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This research, following the studies about the historical-biographical backstage of social research, intends to identify and analyze key elements in the early stages of social researchers’ itineraries. Based on a distant comparative analysis inspired by Valles (2009) and Glaser and Strauss (1973) of 34 interviews with social researchers and 14 archival interviews with visual artists, we were able to identify seven key elements early stages of professional itineraries: training not focused on professional practice, teaching as an important element, the combination of professional development with jobs in other sectors, the importance of family support, the relevance of social networks, scholarships, prizes and contests as currents that accelerate trajectories and the dilemma between trying in the private sphere or staying in academy. Esta investigación, enmarcada en la corriente de la trastienda histórico-biográfica de la investigación social, tiene la intención de identificar y analizar elementos clave en los itinerarios del oficio de la investigación social. A partir de un análisis comparativo distante inspirado por Valles (2009) y Glaser y Strauss (1973) de 34 entrevistas a investigadores e investigadoras sociales y 14 entrevistas de archivo a artistas visuales, se han logrado identificar siete elementos clave en el acceso y las etapas tempranas de los itinerarios en el oficio de la investigación social: la formación no orientada a la práctica profesional, la docencia como elemento de importancia, la combinación del desarrollo profesional con empleos en otros sectores, la importancia del apoyo familiar, la importancia de las redes de contactos, las becas, premios y concursos como corrientes que aceleran trayectorias y el dilema entre probar el ámbito privado o mantener continuar en la academia.

This article examines some important moments of the social research and the debate on its public function in Italy. The illustration starts from the last phase of the nineteenth century and ends with the current situation of Italian sociology, which presents many problems and limitations. These limits severely reduce the public function of this subject. Sociology could be a foundamental and essential tool for our society. But it would be necessary -- among other things -- to recover the capacity for general, but not generic, analyses; and to resume the original vocation of sociology to criticize society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The public sociology promoted by Burawoy has met with consensus and skeptical voices over time. The debate has focused mainly on the model of disciplinary division of labour and on the interactions between the different types of sociology. In the scientific community, however, the implications connected to the concrete implementation of public sociology have been discussed in a fragmented way. Starting from the contributions on the topic found in the Italian debate, this article proposes a reflection on the problematic aspects connected to the construction of the sociologist's relationship with the public. The critical comments concern both traditional and organic public sociology. The article also raises objections regarding some epistemological assumptions of the public sociology conceived by Burawoy, highlighting the possible misunderstandings that derive from them. In the conclusions, attention is drawn to the potentially fruitful contributions that can come from some developments in public social research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This introductory essay examines the development and nuances of public social research in Italy, focusing on the influence and reception of Michael Burawoy's ideas and the institutionalization of public sociology in the Italian context. Through a historical and critical analysis, important phases in the development of public sociology in Italy up to the present were identified. Finally, a systematic literature review was presented to quantify and analyze the scientific contributions in the field of public sociology and to show how the discipline has resonated in the debate within the Italian academic community. This work not only provides a historical and theoretical overview, but also contextualizes the current challenges and the role of sociology in the Italian public arena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowing the emotional states of the university students of the Degree in Early Childhood and Primary Education of the Faculty of Education of Toledo (UCLM) during the confinement imposed as a result of Covid-19 is the objective of this work. To this end, an ad hoc survey has been designed that has been administered online. The participants are 387 students of this Faculty among a total of 894 enrolled in the academic year 2019-2020. The majority of women (81.7%) have responded, with an average age of 21 years (SD=3,524), representativeness of all courses has been obtained, with the participation of students of the morning shift (72.6%) and the Degree in Early Childhood Education (64.6%). The data obtained show how the emotional states of the students vary depending on the sex, course, shift, Bachelor's degree of the studies in which they are enrolled, technological means at their disposal, death of a family member during the pandemic, and the fear felt by successfully finishing the academic year. Conocer los estados emocionales del alumnado universitario del Grado en Educación Infantil y Primaria de la Facultad de Educación de Toledo (UCLM) durante el confinamiento impuesto como consecuencia de la Covid-19 es el objetivo de este trabajo. Para ello, se ha diseñado una encuesta ad hoc que se ha administrado de forma on line. Los participantes son 387 estudiantes de dicha Facultad entre un total de 894 matriculados en el curso académico 2019-2020. Mayoritariamente han respondido mujeres (81,7%), de una edad media de 21 años (DT=3,524), se ha obtenido representatividad de todos los cursos, participando más los estudiantes del turno de mañana (72,6%) y del Grado en Educación Infantil (64,6%). Los datos obtenidos muestran como los estados emocionales del alumnado varían en función del sexo, curso, turno, título de Grado de los estudios en los que están matriculados, medios tecnológicos a su alcance, fallecimiento de algún familiar durante la pandemia, y el temor sentido por terminar con éxito el curso académico.

Risks and harms comprise a controversial topic in health sciences social research: they are minimised, denied, or not communicated to study participants. Article 4 of the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights stipulates the need to minimise harm, but this provision does not appear to refer directly to social sciences. Objectives: 1) to understand the harmful effects in social research; and 2) to describe the application of Article 4 to harm reduction in this field of research. Methods: We conducted an internet-based survey with social research investigators, asking about their experience and opinions regarding ethical practices in social research studies. Results: Respondents indicated that harmful effects were considered in terms of the repercussions of certain actions and decisions of the investigator, confirms risks such as the misuse and/or manipulation of information, the generation of false expectations of participants, the invasion of their space and privacy. The harms were disclosure of identity, violation of rights and the generation of stigma and prejudice; it brings in other types of harmful effects such as the self-interest of the researcher or his/her institution. Discussion: Social researchers observe Article 4, but this study questions aspects of the social and cultural context and their ethical repercussions.

L’articolo propone alcune riflessioni metodologiche in merito all’analisi delle forme di criminalità associate all’utilizzo di Internet e delle tecnologie digitali. Queste realtà devianti rappresentano infatti un fecondo terreno di ricerca, grazie in particolare alla relativa tracciabilità delle pratiche degli utenti e alla quantità di dati disponibili online. Si presenteranno i principali approcci, metodi e problematiche riguardanti lo studio della cybercriminalità, focalizzandosi in particolare su alcuni esempi tratti da ricerche sulle unità di polizia specializzate nel contrasto al fenomeno in esame. Oltre agli apporti degli strumenti “tradizionali” dell’indagine sociologica, si esploreranno le interazioni con le nuove opportunità offerte dalle tecnologie digitali, così come gli effetti della relazione tra il ricercatore e l’oggetto della sua ricerca sulla costruzione e l’interpretazione dei dati. The article intends to provide an overview of research methods on studying digital crimes. Indeed, these deviant realities provide a rich ground for social research, especially thanks to the traceability of digital activities and the availability of online data. We will discuss the main approaches, methods and issues related to the study of cybercrime, focusing particularly on some examples drew from researching cybercrime law enforcement agencies. In addition to the opportunities offered by “traditional” sociological methods, the article explores their interplays with digital approaches, as well as the impacts of the researcher/researched relationship on data construction and analysis.

The first relevant attempt to describe mixed methods (MM) in the field of evaluative research is attributable to Greene and Caracelli (1997). The authors distinguish various forms of MM starting from the purposes for which they are used. Since 1997 important developments occurred in academic and professional debates related to MM in evaluative research. Starting from the reconstruction of the debate on the usefulness and use of MM in evaluative research, this paper reflects on the ontological, epistemological, methodological, and axiological issues related to the evaluative research processes using MM. This consideration needs to involve an extended vision of the issues underlying the choices of specific methods in the research process. This is even more necessary in evaluative research that constitutionally engages with complex dilemmas, especially on the axiological level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article investigates the new developments and challenges of social sciences and humanities in the era of globalization and underlines the importance of social sciences' intersection with interdisciplinary and transregional collaborative researches of Area studies stressing particular attention on the new developments of Social sciences in some developing and emerging countries such as nowadays China, which plays an important role in the contemporary geopolitical world orders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Copyright of Rivista di Criminologia, Vittimologia e Sicurezza is the property of Societa Italiana di Vittimologia 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 relationship between scientific discourse and ethics is at the heart of sociological thought since its founding as an autonomous scientific discipline. The starting point is certainly to be found in the distinction between "ethics of conviction" and "ethics of responsibility" advanced by Max Weber. The theme runs through the entire theoretical elaboration of the '900 and is one of the central themes of the branch of sociology that specializes in the analysis of scientific activity, otherwise called Sociology of Science (and later Sociology of Sociology). On the basis of this tradition, so to speak hidden within the sociological knowledge, in this paper the Author propose to analyze the validity of the scientific discourse in the social sciences through the use of three semantic criteria: the true, the good and the right. Which in turn refer to three dimensions of scientific activity: the truth, consistency and accountability; belonging respectively to three different sets of values and ethical (codes): ethics, aesthetics and public ethics. These criteria -- truth, consistency and responsibility -- will be respecified, following the categories of analysis of the relational paradigm, into the different dimensions of scientific knowledge: ontology, epistemology, methodology and pragmatic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Sociologia del Lavoro is the property of FrancoAngeli srl 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.)

This contribution deals with the cognitive and methodological issues that involve applied social research in its relation with policy design and political decision making, showing some exemplifications of empirical options considered effective to produce good knowledge for facing social changes and all the new needs and questions it produces. In this prospective, surpassing the dichotomy within «academic research» and «applied research», the essay on one hand wants to focus on the techniques and tools addressed to improve a knowledge-based decision making in the field of welfare policies and on the other hand to discuss the role and the ethical commitment of social researchers in the policy community, their responsibility in contributing of the best «social organization of future». [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Sociologia del Lavoro is the property of FrancoAngeli srl 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 Sociologia del Lavoro is the property of FrancoAngeli srl 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.)

This is an introduction to the book that Martin Krygier is accomplishing on Philip Selznick's thought. It is an appreciation in two senses: an estimation to comprehend the force of Selznick's work and a way to find worth in it. His works spans over sixty years, many subjects and several disciplinary domains, from general sociology to normative theory through sociology and philosophy of law. All his major works are richly layered, but at the same time they involve a distinctive sensibility which is both a matter of emotion and intellectual posture. Krygier identifies and discusses the remarkable stability of. Selznick's core themes. Krygier underlines Selznik's determination to mix the concerns of empirical social research and moral philosophy and he states the necessity to study Selzninck's work holistically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking their inspiration from philosophy, human sciences have learnt that collecting people's life history is fundamental to understand and clarify situations and the «lebenswelt» of human beings. Life histories and the narrations of self provide the human scientist a deeper wiew and comprehension of the causes and reasons that other methodologies, such as observation, cannot get. Everyone is a storyteller of himself and such narrations of self enable us to know the invisible and the inner life of all our similars. Starting from this convinction Duccio Demetrio sees writing as a fundamental exercise that everyone should do in order to get a better knowledge of himself. An exercise that is also and mainly a pleasure and a way to «play seriously» with our own identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation of Structural Funds in Italy has supported both the diffusion of evaluation activities and the use of structured evaluation strategies and methodologies. MEANS' Guides published in 1999 contributed to open the discussion upon some key points of evaluation practice: the link with the role of rationality in decision processes, the priority of accountability or learning aims of evaluation (and the consistency of the two in everyday practice), the importance of participated evaluation and its applicability in complex programs as those supported by Structural Funds'. The importance given to monitoring and mid-term evaluation has maybe weakened the attention paid to the implementation process, while the direct link of evaluation to results has sometimes produced a «objectives-results» approach, not much inclined to «open the black box» of the programs and see how they really works and how they are improvable. Also for these reasons the contribution of sociology to the evaluation activities has been wrongly considered a marginal one: on the contrary, in a globalised society social research used in evaluation is very important to develop the awareness of how public policies really works and to help citizens' empowerment. In this way, social research helps also citizens, stakeholders and decision makers to assume right choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]