Love Index

The article discusses the development of a new measurement called the World Love Index, which aims to evaluate people’s capacity to care for others and the world as an indicator of well-being. Drawing inspiration from appeals by intellectuals to shift towards a new form of humanism, the proposed new index aims to mark the transition towards a new social ecology, and it emphasizes the importance of social connections and relationships. In this way, it tries to capture the challenge of the quest of hope in the post-pandemic era. The study integrates data from the Gallup World Poll and World Values Survey to create this index, focusing on dimensions like overabundance of giving and care for others. The research identifies different clusters of countries based on their orientation towards environmental concern or humanitarian support, revealing how social love varies across income levels. The study argues that focusing on social love as a measure of well-being can lead to transformative policies that emphasize community-building and solidarity, offering a new narrative of progress centered on caring for one another and the environment. Against the backdrop of the post-pandemic era’s socio-economic challenges and echoes of historical crises, the study advocates for a paradigm shift away from traditional GDP-centric metrics, advocating for a comprehensive approach to measuring well-being that considers diverse dimensions of human experience. Ultimately, the World Love Index presents an innovative way to assess societies’ propensity for compassion and offers a fresh perspective on fostering hope and transformation through community-building and caring relationships.