Societies

17 pages, 924 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Vulnerable Subject

by Stuart Waiton

Societies 2019, 9(3), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9030066 - 17 Sep 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5521

Academic freedom is formally supported but often challenged, through activities like no-platforming and through a sentiment of sensitivity and an understanding that ideas can be harmful. This development is discussed here as a reflection of the rise of the ‘vulnerable subject.’ This paper [...] Read more.

Academic freedom is formally supported but often challenged, through activities like no-platforming and through a sentiment of sensitivity and an understanding that ideas can be harmful. This development is discussed here as a reflection of the rise of the ‘vulnerable subject.’ This paper demonstrates the growing importance of vulnerability as the central human characteristic in (post) modern times and with reference to law and justice practices explains the ‘collapse of the harm principle.’ Developed through Frank Furedi’s theory of diminished subjectivity we will demonstrate the extent to which the vulnerable subject has been institutionalised and adopted as a new (fragmented) norm. Within the framework of diminished subjectivity, the inner logic of vulnerability has a spiralling dynamic—once adopted as a norm, the vulnerable subject’s answer to the question ‘vulnerable to what?’ constantly expands, drawing in ever more areas of life, behaviour, relationships as well as words and ideas into a regulatory framework. Concerns about overcriminalisation are understood here to be a product of this vulnerable subject, something that cannot be resolved at the level of law but must relate to the wider cultural and political sense of human progress and a defence of the robust liberal subject in society. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenging Academia: A Critical Space for Controversial Social Issues)

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18 pages, 1012 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Gaining Legitimacy in Post-Qaddafi Libya: Analysing Attempts of the Muslim Brotherhood

by Inga Kristina Trauthig

Societies 2019, 9(3), 65; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9030065 - 13 Sep 2019

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4767

Abstract

The Libyan Muslim Brotherhood needed to manoeuvre underground for several decades, just as most opposition groups in Libya had to—because of the repression from the Qaddafi regime. In 2012, however, the political wing of the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood (LMB), the Justice and Construction [...] Read more.

The Libyan Muslim Brotherhood needed to manoeuvre underground for several decades, just as most opposition groups in Libya had to—because of the repression from the Qaddafi regime. In 2012, however, the political wing of the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood (LMB), the Justice and Construction Party (JCP, sometimes also called the Justice and Development Party) participated in popular elections just shortly after its inception. Seven years later, one can unanimously say that the movement was not able to take power in the country. This paper will analyse the LMB in post-revolutionary Libya by concentrating on the attempts of establishing legitimacy in the political sphere—while continuously being informed by historical influences. Methodologically, the paper examines primary sources, key academic texts but also factors in interview data from semi-structured interviews. Overall, the paper addresses the puzzle of why Libya as a predominantly Sunni, conservative country did not translate into a conservative Sunni movement like the LMB faring well; with that, derailing the impression that the whole region was “going Islamist” after the so-called Arab Spring. The LMB today is still influenced by the historical treatment it received under Qaddafi, which lead it to base itself mostly in exile, hence it struggled to entrench itself in the country. The LMB was pointed towards their opponents’ fearmongering of an alleged Islamist takeover, mostly without addressing self-inflicted wounds, such as their inability to unite or to convince major parts of the population of their political programme. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Politics of the Middle-East and North-Africa)

17 pages, 314 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Class, Style and Territory in the Drari Microcultures of Brussels

by Mattias De Backer

Societies 2019, 9(3), 64; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9030064 - 11 Sep 2019

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 7690

Abstract

Much like Parsons’s notion of “youth culture,” the tradition of subculture developed by the Birmingham School was criticised as being too romantic, too general, and too dependent on a simplistic model based on the inside/outside binary. Since the 1990s, “post-subcultural” studies have developed [...] Read more.

Much like Parsons’s notion of “youth culture,” the tradition of subculture developed by the Birmingham School was criticised as being too romantic, too general, and too dependent on a simplistic model based on the inside/outside binary. Since the 1990s, “post-subcultural” studies have developed which prefer to focus on agency rather than structure. A “third school” of youth cultural studies focused on medium sizes groups and their attachment to place, which they called “microcultures”. This paper, drawing from fieldwork undertaken in Brussels between 2013 and 2016 with young people, studies members of the Brussels “street culture” called the drari, while zooming in on the combinations of personalities, the events they share and the locations they make their own. Specifically, this paper argues that the drari microculture does not fit in the binary model of (post-)subcultural theory, nor in the criminological frame of urban youth gangs, by focusing on the affective and class-related phenomena internal to their practices of territory-building. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Youth Cultures and Subcultures)

14 pages, 272 KiB

Open AccessArticle

“Old Church Women”: An Insight into the Less Understood and Their Contribution to the Life of the Orthodox Church

by Lavinia Țânculescu

Societies 2019, 9(3), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9030063 - 3 Sep 2019

Viewed by 2946

Abstract

In this study, I aim to explore the role of old women in the life of the Christian Orthodox Church in the Romanian space. The analysis is based on empirical evidence (qualitative fieldwork and case studies) gathered between 2017 and 2019, and it [...] Read more.

In this study, I aim to explore the role of old women in the life of the Christian Orthodox Church in the Romanian space. The analysis is based on empirical evidence (qualitative fieldwork and case studies) gathered between 2017 and 2019, and it mainly employs the framework of theory of tradition, and theories of attachment and of parent–infant relationship. I will show that old women going to church have a double role: To educate the community in keeping the religious tradition, and to initiate other members, especially the very young ones (blood-related or not), in the Romanian Orthodox faith. The paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages offered by both aforementioned roles, putting forth possible explanations for the tensions arising between generations. I conclude by underlining the crucial role that old women have in today’s struggle for survival of the Romanian Orthodox Church and in its spiritual identity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ageing and Interpersonal Communication)

17 pages, 277 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Emotional Risks of Turning Stories into Data: An Exploration of the Experiences of Qualitative Researchers Working on Sensitive Topics

by Sharon Mallon and Iris Elliott

Societies 2019, 9(3), 62; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9030062 - 30 Aug 2019

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 6418

Abstract

A great deal of research has been undertaken into areas involving sensitive topics. In spite of longstanding acceptance that such research can be emotionally risky for participants, interest in the impact of this work on the researcher has only relatively recently become a [...] Read more.

A great deal of research has been undertaken into areas involving sensitive topics. In spite of longstanding acceptance that such research can be emotionally risky for participants, interest in the impact of this work on the researcher has only relatively recently become a topic of concern. This paper reports on a roundtable convened with qualitative researchers working in sensitive research areas. The article explores their views in relation to the emotional risks they encountered in relation to their work. A grounded theory, thematic analysis was used to analyse the data and comparisons are made between researcher experiences and those highlighted by earlier studies. We illuminate how researchers described personal concerns about the emotional risks, before focusing on how the researcher’s sense of professionalism contributed to, or protected against, these emotional risks and emotions. This paper also discusses the faltering nature of the support provided to these researchers and the challenges created by the need they felt to create impactful research. The authors conclude by arguing that current support and guidance provided to researchers working in sensitive areas fails to address the complexity of the emotional reaction of the researcher. We call for the development of specialised training and improved use of theoretical concepts such as emotion work, to guide those undertaking this challenging work. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Practical and Ethical Dilemmas in Researching Sensitive Topics with Populations Considered Vulnerable)

32 pages, 345 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Neuro-Advancements and the Role of Nurses as Stated in Academic Literature and Canadian Newspapers

by Rochelle Deloria and Gregor Wolbring

Societies 2019, 9(3), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9030061 - 26 Aug 2019

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 5312

Abstract

Neurosciences and neurotechnologies (from now on called neuro-advancements) constantly evolve and influence all facets of society. Neuroethics and neuro-governance discourses focus on the impact of neuro-advancements on individuals and society, and stakeholder involvement is identified as an important aspect of being able to [...] Read more.

Neurosciences and neurotechnologies (from now on called neuro-advancements) constantly evolve and influence all facets of society. Neuroethics and neuro-governance discourses focus on the impact of neuro-advancements on individuals and society, and stakeholder involvement is identified as an important aspect of being able to deal with such an impact. Nurses engage with neuro-advancements within their occupation, including neuro-linked assistive technologies, such as brain-computer interfaces, cochlear implants, and virtual reality. The role of nurses is multifaceted and includes being providers of clinical and other health services, educators, advocates for their field and their clients, including disabled people, researchers, and influencers of policy discourses. Nurses have a stake in how neuro-advancements are governed, therefore, being influencers of neuroethics and neuro-governance discourses should be one of these roles. Lifelong learning and professional development could be one mechanism to increase the knowledge of nurses about ethical, social, and legal issues linked to neuro-advancements, which in turn, would allow nurses to provide meaningful input towards neuro-advancement discussions. Disabled people are often the recipients of neuro-advancements and are clients of nurses, therefore, they have a stake in the way nurses interact with neuro-advancements and influence the sociotechnical context of neuro-advancements, which include neuro-linked assistive devices. We performed a scoping review to investigate the role of narrative around nurses in relation to neuro-advancements within academic literature and newspapers. We found minimal engagement with the role of nurses outside of clinical services. No article raised the issue of nurses having to be involved in neuro-ethics and neuro-governance discussions or how lifelong learning could be used to gain that competency. Few articles used the term assistive technology or assistive device and no article covered the engagement of nurses with disabled people within a socio-technical context. We submit that the role narrative falls short of what is expected from nurses and shows shortcomings at the intersection of nurses, socio-technical approaches to neuro-assistive technologies and other neuro-advancements and people with disabilities. Neuro-governance and neuroethic discourses could be a useful way for nurses and disabled people to co-shape the socio-technical context of neuro-advancements, including neuro-assistive technologies. Lifelong learning initiatives should be put in place to provide the knowledge necessary for nurses to take part in the neuroethics and neuro-governance discussion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Socio-technical Approaches for Assistive Technologies and People with Disabilities)

17 pages, 265 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Turning Point as an Opportunity to (Re)Think and Give a Voice to One’s Own Body

by Gustavo González-Calvo and Valeria Varea

Societies 2019, 9(3), 60; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9030060 - 17 Aug 2019

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3161

Abstract

This article explores the intersectionalities of masculinity, fatherhood, and physical activity in relation to a Physical Education teacher who has been diagnosed with an illness. In so doing, we draw on autobiographical narratives to delve into how embodied subjectivities are constructed to advance [...] Read more.

This article explores the intersectionalities of masculinity, fatherhood, and physical activity in relation to a Physical Education teacher who has been diagnosed with an illness. In so doing, we draw on autobiographical narratives to delve into how embodied subjectivities are constructed to advance knowledge on a new embodied way of being a man and a PE teacher that can be accepted and embraced. The results are organised into three main themes: (1) narratives of continuation: the “before” of chronic illness; (2) narratives of disruption: back pain and temporary physical disability; and (3) restitution narratives: damn it, now that I am a father. The results suggest that narratives such as those presented in this article contribute to the continuously changing process of life projects and that illness can assist in redefining and reconstituting the persona of a PE teacher. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Socio-cultural and Critical Approaches to Health and the Body)

14 pages, 615 KiB

Open AccessConcept Paper

In Biomedicine, Thin Is Still In: Obesity Surveillance among Racialized, (Im)migrant, and Female Bodies

by Iffath Unissa Syed

Societies 2019, 9(3), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9030059 - 15 Aug 2019

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6426

Abstract

Currently there is a plethora of research literature which constructs obesity as an alarming new global pandemic associated with a multitude of acute and chronic diseases rooted in lifestyle factors. Although most of these claims related to obesity are well accepted in the [...] Read more.

Currently there is a plethora of research literature which constructs obesity as an alarming new global pandemic associated with a multitude of acute and chronic diseases rooted in lifestyle factors. Although most of these claims related to obesity are well accepted in the research community, some challenges remain. For instance, lifestyle factors only partially explain the risks of developing obesity. In this paper, I have advocated for greater caution in interpreting some of the medical claims of obesity due to the epistemological and methodological assumptions that inform certain groups of obesity researchers. While most of the literature has reported lifestyle factors and behavior modification as the major mechanisms to achieving health and wellbeing, a few scholars have raised issues about structural factors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Inequality and Human Rights in a Digital World)

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21 pages, 340 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Between Pleasure and Resistance: The Role of Substance Consumption in an Italian Working-Class Subculture

by Matteo Di Placido

Societies 2019, 9(3), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9030058 - 14 Aug 2019

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3989

Abstract

In this article I discuss how illegal substance consumption can act as a tool of resistance and as an identity signifier for young people through a covert ethnographic case study of a working-class subculture in Genoa, North-Western Italy. I develop my argument through [...] Read more.

In this article I discuss how illegal substance consumption can act as a tool of resistance and as an identity signifier for young people through a covert ethnographic case study of a working-class subculture in Genoa, North-Western Italy. I develop my argument through a coupled reading of the work of the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies (CCCS) and more recent post-structural developments in the fields of youth studies and cultural critical criminology. I discuss how these apparently contrasting lines of inquiry, when jointly used, shed light on different aspects of the cultural practices of specific subcultures contributing to reflect on the study of youth cultures and subcultures in today’s society and overcoming some of the ‘dead ends’ of the opposition between the scholarly categories of subculture and post-subculture. In fact, through an analysis of the sites, socialization processes, and hedonistic ethos of the subculture, I show how within a single subculture there could be a coexistence of: resistance practices and subversive styles of expression as the CCCS research program posits; and signs of fragmentary and partial aesthetic engagements devoid of political contents and instead primarily oriented towards the affirmation of the individual, as argued by the adherents of the post-subcultural position. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Youth Cultures and Subcultures)

10 pages, 273 KiB

Open AccessOpinion

Interviewing and Hiring Practices in Brazilian Academia: Proposals Towards Improvement

by Eva O.L. Lantsoght, Miguel Abambres, Tiago Ribeiro and Ana Sousa

Societies 2019, 9(3), 57; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9030057 - 14 Aug 2019

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3232

Abstract

Though Brazilian academia claims equality, the sector has largely been referred to as non-meritocratic, and academic hiring is still inward-oriented. The Lattes platform, a public curricular information system, reflects elements of this protectionism. This article assesses two ‘obsessions’ in Brazilian academia: the ‘mandatory’ [...] Read more.

Though Brazilian academia claims equality, the sector has largely been referred to as non-meritocratic, and academic hiring is still inward-oriented. The Lattes platform, a public curricular information system, reflects elements of this protectionism. This article assesses two ‘obsessions’ in Brazilian academia: the ‘mandatory’ Lattes CV, and the assessment criteria and procedures in public tenders for faculty positions. The current situation is introduced to the reader, and the shortcomings of these methods and their effect on academia in Brazil are analyzed. The following improvements are proposed: (1) evaluations in public tenders based on a candidate’s CV, interview, and a sample lecture, (2) removing the Lattes CV as a mandatory format, and (3) using platforms such as Microsoft Academic, Google Scholar, ORCID or ResearcherID for curricular information. With these recommendations, Brazil can move towards a more open and international-oriented academic hiring system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenging Academia: A Critical Space for Controversial Social Issues)

28 pages, 325 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Changing Nature of Death Penalty in Vietnam: A Historical and Legal Inquiry

by Kien Tran and Cong Giao Vu

Societies 2019, 9(3), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9030056 - 12 Aug 2019

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 11636

Abstract

This research centers on the change in the nature of the death penalty as expressed in law and practice throughout Vietnam’s history with a focus on modern time. Using a set of typical legal research methods, in particular, legal history, doctrinal research, philosophy [...] Read more.

This research centers on the change in the nature of the death penalty as expressed in law and practice throughout Vietnam’s history with a focus on modern time. Using a set of typical legal research methods, in particular, legal history, doctrinal research, philosophy of law and, sociology of law, the article analyzes the change and reform of capital offences in Vietnamese laws. It is revealed through our research that the nature of the death penalty has been fundamentally changed from an instrument of power and coercion during much of the history of the country to a manifestation of justice based on the ideas of rule of law and human rights that started to emerge in the early twentieth century, especially from 1986 onwards. As a result, the number of capital offences has been gradually reduced in three modern Criminal Codes. However, it is also noted that the number of capital sentences and executions appears to remain unchanged, even slightly increased. This creates a paradox that opens and invites a future, interdisciplinary research to thoroughly investigate the problem in the country. The article also argues that as the death penalty finds its moral and legal justifications along with the rise of the number of death sentences given to many serious criminal cases, the death penalty appears to find support among the public. In addition, the political sensitivity of the issue, as expressed through the prohibition on the disclosure of the death penalty data, will inhibit discourse on the problem. Together, they will maintain the existence and application of the death penalty in Vietnam in the time to come. Full article

19 pages, 757 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Elephant in the Room: Youth, Cognition, and Student Groups in Mass Social Movements

by Hank Johnston

Societies 2019, 9(3), 55; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9030055 - 9 Aug 2019

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 7117

Abstract

Student and youth groups are often vanguard actors in turbulent times. This article proposes that when they are part of broader social movements, they can introduce strong age-cohort influences in a movement’s development. These influences derive from the balance between youths and adults [...] Read more.

Student and youth groups are often vanguard actors in turbulent times. This article proposes that when they are part of broader social movements, they can introduce strong age-cohort influences in a movement’s development. These influences derive from the balance between youths and adults in a movement and their interrelationships, especially over the long term when demands remain unanswered by the state. Other influences include resource availability, which tends to cluster with older generations, tactical specialization according to age cohorts, and the tendency of groups with younger members to be willing to take greater risks, be more passionate in their demands, and more militant in their tactics. In this report, we identified several empirically recognized cognitive dimensions relevant to youthful participation: (1) identity search, (2) risk taking, (3) emotionality, and (4) cognitive triggering. These cognitive factors of late adolescence and early adulthood can energize a movement when young cohorts participate but also run the risk of alienating older members and public opinion. We discussed how mass movements for political and/or cultural change are frequently intergenerational and how intergenerational relations can mitigate the inward-turning and militant tendencies of young adults. In broad movements for social change, these relations can create a division of labor in which students are the vanguard actors and the older members mobilize the social and material resources available to them. Under other conditions, youth and student groups wield a two-edged sword with the capability of energizing a movement or alienating older cohorts of militants and public opinion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Youth Cultures and Subcultures)

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13 pages, 1067 KiB

Open AccessConcept Paper

Upstream Social Marketing for Implementing Mobile Government

by Valentina Burksiene, Jaroslav Dvorak and Mantas Duda

Societies 2019, 9(3), 54; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9030054 - 29 Jul 2019

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 10862

Abstract

This article analyses the main aspects of upstream social marketing for the implementation of mobile government (MGov). The methodology of current research is based on the systematic literature review in the fields of MGov and social marketing. According to our findings, most researchers [...] Read more.

This article analyses the main aspects of upstream social marketing for the implementation of mobile government (MGov). The methodology of current research is based on the systematic literature review in the fields of MGov and social marketing. According to our findings, most researchers investigated MGov from the side of citizens (consumers) and emphasised the benefits to them while changing their attitudes and behaviours in employing mobile applications. However, as there is a lack of research from the side of governmental bodies, in this paper we were looking for new meanings, attitudes and values from their perspective. Limitations of employment of MGov occur due knowledge gap among decision makers and public policy formers (upstream audience). Therefore, we argue that upstream social marketing for the upstream audience would bring success in faster MGov implementation. Specific social marketing would be mostly valuable on the municipal level that is the closest substance to the society. Thus, in our paper, we emphasise the benefit of the MGov for the local upstream audience and propose possible external marketers as well as the motivating theses based on the 7P of marketing mix (consisting of seven P elements: Product, Price, Place or physical evidence, Promotion, Participants or people, Processes, Political power) for the successful MGov on municipal level. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Cultural Policy and Management: Regional and Cross-Border Perspectives)

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11 pages, 266 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Researching Transgression: Ana as a Youth Subculture in the Age of Digital Ethnography

by Nic Crowe and Kate Hoskins

Societies 2019, 9(3), 53; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9030053 - 8 Jul 2019

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5991

Abstract

In this paper, we explore the contribution of material and digital ethnography to providing a deeper understanding of youth subcultures. We provide the context by reviewing some of the research carried out by the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies (CCCS) to provide a [...] Read more.

In this paper, we explore the contribution of material and digital ethnography to providing a deeper understanding of youth subcultures. We provide the context by reviewing some of the research carried out by the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies (CCCS) to provide a historical overview of cultural studies and critically appraise how they have drawn on ethnography as a way of deepening our understanding of young people’s subculture. We then draw on digital ethnographic data to explore the lived experiences of Ana girls, that is, young women who advocate anorexic and bulimic behaviours as legitimate lifestyle choices, as they explore and negotiate their identity through online social media platforms with like-minded people. The aim is to demonstrate the potential of longitudinal digital ethnography to provide insights into these girls’ transgressive voices played out through online spaces. In narrating the Ana girls through digital storytelling, we argue that digital ethnography is the only way to access and understand their experiences and as such, has a unique role to play in advancing sociological understanding of their complex lived experiences. Thus, we suggest that digital ethnography provides a unique way of capturing longitudinal data and that this knowledge is important to bring about greater understanding of the challenges facing these girls as they grapple with complex problems. This greater understanding could inform changes to practice needed to better support Ana girls in online spaces. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Youth Cultures and Subcultures)

3 pages, 140 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Special Issue: Supporting Health and Psychosocial Well-Being for Refugees and Asylum Seekers

by Mansha Parven Mirza

Societies 2019, 9(3), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9030052 - 6 Jul 2019

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2815

Abstract

With nearly 69 million people forcibly displaced from their homes, the global refugee situation has reached crisis proportions [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Supporting Health and Psychosocial well-being for Refugees and Asylum Seekers)

32 pages, 402 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stakeholders’ Views on Responsible Assessments of Assistive Technologies through an Ethical HTA Matrix

by Erik Thorstensen

Societies 2019, 9(3), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9030051 - 28 Jun 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4378

Abstract

Assessments of novel assistive technologies for use in home-based services has been documented to be performed in a variety of ways and often with a rather narrow focus on safety and effect or effectiveness. In order better to understand the place for wider [...] Read more.

Assessments of novel assistive technologies for use in home-based services has been documented to be performed in a variety of ways and often with a rather narrow focus on safety and effect or effectiveness. In order better to understand the place for wider forms of assessments of assistive technologies, the current study presents a combination of the Ethical Matrix and the Socratic approach for assessment of health technologies—the Ethical HTA Matrix. This matrix was filled with content based on a case of a GPS localization system, which was validated by stakeholders. In a next step, central decision-makers in assistive technologies and stakeholders were interviewed concerning their views on this methodology. Mainly, the matrix was seen as very comprehensive, but too detailed with an abundance of information. Nevertheless, some informants suggested concrete uses of the matrix in their organizations. Some understood the matrix more as an epistemic tool aiming at providing an overview of the state of knowledge, while others identified a normative potential in the matrix that could be implemented in health innovation processes for the home-based services, in particular when discussing novel solutions and working methods with health professionals and care workers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Socio-technical Approaches for Assistive Technologies and People with Disabilities)

12 pages, 235 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Attitudes toward Redistributive Policy: An Introduction

by Liza G. Steele and Nate Breznau

Societies 2019, 9(3), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9030050 - 28 Jun 2019

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 6617

Abstract

We provide an overview of the field of preferences for redistribution research, including divergent terminological and theoretical approaches. We review the different uses of public attitudes, policy preferences and public opinion. We outline the theoretical roles of material interests, values and opinion-policy endogeneity. [...] Read more.

We provide an overview of the field of preferences for redistribution research, including divergent terminological and theoretical approaches. We review the different uses of public attitudes, policy preferences and public opinion. We outline the theoretical roles of material interests, values and opinion-policy endogeneity. We also introduce and summarize the original research presented in this Special Issue. Among the key contributions of the Special Issue to the subfield are novel explorations of how socialization affects preferences for redistribution; an examination of how perceptions about inequality translate into policy preferences; a call for more research into the links between taxation and social policy preferences; explanations for the paradox of low levels of support for redistribution in the famously-generous Nordic countries; and new insights into class-specific policy preferences as well as the roles of immigration and diversity in determining such preferences. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Attitudes about Inequalities)

10 pages, 224 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Challenges and Obstacles for Syrian Refugee Women in the Turkish Labor Market

by Lamiha Ozturk, Zehra Vildan Serin and Hamdiye Altınoz

Societies 2019, 9(3), 49; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9030049 - 26 Jun 2019

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5284

Abstract

The civil war in Syria resulted in the displacement of 5.7 million civilians between 2011 and 2018. Approximately four million of these civilians started to live in Turkey as refugees trying to integrate themselves into the labor market. The present research is a [...] Read more.

The civil war in Syria resulted in the displacement of 5.7 million civilians between 2011 and 2018. Approximately four million of these civilians started to live in Turkey as refugees trying to integrate themselves into the labor market. The present research is a case study regarding the obstacles faced by Syrian refugee women’s access to the labor market in Şanlıurfa, Turkey. To this end, a survey was carried out on a population of 341 migrants under a temporary protection regime comprising 207 women. The results obtained indicate numerous problems and show the needs of Syrian women. For example, Turkish language fluency and low education and skill levels are among the largest barriers for employment. Moreover, the opacity of bureaucratic procedures and non-computerized work permit applications are shown to be another slowing factor in this process. Compared with their home countries, Syrian women are more active in Turkey. However, a majority is involved in precarious and seasonal jobs. The problems of childcare and the feudal (male-dominated) nature of many homes deter Syrian women from contributing economically, and despite being a generally young population, most hold seasonal jobs, which leave little opportunity for career development. It is recommended that, to overcome structural barriers in accessing the labor market, Syrian refugee women need long-term training rather than restrictive policies. Full article

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Societies, Volume 9, Issue 3 (September 2019) – 18 articles

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