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Academic papers in the social sciences were once more essayistic in their form. The carefree launching of concepts and ideas of academic value were the order of the day, all without the security of the present standardized paper format inspired by the natural sciences. This text draws on the most cited paper by the acclaimed scholar Carol Weiss, as an outset to discussing academic writing; why we write as we do and what we may lose by doing so. This means exploring the history of academic writing as well as discussing the complex, yet exciting, relationship between writing, identity, language, and the very process of conducting research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All large-scale telescope facilities are constructed within a geographical, social, historical, and political context that includes nested layers at the global, national, and local levels. However, discussions about the geographic siting of astronomy facilities, for example, the communities in which they are embedded or the interactions between the facility and its locale, are uncommon in social science studies of astronomy, and no extant review focused on this gap in the literature. In this literature review and discourse analysis, we explore the ways in which research about astronomy facilities and their local communities has emerged, and the extent to which it focuses on the Global South. We find that literature addressing the social and policy aspects of astronomy facilities has an emphasis on the Global North. However, literature addressing host communities has an emphasis on the Global South. Broadly, the discourses related to host communities in the Global South have emerged from reflections on the controversies related to large-scale telescopes in Hawai'i, Chile, and South Africa. One common theme linking these discourses is that a focus on benefits at the national and international levels obscures a range of problematic power dynamics and outcomes at the local level. The notion of the Global South as an 'empty space' in which astronomical observation does not constitute impactful action amongst local communities, is challenged by discourses that centre local contexts, and challenged by discourses that employ conceptual frameworks with a focus on revealing power dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite its importance and prominence in public debates, including in many social science-related disciplines such as political science, anthropology, geography, and history, climate change has been unevenly addressed within critical sociology. In the tradition of critical theories, a critical sociology approach could contribute to climate science by discussing, for instance, what it means for societies and individuals to live together in times of ecological crisis and how this interplays with other crises and challenges of our time. As we face various transformations caused by climate change, sociology can inquire about social relations in the Anthropocene, including the critique of this concept and its alternatives, such as Capitalocene. This introductory article explores the intersection of sociology and the climate crisis, examining the sociological significance of the latter. It also discusses the importance for sociology, at both theoretical and empirical levels, to climate-related debates. It highlights the need for pluralistic approaches that can contribute to framing and addressing climate change, encompassing diagnosis, alternatives, science, and politics. The papers in this special issue seek to engage with and contribute to the abovementioned debate by covering theoretical and empirical perspectives on climate crisis, drawing attention to themes such as the relationship between critical theory and climate change, theories of modernity, the notion of (post)sustainability, just transitions, the role of media systems in fostering sustainable transformations, and the contribution of social movements to socioecological transformation, with a particular focus on the 'Global South'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The historical tension between the natural and social sciences, and the associated discourses of superiority and inferiority, remains prevalent today in academia and practice. This study analyses the discourses that medical students at a South African university employ in their talk about psychology. The analysis demonstrates the function of these discourses and locates them within historical debates surrounding the social and natural sciences. More importantly, it identifies how psychology is locked into Eurocentric assumptions of rigour and empiricism. We use discursive psychology to examine five online discussion board entries detailing medical students' understanding of psychology. The findings suggest that definitions of psychology subvert the discipline under the guise of bolstering its value in ways that are comparable to colonial methodologies, thereby reconstituting and reinforcing historical notions of othering in social scientific discourses. This research therefore contributes to debates on the current role and position of psychology in South Africa and helps to destabilise dominant scientific discourses within and against which psychology is enacted in the academy. Through a critical interrogation of such hegemony, this study aims to forge new ways of doing and thinking psychology in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, there is a growing interest in the ethics of the human and social sciences, and in the discussions surrounding these topics, notions such as responsibility toward the past are often invoked. But those engaged in these discussions seldom acknowledge that there are at least two distinct logics of responsibility underlying many debates. These logics permeate a Western scholarly tradition but are seldom explicitly discussed. The two logics follow the Latin and Hebrew concepts of responsibility: spondeo and acharayut. The purpose of this article is to make an ethical argument: to explain, based on the work of Emmanuel Levinas and others, what kind of ethical‐existential logic of responsibility acharayut is and how it differs from and challenges other concepts of responsibility in moral philosophy and the human sciences. I am especially concerned with what this logic implies with regard to reading and writing about the past. Responsibility is not necessarily congruent with performing a scientific (historical) task or defending the (political, juridical) interests of a group of people. Instead, a "guiltless responsibility" to people of other generations points to something that I refer to as a transgenerational responsibility. I contrast this transgenerational responsibility to inherited guilt and related ideas of generational interconnectedness, which follow the logic of spondeo. Inherited guilt suggests that a responsible relation the past is to either identify with or blame a group of people in the past. Contrary to inherited guilt, a commitment to acharayut means constantly probing one's responsibility to people of the past (for their posterity) and people of the future (as their predecessors) precisely because people of the present are not people of the past or people of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present two studies investigated whether students' development of epistemic beliefs about the educational sciences (study A; N = 152) and linguistics (study B; N = 150) can be affected by authentic learning activities in an out-of-school lab (OSL). OSLs aim to engage students in authentic activities that attempt to simulate the ways how scientists gather new knowledge, making an impact on students' epistemic beliefs likely. To test this assumption, the two (quasi-)experimental studies each compared a highly authentic with a less authentic activity and assessed students' epistemic beliefs before and after the students' visit to the OSL. We also analyzed how students' epistemic beliefs relate to their perceived authenticity of the learning activity, their situational interest, and their knowledge acquisition. The findings suggest that authentic activities in OSLs have no effect on students' epistemic beliefs, as students in both conditions either developed more sophisticated beliefs (study A) or changed their beliefs in the less authentic condition only (study B). Correlational analyses further show that students' epistemic beliefs about the texture of knowledge are negatively associated with both their perceived authenticity of the learning activity (studies A and B) and their situational interest (study A only). In contrast, students' epistemic beliefs about the variability of knowledge are positively correlated with their perceived authenticity and their knowledge acquisition (both in study A only). The findings are discussed in light of previous research on both students' epistemic beliefs and authentic learning in OSLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data science consulting and collaboration units (DSUs) are core infrastructure for research at universities. Activities span data management, study design, data analysis, data visualization, predictive modelling, preparing reports, manuscript writing and advising on statistical methods and may include an experiential or teaching component. Partnerships are needed for a thriving DSU as an active part of the larger university network. Guidance for identifying, developing and managing successful partnerships for DSUs can be summarized in six rules: (1) align with institutional strategic plans, (2) cultivate partnerships that fit your mission, (3) ensure sustainability and prepare for growth, (4) define clear expectations in a partnership agreement, (5) communicate and (6) expect the unexpected. While these rules are not exhaustive, they are derived from experiences in a diverse set of DSUs, which vary by administrative home, mission, staffing and funding model. As examples in this paper illustrate, these rules can be adapted to different organizational models for DSUs. Clear expectations in partnership agreements are essential for high quality and consistent collaborations and address core activities, duration, staffing, cost and evaluation. A DSU is an organizational asset that should involve thoughtful investment if the institution is to gain real value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

\nKey PointsThe multifaceted implications of global population aging require regular assessments of the current state of aging-related social science research and the identification of potential future research priorities in this important area. Given the multi-, inter-, and transdisciplinary nature of this field, such assessments typically require the involvement of experts from diverse backgrounds to ensure a comprehensive picture and to synthesize understudied and newly emerging topics into a future research agenda. We explored to what extent ChatGPT (version GPT-4, OpenAI) might be a useful tool for synthesizing the current state of research and identifying promising future research areas, which could feed into expert panel discussions for priority setting. ChatGPT proposed a long list of topics and specific research questions that are useful in summarizing current views on research priorities across diverse sources. To illustrate, the top five priorities for future aging research identified by ChatGPT were digital integration, climate change and older populations, mental health and aging, aging in diverse contexts, and post-pandemic aging. In conclusion, ChatGPT may be a useful tool for identifying research agenda priorities across organizations present in the web, but the lack of transparency requires that experts critically evaluate the values and views underlying selected priorities. ChatGPT suggested research topics of past and for future aging research.The chatbot provided research topic lists for both academic and policy research.ChatGPT can inform priority setting by synthesizing the views of sources in the web.Due to lack of transparency, ChatGPT’s insights need to be critically assessed by human experts.ChatGPT suggested research topics of past and for future aging research.The chatbot provided research topic lists for both academic and policy research.ChatGPT can inform priority setting by synthesizing the views of sources in the web.Due to lack of transparency, ChatGPT’s insights need to be critically assessed by human experts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various skills related to critical thinking, reasoning, and scientific reasoning are defined as essential for students in policy documents and curricula around the world as essential both in school and in everyday life. However, these concepts are often too vaguely defined and explained for a clear implementation in the classroom. In this conceptual article, the authors propose the following questions: (1) How are the concepts of thinking and reasoning as defined in policy documents reflected in curriculum descriptions across different disciplines? (2) To what extent do reasoning activities and processes overlap across different disciplines? (3) How can reasoning skills (particularly: analysis, evaluation, and creation) be described based on reasoning activities or processes and the outputs or products? Based on the literature review, it is concluded that researchers in various science disciplines have defined the aspects of reasoning that are typical for their respective disciplines, considering content, procedural knowledge, and epistemic knowledge. Meanwhile, looking from the perspective of cognitive psychology, it is concluded that reasoning processes (deductive, inductive, and analogical reasoning) are activated in the mind while students engage in reasoning activities (such as analysis, evaluation, and synthesis). Thus, similar cognitive processes occur in the mind, despite a student working in different disciplines. A conceptual framework is offered in this article showing (1) how reasoning processes and activities manifest themselves in different study domains both from a theoretical perspective and in everyday classroom work; and (2) what kind of outputs could be expected from students based on various reasoning activities. The importance of interdisciplinary collaboration is justified so that students develop their reasoning skills holistically, not fragmentarily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Debate about the defining features of 'doctorateness' or what examiners look for in a PhD thesis is on-going, but hardly any attention has been paid in related literature to Postgraduate Researchers' (PGRs) perceptions of the key attributes that make a PhD thesis excellent. In this study we examine the state of play of the former to then go on to investigate the latter. We begin by developing a synthesis of the conventional wisdom on the key attributes of an excellent PhD thesis, leading to what we call here the 'Seven Attributes Framework' (SAF). We then conduct focus groups and interviews with PGRs enrolled in PhD programmes in Business & Management and related disciplines, to gauge their perceptions of key attributes, benchmarked against the SAF hereby developed. We find considerable misalignment particularly in terms of a merely superficial understanding of 'significant contribution' and 'theory', with a non-trivial degree of confusion as to how PGRs think these attributes could be evidenced in thesis writing. PGRs in the first two years of their PhD also show limited, at best unidimensional conceptions of 'originality', 'criticality' and 'rigour'. Taken jointly, the SAF alongside the overall methodological process outlined in this study to benchmark PGR perceptions of key attributes, not only contribute to increasing the transparency of doctoral assessment, they also provide a valuable blueprint to complement Training Needs Analyses (TNAs) increasingly seen as a necessary tool in the provision of targeted doctoral training by awarding institutions, Doctoral Training Partnerships and Centres for Doctoral Training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thorough literature search is a key feature of scoping reviews. We investigated the search practices used by social science researchers as reported in their scoping reviews. We collected scoping reviews published between 2015 and 2021 from Social Science Citation Index. In the 2484 included studies, we observed a 58% average annual increase in published reviews, primarily from clinical and applied social science disciplines. Bibliographic databases comprised most of the information sources in the primary search strategy (n = 9565, 75%), although reporting practices varied. Most scoping reviews (n = 1805, 73%) included at least one supplementary search strategy. A minority of studies (n = 713, 29%) acknowledged an LIS professional and few listed one as a co‐author (n = 194, 8%). We conclude that to improve reporting and strengthen the impact of the scoping review method in the social sciences, researchers should consider (1) adhering to PRISMA‐S reporting guidelines, (2) employing more supplementary search strategies, and (3) collaborating with LIS professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives Coordination of governmental action is crowded with policies and programs that are highly interdependent, sometimes operating in silos if not contradicting each other. These dilemmas, or administrative quagmires, are heightened for older adults in general, but they are particularly problematic for marginalized older adults because these groups often require public assistance and support. This scoping review studies the coordination of governmental action on aging published in social science journals, focusing on 6 groups of marginalized older adults: those with histories of immigration, individuals with severe mental health problems, those who have had experiences of homelessness, formerly incarcerated individuals, members of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community, and individuals living in a rural area. Research Design and Methods A 5-stage scoping review methodology was followed, and 53 articles (published between 2000 and 2022) from 5 social science databases were analyzed. Results The analysis revealed a limited number of contributions with coordination as a primary focus. Understandings of coordination varied but tended to examine structure, organization, and relationships between sectors. When coordination was the primary object of a study, it was often analyzed in 1 specific policy area or within a clinical setting along the lines of facilitating care coordination. Discussion and Implications This scoping review reveals a mutual neglect on the part of public administration and policy scholars toward marginalized older adults and a lack of public administration considerations on the part of scholars studying long-term care and social service programs for these marginalized older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current systematic review aims to understand the role of individual differences (IDs) in second language (L2) pragmatics and offer recommendations for further research in this domain. To achieve this, 86 empirical studies in L2 pragmatics published in SSCI (Social Science Citation Index) journals from 2000 to 2023 were systematically selected and coded for IDs, pragmatic features and modalities investigated, methodological orientation, and research findings. The significance of this review paper is the inclusion of both qualitative and quantitative findings and the identification of research trends in the last two decades. This inclusive approach allowed us to reveal the extent to which ID factors were studied within the classic research paradigm (i.e., the influence of IDs in isolation) and the socio‐dynamic research paradigm (i.e., the combined influence of IDs and context over time). Findings revealed that the IDs identified (L2 proficiency, identity, intercultural competence, language mindsets, willingness to communicate, motivation, and cognitive factors) exerted considerable influence on L2 pragmatic competence. Accounting for research gaps, trends in methodology, and findings in the area, we provide specific recommendations for future research to bring the study of L2 pragmatics in line with the 'affective turn' in second language acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Duke University Clinical and Translational Science Institute Community Engaged Research Initiative (CERI) created an e-Library in 2018. This e-Library was developed in response to requests from academic researchers and the community for reliable, easily accessible information about community-engaged research approaches and concepts. It was vetted by internal and external partners. The e-Library's goal is to compile and organize nationally relevant community-engaged research resources to build bi-directional capacity between diverse community collaborators and the academic research community. Key elements of the e-Library's development included a selection of LibGuides as the platform; iterative community input; adaptation during the COVID-19 pandemic; and modification of this resource as needs grow and change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systematic reviews, and other forms of knowledge synthesis, are an increasingly popular research methodology being used in the sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Librarians are being called upon to support this work through consultation, instruction, and/or performing the systematic search on behalf of the research team. Professional development is essential for librarians to develop their skills and to build confidence when it comes to providing SR support to researchers. This article reports on a survey of American and Canadian academic librarians serving the Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences. Participants' responses indicate their knowledge of SR support activities and identify potential areas to focus on for future training and professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because repeated incidents of police violence against unarmed Black people are increasingly visible, as a result of technological advances, there is growing need to understand their potentially traumatic mental health effects for other Black people. This narrative review provides an overview of critical race theory, the stress, appraisal, and coping theory, trauma theory, racial trauma theory, and emotional contagion theory to develop an integrated conceptual framework for understanding and explaining psychosocial processes by which exposure to police violence against unarmed Black people affect the mental health of other Black people at individual and community-levels. Black and Blue, a new conceptual framework, adds to the social science literature on police violence in historically marginalized communities. The conceptualization of this framework suggests implications for practice, policy, and research about police violence and trauma exposure in Black communities. Future research is needed to expand and subsequently test the validity and rigor of the Black and Blue framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores student engagement with tuition at The Open University (a distance learning Higher Education institution in the UK), specifically students with declared mental health disabilities, comparing their access rates with (disabled) students overall, studying in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, 2018–2019.y. The results show that students with disabilities generally engaged with all modes of tuition in similar proportions to which they were registered on the modules. However, students with mental health disabilities engaged with tuition at lower levels than registered on the modules, and the amount reduced as they progressed beyond the first level of study. Regardingthe availability of different types of tuition, rather than widening access to more students , for students with a declared mental health disability it was often the same students accessing the different modes of tuition. We conclude that for students with mental health disabilities, more tuition event modesdid not widen access to more students, although it did give more options to those who did access the tuition. These findings contribute to improving the currently limited understanding of how to effectively support students with mental health disabilities in tuition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interview with Paul Freston, is presented, dicussing insights into his studies in the sociology of religion and globalization. Topics include Freston's educational journey, which began in the UK and spanned Canada and Brazil, shaping his academic focus; his reflections on the influence of international experiences on his research interests, particularly in Latin America; and his candid thoughts on the current state and future directions of the field of sociology of religion.

Social sciences are increasingly recognized as significant for building a sustainable world since the social perspective can assist researchers in other fields in navigating public controversy and designing more responsible interaction mechanisms between the natural and social systems. However, the question arises: to what extent do natural sciences rely on social science research in their studies? Examining life science publications from seven PLoS journals, this paper attempts to characterize the volume and trajectory of citations from life sciences to social sciences. We explore three core questions: To what extent do life sciences cite social sciences? What actors in the life sciences are citing social sciences? Which actors in the social sciences are being cited? Our analysis estimates social sciences influence 15%–19% of life science publications, contributing to 1.1%–1.5% of references in 2018. Social science citers are found across peripheral and central topics of life science disciplines. Cited social science publications exhibit various levels of interdisciplinarity and achieve the greatest citation impact among peers. Citations to social sciences are prevalent in both theoretically and methodologically oriented sections. We show empirically the increasing impact of social sciences on the development of the life sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This quasi‐experiment examines the self‐assessment of psychological empowerment in the workplace among humanities and social science graduates who completed one of four digital literacy courses and were employed in the business services sector 6 months after graduation. The four courses—information literacy, data literacy, visual literacy, and communication and collaboration—were designed using information literacy and digital skills frameworks and were offered to support students' employability. Psychological empowerment was measured with four dimensions: meaning, competence, self‐determination, and impact. Statistical inference with a probabilistic approach using Bayesian ANOVA was conducted. The four courses varied in their impact on empowerment, with the information literacy course corresponding to the highest empowerment scores. The training also related differentially to the four dimensions of empowerment, with the highest scores on meaning. Evidence indicates that digital literacy instruction supports the psychological empowerment of humanities and social science graduates employed in the business services sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article outlines the development, evolution, and implementation of an ecological justice advanced practice curriculum for Master of Social Work students at the University of Denver, USA. This work began in 2011 and continues to evolve to meet student needs and societal pressures. Key ingredients in the success of this program have been critical leadership support, gathering of expertise, maintaining a critical eye toward emerging social, natural, and physical sciences, and a university and profession that provides an implicit curriculum supportive of preparing university students for a precarious future. The social work profession is responding to global environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A humble leadership style promotes human relationships above transactional relationships. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate predictors and differences in humble nursing leadership and team performance based on sample characteristics and the total scores of the concepts. Methods: Using a quantitative cross‐sectional design, convenience snowball samples of 260 participants distributed as nursing academics (66), senior nurses (94), and novice nurses (100) were recruited. An online poll was distributed in March 2022 in selected Jordanian public and private universities and hospitals. Using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), the general linear model (GLM) was used to determine predictors of humble leadership style and team performance. T‐tests or one‐way analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were employed to detect the differences in the total scores of the studied concepts. Results: Academics, nurses, and teams were generally humble. The team functioned relatively well and effectively. Humble leadership scores correlated moderately with team performance. The ANOVA showed some significant differences between the two studied variables. Conclusions. A humble leadership style improves employees' and the team's performance. This study illuminates how a humble leadership style affects team performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) has created new opportunities, challenges, and potentials in teaching; however, issues related to the philosophy of using AI technology in learners' learning have not been addressed and have caused some issues and concerns. This issue is due to the research gap in addressing issues related to ethical and human needs, and even values in AI in learning have become more obvious. Objectives: This study investigates how human‐centered artificial intelligence (HAI) can help learners in a learning environment. In this regard, this article by developing key considerations of HAI in helping students tries to help implement or shift it in the future in learning environments. Methods: To better understand the key considerations of HAI, qualitative methods and interview techniques were applied in this study. In this regard, 18 samples were interviewed from two groups of experts and faculty members in the fields of technology and computer science and social and humanities sciences. The thematic content analysis method was used to analyse qualitative data. Results and Conclusions: The results show that AI attempts to integrate ethical and human values in the process of design, development, and research in the fields of recognising and dealing with negative emotions, targeted emotional nature, and access to fairness and justice. It also shows significant promise in understanding feelings and emotions in a learning environment. Implications: Although AI has been studied in other contexts, HAI has not attracted much attention from researchers. Hence, this study has made worthwhile contributions to the literature as it has specifically focused on HAI in education. In addition, it can resolve some scientific community considerations regarding technological concerns in the field of AI. Furthermore, this article can increase social satisfaction with the use of AI by considering ethical considerations in the learning environment and can particularly benefit researchers, educators, and AI specialists who are involved in the study of HAI applications. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: AI has led to expectations and benefits in accuracy, efficiency, and optimization in various fields, including education.AI has the potential to revolutionise education by offering personalised learning experiences and improving teaching activities based on individual needs.The emergence of HAI seeks to introduce a more human‐centered approach to AI systems in education to reduce concerns about AI. What this paper adds: This article points to the necessity of mapping out the Learning Trajectory based on learner's emotions as a basis for learning.The paper proposes a set of HAI domains in learning, focusing on critical issues related to human considerations of learning in AI.The paper discusses the role of HAI in ensuring address negative emotions, identifying implicit learner goals and fairness and accessibility in educational contexts. Implications for practice and/or policy: By incorporating human considerations in AI systems, educators can ensure responsible and transparent practices that prioritise learners' well‐being and autonomy.Future research should focus on organising HAI‐based learning activities that support students' emotions, and this requires longitudinal studies to assess the long‐term impact of HAI on teaching and learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers a theory of action model for grading in first‐year writing classes, as enacted at two public, suburban, Midwestern two‐year colleges. First, it analyzes labor‐based contract grading and specifications grading through this model, examining how these popular grading methods have manifested in unintended negative consequences for historically and multiply marginalized students. Then, it proposes a sociocognitive grading model designed to maximize course‐level success rates for New Majority college students. The sociocognitive model was iteratively built on feminist standpoint theory, intersectional learning sciences, multilingual writing pedagogy, and disability studies. Thus far, student course‐level success has improved, along with their learning in four domains of a robust writing construct: intrapersonal, interpersonal, cognitive, and health. While it does not prescribe specific patterns of response, this model nevertheless establishes an overall referential frame that holds the potential to incorporate empirically based best response practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qualitative social scientists working in medical faculties have to meet multiple expectations. On the one hand, they are expected to comply with the philosophical and theoretical expectations of the social sciences. On the other hand, they may also be expected to produce publications which align with biomedical definitions and framings of quality. As interdisciplinary scholars, they must handle (at least) two sets of journal editors, peer reviewers, grant-awarding panels, and conference audiences. In this paper, we extend the current knowledge base on the 'dual expectations' challenge by drawing on Orlikowski and Yates' theoretical concept of communicative genres. A 'genre' in this context is a format of communication (e.g. letter, email, academic paper, and conference presentation) aimed at a particular audience, having a particular material form and socio-linguistic style, and governed by both formal requirements and unwritten social rules. Becoming a member of any community of practice involves becoming familiar with its accepted communicative genres and adept in using them. Academic writing, for example, is a craft that is learned through participation in the social process of communicating one's ideas to one's peers in journal articles and other formats. In this reflective paper, we show how the concept of a communicative genre can sensitise us to the conflicting and often dissonant expectations and rule systems governing different academic fields. We use this key concept to suggest ways in which the faculty can support early-career researchers to progress in careers which straddle qualitative social science and medical science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the publication performance of the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia across 24 social science disciplines indexed by Scopus from 2019 to 2023. Using data from Scopus, SciVal, and Scimago, we analyzed regional journal statuses, disciplinary backlogs, journal biases, and publication excellence. Our results show that Poland and the Czech Republic lead in journal and publication counts, whereas Hungary and Slovakia lag behind significantly. Four disciplines—e-learning, human factors and ergonomics, life-span and life-course studies, and social work—had minimal or no publications, highlighting their marginalization. We found a high internal bias in publication practices, notably in Poland and Hungary, which raises concerns considering the Norwegian list standards. While Poland and the Czech Republic show a higher proportion of excellent publications, the overall number of high-quality articles remains low, and publications by the Big Five publishers are exceedingly limited. This analysis underscores the need for strategic policy interventions to enhance research quality and international collaboration to improve the scientific standing of the Visegrad countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research is about an individual's intellectual acumen and rationality, and inter‐researcher collaboration capability magnifies the outcomes. Despite common belief, there exist fundamental asymmetries in the goals, orientations and expectations among the research collaborators. Seldom studied in‐depth and empirically validated, the challenges and barriers faced by early‐career researchers (ECRs) in social sciences are crucial to understand. In this study, we aim to identify, categorize and rank the order of priority of the research collaboration barriers and their sub‐barriers. This analysis highlights which barrier is likely to impact the research collaboration outcome more as compared to other barriers, as seen through the pairwise comparison. We contribute to the literature on research collaborations by providing a much‐needed assessment of the barriers faced by ECRs in social sciences to develop a nuanced understanding of the dynamics within collaboration research. Key barriers identified and explored in this research relate to research design, interpersonal and interprofessional relationships, team‐level dynamics, spatial and temporal factors, cultural differences and institutional variables. The fuzzy AHP tool was used to prioritize and rank the barriers, check the consistency ratio and then perform the sensitivity analysis. Research design barriers emerged as the most challenging barrier to research collaborations, implying researchers place huge emphasis on the compatibility of research goals, objectives, paradigms and perspectives. The study provides insights for individuals/institutions leading and managing research collaborations into improving the collaborative dynamics in social sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite property being a basic institution in capitalist societies it is rarely addressed directly and seldomly linked to media transformation outside of critical scholarship. This introduction gives an overview over the contributions in this special issue. The special issue is part of a revived interest in property in the social sciences and goes back to an intensive paper workshop hosted by this journal, which took place at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria on 29 September 2023. The contributions are organised in three themes: property and the transformation of media in digital capitalism, public media in the twenty-first century and their limits, and media ownership beyond the legal form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapport is generally considered an essential component of successful interviewing, where participants are willing to share and divulge information. The present paper contributes to the research on rapport in qualitative interviewing by exploring ethical tensions that researchers may experience when conducting qualitative interviews with vulnerable participants. The analysis is based on semi-structured interviews with nine researchers from various fields within social sciences who had extensive experience in doing research with diverse vulnerable groups. We identified six ethical tensions related to building rapport with people in vulnerable life situations that cover issues concerning both too little and too much rapport. Findings illustrate that rapport as the 'ideal' for the researcher-participant relationship may need nuancing. The study concludes that researchers undertaking qualitative interviews on sensitive topics need to have a conscious awareness of ethical tensions that may arise when building rapport with their participants [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing upon the DeleuzoGuattarian metaphor of the 'rhizome', this paper proposes a literature and evidence review methodology that complements data collection, analysis and reporting methods appropriate to new materialist and post-human ontologies. Rhizomatic review replicates the branching and multiplying, subterranean and subversive, endless flows of affect that produce the social world in these ontologies of becoming and difference. The paper situates rhizomatic review in relation to Deleuze and Guattari's understanding of 'minor science': an approach that rather than attempting to represent the social world 'follows the action'. Rhizomatic review is open-ended, avoids setting inclusion or exclusion criteria, follows links that open up during the research process, explores a literature or evidence across disciplines, and engages in multiple iterations of searching and synthesis. An example of a rhizomatic review is presented, and the paper concludes with reflections on the opportunities afforded by rhizomatic review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite limited opportunities for tenured academic positions, the number of PhD graduates in Social Sciences has steadily risen in countries with developed research systems. The current literature predominantly portrays PhD graduates as victims, either of the higher education system or of their own optimism in pursuing an academic career. This paper takes an alternative stance by spotlighting the agency exhibited by PhD graduates in Social Sciences as they deftly navigate their career pathways amid the constrained academic job market. Specifically, we adopt an ecological perspective of agency to explore how PhD graduates in Social Sciences exercise their agency in navigating their career from the beginning of their PhD candidature until up to 5 years after graduation. We employ a narrative approach to delve into the employment journeys of twenty-three PhD graduates. Within this cohort, we select to report four participants from four Australian universities, each possessing distinct career trajectories. Our analysis highlights agency as the link between various personal and institutional factors that shape our participants' career trajectories. Based on this finding, we offer recommendations for practice and policy changes that appreciate PhD graduates' agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A central debate in contemporary Latin American social sciences revolves around the enduring presence of colonial patterns, practices, and forms of domination in research methodologies and the subjective framing of societal issues. However, decolonizing initiatives are emerging, concurrently, to challenge the ways coloniality has been entwined with the expansion of capital in the 21st century. This introductory article explores the key debates surrounding colonial persistence and decolonization within the social sciences. The dossier employs a methodology centered on documentary analysis and participatory social and political reflection, particularly through experimental approaches. The articles reviewed reveal that colonial persistence and decolonization are inherently dialectical, contradictory, and conflict-ridden, manifesting across diverse social, cultural, economic, and political domains. The uniqueness of this thematic issue lies in its ability to weave together a theoretical and conceptual discourse on symbolic and imaginary aspects within culture, spanning anthropological, legal, and educational dimensions. The analysis underscores that these issues are pluralistic and deeply intertwined with struggles over land and natural resources, enriching interdisciplinary understanding of the complex dialectical relationships between social, anthropological, economic, and political factors, alongside the aesthetics of cultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emigration of the second generation to the origin country of their parents raises new questions on migratory causes, identity, home and belonging. Addressing such questions, this study aims to shed further light on the impact of having a second-generation migration background on a person's own migration decisions and experiences. Based on 25 qualitative interviews with Moroccan Dutch who emigrated from the Netherlands to Morocco at adult ages, the current study shows how employment opportunities, prospects of a better quality of life and the search for belonging and self-expression are main factors influencing the decision of the second generation to emigrate to their ancestral home country. Each of these factors appears to some extent linked to the specific position of the second generation. The findings further illustrate how international migration uncovers a certain fluidity in the identity of the second generation: while emigration to Morocco for many Moroccan Dutch in certain ways seems to have contributed to a sense of belonging, in other aspects of life, the impact of socialization in the Netherlands remains visible in their behavior, orientation and preferences. As such, our study demonstrates the unique position of second-generation emigrants and provides new ways of thinking about transnationalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citizens' attitudes towards migration have received ample scholarly and public attention in recent years. While there is a growing consensus on what is driving such migration attitudes, we know little about the heterogeneity of these attitudes. Several scholars have used and operationalised terms such as 'migration mood', 'policy preferences', or 'anti-foreigner sentiment' interchangeably, while others have argued that citizens have distinct preferences, depending on the type of immigrant, and on what policies, or consequences of migration are studied. We shed new light on this debate, by suggesting a person-centred approach. We investigate if a typology of attitudes towards migrants and migration at the individual and country level is present, by applying multilevel latent class analysis to European Social Survey data (2002–2020). We uncover three distinct profiles of migration preferences at the individual level, and three specific country level clusters. Altogether, Europeans make a distinction between policy preferences, and their threat perceptions of out-groups, though most Europeans are either generally in favour or against immigration. Further, we demonstrate that there has been a shift in attitudinal profiles at the individual and at the country level: the group of Europeans that is generally positive about migration has grown in size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a rapidly changing healthcare environment, we need a robust evidence base to inform effective education and training. This study aimed to examine factors perceived to determine career progression in clinical education research in the UK. Six online focus groups were conducted, with 35 participants from a range of medical, dental, nursing, and allied health professions who identified as aspiring or early career clinical education researchers. Transcripts underwent thematic analysis. Two themes and associated subthemes were constructed to illustrate perceived factors impacting on career development: (1) A cultural challenge from clinical norms. Challenges included differences between the epistemological assumptions of biomedical and clinical research, and the underlying philosophy of education research, which is more closely aligned with the knowledge generation of the social sciences. This led to difficulty communicating the impact of education research to patient care. There were also blurred boundaries between education delivery and research, with the latter lacking a clearly defined group identity. (2) Structures, systems and relationships for career progression. Practical considerations included time and funding (or lack thereof), the opportunity to undertake formal training, networking and role models. This research highlights a number of systemic barriers and facilitators to careers in clinical education research and offers targets of intervention to enable a sustainable academic workforce in clinical education research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparative social policy research continues to face considerable methodological challenges. Scholars particularly struggle to capture sub-national policy variation in comparatively reliable ways, including subjective perceptions of local policies. Local-level variation increases the need for conceptual and methodological attention to comparability across differing national, cultural, and linguistic settings. The article outlines a conceptually grounded approach relying on the 3MC (multinational, multicultural, multiregional) method to measure and compare individual perceptions of local policies cross-nationally. Often applied in cross-national survey research, a 3MC approach can help address methodological challenges inherent in comparative policy research and improve cross-national studies of local policy differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

L. J. Henderson was a central figure in Harvard discussions of the nature of science in the interwar period and served as a bridge between the sciences and the social sciences. Two key ideas were promoted by Henderson: systems and conceptual schemes, both of which spread quickly at Harvard and then beyond. In this article the focus will be on conceptual schemes , a term which had a distinctive origin in Henderson that accounts for some of the ambiguities in its adaptations. Henderson spoke as a scientist speaking to philosophers rather than doing philosophy and sharply distinguished his aims from those that followed from Immanuel Kant. Henderson's model was the scheme of ancient Greek medicine, which had persisted for millennia and was replaced by modern medicine. This was differentiated from earlier neo-Kantian and later Kuhnian variations. Henderson's account was distinctive in placing the origins of conceptual schemes in intuitions about patterns formed in practice by people operating on concrete phenomena. The resulting schemes, he thought, had to be accepted on faith by students, but were, as he put it, walking sticks to enable communication and understanding rather than exclusive dogmas. Henderson was an enthusiast for Vilfredo Pareto, who was vilified at Harvard during the war by Carl J. Friedrich, which led not to the disuse of his ideas but to the erasure of their origins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article responds to recent criticism regarding the application of consequentialism and rational choice theory in the social and moral sciences. It clarifies the limited scope of the presented criticism and its overly simplistic view of social scientific inquiry that, together, lead to the presentation of an argument that claims more than it warrants. Moreover, I argue that the criticism overlooks one of the most important uses of instrumentalism in moral theory that may be considered the most challenging case for the application of rational choice theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decline of females in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields has drawn global discourse among researchers and policymakers, including Cambodia. At Cambodian upper secondary schools, female students' enrolment rates in science classes dramatically decreased from 97% in 2014–42% in 2019. In contrast, female students' enrolment rates in social science classes significantly increased from 4% in 2014–58% in 2019. This study aimed to examine factors influencing female students to leave science classes at upper secondary schools. It included 421 female grade-12 students from 20 secondary schools as samples. Due to the nested structure of the data, the two-level hierarchical linear model (HLM) was used for data analysis. The findings revealed that ease of national examination, high passing rates, pursuits for grades, attitudes toward science, and financial burden of private tutoring significantly influenced female students to opt for social science classes over science classes. Female students had no intention to pursue STEM majors and reported that their parents advised them not to involve in science. The findings were discussed with a call for policy implications and improved practices at the school level to promote female students' enrolment in science classes in Cambodia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examined the publication performance of the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia in the 24 social science categories defined in the Scopus database between 2019 and 2023. Using data from Scopus, SciVal and Scimago, the authors analysed the status of regional journals and publications, the publication backlog in specific subject categories, the internal bias and the excellence of publications. According to this research Poland and the Czech Republic stand out in the region in terms of the number of Scopusindexed journals and published articles, while Hungary and Slovakia lag behind them. In terms of publication performance, this research reveals a significant lag in the number of journals and publications across the subject categories studied in elearning, human factors and ergonomics, life course and career studies and social work. The countries analysed are characterised by a high internal bias rate, especially in Poland and Hungary and a very small proportion of publications meet the criterion of excellence and the proportion of publications by the biggest publishers (Big Five) is low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic writing aims to disseminate scholarly knowledge to a target audience in concise language. During this process, translators sometimes translate academic texts into foreign languages, so that the output of scholarly research can be read by speakers of different languages. In such cases, translators are to translate the source text into the target language in a clear and comprehensible language. This paper discusses how the authors of scholarly texts can structure their writing properly, so that they can help translators compose clear and concise translation output. Although the knowledge and skills of the translator are a key consideration in ensuring the quality of translated texts, the source text itself is highly influential in the quality of the output. Furthermore, although they might partially differ from one language to another, academic writing has some well-established conventions. Therefore, translators might experience some problems when they translate scholarly texts. This study aims to pinpoint such issues and to offer viable strategies that could be used for solving them before the translation process. Commonly encountered problems that impair the quality of the translation output are as follows: wordiness, ambiguous expressions, failing to consider the discourse structure of the target language while organising the source text, using conjunctions carelessly, using the passive voice unnecessarily, using indirect language to express ideas, using synonymous words sequentially, typos, and other similar problems. Though experience in academic translation can help solve some of these issues, it might not be possible to produce good translation output if the source text is poorly written. Success in academic translation can be achieved through collaboration between the author of an academic text and its translator. For this reason, it is necessary to raise the awareness of writers and translators on this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between the years 1925 and 1934, the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) awarded 198 postdoctoral research fellowships to early‐career social scientists, among which 29 were awarded to women. This article, which is based on the SSRC directory and Rockefeller institutions' records, examines the professional paths of these female fellows to shed light on the presence of women in the social sciences and to probe the peculiarities of their professional trajectories. The SSRC fellowships represented a significant professional prospect for brilliant young female graduates who were often denied similar opportunities in other fields. Nonetheless, they did not eradicate all gender discrimination that remained prevalent, not only in the vertical sense by preventing women from progressing in the academic hierarchy, but also in the horizontal sense by retaining them in designated spaces (specific disciplines or institutions) that were underrecognized. Ultimately, the analysis of women's professional paths underscores the importance of examining the private or intimate lives of scientists to gain a more in‐depth understanding of the social structure of science and its impact on its protagonists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'I love philosophy'. With this confession, in the twilight of his life, Bruno Latour concluded a series of interviews he gave to the French television channel ARTE. This passion was reflected in original, fundamental questions that could only be answered after a long period of fieldwork. In this article, I – who worked alongside him on a daily basis in the 1980s and 1990s – describe the significance of this philosophical quest which led Latour to cross disciplinary boundaries, free himself from institutional constraints and overcome resistance. In this way, he has not only contributed to the revival of science and technology studies, but has also brought about a powerful revival in human sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on Bruno Latour's writing. Through a series of examples, it shows how he has always sought to match the form of his works to their content, in a quest for coherence uncommon in the social sciences. Beyond the diversity of his works, we can nevertheless identify one dominant feature: a very explicit concern for the reader, and the use of a variety of techniques to engage him or her in an experience that is as sensible as it is intellectual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migrations and development are two phenomena tightly connected, and this connection has evolved over time according to the goals and the agenda of different agents. It has also generated political, social and academic interests. Since the first theoretical formulations, the migratory phenomenon has been related to the lack of economic development as one of its main causes, although over time other approaches have been added, addressing the effects of migration on development, especially in the origin communities of migrants. No obstante, el enfoque predominante ha sido aquel que abogaba por un discurso preventivo de las migraciones, empleando la cooperación al desarrollo para tal fin. However, the prevailing approach has advocated a preventive discourse on migration, using development aid for this purpose. Thus, a large number of issues emerge from the migration-development nexus with enormous social implications and, therefore, have been of enormous interest for social research. Hence, the goal of this paper is to quantitatively and qualitatively study the doctoral theses focused on these subjects and produced in Spain in the last 30 years. Through the review and documentary analysis of these researches, it has been possible, on the one hand, to document the years of production, the authorship, the universities and the areas of study from which the theses have been produced. On the other, although in close connection, it has allowed us to reflect on the academic interests, the topics addressed, the contexts studied and the ways in which these investigations have been carried out. Finally, this work has helped us to study what has been said in the Academy about the migration-development nexus and, above all, to value doctoral productions as contributions of great value to the scientific world and to society, emphasizing the importance of the applicability of our academic works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]