Social Sciences

16 pages, 311 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Motherhood in Context—Life Course Interviews with Young Mothers in Contact with Child Welfare

by Anne Juberg, Turid Midjo and Halvor Fauske

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 236; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120236 - 20 Dec 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4146

Background: The purpose of this article is to explore how a sample of young mothers in contact with child welfare services in Norway narrate their transition to motherhood and their relation with child welfare services. Methods: The article is based on life-course interviews [...] Read more.

Background: The purpose of this article is to explore how a sample of young mothers in contact with child welfare services in Norway narrate their transition to motherhood and their relation with child welfare services. Methods: The article is based on life-course interviews with the mothers, on which we have conducted a content analysis inspired by narrative theory. Results: Results show that whereas the mothers deviated from common expectations of predictability and orderliness before they became mothers, they strived to provide a “good enough” situation for their children in line with expectations in larger society ever after. Nevertheless, the complex disadvantages that the mothers said they had in several life domains concerning social networks and family support, education, working life, housing, and that were apparently already in their transition to adulthood, were likely to increase even after the mothers had decided to enter the mothering role in socially acceptable ways. Conclusions: The article concludes that child welfare services may contribute positively by acknowledging the complexity of young mothers’ living context when assessing mothering practices. Full article

15 pages, 1017 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Unconditional Quantile Regression Approach: Effects of Education on Housework Time in the US and Japan

by Kamila Kolpashnikova and Man-Yee Kan

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 235; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120235 - 18 Dec 2020

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3303

Abstract

We compare the association between educational attainment and housework participation among single and married women in Japan and the US. Using the cross-sectional time-use diaries from the 2006 American Time Use Survey (ATUS) and the 2006 Japanese Survey on Time Use and Leisure [...] Read more.

We compare the association between educational attainment and housework participation among single and married women in Japan and the US. Using the cross-sectional time-use diaries from the 2006 American Time Use Survey (ATUS) and the 2006 Japanese Survey on Time Use and Leisure Activities (STULA) and unconditional quantile regressions (UQR), we test whether educational attainment is associated with less time spent on housework in Japan compared to the US. We find that this assumption stands only for American women and non-married Japanese women. However, married Japanese women are unlikely to reduce participation in housework with an increase in their educational level. Married Japanese women are more likely to do more housework proportionately to the level of their education. The findings reveal the presence of a marriage penalty among highly educated Japanese women. In Japan, the institute of marriage places higher expectations regarding women’s housework participation on married women with higher levels of education, thereby penalising Japanese women with higher educational attainments. Our findings illustrate that the tenets of the resource-based and gender-centred frameworks developed based on the empirical findings in Western countries cannot always directly apply to the patterns observed in East Asia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Family Studies)

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24 pages, 345 KiB

Open AccessArticle

What Do Adolescents Know about Citizenship? Measuring Student’s Knowledge of the Social and Political Aspects of Citizenship

by Geert Ten Dam, Anne Bert Dijkstra, Ineke Van der Veen and Anne Van Goethem

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 234; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120234 - 17 Dec 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3562

Abstract

This paper analyses how young people’s citizenship knowledge is related to the different domains of citizenship in their daily lives. Based on a representative sample of some 5300 students in the third year of 80 Dutch secondary schools, our study relates citizenship knowledge [...] Read more.

This paper analyses how young people’s citizenship knowledge is related to the different domains of citizenship in their daily lives. Based on a representative sample of some 5300 students in the third year of 80 Dutch secondary schools, our study relates citizenship knowledge to student background and school characteristics. The knowledge test developed for this study situates citizenship knowledge in the literature and the societal and political context defining the social structure students live in. The contribution of our study lies in this broad conceptualisation of citizenship, which is reflected in fine-grained, more specific results than the outcomes of earlier research. Gender differences are particularly pronounced in the social aspects of citizenship and are small in the political domain. As far as ethnic background is concerned, we see knowledge differences in the domain of “acting democratically”. This is also the domain where most of the differences in citizenship knowledge between students of the various schools and tracks occur. School size, public/private school, urbanisation and a more heterogeneous student population cannot explain these differences. To mitigate inequalities in citizenship knowledge between and within schools, which are relatively large in the Netherlands, further research is necessary to investigate micro-level mechanisms within schools. Full article

27 pages, 2002 KiB

Open AccessArticle

“Traditions Are Not for Me”: Curriculum, Alternative Schools, and Formerly Incarcerated Young Black Men’s Academic Success

by Charles H. Lea III, Henry Joel Crumé and Demond Hill

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 233; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120233 - 17 Dec 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6584

Abstract

Literature suggests that culturally promotive curricula can counter the effect of anti-Blackness in United States (U.S.) schools by cultivating Black students’ cultural, social, and academic development and fostering learning environments in which they feel respected, connected, and invested in their school communities. However, [...] Read more.

Literature suggests that culturally promotive curricula can counter the effect of anti-Blackness in United States (U.S.) schools by cultivating Black students’ cultural, social, and academic development and fostering learning environments in which they feel respected, connected, and invested in their school communities. However, Black students, especially young Black men, who return to school following a period of incarceration, face discrimination and numerous barriers to school reentry and engagement. While some enroll in alternative schools as a last option to earn a diploma, little is known about how curricula in these educational settings can facilitate positive school reentry experiences and outcomes among this population. As such, this intrinsic qualitative case study explored how one alternative school’s culturally promotive curriculum fosters and cultivates educational resilience among formerly incarcerated young Black men. Data collection included observations, interviews, and document reviews, and utilized a thematic analytic approach that included grounded theory techniques. Results indicate that teaching content that formerly incarcerated young Black men perceived as truthful and relevant to their lived experiences augmented their school engagement. The young men reported feeling empowered by the school’s curriculum structure and culture that allowed them to self-direct learning goals and course content toward themes that affirmed their cultural and social identities. The curriculum also appeared to facilitate positive relationships with the instructors, leading to the development of a positive school climate where the young men felt safe, appreciated, and supported. These findings highlight the important role space, place, and relationships can play in bolstering formerly incarcerated young Black men’s educational resilience through a culturally promotive curriculum in the context of an alternative school. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Racial Justice in Learning Contexts)

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18 pages, 374 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sweden and Coronavirus: Unexceptional Exceptionalism

by Staffan Andersson and Nicholas Aylott

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 232; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120232 - 15 Dec 2020

Cited by 34 | Viewed by 11300

Abstract

The aims of this article are, first, to describe the Swedish authorities’ strategy for dealing with the sudden onset of novel coronavirus in early 2020 and, second, to explain why that strategy differed markedly from those in nearly all other European countries. From [...] Read more.

The aims of this article are, first, to describe the Swedish authorities’ strategy for dealing with the sudden onset of novel coronavirus in early 2020 and, second, to explain why that strategy differed markedly from those in nearly all other European countries. From an early stage, the Swedish government delegated decision making to the Public Health Agency, and its goal was to mitigate the effects of the virus rather than to suppress its spread. Society was never closed down in the same way as elsewhere. Using data from media reports and other publications, we argue that the agency was insulated from pressure to change course, even as the number of deaths associated with covid-19 rose far above those in Sweden’s Nordic neighbours, by four conditions: (1) the structure of national public administration; (2) an outburst of nationalism in parts of the media; (3) the uneven impact of the virus; and (4) a political leadership that was willing to delegate responsibility for policy almost entirely. We conclude by briefly comparing the coronavirus strategy to previous episodes of Swedish policy exceptionalism. This emerging pattern, we suggest, raises normative questions about the functioning of Swedish democracy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Political Economy of the Response to COVID-19: The EU and the Rest of the World)

24 pages, 628 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exceptional Injustice: Facebook as a Reflection of Race- and Gender-Based Narratives Following the Death of George Floyd

by Patricia J Dixon and Lauren Dundes

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 231; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120231 - 15 Dec 2020

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 22631

Abstract

Following the death of George Floyd, Facebook posts about the Black Lives Matter movement (BLM) surged, creating the opportunity to examine reactions by race and sex. This study employed a two-part mixed methods approach beginning with an analysis of posts from a single [...] Read more.

Following the death of George Floyd, Facebook posts about the Black Lives Matter movement (BLM) surged, creating the opportunity to examine reactions by race and sex. This study employed a two-part mixed methods approach beginning with an analysis of posts from a single college student’s Facebook newsfeed over a 12-week period, commencing on the date of George Floyd’s death (25 May 2020). A triangulation protocol enhanced exploratory observational–archival Facebook posts with qualitative data from 24 Black and White college students queried about their views of BLM and policing. The Facebook data revealed that White males, who were the least active in posting about BLM, were most likely to criticize BLM protests. They also believed incidents of police brutality were exceptions that tainted an otherwise commendable profession. In contrast, Black individuals commonly saw the case of George Floyd as consistent with a longstanding pattern of injustice that takes an emotional toll, and as an egregious exemplification of racism that calls for indictment of the status quo. The exploratory data in this article also illustrate how even for a cause célèbre, attention on Facebook ebbs over time. This phenomenon obscures the urgency of effecting change, especially for persons whose understanding of racism is influenced by its coverage on social media. The need to recognize the divergence of views—how they vary by sex and race and their connection to social media—remains critical for progress in determining the best steps forward in race relations and police reform. Full article

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17 pages, 347 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Rise of Fascist Formations in Chile and in the World

by Rene Leal

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 230; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120230 - 14 Dec 2020

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 5665

Abstract

This essay examines the contemporary crisis in Chile in the context of the rise of the global far right. What led to the popular uprising in Chile in October 2019, and what forces are represented by its violent state repression? Fascist formations are [...] Read more.

This essay examines the contemporary crisis in Chile in the context of the rise of the global far right. What led to the popular uprising in Chile in October 2019, and what forces are represented by its violent state repression? Fascist formations are currently developing in various nations; Umberto Eco’s concept of Ur-Fascism is useful in tracing the range of fascisms and their characteristics. These include populism, nationalism, racism, and syncretic traditionalism. In Chile, the racism of the far right is directed against its indigenous people more than immigrants. The ‘unfinished business’ of capitalist development here is the historical background of the oppressive relationship established by the ‘West’ over the ‘Rest’, in Stuart Hall’s terms. Fascism emerges periodically, temporarily resolving crises of accumulation through runaway activity of capital, entailing suppression of the working class and its organization. Neoliberalism has been the latest form of this exacerbation, but as its contradictions have intensified, its ideology no longer manages to mask the exploitation and secure consent. Neoliberalism, trialed in Chile after the 1973 coup under United States hegemony, became globally entrenched following the collapse of Soviet-bloc socialism and the ensuing weaknesses and crises of the organized left and the decay of social democracy. Neoliberal ideology has sustained capital at the same time as neoliberal policies have augmented the precarity of subordinated classes. As this becomes apparent with the sharpening of contradictions, the anachronistic relationship between liberalism and democracy has been deeply damaged. It becomes clear that capital’s profitability is privileged over the needs and wishes of the people. In this framework, to explore the rise and meaning of fascism is thus to examine the condition and possibilities of modernity and its limits. Modernity is besieged by pressurs coming from premodern esentialist conceptions of the world and also by the postmodernist’s view of chaos and fragmentation of a spontaneous social order; neoliberalism becomes compatible with both. Fascism lacks a coherence, but is anchored emotionally to archetypal foundations. Its very eclecticism embraces a wide range of anti-socialist and anti-capitalist discourses, which have enabled it to take root in mass movements. Its ideological resolution of the contradiction between capital and labor is temporary: the intensifying of capital accumulation activates its opposition, to the point where the distorting effect of ideology is unveiled and contradictions appear as class struggle. The longstanding imposition of neoliberalism in Chile, and the runaway activity of capital which it supported have has been rejected and partially defeated by the October 2019 rebellion in Chile. The far right has backed down but has not been defeated. The plebiscite of 25 October 2020 has delivered the people’s verdict on neoliberalism. However, in the different global and national circumstances of 2021, the fascists still among us may yet seek to reassert the order that they sought in 1973. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Global Rise of the Extreme Right)

14 pages, 251 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Family Structure Stability and Transitions, Parental Involvement, and Educational Outcomes

by Shana L. Pribesh, Jane Smith Carson, Mikaela J. Dufur, Yuanyuan Yue and Kathy Morgan

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 229; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120229 - 11 Dec 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 21186

Abstract

The family environments children live in have profound effects on the skills, resources, and attitudes those children bring to school. Researchers studying family structure have found that children who live with two married, opposite-sex, biological parents, on average, have better educational outcomes than [...] Read more.

The family environments children live in have profound effects on the skills, resources, and attitudes those children bring to school. Researchers studying family structure have found that children who live with two married, opposite-sex, biological parents, on average, have better educational outcomes than children living in alternate family structures, perhaps due to higher resources, lower stressors, or different selectivity patterns. Socioeconomic stratification plays a major role in family structure, with low-income families seeing more instability. We argue that the impact of family structure is attenuated by transitions in and out of family structures that may decrease a specific resource important to child academic outcomes: parental involvement. This may contribute to increased academic differences already noted across class gaps. Using waves 1 to 6 of the Growing Up in Australia: Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) data, we examine the relationship of family stability and transitions from birth to age 10/11 years on parental involvement and educational outcomes, adjusted for resource, stressor, and selectivity covariates. We find that changes in parental involvement are only apparent for families that experience both a transition and single parenting, and that these differences in parental involvement impact academic outcomes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Stratification and Schooling)

15 pages, 235 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Emerging Adulthood on the Risky and Dangerous Behaviors of LGBT Populations

by Christopher Salvatore and Tarika Daftary-Kapur

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 228; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120228 - 11 Dec 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4961

Abstract

During emerging adulthood, traditional social bonds and turning points may be delayed, not present, or may not work in the same manner as they had for prior generations, leading many to engage in risky and dangerous behaviors. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered emerging [...] Read more.

During emerging adulthood, traditional social bonds and turning points may be delayed, not present, or may not work in the same manner as they had for prior generations, leading many to engage in risky and dangerous behaviors. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered emerging adults may be at particular risk for engaging in risky and dangerous behavior during emerging adulthood due to the lack of social bonds, reaching of turning points, as well as the historic stigmatization of these populations. Focusing on LGBT populations in the United States, the influence of emerging adulthood on risky and dangerous behaviors is presented; a theoretical examination of the relationship between LGBT populations and risky and dangerous behaviors is provided; the influence of emerging adulthood on LGBT populations is explored; research on the role of emerging adulthoods influence on the risky and dangerous behaviors of LGBT populations is presented; and theoretical and policy implications are offered. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding Criminal Behavior and Young Adult)

37 pages, 1734 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stress, Emotion Regulation, and Well-Being among Canadian Faculty Members in Research-Intensive Universities

by Raheleh Salimzadeh, Nathan C. Hall and Alenoush Saroyan

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 227; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120227 - 10 Dec 2020

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 6576

Abstract

Existing research reveals the academic profession to be stressful and emotion-laden. Recent evidence further shows job-related stress and emotion regulation to impact faculty well-being and productivity. The present study recruited 414 Canadian faculty members from 13 English-speaking research-intensive universities. We examined the associations [...] Read more.

Existing research reveals the academic profession to be stressful and emotion-laden. Recent evidence further shows job-related stress and emotion regulation to impact faculty well-being and productivity. The present study recruited 414 Canadian faculty members from 13 English-speaking research-intensive universities. We examined the associations between perceived stressors, emotion regulation strategies, including reappraisal, suppression, adaptive upregulation of positive emotions, maladaptive downregulation of positive emotions, as well as adaptive and maladaptive downregulation of negative emotions, and well-being outcomes (emotional exhaustion, job satisfaction, quitting intentions, psychological maladjustment, and illness symptoms). Additionally, the study explored the moderating role of stress, gender, and years of experience in the link between emotion regulation and well-being as well as the interactions between adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies in predicting well-being. The results revealed that cognitive reappraisal was a health-beneficial strategy, whereas suppression and maladaptive strategies for downregulating positive and negative emotions were detrimental. Strategies previously defined as adaptive for downregulating negative emotions and upregulating positive emotions did not significantly predict well-being. In contrast, strategies for downregulating negative emotions previously defined as dysfunctional showed the strongest maladaptive associations with ill health. Practical implications and directions for future research are also discussed. Full article

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13 pages, 2541 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Vox Populi? Trump’s Twitter Page as Public Forum

by Carles Roca-Cuberes and Alyssa Young

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 226; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120226 - 10 Dec 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3763

Abstract

This article investigates Twitter replies to tweets concerning the Russia Investigation, published by the United States President, Donald J. Trump. Using a qualitative content analysis, we examine a sample of 200 tweet replies within the timeframe of the first 16 months of Trump’s [...] Read more.

This article investigates Twitter replies to tweets concerning the Russia Investigation, published by the United States President, Donald J. Trump. Using a qualitative content analysis, we examine a sample of 200 tweet replies within the timeframe of the first 16 months of Trump’s presidency to explore the arguments made in favor or not in favor of Trump in the comment replies. The results show more anti-Trump than pro-Trump rhetoric in the Twitter replies; the ratio of comments displaying support for Trump or his innocence does not even reach 10%. This study concludes that Trump’s tweets do not inform his Twitter audience’s opinion on this matter, and that Trump’s repetition of catchphrases on the Russia Investigation did not have a measurable impact on his Twitter audience’s responses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue AI and Journalism: Opportunities and Challenges)

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23 pages, 507 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Family Income and Student Educational and Cognitive Outcomes in China: Exploring the Material and Psychosocial Mechanisms

by Ming Wen, Weidong Wang, Neng Wan and Dejun Su

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 225; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120225 - 7 Dec 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 20048

Abstract

Leveraging data from a nationally representative school-based adolescent survey, the current study aimed to provide a comprehensive assessment of how family income is associated with multiple cognitive and educational outcomes in China and examine the underlying material and psychosocial mechanisms. We found robust [...] Read more.

Leveraging data from a nationally representative school-based adolescent survey, the current study aimed to provide a comprehensive assessment of how family income is associated with multiple cognitive and educational outcomes in China and examine the underlying material and psychosocial mechanisms. We found robust associations of family income with school grades, cognitive ability, and study attitude, but not with homework engagement. Moreover, we found that home amenities, i.e., measuring home-based material resources, played the largest mediating role in explaining family income effects on cognitive ability and study attitude. Among the non-monetary or intangible intervening factors, children’s own and peers’ educational aspirations along with mother-child communication were the most important mechanisms. To a lesser extent, family income effects were also attributable to harmonious parent-child and between-parent relationships. The key take-home message is that home environments constitute a prominent setting outside of school exerting powerful influences shaping school outcomes for Chinese adolescents. Our study contributes to a better understanding of how family economic resources are transmitted to children’s cognitive and educational advantages via home material resources, family non-monetary features, children’s agency, and peer influence. Policy implications and future research are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Stratification and Schooling)

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15 pages, 275 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relation between College Students’ Conservatism and Negative Stereotypes about Social Groups

by Sylvia Beyer

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 224; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120224 - 4 Dec 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5343

Abstract

This study examined the interrelations among political attitudes and negative stereotypes in U.S. undergraduates. Participants answered questions measuring conservatism, social dominance orientation, Global Belief in a Just World, and religiosity. This research employed two measures of stereotypes: modern sexism and feelings about 15 [...] Read more.

This study examined the interrelations among political attitudes and negative stereotypes in U.S. undergraduates. Participants answered questions measuring conservatism, social dominance orientation, Global Belief in a Just World, and religiosity. This research employed two measures of stereotypes: modern sexism and feelings about 15 social groups. It was hypothesized that conservatives would show more evidence of negative stereotypes than liberals would. The study revealed that indeed conservatives show stronger evidence of negative stereotypes, but that liberals also harbor some biases. Importantly, the social groups against whom conservatives and liberals are stereotyped differed greatly. Conservatives showed considerably more negative stereotypes against racial and religious minorities, and particularly against those who do not identify with the cis-gender, heterosexual norm. Thus, the targets of conservatives’ stereotypes were groups that have traditionally been subject to discrimination. Liberals held stronger stereotypes against groups that are more politically powerful, such as Caucasians and Christians. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Contemporary Politics and Society)

19 pages, 294 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Figures of Postwar Sliding: Utopia and Violence in the Extreme Sport Performances of James Bond

by Jonnie Eriksson and Kalle Jonasson

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 223; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120223 - 4 Dec 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2804

Abstract

This article investigates the utopian visions of extreme sports as a postwar phenomenon by contrasting it to the violence of the extreme sport practitioner par excellence in postwar/cold war cinema: James Bond. Continental philosophy and cultural studies furnish extreme sport as a manifold [...] Read more.

This article investigates the utopian visions of extreme sports as a postwar phenomenon by contrasting it to the violence of the extreme sport practitioner par excellence in postwar/cold war cinema: James Bond. Continental philosophy and cultural studies furnish extreme sport as a manifold of wholesome, meaningful, sustainable, life-enhancing, and environmentally intimate practices, less orientated toward human rivalry than its traditional namesake. Certain attention is thus paid to the movement of sliding in extreme sports that thrive on powerful natural forces such as air, wind, snowy slopes, and big waves, creating an ambivalent field between mastery and letting oneself go. Sliding, or glissade, is treated as a “figure of thought” that Bond is mustered to embody and enact with his extreme athletic repertoire. The analysis of James Bond’s extreme sport sliding is contrasted to the musings of glissade philosophers such as Jean-Paul Sartre, Gilles Deleuze, and Michel Serres. It is concluded that if there is utopianism in James Bond’s extreme sport performances, it is in the sliding itself, while the attaining of that state is paved with violence towards everything material. The article reinforces the concept of the extreme in relation to sport as a processual tool, rather than a category describing a fixed set of characteristics adhering to a certain practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Extreme Sports, Extreme Bodies)

22 pages, 780 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Motherhood in Europe: An Examination of Parental Leave Regulations and Breastfeeding Policy Influences on Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration

by Karen Vanderlinden, Veerle Buffel, Bart Van de Putte and Sarah Van de Velde

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120222 - 1 Dec 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4403

Abstract

This study examines how European variation in breastfeeding initiation and duration rates is related to the presence of baby-friendly hospitals, the international code of marketing of breast-milk substitutes, and different constellations of maternal, paternal, and parental leave. We use Eurobarometer data (2005) to [...] Read more.

This study examines how European variation in breastfeeding initiation and duration rates is related to the presence of baby-friendly hospitals, the international code of marketing of breast-milk substitutes, and different constellations of maternal, paternal, and parental leave. We use Eurobarometer data (2005) to compare initiation and duration levels across 21 European countries within a multilevel regression framework. We find that countries play a significant role in determining breastfeeding through their different social policies. Breastfeeding practices across different leave regulation models differ substantially. We conclude that ongoing changes in paid maternity and parental leave length combined with uptake flexibility and paternal involvement help determine breastfeeding rates and should put infant feeding issues on governmental policy agendas across European countries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender Equality, Diversity, and Self-Efficacy at Work)

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16 pages, 1509 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Functionality of Dissimilarity: Pro-Environmental Behavior through Heterogenous Networks

by Robbe Geerts, Frédéric Vandermoere and Stijn Oosterlynck

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 221; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120221 - 1 Dec 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3494

Abstract

This study explores whether social interaction with dissimilar others can lead to pro-environmental behavior. Dissimilar others are people who differ from the person in question (e.g., in terms of lifestyle or culture). While most research focuses on homogenous social networks (e.g., spatial communities), [...] Read more.

This study explores whether social interaction with dissimilar others can lead to pro-environmental behavior. Dissimilar others are people who differ from the person in question (e.g., in terms of lifestyle or culture). While most research focuses on homogenous social networks (e.g., spatial communities), we explore the potential of network heterophily. Specifically, using data (n = 1370) from the Flemish Survey on Sociocultural Shifts, we examine the relationship between network heterophily and pro-environmental behavior (i.e., shopping decisions and curtailment behavior). Building on Granovetter’s study on ‘the strength of weak ties’, we emphasize the importance of social ties that provide novel information and social expectations. Through interaction with dissimilar others, people may create a heterogeneous network in which a diversity of information and social expectations with regard to pro-environmental behavior circulates. We expect that network heterophily may foster pro-environmental behavior. Our findings indicate that pro-environmental behavior may indeed be positively related to interaction with dissimilar others, partly because people with many dissimilar ties know more about environmental problems and are more concerned about them. This study therefore shows that network heterophily promotes pro-environmental behavior. The paper concludes with a discussion of the functionality of dissimilarity and some avenues for future research. Full article

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14 pages, 277 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Support or Punishment Practices: What Works to Reduce School Violence

by Charles Crawford and Ronald Burns

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 220; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120220 - 28 Nov 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5483

Abstract

School culture and violence have garnered much public and scholarly attention in recent years. Research in the area has focused on the extent to which strict enforcement of school policies and the law results in safer schools. Other research focuses on providing more [...] Read more.

School culture and violence have garnered much public and scholarly attention in recent years. Research in the area has focused on the extent to which strict enforcement of school policies and the law results in safer schools. Other research focuses on providing more supportive, less enforcement-oriented environments for students. We advance this work by using a sample of 2092 respondents from public schools in the United States from the 2015–2016 school survey on crime and safety from the Department of Education. There were several statistically significant supportive practices that reduced violent incidents and disciplinary actions for violence, and the findings generally suggest that punitive policies were not effective in increasing campus safety while controlling for relevant security practices and school contextual variables. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Protecting the Learning Environment: Most Effective Evidence-Based School Violence Prevention and Intervention Practices)

21 pages, 3170 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Grounded Theory as an Approach for Exploring the Effect of Cultural Memory on Psychosocial Well-Being in Historic Urban Landscapes

by Fatmaelzahraa Hussein, John Stephens and Reena Tiwari

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 219; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120219 - 27 Nov 2020

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 7176

Abstract

Although grounded theory (GT) has emerged as a popular research approach across multiple areas of social science, it has been less widely taken up by researchers working in the fields of urban planning and design. The application of GT enables uniquely innovative insights [...] Read more.

Although grounded theory (GT) has emerged as a popular research approach across multiple areas of social science, it has been less widely taken up by researchers working in the fields of urban planning and design. The application of GT enables uniquely innovative insights to be gained from qualitative data, but it has attracted criticism and brings its own challenges. This paper proposes a methodology that could be applied by other researchers in the field of urban research. Utilising constructivist GT as a qualitative approach, this research investigates how cultural memory impacts the psychosocial well-being and quality of life (QoL) of users of, and visitors to, historic urban landscapes (HULs). Based on the findings, it can be posited that the application of GT yields a rich and nuanced understanding of how users of HULs experience the settings in which they live, and the impact and significance on human psychosocial well-being of the cultural memories incarnated within such settings. The current paper also contends that GT enables researchers studying the built environment to construct inductively based theories. Lastly, the practical implications of developing GT for application to HUL management are discussed, both in regard to how users experience the contexts in which they live and the impact of such contexts on well-being and quality of life. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Promotion, Public Health, and Built Environment)

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12 pages, 477 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Traditional Male Role Norms and Sexual Prejudice in Sport Organizations: A Focus on Italian Sport Directors and Coaches

by Anna Lisa Amodeo, Sabrina Antuoni, Manuela Claysset and Concetta Esposito

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 218; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120218 - 27 Nov 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4586

Abstract

Despite the common belief that sport is an excellent instrument to promote social inclusion, distal minority stressors, such as homophobic slurs and insulting or degrading comments, are frequently reported in sport contexts. The aim of this contribution was to expand previous knowledge on [...] Read more.

Despite the common belief that sport is an excellent instrument to promote social inclusion, distal minority stressors, such as homophobic slurs and insulting or degrading comments, are frequently reported in sport contexts. The aim of this contribution was to expand previous knowledge on negative attitudes toward sexual minorities (gay and lesbian people) in sport-related contexts, by examining how staff employed in organizational sport contexts scored on three different dimensions of sexual prejudice toward sexual minority athletes: open rejection (i.e., blatant prejudice), denial of visibility (i.e., negative attitudes toward the coming out), and gendering performance (i.e., gender stereotypes about sport performance and skills). Furthermore, we examined the relationship between traditional norms of masculinity and dimensions of sexual prejudice. The sample consisted of 178 Italian sport directors and coaches who were asked to complete an online survey (70 women and 108 men, mostly aged from 38 to 65 years old). A repeated-measures ANOVA revealed that participants scored higher on denial of visibility, with respect to open rejection and gendering performance, independently of gender and sport role. The structural equation model showed that endorsing traditional male role norms was significantly associated with open rejection and gendering performance, whereas no significant association was found with denial of visibility. The findings provide further evidence that sexual prejudice is prevalent in sport organizations, supporting the importance of raising awareness among sports personnel about prejudiced beliefs that may lead minority people to experience severe stress-inducing situations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Gender Studies)

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11 pages, 238 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Non-Parental Family Members as Brokers of Family Social Capital: Compensatory Time Use in India

by Melissa Alcaraz, Ashley Larsen Gibby and Nancy Luke

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 217; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120217 - 26 Nov 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3065

Abstract

Non-parental family members are understudied but important brokers of family social capital, especially in contexts without a nuclear-family norm. We used rich time diary data from a sample of 1568 South Indian adolescents to examine the relationships between any time spent with parents, [...] Read more.

Non-parental family members are understudied but important brokers of family social capital, especially in contexts without a nuclear-family norm. We used rich time diary data from a sample of 1568 South Indian adolescents to examine the relationships between any time spent with parents, parents’ residency status, and the time spent with non-parental family members. We found that adolescents with at least one non-resident parent spent significantly more time with siblings, on average, when compared to adolescents with resident parents. We further found that adolescents spent more time with siblings in educational activities, such as studying, when they had at least one non-resident parent. These findings point to the importance of considering non-parental family members in studies of family social capital, especially in low- and middle-income contexts. Our findings challenge resource dilution theories by demonstrating that siblings themselves act as resources, rather than simply competitors for parental resources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Global Perspectives on Child and Adolescent Social Capital)

21 pages, 593 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cultural Heterogeneity and the Diverse Success Frames of Second-Generation Mexicans

by Estela B. Diaz and Jennifer Lee

Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 216; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9120216 - 26 Nov 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 6733

Abstract

Mexican Americans are the largest immigrant and second-generation group in the country. Their sheer size coupled with their low educational attainment have generated concerns that, unlike Asian groups like Chinese Americans, Mexican Americans do not value education—a claim wielded by opponents of affirmative [...] Read more.

Mexican Americans are the largest immigrant and second-generation group in the country. Their sheer size coupled with their low educational attainment have generated concerns that, unlike Asian groups like Chinese Americans, Mexican Americans do not value education—a claim wielded by opponents of affirmative action. Drawing on analyses of the Immigration and Intergenerational Mobility in Metropolitan Los Angeles study, we challenge two underlying presumptions of this claim: the children of Mexican immigrants are less successful than the children of Chinese immigrants; and they are less committed to success. Centering our analyses on the hypo-selectivity of U.S. Mexican immigration, we maintain that how we measure success determines which group is more successful. Moreover, we show that second-generation Mexicans adopt diverse success frames that stem from cultural heterogeneity. Consequently, they pursue variegated strategies of action that include class-specific ethnic resources in their quest for success. Despite their remarkable intergenerational gains, the racialization of low achievement and the mark of a criminal record can be a death knell for mobility for the children of Mexican immigrants. Our research provides fruitful context to inform the current debate about affirmative action. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Stratification and Schooling)

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Soc. Sci., Volume 9, Issue 12 (December 2020) – 21 articles

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