Societal Influences Research Articles

Squatted Sacred Spaces: A Left-Radical Political Theology of Hamburg’s Rote Flora

ABSTRACT This paper analyzes Hamburg’s (in)famous squatted Rote Flora to argue that Left-radical squats can be fruitfully read as “sacred spaces.” It uses political theology vis-à-vis sacredness to understand fringe Left-radical subjects, and elucidates their purity concerns of space and political subjectivity. To this end, the paper adapts Bataille’s “left-sacred to the left-radical subject concerned with purity in the sense of being” “unassimilable” or “holy and set apart” from society. This occurs via maintaining a space that is “non-negotiable” to profane societal values, rather than in any deity-oriented or classical religious sense. Within this reading, these heterogeneous spaces must be maintained and kept “pure” of homogeneous profane (capitalist) influences. The paper analyzes these purity concerns via three manifestations: (1) the squat’s spatial purity from profane societal contamination or influence; (2) language and the fear of discursive integration through contracts; (3) the formation and reification of the pure, ascetic identity.

Exploring Reading Motivation of Undergraduate Level Students: A Narrative Inquiry

Exploring Reading Motivation of Undergraduate Level Students: A Narrative Inquiry

Sex disparities in mortality and cardiovascular outcomes in chronic kidney disease.

Sex (biologically determined) and gender (socially constructed) modulate manifestations and prognosis of a vast number of diseases, including cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). CVD remains the leading cause of death in CKD patients. Population-based studies indicate that women present a higher prevalence of CKD and experience less CVD than men in all CKD stages, although this is not as clear in patients on dialysis or transplantation. When compared to the general population of the same sex, CKD has a more negative impact on women on kidney replacement therapy. European women on dialysis or recipients of kidney transplants have life expectancy up to 44.8 and 19.8 years lower, respectively, than their counterparts of similar age in the general population. For men, these figures stand at 37.1 and 16.5 years, representing a 21% to 20% difference, respectively. Hormonal, genetic, societal, and cultural influences may contribute to these sex-based disparities. To gain a more comprehensive understanding of these differences and their implications for patient care, well-designed clinical trials that involve a larger representation of women and focus on sex-related variables are urgently needed. This narrative review emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the epidemiology and prognosis of sex disparities in CVD among CKD patients. Such insights can guide research into the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, leading to optimized treatment strategies and ultimately, improved clinical outcomes.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard: How Language and Societal Influences Shape Power and Discourses

The current paper aims to analyze the case of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s claims of domestic abuse, in the context of Foucault’s concepts of a socially constructed society, power, subject positions and discourses. Foucauldian Discourse Analysis goes against the westernized concept of structures such as gender, sexuality morality and norm, as it disregards the notion that these concepts are immutable and mainly biological, and suggests that society is fluid, placing the wider sociocultural and historical context of a society as the basic foundations of creating discourses, placing individual concepts and groups in hierarchies, with knowledge and power granting access to higher places in the societal hierarchy and therefore facilitating the production of discourses. In light of that, the introduction includes three qualitative studies that depict the fluidity of gender concepts regarding domestic abuse, and analyzing in the analysis section the power dynamics, subject positions and discourses created regarding the two actors, based on theoretical background around FDA analysis and social constructionism, qualitative studies, as well as recordings of the live trial in 2022 and two articles out of the four that were chosen, analyzing themes of gender differences, court environment and the media. The use of 6 analytic tools were used in order to identify the discourses, as well as explain the social constructionist perspective around gender and language. Keywords: Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, FDA, Gender, Discourse, Social constructionism

A Study of Select Variables Impacting Buying Behaviour of Electric Cars In India

The automobile industry is currently undergoing a significant transformation in its approach to transportation, primarily driven by increased awareness of climate change and limited resources. The recent resurgence of electric vehicles in the market can be attributed to various factors, including advancements in battery technology and government policies aimed at reducing vehicle emissions. This research focused on examining the factors that influence consumer purchasing behavior regarding electric cars in India. Primary data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire distributed to consumers. The survey sample was selected using a combination of conventional and snowball sampling techniques, drawing participants from the target population. The study and survey took place in the Delhi/NCR region from January to February 2023. A total of 649 questionnaires were distributed, out of which 324 were returned. After analysing the data, 214 fully completed responses were used for further analysis. The findings indicated that financial barriers, concerns about vehicle performance, lack of charging infrastructure, environmental awareness, societal influence, and knowledge of electric vehicles all significantly impact the decision-making process when considering the purchase of electric vehicles.

Decoding Pragmatic Strategies in Ferdy Sambo's Plea: Seeking a Glimpse of Hope in the Claustrophobic Courtroom

The prevailing research inadequately explores the pragmatic strategies within courtroom discourse, particularly in non-Western legal systems such as Indonesia. This study embarks on bridging this gap by analyzing pragmatic strategies employed in Ferdy Sambo's plea within the Indonesian legal environment. Utilizing qualitative methods encompassing discourse and pragmatic analysis, this study scrutinizes the deployment of linguistic techniques and pragmatic strategies to meet communicative objectives. The investigation unveils a meticulous utilization of assertive and declarative illocutionary acts, demonstrating a narrative woven with assertiveness, seeking validation and empathy in the claustrophobic courtroom atmosphere. Furthermore, it revealed the significance of understanding the intricate relationship between societal norms, values, and the narrative crafted within a plea, especially in culturally rich contexts like Indonesia. This endeavor enhances the comprehension of the pragmatic strategies in Ferdy Sambo's plea and delineates the broader societal influences that dictate the narrative dynamics within the Indonesian legal discourse. Through this lens, the study contributes substantially to pragmatics, discourse analysis, and legal communication, inviting further nuanced research.
 Keywords: Pragmatics, Ferdy Sambo, Claustrophobic Courtroom, Glimpse

Student Perspectives on Internal and External Factors Influencing Vulnerability to Risk-Taking Behaviour among Girls in Public Day Secondary Schools in Kiambaa, Kiambu County, Kenya

The study investigated internal and external determinants of vulnerability to risk-taking behavior (RTB) among female students in public day secondary schools (PDSS) in Kiambaa, Kiambu County, Kenya. This was due to the high levels of RTB among secondary school girls that had been reported. The study integrated two theories, problem behaviour theory and empowerment theory. It employed a descriptive survey methodology. Using proportional stratified random sampling and purposive sampling procedures 96 girls participated in the study. A pilot study involving 10 students from Kiambu Sub-County was conducted to assess content and construct validity. Cronbach's alpha (α = 0.7) ensured internal consistency and reliability of variables. Data was collected through questionnaires and interviews, analysed using SPSS version 24 for quantitative data and content analysis for qualitative data, and presented via tables and figures. The findings revealed various RTB among girls, including unprotected sex, prostitution, drug use, abortion, theft, and fighting. RTB determinants encompassed factors like parental divorce, absenteeism, peer pressure, financial hardship, and lack of role models, excessive idle time, societal influences, and declining values. In conclusion, this study highlights the existence of RTB among girls in PDSS and underscores the complexity of factors influencing these behaviours. To effectively address RTB, a comprehensive approach that considers both internal and external factors is essential.

Toward a Typology of Environmental Cooperation in Postconflict Settings: The Case of Jordan and Israel

Abstract Mismatches between natural systems and political boundaries often hamper environmental management and conservation efforts. As the number of transboundary environmental cooperation (TEC) initiatives increases, it becomes imperative to establish a systematic scale for analyzing such initiatives. In this article, we advance a TEC typology and apply it to the Israeli–Jordanian case. The typology includes categories of TEC initiatives and their placement on a transaction cost ladder. This typology allows for analyses of the organizational scale, societal influence, and duration of TEC initiatives. A total of sixty TEC initiatives were analyzed in an iterative process. TEC initiatives between Israel and Jordan were found largely to bear low transaction costs. The suggested typology provides an assessment tool to a large number of initiatives and a baseline for further in-depth investigation of the causal relations between environmental cooperation, peace, and conflict and may be applied to conflictual contexts at various stages.

Epistemic Vice Rehabilitation: Saints and Sinners Zetetic Exemplarism

AbstractThis paper proposes a novel educational approach to epistemic vice rehabilitation. Its authors Gerry Dunne and Alkis Kotsonis note that, like Quassim Cassam, they remain optimistic about the possibility of improvement with regard to epistemic vice. However, unlike Cassam, who places the burden of minimizing or overcoming epistemic vices and their consequences on the individual, Dunne and Kotsonis argue that vice rehabilitation is best tackled via the exemplarist animated community of inquiry zetetic principles and defeasible‐reasons‐regulated deliberative processes. The vice‐reduction method they propose is made up of four distinct yet complementary components: (1) positive exemplarism of epistemic virtue (saints), (2) negative exemplarism of epistemic vice (sinners), (3) direct teaching/instruction, and (4) cognitive apprenticeship. Dunne and Kotsonis argue that this pedagogical intervention appropriately considers learnings deriving from forensic scrutiny of both ideal and non‐ideal interpersonally calibrated zetetic features integral to knowledge acquisition as well as wider societal influences impacting the development of agents' epistemic character. It bridges research on vice epistemology (Cassam's obstructivist theory), social epistemology (corrupted social processes mitigating against vice rehabilitation), virtue epistemology, and moral exemplarism.

Video Games as Awareness Raisers, Attitude Changers, and Agents of Social Change

The widespreadness of video games, particularly among digital natives, requires ongoing exploration of their profound effects. This study aligns with this need, investigating video games as possible tools for positive societal influence and exploring their potential to address sensitive social issues. Transportation theory underscores the transformative potential of video games, casting players as “travellers” who, traversing stages of reality dissolution, emotional connection, and altered return, present a pathway for attitude transformation. Participants (N=98) engaged with “Survival,” “Paper, Please,” and “Against All Odds” to explore the effectiveness of video games in addressing the refugee crisis, increasing awareness of the issue at hand, changing perceptions, and encouraging them to take action in real life. The study’s results align with integrated threat theory, revealing that immersive gaming experiences can induce significant changes in attitudes, decrease denial, and increase empathy. The results highlight the potential of video games to educate people about pressing global issues and invoke empathy without trivialising problems. Consequently, while this study extends the current body of knowledge, it offers some promising directions for further research to validate the affirmative impact of video games in this realm.

The Interplay of Health Behaviour within Social, Cultural, and Political Contexts: An Integrative Review

This integrative review examines the multifaceted interplay of health behaviour within social, cultural, and political frameworks, emphasising the transition from a reductionistic to a holistic paradigm in understanding health dynamics. Recognising health as more than the absence of disease, the paper underscores the significance of lifestyle factors in modern morbidity and mortality, advocating for health promotion strategies that include lifestyle modifications and legislative measures. Delving into systems research, it highlights the importance of socio-political and ecological factors in shaping health behaviours, exploring the evolution of the concept of a healthy lifestyle as a dynamic and interconnected phenomenon. The review further discusses the implications of social determinants, technological advances in gathering longitudinal health data, and the impact of social discrimination and interpersonal dynamics on health behaviours. Innovative research concepts integrating social and behavioural sciences, such as complex systems, social genomics, and epigenetics, are explored. The paper culminates by drawing parallels between the health behavioural approaches to HIV and COVID-19, illustrating the necessity of a multidisciplinary, multi-level approach to health behaviour research and policymaking. This comprehensive review emphasises the need for an integrated understanding of health behaviours, considering individual, community, and societal influences to inform effective health promotion and disease prevention strategies.

To do or not to do: a study about sexual fantasies in an Italian sample

Sexual imagery and fantasy are key aspects of human sexuality: they are associated with sexual arousal and are reflective of societal influences on sexuality. In addition, they are thought to play a role in sexual activation, desire and personal satisfaction. The current study aimed to investigate the sexual imagery on a sample (N = 5043) of the Italian population adapting the questionnaire used by an American study about the same topic (Lehmiller, 2018). Most participants (82%) think that sharing sexual fantasies with their partner improved their relationship, while the most common fantasy in the sample (60%) is seeking “novelty or having new or exciting sexual experiences.” People with a gender identity other than biological sex report the fantasy of having a different body during sexual intercourse and are more prone to having sex with transgender or cross-dressed people than respondents with congruence between gender identity and biological sex. Conversely, they report less interest in vaginal sex. This study offers a general but innovative overview of the Italian sexual imaginary.

Disembedding and re-embedding: the online interaction mechanisms of divorced youth in China.

In recent years, China's divorce rates have remained high, especially in metropolitan areas such as Beijing and Shanghai, where rates reach up to 40%. Additionally, there has been a notable shift towards younger demographics in divorce cases. In a society that highly values marital harmony, divorce is often seen as a cultural transgression. Anthony Giddens' theory of disembedding and re-embedding provides a useful framework for understanding these changes. This study addresses a gap in literature by focusing on the online social interactions of divorced Chinese youth, exploring their use of dating apps for emotional support and social reconnections. This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews with 19 divorced young adults in China who engaged with dating apps such as Momo, Tantan, and Soul. Participants were recruited via Douban and Xiaohongshu. The interviews, conducted through WeChat voice calls and Tencent Meetings, lasted 45-70 minutes each. Data was analyzed using Nvivo12 to understand the disembedding and re-embedding processes in their online interactions, exploring themes such as motivations, self-presentation, and the transition from online to offline engagements. The findings reveal that these individuals face societal challenges, biases, and the residual effects of past marriages, leading them to seek refuge in online environments to avoid stigmatization. In digital spaces, they cautiously engage, revealing a lack of confidence through selective self-disclosure. Their goals range from forming same-sex and opposite-sex friendships to seeking new romantic relationships, indicating a nuanced approach to remarriage and challenging stereotypes of dating app users. Re-engaging online, they discover social support and a sense of community, which aids in regaining confidence post-divorce, underscoring the complex interplay between societal influences and individual adaptation strategies in the digital age. The study highlights the unique challenges faced by this demographic, including maintaining anonymity and dealing with societal prejudices. Future research should consider a broader age range and gender differences to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the online behaviors and experiences of divorced individuals.

Design flexible renewable energy penetrated power system to address long-run and short-run interactive inference

<p>For power systems with a high penetration of renewable energy, sufficient flexible resources such as energy storage must be combined to achieve sustainable energy development. However, in the planning of flexible resources, external societal factors can significantly change the evolution pathways of these resources. A simulation framework is urgently needed to integrate long-run development factors represented by societal influences, with the short-run operational characteristics within the physical energy framework. We provide technical support for the sustainable development of power systems, making the simulation results more accurate for future energy system planning. To address the lack of data for modeling external societal factors, a long-run modeling method based on system dynamics is proposed, alongside a short-run modeling method considering flexibility assessment and optimization. Long-run external societal factors necessitate a low-carbon system, while short-run concerns involve the actual topology of the power system to investigate high flexibility. We found that the sensitivity of various flexibility resource investments to both flexibility and low carbon in the power system is key to resolve this contradiction. An empirical calculation of the power system is conducted in the 213-bus flexibility test system including real data at 15-minute and 1-minute resolutions. Battery storage becomes the largest flexibility investment about a decade after the introduction of carbon reduction policies. While other flexibility resources particularly demand-side response due to unsaturated flexibility, also become major temporary investment assets. Considering the proposed interactive inference framework, there was a significant reduction in marginal abatement cost, and carbon trading continuously reduces the abatement cost.</p>

Financial Challenges Among Public School Teachers: Basis for Proposed Program

Financial challenges can arise from various personal and external factors, and understanding the intersection of individual perspectives and societal influences is crucial for addressing these challenges effectively. To understand the lived experience of financial challenges, a qualitative research design, precisely Moustakas’ Transcendental Phenomenological approach, was employed. The selected public school teachers of District 5, Division of Oroquieta City, served as the key informants. The prevailing financial challenges teachers encounter in public schools represent a pressing matter that warrants attention and proactive measures. The study revealed that public school teachers face financial challenges due to their family needs, education for their children, stagnant salaries, rising healthcare expenses, and the necessity of personally funding classroom supplies. The prevailing issue of teachers' loans has become increasingly over the years due to their commitment to provide for the needs of their family, personal, and even work. Their financial literacy practices could better determine how they manage their finances. Thus, authorities should discuss the salary wages of public school teachers, giving incentives and other funds to support any contingency that might occur to alleviate the financial constraints they experience.

Analysis of Internal Conflicts in Afghanistan from the Perspective of Ethnic Elites in the Last Two Decades

Afghanistan has witnessed unprecedented internal wars, terrorist attacks, and insecurity over the past two decades, which have plunged the country into the depths of political turmoil. These conflicts have inflicted significant damage on the country's political structure and people's livelihoods, affecting society, political, social, economic, and cultural relations, and have also caused negative impacts on regional security and economy, especially for neighboring countries. This applied research, from the perspective of the intellectual elites of society, aims to investigate the fundamental causes, effects, and complexities of internal and external factors contributing to Afghanistan's internal conflicts during the last two decades. The research method employed is descriptive-explanatory, utilizing a deductive strategy and inspired by the theory of ethnic elite competition. It seeks to explore the influence of variables such as ethnic nationalism, deprivation, the state, and competition among regional and transregional powers in internal conflicts. The data collection tool used is a questionnaire, and the statistical population consists of intellectual elites from Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, and Uzbek ethnic groups. The sample size for this study is 400 intellectual elites selected through random sampling. The research initially lacked hypotheses, as the results were obtained after entering data through SPSS software and then applying linear regression calculations. The findings indicate a significant correlation between ethnic nationalism (r = 73%), the state (r = 152%), relative deprivation (r = 52%), and the competition of regional and transregional powers (r = 126%) with social conflicts. Moreover, the most crucial factor in the continuation of internal conflicts in Afghanistan is the monopolization of government by the dominant ethnic group. Ethnic elites, given their societal influence, can act both as agents of conflict escalation and as facilitators of peace.

Cultural Narratives and Their Impact on Family Mental Health

Objective: Cultural narratives significantly influence mental health perceptions, stigmatization, and coping mechanisms within families. This study aimed to explore the impact of cultural narratives on family mental health, identifying the key themes and categories that emerge from these narratives and their implications for mental health practice and policy. Methods and Materials: A qualitative research design was employed, utilizing semi-structured interviews with 23 participants from diverse cultural backgrounds. Theoretical saturation was achieved, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the participants' experiences. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify main themes and categories, focusing on the nuances of cultural narratives and their impact on family mental health. Findings: Four main themes were identified: Cultural Identity and Mental Health, Family Dynamics, Coping Mechanisms, and Societal Influence. Within these themes, categories such as Cultural Stigma, Cultural Support Systems, Communication Patterns, Parenting Styles, Individual and Family Coping Strategies, and Access to Mental Health Services highlighted the complex interplay between culture and mental health. Key concepts emerged, including the role of shame and silence, community solidarity, acculturation stress, inter-generational trauma, and the importance of social support networks in navigating mental health within a cultural context. Conclusion: The study underscores the profound impact of cultural narratives on family mental health, revealing both barriers and supports influenced by cultural identity, family dynamics, societal factors, and coping mechanisms. It highlights the need for culturally sensitive mental health services and policies that recognize and address the diverse cultural narratives influencing mental health perceptions and practices.

Examining age, period and cohort effects in attitude change to childhood vaccinations in a representative New Zealand survey: a multiyear cohort-sequential growth modelling study

ObjectivesVaccinations are an important preventative measure in reducing the spread of infectious diseases worldwide. However, concerns of undervaccination during childhood have become increasingly common. The current study aims to investigate...

Self-efficacy in educational contexts: a comparative analysis of global perspectives

This comprehensive research explores the pivotal role of self-efficacy in the educational experiences of students, particularly emphasizing its significance in the context of increasing global mobility and diverse educational settings. The paper's primary focus is on understanding how different educational environments, ranging from liberal democracies to more controlled societal structures, shape and influence students' self-efficacy. The study posits that self-efficacy, defined as an individual's belief in their ability to succeed in specific situations or tasks, is a critical determinant of how students engage with their educational environment, confront challenges, and achieve both academic and personal goals.Through a detailed analysis of recent research in educational psychology and sociology, the paper synthesizes pioneering studies and theories, notably Albert Bandura's social cognitive theory, to provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the development of beliefs in one's capabilities. The research underscores the intricate relationship between self-efficacy and academic achievement, highlighting how self-efficacy impacts not only academic performance but also students' motivation and persistence, especially in foreign academic settings. Methodologically, the study employs a systematic comparative approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative methods such as in-depth interviews and content analysis of educational literature provide insights into students' subjective experiences and perceptions. Quantitative methods, including surveys and statistical analysis, measure and compare levels of self-efficacy among students in different educational settings. Additionally, structural-analytical and comparative-historical methods are utilized to examine the impact of educational systems and historical and cultural factors on student self-efficacy.The findings reveal that educational environments significantly influence the development of student self-efficacy. Students in more open and supportive educational practices, typical of liberal democracies, often exhibit higher levels of self-efficacy. In contrast, those in more controlled educational systems face challenges in developing self-efficacy due to restrictive academic environments. The study further demonstrates the vital role of cultural, social, and educational structures in shaping students' beliefs about their abilitie.Conclusively, the paper advocates for educational practices that recognize and support the diverse needs of students. It emphasizes the need for educational systems to foster a sense of autonomy, competence, and resilience in students, preparing them to navigate complex global challenges with confidence and skill. The research contributes significantly to the discourse on student development and success in international education, offering valuable insights for enhancing educational practices and policies in a globalized world.

Attitude toward Youth Suicide “Unveiling Medical Fraternity’s Perspective” in a Tertiary Care Facility: A Qualitative Cross-sectional Study

Background and Aim: Youth suicide presents an concerning public health concern necessitating an all-encompassing comprehension and efficacious intervention. While mental health professionals assume a pivotal role in addressing the factors entwined with youth suicide, it is important to look into the attitudes of medical professionals beyond mental health specialization. This study aims to qualitatively scrutinize the perspectives of medical professionals toward youth suicide. Methods: Socio-demographic data were procured utilizing a specially tailored proforma from 671 medical students and medical professionals outside the purview of mental health specialization. An exploratory qualitative study was undertaken employing the Attitude Towards Youth Suicide Scale, comprising eight open-ended inquiries. Qualitative analysis was employed to peruse the data. Discussion: Qualitative analysis regarding the factors contributing to suicide unearthed six prevalent themes: mental health issues, stress, social factors, family issues, toxic societal influences, and addiction. Across the participant groups, a consensus was observed regarding the differential causes of suicide in males and females. Medical professionals were more inclined towards professional help while students were alarmingly inclined towards declining any form of help. Conclusion: Suicide remains a significant contributor to the mortality rate among young individuals in India. By acknowledging and addressing the distinct perspectives and convictions held by medical professionals concerning youth suicide, tailored interventions can be formulated to augment efforts aimed at preventing suicide.