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In this work we propose a simple model for the emergence of drug dealers. For this purpose, we built a compartmental model considering four subpopulations, namely susceptibles, passive supporters, drug dealers and arrested drug dealers. The target is to study the influence of the passive supporters on the long-time prevalence of drug dealers. Passive supporters are people who are passively consenting to the drug trafficking cause. First we consider the model on a fully connected network, in such a way that we can write a rate equation for each subpopulation. Our analytical and numerical results show that the emergence of drug dealers is a consequence of the rapid increase in the number of passive supporters. Such increase is associated with a nonequilibrium active-absorbing phase transition. After that, we consider the model on a two-dimensional square lattice, in order to compare the results in the presence of a simple social network with the previous results. The Monte Carlo simulation results suggest a similar behavior in comparison with the fully connected network case, but the location of the critical point of the transition is distinct, due to the neighbors’ correlations introduced by the presence of the lattice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Deficits in social functioning and decision-making are welldocumented in schizophrenia, but their relationship with positive symptoms and social conflicts is poorly understood. We created a new paradigm based on the Dictator Game (DG) to explore differences in social decision-making between individuals experiencing high levels of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), particularly hallucinations and delusions, and controls with less PLEs. Methods: A large community sample (N = 1,161) completed a DG in an online study whereby extreme groups were built based on the positive subscale of the CAPE. Results: Overall, participants experiencing PLEs did not act less prosocial than controls but showed a somewhat aberrant decision-making behavior, particularly a pattern of behaving more prosocial in fair situations and generally favoring punishment over compensation relative to controls. Mediation analyses suggest that measures of empathy and Machiavellism have predictive power for prosocial behavior beyond group status. Discussion: The present study raises the possibility that individuals with high levels of PLEs may be less able to adapt their behavior to the situation at hand than controls. These irregularities might be due to deficits in social cognition which may elicit conflict, thus compromising social functioning and possibly contributing to the formation of positive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the prevalence of generational labels like Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z in popular discourse, most studies of generationalism have been restricted to content analyses of generational rhetoric. This study investigates the prevalence of negative generationalism, or negative affective sentiment towards perceived generational out‐groups within the US public and considers how it may be linked with partisan political identities. Using a nationally representative survey of 1232 Americans, this research examines the association between generational self‐identity and partisan identity using feeling thermometer scores for four generational groups (Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, and Gen Z) and the two major political parties (Democrats and Republicans). I also report the findings of an experimental manipulation testing the extent to which generational priming exacerbates affective partisan polarization. The results reveal strong evidence of positive affect towards one's generational in‐group, but a less consistent pattern of negative generationalism. Neither the correlational nor the experimental outcomes support a strong and consistent link between generationalism and partisanship, though Republicans feel significantly warmer towards Baby Boomers and colder towards Gen Z than independents. Despite the largely null findings concerning partisanship, this study reveals that these generational labels do appear to bear some degree of social meaning as social identities for people, pointing to new directions for future sociological research on generationalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agribusiness expansion is usually framed around two competing narratives. On the one hand, advocates present it as a promising vehicle to modernise agriculture and integrate small farmers into global value chains. On the other hand, critics denounce it as a top‐down corporate assault to monopolise agriculture and dispossess peasants of land. Despite their differences, these contrasting narratives tend to share a reductionistic capital‐centric bias as they are mainly focused on the alleged benefits/dangers of the ‘arrival’ of agribusiness corporate capital. Although simplistic, these narratives have been politically effective in shaping the public debate and thus should be exposed to critical challenge. Drawing on my ethnographic research in eastern lowland Bolivia, I show how both narratives fail to capture the complexity of an actually existing agribusiness structure. My grounded analysis of the process of agrarian change focuses on the changing labour dynamics among campesinos who have striven to become prosperous soy producers. Faced with bleak prospects and structural insecurity, they have been articulating a political practice around the notion of precarity. I argue that this emerging politics from below deserves more attention as an important terrain of political struggles of classes of labour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the concept of "Macaology" in the context of Macao, a city in southern China. Macaology refers to the study of Macao and its unique characteristics, but it is not a formal theory. The article examines the intrinsic nature of the city and how it can change, and discusses the limitations of modernist and postmodernist views in understanding Macao. It suggests that Macaology should be seen as a new way of viewing the world, emphasizing the city's enduring essence and the connections between its inhabitants. The article does not make any judgments or assumptions about Macao or its people, but presents Macaology as a tool for investigation. [Extracted from the article]

The analysis of large volumes of data collected from heterogeneous sources is increasingly important for the development of megacities, the advancement of smart city technologies, and ensuring a high quality of life for citizens. This study aimed to develop algorithms for analyzing and interpreting social media data to assess citizens' opinions in real time and for verifying and examining data to analyze social tension and predict the development of situations during the implementation of urban projects. The developed algorithms were tested using an urban project in the field of transportation system development. The study's material included data from social networks, messenger channels and chats, video hosting platforms, blogs, microblogs, forums, and review sites. An interdisciplinary approach was utilized to analyze the data, employing tools such as Brand Analytics, TextAnalyst 2.32, GPT-3.5, GPT-4, GPT-4o, and Tableau. The results of the data analysis showed identical outcomes, indicating a neutral perception among users and the absence of social tension surrounding the project's implementation, allowing for the prediction of a calm development of the situation. Additionally, recommendations were developed to avert potential conflicts and eliminate sources of social tension for decision-making purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the killing of one's own infant is an undoubtedly harrowing crime, there exists little research exploring attitudes toward these individuals. Such work has focused primarily on depictions of mothers, yet U.K. government data indicate that the majority of infant homicide cases involve paternal suspects. A sample of U.K. residents (n = 245) participated in a mixed-methods design to explore attitudes toward mothers and fathers who have been accused of murdering their infant child and whether parental mental health issues impacted these judgements. Results aligned with the chivalry hypothesis wherein maternal suspects were evaluated more leniently. Qualitative analyses uncovered hidden gender expectations: mothers were ascribed blame when the father was accused of infant homicide, a finding that was not present in the reverse scenario. This suggests that traditional views of motherhood conflict with a shifting social landscape that is seeing an increase in stay-at-home fathers and working mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research note, I propose a theoretical framework that centers class struggle in order to better understand the micro‐level interactions that take place within homeless communities and the systems that structure them. I suggest that researchers can gain clearer insights into marginalized communities by taking a radical interactionist approach, as described by Athens. To start, I propose revisiting classic theories emphasizing the impact of power and dominance in the development of social systems as ways to understand interpersonal social interactions. Specifically, in this note I propose revisiting E.P. Thompson's original theory of the moral economy as an analytical basis and grounding point in the effort to explore homelessness and the communities it creates. Thompson's moral economy suggests that in communities facing oppression and class struggle, an economic and social system develops in which the central tenant is fairness and morality. By revisiting this theory, I suggest that researchers may better understand the ways in which homeless communities structure themselves, not only in relation to one another, but also in relation to the broader social world around them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, cities are under multiple pressures because they must provide responses to global migration challenges, but have limited governance capacity. This is placing chronic stress on physical infrastructures, basic resources, and urban planning, which most often cities must face alone. There is a rising awareness that doing nothing may increase instability and social conflict, giving rise to more segregation, and racism. Focusing on the crucial tension between what cities might do (sovereignty) and what they can do (constraints), this article seeks first to incorporate 'urban resilience thinking' into the current 'local turn' literature on migration governance. In order to achieve this theoretical advancement, a fourth‐pronged approach is followed. First, the article proposes that 'urban resilience' captures the emerging but dispersed patterns of pro‐active cities, and urges for an analysis of the development of migration governance capacities. Second, a transformative approach to urban migration governance resilience is proposed, and its conceptual consequences explored. Subsequently, the article's focus is on demonstrating the distinctive characteristics of urban resilience when applied to migration governance research, with a particular emphasis on the potential novel contributions that may arise. Finally, in light of the novelties of this research area, the main empirical environments of urban resilience are specified. The concluding remarks close the argumentation by returning to the place of urban resilience thinking within the local turn literature, while also pointing to its normative and methodological potentialities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the COVID‐19 pandemic in Spain, the lockdowns brought about the loss of labour and social rights for many migrant women working in highly informal employment sectors. Drawing on digital ethnography, this article examines the role of migrant women in political mobilization within migrant associations during 2020 in Spain, when online interactions assumed primary importance. First, it shows how migrant organizations create bricolage by combining economic, social, cultural and political resources to organize migrants in Spain during COVID‐19 within the digital space. Second, the article highlights how the reactions of the migrant population to the pandemic in Spain represent an act of disruption led mainly by women, within the dynamics of social conflict and political activism that characterize migratory processes. This analysis displays as well the crucial role played by care relationships in these contexts of crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using novel longitudinal data, this paper studies the short- and medium-term effects of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 on social trust of adolescents in Germany. Comparing adolescents who responded to our survey shortly before the start of the war with those who responded shortly after the conflict began and applying difference-in-differences (DiD) models over time, we find a significant decline in the outcome after the war started. These findings provide new evidence on how armed conflicts influence social trust and well-being among young people in a country not directly involved in the war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The history of humanitarianism in the nineteenth century, and more specifically of the lifeboat movement, has so far paid limited attention to the role of rank-and-file, working-class volunteers and the ways in which they interacted with the broader moral framework of humanitarian causes. In order to contribute to this history, this article looks at social conflicts between lifeboat crews and local committees as related in inspection reports of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. It argues that these conflicts hinge on the double nature of lifeboat work as both labour and moral duty, the incommensurability of these two aspects and the ways in which different social actors interpret them. It frames these tensions under the concept of moral economy and argues that the practical implementation of the humanitarian imperative of lifesaving at sea is partly a result of tensions and negotiations of mutual monetary and non-monetary obligations of the various actors at play at station level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The legacy of intentional freshwater fish introductions across the western United States has fostered social tensions over the control of nonnative species in some contexts. Overcoming tensions and implementing effective control programs is important for mitigating impacts to native species. We modeled the efficacy of incentivized harvest for controlling nuisance smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) using empirical responses measured during fishing tournaments on two reservoirs that are sources of nonnative predators to critical habitat of native species. Simulations demonstrated that anglers could suppress adult smallmouth bass by 90%–99% in under 30 years, but were contingent on program participation and density dependence in harvest efficiency (i.e., catchability) and population demographics. Catchability differed between systems and varied temporally within the same system, thereby suggesting tournament structure could be adapted to increase harvest rates. Incentivized harvest should not be dismissed as a viable control strategy alone or in tandem with other methods in small lentic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive processes deal with contradictory demands in social contexts. On the one hand, social interactions imply a demand for cooperation, which requires processing social signals, and on the other, demands for selective attention require ignoring irrelevant signals, to avoid overload. We created a task with a humanoid robot displaying irrelevant social signals, imposing conflicting demands on selective attention. Participants interacted with the robot as a team (high social demand; n = 23) or a passive co‐actor (low social demand; n = 19). We observed that theta oscillations indexed conflict processing of social signals. Subsequently, alpha oscillations were sensitive to the conflicting social signals and the mode of interaction. These findings suggest that brains have distinct mechanisms for dealing with the complexity of social interaction and that these mechanisms are activated differently depending on the mode of the interaction. Thus, how we process environmental stimuli depends on the beliefs held regarding our social context. We investigated the impact of social interaction on cognition, specifically the conflicting demands of social signals while suppressing irrelevant information using a human–robot handover task. Our results revealed that these demands interactively influence neural processes, and we identified the timing of this interaction. These findings have implications for sociocognitive neuroscience, illustrating how the brain handles complex social interactions. They also have relevance for robotics, emphasizing the negative impact of irrelevant robot behaviors on human cognitive processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the nature and structure of Polish discourses on copyright, specifically revealing to what extent social conflict over copyright is visible within these discourses and presenting the most important parties in this conflict. Following Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe’s discursive reconstruction of the hegemony, the article indicates that Polish copyright discourses are structured by an alternating sequence of discursive hegemonic and counter-hegemonic practices. The article specifies the most important logic applied within discursive battles over copyright by deconstructing the central dualities visible in Polish copyright debates. Hegemonization and counter-hegemonization of the discourses are indicated based on the discourse analysis of the Polish public debate on copyright and a qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews and focus group interviews with representatives of selected parties in the social conflict over copyright. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Maugham’s short story “The Outstation”, Warburton, the Resident in a remote sector of Borneo reifies Anderson’s imagined community. Warburton is lord of the realm but has an encompassing lack of self-awareness complemented by superhuman self-control. Maugham’s story is a dense web of class and race conflict. The protagonist, Warburton, and the antagonist, Cooper, his lower-class assistant, are locked in a struggle that chisels away the façade of Empire and offers a perspective on authority that requires more than an essentialist reading of identity. Warburton admires the Malays and is proud of the regard with which he is held in the colony, not by his confreres, but by the Malays. Cooper despises both the Malays and Warburton. Warburton and Cooper play out a deadly game of “power and privilege” that fronts post-colonial concepts of identity and authority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This interview provides insights into the experiences and perspectives of Martha and Kate Hennessy, granddaughters of Dorothy Day, the co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement. They discuss their upbringing within the movement, its influence on their lives, and their grandmother's lasting impact. The interview also delves into the movement's radical approach, its relationship with the Catholic Church, and its continued relevance. Martha and Kate share their own involvement in peace activism, writing, and art, and how their faith has shaped their actions. The conversation highlights the movement's diversity, tolerance, and appeal to young people. [Extracted from the article]

Sexual conflict is prevalent among animals and is primarily caused by the fact that the optimal mating rates are often higher in males than in females. While there is a growing appreciation that females can also gain from multiple matings, we still know relatively little about which sex controls the observed mating rates and how close it is to the optimal female mating rates. To address this issue, we tracked female bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) inseminated daily versus weekly and found that weekly inseminated females lived longer and produced over 50% more offspring. In a follow-up experiment employing a social network framework, we placed 24 bed bugs into a semi-naturalistic arena and recorded all sexual interactions. While recently inseminated females did not avoid males more often, they were more frequently rejected by males. Finally, we tracked avoidance behaviour in a single cohort of female bed bugs as they received six successive daily inseminations. Avoidance rates increased and insemination durations decreased with increasing number of prior inseminations. Overall, our results indicate high costs of polyandry. Although females possess some plastic avoidance strategies, the observed rates of insemination fall closer to the male rather than female optimum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalonia has become a rich site to investigate minorised-language identity, with the reemergence of a movement calling for independence. Our case study analyses how pro-/anti-secessionist protests are (counter)-fought in urban Linguistic Landscapes. We approach LLs as identity-markers and place-makers delivering messages of political subversion/dominance where majority/minorised-language choice and utopian/dystopian discourse become crucial for understanding their meanings during social upheaval, with renewed nationalist protests linked to an independence Referendum. We employed a content analysis based on a semiotic/semantic interpretation and thematic categorisation of the data. We show that two antithetical “Catalans”/“Spaniards” identities reemerge which mobilise either utopian projects written in Catalan or dystopian visions in Spanish, through intertextuality. The former, categorised as pro-independence “political resistance LLs,” project a hopeful impossible to extend a liberating possible. The latter, pro-unionist “threats to Catalan protesters LLs,” reinstate order, enforcing the suppression of dissent. This reveals that ethnolinguistic identities are newly reconfigured/resignified, unpacking how a social-semiotics focus on language choice and utopia/dystopia can prefigure social conflict development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social comparison is central in human life and can be especially challenging in depression and social anxiety. We assessed event‐related potentials and emotions using a social comparison task in which participants received feedback on both their own and a co‐player's performance, in participants with depression and/or social anxiety (n = 63) and healthy controls (n = 72). Participants reported more negative emotions for downward (being better than the co‐player [participant correct, co‐player wrong]) and upward (being worse than the co‐player [participant wrong, co‐player correct]) comparisons versus even outcomes, with these effects being stronger in depression and social anxiety. At the Medial Frontal Negativity, both controls and depressed participants showed a more negative amplitude for upward comparison versus both the participant and co‐player performing wrong. Socially anxious subjects showed the opposite effect, possibly due to greater expectations about being worse than others. The P300 decreased for downward and upward comparisons compared to even outcomes, which may relate to the higher levels of conflict of social inequality. Depressed and socially anxious subjects showed a blunted P300 increase over time in response to the task outcomes, suggesting deficits in allocating resources for the attention of incoming social information. The LPP showed increased amplitude for downward and upward comparison versus the even outcomes and no group effect. Emotional findings suggest that social comparisons are more difficult for depressed and socially anxious individuals. Event‐related potentials findings may shed light on the neural substrates of these difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The meanings that people construct about concepts influence public policy; therefore, identifying them is significant for achieving a successful implementation process. In Mexico, the obligation of public officials to mainstream the gender perspective (GP) coexists and comes into tension with social debates surrounding the GP and its growing disapproval by conservative groups. The objective of the study was to understand and analyze the social representations (SR) of the gender perspective (GP) among teachers during the 2017-2018 school year in three public primary schools in León, Guanajuato, as well as its influence on the application of the GP in the school environment. The methodological design was qualitative and based on feminist theory and SR theory. Group interviews were conducted with 21 teachers from 1st, 4th, and 6th grades. Findings suggest that the SR held by teachers about the GP do not lead to actions that result in a correct application of the GP because their way of meaning gender and the GP lacks adequate information and is based on notions acquired from colloquial and media use. This poses an obstacle to achieving substantive equality in the educational field and is a consequence of a broader problem where the concept of gender has been trivialized, causing a theoretical and practical issue that needs further analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to identify the aspects that social actors consider in constructing shared futures in communities. In their application in emerging countries, especially in the Global South, the socio-cultural particularities of communities and actors are often overlooked, generating friction or social conflicts. This paper presents two critical elements contributing to the debate: the importance of understanding Social Actors within a model of generating community futures in emerging countries; and the relevant factors that influence the actors in an exercise of building futures in communities. Design/methodology/approach: From qualitative research, a case study of community foresight of the future was used: the future of Puerto Gaitán 2037 (Meta, Colombia). A method of information collection was applied from observation of the participants and analysis of documentation. The analysis method was the deductive qualitative analysis (DQA). Findings: The participation of the social actors presents a model of five relevant elements that influence the actors for the successful construction of futures in communities. The first four factors, revealed from theory, are presented in real life. Likewise, a fifth factor is proven, Long-term thinking, which is evidenced by a model of application of futures studies for the specific context, applicable to the case of communities in countries of the Global South. Originality/value: Although there are isolated examples of recommendations regarding studies to generate the future of communities, to the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first study that presents concrete factors that contribute to guiding the construction of community futures from social actors, especially in countries of the Global South such as Colombia. It is also one of the first studies to use the DQA as a method of analysis in a topic of futures studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The changes and diversity in the demographic profile of the Spanish workforce have sparked a great deal of interest, particularly in human resource management. Examining the intricate balance that individuals and organisations strike between family, gender, and work responsibilities becomes particularly crucial, especially in the context of families with children. The conflict between work and family may originate in either domain. Thus, the direction of the conflict becomes relevant at both a personal and organisational level, to understand whether work interferes with family (WFC), or family interferes with work (FWC). However, in social economy organisations these conflicts might be exhibited differently, given how these types of organisations tend to be more horizontal, social, feminine, and participative. This means that the conflict between family and work could be less harmful. With this in mind, our goal was to analyse whether children, based on their age, influence work-family conflict, and to assess any gender differences. Results revealed some differences regarding the age of children in the work-family and family-work conflict between women and men. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed throughout the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces readers to a case study of ethnic Kazakhs in Mongolia. The main goal was to identify the institutional factors that are likely to systematically influence Kazakhs' integration or division in Mongolia's larger society. Therefore, the study focuses on key institutional structures behind the politics of representation, education system, religious institutions and national identity. It draws on official data, surveys and interviews focusing on Kazakhs in Mongolia. The findings suggest that current institutional settings are likely to contribute to structural inequalities and social tensions. Consequently, indicating a need to support orientation toward tolerance at the larger society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Should businesses engage in moral talk when it becomes profitable? Due to their particular position of visibility, it is reasonable to acknowledge that businesses have specific moral duties. Some might argue that companies ought to help abandon morally repugnant norms by providing examples of alternative behaviors through advertisements. However, the moral talk of businesses might unexpectedly reinforce repugnant norms and increase social tensions in a polarized society. Then, the duty of the companies is not fulfilled when they engage in moral talk. In polarized societies, the positional duty of businesses implies decreasing the risk of social conflict. It is not clear how to do that, yet I argue that if businesses use moral talk with mass marketing strategies, they would strive to shape impartial moral messages aiming to find points of moral convergence among polarized moral positions, which might mitigate social polarization. I call this duty the imperative of doux commerce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many policy issues, people holding the majority opinion often do not act in accordance with their beliefs. While underestimating public opinion appears as a likely cause, correcting this misperception often fails to motivate those in the majority to act. Investigating further, we surveyed a nationally representative sample (N  =   1,000) of Republican voters about vaccination. Despite a majority supporting vaccines, Republicans on average underestimated other Republicans' support. However, this misperception occurred primarily among anti-vaccine Republicans—a group that reported a greater willingness to share their vaccine views. We show how an information environment overrepresented with minority views may discourage majority view holders from speaking out even when they are aware of their majority status. That is, instead of experiencing pluralistic ignorance, those in the majority may be discouraged from expressing their views due to anticipated social conflict from engaging in an information environment disproportionately made up of minority views. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To strengthen political capacities for transitions in territories, based on democratic mediations of social conflicts, oriented towards reconciliation and the construction of stable and lasting peace. Methodology: The research was framed within the framework of Research-Action-Participation (IAP), which involved the design, formulation, implementation, and evaluation of processes articulated between communities, public and private institutions, and social organizations, mainly using qualitative methods. Results: This article explores public policies as an ambiguous field of a transdisciplinary nature, and then reviews their connections with concepts such as 'participation,' 'deliberative capacity,' and 'mediation,' assumed as central axes in the formation of public policies. Likewise, it delves into different notions of peace (paces, in a broad sense), which allows us to highlight how different epistemological and methodological conceptions in pacifism determine approaches and devices in social construction. Finally, it examines the links between public policies as devices (strategies) for social mediation, and peacebuilding as a route for the agency of multiple social processes. Conclusions: The central conclusion revolves around the assertion that public policies acquire a peaceful nature insofar as they involve non-violent forms of social interaction. With them, those involved seek to achieve the highest possible level of well-being based on the resources and contexts in which they find themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnic conflicts have proved to be inherently dangerous and repressive across the globe. While this signification cannot be negated, a deeper articulation of liminal existences in the conflict‐prone areas requires more attention. Using case studies with a qualitative research design, the paper emphasizes on conflict as a social force, facilitating the (re)structuration of communities entangled within it. The paper explores the mundane lived experiences of the Adivasis and the Bodos, two of the ethnic communities living in Assam, a Northeastern state of India, by making a few claims. First, ethnic conflicts reorient social relations, intercommunity interactions and economic exchanges between the Adivasis and Bodos. Second, ethnic conflicts recourse varied negotiations and emotions in their being(ness), aspirational values, and embodied meanings in mundane life‐processes. The complex realization of identities for the Adivasis and the Bodos is fostered by the exposure of fear, past loss of life, and the varied interactions between victims and perpetrators in everyday social life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Denis of Portugal's "Ai flores, ai flores do verde pino" [Oh flowers, oh flowers of the green pine] is the medieval monarch's most famous cantiga de amigo and one of the best-known songs of the Galician-Portuguese tradition. Many have read Denis's "pine song" as an allusion to the Pinhal de Leiria, the pine forest that he planted—or so the story went. Though Portuguese historians and paleobotanists have debunked the Leiria forest's origin story, a preponderance of documentary evidence from Denis's reign suggests that the monarch recognized forests as poetically generative sites of political and social tension. In this article, I chart ecocritical and new materialist paths through the "pine songs" of Denis and other Galician-Portuguese troubadours by examining the medieval forest in its cultural, commercial, and poetic dimensions. I contend that Denis's pines and his poems are affectively and acoustically co-constituted, concluding that the Galician-Portuguese troubadour tradition, particularly in its woman's-voice compositions, encodes important ecological knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online hate is a global problem, affecting diverse social conflicts around the world. Common techniques to understand online hate focus primarily on measuring the volume of hateful messages and identifying individual perpetrators. However, these approaches fail to capture how online hate draws on wider social narratives to attack its targets, and how online hate is spread and organized in networked groups. Our work posits that assessing online hate through the lens of narratives and networks facilitates a deeper understanding of its dynamics in specific contexts and points to more holistic directions for mitigating its potential manipulation. We demonstrate the utility of our framework across two case studies in the Philippines: (a) the 2020 outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and (b) the 2022 presidential elections. Through a computational pipeline of social cyber-security tools, we characterize the online hate narratives used to attack gendered, political, and racial identities in these events, and the network structures of the online hate groups involved. We additionally quantify manipulation of online hate narratives and networks by bots and trolls. These findings offer insights into the design of effective counter-narratives and building more resilient communities against online hate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the processes of market liberalization and globalization increase the confidence of international actors involved in national third sectors, there exists a cosmopolitan tension between 'mobile elites' and 'locked in' nationals. This paper explores the impact of these tensions on the social enterprise ecosystem in the Republic of Poland and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Focused on the internationalized mechanisms of support, the relationship between the social enterprise incubators and international stakeholders, and power distance inherent to the global versus local debate, the findings suggest that normative isomorphic pressures are causing a fundamental ecosystem shift. The monopolization of support and terms of reference have led to entrepreneurs detrimentally being treated as 'organizational heroes' risking burnout, the primacy of international voices within the local context, and the transference of nationals from being 'locked in' to national processes to being 'locked out' of national support. The research suggests the cosmopolitan‐led transformation of activists into entrepreneurs needs to be more carefully considered, to ensure that enforced alignment to international system does not alienate them from other sources and means of sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past few decades, there have been efforts to transform qualitative inquiry, drawing on resources from both imaginative literature and art. There have long been tensions within social science that have encouraged the use of these resources, but the recent "literary turn" is more radical. The assumptions underpinning it are examined, and it is argued that what is most important is the purpose for which modes of expression are employed and how well they serve this. The problem with the literary turn is that it frequently involves substitution of the purposes of art or politics for those of social science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article theorises the processes of colonisation, wealth accumulation, and inequalities creation that the current paradigm of a resource‐hungry green transition enacts on the most vulnerable populations. We suggest that the extractivist logics and related technical fixes are leading to a "climate necropolitics". In this, the socio‐economic system is increasingly defined by classes' carbon exposure and consumption. Through the "green growth" of late capitalism, we theorise the advent of four carbon‐defined classes. Bounded by the access to climate tech capital and consumption of low‐carbon products, these include the ultra‐carbonised, decarbonised, still‐carbonised, and uncarbonised classes—with the first two acting as dominant classes and necropolitical agents sustained by the remaining lower classes. Inspired by Marxist scholars, we suggest that the current status quo is untenable and will result in class warfare during which coalitions between classes could reorient the "make live and let die" of the current green transition paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'watchdog' model has created a journalism culture that is too adversarial and creates conflicts rather than helping to solve today's problems/conflicts. The panellists assess new journalism paradigms in the Asia-Pacific region where the media is able to make powerful players to account for facilitating the development needs of communities, especially those in the margins of society. A challenge for contemporary journalism schools is to address such models in a global context of 'development rights' with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals as a benchmark. In the Pacific Islands context, journalists face a challenging news reporting terrain on their news beats, especially in the Melanesian countries of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Besides dealing with political instability, coups, civilian unrest and complex developmental issues, journalists must contend with hostile governments and draconian media legislation. The talents, idealism and storytelling skills of Pacific journalists can be cultivated and strengthened to produce independent platforms and models of journalism that challenge the status quo. Examples of this campus strategy include Radio Pasifik, Wansolwara, Pacific Scoop and Asia Pacific Report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on online mental health support groups usually stresses the harmonious side of users' interactions. However, differences regarding the experience of the illness might escalate into social conflict. The aim of this study is to explore acts of conflict resolution in an online Spanish mental health forum for recovery from an eating disorder (ED). Focusing on a specific long dispute between one regular contributor and several other members, I perform a micro-analysis of the discursive moves deployed in this polylogue by those who act as informal mediators to mitigate negative emotions, to rephrase participants' perspectives and to promote relational empathy within the group. The goal of mediation in the forum is to reinstate the social order of acceptable recovery practices and discourses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Aposta is the property of Aposta 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 paper first presents a historical record of the caste system in India, shedding light on the socioeconomic disparities and discrimination that persisted for centuries. It then delves into the genesis and evolution of the Reservation System, highlighting its constitutional foundations and subsequent amendments. The paper outlines the intended goals of the Reservation System, emphasizing its role in promoting the social justice, equality, and empowerment of the marginalized communities in the society. The paper critically assesses the potential impact of a comprehensive Caste Census on the accuracy and relevance of reservation policies. An analysis of the implications of the Caste Census on the Reservation System follows, considering both potential positive outcomes and challenges. The study explores the prospect of identifying new beneficiaries who may have been historically excluded, as well as the risk of exacerbating social tensions or reinforcing stereotypes. The paper also investigates the implications for political representation, resource allocation, and the overall socioeconomic development of the marginalized communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indonesia is a country with diverse tribes, religions, ethnicities, and traditions. Although Indonesia makes a unique contribution to the life of the archipelago and its citizens, it does not rule out the risk of disputes and conflict. One of them is the existence of ethnic differences, which give rise to stereotypes of certain ethnicities, such as Tionghoa. Not all stereotypes are justified and real. Indonesian history records the existence of social conflicts born from inter-ethnic stereotypes, such as during the 1998 riots. Therefore, this research aims to explore individual lived experiences and subjective viewpoints and provide a platform for authentic voices that are often unheard in discussions of ethnicity and identity. So, this article provides insight into how ethnic Tionghoa people strengthen their perceptions of existing stereotypes. This research uses a qualitative approach with a case study method. The research data was obtained through interviews with 30 ethnic Tionghoa people accompanied by participant observation. In contrast, data analysis took a thematic approach to identify patterns and themes that emerged from the results of interviews and observations. The research findings show that an understanding of the diversity of individuals and society that has not been fully accepted reflects challenges, including political history that influences negative perceptions. Unfortunately, the complexity of social relations means that some informants feel that the Tionghoa ethnic community tends to be closed, creating the impression of a lack of unity in Indonesian society. This research is important to explore how the reality of the lives of ethnic Tionghoa people does not fully conform to the prevailing stereotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonrenewable energy sources have been shown to be a cause of conflict and terrorism, highlighting the global conflict aspect, but little is known about the causal relationship between the energy system and terrorism in Turkey. This study aims to fill this gap by examining the causal links among renewable energy consumption, fossil fuels, terrorist attacks, education, trade opening, and geopolitical risks in Turkey from 1980 to 2016. Using the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach and Granger causality tests, the study analyzes the short and long‐term relationships between the variables. Additionally, robustness tests are conducted using a powerful multiresolution ARDL approach to ensure the stability of the statistical findings. The results reveal the existence of long‐term relationships between all the variables, particularly among terrorism, renewable energy, and education. In the short term, a one‐way relationship exists between terrorism and education to renewable energies and from trade openness to terrorism. The study demonstrates that nonrenewable energy increases terrorism in the long term, whereas renewable energy and trade openness reduce terrorism, highlighting the potential impact of global conflicts on Turkey's sustainable development. Therefore, renewable energy is a powerful tool to fight against terrorism, and Turkey has encouraged its use and deployment of diplomatic efforts to resolve political and military conflicts, particularly in the Middle East. This study provides insights into the complex relationship among sustainable energy consumption, terrorism, education, and trade opening, contributing to the understanding of the geopolitical risks and economics in Turkey. It has implications for policymakers in the region, highlighting the importance of renewable energy and trade openness as tools for conflict resolution and sustainable development in the face of global conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Latin American & Latinx Visual Culture is the property of University of California Press 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 Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco 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.)

Scholarship in British film history has tended to suggest that the female characters in New Wave films are marginalised, dismissively associated with the trappings of consumer culture and responsible for the ultimate containment of their 'Angry Young Men' protagonists. In Sex, Class and Realism, which was published in 1986, John Hill situates the New Wave in relation to broader socio-economic and cultural changes in post-war Britain, including women's shifting relationships with work, motherhood, family life and patterns of consumption. However, he concludes that the cycle failed to register women's changing lives in the late 1950s and identifies the 'dramatic and thematic subordination of female characters' and a 'streak of misogyny' running through the cycle. Revisiting the treatment of women in the British New Wave, this article focuses on the characters Brenda and Doreen in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, and instead explores how Rachel Roberts and Shirley Anne Field's performances offer potent expressions of women's changing lives in this period. Poised between representing individual desires, confidence and autonomy, and feelings of frustration, reserve and uncertainty, their performances vividly convey their characters' experiences and expectations in ways that chimed with mobilities and new constructions of selfhood that were increasingly being practised by a 'transition' generation of young women in post-war Britain. I argue that Roberts's and Field's performances evoke the feelings of two different, working-class women, for whom expressions of assertiveness, sexuality and aspiration are shaped by contradictions, anxieties and feelings of vulnerability. In doing so, the article foregrounds and re-contextualises Roberts's and Field's contributions to the New Wave, recognising their representation of contemporary femininities in flux; and explores the promotion and critical reception of their roles, highlighting the tensions between social realism and glamour that shaped their New Wave stardom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social enterprises are organisations comprised of two conflicting logics: social and commercial. However, simultaneous commitment to both logics often leads to tensions, making social enterprises fragile organisations at the risk of mission drift. The extant literature on hybridity highlights two important overall strategies – integration and differentiation - for managing tensions. However, integration or differentiation alone can create additional problems, which is especially true in the case of differentiation, creating a situation comparable to black and white, with a salient faultline and heated conflicts. In this inductive qualitative case study, responding to the recent call in the literature on how to mitigate such challenges, we will show that social enterprises could employ two strategies called people circulation and weaving warp and weft to achieve a reintegrated, embedded situation referred as yin and yang with a mitigated faultline and lessened tensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Labour, for capitalist critique, is not just slavery analogised; it is slavery materialised and expanded. Across the Marxist terrain, class struggle is presupposed by the struggle not to be a slave: the struggle of 'the worker' combats a slavery simultaneously more complex, because it is more mediated, and implicitly more emancipatory, because it materialises what has been called 'objective possibility'. In this article, I track symptoms of the sublation of slavery by labour in the telling of 'new labour history' and counter with 'objective impossibility' as a more open and efficacious diagnostic for the slave's political position. Though the sentences of United States labour history are alive with promises of solidarity, the field also remains an unstable landmine of antagonism, death, failure, limit. I argue that this labour history, despite its gestures towards the problem 'race', is grammatically caught in a web of desires that Sylvia Wynter names 'the hegemony of the labour conceptual frame (i.e., the frame of the struggle against capitalism)'. The labour conceptual frame is hegemonic because the relation between race and class already presupposes a latent Marxist orientation to subjects, objects, consciousness, and history that renders perfect the slave's objective impossibility and culminates, at the nexus of race and class, in an uncritical conversion of labour's objective possibility into pure, unmediated possibility. This article tracks how the black worker remains stubbornly impossible throughout this theoretical convergence, bending the apparatus of labour history, the purchase of Marxist theory, and the salience of class-first politics through the excess of blackness to labour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on redefining imperialism in the context of global capitalism, emphasizing its transnational nature and the role of the transnational capitalist class (TCC). It critiques traditional views that limit imperialism to national relationships and calls for a nuanced understanding that reflects contemporary economic and political dynamics on a global scale.