Structuring Research Articles

Co-producing and co-assessing a new service solution for enhancing health and social care integration: a participatory research protocol

BackgroundThis paper describes a study protocol for co-producing and co-assessing a new sustainable and scalable service solution that enhances health and social integration by involving providers and volunteers delivering services for elderly people in the province of Cremona (Italy), where the elderly population will reach 27% in 2023.MethodsThis upcoming study involves mixed-method participatory research and is structured in three study phases and related objectives. First, it will co-produce a new, accessible and sustainable service solution using an iterative design and management method, Plan-Do-Check-Act by involving professionals and volunteers of a heterogeneous group of health, social and third sector organizations located in the city of Cremona (Italy). Second, the study protocol will co-assess the outcomes of the new service solution using a mixed-method approach for measuring the outcomes on: professionals and volunteers (micro level) and their health, social and third sector organizations (meso level). Third, this study will co-investigate the scalability of the new solution promoting health and social integration in other similar urban areas of the Province of Cremona via the Intervention Scalability Assessment Tool (macro level). The data will be collected through the analysis of official documents, websites, policies and participatory workshops.DiscussionThis protocol proposes an innovative intervention, a novel participatory approach, and an unexplored scalability assessment tool in the context of health and social care integration. This study aims to support professionals from health and social care service providers and volunteers from third-sector organizations to collaborate and integrate each other’s resources. In doing so, the participatory approach will facilitate the co-creation of an effective response to the need of health and social integration, and the development of trustful relationships between health and social care service providers. Moreover, the adoption of Plan-Do-Check-Act and Intervention Scalability Assessment Tool will ensure the quality, scalability and sustainability of the new service solution in other settings.

The spirit of sports as ideology: a theoretical framework

ABSTRACT The discourse surrounding the spirit of sports, especially under the purview of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), often centers on the philosophical implications of doping and fair play. This research aims to reframe the discussion by employing the lens of historical materialism and Marxist theory, considering sports not merely as isolated physical endeavors but deeply interwoven with societal and ideological transformations. This approach traces the evolution of sports from ancient times, where it served religious and communal functions, to its current status as a component of global capitalist culture. By analyzing the spirit of sports through the theoretical frameworks of Althusser and Žižek, this study explores how sports act as ideological state apparatuses (AIEs), shaping and being shaped by the prevailing economic and social structures. The core argument posits that the spirit of sports is both a reflection of and a contributor to the ideological superstructures that define different historical epochs. The analysis highlights the transition from viewing sports as communal and ritualistic engagements to mechanisms of capitalist ideology, emphasizing competition and profit. Through this historical and ideological critique, the research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the spirit of sports, challenging traditional perspectives that isolate sports from their socio-economic and ideological contexts. The findings suggest that any discussion about the spirit of sports, particularly in anti-doping debates, must consider the broader ideological forces at play, thereby opening pathways for a more nuanced understanding of sports ethics.

Training of Teachers for Cadet Classes: Approaches and Successful Practices

The article offers an analysis of approaches and successful practices of teacher training for cadet classes. Various groups of methods were used in the course of the study, including the method of comparative analysis of normative and legal documents; analysis, systematization and generalization of the data obtained; complex analysis, classification and structuring of information and statistical data; modeling method; generalization of research results. As a result, system solutions for the training of teachers of cadet classes have been developed and theoretically substantiated. It should be noted that one of the conceptual ideas of teacher training for cadet classes is the idea of continuity and individualization of professional development of teachers in the field of education and socialization of students. Continuous professional development of teachers, including teachers of cadet classes, is carried out through the integration of formal and non-formal education, as well as through self-education and self-education. Teachers of cadet classes should have the competencies necessary for the full implementation of professional functions in the organization of education and socialization of students, since the teacher of the cadet class works not only with students, but also with cadet families, focusing on issues of social protection, education, formation of healthy public opinion and mood. The tasks of the educator of the training course include studying the mood, requests and needs of child-parent relations in cadet families and systematically informing the management and specialists of various services about the urgent tasks of working with cadet parents. The training of teachers of cadet classes is focused on the formation of a number of skills among educators: to analyze the academic performance and involvement of students in the educational process, to build effective communication, to organize activities to prevent negative manifestations and offenses.

Past and Present of Social Inequality: Analysing Structure and Future Trends

The purpose of the article is to highlight the peculiarities of fundamental and applied forms of social inequality in the context of cultural and historical experience and prospects of civilisational development. Social differentiation has a diverse character, which forms the diversity of parameters of this socio-cultural phenomenon. The purpose of scientific research is to unify social indicators that activate and determine the level of inequality in society. Social processes are marked by contradictions in the worldview and mental understanding, so the issue of inequality is regulated by clear and understandable theoretical, methodological, legal, and socio-cultural guidelines. The research methodology is focused on the scientific and sociological methodological cluster. A sociological study based on content analysis, monitoring, and expert opinions allows us to determine the structure and manifestations of social inequality. Long-term sociological observations and in-depth analytical descriptions form the constants of the fundamental nature of social inequality. The results of the study emphasise the need to correlate the fundamental understanding of social inequality and the applied manifestation of this phenomenon in the socio-cultural space. In today's dynamic world, traditional and sustainable interpretations of inequality are hardly accepted, since the current principles of social development involve rapid permanent changes that determine the parameters of social inequality almost online. Under such conditions, society needs new flexible parameters that will determine the quantitative and qualitative parameters of social inequality. Thus, social inequality is an integral element of cultural and historical experience, having formed the fundamental dimensions of this phenomenon, while its prospects require regulation by society to avoid and mitigate the negative impact of social inequality in the form of injustice, discrimination, chauvinism, etc. Promising areas of research on the problem of social inequality include focusing on the dynamics of the social structure, which fundamentally changes the fundamental and targeted understanding of social inequality, leading to inadequate assessments of threats associated with the direct manifestation of social inequality in society.

The Atrato River as a Bearer and Co-creator of Rights: Unveiling Black People’s Legal Mobilization Processes in Colombia

Abstract In 2016, Colombia’s Constitutional Court recognized the Atrato River as the first water body in Latin America to have its own rights. This article interrogates the historical roots of the judicial decision declaring the river a rights holder. Drawing on my long-term engagement with social organizations as an activist, lawyer, and then researcher, I illuminate the influence of Black people from the Atrato River in the transformation of law in at least three areas: ethnic territorial rights, transitional justice, and river rights. To do so, I combine interdisciplinary theoretical critique with socio-legal research using community-based and autoethnographic approaches to trace the community methods and historical practices of political contestation deployed along the rivers. Thus, I conceptualize how an organic and distinctive style of claiming and creating rights has been constructed in the basin. Moreover, by listening to the voices of the riverine representatives, I argue that the river is a nonhuman existence that has participated in the processes of rights-making in conjunction with local communities and a broader mosaic of allied actors. However, I also outline how legal systems still function to overlook crucial socio-legal claims of marginalized and resistant communities.

How Socially Sustainable Is the Institutional Care Environment in China: A Content Analysis of Media Reporting

The multiple changes in population, economy, and social structure have significantly impacted China’s traditional home-based elderly care and social welfare. The importance of institutional care is becoming increasingly prominent. One of the critical considerations for the development of institutional care is its social sustainability, which pursues the realization of human well-being and aims to bring about good quality of life. However, this issue has not received due attention. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the social sustainability of the institutional care environment. Based on stakeholder theory and content analysis, this research identified and discussed the problems of the institutional care environment mentioned in the news coverage on eight major Chinese portal websites. The results indicate that seven of the eight problems that employees, the elderly, and their relatives encounter in providing and receiving elderly care services in the institutional environment are related to social sustainability. Employees’ health and safety is a concern; they lack education and training opportunities and have been unequally treated in the employment process. The elderly’s psychological, physical, and safety needs should also be further satisfied. Unequal access to institutional care and the inaccessibility of elderly care institutions is another problem that needs to be solved urgently. These findings will help government departments and investors become aware of the issues and implement countermeasures to create a successful, socially sustainable institutional care environment. They can also provide valuable insights for the elderly and their relatives in choosing appropriate elderly care institutions.

The everyday female entrepreneur and the pursuit of emancipation

PurposeThis study takes an “entrepreneurship as emancipation” perspective to study entrepreneurs defined as “others” on multiple categories: women entrepreneurs whose ventures are necessity-based, bootstrapped and located in economically impoverished areas (neighborhoods) in two Latin-American countries: Chile and Peru.Design/methodology/approachThe study takes an interpretivist research approach and analyses inductively interviews with women entrepreneurs.FindingsThe findings reveal how everyday practices in pursuit of emancipation – while conducted within the existing patriarchal social structure – push the boundaries and contribute to changes in the social system via a variety of outcomes such as intergenerational social mobility, personal fulfilment and strengthening the communities in which the women entrepreneurs operate. Furthermore, while the authors find that in the particular Latin-American context under study, entrepreneuring activities become an emancipatory possibility for the everyday women entrepreneurs, they also highlight a “dark side” of their emancipatory projects.Originality/valueThe study contributes to recent critical studies in entrepreneurship by demonstrating the diversity and importance of the “mundane” activities undertaken by “necessity-based” entrepreneurs, and the significant – yet underappreciated – reach of their ventures’ impact on issues well beyond economic considerations.

Ethical Consumption as Fetishism: Unmasking Capitalist Ideologies, Social Distinctions, and the Educational Imperative

This paper offers a critical examination of ethical consumption, exploring how it reinforces social identities within the capitalist framework. It argues for the crucial role of educational institutions in addressing ethical consumption within their curricula. While ethical consumption is often promoted for its moral virtues and its potential to address issues such as environmental sustainability and labor rights, the paper contends that it inadvertently perpetuates capitalist ideologies and exacerbates class divisions. Through this lens, the analysis critiques the ways in which ethical consumption practices sustain existing social structures, often cloaked in the guise of moral virtue. The paper suggests that educational institutions should integrate discussion on ethical consumption into their ethics courses in advertising and marketing programs to facilitate a more thorough examination of its consequences. This approach would equip students to critically navigate the complexities of ethical consumer choices, fostering a generation of informed, discerning, and socially responsible consumers.

Multilevel factors associated with HIV-related stigma among women living with HIV in Guangdong Province, China: a social-ecological model-informed study

BackgroundHIV-related stigma continues to hinder optimal HIV care, and its determinants should be understood at multiple levels. Based on the social-ecological model, this study aimed to explore factors associated with HIV-related stigma among women living with HIV in Guangdong Province, China.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from July to August 2022 to recruit newly reported women living with HIV with a history of pregnancy or current pregnancy in 2021 in 21 cities in Guangdong Province. HIV-related stigma was assessed using an abbreviated Chinese version of Berger's HIV Stigma Scale. Univariate and multivariable hierarchical regression analyses based on the social-ecological model were conducted to explore factors associated with HIV-related stigma and its four dimensions (personalized stigma, disclosure concerns, negative self-image and concerns about public attitudes) at the community/hospital, interpersonal, and individual levels.ResultsA moderate level of HIV-related stigma was found among the 360 participants included, with a mean score of 45.26. Multivariable hierarchical regression analysis showed that at the community/hospital-level, individuals were more likely to experience high levels of HIV-related stigma if they had experienced the discriminatory behaviors from health care workers (aOR = 2.34, 95%CI: 1.48–3.70) and if they rated serostatus disclosure services as less helpful (aOR = 0.69, 95%CI: 0.48–0.98). At the interpersonal-level, individuals with an HIV-positive partner (aOR = 1.71, 95%CI: 1.01–2.90) were more likely to experience high levels of HIV-related stigma than those with an HIV-negative or unknown partner. Individuals with high resilience (aOR = 0.22, 95%CI: 0.13–0.35) had lower levels of HIV-related stigma at the individual-level. In addition, ever experiencing discriminatory behaviors from health care workers, thinking serostatus disclosure services helpful, having ever seen publicity about personal interest protection services and complaint channels for people living with HIV(PLHIV), knowing about care and support services for PLHIV from social organizations at the community/hospital-level, partner notification and support at the interpersonal-level, and violations of personal interests, resilience at the individual-level were also associated with different dimensions of HIV-related stigma.ConclusionsHIV-related stigma was moderate among women living with HIV. The social-ecological model can facilitate a better understanding of factors associated with HIV-related stigma. Multilevel intervention strategies need to be tailored to reduce HIV-related stigma.

Husserl’s Layered Theory of Empathy and Theory of Mind

ABSTRACT The ability to understand other minds is key to communication, social organization, and culture, and actively researched in disciplines such as psychology, ethology, and primatology. The German philosopher Edmund Husserl (1859-1938) developed an elaborate theory of how we understand others, then commonly referred to as empathy (Theorie der Einfühlung). Much recent work on Husserl's theory has interpreted him in opposition to Theory of Mind (ToM), but Husserl's layered account of empathy has received little attention, and so have the more recent versions of ToM, which work with orders of intentionality, and which are applied widely in social cognition research today. This article focuses on Husserl's layered approach, highlighting the main takeaways of his theory, while also providing a commentary, which reflects on his work from a contemporary perspective. This yields a rather different interpretation of him, one which reveals hitherto unnoticed connections with diverse areas of social cognition scholarship.

CUSTOMARY LAND GOVERNANCE AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION AMONG THE DEBNE AND WEIMA AFAR CLANS, NORTHEAST ETHIOPIA

This study is based on three months of fieldwork among the Debne and Weima Afar clans in Amibara woreda (district), Afar National Regional State (ANRS), Ethiopia, which was conducted in three rounds in 2016, 2018 and 2022. The purpose of the study is to explore the customary organisational structure and the rules and regulations employed by the local communities in managing natural resources on their rangelands as well as in resolving conflicts. While the clan system provides the basis for the Afar social and political organisation, claims to land are made at subclan and lineage levels. The formal administration largely functions using the clan structure, as it has more legitimacy than the state itself. Given the infrastructural limitations and legitimacy deficits of the government in the region, this paper argues that the clan system continues to play a dominating role when it comes to social organisation, resource management and conflict resolution. This article was published open access under a CC BY-NC 4.0 licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ .

Social Network Density Mediates the Association Between Problematic Social Media Use and Depressive Symptoms

Previous studies have indicated that problematic social media use (PSMU) is positively related to depressive symptoms. However, the potential mechanisms underlying this relationship are not well understood. For example, prior research found that depressive symptoms are related to one’s social network structure, such as network size and density. Therefore, we examined whether one’s social network size and density mediate the relationship between PSMU and depressive symptoms. We conducted an in-person survey to collect measures of PSMU, social network size and density, and depressive symptoms. Our analysis showed that there was a positive relationship between PSMU and depressive symptoms, which was mediated by social network density but not size. Specifically, the greater one’s PSMU, the less dense their social network, and the greater their depressive symptoms. Our research suggests that PSMU may affect how individuals maintain their social connections with others, which may affect mental health. Implications were discussed.

Facing up to the hardest problem: The human information field and the ontological primacy of subjective consciousness

Instead of bringing intellectual closure, the philosophical debate surrounding the nature of consciousness has found itself at an impasse. Extreme positions, from those denying the existence of consciousness to those who wish to imbue the entire universe with it, testify to the lack of common understanding of what consciousness is and how best it could be described and studied. In this paper, reality has its source in a subjective conscious field called the human information field, which is the only source of experience and whose centre is unknowable. Objective reality equals a consensus between individual fields, which underpins the stability and durability of social organisation. The conceptual importance of matter is due to its easy distinguishability from the self. The concept of the human information field offers answers to the hard and the “hardest” problems of consciousness, that is the explanatory gap between consciousness and its material apparatus and the ability of science to understand its own source, respectively. Its limitations constrain our ability to understand the world but are also the prime movers of exploration, development, and learning.

Reincarnation and Identity: A Multidisciplinary Exploration of Druze Narratives

The book Druze Reincarnation Narratives: Previous Life Memories Discourses and the Construction of Identities, edited by Gebhard Fartacek, offers an interdisciplinary exploration of the Druze belief in reincarnation (taqammuṣ) and the phenomenon of Nutq, where individuals recall previous lives. Scholars in anthropology, religious studies, and related fields contribute to understanding how these beliefs shape Druze social structures, personal identities, and community cohesion. The forum includes reviews by Maha Natoor, Dmitry Sevruk, and Jens Kreinath. Natoor appreciates the book's accessibility and balanced presentation of Druze reincarnation narratives while raising ethical concerns about anonymity and the use of religious texts. Sevruk commends the clear scientific language and interdisciplinary approach, emphasizing the book's contributions to Druze history and culture and suggesting further exploration of the psychological mechanisms behind reincarnation beliefs. Kreinath praises the detailed ethnographic insights and methodological rigor, noting researchers' challenges in engaging with the Druze community. He also critiques that some contributions focus on broader social, cultural, and political contexts rather than directly addressing reincarnation. Overall, the book provides valuable insights into the resilience and adaptability of the Druze in preserving their unique religious identity amidst broader societal changes.

After Admission: The Emotional Suffering of Students Enrolled Through the Rural Students Quota Plan in China's Elite Universities

ABSTRACTThe Chinese government has implemented a series of special admission policies in recent years to promote higher education equity. One of the key approaches is the ‘Rural Students Quota Plan’, which requires elite universities to enrol a certain number of rural students from disadvantaged social and economic backgrounds each year. This study adopted qualitative methods to explore the experiences of these students, focusing on their emotional journeys after admission to elite universities. In this project, 32 rural students from R University were invited to participate in semi‐structured interviews. After thematic analysis, this paper further focuses on the systematic presentation and in‐depth analysis of ten of these Quota Plan students' university experiences to carefully delve into their emotional journeys while integrating the narratives of other participants as background data into the analysis. Drawing on Bourdieu's conceptual tools, this study highlights how emotional struggles such as the sense of feeling lost and inferior are shaped by external social structures and the elite university field. The study argues that as elite universities strive to enrol more rural students, mechanisms must be put in place to better support rural students in their adaptation and integration throughout the higher education process.

Collective sports success through effective social performances: The case of Olympic wrestling in Iran

This study argues that the athletic success of Iranian wrestlers is fused with success in social performances. Using Alexander's cultural sociology, we propose that individuals’ behavioral, emotional, and mental dispositions toward sports are shaped by tacit and invisible social forces encompassing them at a given time and place. Furthermore, we make use of Alexander's notion that the power of culture is manifested when it is actively enacted. To ground our theoretical frameworks with empirical evidence, we conducted a case study of successful Iranian male wrestlers. The study reveals that the success of Iranian wrestling is constructed upon cultural foundations, social organizations, cooperative networks, and a set of social relations that performatively contribute to producing world-class wrestlers. It is within a given social, cultural, and organizational context that culture is performed through a series of collective actions and agencies. Such successful cultural performances reinforce the meaning of certain practices by connecting the past to the present and ensuring their continuity, thereby establishing a strong tradition of collective sporting achievements.

Sexual Violence against Adults Aged 50 Years and Older and Implications for Prevention: A Thematic Analysis of Service Providers’ Perceptions

At-risk older adults and older survivors of sexual violence (SV) remain largely absent from SV prevention and intervention, owing to ageism and sexism, as well as other intersectional forms of prejudice, including among service providers (e.g., social workers, healthcare professionals, practitioners in SV organizations, and practitioners who serve older adults). This study explored perceptions, knowledge and experiences with SV against adults 50 years and older. Service providers who work with older adults and/or survivors were recruited, owing to where SV in later life is reported (e.g., healthcare, long-term care, and social service organizations, and to police in addition to SV service organizations), to contribute to the limited research in this area and to advance prevention and intervention. A survey was conducted on SV in later life, exploring knowledge, perceptions and experiences with SV in later life along with potential solutions for prevention and intervention among 126 service providers who worked with survivors and/or older adults. Their responses were thematically analyzed. Five themes were identified: (a) misconceptions of SV in later life and unique barriers to preventing it; (b) needs for knowledge, awareness, research and education; (c) policy and resource development; (d) victim blame and internalized stigma, and (e) ageism, intersectional prejudice and rape culture. The findings offer an in-depth understanding of barriers to prevention, and intervention, and multi-level recommendations for addressing them, which are provided by a diverse group of service providers who have worked with older adults and/or with survivors, reflecting multidisciplinary practice wisdom and experience.

A Study on Linguistic Z-Graph and Its Application in Social Networks

This paper presents a comprehensive study of the linguistic Z-graph, which is a novel framework designed to analyze linguistic structures within social networks. By integrating concepts from graph theory and linguistics, the linguistic Z-graph provides a detailed understanding of language dynamics in online communities. This study highlights the practical applications of linguistic Z-graphs in identifying central nodes within social networks, which are crucial for online businesses in market capture and information dissemination. Traditional methods for identifying central nodes rely on direct connections, but social network connections often exhibit uncertainty. This paper focuses on using fuzzy theory, particularly linguistic Z-graphs, to address this uncertainty, offering more detailed insights compared to fuzzy graphs. Our study introduces a new centrality measure using linguistic Z-graphs, enhancing our understanding of social network structures.

Chinese daughters’ day: an image-based exploration of Qiqiao traditions in Xihe County

ABSTRACT The Qiqiao Festival in Xihe County, Gansu Province, China, represents young Chinese girls' coming of age. It presents a microcosm of traditional Chinese female growth and has existed for centuries. Since weaving cloth is considered the basis of survival in the traditional Chinese social structure, the collective belief in Qiaoniangniang reflects the strong desire of young girls to acquire female labour skills at an early date. Throughout history, Qiqiao has been spread through oral tradition and written records. However, the visual records are incredibly scarce. Therefore, the author focused on the begging ceremony in the Xihe River and collected the earliest photos. It is hoped that through analysing these ancient photos, people can get a visual appearance of this thousand-year-old Qiqiao Festival and attempt to supplement and confirm the written information about the Qiqiao Festival. These images can depict the nature of the Qiqiao Festival so that people appear to have a more comprehensive understanding of the life of Xihe girls in the 20th century.

Mistreated but Still Resilient! Unraveling the Role of Servant Leadership in Mitigating the Adverse Consequences of Care Recipients' Incivility

ABSTRACTIn many countries, social care workers suffer from mistreatment from social care recipients. Such mistreatment poses a significant challenge from the human resource management (HRM) perspective as finding and retaining competent social care workers is a global challenge. However, only a few studies focus on the relationship between such mistreatment and social care workers' job and psychological resources. Drawing on the conservation of resources (COR) theory, our study sheds light on the relationship between social care recipients' incivility and the resilience of social care workers. Specifically, our study examines the mediating role of work meaningfulness on the care recipient incivility–care worker resilience link, and the moderating role of servant leadership on this mediated relationship. To test the proposed moderated mediation model, two studies were conducted in social care organizations in England (n = 248) and Romania (n = 296). Our results revealed that perceived care recipient incivility is indirectly and negatively related to care workers' resilience by undermining their perceptions of work meaningfulness. Moreover, when social care workers work under a servant leader, this indirect relationship becomes weaker. The discussion elaborates on the findings of our model as well as the theoretical and practical implications for the management of human resources in social care organizations.