Structuring Research Articles

Sociology of Graft in Sierra Leone: A Foucault Cognizance

Imploring a Foucault cognizance to comprehending graft in Sierra Leone furnishes fascinating sociological inquiry of how primacy is at the mecca of this social curiosity. In Sierra Leone graft has dawned as the significant risk to impoverished folk’s subsistence as it influences social domains of people. This sociological inquiry accommodates a refined discourse of how graft is fundamentally a snag of primacy. It utilizes commonplace social case constructions of existence in Sierra Leone to emphasize the commonness of primacy in the social discourse of graft. The sociological inquiry accommodates a social substructure for the evolution of the sociology of graft in Sierra Leone by debriefing how graft and primacy are presently devised as personal exploits without comprehending the expansive nexus of primacy and consequently it affects admittance and snub. The sociological inquiry argues that dislodging graft political leaders or bureaucrats is not adequate to liquidate destitution nonetheless what is essential is a rudimentary transformation of the connections of primacy deployed on asymmetrical or unfair social structures.

Social restructuring during harsh environmental conditions promotes cooperative behaviour in a songbird.

Cooperation may emerge from intrinsic factors such as social structure and extrinsic factors such as environmental conditions. Although these factors might reinforce or counteract each other, their interaction remains unexplored in animal populations. Studies on multilevel societies suggest a link between social structure, environmental conditions and individual investment in cooperative behaviours. These societies exhibit flexible social configurations, with stable groups that overlap and associate hierarchically. Structure can be seasonal, with upper-level units appearing only during specific seasons, and lower-level units persisting year-round. This offers an opportunity to investigate how cooperation relates to social structure and environmental conditions. Here, we study the seasonal multilevel society of superb fairy-wrens (Malurus cyaneus), observing individual responses to experimental playback of conspecific distress calls. Individuals engaged more in helping behaviour and less in aggressive/territorial song during the harsher non-breeding season compared to the breeding season. The increase in cooperation was greater for breeding group members than for members of the same community, the upper social unit, comprised of distinct breeding groups in association. Results suggest that the interaction between social structure and environmental conditions drives the seasonal switch in cooperation, supporting the hypothesis that multilevel societies can emerge to increase cooperation during harsh environmental conditions.

Development of Creative Economy Based on Local Wisdom in the Era of Digital Transformation Through Inclusive Education and Village Community Empowerment in Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta

This research aims to examine how inclusive education, community empowerment, and digital transformation contribute to the development of a creative economy based on local wisdom in Indonesia, with a focus on Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta. Inclusive education, which is a primary concern in addressing social inclusion challenges, still shows low participation rates in Indonesia. Meanwhile, the presence of local communities in Indonesia, if supported by local governments and digital transformation, has the potential to open new opportunities in developing the creative economy with the utilization of digital technology to enhance reach and competitiveness. The research methodology employs a case study approach with qualitative methods, allowing for an in-depth understanding of the phenomena under investigation. Data were collected through library research and participant observations and then analyzed thematically. The research findings indicate that collaborative initiatives of local governments with stakeholders to develop locally-based tourism villages and the implementation of inclusive education in schools around these tourism villages have improved social inclusion and empowered the local economy. Active participation from various parties, such as local governments, communities, and social organizations, in managing and promoting tourism destinations has successfully increased collective income and community welfare. Through the adoption of digital technologies such as social media, online marketing, tour guide applications, and data management, tourism villages in Bantul can reach broader markets and enhance their competitiveness. As a result, not only is there an increase in economic welfare for local communities, but also an appreciation for local wisdom and traditional culture.

CULTURAL DYNAMICS OF THE KANIKKAR TRIBE: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC INQUIRY

This ethnographic study delved into the intricate cultural dynamics of the Kanikkar tribe, a marginalized indigenous community residing in the southern regions of Kerala. Through immersive fieldwork and qualitative analysis, the research explored the multifaceted aspects of Kanikkar culture, including their social organization, livelihood, traditional practices, belief systems, cultural identity, and interactions with the surrounding environment. The Kanikkar tribe displayed unique cultures, lifestyles, customs, traditions, religious practices, and rituals. Their lifestyles connected them to the land, forests, rivers, and natural resources. Subsistence practices such as hunting, fishing, agriculture, and gathering sustained them. Traditional clothing, music, dance, and storytelling formed integral parts of their cultural expression. They were renowned for their traditional medicinal expertise, possessing intricate knowledge of herbs and their healing properties. The findings of this inquiry shed light on the resilience of Kanikkar traditions in the face of modernization, as well as the ongoing processes of cultural adaptation and transformation within the community.

Cinema and the Digital Revolution: The Representations of Digital Culture in Films

This article examines popular cinema’s interactions with digital culture, focusing on cinema and social structure. A product of technological and social developments, digital culture has introduced the creation of cyberspace, the emergence and spread of social media, and the formation of virtual communities. This article focuses on a specific period (1980 – 2010) to examine the evolution in cinema of portrayals of digital culture. The analysis includes four influential films: WarGames (1983, by John Badham), Perfect Blue (1997, by Satoshi Kon), Pulse (2001, by Kiroshi Kurosawa), and Life in a Day (2011, by Kevin Macdonald, Loressa Clisby, and Tegan Bukowski). The article provides a guide to popular cinema's interaction with and use of the possibilities offered by digital culture, revealing how the four selected films reflect digital culture themes. Each film demonstrates different aspects and dynamics of digital culture at a particular time, offering a unique look at that period's social and technological landscape through its portrayal of technological developments, human relations, cultural values, and social norms. Each film evaluates the impact of the digitization process on cinema from different perspectives, depicting how cinema adapts and responds to technological changes.

Rethinking Resistance as Relational – Resisting Psychologization in Psychology: Lessons from Carrère’s Between Two Worlds

AbstractPsychology, and in particular mainstream positive psychology, is fuelled by discourses on resistance strategies, understood as the individual capacity to resist and adapt to negative and oppressive thoughts, circumstances, experiences, and social structures. This self-strategy of resistance is evident in positive psychology’s notions of resilience: grit, life-crafting, and job-crafting behaviors, for example. While positive psychology would have us believe these strategies are associated with overcoming hardship and living a good life, they risk imbricating people in their own oppressions. In this paper, we engage in a reading of Carrère’s Between Two Worlds (original title Ouistreham) (2021), a movie featuring multiple examples of resistance. The movie shows how precarious workers enact self-strategies of resistance to fight for a decent and bearable life. They persevere despite ongoing hardships, seek joy amidst tragic life events, and find meaning in menial labor. However, resistance also appears as relational and political, and thus escapes and exceeds self-focused psychological categories of resistance. Resistance appears as the refusal to be understood solely in individual and individualizing ways – as a psychologized and knowable subject – and is characterized by relational, contextual, and political tactics. The movie profanes established positive psychology’s individualist focus on resistance. This profanation of self-strategies of resistance affords an opportunity to rethink resistance beyond the individual and compels us to problematize the tendency to psychologize and individualize social phenomena. In doing so, our paper too resists the determination of psychological language (i.e., psychologization) and advances ideas for alternative resistances in, to, and of psychology.

Analisis Peninggalan Keagamaan Hindu-Buddha di Kedatuan Sriwijaya: Perspektif Sosio-Kultural

This research aims to discover how the existence and development of the Hindu-Buddhist religion in Kedatuan Sriwijaya influenced society's social structure, culture and values at that time. The methods used in this research are literature study, field data collection, archaeological analysis, and interviews with historical and cultural experts. Religious life in the Srivijaya Kingdom, founded around the 7th to 14th centuries AD, was dominated by Hinduism and Buddhism. In that period, these two religions played an important role in shaping the culture, society, and politics of Sriwijaya. Socio-cultural, the start of the Cultural Integration of Hindu-Buddhist Heritage, reflects the solid cultural integration between these religions and local culture in Kedatuan Sriwijaya. Religious Harmony: this relic shows the existence of harmony between followers of these religions in Sriwijaya society. Religious Expansion: in this section, the Srivijaya chiefdom was essential in spreading Buddhism in Southeast Asia. Education Center Monks and Brahmins who visited Sriwijaya brought religious and cultural knowledge and influenced religious education. Economy and Trade started with Sriwijaya's strategy of developing the trade sector by building a substantial fleet of ships and controlling robust trading ports. Then, the artistic heritage, Hindu-Buddhist artistic and architectural heritage in Sriwijaya reflects the influence of the culture and religious beliefs that inspired it.

Killing Time: The Role of Boredom in Glasgow Gangs

Abstract Boredom may be one of the largest maladies of the modern world. A phenomenon which has increasingly become embedded in our social structures. Yet, as a concept within criminology there is a dearth of knowledge concerning it, despite the influence it has on offending and offending behaviours. Through a constructivist grounded theory (CGT) methodology with gangs in Glasgow, insights are shared, exploring how and in what ways boredom affects gang members and the strategies employed to alleviate it. This paper applies Svendsen’s (2005) existential definition of boredom and explores the concepts of temporality, meaning-making and agency as occurring at the nexus of boredom and excitement-seeking behaviours for Glasgow gang members.

한국 최저임금 담론정치에 관한 비판적 분석

This study examines the social movement's framing strategy and the changing discourse of the institution through the case of the minimum wage movement. The discourse politics of the minimum wage began in earnest in the 2000s and has continuously changed. Social movement organizations, especially the newly emerging labor movements have been actively producing new framings related to the minimum wage. Through the framing of ‘the minimum wage is the youth wage,’ the Youth Union has made the minimum wage a important social agenda connecting the issue with the precariousness of youth generation. The Part-time Workers’ Union’s ‘minimum wage into 10,000 won’ restructured the existing minimum wage discourse through a progressive framing, stimulating the formation of public opinion necessary for a sharp increase. However, the minimum wage movement failed to respond to the rapidly growing number of people opposing the increases. As a result, the impetus for raising the minimum wage was lost. Through the analysis, it was confirmed that the frames dispute with each other and are ultimately adopted among social movement sector. Institutional discourse acts as an environment that constrains social movements when they construct framing strategies, but social movements can change existing discourse even within these constraints.

Ukrainian historical terminology designating social and military status in Old Rus': Examining their counterparts in English

The article researches translators' challenges in rendering domain-specific terms which include culture-specific items. The study has been carried out using Old Rus' historical terminology employed to designate social and military status. It was selected en masse from academic texts, using monographs and academic articles in both languages. 82 language units representing culture-specific historical terms related to social, political and military organisation of the society of that period were chosen and described in terms of appropriate translation. Our hypothesis has been tested as to the unacceptability of approximation (analogous translation and generalisation) in rendering culture-related terms that designate highly specific concepts of the defined period in Ukrainian history. The research establishes that approximate translation fails to meet the requirements of strict definition and accuracy demanded by professional terminology. Our study underlines the importance of secondary term formation, descriptive translation, and the method called combined renomination (transcription and description combined). For a translation to be accurate, the shift in translation should follow the shift in concept. The specific term may have wider, more general semantics, and in each particular context it should be specified. The use of the description or combined renomination helps to make the meaning of the concept clearer. The study demonstrates that the most accurate and effective secondary term formation usually follows the pattern of term formation in the original language.

Navigating the Complex ESG Accounting Landscape: Engineering a Method Selection Framework

Environmental, social, and governance accounting (ESGA) aids organizations in achieving their sustainability goals through continuous improvement. Suitable method selection is crucial to prevent rework, additional expenses, trivial outcomes, and reduced confidence in sustainability practices. The current ESGA method selection process lacks comprehensive consideration of alternatives and criteria, occasionally resulting in suboptimal choices. This work aims to achieve optimal ESGA by engineering a method selection framework. The research approach is based on the design cycle, where engineering decisions are informed by empirical evidence. The main findings are that the framework, which includes a decision model and a supporting information system, can reduce the chances of organizations selecting an unsuitable method, whilst sparing decision-making managers time and effort. Firstly, the reusable elements of the framework can help managers of any organization select a suitable method more efficiently since they do not have to produce these elements themselves. Secondly, the results demonstrate how selection frameworks and tools can aid organizations in navigating the complex ESG accounting landscape. Lastly, this study lowers the barrier for organizational impact management; in particular, for measuring and reporting ESG impact, which is a rigorous assessment of the organization’s progress towards sustainable development goals.

The gene “degrees of kevin bacon” (dokb) regulates a social network behaviour in Drosophila melanogaster

Social networks are a mathematical representation of interactions among individuals which are prevalent across various animal species. Studies of human populations have shown the breadth of what can spread throughout a social network: obesity, smoking cessation, happiness, drug use and divorce. ‘Betweenness centrality’ is a key property of social networks that indicates an individual’s importance in facilitating communication and cohesion within the network. Heritability of betweenness centrality has been suggested in several species, however the genetic regulation of this property remains enigmatic. Here, we demonstrate that the gene CG14109, referred to as degrees of kevin bacon (dokb), influences betweenness centrality in Drosophila melanogaster. We identify strain-specific alleles of dokb with distinct amino acid sequences and when the dokb allele is exchanged between strains, flies exhibit the betweenness centrality pattern dictated by the donor allele. By inserting a GAL4 reporter into the dokb locus, we confirm that dokb is expressed in the central nervous system. These findings define a novel genetic entry point to study social network structure and thereby establish gene-to-social structure relationships. While dokb sequence homology is exclusive to Diptera, we anticipate that dokb-associated molecular pathways could unveil convergent neural mechanisms of social behaviour that apply in diverse animal species.

Медии, медийна култура, комуникации: процеси и трансформации

Abstract: This study aims to explore various scholarly perspectives on defining the concept of media culture and its significance for media, social, and cultural development. The theoretical review presents relevant theories, concepts, ap¬proaches, and important themes in the field of media culture. It argues for the necessity of a coherent theory of media transformation and media culture. The hypothesis posits that modern technologies utilizing artificial intelligence are not equivalent to human capabilities but are increasingly encroaching upon tradi¬tio¬n¬ally human domains such as language, religion, art, and politics. The conclusions drawn from the theoretical review and critical reading are applicable to several scientific fields. Media transformation often involves conflicts and is accom¬panied by crises. Therefore, media transformation can be seen as a process of transitioning from the old to the new. It expresses a new experience over time, accompanied by crises that arise from changes in technical, social, and political structures. These crises lead to a profound transformation in the media system and represent a turning point for the phenomenon of media culture as a social practice constructed by the media, through which meaning is created via different forms of communication. Keywords: transformation, media, media culture, media competence, culture, technology

Sprzeciw od decyzji kasatoryjnej – perspektywa konstytucyjna

The subject of the article is an analysis of the compatibility of the solutions adopted within the institution of opposition to a cassation decision with the Polish Constitution. As part of the introduction of the institution of objection to a cassation decision, the legislator provided for special solutions within the framework of administrative court proceedings aimed at speeding up the proceedings from the objection. However, the speed of the proceedings is not an absolute value and must not violate the right of the individual to a fair trial. Hence, the purpose of the study is to answer the question of whether the adopted solutions meet the constitutional standard, taking into account the interpretation of the legislation adopted in case law and doctrine. The subject of the study are, among other things, the following solutions: shortening the time limit for the issuance of a ruling by an administrative court, limited cognition of an administrative court, participation in judicial-administrative proceedings only of the authority and the objector, restriction of the possibility of taking part in the proceedings of social organizations, lack of the possibility of filing a cassation complaint against a ruling allowing an objection, linguistic analysis of the provisions in terms of meeting the standard arising from the principle of correct legislation. In addition, the authors make a de lege ferenda postulate not to stop at a mere critical assessment of the adopted legislative solutions.

CRITICAL PEDAGOGY IN THE 21st CENTURY: CHALLENGES AND POSSIBILITIES

A pedagogical approach known as "critical pedagogy" encourages instructors to support students as they analyse systems of authority and opportunities that are based on "critical theory," which involves becoming conscious of and challenging the status quo in society. Through critical pedagogy, instructors motivate pupils to explore and confront social and familial injustices by drawing on their own enlightenment. The current social structure is still battling against social evil, injustice, and equality. Worker exploitation, disdain for those from other sociocultural backgrounds, mob lynching, and a decline in values all serve as stark examples of how the educational system has failed to instil civilization in society. Although we may have advanced materialistically, a progressive mentality has not yet been attained. As a result, critical pedagogy practise in the twenty-first century becomes pertinent. Critical pedagogical strategies are challenging to put into practise in regular classroom settings. Developing measures to ensure these obstacles begins with an understanding of some of these barriers and how they appear in higher education institutions. Thus, this paper discusses the challenges that could occur while attempting to employ critical pedagogy. This paper also discusses the possibilities of using critical pedagogy in the classroom for the benefit of the students.

Towards a constitutional sociology of property rights:

The article examines the emergence of modern social structures of property rights and their constitutional implications during the formation of world society. While European history has addressed this topic regionally, the process of modernization in colonial and postcolonial contexts, along with its global connections, remains underexplored. This work combines theoretical reflections from the literature on the sociology of constitutions with historiographical research on the formation of modern property rights in Europe and its colonies. It argues that the property structure of colonial Brazil is decisive for social cleavages and the social reproduction of exclusion in the later period. Due to the role land played in the constitution of power and privileges in the colonial times, postcolonial elites remain tied to the land. This results in no considerable and powerful sectors within postcolonial elites, unlike the Central and Northern European context, being interested (and strong enough) to break with the exclusionary social hierarchies inherited from the old regime. The old elite tied to land was also the new elite of independent Brazil.

Unveiling the Dualities: Exploring the Intersectionality of Caste and Gender in Meena Kandasamy's Literary Landscape

This research paper delves into the nuanced portrayal of caste intersectionality with gender in the literary works of Meena Kandasamy, a prominent contemporary Indian writer. Kandasamy's narratives provide a rich tapestry through which to examine the multifaceted experiences of individuals navigating the complex social structures of caste and gender in India. Through a close analysis of selected texts, this study aims to elucidate the ways in which caste and gender intersect to shape identities, power dynamics, and social hierarchies. Drawing on intersectional feminist theory and postcolonial perspectives, the paper explores how Kandasamy's characters negotiate and resist the oppressive forces of caste and patriarchy, while also highlighting the complexities and contradictions inherent in their struggles for agency and liberation. By engaging with Kandasamy's literature, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the intricate interplay between caste and gender in contemporary Indian society, shedding light on the lived realities of marginalized individuals and communities.

Urban Gardening as Food Commons: METU Garden

The inadequacy of agricultural production due to environmental factors and injustices in accessing food as a result of increasingly profit-oriented production-distribution-consumption processes have led to the food crisis in many cities worldwide. The fragility of the current food systems in the face of all these problematic conditions calls for alternative strategies to be developed. Food commons, in this sense, emerges as a novel form of commoning that blends practical aims (sharing of land, resources, and tools) with social aspirations (fostering cooperation, self-management, and community involvement) of the urban commons to address food-related problems. In this context, this study focuses on collective food production within urban gardens while accepting urban gardening as a form of food commoning. It further explores the role of common spaces and the social dynamics of urban gardening groups for urban food production. All these are discussed through a selected case study: METU Garden (ODTÜ Bostanı). Accordingly, this research aims to relate the social structures and spatial qualities of the METU Garden to food commons theories and frameworks. Acknowledging how food commoning practices occur in community-led urban gardens such as METU Garden can contribute to developing novel, bottom-up, and inclusive design strategies to tackle food-related problems in cities.

샤오훙 단편소설에 나타난 비극성 연구

The purpose of this study is to elucidate the tragic elements in the short stories “Wangasujeoksa,” “Gyo,” and “Soseongsamwol” by Xiao Hong. All three works connect their characters to the tragedy of death. This reflects how, despite China's attempts at new progress and innovation through the Xinhai Revolution and the May Fourth Movement in the early 20th century, lower-class women remained in poverty and became victims of an irrational social structure. This study aims to examine the tragedy in Xiao Hong's short stories within the unique historical context of China's modern and contemporary era. In particular, her short stories such as “Wangasujeoksa,” “Gyo,” and “Soseongsamwol” depict characters who, amidst the backdrop of China's transition during the modern and contemporary era, all meet tragic ends, succumbing to poverty, despair, misfortune, and suffering. Therefore, it seeks to explore the tragedy in the context of Chinese modern history by examining Xiao Hong's tragic worldview, her consciousness of tragedy, and the tragic experiences of her characters. If the previous research analyzed the tragedy in Xiao Hong's mid-length novels, this study focuses on the tragedy depicted in Xiao Hong's short stories within the context of modern and contemporary China. This research aims to find ways to study Xiao Hong's short stories from various perspectives.

Social and Seasonal Organisation of Red Deer Hunting from the Neolithic to the Late Iron Age (c. 2000 BC to AD 1000)

This is the first paper to examine social and seasonal organization of red deer hunting using stone-set hunting blinds in Norway. The paper examines seven hunting blinds discovered in Gjesdal, western Norway. Four of the hunting blinds are unique; it was possible to date them directly with radiocarbon dating. The sites exhibit multiple construction phases, with a usage period ranging from the Neolithic to the Mid Iron Age, and we would suggest likely extending into the Late Iron Age and Middle Ages. The datings and multiple phases make it possible to discuss temporal change in the construction of the hunting blinds, which is unprecedented in a Fennoscandian context. Hunting appears to align with social trends, becoming more prominent during periods of settlement decline and increased use of outfield resources for surplus production. While hunting in the lowlands of western Norway, particularly between 0 and 900 metres above sea level, appears to have been smaller in scale compared to mass-scale hunting in Norway’s high-altitude zones and eastern regions, the high population of red deer until about 500 years ago indicates profitable hunting opportunities during specific seasons. The cluster of hunting blinds suggests organized cooperation among neighbours and families, with surplus products potentially sold and exported to local and regional markets.