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The notion of the mechanism is one of the most popular and widely used concepts in science and sociology is no exception. This paper problematizes the widespread and often uncritical use of the term "mechanism" in contemporary sociology. Drawing on the mechanistic worldview associated with leading figures of the scientific revolution, the paper emphasizes the impact of mechanistic thinking on the societal rationalization process identified by Max Weber and the Frankfurt School. The analysis suggests that mechanisms, when applied to sociological theories, may uncritically reproduce a cultural fetish of the rational society with potentially dehumanizing consequences. The author advocates for a critical reflection on the cultural and historical context of mechanisms, urging sociologists to view them not merely as analytical tools but as active contributors to the creation and shaping of social worlds erected on a belief in instrumental reason. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "Recommendations for Further Reading" provides a list of articles that may be useful for teachers of undergraduate economics and also covers topics of broader cultural interest. The recommended readings include surveys on the first 25 years of the euro, housing affordability crisis policies, the limitations of randomized controlled trials in criminal legal interventions, the economic impact of engaging in world markets, stylized facts about inflation shocks, trends in central bank independence, and the impact of professional sports franchises on local economies. The article aims to provide diverse perspectives and insights for library patrons conducting research on these specific topics. It also includes several different articles and lectures on various topics, such as the impact of sports-related spending on local economies, the potential effects of a basic income on job quality and wages, symposiums on zoning and poverty, and the importance of writing quality in academic research papers. Additionally, there is an article that explores the history of economic ornithology and how birds were valued for their impact on agriculture. [Extracted from the article]

This concept paper explores possible collective identities for a future wildland fire workforce. Taking inspiration from the work of futurists who foresee an end to the dominant fire exclusion/suppression paradigm, and assuming that an emerging fire restoration/resilience paradigm shift replaces it, this paper engages in speculative explorations of the process and product of this paradigm shift with respect to the future collective identities of a workforce conducting ecological fire management. Social constructionist assumptions from symbolic interactionist sociological theory, Gramscian political theory's concept of hegemony, and new social movement theory's concept of collective identity all provide the intellectual foundations for the discussion. This concept paper argues that in order to actualize a paradigm shift, more than advances in scientific research or reforms of government policies will be required—the wildland fire community will need to become (or join) a social movement engaged in collective actions. An imaginary social movement, the "Greenfire revolution," is invented to help illustrate how the selected theories and concepts might apply in the social construction of ecological fire management and the collective identities of its future workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the concept of human nature from a post-essentialist, pluralist, and interactive perspective. It discusses Maria Kronfeldner's work on the topic and the application and implications of her ideas. The article includes papers by various authors who extend Kronfeldner's work and examine topics such as archeology, the origin of human language faculties, and the relationship between nature and culture. The article also addresses concerns about human exceptionalism and the social ramifications of scientific narratives. The exchange of views and criticism continues throughout the article, with Kronfeldner's paper serving as a response to the concerns raised. Overall, the article emphasizes the complexity of understanding human nature and the potential for integrating knowledge in specific contexts. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Filozofija i Drustvo is the property of University of Belgrade, Institute for Philosophy & Social Theory and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Espanola de Comunicacion en Salud is the property of Asociacion Espanola de Comunicacion Sanitaria and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

When attempting to manage a large social system, it is necessary to have an overview of how the society functions and how economic theories describe this functioning. Recent discussions of higher orders of cybernetics are helping to define a multi‐disciplinary, multi‐level point of view. Knowledge from several disciplines is needed—systems science, management, engineering, cognitive studies and the various social science disciplines all have contributions to make. In this paper, we apply cybernetic ideas to further develop economic theories. The paper also uses economics to illustrate ideas in cybernetics. Similar thinking can be applied to other disciplines thus advancing the unification of science. The paper illustrates a transdisciplinary approach to knowledge development. The implications of the paper are improved understanding among scholars from several disciplines. The intent is to expand the range of conceptual possibilities available for problem‐solving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The monuments of Iasi, from the perspective of urban sociology, are part of the social life, with human interactions, specific to congested urban areas. From the viewpoint of this discipline, the structures, changes, and problems of the Iași urban community provide elements for the planning and elaboration of urban conservation policies and the restoration of several monuments. In this sense, urban sociology uses a variety of analytical tools such as sociological observation, social theory, interviews, as well as other methods and techniques for the study of specific subjects, such as the relationships between individuals in the urban socialization process, demographic and economic trends, poverty, the effects of urbanization with all the negative aspects regarding the destruction of some monuments on feelings of social alienation and anonymity (elements studied in the Chicago School by Max Weber and George Simmel). The purpose of this paper is precisely to capture the feelings and their perception by the subjects investigated in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a general discussion highlighting the nature and structure of the Burrell and Morgan Matrix as a framework for application in examining research design. Design/ methodology/ approach: This paper consists of commentary or discourse regarding the elementary framework of the Matrix. The four paradigms examined are: radical humanist; radical structuralist; interpretive; and functionalist. Originality: The Matrix provides a valuable tool for researchers to situate sociological theories within broader paradigms allowing insight into their underlying assumptions about social structure and change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current paper we aim to combine the theoretical ideas of recognition theory to conversation analytical, empirical observations. We ask what recognition theories can give to conversation analysis, and vice versa. We operate on a model of recognition that consists of three different modes: respect, esteem, and love/care, and which distinguishes the levels of conversational actions and the attitudes of recognition manifested in such actions. In this study we examine data examples from various conversational settings (institutional, quasi-experimental, family interaction) and activities (decision-making, storytelling), focusing on the more complex cases of (mis)recognition. We show how recognition can appear both explicitly and implicitly in conversational sequences, and demonstrate how the levels of conversational actions and recognition can be either congruent or incongruent with each other. At the end of the article, we discuss the implications of this view for the interface of conversation analysis and sociological theory, arguing that it can inform and promote the development of interactionally based social and societal critique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Sociologija/Sociology: Journal of Sociology, Social Psychology & Social Anthropology is the property of MOD International and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to the capacity of developed welfare states to meet emerging needs. In its initial year, the pandemic prompted a wave of new social policy programmes and modifications to existing ones. This study empirically investigates the applicability of various social theories in elucidating the dynamics of social policy changes during the COVID-19 crisis. Reflective analysis employs Hegelian dialectics as a methodological framework on established theories, including welfare regime theory, path dependence theory, path creation, and incorporates contemporary perspectives such as capability theory. The aim is to reflect and discern what these approaches explain and how these theoretical paradigms account for the observed shifts in social policy dynamics. The paper builds on previously published studies focused on the dynamics of persistence and change, mitigation and prevention, divergence and convergence, and continuity and irruption in social policies implemented in response to the pandemic. The article also contributes at developing a theoretical and methodological reflective approach to examine social policy changes in multiple contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Filosofía UIS is the property of Universidad Industrial de Santander and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

School placement plays a critical and complex role in the professional development of student teachers. When universities and schools shut their doors and moved all teaching activities online in March 2020, initial teacher education (ITE) providers across Ireland had to implement emergency alternative practicum supports in order to ensure that students could complete their ITE programmes. Many initial teacher education providers across Ireland introduced professional online conversations as an alternative approach to professional practice supervision. It is easy to view this response to the COVID-19 crisis in purely deficit terms. For obvious reasons, no sensible teacher educator would advocate for abandoning school visits and replacing them with online professional conversations. Nonetheless, emergency measures arguably brought about affordances to the delivery of teacher education, which are deserving of consideration and may help to inform future practice. In this paper, we draw on our recent experience of ITE emergency practicum supervision to explore assumptions and tensions inherent in traditional teacher education practices. We reflect on how we enacted and experienced professional student–tutor conversations without the normally preceding classroom observations and interrogate normalised assumptions about the value and purpose of classroom observation. Our reflections are infused with ideas gleaned from philosophy and sociological theory and are underpinned by a theoretical formulation which we call "negative education". "Negative education" refers to the learning that takes place as a consequence of deprivation. In these terms, we come to examine the negotiation of power and relationships in different learning environments. We explore the benefits of "zooming out", to disseminate power, and show how this helps to engage with the broader aspects of teaching which are so easily overlooked by both tutors and students during "normal" school visits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Existing cross-cultural research on animal welfare often overlooks the way that policy and law are not the exclusive domain of central government. This can result in an over-simplification or misrepresentation of the true situation. The political culture and institutional arrangements for governing the modern state are more complex than a "one-size-fits-all" approach. It is argued that cross-cultural research needs to give greater attention to differences within as well as between unitary states. Specifically, it needs to examine developments in constituent nations and territories. Here we illustrate this by drawing on new research in the United Kingdom, and examine how 'devolution'—or decentralized government for Wales and Scotland—is providing contrasting opportunities for NGOs, campaigners, and the public to lobby to improve animal welfare policy based on local practices, beliefs, and demands (collectively known as the "political culture"). Our findings show how this is important because it results in contrasting animal welfare policies and laws in the constituent nations of the UK. It is argued that extant cross-cultural research on animal welfare often overlooks or gives insufficient attention to new governance theory, civil society, politics, and the realities of devolved or (quasi-)federal, multi-level governance in the modern state. This paper synthesizes relevant social theory and draws on new empirical findings of civil society accounts of campaigning on animal welfare policies and law in the United Kingdom. It is presented as a corrective to arguably reductive, earlier unitary state-based analyses. Our core, evidence-based argument is that cognizance of civil society activism and the contrasting institutional governance structures and political cultures of constituent nations in unitary states—such as the UK—are providing opportunities for the territorialization of legally grounded animal welfare regimes, and culturally distinctive practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Institutions are established patterns of recurrent social relationships playing a fundamental part in all our lives. The family is the best-known institution, but other 'total' institutions serve as organisations directly affecting the lives of many individuals in the healthcare sector. Objective This paper examines the sociological theory of institutionalisation as applied to individuals admitted to aged-care facilities, where the complete life-rounds of inmates occur within clearly defined limits. The study provides a framework to enable general practitioners, nurses and healthcare professionals to better appreciate the processes involved as individuals adapt to their new environment. Discussion Sociology provides valuable insights for healthcare providers in understanding how individuals adapt to their loss of independent living and find themselves subjected to intimate regulation in the total institution. The biopsychosocial model of healthcare delivery is better understood when we as health professionals have greater insights to appreciate the competing processes at work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As with other world regions, free market capitalism or the neoliberal system has caused numerous individuals and families to lose access to viable income-generating bases in Southern Africa. This places them in a socio-economically abject and precarious position. Resource-poor and unemployed Southern Africans have for a long time been forced to migrate to less unstable economies within the region. South Africa continues to be the most attractive destination for most poor and destitute Southern Africans. These people are called 'economic refugees' in the dominant literature. Hitherto, the plight of the Malawian 'economic refugee' in South Africa has not attracted much scholarly attention. Drawing on the interdisciplinary methodologies of African social philosophy and African social history, we present the case of Malawian economic refugees in South Africa. Drawing upon ideas derived from Immanuel Kant's analysis in Perpetual Peace (1917), this paper argues for the promotion of the spirit of fraternity between South Africans and Malawian migrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discourse theories and methods have been a staple in social and political studies for a long time. However, even in the most advanced accounts of post-structuralist ontology and epistemology within the social sciences, materiality is somewhat under-theorized, weakening discursive approaches and leading to a sense that social and material/natural worlds are in some significant way separate and operate differently. In this paper Karen Barad’s theory of agential realism, which builds on quantum physics, is deployed to show that this need not be the case. The paper explores the question of materiality and matter and its relation to discourse, by bringing Barad’s insight and a strand of post-structuralist discourse theory together. I argue that Barad’s agential realism can account for how matter matters also in post-structuralist social science, by discussing the similarities of the two approaches and how they work together. The article contributes to the discussion on new materialism, the question of agency and structure and to the onto-epistemology of social sciences and the concept of matter.

This article responds to a comment on a previous article that argued critics of capitalism often confuse it with cronyism. The response addresses the assumptions made in the comment and highlights the complexities of government policy reflecting society's will. It also discusses the relationship between cronyism and capitalism, emphasizing that cronyism depends on the state's level of involvement in the economy. The article concludes by acknowledging the different perspectives on capitalism and cronyism and the need for further research on these topics. The text also discusses the potential for cronyism in government institutions and the relationship between cronyism and capitalism. It argues that firms' dependence on government increases the potential for cronyism, and that special interests often shape public policy to their own preferences. The text also addresses the assumption that government policy reflects society's will and explores the distinctions between cronyism and capitalism. It concludes by discussing the size and scope of the state and the challenges of government intervention in the private sector. Overall, the text highlights the need for further research on the antecedents of government policy and the potential consequences of government intervention. The text also discusses the topic of cronyism and its impact on government policy and effectiveness. It suggests methods such as citizen assemblies and shareholder resolutions to address cronyism and emphasizes the importance of understanding managers' value systems and their influence on decision-making. The text calls for more research on government effectiveness and the role of institutions in shaping public policy. It concludes by stating that management research on cr [Extracted from the article]

The text reconstructs the concepts of practice and practicality used in ethnomethodology and conversation analysis and examines their internal similarities and differences as well as similarities and differences to other practice theories. After a description of the characteristics of practice theories, the ethnomethodological perspective on practice and practicality is presented. Then, the use of the terms in conversation analysis is examined. Ethnomethodology uses the notions of “practice” and “practicality” to outline a non-metaphysical theory of social order in which the sharedness of rules or meanings is not presupposed. “Practical” here means that social action, and social order more generally, are practically grounded as well as temporally and situationally constrained. The fact that practical action is fundamentally situated and can only be understood “from within” establishes an essentially indexical character of practical action. In conversation analysis, “practices” are viewed as “context-free” but “context-sensitive” components that constitute action and as such become the objects of investigation. While some have diagnosed a departure of conversation analysis from its ethnomethodological roots, I argue that “context-freeness” and “context-sensitivity” should be complemented by “context-productivity” by reference to Garfinkel’s interpretation of Aron Gurwitsch’s gestalt phenomenology in order to formulate a more encompassing concept of practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the work and contributions of Dorothy Smith to the field of adult education. Smith, a feminist sociologist, challenged the established discipline of sociology and developed the concept of ruling relations. She emphasized the importance of understanding the everyday world and the experiences of individuals within it. Smith's work focused on the agency and consciousness of people, and she provided a revolutionary way of understanding and changing society. The article also highlights the application of Smith's institutional ethnography method in adult education research. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction. The University of Otago School of Pharmacy Clinic (the Clinic) is a campus-based non-dispensing clinic that offers consultation-based medicines optimisation services to patients. Aim. This project aims to understand the experiences and opinions of healthcare providers who have referred patients to the School of Pharmacy Clinic, specifically: their motivation for referring patients; how the Clinic impacts providers, patients and the wider health system; provider satisfaction; and opportunities for further collaboration. Methods. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 15 participants who represented five health professions. An inductive reflexive thematic analysis approach was used to analyse the dataset from which codes and themes were developed. Normalisation Process Theory (NPT) was used to structure the interview guide and as a framework to present themes. Results. Seven themes were developed; 'Perceptions of Pharmacists' (Coherence), 'Motivators for Engagement' and 'Barriers to Engagement' (Cognitive Participation), 'Utility of Pharmacist Feedback' and 'Opportunities' (Collective Action) and 'Referrers' Experiences' and 'Patient-centred Care' (Reflexive Action). Discussion. Healthcare providers described predominantly positive experiences. Medically complex cases and patients requiring medicines education were most likely to be referred for consultation. Engaging with the Clinic presented valuable opportunities for interprofessional collaborative practice and continuing professional education. Referrers would like more regular contact with Clinic pharmacists to encourage interprofessional collaborative relationships. Patients were thought to benefit from their pharmacist's clinical expertise, time, patientcentred approach and subsequent medication and health optimisation. Integration of Clinic pharmacists into specialist outpatient clinics at Dunedin Hospital may broaden the scope and improve efficiency of their services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Supported self‐management can improve clinical and psychosocial outcomes in people with cancer; the considerations required to implement self‐management support (SMS) for people living with a lower‐grade glioma (LGG)—who often have complex support needs—are not known. We aimed to identify and understand these implementation considerations through the lens of normalisation process theory (NPT), from the perspectives of healthcare professionals (HCP) and people with LGG. Methods: We conducted semistructured interviews with HCPs who support adults with brain tumours (n = 25; 12 different healthcare professions), and people with LGG who had completed primary treatment (n = 28; male n = 16, mean age 54.6 years, mean time since diagnosis 8.7 years), from across the United Kingdom. Interviews were transcribed and inductive open coding conducted, before deductively mapping to constructs of NPT. We first mapped HCP data, then integrated data from people with LGG to explore alignment in experiences and perspectives. Results: We generated supporting evidence for all four NPT constructs and related subconstructs, namely: 'Coherence', 'Cognitive participation', 'Collective action' and 'Reflexive monitoring'. Data from HCPs and people with LGG clearly demonstrated that effective SMS constitutes a collective activity. Key implementation considerations included: ensuring awareness of, and access to, support; building strong HCP‐support recipient relationships; and careful inclusion of close family and friends. We identified pertinent challenges, such as identifying support needs (influenced by the extent to which those with LGG engage in help‐seeking), resistance to support (e.g., technology literacy), training for HCPs and HCP cooperation. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the collective nature of, and provides insight into the individual roles within, supported self‐management. We outline considerations to operationalise, sustain and appraise the implementation of SMS for people with LGG. Patient or Public Contribution: People with brain tumours, and informal caregivers, were involved in the development of information materials and topic guides to ensure accessibility and pertinence. They also had opportunities to comment on interview findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prompted by the material turn in the social sciences and the development of novel interaction technologies, lively debates in social theory have arisen regarding the agency of non-human entities. While these debates primarily involve exchanging theoretical arguments against the background of different theoretical positions, ethnomethodological membership categorization analysis (MCA) provides an empirical approach to questions of non-human agency. The article discusses the debate on non-human agency, demonstrates how MCA can be used to investigate categorial work at the boundaries of the social, and presents the example of an encounter between two museum visitors and a humanoid robot to show how the robot is categorized in a specific way as an 'addressable non-person.' In this way, it becomes clear that social-theoretical debates and empirically oriented MCA can mutually inspire each other and how the 'basic categorization apparatus' addresses new alterities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social interaction is organized around norms and preferences that guide our construction of actions and our interpretation of those of others, creating a reflexive moral order. Sociological theory suggests two possibilities for the type of moral order that underlies the policing of interactional norm and preference violations: a morality that focuses on the nature of violations themselves and a morality that focuses on the positioning of actors as they maintain their conduct's comprehensibility, even when they depart from norms and preferences. We find that actors are more likely to reproach interactional violations for which an account is not provided by the transgressor, and that actors weakly reproach or let pass first offenses while more strongly policing violators who persist in bad behavior. Based on these findings, we outline a theory of interactional policing that rests not on the nature of the violation but rather on actors' moral positioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Charles Mills' essay, "White Ignorance," and his trail-blazing monograph, The Racial Contract, he developed a view of how Whiteness or anti-Black-Indigenousand-Latinx racism causes individuals to hold false beliefs or lack beliefs about racial injustice in particular and the world in general. I will defend a novel exegetical claim that Mills' view is part of a more general view regarding how racial injustice can affect a subject's epistemic standing such as whether they are justified in a belief and whether their degree of confidence in the belief is rational given their evidence. Then, in light of this novel exegetical claim, I show how this interpretation of Mills' view about how racial injustice causes ignorance relates to proper evaluation of whether justified philosophers and social scientists count as epistemologically justified in holding the views that dominate their respective scholarly literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a learning theory is key when designing simulation-based learning linked to allied health professional placements to ensure the purposeful selection of educational methods and to understand how it may assist learners in achieving desired learning outcomes. A narrative review was undertaken to identify the learning theories reported in simulation-based learning linked to allied health professional placements and how the learning outcomes aligned with the reported theories. Only eight of the 25 reviewed studies explicitly reported a learning theory, with minimal attempt to link them to the learning experience. Educators are encouraged to develop an understanding of the breadth and depth of learning theories and how they can best align these with the desired learning outcomes to allow the best fit for purpose. As a result, the authors have developed a practical guide to assist educators in designing simulation-based learning to better understand how learning theories could be incorporated and the anticipated outcomes that could be measured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing the global challenge of sustainable waste management, this research investigates the influence of social dynamics and digital connectivity on rural residents' willingness to adopt waste classification practices, essential for sustainable environmental management. Through a comprehensive analysis of 5413 rural participants surveyed in the China Labor-force Dynamic Survey (CLDS), this study employs a novel mixed-methods approach. It integrates quantitative analysis with the Manski social interaction framework and a Recursive Bivariate Probit model to explore the intricate interplay between community interactions, internet access, and environmental behaviors. Our methodology stands out for its unique combination of social theory and econometric modeling to address a pressing environmental issue. Results highlight a significant effect of mobile internet use and social interactions within communities on enhancing willingness towards waste classification. Notably, digital connectivity emerges as a key facilitator of environmental engagement, mediating social influences, and fostering a collective approach to waste management. Considering these insights, we propose targeted policy interventions that blend digital strategies with traditional community engagement efforts. Recommendations include crafting digital literacy programs and leveraging social media to bolster community-centric environmental governance. By harnessing the synergistic potential of digital tools and social dynamics, these strategies aim to elevate the effectiveness of waste classification initiatives in rural China, offering a scalable model for environmental sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic, government, and industry researchers have attempted to build some theoretical and empirical ways to understanding how to innovate and interact in data- driven contexts in recent years. However, it does not appear to go above and beyond our expectations in terms of offering fresh views and resources to investigate this trend in terms of measurement. In this brief study, I show how Dimensions.ai, a new academic big data resource, can be used to assess knowledge-based innovation processes in emerging and transitional countries like Vietnam. This article investigates creativity and collaboration in Ho Chi Minh City using a "n-tuple helix" framework based on Loet Leydesdorff's sociological theory of communication. From a social network standpoint, I argued that a city's innovation system is inextricably linked to its position in intercity and global co-authorship networks. This shows how the helix model and applications can be utilized to discover a data-driven society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the article is to analyze why Huntington's ideas about civilizations, which have been much criticized, misused, and abused, continue to show amazing vitality by tackling the trends of international order. His paradigm has been a good predictor of international conflicts, but at the same time a tool that allows us to accept some primordial things. Properly understood and applied, civilizational analysis, which considers one's strengths and weaknesses, can be used, like geopolitical analysis, as an indispensable component of planning a strategic approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This summary discusses the book "Toward a Hayekian Theory of Social Change," which explores the relevance of Hayek's ideas beyond economics. It delves into topics such as the interaction of culture with economics and government, liberal morality, common law, and unique applications of Hayek's work. The book also examines the concept of spontaneous order and its application to various phenomena, including science and the market. The text emphasizes the need for a deeper understanding of these interactions and tensions in order to develop a more comprehensive understanding of social change. The reviewer finds the book worth reading and praises some of the contributions while also offering constructive criticism. [Extracted from the article]

An emerging disparity within contemporary social science highlights a disconnection between the world in the process of metamorphosing and cosmopolitanization and the knowledge of the social world that is still trapped in the cognitive assumptions of modern episteme, which provided the conditions for the emergence of modern social sciences a century ago. This divide inhibits the efficacy of social analysis in comprehending and elucidating contemporary phenomena. This article advocates for a shift in the ontology of social theory and science towards the cosmopolitanization of the world, characterized by the prioritization of indeterminacy and fluidity in the construction of social phenomena. It investigates the epistemological implications and prerequisites of this ontological transformation, favoring a post-foundationalist approach as the most suitable epistemological framework. In response to the challenges posed by the uncertainty and indeterminacy of cosmopolitanization, after reviewing some of the existing theoretical efforts to address and provide alternatives to this challenge, the article proposes the examination of social configurations as the most fitting subjects for study. This approach necessitates the suspension of conventional, given, regulated categories, and trans-historical theories. It underscores the importance of recognizing configurations as incomplete, contingent units shaped within specific historical contexts and moments. The fluidity, relationality, and indeterminacy of configurations situated between the universal and the singular make them suitable for analysis at the level of particular. After elaborating on the most important features of social configurations, finally, by employing the proposed theoretical framework, this article aims to investigate its effectiveness in analyzing the process of identity construction among Iranian youth in Tehran in the context of the cosmopolitanization of reality, particularly in the face of the Islamist regime of Iran's official politics of identity. Through a review and revision of selected empirical studies on youth identity construction in the consumer spaces of Tehran, based on the idea of social configurations within the framework of cosmopolitanization, it is argued that the genuine understanding of identity politics in contemporary Iran is not rooted in conventional analytical norms and categories but rather in a comprehensible conceptual apparatus characterized by fluidity and indeterminacy, capable of effectively making sense of the conflict between the politics of determinacy and indeterminacy in Iranian everyday life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document titled "Spiritual Elasticity and Crisis: From Non-Religiosity to Transreligiosity—An Introduction" explores the concept of spiritual elasticity in response to crises. It discusses how contemporary religiosity can adapt and transform during times of crises, including non-denominational and New Age spirituality. The document identifies four levels of elasticity: high elasticity, low elasticity, hyperelasticity, and inelasticity, and highlights the importance of understanding these varying degrees of elasticity in spirituality to gain insights into how individuals and communities respond to crises. The text also discusses the concept of transreligiosity, the crossing of boundaries between different religious and spiritual beliefs and practices, and its relationship to the secular. It suggests that there is a growing interest in personalized and decentralized forms of religiosity and calls for further research in this area. Additionally, the text explores the relationship between transreligiosity and wellbeing, emphasizing the adaptability and negotiation involved in transreligious practices. [Extracted from the article]

This article provides a comprehensive examination of the violence and death inflicted on migrants of color in the U.S. immigration enforcement system. It discusses the racialized nature of these deaths, the use of lethal force by immigration agencies, and the neglect and abuse faced by migrants in detention. The article also explores the legal responses to these deaths and calls for a paradigm shift to end lethal enforcement and racial subordination. It highlights the need for further research, challenges the national security justifications for immigration enforcement, and discusses the impact of U.S. interventionism on migration. The text concludes by advocating for radical approaches, such as abolition, to address the issue and prevent further deaths. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Perspectiva Educacional is the property of Perspectiva Educacional and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Assistive technology is increasingly used to support the physical needs of differently abled persons but has yet to make inroads on support for cognitive or psychological issues. This gap is an opportunity to address another--the lack of contribution from theoretical social science that can provide insights into problems that cannot be seen. Using Affect Control Theory (ACT), the current project seeks to close that gap with an artificially intelligent application to improve interaction and affect for people with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). Using sociological theory, it models interactions with persons with ADRD based on self-sentiments, rather than cognitive memory, and informs a cellphone-based assistive tool called VIPCare for supporting caregivers. Methods: Staff focus groups and interviews with family members of persons with ADRD in a long-term residential care facility collected residents' daily needs and personal histories. Using ACT's evaluation, potency, and activity dimensions, researchers used these data to formulate a self-sentiment profile for each resident and programmed that profile into the VIPCare application. VIPCare used that profile to simulate affectively intelligent social interactions with each unique resident that reduce deflection from established sentiments and, thus, negative emotions. Results: We report on the data collection to design the application, develop self-sentiment profiles for the resident, and generate assistive technology that applies a sociological theory of affect to real world management of interaction, emotion, and mental health. Discussion: By reducing trial and error in learning to engage people with dementia, this tool has potential to smooth interaction and improve wellbeing for a population vulnerable to distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few ideas have figured more centrally in the history of social theory than that of the division of labor. Here we ask whether conversational interaction, like other forms of social activity, exhibits a division of labor and, if so, what functions this serves and how it might be understood in relation to the theories of Marx and Durkheim. We begin by noting that, though conversational participants actively work to achieve and sustain understanding, much of the time this work is invisible and only its products are displayed in the form of sequentially fitted next turns at talk. However, in sequences of other-initiated repair, the work involved in the maintenance of intersubjectivity rises to the surface. On these occasions, we can see and thus describe what participants do to achieve and sustain what they take to be adequate understanding. In our data, which consist of video recordings of casual conversations among Vietnamese same-generation peers, participants continuously display an orientation to relations of relative seniority through the selection of terms used to accomplish interlocutor reference. This pervasive orientation is also reflected in practices of repair initiation. Specifically, seniors regularly initiate repair with so-called "open class" forms such as "huh?" and "ha?" which display a minimal grasp of the talk targeted, require little effort to produce and, at the same time, push responsibility for resolving the problem onto the trouble source speaker (i.e., the junior member of the dyad). In contrast, juniors often initiate repair of a senior participant's talk by displaying a detailed understanding of what has been said, either in the form of a repeat or a reformulation, and inviting the senior to confirm. We suggest then that this asymmetry in the distribution of initiation practices reflects a "division of intersubjective labor". We conclude with some thoughts on the theoretical implications of our findings and relate them not only to the theories of Marx and Durkheimbut also to the writings of feminist sociolinguists who sought to describe the way in which women seemto be burdenedmore thanmen with what Fishman called "interactional shitwork." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the impact of secular education on Israel's education system and the resulting questions of identity. It discusses the shift towards secular education influenced by globalization and the peace process in the 1990s. The reduction of religious studies in the curriculum is seen as potentially leading to an identity crisis among the younger generation. The article raises concerns about the superficial understanding of Judaism and Zionism among students and emphasizes the importance of transmitting knowledge and maintaining a link between individuals and their religious traditions. [Extracted from the article]

An unresolved dilemma facing many disciplines is how theory and practice can better work together to enhance the decision-making processes on the ground. This widely-known theory-practice gap often contributes to the misdiagnosis of problems and undermines the effectiveness of responses. Despite decades of research into why this gap remains, there is still a continuing and heated debate as to why it exists and how it could be resolved. This article examines the theory-practice gap through a systematic review that draws insights across diverse disciplines such as health, science, governance, and business. It builds a conceptual framework based on the findings, allowing for the analysis of the various drivers and solutions for addressing the gap. The findings show that to resolve this gap is necessary to change our perspective of the gap and understand it as a bilateral issue, where both theory and practice play a role in creating the gap. Thus, solutions to the gap need to follow a cyclical and integrative approach. As the gap may never be fully closed, the framework provides the tools to respond to it whenever it arises. Future research will be required to empirically test and advance the framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article explores the work of Suehiro Izutarō, a prominent figure in Japan's intellectual and legal history. Suehiro's focus was on the gap between the law as written and its actual implementation. His influential work, "On the efficacy of lies," delves into the use of lies in society and the disconnect between legal frameworks and social realities. While drawing on Western legal thinkers, Suehiro also raises questions about the applicability of these ideas to Japan. Critics have pointed out the need for clearer distinctions in Suehiro's arguments and definitions. The text also discusses the role of lies in law and academia, providing historical examples and highlighting the importance of researching legal fictions and the influence of Western ideas on Japanese legal philosophy. It argues that lies can be effective in certain situations and challenges the principle of "no damages, no compensation" in Japanese legal scholarship. The text further explores the role of lies in the legal system, emphasizing their potential to bridge the gap between rigid laws and changing social circumstances. It acknowledges the conservative nature of human beings and their resistance to exceptions in rules and regulations. The text suggests that lies can be used as a tool for legal reform, but a balance must be struck between inflexible laws and the need for practicality. It also discusses the relationship between lying, the law, and human nature, highlighting the contradictory nature of individuals and the potential for lying to avoid strict legal application. The text explores the concept of a flexible and adaptable legal system that balances freedom and fairness [Extracted from the article]

Eastern European Marxism, taking a critical stance towards structuralism, gave rise to a unique paradigm of praxis-oriented semiotic aesthetics. This novel approach posits that signs emerge from humans' social praxis and also function as a means of praxis. It further delves into the principle governing the generation and usage of signs, i.e., the Economy Principle, the homogenization of signs, the situatedness or contextual constraints, as well as their aesthetic features and transcendental attributes. As a result, the praxis-oriented semiotic aesthetics within Eastern European Marxism exhibits distinct theoretical value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Servant leadership has received a growing consideration among scholars and practitioners as a viable leadership model capable of bringing positive changes in the increasingly complex healthcare system. The increasing servant leadership literature in healthcare requires an integrated research work that provides a holistic picture of the existing studies. This systematic review aims to synthesize servant leadership conceptualizations, theoretical frameworks, measurement tools, and nomological networks (antecedents, mediators, outcomes, and moderators) associated with prior research in healthcare. A systematic synthesis of 55 pertinent healthcare-specific conceptual and empirical studies demonstrated that servant leadership assumes a crucial role in developing a committed workforce that contributes towards the achievement of performance excellence in healthcare. The review uncovers that the Global Servant Leadership Scale is the most utilized measure of servant leadership in sector-specific studies in healthcare. Moreover, social exchange theory is the dominant underpinning mechanism explaining the influence of servant leadership on specific variables of interest. The findings further revealed that servant leadership has a positive relationship with a range of valued individual and organizational outcomes in healthcare. Our review contributes to the development of servant leadership theory and practice through ascertaining sector-specific studies in the territory of healthcare. We finally conclude by providing a detailed panorama for future healthcare-specific servant leadership research in terms of potential topics, methodological rigor, and less explored variables in prior studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Empresa y Humanismo is the property of Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Navarra, S.A. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Diversitas Journal is the property of Diversitas Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)