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Mediatization of Social Sustainability: Paradigm of Explication and Understanding of the Environment, Society and the Economy

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Social Ecology and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 35893

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Prof. Dr. Stefan Bratosin

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Research Center of Communication, Ressources Humaines & Intervention Sociale, Paul Valéry University of Montpellier III, 34199 Montpellier, France
Interests: public sphere; digital media and IA; secularity and secularism; religious organizations; media, religion, and politics; mediatization of religion; symbolic communication
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The present call aims to broaden the scope of the social dimension of sustainability to aspects related to mediatization and culturalization. In order to go beyond the vision of social sustainability based on equity and the fight against social exclusion (Lafferty, 2004), this Special Issue intends to offer a vision based on the analysis of sustainability from relations and social practices in media and cultural terms—that is to say, what we call a mediatiatization and culturalization of sustainablity (Parra and Moulaert, 2011).

Current research on mediatization (Hjarvard, 2011; Lövheim and Lynch, 2011; Schofield, 2011; Couldry, 2012; Bratosin, 2016; Gomes, 2016; Lövheim, 2011; Lövheim and Lundmark, 2019) has shown how the mediatization process impacts the role of media in framing, constructing the meaning of, and transforming contemporary societies characterized by the “mediatization of everything” (Livingstone, 2009; Bratosin, 2016). The mediatization, used “to analyse critically the interrelation between changes in media and communications on the one hand, and changes in culture and society on the other” (Couldry and Hepp, 2013, p. 196), is particularly relevant for the study of social sustainability.

The transdisciplinary nature of the recent international interest in the study of the mediatization of social sustainability covers and contains the ordinary need of social sciences to question and provide elements of response to the necessity to reconsider the paradigm itself of clarification and understanding of the environment, society, and the economy in line with the injunctions for changes imposed by the technological innovations that mark the second decade of the 21st century. The media treatment of social sustainability in favor of the development of social media and new information and communication technologies introduces into the democratic and scientific debate a major cognitive discontinuity, very little taken into account, which raises many questions, on the one hand, of ideological nature, but also of educational, epistemological, and methodological, and on the other hand, of producing scientific meaning in many fields of expertise such as information and communication sciences, sociology, anthropology, politics, law, management sciences, economics, psychology, philosophy, etc. This is an issue that appears even more profound and complex when we observe that the mediatization of social sustainability is not only the effect of a change in the way of considering the relations among the environment, society, and the economy, but also a mean of transforming the content of these reports and above all of producing mutations in the very content of daily behavior, of power in the public sphere, and of leadership—an issue also at the center of many research projects bringing together scientific perspectives that are very complementary through their diversity and through cultural geo-contextualization.

In order to account for this, this Special Issue of Sustainability sets out to bring together societies and cultures from the North and the South by joining work on the mediatization of social sustainability of scholars participating in various disciplinary fields. The objective is double: a) to explore the social construction of scenarios for the future, expectations on the horizon, roadmaps for the future, mediatized futuristic promises, etc. in order to observe the imaginary at work in the offer of media content relating to the materiality of sustainability, and b) to question the contribution of the media to the birth and development of ideologies related to sustainability and on the economic, ethical, psychological, political, etc. importance of this development inducing changes in interactions and social practices.

This thematic issue is also open to other questions that would bring theoretical, empirical proposals, and cases studies likely to advance research in this field.

Prof. Dr. Stefan Bratosin
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Economy
Environment
Future
Ideology
Journalism
Governance
Mediatization
New information and communication technologies
Culture
Social sustainability
Social media
Socioecological systems
Sustainable development
Socioecological transformations
Socioecological research on lifestyles
Regulations of societal relations to nature
Resource management
Inter- and transdisciplinary sustainability studies
Society–nature interaction
Social ecology
Human ecology
Political ecology

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 279 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Parental External Labour Migration on the Social Sustainability of the Next Generation in Developing Countries

by Iasmina Iosim, Patricia Runcan, Remus Runcan, Cristina Jomiru and Mihaela Gavrila-Ardelean

Sustainability 2022, 14(8), 4616; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084616 - 12 Apr 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2822

Abstract

Migration is a frequent phenomenon in the current European context. It is culturally differentiated according to every country, and it has a major role in the social sustainability of families and the next generation. This paper aimed to determine the impact of parents leaving to work abroad on the lives of their left-at-home children. This gives rise to a new phenomenon of “social orphans”. This research was carried out with the participation of eight adults who, during their childhood, had a parent who went to work abroad for a period of more than one month. The research tool used was the semi-structured interview guide. The research found that the main reason for parents leaving was the precarious financial situation of their families and their need to support their children (materially, educationally, and financially). The research results showed that the resulting greater financial stability did not guarantee that family ties would develop in a positive direction. More than half of the respondents reported a worsening of relationships with family members and experienced major psycho-emotional deprivation. The family has been negatively impacted in the social sustainability of the next generation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediatization of Social Sustainability: Paradigm of Explication and Understanding of the Environment, Society and the Economy)

17 pages, 4848 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Gene for Maintaining Sustainable Cultural Specificity of Contemporary Architecture—National Deep-Rooted Nature

by Linlin Shan

Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1330; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031330 - 25 Jan 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2345

Abstract

Due to the differences in locality, ethnicity, environment and culture, architecture has an obvious and sustainable cultural specificity. Even in the era when modernism swept the world, this specificity still exists, and its sustainability stems from the gene of architectural cultural specificity—the national deep-rooted nature. This paper puts forward the concept of the national deep-rooted nature of architecture with the cultural specificity of contemporary architecture as the starting point. Then, the connotation of cultural specificity and national deep-rooted nature of architecture is explained in detail, and the relationship between contemporary architectural creative thinking and national deep-rooted nature is widely explored and discussed in depth. A theoretical research framework of contemporary architectural creation is constructed in which the national deep-rooted nature is regarded as the main line, and the architectural form, space, aesthetic creation consciousness are regarded as the basis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediatization of Social Sustainability: Paradigm of Explication and Understanding of the Environment, Society and the Economy)

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17 pages, 2786 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mainstream Value Information Push Strategy on Chinese Aggregation News Platform: Evolution, Modelling and Analysis

by Guohui Song and Yongbin Wang

Sustainability 2021, 13(19), 11121; https://doi.org/10.3390/su131911121 - 8 Oct 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2786

Abstract

At present, most news aggregation platforms use personalized recommendation technology to push information in China, which is likely to cause the phenomenon of information cocoons. In order to alleviate the occurrence of this phenomenon, this paper studies the issue of mainstream value information push from different perspectives, which can be used as a supplement for personalized recommendation technology to promote the diffusion of mainstream value information. First, we constructed an evolutionary game model to simulate the game process between news aggregation platforms and users. Through the results of evolutionary analysis, the news platform can be guided at a macro level to formulate mainstream value information push strategies by adjusting model parameters. Second, we conducted research on user behavior, and the results show that different user groups have different demands for mainstream value information. Third, we constructed two models from the perspective of user demands and platform revenue. Experiments show that user sensitivity to mainstream value information

σ

and platform evaluation factors

v a l

are important for finding the number of mainstream information pushes on each page. Finally, we investigated the effect of the mainstream value information from Toutiao. The survey results are consistent with the viewpoints presented in this paper. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediatization of Social Sustainability: Paradigm of Explication and Understanding of the Environment, Society and the Economy)

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28 pages, 1354 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Talking about Sustainability: How the Media Construct the Public’s Understanding of Sustainable Food in Romania

by Valentina Marinescu, Bianca Fox, Darie Cristea, Daniela Roventa-Frumusani, Ramona Marinache and Silvia Branea

Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 4609; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13094609 - 21 Apr 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4186

Abstract

Decades of medical research have focused on analysing the effects of sustainable eating on health and well-being; yet, less attention has been devoted to this subject in communication and media studies research. Recently, however, scholarly attention has shifted towards the way sustainable food is covered in the media. Nevertheless, previous studies analyse sustainable food together with other sustainability challenges, such as climate change. In this article, we focus our attention on analysing media reporting of sustainable food. Relying theoretically on the framing analysis approach coupled with Goody’s five-phase analytical framework in building sustainable food-related behaviours (production, distribution, preparation, consumption and disposal) and by applying the rationale of content analysis, this article examines media coverage of sustainable food with a focus on sustainable food production, distribution, preparation, consumption and disposal. Therefore, the article identifies trends and patterns of media coverage of sustainable food in Romania between 2014 and 2017. Interesting results emerge, showing that Romanian journalists reporting on food-related topics do not have a solid understanding of the field and contribute to the spread of inaccurate information often, resulting from insufficient research or inadequate use of sources. As a result of the lack of in-depth knowledge of those involved in writing about food, the media coverage of sustainable food is strictly reduced to reporting on aspects related to the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables, framed as the only healthy foods, and recommended diets for specific underlying health conditions (such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and associated diseases). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediatization of Social Sustainability: Paradigm of Explication and Understanding of the Environment, Society and the Economy)

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18 pages, 323 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Eco-Discourses in a Virtual Rural Community

by Rozália Klára Bakó, László Attila Hubbes and Dénes Tamás

Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3082; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063082 - 11 Mar 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2783

Abstract

This case study explores social media discourses of a virtual ecovillage community based in Central Romania, in a Hungarian speaking region of Transylvania. The investigated virtual community embraces the idea of ecovillage as a local constructive answer to the challenges of the global ecological crisis, based on strategies of revitalizing local ethnic traditions, promoting sustainable development solutions, and innovations. Our key question is the relationship between tradition and innovation—as revealed by the discursive practices of the ecovillage Facebook group’s most active members. Using ecolinguistic discourse analysis as a frame of reference, the investigation unveiled the role social media played in fostering the formation of a virtual intentional community, and in clarifying the shared values of the group. We found that the local ecovillage is part of a larger regional and global movement, unfolding the organic connection between the Hungarian and the Romanian intentional communities, and the reframing of traditional values within innovative, sustainable everyday practices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediatization of Social Sustainability: Paradigm of Explication and Understanding of the Environment, Society and the Economy)

16 pages, 1765 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Refugees Welcome? Online Hate Speech and Sentiments in Twitter in Spain during the Reception of the Boat Aquarius

by Carlos Arcila-Calderón, David Blanco-Herrero, Maximiliano Frías-Vázquez and Francisco Seoane-Pérez

Sustainability 2021, 13(5), 2728; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13052728 - 3 Mar 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4949

Abstract

High-profile events can trigger expressions of hate speech online, which in turn modifies attitudes and offline behavior towards stigmatized groups. This paper addresses the first path of this process using manual and computational methods to analyze the stream of Twitter messages in Spanish around the boat Aquarius (n = 24,254) before and after the announcement of the Spanish government to welcome the boat in June 2018, a milestone for asylum seekers acceptance in the EU and an event that was highly covered by media. It was observed that most of the messages were related to a few topics and had a generally positive sentiment, although a significant part of messages expressed rejection or hate—often supported by stereotypes and lies—towards refugees and migrants and towards politicians. These expressions grew after the announcement of hosting the boat, although the general sentiment of the messages became more positive. We discuss the theoretical, practical, and methodological implications of the study, and acknowledge limitations referred to the examined timeframe and to the preliminary condition of the conclusions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediatization of Social Sustainability: Paradigm of Explication and Understanding of the Environment, Society and the Economy)

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17 pages, 711 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Experience and Meaning of Media to Non-Mainstream Athletes: Qualitative Study

by Eunhye Yoo, Jeong-Hui Park and Jung-Min Lee

Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1154; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031154 - 22 Jan 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2528

Abstract

This study aims to understand the process by which ssireum (traditional Korean wrestling), which was labeled a declining industry, has regained its popularity owing to the impact of the media. The study was conducted as a case study with ten ssireum athletes who participated in the television program “The Rhapsody of Ssireum.” Additionally, text analysis was performed based on in-depth interviews and auxiliary data collection. As a result, four media-driven transformative trends in ssireum were observed: a shift of the public’s interest from online to offline under the influence of media, shift in the public’s perception of ssireum athletes’ body, birth of ssireum stars with nicknames matching the characteristics of popular ssireum athletes, and ssireum athletes’ increased sense of responsibility toward ssireum matches felt under the spotlight of the media. Admittedly, media exposure of ssireum athletes has increased significantly compared to the past. However, for the popularization of ssireum, a sport unique to Korea, the athletes, and the ssireum association need to make a sustained effort. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediatization of Social Sustainability: Paradigm of Explication and Understanding of the Environment, Society and the Economy)

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22 pages, 1291 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Contextualizing Sustainable Development Metric Standards: Imagining New Entrepreneurial Possibilities

by William P. Fisher, Jr.

Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9661; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229661 - 19 Nov 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3133

Abstract

Imagination is more important than knowledge, but if intellect does not provide the needed logical structures, capacities for envisioning new possibilities are overly constrained. The sustainability problems we face today cannot be solved with the same kind of thinking that created them, but clarity on what counts as a new kind of thinking is sorely lacking. This article proposes methodical, model-based ways of heeding Bateson’s warning about the negative consequences for the ecology of mind that follow from ignoring the contexts of relationships. Informed by S. L. Star’s sense of boundary objects, a sequence of increasingly complex logical types distinguishes and interconnects qualitatively different kinds of thinking in ways that liberate imaginative new possibilities for life. The economy of thought instantiated at each level of complexity is only as meaningful, useful, beautiful, ethical, and efficient as the standards informing local adaptive improvisations. Standards mediating the general and specific, global and local, universally transcendent and embodied particulars enable meaningful negotiations, agreements, and communications. Attending to the differences between levels of discourse sets up new possibilities for creative and imaginative entrepreneurial approaches to viable, feasible, and desirable goals for measuring and managing sustainable development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediatization of Social Sustainability: Paradigm of Explication and Understanding of the Environment, Society and the Economy)

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15 pages, 263 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Statistical Properties of a New Social Media Context Awareness Scale (SMCA)—A Preliminary Investigation

by Dana Rad, Valentina Balas, Ramona Lile, Edgar Demeter, Tiberiu Dughi and Gavril Rad

Sustainability 2020, 12(12), 5201; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12125201 - 25 Jun 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4617

Abstract

In the Internet of Things era, or in the digitalization and mediatization of everything paradigm, where context awareness computing is on the rise, people are also facing a new challenge, that of being aware of the digital contexts, in all situations when surfing the internet’s ocean of row information. The emerging social media context awareness competency refers to a new emerging skill regarding the trust load people give to a specific social media context they encounter. Since it is an emergent competence, it cannot be understood as standalone. If the digital context would not be available, we would not develop such a competence. Being a competence, it must be defined by three core elements: Knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Consequently, we have operationalized the competence of social media context awareness in terms of social media literacy, social media communication process understanding, social media content impact awareness, and social media confidence. An online questionnaire was created under the Erasmus+ project Hate’s Journey, addressing a convenience sample of 206 online youth respondents from Turkey, Spain, Latvia, and Romania. Our team has computed a reliability analysis on the social media context awareness scale designed with four items referring to social media literacy (m = 3.79, SD = 1), social media communication process understanding (m = 3.77, SD = 0.9), social media content impact awareness (m = 3.88, SD = 1), and social media confidence (m = 3.45, SD = 1). Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and the Exploratory Factor Analysis demonstrated the acceptable reliability of the SMCA scale, α = 0.87. Conclusions, implications, and limitations are discussed in the context of social sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediatization of Social Sustainability: Paradigm of Explication and Understanding of the Environment, Society and the Economy)

13 pages, 668 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Global Life Satisfaction and General Antisocial Behavior in Young Individuals: The Mediating Role of Perceived Loneliness in Regard to Social Sustainability—A Preliminary Investigation

by Edgar Demeter and Dana Rad

Sustainability 2020, 12(10), 4081; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12104081 - 16 May 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3911

Abstract

Healthy development can be viewed as an important dimension of the general wellbeing index and can be based upon lifelong sustainable satisfaction. Young individuals can represent an important component for society and its development. The literature shows that increased levels of global life satisfaction (LS) can be associated with minimal levels of problematic behaviors and elevated levels of pro-social behaviors. However, low levels of LS can be associated with high levels of perceived loneliness (PL), which, in turn, can be associated with antisocial behavior (AS). In light of this, the current investigation aims to study the mediating effect of PL and the link between LS and AS. This study is a preliminary investigation referring to aggressive behaviors and cognition in relation to subjective wellbeing. The sample consisted of 81 young individuals (M = 27.57, Standard Deviation = 9.25) from Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad, Romania. AS was evaluated with the How I Think Questionnaire (HIT), PL was measured with a single item inquiry and LS was evaluated with the satisfaction with life scale (SWLS). The results display that there is a powerful association between LS and AS, between LS and PL and between PL and AS. After the inclusion of the mediator (PL) to the model, the influence of the independent variable (LS) increased and the effect of LS on AS significantly decreased. In light of this, the relationship between LS and AS can be explained by the mediating role of the PL variable. The results indicate the importance of perceived loneliness in regard to one’s life satisfaction and antisocial behaviors. In light of this, interventions that focus on the social aspect could prove useful for the improvement of sustainable life satisfaction, therefore decreasing the chance of the emergence of AS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediatization of Social Sustainability: Paradigm of Explication and Understanding of the Environment, Society and the Economy)

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