Journal Description
Social Sciences
Social Sciences
is an international, open access journal with rapid peer-review, which publishes works from a wide range of fields, including anthropology, criminology, economics, education, geography, history, law, linguistics, political science, psychology, social policy, social work, sociology and so on. Social Sciences is published monthly online by MDPI.
- Open Access— free for readers, with article processing charges (APC) paid by authors or their institutions.
- High visibility: indexed within Scopus, ESCI (Web of Science), RePEc, and other databases.
- Journal Rank: CiteScore - Q1 (General Social Sciences)
- Rapid Publication: manuscripts are peer-reviewed and a first decision is provided to authors approximately 27.7 days after submission; acceptance to publication is undertaken in 5.3 days (median values for papers published in this journal in the second half of 2023).
- Recognition of Reviewers: reviewers who provide timely, thorough peer-review reports receive vouchers entitling them to a discount on the APC of their next publication in any MDPI journal, in appreciation of the work done.
Impact Factor:
1.7 (2022)
Latest Articles
Reflections on Recidivism and Relapse Prevention among Italian Justice-Involved Juveniles: A General Overview
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 254; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci13050254 - 8 May 2024
Abstract
Research interprets antisocial and illegal behavior among juveniles as an expression of needs, as a conscious action, or as an adherence to family, cultural, and social contexts. Professionals and researchers interested in the topic could benefit from reflections and insights on relapse prevention
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Research interprets antisocial and illegal behavior among juveniles as an expression of needs, as a conscious action, or as an adherence to family, cultural, and social contexts. Professionals and researchers interested in the topic could benefit from reflections and insights on relapse prevention among justice-involved juveniles (JIJs). In light of these considerations, we investigated the criminal conduct of JIJs, identifying their background, individual characteristics, and the educational and rehabilitative programs of the 17 Italian youth detention centers from a sample of 234 JIJs (214 males and 20 females, 14–25 years old). The sample completed the following questionnaires: the high-risk situation checklist, deviant behavior questionnaire (DBQ), and the neighborhood perception questionnaire (NPQ). The study aims to provide a general overview of the justice-involved adolescents and young adults in Italian youth detention centers, focusing on perpetrator profiles, family systems and the quality of life in the Italian youth detention centers. To achieve our goals, we investigated their occupations and education, the perceived quality of life in their neighborhoods, the use of drugs, and the tendency to commit illegal or antisocial behaviors before incarceration. The study also explored the awareness related to the personal perception of the risk factors in relapse, with the aim of stimulating reflections on behavior and crime-related cognitions to promote relapse prevention. We discuss the main findings and future implications.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Youth Violence, Crime and Juvenile Justice)
Open AccessArticle
Energy Poverty and Health Expenditure: Empirical Evidence from Vietnam
by
Hang Thu Nguyen-Phung and Hai Le
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 253; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci13050253 - 6 May 2024
Abstract
Utilizing data from the 2016 Vietnam Household Living Standard Survey, we undertake an empirical investigation into the influence of energy poverty on the health expenditure of Vietnamese households. Employing a double-hurdle model, our empirical findings reveal a negative relationship between energy poverty and
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Utilizing data from the 2016 Vietnam Household Living Standard Survey, we undertake an empirical investigation into the influence of energy poverty on the health expenditure of Vietnamese households. Employing a double-hurdle model, our empirical findings reveal a negative relationship between energy poverty and health expenditure. Specifically, our results indicate that for each incremental unit increase in energy poverty, there is a substantial reduction of 42.5 percentage points in the overall health expenditure of the households. Furthermore, as energy poverty deepens, we observe declines of 24.6 percentage points and 45.5 percentage points in the expenses incurred for inpatient/outpatient care and self-treatment, respectively. To validate the robustness of our results, we conduct several sensitivity analyses, including propensity score matching, double/debiased machine learning. Across all these methods, our findings consistently underscore the significant and persistent adverse impact of energy poverty on the examined outcome variables. Additionally, to examine the underlying pathways, we conduct a structural equation modeling analysis and find that the relationship between energy poverty and health expenses is mediated by household hospitalization and expenditures on essential items, such as food and daily necessities.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Social Economics)
Open AccessArticle
“We Cannot Go There, They Cannot Come Here”: Dispersed Care, Asian Indian Immigrant Families and the COVID-19 Pandemic
by
Rianka Roy, Bandana Purkayastha and Elizabeth Chacko
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 252; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci13050252 - 6 May 2024
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted families and displaced individuals. For migrant workers, these disruptions and displacements exacerbated the state-imposed constraints on family formation. But how did high-skilled and high-wage immigrants, presumably immune from these challenges, provide care to and receive care from families during
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The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted families and displaced individuals. For migrant workers, these disruptions and displacements exacerbated the state-imposed constraints on family formation. But how did high-skilled and high-wage immigrants, presumably immune from these challenges, provide care to and receive care from families during the pandemic? Based on 33 in-depth interviews with high-skilled Asian Indian immigrants in the USA during the pandemic, we note disruptions in their care to and from families. These disruptions reveal a persistent pattern of dispersion in immigrant families which leads to what we call “dispersed care.” By “dispersed care” we identify the effects of various state-imposed immigration laws and policies, which force immigrants to divide and allocate care among multiple fragments of their families in home and host countries. Dispersed care affects immigrant workers’ professional output, forcing them to make difficult choices between their career and care commitments. To unsettle the assumed homogeneity of high-skilled “Asian Indians,” we choose participants at diverse intersections of their migration pathways—naturalized US citizens, permanent US residents, and temporary visa holders or nonimmigrants. While naturalized US citizens and permanent residents have better resources to maintain transnational family ties than nonimmigrants, all of them face the intersectional challenges of dispersed care.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender, Work and Family in Turbulent Times: COVID-19, Remote Work and Diversity)
Open AccessArticle
Exploring Motivators for Trust in the Dichotomy of Human—AI Trust Dynamics
by
Michael Gerlich
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 251; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci13050251 - 6 May 2024
Abstract
This study analyses the dimensions of trust in artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on why a significant portion of the UK population demonstrates a higher level of trust in AI compared to humans. Conducted through a mixed-methods approach, this study gathered 894 responses, with
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This study analyses the dimensions of trust in artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on why a significant portion of the UK population demonstrates a higher level of trust in AI compared to humans. Conducted through a mixed-methods approach, this study gathered 894 responses, with 451 meeting the criteria for analysis. It utilised a combination of a six-step Likert-scale survey and open-ended questions to explore the psychological, sociocultural, and technological facets of trust. The analysis was underpinned by structural equation modelling (SEM) and correlation techniques. The results unveil a strong predilection for trusting AI, mainly due to its perceived impartiality and accuracy, which participants likened to conventional computing systems. This preference starkly contrasts with the scepticism towards human reliability, which is influenced by the perception of inherent self-interest and dishonesty in humans, further exacerbated by a general distrust in media narratives. Additionally, this study highlights a significant correlation between distrust in AI and an unwavering confidence in human judgment, illustrating a dichotomy in trust orientations. This investigation illuminates the complex dynamics of trust in the era of digital technology, making a significant contribution to the ongoing discourse on AI’s societal integration and underscoring vital considerations for future AI development and policymaking.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Contemporary Politics and Society)
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Open AccessArticle
Perpetuation of Gender Bias in Visual Representation of Professions in the Generative AI Tools DALL·E and Bing Image Creator
by
Teresa Sandoval-Martin and Ester Martínez-Sanzo
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 250; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci13050250 - 2 May 2024
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI)-based generative imaging systems such as DALL·E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and Adobe Firefly, which work by transforming natural language descriptions into images, are revolutionizing computer vision. In this exploratory and qualitative research, we have replicated requests for images of women in
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Artificial intelligence (AI)-based generative imaging systems such as DALL·E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and Adobe Firefly, which work by transforming natural language descriptions into images, are revolutionizing computer vision. In this exploratory and qualitative research, we have replicated requests for images of women in different professions by comparing these representations in previous studies with DALL·E, observing that this model continues to provide in its last version, DALL·E 3, inequitable results in terms of gender. In addition, Bing Image Creator, Microsoft’s free tool that is widely used among the population and runs under DALL·E, has been tested for the first time. It also presents a sexualization of women and stereotypical children’s representations. The results reveal the following: 1. A slight improvement in terms of the presence of women in professions previously shown only with men. 2. They continue to offer biased results in terms of the objectification of women by showing sexualized women. 3. The representation of children highlights another level of gender bias, reinforcing traditional stereotypes associated with gender roles from childhood, which can impact future decisions regarding studies and occupations.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender Equality in the Workplace: Theory and Practice for Decent Work and a Climate of Inclusion)
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Open AccessArticle
Health Education for Women Released from Prison in Brazil: Barriers and Possibilities for Intervention
by
Patrícia de Paula Queiroz Bonato, Carla Apaecida Arena Ventura, Renata Karina Reis, Claudio do Prado Amaral, Stefaan De Smet, Sérgio Grossi, Emanuele Seicenti de Brito and Isabel Craveiro
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 249; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci13050249 - 30 Apr 2024
Abstract
The aim of this work is to present the results of research carried out in a city in the interior of São Paulo that sought to understand the health needs of women released from prisons in the region who are cared for at
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The aim of this work is to present the results of research carried out in a city in the interior of São Paulo that sought to understand the health needs of women released from prisons in the region who are cared for at a Center for Attention to Egress and Family (CAEF) as well as the barriers they report in obtaining support, discussing them in light of educational health interventions described in the international literature. This study conducted formative research to identify the themes and issues that should be included in educational material. Data were collected through body-map storytelling and semi-structured interviews with six and twenty women released from prison, respectively, and nine interviews with professionals from the CAEF and the health sector of a women’s penitentiary in the study location. The main health demands of the women identified in the study were chronic diseases, mental health, gynecological problems, and sexually transmitted diseases, which constitute individual barriers and are aggravated by others of a relational, institutional, and political-systemic nature. It is hoped that the present study will inspire new interventions to be considered in the Brazilian context based on these results.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Crime and Justice)
Open AccessArticle
Impacts of Urban Flooding on Gender in a Slum of Bangladesh
by
Zarin Subah, Sujit Kumar Bala and Jae Hyeon Ryu
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 248; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci13050248 - 30 Apr 2024
Abstract
Urban flooding is a frequent disaster during the monsoon period (June–October), hindering the daily lives of city dwellers, especially slum dwellers in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This study assessed the impact of urban flooding on the lives of Baganbari slum dwellers in Dhaka, Bangladesh using
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Urban flooding is a frequent disaster during the monsoon period (June–October), hindering the daily lives of city dwellers, especially slum dwellers in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This study assessed the impact of urban flooding on the lives of Baganbari slum dwellers in Dhaka, Bangladesh using Moser analytical tools to explore how urban flooding affects individuals of different genders. Participatory and survey methods involving 50 slum dwellers (25 men, 25 women) were carried out to collect feedback and comments. Additionally, focus group discussions (FGDs) and semi-structured and key informant interviews (KII) were also conducted to express gender-related discrimination (e.g., men vs. women). Women are usually involved in “double day” roles (100% in reproductive and 72% in productive roles) while 92% of men are found to have no contribution in those roles. Moreover, women’s participation in community roles is significantly affected during urban flooding (almost 100%) as it imposes a compulsion for them to stay home and carry out their reproductive work. Thus, women encounter numerous challenges in meeting their practical and strategic needs, including ensuring food supplies, managing diseases and menstrual health, upholding sanitation, restricted movement, education obstacles, and more. The result shows that women in the Baganbari slum are found to have only 35% access and 6% control over resources, benefits, health facilities, and decision-making power during urban flooding. The significant decline in the access and control profile of women during urban flooding aggregates their difficulties and drives them into vulnerable positions in their own households.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender Differences and Inequalities in Social and Health Sciences Research)
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Open AccessEssay
History Matters: The Institutionalization and Innovation Paradox in the Judiciary
by
Thiago Maia Sayão de Moraes and Marcos de Moraes Sousa
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 247; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci13050247 - 30 Apr 2024
Abstract
The judiciary is a field lacking research in relation to its administration and innovation; however, different theoretical perspectives can be followed. This work reviews this trend while adding to it. An institutional perspective is presented, as is its explanatory potential. This perspective captures
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The judiciary is a field lacking research in relation to its administration and innovation; however, different theoretical perspectives can be followed. This work reviews this trend while adding to it. An institutional perspective is presented, as is its explanatory potential. This perspective captures the context of the public sector; however, when analyzing its interpretation in terms of innovation, it is revealed to be doubly paradoxical. From the theoretical point of view, institutionalization focuses on the maintenance of processes, while innovation, gradually or abruptly, investigates their disruptions. Nevertheless, institutionalization can be observed as part of the sedimentation of innovation. Institutionalization is presented, in the context of innovation, as a selection mechanism that shapes such innovation. This paradox is presented under the review of organizational institutionalism vis-à-vis innovation and, for its unfolding, considers the adoption of innovation as an adaptation to the prevalent rationalized elements. This presentation is paralleled with the interpretation that innovation is limited by a structure that, sometimes rationalized, forms its trajectory. Considering the social function of the judiciary that is anchored in institutionalism, historical institutionalism is thus added, centrally placing the judiciary in the current institutional matrix and associating its path dependence with the dimensions of its innovation. Based on these outlines, propositions and a suggested agenda for future research are presented.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Democracy, Politics and Innovation, and Social Integration in the Contemporary World)
Open AccessArticle
Using Social Media to Recruit Seldom-Heard Groups: Reaching Women and Girls with Experience of Violence in Iran
by
Ladan Hashemi, Fateme Babakhani, Nadia Aghtaie and Sally McManus
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 246; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13050246 - 30 Apr 2024
Abstract
Social media recruitment and online surveys are valuable tools in social science research, but their effectiveness in reaching seldom-heard victims of gender violence in low-middle income (LMI) countries is under-explored. This empirical study aims to: (1) describe violence and abuse experiences and (2)
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Social media recruitment and online surveys are valuable tools in social science research, but their effectiveness in reaching seldom-heard victims of gender violence in low-middle income (LMI) countries is under-explored. This empirical study aims to: (1) describe violence and abuse experiences and (2) assess the benefits and limitations of using social media to document violence against women and girls (VAWGs) in a LMI country to render visible the experiences of potentially isolated victims. A total of 453 Iranian women (aged 14–59, mean = 28.8, SD = 8.04) responded to an Instagram invitation for a study on women’s health and violence exposure from February 2020 to January 2022. The questionnaire covered general gendered abuse, domestic violence (DV), and forced unemployment. The analysis was performed using Stata 17. Nearly all participants reported abuse, including sexual (85.0%), psychological (83.4%), and technology-facilitated (57.4%) abuse, with 77.4% experiencing multiple forms. The street (62%) and home (52.8%) were common abuse locations. The perpetrators included known individuals (75.9%) and strangers (80.8%), with 56.7% reporting abuse by both. DV was reported by 72.6%, mainly involving psychological (73.1%), physical (53.4%), and/or sexual (17.2%) violence, with fathers (47.8%), husbands (42.7%), and brothers (40.2%) as frequent perpetrators. A quarter reported forced unemployment. Those experiencing DV and/or forced unemployment showed higher depression levels, suicidal ideation, and lower marital satisfaction. The study suggests using social media recruitment for VAWG research but cautions against overgeneralising from these data.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives on Measuring Interpersonal Violence)
Open AccessArticle
Redefining the Communication Dynamics in Bolsonaro’s Brazil: Media Consumption and Political Preferences
by
Joao Feres Junior, Bruno Marques Schaefer and Eduardo Barbabela
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 245; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci13050245 - 29 Apr 2024
Abstract
In this article, we contend that understanding Brazil’s current communicative landscape requires a closer examination of the relevance of legacy media outlets, challenging the widely accepted “traditional media bypass” thesis, which posits that social media platforms have overtaken traditional media as the primary
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In this article, we contend that understanding Brazil’s current communicative landscape requires a closer examination of the relevance of legacy media outlets, challenging the widely accepted “traditional media bypass” thesis, which posits that social media platforms have overtaken traditional media as the primary influencers of political discourse, an argument often used to explain the rise of extreme-right ideologies across different national contexts. In order to test the association between voting preferences and the use of different types of media, we employ logistic regression analysis using data from a recent survey that includes numerous questions about the information and media consumption habits of Brazilian voters. Our findings highlight that legacy media, particularly broadcast TV channels like Globo, Record, and SBT, remain dominant in Brazil as sources of political information. Contrary to the bypass thesis, Bolsonaro’s supporters, while favoring social media, also consume significant amounts of legacy media. Analysis reveals stark differences in media preferences between the supporters of different political candidates, challenging the notion of an exclusive reliance on social media by right-wing supporters. The data also indicate nuanced media consumption habits, such as a preference for certain TV channels and fact-checking behaviors, underscoring the complex interplay between legacy and social media.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rethinking and Analyzing Political Communication in the Digital Era)
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Open AccessArticle
An Investigation into the Impact of Teachers’ Emotional Intelligence on Students’ Satisfaction of Their Academic Achievement
by
Ameena Taleb Al Jaberi, Khadeegha Alzouebi and Othman Abu Khurma
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 244; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci13050244 - 28 Apr 2024
Abstract
This paper explores the correlation between teachers’ emotional intelligence (EI) and students’ academic achievement. Utilizing the Daniel Goleman questionnaire, the study delves into the multifaceted aspects of EI that extend beyond traditional leadership qualities. Goleman contends that, while attributes such as determination, intelligence,
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This paper explores the correlation between teachers’ emotional intelligence (EI) and students’ academic achievement. Utilizing the Daniel Goleman questionnaire, the study delves into the multifaceted aspects of EI that extend beyond traditional leadership qualities. Goleman contends that, while attributes such as determination, intelligence, and vision are essential, they alone do not encapsulate effective leadership. Emotional intelligence introduces a spectrum of qualities crucial for leadership success, including self-awareness, managing emotions, motivating oneself, empathy, and social skills. The study employed a questionnaire developed by the researcher, employing a statement-based approach. Participants, predominantly students, were tasked with selecting statements that best resonated with their experiences. The questionnaire aimed to assess various dimensions of emotional intelligence, including self-awareness, emotional management, self-motivation, empathy, and social adeptness. Through statistical analysis of the collected data, the paper examines the relationship between teachers’ EI levels and students’ academic achievement. Findings revealed the significance of teachers’ ability to comprehend and regulate emotions, as well as their capacity for empathy and effective social interaction. Furthermore, the study sheds light on how these facets of emotional intelligence contribute to creating conducive learning environments and fostering student engagement and achievement. This research underscores the pivotal role of emotional intelligence in educational settings and provides insights into how enhancing teachers’ EI can positively impact students’ learning outcomes. The implications of these findings extend to educational policies and practices, advocating for the incorporation of EI training and development programs for educators to cultivate conducive learning environments and facilitate students’ academic success.
Full article
Open AccessArticle
Integration of Unemployed Venezuelan Immigrant Women in Colombia
by
María-Antonia Cuberos, Neida Albornoz-Arias, Carolina Ramírez-Martínez and Akever-Karina Santafé-Rojas
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 243; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci13050243 - 28 Apr 2024
Abstract
The integration of immigrants in a host society must consider aspects related to the labour field, as well as other factors including their differences. The existence of 97 unemployed Venezuelan migrant women living in Cúcuta, Los Patios and La Parada, border cities of
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The integration of immigrants in a host society must consider aspects related to the labour field, as well as other factors including their differences. The existence of 97 unemployed Venezuelan migrant women living in Cúcuta, Los Patios and La Parada, border cities of Norte de Santander, Colombia with the state of Táchira, places them at a disadvantage in terms of integration; hence, this study set out to propose strategies to guide governance officials and actors in managing their integration. By means of a multidimensional analysis, three profiles of these unemployed migrant women were obtained for their diversity, generating strategies for each profile in structural, social and cultural contexts; through this, it became evident that the characteristics of those who settle as immigrants can be considered in order to establish integration strategies in line with these characteristics. Thus, the methodology of the study could be useful in other areas of migration for the design of integration strategies that consider the heterogeneity of immigrants to facilitate their contribution to the society and economy of the country that has hosted them.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section International Migration)
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Open AccessOpinion
Redefining Education in Sports Sciences: A Theoretical Study for Integrating Competency-Based Learning for Sustainable Employment in Spain
by
Nuria Molina-García, Maria Huertas González-Serrano, Daniel Ordiñana-Bellver and Salvador Baena-Morales
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 242; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci13050242 - 28 Apr 2024
Abstract
In the Spanish context, Sports Sciences education is evolving to emphasize competency-based learning, crucial for adapting to the dynamic global landscape and labor market. This opinion article highlights the shift towards integrating generic and specific competencies, essential for automation and artificial intelligence, aligning
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In the Spanish context, Sports Sciences education is evolving to emphasize competency-based learning, crucial for adapting to the dynamic global landscape and labor market. This opinion article highlights the shift towards integrating generic and specific competencies, essential for automation and artificial intelligence, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8’s focus on sustainable economic growth and employment. Despite the recognized importance of these competencies for economic sustainability and job readiness, the literature on this framework, particularly within the context of physical activity and Sports Sciences in Spain, remains underexplored. This paper is structured to first address the current state of the problem, followed by a conceptualization of competencies, including types of competencies. It then analyzes professional competencies within the realm of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences in Spain, moving towards the implementation and evaluation of these competencies in the classroom setting. By bridging the gap between educational outcomes and market demands, this work calls for ongoing research and pedagogical innovation to equip future professionals with the necessary skills for success. This approach not only prepares students for the future labor market but also contributes to the broader economic and sustainable development goals envisioned by SDG 8.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Achieving Sustainability through Educational Advances: Deep Dives into Social, Economic, and Environmental Perspectives)
Open AccessArticle
Exploring Attitudes toward Sustainability Education in a Group of Italian Preservice Teachers: The Role of Environmental Identity and Sense of Community Responsibility
by
Francesco Sulla, Stefania Fantinelli, Giusi Antonia Toto, Guendalina Peconio and Ciro Esposito
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 241; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci13050241 - 28 Apr 2024
Abstract
In the current educational context, international institutions are being called to rethink education and declining new strategies that aim to teach sustainable behaviors. From this perspective, the present study aims to investigate the attitudes towards the sustainability of trainee teachers, verifying their connection
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In the current educational context, international institutions are being called to rethink education and declining new strategies that aim to teach sustainable behaviors. From this perspective, the present study aims to investigate the attitudes towards the sustainability of trainee teachers, verifying their connection with psycho-social variables, such as environmental identity and sense of community responsibility, and exploring their most common dispositions. In total, 126 Italian preservice teachers were involved in a mixed method study where they were asked to complete a questionnaire and participated in focus groups. The use of a combination of quantitative–qualitative methodologies has allowed us to obtain in-depth information about sustainability education. Quantitative data showed a virtuous circular relationship between environmental identity, attitudes towards education for sustainability, and the sense of community responsibility. Qualitative data showed the high frequency of two key action verbs, avoid and respect, but no specific reference to the educational field. After creating the target concept ‘to teach’, we observed a worrying absence of lemmas related to emotional dimension, and that the communication perspective is set on adults’ point of view, rather than on pupils. Limitations, strengths, and practical implications have been extensively discussed, especially in relation to the field of teacher education.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Learning Culture for Eco-Friendly Responsibilities: Emerging Trends and Practices)
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Open AccessArticle
In Defense of a Peripheral Epistemology: Exploring “Decolonial Cognitive Triggers” for Epistemic Disobedience in Urban Peripheries
by
Fernando Lannes Fernandes, Heloisa Melino and Jailson De Souza e Silva
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 240; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13050240 - 26 Apr 2024
Abstract
This paper presents an approach to decolonial thinking and epistemological disobedience through what we call “decolonial cognitive triggers”. It is based on the struggles of urban peripheral communities in Brazil and explores eight triggers in the making of a Peripheral Epistemology. The unique
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This paper presents an approach to decolonial thinking and epistemological disobedience through what we call “decolonial cognitive triggers”. It is based on the struggles of urban peripheral communities in Brazil and explores eight triggers in the making of a Peripheral Epistemology. The unique points of our reflection are the sociocultural practices emerging from urban peripheral communities in Brazil and their responses to structural racism. As a part of this, we will explore the concepts of potência and convivência as core components of the decolonial debate, as well as their role in enabling epistemic disobedience in urban peripheries. We conclude by suggesting shifts in policy-making directed towards urban peripheries through the recognition and incorporation of such concepts and triggers.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Racial Injustice, Violence and Resistance: New Approaches under Multidimensional Perspectives)
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Open AccessArticle
Remittance and Macroeconomic Performance in Top Migrating Countries
by
Olajide O. Oyadeyi, Idris A. Adediran and Balikis A. Kabir
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 239; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci13050239 - 26 Apr 2024
Abstract
Globalization opens up economies and encourages the free movement of persons and factors of production. Diaspora investors and workers earn income in the process and make remittances to the migrating countries. We examine the impact of the remittance inflow on the macroeconomic performance
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Globalization opens up economies and encourages the free movement of persons and factors of production. Diaspora investors and workers earn income in the process and make remittances to the migrating countries. We examine the impact of the remittance inflow on the macroeconomic performance of top emigrating countries, which comprise nine emerging and two advanced economies. We conduct group and individual country analyses with distinct econometric models (Feasible Quasi Generalized Least Squares and Dynamic Common Correlated Effects) using data between 1987 and 2021. The results reveal positive impact of remittance inflows on nominal GDP and nominal GDP per capita and on real GDP and real GDP per capita, although evidence on the latter is weaker. In all, the emigrating countries can benefit from diaspora remittance in terms of improved productivity and macroeconomic performance. We therefore recommend better systems to facilitate remittance receipt and policies to channel such flows more into investment activities.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section International Migration)
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Open AccessArticle
The Adultcentrism Scale: A Potential Contributor to Advancing Children’s Participation Rights in Nordic Contexts
by
Tanu Biswas, Eleonora Florio, Letizia Caso, Ilaria Castelli and Serena Iacobino
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 238; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci13050238 - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
The question that the authors of this article are collectively concerned with is as follows: how is it possible to protect children without disempowering them? To this end, the authors work to change adultcentric scholarly and social norms that justify rationales that marginalize
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The question that the authors of this article are collectively concerned with is as follows: how is it possible to protect children without disempowering them? To this end, the authors work to change adultcentric scholarly and social norms that justify rationales that marginalize children. The article begins with a theoretical overview of childism, in its transformative sense, with special attention to how childism relates to intersectional analyses. In doing so, age is highlighted as an axis of marginalization with reference to adultcentrism. After that, the centrality of analyzing and problematizing adultism in educational research and practice is discussed. The discussion is followed by a presentation of the published results of ‘The Adultcentrism Scale’ research tool developed at the University of Bergamo and the University of LUMSA-Rome. The research tool is used to evaluate the presence of adultcentric bias in adults in relation to children and can be helpful to understanding the psychological dimensions of educational relationships. Finally, the conclusion offers suggestions for how the research tool might be a useful example to raise awareness of adultcentric bias, promoting reflections that can lead to age-inclusive transformations. Overall, then, the article initiates a pertinent dialogue for advancing children’s participation rights in Nordic research and society.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Children’s Wellbeing and Children’s Rights—A Nordic Perspective)
Open AccessArticle
Moral Distress and Moral Agency: Staff Experience of Supporting Self-Determination for People with Dementia
by
Cecilia Ingard, Maria Sjölund and Sven Trygged
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 237; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci13050237 - 25 Apr 2024
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People living in nursing homes have the right to self-determination, and difficulty in accommodating this right can create moral distress in staff. This study aimed to explore experiences of situations of moral distress and to identify nursing home staffs’ needs to act with
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People living in nursing homes have the right to self-determination, and difficulty in accommodating this right can create moral distress in staff. This study aimed to explore experiences of situations of moral distress and to identify nursing home staffs’ needs to act with moral agency. Six group interviews were conducted with nursing home staff. Content analysis of the interview responses showed that moral distress can be rooted in both concrete situations with residents and factors related to the work environment and policy requirements. Personnel can address moral distress through both active and passive means. Staff acted to address moral distress mainly in situations with residents and sometimes in relation to co-workers, but they did not try to influence the policy level.
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Open AccessArticle
Contrasting Conceptions of Work–Family Balance and the Implications for Satisfaction with Balance during the COVID-19 Pandemic
by
Sejin Um, Anne Kou, Carolyn E. Waldrep and Kathleen Gerson
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 236; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci13050236 - 25 Apr 2024
Abstract
Pandemic-related changes, including the expansion of remote work and the closure of schools and daycare supports, posed unprecedented challenges to parents’ conceptions of their work and home routines. Drawing on interviews with 88 heterosexual partnered parents, we examine the different ways parents understand
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Pandemic-related changes, including the expansion of remote work and the closure of schools and daycare supports, posed unprecedented challenges to parents’ conceptions of their work and home routines. Drawing on interviews with 88 heterosexual partnered parents, we examine the different ways parents understand what it means to balance work and family responsibilities and how their conceptions shaped satisfaction with their balance during the COVID-19 pandemic. First, we discover that parents held three distinct conceptions of work–family balance at the outset of the pandemic: (1) individualistic (where balance is understood as an individual pursuit and regarded independently of their partner’s efforts in the work and family spheres), (2) specialized (where each partner specializes in one sphere, producing balance between spheres), and (3) egalitarian (where partners share responsibilities in both spheres). Next, among the women and men who held specialized or egalitarian conceptions of balance, most sustained their level of satisfaction. In contrast, among those with individualistic conceptions, most women (but not men) reported a change in their satisfaction. These findings provide new insights about the varied meanings people attach to the concept of “work–family balance” and how these diverse conceptions have consequences for satisfaction with gender dynamics in households.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender, Work and Family in Turbulent Times: COVID-19, Remote Work and Diversity)
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Open AccessArticle
(Mis)Representing Ethnicity in UK Government Statistics and Its Implications for Violence Inequalities
by
Hannah Manzur, Niels Blom and Estela Capelas Barbosa
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(5), 235; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci13050235 - 24 Apr 2024
Abstract
The question of how we measure, categorise, and represent ethnicity poses a growing challenge for identifying and addressing ethnic inequalities. Conceptual critiques and qualitative studies highlight the complexities and challenges of measuring ethnicity, yet there remains a lack of quantitative studies investigating the
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The question of how we measure, categorise, and represent ethnicity poses a growing challenge for identifying and addressing ethnic inequalities. Conceptual critiques and qualitative studies highlight the complexities and challenges of measuring ethnicity, yet there remains a lack of quantitative studies investigating the implications of these complexities for inequalities research. This paper addresses this gap by scrutinizing methodological processes and analysing the implications of measurement and categorisation in the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW), critiquing the UK’s standardised measurement of ethnicity in national survey data and government statistics. Based on our comparative quantitative analysis of standardised ethnicity categories and regional origins and our evaluation of the CSEW and census’ methodologies, we propose an alternative categorisation of ethnicity, focusing on the ‘Mixed’, ‘Asian’, and ‘Latinx/Hispanic’ ethnic groups. Using adjusted crosstabulations and logistic regression models, we found variations in ethnic patterns of violence based on standardised measures and our alternative recategorisation, particularly relating to the distinction between ‘Asian’ sub-groups, the recategorisation of ‘Mixed’ ethnicities, and the inclusion of ‘Latinx/Hispanic’ as a distinctive ethnic group. Our findings reveal valuable insights into the implications of ethnic categorisation for understanding violence inequalities, with significant implications for further policy and research areas.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives on Measuring Interpersonal Violence)
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