Socio-historical Context Research Articles

Socio-Historical and Contemporary Context of Black Home Education within the Black Belt of the American South

ABSTRACT This research article explores the socio-historical and contemporary context of Black home education within the Black Belt of the American South through a literature review. This literature review aims to uncover the historical evolution, socio-cultural dynamics, and contemporary challenges and opportunities associated with Black home education in this region.

Sociohistorical context and post-prison life course

Life-course criminology has recently begun to focus on sociohistorical context, with the use of multi-cohort studies. However, those studies have mostly concentrated on aggregate crime rates. Desistance research, in turn, has largely overlooked the impact of the broader sociohistorical context. Based on recent work on the effect of sociohistorical context on crime rates, we propose that context may shape desistance and social reintegration in a nuanced way.We examined employment, housing, and marriages among Finnish first-time prisoners released between 1995 and 2014 (N = 23,350) until 2019. We quantified the link between selected macro-level indicators and these outcomes using age-period-cohort models.The results showed that the outcomes evolved in separate ways post-release. Employment and marriage became more common over time, but only employment showed distinct periodical changes. The probability of living in housing remained stable. A higher level of national unemployment was associated with all outcomes. The association between prisoner characteristics and the outcomes changed depending on release year.Post-prison societal integration should not be assessed by one measure alone. Desistance studies should address societal context when comparing different times or countries. Early studies may require replication if the associations between demographic factors and desistance outcomes are subject to change.

Equity in language assessment: A validity perspective

ABSTRACT This editorial explores the intersection of equity and validity in language assessment, focusing on language-minoritized test-takers. Recognizing that tests often perpetuate inequitable power dynamics, our special issue, ‘Equity Orientations for Validity Frameworks: Exploring the Intersections of Language and Assessment for Language-Minoritized Learners,’ gathers research conducted in China, Iran, and the United States. The three empirical papers examine the socio-historical contexts of minoritization, challenging traditional validity frameworks in language assessment by centering on the diverse experiences of minoritized communities. The editorial argues for an equity-focused approach, emphasizing the importance of bi/multilingualism and intersectional perspectives in validity research. We propose a transdisciplinary ‘toolbox’ for researchers, advocating for methodologies that capture the complex realities of test-takers’ lives. This collection aims to inspire future studies to challenge and expand traditional validity frameworks, promoting social justice and culturally responsive assessment practices that empower all learners.

Intergenerational Storytelling in China: Teachings About Family, Life, and Society Amidst Cultural-Historical Change

SYNOPSIS Objective. Over the past century, nationwide political, social, and economic reforms in the People’s Republic of China have drastically changed the structure of Chinese society and family life. This study describes the content of intergenerational storytelling in mainland Chinese families. Design. 193 emerging adult grandchildren recalled in writing a memorable story shared with them by their closest grandparent. Qualitative content analysis addressed what types of memorable stories are told by Chinese grandparents to their grandchildren and the central lessons embedded within those stories. Results. Stories in four broad thematic areas were told: (1) sociohistorical context and events, (2) existential life matters, (3) family history and dynamics, and (4) career and education. Across these areas, several subthemes and lessons learned by grandchildren emerged. Conclusions. Storytelling has the potential to build a bridge between generations whose realities are seemingly ages apart.

Russian-speaking (but not Russian) mothers in Finland: positioning ethnolinguistic identities in family language policy talk

ABSTRACT Anti-Russian sentiment or ‘Russophobia’ has been on the rise around the world since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine (Washington Post, 2022). Negative attitudes towards Russians and the Russian language can potentially influence the desires and practices of Russian-speaking parents in using the language with their children in contexts outside of Russia. This article examines the language ideologies and family language policies of a diverse group of Russian-s peaking mothers in Finland before the Ukraine war. Most of the mothers noted in interviews that some form of Russophobia (e.g. perceived negative attitudes, cutting off funding for Russian programmes, and/or their own stereotypes about Russians) influenced their own use of Russian in certain contexts, their perceptions of their Russian-speaking children, and/or their language education decisions. This article explores an understudied area of family language policy, that is how xenophobia and/or racism in the context of conflict (in this case after the annexation of Crimea in 2014) influence a minority migrant group's use of their home language abroad. By situating mothers’ family language planning and ideologies in the larger sociohistorical context, this paper contributes to an expanded view of family external or non-linguistic factors in family language policy.

Representation of Cultures in Local Italian Language Textbooks for Chinese Universities: A Diachronic Content Analysis

ABSTRACT This study explores the evolving landscape of cultural representations within locally produced Italian as a foreign language (IFL) textbooks in the Chinese educational context. Employing a diachronic content analysis, three distinct textbooks spanning different chronological periods (1972, 1991, 2022) were scrutinised to discern the nuanced evolution of cultural representations. Findings reveal a notable transformation in emphasis, shifting from an initial spotlight on source culture towards an increasing prominence of target culture across successive textbooks. What is more, a consistent emphasis on cultural products, cultural practices, and cultural persons (this latter following Moran, 2009), with an emergence of cultural perspectives in the latest textbook, aligns with an evolving understanding of culture in the domain of foreign language teaching. The observed dynamics, evident through both explicit and implicit representations, underscore the multifaceted relationship between educational priorities, socio-historical contexts, and cultural representations in language textbooks.

Historical Geographical Information System (HGIS): social trajectories of two Chinese historical figures Su Shi and Zuo Zongtang in spatial context

Historical figures have important significance worldwide. This paper introduces the concept of historical Geographical Information System (HGIS) using the lives of two personalities from Chinese history as case studies: Su Shi, a literary figure of the Northern Song Dynasty, and Zuo Zongtang, a military strategist from the late Qing era. By studying the geographical points marking their life activities, their migratory patterns were explored, along with the dynamics of their social networks within time and space, examining the distinctive phases and characteristics of their individual journeys. Kernel density estimation, standard deviation ellipse, location-based distance analysis, and social network graphs were employed in this work. Our findings reveal that Su Shi’s migrations were largely dictated by official appointments, ultimately rooted in imperial successions and factional strife, with his intellectual pursuits significantly influenced by the humanistic milieu. Conversely, Zuo Zongtang’s migrations were predominantly shaped by war, reflecting the challenges of the late Qing era in relation to governance, sovereignty, and diplomacy. The military encampments selected by Zuo Zongtang tended to be situated near water sources, illustrating how his migratory trajectory was influenced by natural geographic conditions. The social circles of these figures are tied to their social and political stature. Through the socio-historic context, the characteristics of these historical figures’ behavioral trajectories relate to the unfolding process of societal and historical development. These insights offer a glimpse into the life journey behind historical figures, implicitly highlighting their perseverance and resilience in adversity, thereby describing innovative approaches to inheriting and disseminating the cultural legacy.

Ignatius of Loyola and Virtues

The article explores virtues in the fundamental writings of St. Ignatius of Loyola. The method used is a close historical–critical reading of the following Ignatius texts: the Autobiography, Spiritual Exercises, and the Constitutions in their socio–historical context and intertextuality. St. Ignatius uses a mixture of traditional Christian virtues as a means to articulate his own experience, and he links the Catholic identity to daily life in order to develop a particular spiritual exercise.

“No Way Out”: The Gothic Concept of Home in Shirley Jackson’s Horror Fiction

The “haunted house formula” is a central component in every Female Gothic narrative from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Typically, it revolves around a heroine trapped in a gloomy mansion, seeking to escape a male villain. This trope, which covertly explores feminine anxieties such as domestic confinement and familial oppression, recurs multiple times in Shirley Jackson’s “house trilogy” as well, namely The Sundial, The Haunting of Hill House, and We Have Always Lived in the Castle. However, as noted by many critics, while Female Gothic narratives usually conclude with the protagonist’s successful escape and her marriage to the male hero, in Jackson’s fiction, there is “no way out”. Her protagonists remain confined within the domestic space. This essay explores Jackson’s reappropriation of the haunted house trope as a symbol of the paranoia experienced by women in 1950s suburban America. The analysis begins by outlining the theme in traditional Female Gothic fiction, followed by an account of the sociohistorical context in which Jackson operated, without dismissing the significancy of her personal life experiences as well. Jackson’s “house trilogy” will then be examined, paying particular attention to the ways in which the haunted house formula is subverted to function not as an escape narrative, but as a metaphor for modern women’s inescapable confinement.

Negotiating autonomy, community, and divinity in urban Filipino young adults’ moral reasoning

Cultural approaches to examining the development of moral reasoning have been influential for decades. Still, gaps remain in understanding how individuals actively construct their moral reasoning within different sociocultural contexts and the period of young adulthood in the Filipino setting. Thus, this study examined the discourses used by urban Filipino young adults in reasoning about their moral conflicts and the ways they adopted and adapted these discourses in their reasoning. The study used a social constructionist perspective, informed by Shweder and colleagues’ ethics of Autonomy, Community, and Divinity and Jensen’s cultural-developmental approach. We conducted thematic analysis with attention to discourse on interviews with 12 urban young adults aged 21 to 29, producing three major discursive themes: harm and welfare, rules and roles, and liberal principles. The specific appropriation of these discourses suggests the dominance of the ethic of Autonomy. However, this often co-occurred with expressions of Community and Divinity, and the extent and manner of appropriation of these discourses varied according to individuals’ characteristics and experiences. By examining young adults’ negotiation of moral discourses in the Philippines, this research enriches understanding of moral reasoning in a sociohistorical context where young people increasingly contend with conflicts between traditional and global values.

Understanding how socio-historical contexts inform approaches to improving racial climate in stem graduate education within the United States

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine how two socio-historical contexts within the United States, the Movement for Black Lives and the COVID-19 pandemic, informed approaches to improving racial climate in science, technology, mathematics and engineering (STEM) graduate education. Design/methodology/approach The authors used a general qualitative inquiry research study design to conduct focus groups (n = 121) with graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty members from across STEM disciplines as well as administrators whose work involves STEM graduate students. Participants were from two US institutions involved in a National Science Foundation networked improvement community seeking to create inclusive environments for STEM graduate students. Findings This study demonstrates how these socio-historical contexts illuminated and amplified on-going efforts to address racial climate for graduate students in US-based graduate education. In response to these events, STEM faculty devoted time that otherwise might have gone to purely technical or scientific endeavors to addressing racial climate. However, some faculty members remain hesitant to address racial climate and efforts appear to have further waned over time. While diversity, inclusion and equity efforts came to the forefront of the collective consciousness during this time, participants worry that these efforts are not sustainable, particularly without support from faculty and administrators. Practical implications The findings from this study will inform efforts to improve racial climate in STEM graduate programs. Originality/value This study fills an identified need to capture how socio-historical contexts, like the US Movement for Black Lives and the COVID-19 pandemic, have influenced approaches to improving racial climate in STEM graduate programs.

Ibn Khaldun and Auguste Comte: A Comparative Analysis of the Founding Figures of Sociology

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the contributions of Ibn Khaldun, a 14th-century Arab scholar, and Auguste Comte, a 19th-century French philosopher, to the development of sociology. While Auguste Comte is widely acknowledged in the Western tradition as the “father of sociology,” Ibn Khaldun’s seminal work, “Muqaddimah”, place the Preliminary work for a systematic approach to social and historical analysis several centuries before Comte. Ibn Khaldun’s pioneering ideas on social cohesion, economic foundations, and the cyclical nature of civilizations challenge the conventional Eurocentric narrative that places the origins of sociological thought exclusively within Western intellectual history. This paper examines the methodologies, theories, and socio-historical contexts that shaped the works of both thinkers. Ibn Khaldun’s empirical observations and his concept of “asabiyyah” (social cohesion) are compared with Comte’s positivist approach and his “Law of Three Stages,” which posits the evolution of human thought from theological to metaphysical to positive. Despite the differences in their approaches, both scholars were deeply engaged with the fundamental processes governing social life and the forces driving social change. This study argues for a broader recognition of Ibn Khaldun’s role in the evolution of sociological thought, positioning him not merely as a precursor but as a co-founder of sociology alongside Comte. By doing so, it contributes to a more inclusive understanding of the global intellectual traditions that have shaped the discipline of sociology.

Education and Training: Professional

In the United States, there is an acute shortage of health service psychologists of color. In this paper, we examined this shortage in the context of the American Psychological Association’s apology to people of color for psychology’s role in perpetuating racism and human hierarchy. Drawing from literature on the sociohistorical context of race in America, we argue that the treatment meted out to Native Americans (e.g., exploitation and eviction from their homelands), Blacks (e.g., slavery), and other ethnic-racial groups resulted in the development of racist attitudes about human hierarchy and White superiority, and these initial behaviors and attitudes began a vicious cycle of discriminatory behaviors, racist attitudes, and societal inequities that are still affecting society in the present day. We also contend that the shortage of professional psychologists—both health service and applied—cannot be solved at the graduate school level where these individuals are trained. The solution has to start with increasing the numbers of students of color who succeed in elementary and secondary schooling, ultimately matriculating into college and graduate school. Thus, the solution requires interventions aimed at the entire educational trajectory. We conclude with recommendations for actions and advocacy from psychological associations such as the American Psychological Association as well as individual psychologists.

Lost in translation? Jáchym Topol’s The Devil’s Workshop and its local and transnational reader

Jáchym Topol, who is a Czech writer and poet, has several times emphasized that he does not care about his readers, especially foreign ones who get to read translated versions of his work, as it is not his job to be understood. With the rise of transnational WWII-related literature in the Czech Republic in the last two decades, I explore how his novel The Devil’s Workshop has become an important work in the realm of transnational literature, despite Topol’s peculiar writing style and stance towards his international readers. In my analysis, I explore Topol’s writing style, the novel’s socio-historical context through the concept of difficult heritage and the juxtaposition of Czech and Belarusian WWII narratives, as well as the novel’s local and international reception.

Reflection on the psychological suffering of elementary school teachers: the perspective of psychodynamics of work

Female elementary school teachers are suffering from psychic distress, as they experience various mental health problems due to the attributes of the profession and the accumulation of domestic activities. Objective: to reflect on the contributions of the Psychodynamics of Work to the psychological suffering of elementary school teachers. Methodology: theoretical reflection focusing on the convergences and specificities of Dejours' and Molinier's Psychodynamics of Work, and their contributions to the psychological suffering of female teachers. Results: Because they experience different experiences from men in the workplace, such as: an overload of activities, weaknesses in job and salary plans, school failure and demands with a high affective load, female teachers can suffer negative impacts on their mental health, leading to psychological distress. Conclusion: It is necessary to reflect on the condition of psychological distress among female teachers, taking into account the specificities of daily teaching, the socio-historical context and the adversities of women's work, motivating initiatives to create collective discussion spaces, support networks and public policies to minimize suffering and prevent future illnesses.

Women’s voices in the public sphere

Abstract As alternative media, suffrage periodicals played an important role in women’s fight for universal suffrage, which marked a milestone on the road to democracy. Opening up a space for women in public discourse, these papers shaped and were shaped by processes of democratisation. This study explores how they balanced informative, propagandistic and commercial functions, and how women positioned themselves and others as social actors in the context of the movement, challenging gender ideologies. In line with Rühlemann and Aijmer’s (2015) notion of corpus pragmatics, the study combines the assets of corpus-linguistic methods, e.g., by drawing on keywords as pointers to relevant areas of interest, with a pronounced qualitative perspective, complementing the search results by features demanding manual analysis and discussing the findings in their socio-historical context.

NCSA 2024 John F. Schnabel Teaching Address: Teaching in These Times: Brave New World or Echoes from the Past?

ABSTRACT We teach in tumultuous times. Some legislative bodies are placing constraints on what we teach. Various publics are expressing outrage over course content. Privately funded groups are orchestrating attacks on curriculum and faculty. The majority of the professoriate is contingent, and the corporatization of education has continued unabated. These are a few aspects of the current sociohistoric context. In this address, I ask and attempt to answer three questions surrounding teaching in these times: (1) Are these times so different from the past? (2) Has the current context in which we teach influenced what we do in the classroom? (3) What, if anything, are we to do about it?

A dialog between Sino-Western legal traditions: Yan Fu’s translation of “natural law” in Montesquieu’s The Spirit of Laws

As an integral component of legal culture, legal concepts possess distinct cultural characteristics. Translating legal concepts between different cultures to facilitate effective cultural exchange and mutual understanding poses a significant challenge for legal translators. This paper examines Yan Fu’s Chinese translation of “natural law”, a key concept in Montesquieu’s classic The Spirit of Laws, as a case study to analyze the connection between legal translation and cultural traditions in the socio-historical contexts of the early 20th century China. By analyzing Yan’s choice of words, the paper unveils how Yan Fu reinterpreted Western natural law from both religious and ethical perspectives, thereby creating a dynamic dialog between Sino-Western legal cultural traditions.

Multimodal English Language Pedagogy and Social Justice: A Sociohistorical Perspective from South Korea

This research investigates English language education in South Korea, situated within the broader sociohistorical and global influences that shape the education system. The theory-based study sets out to critique the prevailing grammar-intensive and rote learning methodologies, proposing instead a pedagogical paradigm that foregrounds holistic, inclusive practices and purpose for student agency. By employing a qualitative analysis, it explores multimodality while endorsing the fusion of interdisciplinary insights to enhance both the learning process and students' communicative competencies. Findings underscore the pivotal role of educators in fostering significant pedagogical shifts, necessitating deep introspection and an informed grasp of sociohistorical and cultural contexts. The research reveals a need for an approach to learning that harmonises linguistic skills with broad sociocultural understanding, advocating for a teaching model that seamlessly integrates historical consciousness, creativity and innovative strategies, and a commitment to principles of social justice. The significance of this study lies in its potential to influence policy and practice, encouraging a move towards more engaged, reflective and socially responsible English language instruction within the region.

“with my love”: the colonial legacy of racialized pedophilic pornography in the atlantic world

This essay provides a critical analysis of early-20th-century American postcards, focusing on the portrayal of black and white children as an aesthetic tool of white supremacy and pedophilic racist pleasures. These representations not only reflected but also perpetuated colonial ideologies and racial stereotypes, directly influencing educational practices and policies, and contributing to a social environment where discrimination and sexualization of children was normalized. The article begins with the contrast in the depiction of white and black children, revealing a pattern in which white children were often fetishized as embodiments of innocence and purity, while black children were subjected to pornified portrayals that reinforced negative stereotypes and sought to ensure the continued intergenerational subjugation of African Americans in the afterlife of slavery. A significant aspect of this analysis delves into the role of the zealous purity crusader Anthony Comstock in shaping societal views on childhood innocence and obscenity during the Progressive Era. As a U.S. postal inspector, Comstock wielded influence over public discourse and policy, particularly through his campaigns against the distribution of what he considered morally objectionable representations. This examination extends to the racial implications of Comstock’s adult-centric actions, exploring how they contributed to the differential treatment of black and white children in both media representations and broader societal contexts. The article argues that these images were not merely passive reflections of societal beliefs; rather, they were active tools used to shape and influence the educational and socialization processes of children, and they contributed to the perpetuation of Jim Crow violence, which was manifested through the sexual assault, castration, and lynching of black youth. Furthermore, this essay examines the broader socio-historical context in which racist and pedophilic images were produced and circulated. These postcards are still trafficked today under the false designation of ‘Black Memorabilia,’ reaching significant prices as vintage collector’s items, but the article reframes them as a genre of child pornography. This perspective critically challenges prevailing narratives that may sanitize or downplay the exploitative and violent nature of these images. This essay urges a reconsideration of these consumer items’ historical significance as instruments intricately complicit in sustaining colonial structures and ideologies surrounding childhood innocence in North America. Within this analytical framework, the dehumanization of black children through pedophilic pornography reflects a long heritage of anti-child violence in Western traditions and the colonial strategy of exploiting children of color as a lucrative mechanism for profit and libidinal pleasure.