Social Relations Research Articles

Governing Inter‐Organizational Collaboration through Purpose Work and Purpose Borrowing: How Social Enterprises' Normative Aspirations Influence Business Partners' Practices

AbstractSocial enterprises may boost their impact by convincing collaborating businesses to contribute to their purposes. However, such enterprises typically lack the leverage to influence mainstream businesses. We investigate to what extent their abundant social resources might enable them to remedy this weakness to some extent. Taking a practice‐based perspective, we conduct an ethnographic case study of a social enterprise's collaborative relationships. We discover a collaboration process grounded in social purpose: If a social enterprise's underlying normative aspiration is to put ‘purpose before profit’ and it practices ‘purpose work’, its partners may conversely engage in ‘purpose borrowing’, which involves actions espousing the social enterprise's purpose even if they go against business common sense. We advance research on hybrid organizations by explaining how social enterprises can exert a significant degree of influence on their business partners thanks to their inherent social resources, which are more diverse and powerful than assumed so far. Furthermore, we contribute to inter‐organizational collaboration research by identifying a new mode of relational governance founded on social purpose that goes beyond the established modes based on legitimacy, trust, and reciprocity.

Exploring Phatic Communication Functions among Native and Nonnative English Speakers at Saudi Multilingual Context

English language is the first spoken language around the world, and it is the formal language for communication in my multilingual Saudi context. This paper is to conduct a further investigation to findings of a similar study conducted by Jumanto (2014) exploring the functions of phatic communication among English native speakers. Furthermore, this study aims at exploring phatic communication among native and nonnative English speakers in my workplace to have a healthy distinguished working atmosphere through guiding them to build a solid social relationship at workplace through involving in various communicative situations for the sake of rapport, not to convey information. For instance, to greet or reply to a greeting properly, start or end conversations with native or nonnative colleagues to avoid any inconvenience or misunderstanding due to the likely distinctions related to their different social or cultural backgrounds which may affect negatively on their relationship. To achieve this, an exploratory mixed study will be conducted in two phases using a questionnaire for quantitatively collected data, and then conducting semi-structured interviews for the same population to qualitatively collect data to have reliable findings. Additionally, the findings of this study reflect a great harmony among the phatic expressions used by native and nonnative speakers, especially native English speakers who try speaking the mother language, Arabic, of the nonnative English speakers for the purpose of greeting or starting interaction with each other. Accordingly, further research investigation could be conducted to explore the impact of phatic communication functions among native and nonnative speakers of any other languages on learning a second or a foreign language.

Legal Support of Media Security and Cognitive Sovereignty: Challenges of Social Engineering, Hybrid Wars and Web 3.0 Mechanisms (Part 1)

The paper considers the main technologies (including socio-humanitarian ones) that pose challenges to ensure the security of communication in the Internet environment and require the development of new regulatory models. The correlation and interrelationships of the concepts of information, information[1]psychological, reputational and media security; information and cognitive sovereignty; information, cognitive and hybrid warfare; the phenomenon of «soft power», «sociological propaganda», which is important for the unification of the terminological apparatus in this area, are considered. For the first time, from the point of view of jurisprudence, the concept of cognitive sovereignty is comprehensively considered and its components are characterized, including media security, cultural sovereignty, technological sovereignty, managerial sovereignty, and legal security. The research section devoted to the comprehensive consideration of the phenomenon of social engineering is also new, not only as a set of methods of psychological influence aimed at obtaining unauthorized access to data, but also as other complexes of socio-humanitarian technologies for managing meanings, methods and techniques of information and psychological influence on human behavior. The place of legal social engineering in the system of social engineering is considered and the role of the lawyer-strategist (lawyer-lawmaker) is justified as a social engineer who develops models for rationing not only current, but also emerging, predictable social relations. An analysis of the development of cyberspace from the point of view of the concept «Web 1.0 — Web 2.0 — Web 3.0 — Web 3» made it possible, firstly, to develop an author’s feature model of various «types» (stages) of the development of the Internet environment and, secondly, to identify challenges to the law caused by the need to ensure media security and cognitive sovereignty, and also the adaptation of new economic models.

Social and romantic experiences of banter: perspectives of gay men

AbstractBanter, a form of social communication, is used to facilitate social bonding in friendships and romantic relationships. However, associations between homosocial banter and “lad culture” and potential links to sexual violence and lower wellbeing have highlighted a problematic side to such interactions, especially among males during emerging adulthood. Despite male banter often involving homophobic comments and homosocial behaviour, banter experiences of gay men have to date largely been ignored in the literature. The aim of this study was to explore how gay men in a university setting understand and perceive banter. The data were devised from semi-structured interviews (n = 6, 20–22 years; male). An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) explored the participants’ experiences of banter in their everyday interactions, including within their same-sex friendships and romantic relationships. Themes highlighted how language and behaviours typical of homosocial banter often created a sense of unease when engaging with heterosexual friends, but banter use and perception could be influenced by context and social relationship. Complexities of navigating the ambiguity of banter are discussed.

Rhetoric-Linguistic Analysis of Argumentation in Political Discourse

This paper delves into the fascinating world of argumentation in language, aiming to provide an in-depth analysis of argumentation strategies utilized in political speeches, to uncover the techniques employed by public figures to persuade, influence, and shape public opinion. This research examines the linguistic and rhetorical devices prominent in political discourse. By dissecting speeches from political contexts, the study reveals how politicians construct and present their arguments to advance their agendas. Through the exploration of persuasive language and emotional appeal, this paper offers insights into the art of rhetoric in the realm of politics. The findings highlight the intricate interplay between language, power, and public discourse, ultimately contributing to a nuanced understanding of the role argumentation plays in shaping political landscapes. The study aims at analyzing how the Toulmin model is used in conjunction with emotional appeal in political speeches, specifying the effect of the social relationships between the speaker and the audience on the way arguments are constructed and presented, and identifying the effects of the goals of the speech on the way arguments are constructed and presented. The data of the study includes YouTube videos of politicians` speeches. The study uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to identify and analyze the method of arguing that is used, the strategies used to persuade the audience, and the rhetoric used to influence their effectiveness. The findings of the study show that the effectiveness of this arguing act is influenced by a number of factors, including the credibility of the speaker, the strength of the argument, and the social relations and common ground between the participants. The study also finds that emotional appeal is used to sway public opinion and advance political agendas.

Violent sustainability: Blitzscale and counteraccounting in an Indian agtech start‐up

AbstractIn recent years, there has been rapid digitalization in agriculture, with India seeing a significant rise in agricultural technology (agtech) start‐ups. Many of these start‐ups promise to address the climate crisis by promoting the economic and ecological sustainability of agriculture through market‐driven business models. Using institutional ethnography and counteraccounting at an Indian agtech start‐up, this article illuminates social, economic, and ecological relationships that are obscured by one firm's accounting practices. It shows how, despite tech‐entrepreneurs intending to help farmers, violence remains built into the design and effects of rapidly scaled‐up (“blitzscaled”) sustainability programs. The article proposes violent sustainability as a concept to highlight the unintended harm caused to potential beneficiaries due to structural violence underlying tech‐entrepreneurialism and inherent design flaws in blitzscaled sustainability programs. In doing so, it challenges the normalization and monetization of recurrent failures prevalent in tech‐entrepreneurial ventures.

O trabalho na Educação Ambiental Crítica

An environmental education (EE) system that does not analyze social and political issues cannot contribute to understanding the roots of problems involving the environment. The study of social relations and the production of life through work is fundamental to understanding the historical connection that human beings establish with nature and to pointing out ways to confront the environmental crisis - a symptom of a broader, civilizing crisis. More specifically in teacher training programs – essential subjects to the EE approach at school – it is important to not be fragmented and disconnected from the reality into which teachers and students are immersed. Therefore, analyzing and understanding the historical relationship between school, community, and their surrounding environment, especially regarding the concept of labor, is one of our bets for the training of critical and engaged teachers and citizens. In view of these concerns, we aim at describing and analyzing part of a teacher training program (initial and continuing) for members of a Pedagogical Residency Project, which occurred through the elaboration and carrying out of a participatory research study – an environmental mapping – with the community surrounding a local partnering school in Lavras-MG. Through this participatory research, content analysis, and the interviews with community members, we observed that the study of working relations, as well as other particularities of the local community, can bring elements of great relevance to the exercise of critical EE, especially in this context of teacher training.

RESOLVING CONFLICTS OF LAW DURING JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF UKRAINE

Background: Law is a key regulator of social relations. Its systemic nature is fundamental for proper, clear and comprehensive regulation of legal relations. As an integral system, law has its own logic, structure, order and purpose. This purpose is to properly regulate social relations, ensure law and order, and qualitatively and consistently satisfy the rights, obligations and interests of participants in legal relations. However, legal regulation is not without its flaws. One major issue of legal regulation is gaps in the law, where certain social relations lack proper legal regulation due to a lack of specific legislative or legal approaches. Other flaws include conflicts between laws, legislative gaps, qualified silence of the legislator, "darkness" of legal norms, and a "seeming" need for legal regulation and other legal phenomena similar in nature. This article addresses how judges resolve conflicts of law in the course of judicial proceedings, namely the construction of a mechanism to resolve conflicts within national legislation to ensure the right to a fair trial. This issue is of particular importance in the context of the war in Ukraine because, unlike in the relatively stable judicial practice of resolving disputes that arise in a society where there is no war, today, the courts now face unprecedented cases, such as those involving military medical commissions decisions, financial support of military personnel, and new wartime criminal prosecution. Additionally, judges must navigate the procedural norms for the administration of justice in wartime, which are changing rapidly. The study identifies specific cases of conflict in law, particularly in issues related to mobilisation. It highlights how inconsistencies in current legislation and the lack of uniform approaches to overcoming them often prevent citizens from exercising their rights. This situation directly contradicts the Sustainable Development Goals in terms of building peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, ensuring access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels. The authors of the article highlight the growing importance of legal principles in resolving conflicts within the law. Foundational concepts like the rule of law, legal certainty, and legality are recognised grounds for judicial decision-making. Accordingly, this allows courts to interpret conflicts in specific areas of legislation – such as tax legislation in favour of the taxpayer, child rights in favour of children, and labour law in favour of employees. Consequently, similar claims may be resolved differently depending on their subject matter. To support this analysis, the authors analysed 150 decisions of Ukrainian judges, studied the concept of conflicts, formulated a refined definition, assessed the role of judicial law-making in resolving legal conflicts, and developed a mechanism for addressing conflicts in law by judges. Methods: The authors employed a general dialectical analysis approach grounded in the doctrine of society and thinking, along with the historical method, to analyse the development of legal norms and institutions in different historical periods. This approach provides insights into their origins, evolution and impact on the modern legal system. Methods of analysis and synthesis of information were also utilised. To support the authors’ conclusions, relevant empirical information, including court decisions from the Unified State Register of Court Decisions, were referenced. A total of 150 court decisions containing collisions from 2015 to 2024 were analysed, 22 of which were cited in this article. Results and Conclusions: Conflicts in law are defined as subjectively caused phenomena involving the confrontation of several norms or their totality, resulting in the inability to apply legal norms effectively, clearly, and consistently to regulate social relations. A definition of conflicts in law from a judicial perspective is also proposed: they are contradictions within legal regulation, a negative legal phenomenon that a judge, with the authority vested in them, must resolve in a manner that upholds fundamental principles of law during the administration of justice.

Evaluating the Efficacy of LLMs to Emulate Realistic Human Personalities

To enhance immersion and engagement in video games, the design of Affective Non-Player Characters (NPCs) is a key focus for researchers and practitioners. Affective Computing frameworks improve Non-player characters (NPC) by providing personalities, emotions, and social relations. Large Language Models (LLMs) bring the promise to dynamically enhance character design when coupled with these frameworks, but further research is needed to validate the models truly represent human qualities. In this research, a comprehensive analysis investigates the capabilities of LLMs to generate content that aligns with human personality, using the Big Five and human responses from the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP) questionnaire. Our goal is to benchmark the performance of various LLMs, including frontier models and local models, against an extensive dataset comprising over 50,000 human surveys of self-reported personality tests to determine whether LLMs can replicate human-like decision-making with personality-driven prompts. A range of personality profiles were used to cluster the test results from the human survey dataset. Our methodology involved prompting LLMs with self-evaluated test items for each personality profile, comparing their outputs to human baseline responses, and evaluating the accuracy and consistency. Our findings show that some local models had 0% alignment of any personality profiles when compared to the human dataset, while the frontier models, in some cases, had 100% alignment. The results indicate that NPCs can successfully emulate human-like personality traits using LLMs, as demonstrated by benchmarking the LLM's output against human data. This foundational work serves as a methodology for game developers and researchers to test and evaluate LLMs, ensuring they accurately represent the desired human personalities and can be expanded for further validation.

Para pensar América Latina, de lo general a lo localizado

The main objective of this essay has been to formulate a provocation that introduces the relevance and the need to question the way of thinking from Latin America, especially in the face of the urgency of developing localized ways of responding to or questioning the fundamental questions that affect the very existence of the region. The academic essay methodology has been followed for its development and structuring of the text and discussion of results. In this way, three parts are proposed that organize the reflection of the text, namely: 1. Why think from a Latin American philosophy? 2. Thinking from moments of crisis. 3. Why think from a Latin American philosophy? Among the conclusions and results, among other aspects, the need to think from the concern for the particular situation and the occupation to reflect from a regional vision, questioning the evident absences in traditional systems of thought, while thinking in a reflective way is a political act because it manages to imagine and propose changes in social relations. The reluctance to accept subalternity and domination as an ethical and methodological imperative is proposed, while at the same time undertaking South-South dialogues with other former colonies, peripheries and indigenous knowledge. Finally, it is urged to avoid falling into common criticisms in the style of a “critical common sense”, or convenient criticism of the “normal” state of things.

Language and Identity in Ketepik Bulian Padi Played in Gambus Belitung: A Sociolinguistic Study

Gambus and song lyrics complement each other, creating harmony while representing the history and cultural identity of their communities. This study aims to explore identity through diction choices, phonological processes, and musical notes in Gambus. These elements are assumed to reflect social relations and cultural identity. The sociolinguistic theory of isolect and identity theory are applied to analyze the lyrics and musical notes. This qualitative descriptive study employs library research using the song lyrics of Ketepik Belian Padi and the Gambus melody played by Sukino (a Gambus maestro) and his daughter, accessible at https://youtu.be/wEJMsTUhY9c. The research addresses two questions: (1) How is Ketepik Belian Padi in Gambus Belitung portrayed as a social identity? and (2) How is Ketepik Belian Padi in Gambus Belitung used as an element of social identity? The findings show that the identity of the people of East Belitung is deeply influenced by historical events and is preserved through these song lyrics.

Procedural fairness in algorithmic decision-making: the role of public engagement

AbstractDespite the widespread use of automated decision-making (ADM) systems, they are often developed without involving the public or those directly affected, leading to concerns about systematic biases that may perpetuate structural injustices. Existing formal fairness approaches primarily focus on statistical outcomes across demographic groups or individual fairness, yet these methods reveal ambiguities and limitations in addressing fairness comprehensively. This paper argues for a holistic approach to algorithmic fairness that integrates procedural fairness, considering both decision-making processes and their outcomes. Procedural fairness emphasizes the importance of fair decision-making procedures, which aligns with theories of relational justice that stress the quality of social relations and power dynamics. We highlight the need for substantive procedural fairness to ensure better outcomes and address forward-looking responsibilities. Additionally, we propose leveraging Public Engagement, a core dimension within the well-established Responsible Research and Innovation framework, to enhance procedural fairness in ADM systems. Our contribution underscores the value of Public Engagement in fostering fairer ADM processes, thereby expanding the current focus beyond technical outcome-based approaches to encompass broader procedural considerations.

The Empty Office: protocol for sequential mixed-method study on the impact of telework activities on social relations and well-being

IntroductionTeleworking is one of the most significant legacies of the pandemic. Great attention is now being paid to its effects on workers’ health. One of the arguments that emerged on...

A Hybrid Probabilistic Graph Based Community Clustering Model for Large Social Networking Link Prediction Data

Dynamic community clustering is essential for online social networking sites due to the high dimensionality and large data size. It aims to uncover social relationships among nodes and links within the network. However, traditional models often struggle with community structure detection because of the extensive computational time and memory required. Additionally, these models need contextual weighted node information to establish social networking feature relationships. To address these challenges, an advanced probabilistic weighted community detection framework has been developed for large-scale social network data. This framework uses a filter-based probabilistic model to eliminate sparse values and identify weighted community detection nodes for dynamic clustering analysis. Experimental results demonstrate that this filter-based probabilistic community detection framework outperforms others in terms of normalized mutual information, entropy, density, and runtime efficiency (measured in milliseconds).

Longitudinal associations among resilience, social isolation, and gender in U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan-era veterans.

Negative mental health outcomes are prevalent among veterans exposed to military-related stressors and are associated with social isolation. Limited research exists on resilience following military separation and its impact on social isolation in veterans. We examined resilience against military-related stressors and 2-year longitudinal associations with social isolation indicators; gender differences were also explored. U.S. military veterans (N = 351, 70.4% men) who deployed to the wars in and around Iraq and Afghanistan following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks (9/11) were recruited as part of a longitudinal assessment study examining predictors of postdeployment adjustment. Using a residualization approach, resilience was approximated as low stressor reactivity (SR), calculated by regressing mental health onto military-related stressor exposure. Military-related stressors were significantly associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to both events during post-9/11 deployment (deployment event) and outside of post-9/11 deployment (other event), functional disability, and depression. After correcting for multiple comparisons, only SR derived from depressive symptoms predicted more closeness difficulties in social relationships longitudinally, B = 0.50, q =.023. Women also demonstrated higher SR than men regarding other event-related PTSD symptoms, B = -0.52, q <.001; functional disability, B = -0.28, q =.028; and depression, B = -0.34, q =.012. Results suggest that veterans with higher depressogenic reactivity to military-related stressors were more likely to endorse discomfort with closeness than those with lower depressogenic reactivity. Women veterans may also be more impacted by nondeployment traumatic distress, psychosocial dysfunction, and depression in response to military-related stressors.

Proxies and partial connections in an anthropologist's archive.

This article examines the role of primary ethnographic materials - of field notes, letters and photographs - and even of the shelves and bookcases - in building accounts of the human condition. We trace the lives of incomplete and not-yet-found manuscripts, which have been treated as representative of whole archives, as well as closely held convictions and ideas in the history of anthropology. In so doing, we employ the notion of a 'proxy', or a set of signs and images which point the audience in particular directions, without determining their overall destination. Our research is based on a few episodes from the histories of paper and digital copies of manuscripts and photographs of the anthropological couple Sergei and Elizabeth Shirokogoroff, who conducted ethnographic, linguistic and some archaeological research, first on the borderlands between China and Russia, and then later within China. We aim to show the complexity and social and intellectual vibrancy of their ethnographic field archives, which have been scattered across countries, institutions and personal collections. We conclude by suggesting that engaging anthropologically with field archives enables us to approach existing perspectives on archives in a new way, viewing them not as containers of catalogued information, but as entanglements reflecting social relations in local communities, the trajectories of ethnographers, and the aspirations of scholars asking questions today.

Navigating (gendered) social worlds: A qualitative exploration of Canadian young people’s social relationships and mental health

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the gendered ways that youth in Canada are navigating their social relationships, and in turn, how this may be shaping their mental health experiences. Twenty young people between the ages of 11 and 17 (nine self-identified as girls, ten self-identified as boys, and one self-identified as non-binary) were recruited from across Canada and each participated in a virtual individual semi-structured interview. Social relationships were reported as highly important by all participants, and study findings illuminated the strong, persistent, and often implicit ways that these relationships are shaped by gender. This includes the ways that youth describe gender and social relationships influencing experiences and behaviours; how youth manage conflict; and the dissatisfaction that girls express regarding gendered stereotypes, expectations, and norms that they perceive their boy and non-binary peers to experience. Study findings provide context to understanding the gendered disparities that disadvantage all young people. Along with providing new evidence, this paper is a call to action to the adult duty bearers in society to lead changes in how young people are socialized so that they are better equipped to navigate relationships and conflict in positive and healthy ways.

How Do Time Since Diagnosis and Sociodemographic Factors Influence Attitudes Towards HIV Status Disclosure in People Living with HIV in Poland? Data from Go Holistic Go Beyond Project

The aim of this publication is to present the data from Polish respondents of the Go Holistic Go Beyond Project, which investigates social, professional and intimate relations of people living with HIV in Central and Eastern Europe. We analyze how the patients’ attitude towards disclosing their HIV status changes over time from diagnosis. A questionnaire was distributed among patients by three HIV out-patient clinics. Respondents were compared in three groups defined by the time from diagnosis: over 10 years ago, 6–10 years ago and within 5 years. In total, 381 persons living with HIV participated in the survey, 354 of respondents were male, 23 were female and 4 of the respondents did not identify with any of the above sexes. A significant decrease in hospital-diagnosed cases (from 53% to 39%) was observed, alongside an increased role of private laboratories and voluntary counseling and testing centers. Eighty-nine percent of participants shared their HIV status with at least one social group. There was no significant change in the patterns of HIV status disclosure, reason and form of HIV testing. Our results emphasize the importance of survey-based studies in identifying the needs of people living with HIV in order to improve their general well-being.

The Lived Experience of People With Intellectual Disability in Community Settings: A Comparison of Self‐Reports and Staff Reports

ABSTRACTBackgroundThere is a need for more qualitative research focusing on the lived experiences of people with an intellectual disability and a better understanding of how these experiences align with other voices in their lives, such as family and support staff.MethodsIn this qualitative study, we asked people with an intellectual disability (N = 87) and their support workers (N = 120) similar questions about factors contributing positively and negatively to the lives of those with an intellectual disability. We conducted a thematic analysis combining data across respondents, while also identifying areas of similarities and divergence between self‐reports and staff reports. The setting was community‐supported living schemes and group homes in the UK.FindingsQualitative themes, representing key positive and negative factors in the lives of people with an intellectual disability, were (1) Positive impact of social relationships on well‐being, (2) positive impact of participation and roles on self‐determination and well‐being and (3) negative impacts of difficulties affecting day‐to‐day life. These three themes are all linked to a broader sense of identity, purpose and self‐determination. These were broadly consistent across self‐reports and staff reports, although there were some points of divergence, particularly in Theme 3.ConclusionsThese findings reveal areas that are key to maximising the quality of life of people with an intellectual disability and suggest that self‐reports and proxy reports can sometimes offer unique perspectives. Our findings can be used to ensure that the priorities of people with an intellectual disability are considered in their care.

Power and Status Inconsistency and Conflict in Teams

Power and status, two forms of social hierarchy, are fundamental feature of social relations, and they have two functions that are especially important for teams that lack formal hierarchy: 1) to establish order and coordination, and 2) to motivate employees to strive for promotion. Hierarchy provides clear social governance in groups by allowing leaders to assign tasks or allocate resources, and it provides incentives for individuals to climb the organizational ladder to obtain greater compensation and comfort. Individuals with high power and/or high status are more likely to perform leadership behaviors in teams. However, they may also cause conflict by activating threat and distrust when other team members perceive that aspirants’ leadership behaviors are misaligned with their power and/or status. This misalignment can be complex because social hierarchy has multiple forms such as status and power and multiple levels such as team and organizational levels. The current study investigates (1) how the inconsistency between power and status of a team member affect conflict with other team members and (2) how team member’s needs for power and needs for status moderate the power-status inconsistency and conflict relationship. Data was collected from a sample of MBA student teams at a large mid-western university in the United States. In the results the study found no evidence of the power-status inconsistency and conflict relationship, yet found the moderating effect of needs for power on that relationship.