Social Thought Research Articles

Making or faking capitalism? Socialist dreams and postsocialist experiences in East-Central Europe

ABSTRACT Our paper proposes to rethink the concepts of modernization and modernity in the context of state socialist and postsocialist transformations in Eastern and Central Europe. By focusing on historical transformations, we seek to challenge normative and static constructions of the state socialist legacy and show that such perceptions are rooted in the Cold War ideological division. One way to contest this division is to reconceptualize socialist modernity. Drawing on James Ferguson’s seminal study on the “expectations of modernity,” we argue that modernization was central to the Eastern European Communist parties’ claims to legitimacy. While the state socialist experiment proved to be a failed political and social project, the dreams of modernity bereft of socialism continued to shape people’s self-images and social visions beyond the borders of “Eastern” Europe. In order to better understand the state socialist legacy and the political and social thinking of “postsocialist” people, we propose to link the study of the small transformations of everyday life with the critique of binary constructions of the concepts of socialism and capitalism.

Using Catholic Social Thought and the Normativity of the Future in Responding to the Super Wicked Problem of Climate Change

The climate crisis has been dubbed a “super wicked problem”—one where there is a sense of urgency, complicity in the problem by those who wish to solve it, and difficulty in sacrificing the short term for the long term. To respond to the difficulty of long-term thinking in addressing super wicked problems as part of SDG 13 (Climate Action), there is a need to pay attention to the narratives, norms, and values at work, and how we employ these categories in climate action. This paper discusses how Catholic social thought and the concept of the normativity of the future can be an approach to understanding the SDGs and the alternative future they offer in order to energize communities toward responding to the climate crisis, especially in response to current dominant narratives that make climate action difficult, as well as a way to make sense of the tensions found within the SDGs themselves.

The Colonial Origins of Modern Social Thought: French Sociology and the Overseas Empire by George Steinmetz (review)

The Colonial Origins of Modern Social Thought: French Sociology and the Overseas Empire by George Steinmetz (review)

В.С. Соловьев и цивилизационный выбор России

The attention is focused on the idea that the modern phase in the Russian philosophical and social thinking is characterized by the discourse on civilizational choice of Russia. Therewith, addressing the Russian religious and philosophical tradition is deemed to be relevant. The central personality of the Russian religious philosophy is Vladimir S. Solovyov – the ideological founder of the all-unity philosophy. His contemplation on multiple topics became significant for the Russian society of his time as well as of the modern days. It is stipulated, that one of the central topics for the Russian society is the problem of correlation of western and eastern elements of spiritual culture and historical development of Russia. Contemplation on this problem based on the creative heritage of Vladimir Solovyov makes his standpoint relevant in the current stage. The opinion that Solovyov's solution to the “East-West” dichotomy is based on the acknowledgement of universal christian values as the highest factor of historical development is being sustained. This allowed the founder of the all-unity to stipulate the highest ideals of spiritual and moral perfection as a goal of the progress of the society, to highlight the threat of spiritual crisis, to anticipate catastrophic events of the following historical period. The universalistic approach of Vladimir Solovyov presumes the inclusion of Russia into the context of the European Christian culture. The philosopher assumed for Russia a task of “global synthesis” of western and eastern values in global scale. Detailed ways of solving this task were utopian. The conclusion is made that the relevance of the philosopher's standpoint for the present is constituted by the vision of main tendencies in spiritual and social life. The all-unity philosophy is deemed to be productive to justify the general Russian identity of the present.

Triple Dimension Analysis of Xi Jinping’s Socialist Thought with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era Identity and Social Influence

Triple Dimension Analysis of Xi Jinping’s Socialist Thought with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era Identity and Social Influence

Review of Bernard G. Prusak and Jennifer Reed-Bouley, eds., Catholic Higher Education and Catholic Social Thought

Review of Bernard G. Prusak and Jennifer Reed-Bouley, eds., Catholic Higher Education and Catholic Social Thought

The Scientific Socialist Thought in Anti-D hring and Its Contemporary Value

Studying Marxism with the study of classic works as its root reveals the rich philosophical theories and strong practical significance within these works, providing fundamental guidelines for the continuous advancement of society in new contexts. Anti-D hring is one such work. This book, comprising 27 chapters, reflects the three components of Marxism and their intrinsic connections. This paper summarizes the relevant theoretical ideas presented in the book and focuses on exploring the content and value of scientific socialism, offering effective references for enhancing ideological understanding and clarifying the direction of progress.

Gender Roles, Social Thinking and Normative Aspects: A Pilot Study among Gabonese Women Drivers

In recent years, the emancipation of Gabonese women has gained momentum. Thanks to the launch of the African Women’s Decade in 2010, Gabon is implementing initiatives to empower Gabonese women. Access to driving is one of these initiatives. In the field of social thinking, the study of normative models highlights the ability of respondents to substitute for others and the influence of reference models. The objectives of this pilot study are to see how the models evolve and if it is possible to identify this autonomy in social thinking. A test of alternative choices based on eight pairs of stereotyped normative propositions (the inegalitarian vs. egalitarian model or valuing women) was submitted to a group of 41 Gabonese female drivers. The results show that these women make, on average, egalitarian choices, while they attribute more inegalitarian choices to their parents and male drivers. Regression analysis shows that parental and male drivers’ variables do not contribute to the model. The results are discussed in the context of existing research.

Practice and Reflection on Socialist Thought with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era in College Education

Higher education, as a key area for cultivating high-quality talents and future socialist builders, must comprehensively and deeply implement the Socialist Thought with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era, and continue to explore and optimise it in practice to meet the needs of the times. At the practical level, colleges and universities across the country have actively responded to the call of the Party and the government to deeply promote the wide dissemination of the Socialist Thought with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era on campuses and the deepening of people's hearts through multiple dimensions such as reform of the on-campus curriculum system, construction of teaching staff, and ideological and political education of students. Colleges and universities have endeavoured to build a comprehensive education system covering philosophy and social sciences as well as natural sciences, and to strengthen national awareness, historical awareness, and cultural self-confidence, so as to make them the cornerstones of students' learning and growth. At the level of thinking, educators and university administrators generally agree that the effective internalisation and educational practice of socialist thinking with Chinese characteristics in the new era requires the refreshing of classroom teaching content, the innovation of teaching methods and the creation of campus culture. In addition, emphasising the cultivation of students' critical thinking and independent thinking, and continuously improving their ability to solve real-world problems are also key in educational practice. This not only requires teachers to impart knowledge, but also focus on guiding students to have a deep understanding and rational evaluation of social phenomena. However, there are many challenges in the practice of socialist thought with Chinese characteristics in the new era in colleges and universities. Such as how to adhere to and develop the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the context of globalisation, how to strengthen and improve the ideological and political work of colleges and universities under the conditions of the market economy, and how to better solve the problem that the mechanism of nurturing people in colleges and universities is not adapted to the needs of social development, etc., which all need our in-depth thinking and active exploration of the solutions. In the future, the practice of Socialist Thought with Chinese Characteristics in the new era in college education will pay more attention to cultivating students' practical ability and innovation ability, pay more attention to the inheritance and promotion of traditional culture, and put more emphasis on humanistic care and whole-person education in education. Through such practice and thinking, it will not only provide intellectual support and talent guarantee for the development of university education and the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, but also create a broader space for the comprehensive development of all students and the realisation of their personal dreams.

The Manager and Love: Evoking a Loving Inquiry in a Group Setting

Neuroscientists, psychologists, educators, and management scholars propose that the current emphasis on intellect and reason in education and business over values such as love, connectedness, and compassion are at the root of many business ethical failures and societal problems. They argue not that reason should be abandoned in education and business management but rather that it needs to be balanced with values such as love because these attributes are innately human, enabling wise decision-making. This is a difficult task in the context of the current ethos of intellect and reason that dominates education and management. To correct the imbalance, we must explore ways of preparing future managers to accept the relevance and importance of learning to develop and embody love. Through our research, we provide an experience of community love by creating a caring, receptive, personal container. We engaged in the practice of Collaborative Autoethnography, integrating the Nguni South African concept of Ubuntu, to explore, research, and demonstrate the experience of love in a community setting. To support this practice, we framed it against the background of integrative justice, focusing on authentic engagement without exploitative intent as per Santos and Laczniak’s (2015) Integrative Justice Model (IJM) and built upon some common contexts from which love is considered such as Catholic Social Thought (CST) and indigenous cultures. We analyzed why and how love might be implemented in education and management and how Collaborative Autoethnography can be applied in connecting with others to research, learn from, and build upon the experience of love and connectedness.

Booth, Ph. – Azevedo Alves, A., Catholic Social Thought, the Market and Public Policy: Twenty-First-Century Challenges (C. Piano)

Booth, Ph. – Azevedo Alves, A., Catholic Social Thought, the Market and Public Policy: Twenty-First-Century Challenges (C. Piano)

Theories and approaches of social psychology

Social psychology is a field that studies how social thinking, behavior, and influence shape daily lives. This paper examines various social psychology theories, including social cognition, individual identity, and social influences. The main goal is to gain insight into the human behavior and interactions by exploring social, psychological, and sociological theories. The study used a systematic review based on previous research over three months and analyzed 80 research papers, ultimately using 28 papers that mostly covered the aim of this study. The findings highlighted the importance of racial diversity in shaping contemporary race relations and emphasized the need for cohesive yet diverse communities. The analyses revealed that individuals’ tendencies to self-serve inflate their traits’ moral value, influencing others’ self-perceptions and judgments. Innovative approaches such as agent-based modeling offered new perspectives on social dynamics, while identity emerged as a fluid construct shaped by socio-historical contexts. The ecological perspective provided valuable insights into the adaptive relationship between individuals and their environments. This review illuminates the crucial role of social psychology in understanding the complex interplay of individual behaviors, societal influences, and evolving identities. Throughout the paper, the discussion concerns the connection between theories and research and the application of findings to real-life situations. Hence, social psychology provides valuable insights into individual behavior and the social environment.

Siberian Regionalism as a Phenomenon of Social Thought in Late Imperial Russia

Abstract This article considers regionalism (oblastnichestvo) as an independent direction in the history of Russian thought and culture. Four varieties of regionalism are pointed out: Russian, Ukrainian, Siberian, and Western Russianism (zapadnorussizm), which held the principles of federalism in common. The philosophical and methodological basis of regionalism was narodnichestvo (populism)—the ideology and movement of the intelligentsia in Russia in the second half of the nineteenth century. Narodnichestvo was against serfdom and capitalist development in Russia, and for the overthrow of the autocracy by means of a peasant revolution, positivism, and Slavophilism. The program of the regionalists was addressed to the provincial intelligentsia and was largely aimed at the formation of an intelligentsia called to serve their region. The program of Siberian regionalism is considered in more detail.

Review: Catholic Higher Education and Catholic Social Thought, Bernard G. Prusak and Jennifer Reed-Bouley, eds.

Review: Catholic Higher Education and Catholic Social Thought, Bernard G. Prusak and Jennifer Reed-Bouley, eds.

Природа и закон в истории и космосе: из опыта политической мифологии

A study of the mutual impact of various modifications of social thinking that perceives and evaluates the prospect relevant for it, highlights a number of phenomena lying in the borderland between the aesthetic, legal and political spheres. Their complex synthetic character emphasizes multidimensionality of the image of nature.

Review of: George Steinmetz, The Colonial Origins of Modern Social Thought: French Sociology and the Overseas Empire (Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press, 2023).

Review of: George Steinmetz, The Colonial Origins of Modern Social Thought: French Sociology and the Overseas Empire (Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press, 2023).

Review of: George Steinmetz, The Colonial Origins of Modern Social Thought: French Sociology and the Overseas Empire (Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press, 2023).

Review of: George Steinmetz, The Colonial Origins of Modern Social Thought: French Sociology and the Overseas Empire (Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press, 2023).

Review of: George Steinmetz, The Colonial Origins of Modern Social Thought: French Sociology and the Overseas Empire (Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press, 2023).

Review of: George Steinmetz, The Colonial Origins of Modern Social Thought: French Sociology and the Overseas Empire (Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press, 2023).

Response to the Serendipities reviewers of The Colonial Origins of Modern Social Thought

Response to the Serendipities reviewers of The Colonial Origins of Modern Social Thought

Sin and Socialism: The Development of Realism in Christian Socialist Thought

ABSTRACT In this article I investigate how Christian socialist thought has approached the problem of human nature and realism. I focus on four key figures in the tradition: F. D. Maurice, Walter Rauschenbusch, Reinhold Niebuhr, and William Temple. My account makes two claims: first, that realist grounds for the Christian socialist vision developed as the tradition matured; and second, that it is possible to reconcile a realism grounded in original sin with socialism. The core of the realist argument for socialism is simply an extension of a primary justification for political democracy: because of sinful human nature, power needs countervailing forces. Decentralized economic democracy achieves this by distributing power widely. Markets do the same by decentralizing decision-making and enabling selfishness to be “harnessed” and yet “contained” by social ownership. Christian socialism can thus be understood as not only compatible with realism but as the logical outworking of realism.