Social Reality Research Articles

Theoretical and General Philosophical Foundations Operational and Investigative Support of Criminal Prosecution.

This article is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of theoretical and general philosophical foundations of operational and investigative support of criminal prosecution. Various aspects of this activity are considered, including philosophical concepts, theoretical approaches, ethical aspects, epistemological and axiological foundations. The paper provides an overview of the contribution of Soviet, Russian and Central Asian scientists to the development of the theory of operative-search activity. Special attention is paid to the concept of V.A. Lukashov, who expanded the understanding of operational and investigative support to the entire system of law enforcement agencies. The study relies on a number of methods, including dialectical, hermeneutic, system analysis and comparative approach. As a result, the concept of the philosophical and legal foundations of operational and investigative support is formulated, key theoretical approaches to its understanding are identified, a system of ethical principles is developed and an epistemological model of information acquisition is proposed. Operative and investigative support is considered as a complex phenomenon that integrates elements of various philosophical concepts and legal theories. The importance of the balance between public safety and protection of individual rights is emphasized, as well as the necessity of constant rethinking of ethical principles in the context of society and technology development. The article analyzes informative-cognitive, preventive-prophylactic, procedural-security and other approaches to the understanding of operational and investigative support. The issues of integration of operational and investigative support into the system of social control and crime control are considered. Special attention is paid to the influence of technological progress on the development of methods and means of operative-search activity. The conclusion is made about the need for continuous theoretical understanding and practical improvement of operational and investigative support of criminal prosecution in the context of changing social, technological and legal realities.

Lahure as a Transnational Subject in Daulat Bikram Bista’s Chapaiyeka Anuhar

This paper investigates Lahure as a transnational subject in Daulat Bikram Bista’s Chapaieka Anuhar (Chewed Faces) that portrays a Gorkha soldier’s mobility across national boundaries. The novel is about a Nepali youth’s narrative of his experiences during the Second World War, portraying the psychology of a lahure through his mental conflict between the ‘local’ and ‘global’. In particular, the novel revolves around the protagonist Ananta’s perceptions unfolding the Nepalis’ interactions with geographical, political, cultural, social, and economic realities abroad. The protagonist’s unprecedented encounter with strangers unravels his perception, assessment, and analogy between Nepal and Germany in particular and Asia and Europe in general. This paper, therefore, concludes that lahure is a transnational subject who sticks to his local identities on the one hand and blurs the traditional notions of identity and belonging on the other.

Ecological sustainability program in the development of environmental awareness of high school students

This study examined the attitudinal behavior of high school students who participated in an educational program to promote environmental awareness. The program was implemented with an intervention group, while a control group followed traditional teaching methods for comparison. The intervention group engaged in practical activities and community projects, enabling them to interact directly with social and environmental realities. The results indicated that although the control group demonstrated some level of environmental awareness, their commitment was not as strong as that of students who actively engaged with nature. The results suggest that the developed program has proven to be effective in improving both the didactic approach and the environmental commitment of the students.

To the Journal, the American Sociologist

AbstractSociology is a field that examines the social construction of various aspects of human life, including gender and sexuality, and explores how these are produced and perceived by individuals, groups, and institutions. In Italy, despite resistance to institutionalization, Gender Studies have significantly enriched sociology by identifying new research areas and generating innovative analytical categories. Initially linked to second-wave feminism, Gender Studies gained momentum in the Western world from the mid-1970s, exploring the nature-culture-society relationship and its impact on bodies, sexuality, and identity within specific cultural contexts. The Gender Studies section within the Italian Sociology Association was established in 2012 after a prolonged accreditation process. While gender issues entered Italian social sciences in the late 1970s, their integration varied across research areas. Sociology, with its broad analytical frameworks, has played a crucial role in understanding and addressing gender disparities in a country marked by a discriminatory welfare system. The integration of gender perspectives into sociological research has fostered a deeper understanding of Italian social reality and reshaped scientific paradigms. Moreover, sociology’s comprehensive approach to studying social inequalities has been instrumental in highlighting the importance of gender studies within academia. Recent years have witnessed increased attention to Gender Studies in Italian universities, reflecting legislative mandates and evolving cultural attitudes. More scholars, including men, are engaging with gender issues, expanding research beyond women’s status to encompass diverse sexual and gender identities. Approaches like intersectionality promise to broaden the scope of Gender Studies within Italian sociology, offering new avenues for exploration and analysis. The collaboration between sociology and gender studies continues to enhance the academic environment and contributes significantly to the evolution of Italian society.

Scientific analysis of folk contract documents from Tianshui region: insights of fiber use and preservation state

Folk contract documents (FCD) are valuable materials for studying social history, and the paper they use reflects the social realities of different eras and social classes. Research and scientific analysis of numerous FCD samples after the fourteenth century are rare. We conducted a study on 96 Tianshui folk contract documents (TFCD, 107 paper samples) from the Tianshui area of Gansu Province, Northwest China, taking into account both the textual content and the materiality of paper carriers, and interpreted the results from multiple lines of evidence and discussion. Physical performance analysis revealed that the paper used by the northern folk exhibits a lower apparent density, which is not conducive to the long-term preservation of paper. The preservation status investigation, curtain pattern analysis, and fiber analysis show that the paper used in the TFCD differs from traditional cultural paper regarding disease types, production precision, and fiber materials, providing a basis for its protection and restoration. The analysis of chemical components indicated that the aging and yellowing of paper can be correlated with the content of sulfur and carbonyl groups. The feasibility of using pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) analysis to quickly identify papermaking fibers in a large number of paper samples was proposed. By utilizing various techniques to inspect the paper of documents, this study helps to enhance the academic understanding of FCD materials. In addition, it expands the knowledge base of Northwest handmade paper.

(Re)making Scales: Communicative enfranchisement in Women’s Narrative Discourses About Health Dismissal

ABSTRACT Dismissal of women’s health concerns is a discursive phenomenon with social and material consequences. A burgeoning literature documents how women experience dismissal through various forms of disenfranchising talk. Yet, women are not only subjected to disenfranchising talk; they are called to respond to it. Meaning, analyses of disenfranchisement should also examine efforts toward enfranchisement. One process by which scholars can study communicative (dis)enfranchisement is through people’s scalar activity, or how they contextualize experiences at different levels of social reality. Studies of scale demonstrate that the language people use to narrate their personal experiences has meaning for how they position themselves in relation to other social actors, as well as how they make statements about what matters, how much, and to whom. Drawing on 36 interviews with women whose health issues have been dismissed, we apply scale as a theoretical lens and methodological tool to study how women use language in particular, meaningful, and patterned ways in narratives about health dismissal. Our findings suggest that women’s narrative discourse is enfranchising in so much as women critique, resist, and transform the contexts of their dismissal. We document how they and others scale “realness” and “normality” across narrated and narrating events. We also note how women scale up from their own experiences to women’s experiences writ large, asserting truth claims about issues borne of the broader U.S. healthcare system. Findings have implications for how critical health communication researchers study how women’s health issues are constructed in talk.

KIEŚLOWSKI’S ARTISTIC REBELLION IN CAMERA BUFF (1979): REFLECTIONS ON THE MORAL ANXIETY CINEMA

This study focuses on Krzysztof Kieślowski’s socio-political commentary and artistic expression in Camera Buff (Amator, 1979). The reason for mapping Kieślowski’s political stance stems from his deep engagement with subtle and profound cinematic expression within the Cinema of Moral Anxiety, where directors skillfully forged artistic avenues as a counter to the dominant narrative and censorship imposed by the socialist realist doctrine. This creative defiance birthed not only a novel approach to filmmaking but also a distinct mode of political assertion in a restrictive environment. Directors within this movement stand as exemplars of conscious opposition to state intervention, fostering unique artistic practices in defiance of oppressive systems. Amidst a political climate marked by censorship and stringent controls, the emergence of the Cinema of Moral Anxiety holds significant political and artistic weight. Within Cinema of Moral Anxiety movement Kieślowski’s Camera Buff reflects his resistance to the dominant political order and its censorship mechanisms. To analyze the distinctive features of Kieślowski’s political cinematic expression and the ways through which he dismantles the system in Camera Buff, this study proceeds in two steps. First, it examines how socialist realism is juxtaposed with the ethos of the Cinema of Moral Anxiety. Second, it examines how Kieślowski employs self-reflexivity and metaphor to reflect the themes of the Cinema of Moral Anxiety in Camera Buff. In both steps, metaphor and self-reflexivity are underlined as potent forms of political stance and expression. This essay concludes by demonstrating how Camera Buff embodies the principles of Moral Anxiety Cinema, offering a critique of societal norms and political oppression through self-reflexive storytelling.

A Qualitative Study of Aboriginal Peoples' Health Care Experiences With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Aboriginal Australians experience a high prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with high rates of potentially preventable hospitalisations. However, little is known about Aboriginal peoples' experiences of living with COPD and how they navigate health care systems. This study used thematic analysis and Aboriginal methodology to explore Aboriginal peoples' lived experiences of COPD, their health care journey from receiving a diagnosis of COPD to the clinical management, and the impact of COPD on their daily lives. We conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews over a 6-month period with 18 Aboriginal adults diagnosed with COPD from four Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) in New South Wales, Australia. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to ensure rigour. The findings revealed deeply personal and reflective stories shaped by historical, social, and cultural realities of Aboriginal peoples living with COPD. Four themes were identified characterising their experiences. Based on the findings, the following guidance is provided on future COPD care for Aboriginal peoples: Better alignment of existing COPD management with Aboriginal peoples' cultural contexts and perspectives to improve access to culturally safe care; Increased funding for ACCHS to enhance COPD management, such as early detection through case finding and access to ACCHS-led pulmonary rehabilitation; Engaging family members in COPD management and providing culturally centred COPD education that facilitates discussions and builds health literacy and self-management skills; Implementing health promotion initiatives to increase awareness and counteract fear and shame to improve early COPD detection.

How Women Are Portrayed in Opinion in the Kompas Daily Newspaper According to Sara Mills' Critical Discourse Studies?

This research is motivated by the problem of gender inequality issues in women's lives that are still often reported by the mass media. Among the mass media that reported this was the daily newspaper Kompas, especially in an opinion piece entitled Perempuan dan Mimpinya published on June 6, 2024. Based on the background of the problem depicted in the Women and Their Dreams (Perempuan dan Mimpinya) opinion, the purpose of writing this article is to describe how women are viewed by the mass media and their relationship to the current social reality of society. The collection of research data was carried out using reading techniques, including the steps of reading carefully and repeatedly the opinions that were the source of research data, marking vocabulary, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs that were in accordance with the criteria of the research problem, recording and inventorying them in an inventory table. The data was analyzed using an interactive method to reveal the position of women behind the text Women and Their Dreams (Perempuan dan Mimpinya) and its relationship to the current social reality of society. Analysis of the research data shows three things. First, the position of the subject in the discourse of the Perempuan dan Mimpinya opinion is occupied by the author who acts as the storyteller, while the position of the object is occupied by women. Second, the author tries to direct the reader to become the actor of the story by presenting a pseudo reality and cultural code in the text that seems to be the reality in the reader's real life. Third, the meaning of the entire discourse of opinion on Women and Their Dreams shows that in the domestic and public spaces women are still not fully able to become a gender group that is equal to the masculine gender group.

Assessing the Reality of Crimes in Jordanian Society: A Review Study on Jordanian Society from 2018-2022

The study aims to identify the reality of crime in Jordan during the period from 2018 to 2022 and analyze its impact on Jordanian society. The study relied on a review of the literature and available data to identify the levels of crime and its development in Jordan, recorded in the statistical reports issued by the Directorate of Public Security/Criminal Information Department for the years 2018-2022. The study relies on identifying the social and economic impacts of these crimes on society through evaluation and analysis of the reality of crime in Jordan, especially since it is an important topic that requires a comprehensive study. The objectives of this study are to understand the current situation in order to analyze its impact on Jordanian society. It depends on the available literature, through which it is possible to delve into the patterns of crimes recorded during that period within crime classifications such as violence, theft, fraud, drug trafficking, and others. Therefore, the reality of the development of these crimes develops over the course of the four years within many trends and factors that determine responsibility for the changes. crime rates affect the social and economic reality of crimes in Jordanian society, including the effects of many fears about insecurity, weak confidence in the security services, and the impact on the financial situation instability.

Le Situationnisme : une pensée radicale du désert

In this article, I study Guy Debord’s critical discourse, particularly his landmark essay The Society of the Spectacle. He underlines here the symbolic desert produced by modern societies. I stress the uniqueness of his perspective, to the extent that such desert stems from a situation of overabundance and excess, and not from a specific void or absence. This desert constitutes a space saturated with images and signs: it asserts the rule of the superfluous and the inconsequential. Moreover, this discourse was rooted in the Glorious Thirties, which were characterized by a strong economic growth. It must therefore be placed within a historical and social context that is quite different from twenty first Century French society. Contemporary France is marred by contrast by unemployment and precariousness as well as by huge socio-economic inequalities. The endless production of media images contradicts therefore the deep shortcomings of social reality. Finally, the concept of the Spectacle, for Debord, did not include yet the overwhelming power of new technologies. These technologies have greatly expanded the influence of images within the social and cultural sphere by making them instantaneous and readily available. The same process has also increased significantly the potential alienation and isolation of man.

A Franciscan Monetary Theory? Alexander Bonini and the Forms of Money at the End of the Middle Ages

ABSTRACT During the commercial revolution of the Middle Ages, the monetisation of economy gave rise to a series of cultural, legal and social challenges to the commonly accepted Aristotelian background. In this dynamic context, new forms of trade and contracts emerged, affecting not only commercial doctrines but also financial theories. In this framework, Franciscan economic speculation played a major role by analysing social realities with an entirely original pragmatism. Through his monetary reflection, Alexander Bonini not only gave a surprising explanation of the ‘forms of money’ but also praised the activity of the money-changers, considering their service (and related costs) fundamental to the realisation of a common benefit. His thought-provoking synthesis introduced many themes of the modern monetary doctrines. The article contains the first English translation of some crucial passages of the Bonini’s treatise On Usury (De Usuris).

A Multidimensional Approach for Evaluating Reality in Social Media: Mixed Methods Study.

Misinformation is a threat to public health. The effective countering of misinformation may require moving beyond the binary classification of fake versus fact to capture the range of schemas that users employ to evaluate social media content. A more comprehensive understanding of user evaluation schemas is necessary. The goal of this research was to advance the current understanding of user evaluations of social media information and to develop and validate a measurement instrument for assessing social media realism. This research involved a sequence of 2 studies. First, we used qualitative focus groups (n=48). Second, building on the first study, we surveyed a national sample of social media users (n=442). The focus group data were analyzed using the constant comparison approach. The survey data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analyses and ordinary least squares regression. The findings showed that social media reality evaluation involves 5 dimensions: falsity, naturality, authenticity, resonance, and social assurance. These dimensions were differentially mapped onto patterns of social media use. Authenticity was strongly associated with the existing global measure of social media realism (P<.001). Naturality, or the willingness to accept artificiality and engineered aspects of social media representations, was linked to hedonic enjoyment (P<.001). Resonance predicted reflective thinking (P<.001), while social assurance was strongly related to addictive use (P<.001). Falsity, the general belief that much of what is on social media is not real, showed a positive association with both frequency (P<.001) and engagement with (P=.003) social media. These results provide preliminary validity data for a social media reality measure that encompasses multiple evaluation schemas for social media content. The identification of divergent schemas expands the current focus beyond fake versus fact, while the goals, contexts, and outcomes of social media use associated with these schemas can guide future digital media literacy efforts. Specifically, the social media reality measure can be used to develop tailored digital media literacy interventions for addressing diverse public health issues.

STEAM-Based Learning for Mechanical Engineering

&lt;span lang="EN-US"&gt;This study aims to implement the STEAM (Science Technology, Engineering Art Mathematics) based learning in the bachelor of mechanical engineering at the Universitas Sebelas Maret. Integrating STEAM learning in engineering students in design development improves students' understanding of mechanical engineering through projects, challenges, and milestones. This article focusses on how to integrate instructional project into learning-based area and evaluate how far their understanding of. In this article a descriptive approach was used. It aims to explain a phenomenon or social reality by describing variables related to a subject and unit of analysis. 33 university students studying mechanical engineering formed the study population. This study aims to provide an overview of the effectiveness of the STEAM-based learning process applied to the project design topic through descriptive research. The data indicate that learning has improved, and students are now learning more cases and actively gaining knowledge than in the past. Further details about the topic are discussed in this article.&lt;/span&gt;

Sources of solidarity. Between given identity and collective action

This article discusses possible ways to account for how solidarity comes to be constituted. Beyond accounts tying solidarity either to identity, or to the adherence to a common normative framework, recent scholarship has underscored the role played by collective action in bringing about solidarity. In this paper, I agree that collective action has been often overlooked as a fundamental element in constituting solidarity but warn against the risk of conceptualizing the source of solidarity exclusively in terms of action. Instead, I propose to understand solidarity as resulting from the continuous interaction between two different dimensions of solidarity: constitutive solidarity that centres on collective action, and constituted solidarity which centres on given identities. My paper begins by distinguishing the two meanings of solidarity – constituted and constitutive. The first referring to an (instituted) set of mutual obligations applying to a given group, the second referring to solidarity as underlying social bond, which establishes the solidarity group in the first place. The paper then goes on to discuss three different accounts of constitutive solidarity: identity-based, obligations-based and action-based. I argue that only the action-based account can conceptualise the coming about of new forms of solidarity and the changing scope of the solidarity group. Yet, such accounts are unable to conceptualise how constitutive solidarity can come to ground constituted forms of solidarity, able to endure through time. On this basis, I propose to interpret constitutive and constituted solidarity as two ‘moments’ of solidarity, one symbolically grounding the other, even if not through linear causation. Rather, constitutive solidarity is constantly evolving and constantly contributes to remap the identities depicting social reality, which ground constituted forms of solidarity.

Translation as retelling

Abstract Taking the perspective that translation is a form of (re)narration that participates in (re)constructing social reality (Baker 2018), this article examines how translation is used as a rigorous means for mediating meaning, narrativity and cultural representation. Focusing on a case study of Amores do Céu e da Terra: Contos de Macau (2014), a Portuguese version of the original Chinese prose essay collection Youqing Tiandi (1991), this article examines the Portuguese version as “reconto” (retelling) to see how the public (collective) narratives of Macao are reframed by the translators in the target language and culture. The analysis reveals that the original narratives are reconstructed by the Portuguese translators through their agency at the contextual, textual, intertextual and paratextual levels. Such reframing has resulted in a new version that reconstructs the public narratives and cultural image of Macao for Portuguese readers.

Filmmaking as a Medium of Public Communication in Addressing Social Problems

Purpose: This paper is focused on the role of motion pictures as a medium of public communication directed at addressing social problems and evoking a change in behaviour of the masses. From the moment the art of cinema was born in the late 19th century, films have served as an instrument of shifting public consciousness, i.e., inspiring social change, disseminating ideas and values, raising awareness of the acute social, cultural, and political issues etc. The purpose of this research is to consider, study, and analyse film production as: a) a form of reflecting significant socio-political processes and cultural innovations, as well as representing ideologies; and b) a mechanism that creates, forms, and shapes a new social reality. Materials and Methods: The methodology of this research is based on content analysis and focused on the dynamics of cinematic response to the acute global issues, as well as development of social problem films as an instrument of public communication aimed at raising awareness and inspiring a change within society. The theory to be proved through this paper is that motion pictures have a major influencing power over human brain and social consciousness, and that this power can and has been applied to evoke large-scaled shifts in society. Findings: To summarize the key findings, the content analysis of notable social problem film productions, their impact on the dynamics in public attitudes, and consequent changes in behaviour of the masses demonstrate the pattern of filmmakers’ exponential progress in communicating social message to the target audience and, to a greater or lesser extent, managing to affect, shift, or even transform social reality. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: In order to support the proposed theory and expand the knowledge on “the formula” of success in influencing public mind through filmmaking, further research is required.

The politics of belonging in Arunachal Pradesh: rules of exclusion and differentiated citizenship

ABSTRACT This paper unravels the politics of belonging, the legal-political regime of exclusion, and differentiated citizenship in the multi-layered social and political context of Arunachal Pradesh, India. This paper aims to engage with the institutional arrangements of the Indian state that accommodate the ethno-cultural differences in a multi-ethnic society. Set amidst the changing social and economic realities of Arunachal Pradesh, this study relates to the emerging contestations around the protection of Indigenous identity and the need for differential treatment of people in multiethnic societies by embedding these discussions within policy debates on Inner Line Regulation and land legislations in the state. This paper adopts an incisive approach to understand the implications of such protective measures on the conceptualization of citizenship in states with a significant Indigenous population. It argues for examining the implications of ethnicised forms of governance in favour of democratic power sharing structures and representative institutions of the economy.

Ventilation and Public Health: A Fraught History.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a vigorous public health discussion has arisen over indoor air quality and ventilation. In popular press articles, bestselling books, and the US Environmental Protection Agency's recently announced Clean Air in Buildings Challenge, scholars and policy experts have claimed that improved ventilation systems can lead to better productivity and performance. By reevaluating those claims in light of the history of public health in Great Britain and the United States, we found that better ventilation has frequently been proposed as a cost-effective and nonintrusive means of improving health in institutions experiencing structural and environmental public health problems. Furthermore, our examination of efforts to provide ventilation for enslaved people, incarcerated people, and the urban poor revealed a consistent lack of government regulation and a disassociation of air quality concerns from broader environmental, social, and economic realities. By continuing to ignore these broader contexts, current ventilation efforts risk repeating this pattern. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(8):798-804. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307670).

The interaction of social reality and cultural values in the art of installation

The interaction of social reality and cultural values in the art of installation