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In the context of the heightened sensationalism in international press coverage of Kosovar foreign fighters (FFs), this study took a unique approach and it explored how domestic Kosovar media outlets distance FFs from mainstream culture in an attempt to uphold its positive societal image. Drawing upon a theoretical framework that integrates framing theory, social identity theory and integrated threat theory, this study investigates how Kosovar press coverage creates a distinction between the ‘in-group’ (Kosovar society) and the ‘out-group’ (FFs). Methodologically, the study employs content analysis and qualitative content analysis to systematically examine how Kosovo’s five major media outlets frame the language, themes and narrative strategies surrounding the portrayal of FFs. The findings illustrate that, through specific framing techniques, the media not only categorizes FFs as external to Kosovo’s cultural and ethical boundaries but also emphasises their portrayal as threats to the nation’s security and values. The present study highlights the media’s critical role in navigating the complexities of national identity, social representations and identity processes posed by the return of FFs, offering new insights into the relationship between media framing and societal perceptions within the context of global extremism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reinforcing nature of social interactions is necessary for the maintenance of appropriate social behavior. However, the neural substrates underlying social reward processing and how they might differ based on the sex and internal state of the animal remains unknown. It is also unclear whether these neural substrates are shared with those involved in nonsocial rewarding processing. We developed a fully automated, two choice (social-sucrose) operant assay in which mice choose between social and nonsocial rewards to directly compare the reward-related behaviors associated with two competing stimuli. We performed cellular resolution calcium imaging of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) neurons in male and female mice across varying states of water restriction and social isolation. We found that mPFC neurons maintain largely non-overlapping, flexible representations of social and nonsocial reward that vary with internal state in a sex-dependent manner. Additionally, optogenetic manipulation of mPFC activity during the reward period of the assay disrupted reward-seeking behavior across male and female mice. Thus, using a two choice operant assay, we have identified sex-dependent, non-overlapping neural representations of social and nonsocial reward in the mPFC that vary with internal state and that are essential for appropriate reward-seeking behavior. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) has been implicated in both social and nonsocial reward-related behaviors, yet it is unclear if the same mPFC neurons represent both types of rewards. Combining a social-sucrose operant assay with calcium imaging and optogenetics, the authors show that largely non-overlapping neurons represent social and sucrose rewards in the mPFC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores different interpretations of Kant's transcendental idealism, with a focus on Anja Jauernig's intentional object interpretation of Kantian appearances. Jauernig argues that intentional objects, which exist only as the contents of mental states, can explain the mind-dependence of appearances without making them purely subjective. The article also delves into the concept of representational content and its role in understanding Kant's account of appearances. The author agrees with Jauernig's distinction between empirically real objects and non-existent intentional objects, but questions how this can be the case if appearances are merely intentional objects. The article concludes by discussing the challenges of reconciling an intentional object view with contingently undiscovered truths and understanding perceptual states that are both intentional and a function of things as they are in themselves. [Extracted from the article]

I propose that the sociology of Émile Durkheim can serve as a useful foundation for a formalist cultural sociology. Durkheim's homo duplex model of human cognition directs analytic attention to the relative balance of opportunities that the moral integration of society as a system of representations affords for establishing moral unity with others, on one hand, and realizing personal autonomy, on the other. This apriority, like Simmel's forms, operates independently of any specific representational contents to produce outcomes related to solidarity, well-being, affect, and existential security. Accordingly, Durkheim provides conceptual resources for a hypothetico-deductive research program that promotes the development of testable hypotheses grounded in intuitions about how individuals phenomenologically experience formal properties of belief networks or other systems of social ideation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research on political representation mainly focused on representatives but has overlooked individuals' sense of inclusion within the greater group: the nation. Building on narrative theory, we propose a novel mechanism that fosters a feeling of political representation—a similarity between individuals' personal-national stories and the collective-national metanarrative of the polity. Metanarratives are shared dominant stories that present a community with desirable social conventions. While they seek to represent the nation, metanarratives are not entirely inclusive and do not appeal to all citizens. We argue that individuals who do internalize the metanarrative feel more represented. To demonstrate our theoretical expectations, we use election surveys and constitutive texts to capture national stories and metanarratives. We find that indeed respondents whose national story is closer to a nation's metanarrative feel more represented by the political system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citizenship as an object of study goes beyond the mere recognition of formal rights and responsibilities and includes cultural and social practices in different spheres. In this sense, the exercise of citizenship is linked to different forms of political participation. Recent studies show that young people are distanced from traditional political participation and prefer alternative civic practices. Within this framework, the present study aims to investigate the social representations of citizenship of Argentinean adolescents (N = 32) aged between 16 and 18. To this end, participants were asked to elaborate a narrative about their experiences with citizenship in the framework of semi-structured interviews guided according to the Piagetian clinical method. The results obtained allow the construction of four analytical categories intended to describe how these adolescents represent citizenship: civic engagement, rights, nationality and voting. It is concluded that there is a plurality of social representations of this object, and it is necessary to elucidate their development, maintenance and transformation processes in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recognition of the importance of work and the worker in the context of sustainability and social responsibility led the International Labor Organization (ILO) to construct the central concept of this research. This study aims to analyze the work environment in police organizations from the perspective of the concept of work that the ILO has termed Decent Work. The questionnaire was constructed based on the literature and validated by experts. Subsequently, it was made available through Google Forms® and submitted to the respondents. The research was based on ILO indicators (employment opportunities; adequate income; decent working hours; reconciliation of work, personal, and family life; stability and security at work; equal opportunities and treatment in employment; safe working environment; social dialogue; representation of workers and employers), and involved the participation of 704 respondents. The main pieces of evidence include: partial compliance with the indicators of decent work, with a negative emphasis on the working environment, where 59.39% classified it as unsafe, followed by evidence of low institutional concern for employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica 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.)

"Solar Politics" by Oxana Timofeeva explores the concept of solarity as a way to rethink value in relation to the economy, environment, and human nature. The book argues against both the fear of the sun's excessive light and the attempt to dominate nature, proposing a politics centered around otherness, solidarity, and cooperation. Timofeeva draws on the ideas of Georges Bataille to construct a solar economy that celebrates excess and rejects the violence of capital. The book also discusses the potential application of solar politics in addressing global crises and the need for a clearer vision of the political form that would emerge from these principles. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction: The 2019 Senate hearings on the proposed anti-LGBT + discrimination legislation in the Philippines re-ignited the 20-year-long debate on LGBT + protection in a country both known as a "gay-friendly nation" (Kohut in Pew Research Center, 2013; Manalastas et al., 2017) and "the last bastion of conservative Catholicism in Asia" (Bloomer et al. in Policy Press, 2020). Prior studies have looked at various positions on the bill and how it was constructed to lobby for or oppose its passage. The present study contributes to the existing literature by looking at how LGBT + people are socially represented in these legislative debates—highlighting how public talk in political spaces has social and material consequences on LGBT + people. Method: The current study used archived livestream recordings of the 2019 Philippine Senate hearings and social representations theory (SRT) to explore how LGBT + people are socially represented by groups who are positioned as pro- and anti-SOGIE Equality Bill. Results: The results of this study show how the pro-Bill speakers focused on representing "LGBT + as human," particularly as "normal humans," "God's creation," "marginalized humans," "exemplary marginalized humans," and "productive members of society." Meanwhile, anti-Bill speakers represented "LGBT + as wrong," specifically as "just feelings, not fact," "disordered condition," "wrong lifestyle choice," "harmful foreign ideology," "social problem," and "respectable without their LGBT + identities." Conclusion: Public talk in a political setting can (de)humanize LGBT + people, legitimizing both inclusionary and exclusionary social practices. Policy Implications: Anchoring on social representations can direct how to shift future talks toward supporting the SOGIE Equality Bill and delegitimizing exclusionary practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In France, many social representations refer to gifted children who describe them as hypersensitive, curious, and creative. Although sometimes inaccurate, these representations can be conveyed in media intended for children and contribute to an erroneous transmission of characteristics of children with particularities. The objective of this study was to identify the social representations of gifted characters in French children's literature. For this, we used a coding grid to analyze a corpus of 23 French books. The grid was designed based in the emotional and creative characteristics and their associated behaviors. Results showed that the representations of the gifted characters in the books studied were stereotypical, particularly in terms of their emotional characteristics. Applications and perspectives for future studies are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) provides automatic access to subsidized dental care for eligible Australian children, but uptake is low. As cost is not a factor, socially constructed perceptions, which may be subscribed to without personal experience, were explored as potential barriers. Methods: Two studies with parents (child <18 years) were conducted. In Study one (N=317) participants completed a free‐response task eliciting socially constructed perceptions about the dentist. These were factor‐analysed in Study two (N=231), and the salience of these perceptions in relation to uptake was measured for the 113 eligible to access the CDBS participants. Results: In Study one, similar positive, negative, procedural and time words were elicited across conditions. Study two revealed Negative, Positive and Hassle perception factors associated with the dentist and that 61% of eligible participants had accessed the CDBS. Generalized Structural Equation Modelling with eligible participants revealed Positive and Negative perceptions were negatively correlated, Negative perceptions were positively correlated with Hassle, and, as Hassle increased, the probability of parents accessing the CDBS significantly decreased. Conclusions: Confusion around eligibility to access CDBS is still an issue. Low CDBS uptake may be associated with perceived hassle associated with the dentist, which may reflect parental negative perceptions. © 2024 Australian Dental Association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The body carries culture, with cultural concepts emerging from the dynamic interplay between the body and its environment. By integrating social representation theory and embodied cognition, we explored the use of embodied spatial metaphors in representing cultural tightness–looseness across three studies. In Study 1, 84 participants were randomly assigned to either a tight or loose culture group and tasked with placing cultural words within a spatial context. Participants positioned culturally compatible words closer to themselves and incompatible words farther away, illustrating the use of spatial distance metaphors to represent cultural tightness–looseness. Study 2 used an implicit task, demonstrating that people from both tight and loose cultures exhibited greater accuracy in judging culturally compatible concepts (vs. incompatible concepts) when these words were close to themselves. Study 3 unveiled distinct patterns of embodied spatial metaphors between tight and loose cultures when comparing cultural and irrelevant words. Notably, metaphors depicting nearness for culturally compatible words and farness for irrelevant words emerged exclusively in tight cultures, while such patterns were absent in loose cultures. Overall, our findings empirically support the notion that social representations are embodied, and provide embodied evidence for understanding and representing concepts related to cultural tightness–looseness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well established that the Self has a unique representation in the social brain, as evident from the Self-Referential Effect (SRE). However, the timing and neural mechanisms underlying the representation of individuals with varying degrees of closeness and emotional relevance to the Self remain unclear. Twenty-two participants read 260 personality traits and decided whether they described themselves, a close friend, or an admired celebrity. A strong Self-Referential Effect (SRE) was found at behavioral, ERP, and neuroimaging levels. Three anterior ERP components were identified as sensitive to social information: a P200 (250–350 ms) responding to famous others’ traits, a P600 (500–700 ms) responding to self-trait processing, and a late positivity (800–950 ms) responding to self-trait processing and close traits. Source reconstructions revealed partially overlapping but distinct neural sources for each individual. The right precuneus (bodily self) and inferior frontal areas (inner voice) were active only during self-processing, while the right medial prefrontal cortex (BA10) was consistently active across tasks, showing a robust SRE. These findings provide insights into the neural mechanisms underlying the representation of the Self in social contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractResilience, the process of successful adaptation to adverse circumstances, is traditionally studied as an individual characteristic. However, more recent multisystem perspectives underline the interrelatedness of systems, within and outside of the individual, in shaping coping and adaptation processes. This challenges the assumption that pathways to resilience are the same across the world, given the diversity in people’s contexts globally. In light of the preponderance of resilience research being conducted in higher-income countries, this study taps pathways to resilience in survivors of the 2018 earthquake-tsunami-liquefaction disaster in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Guided by a social representations approach and using a novel free association technique, forty caregiver-adolescent dyads (N = 80) who survived the disaster were interviewed regarding their subjective experiences of coping and adaptation. Thematic analysis of their narratives demonstrated that survivors focused on mutual support, religious beliefs and intrapersonal psychological resources of seeking strength and calmness as routes for fostering psychological recovery. The results foreground group-specific aspects of such resilience: differences between caregivers and adolescents highlight how social roles and life stage shape resilience-related beliefs and practices. Moreover, the form their resilience takes is underpinned by sociocultural values of reciprocity and social cohesion. Thus, this paper points to similarities in resilience processes across contexts, but also to differences shaped by societal roles, developmental stage and cultural values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Representing the mental state of the partner lays the foundation for successful social interaction. While the representation of group members has been extensively studied, it is unclear how intergroup interactions affect it. In three experiments utilizing the joint flanker task, we found that competition between groups brought about a greater joint flanker effect (Experiment 1). Such phenomenon was not due to competition per se, as competition that occurred between individuals from different groups did not enhance the joint flanker effect (Experiment 2). Using the minimal grouping method to directly manipulate group entitativity, we found that the joint flanker effect was larger when participants perceived the group as being more closely connected; conversely, when they perceived the group as less close, the joint flanker effect was attenuated (Experiment 3). These results suggested that beliefs about the group may be key to how group competition enhanced the joint flanker effect. The potential cognitive mechanisms producing this phenomenon are fully discussed. Overall, our study is the first to explore the impact of intergroup interactions on the joint flanker effect and provides a new perspective on understanding the relationship between within‐group representations and intergroup interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos del Centro de Estudios de Diseño y Comunicación is the property of Cuadernos del Centro de Estudios de Diseno y Comunicacion 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 article analyses attempts to enact complexity in postgenomic experimentations using the case of epigenetic research on biomarkers of psychosocial stress. Enacting complexity in this research means dissecting multiple so-called biosocial processes of health differentiation in the face of stressful experiences. To characterize enactments of biosocial complexity, the article develops the concepts of complexity work and complexification. The former emphasizes the social, technical, and material work that goes into the production of mixed biological and social representations of stress in epigenetics. The latter underlines how complexity can be assembled differently across distinct configurations of experimental work. Specifically, complexification can be defined as producing, stabilizing, and normalizing novel experimental systems that are supposed to improve techno-scientific enactments of complexity. In the case of epigenetics, complexification entails a reconfiguration of postgenomic experimental systems in ways that some actors deem 'better' at enacting health as a biosocial process. This study of complexity work and complexification shows that biosocial complexity is hardly a univocal enterprise in epigenetics. Consequently, the article calls for abandoning analysis of these research practices using clear-cut dichotomies of reductionism vs. holism, as well as simplicity vs. complexity. More broadly, the article suggests the relevance of a sociology of complexification for STS approaches to complexity in scientific practices. Complementing the existing focus on complexity as instrumental rhetoric in contemporary sciences, complexification directs analytical attention to the pragmatic opportunities that alternative (biosocial) complexities offer to collective, societal, and political thinking about science in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses Generation Z's perception of work, considering the different realities and generational experiences in Brazil, a country marked by profound social inequalities. The study aims to understand the social representations of young people related to work, exploring how they reflect and are influenced by demographic and organizational transformations. Based on the literature, it is identified that employees from different generations, including Generations X, Y, Z and Baby Boomers, coexist in the workplace, each with their specific expectations, values and motivations in relation to employment. This diversity creates significant challenges for organizational management, which must mediate the varied perspectives to avoid conflicts and facilitate the adaptation and assimilation of new members. The study employs a qualitative approach, using questionnaires and the Free Word Association Technique (TALP) to collect data from young people born between 1995 and 2009. The interpretative analysis of the collected data aims to reveal the complex relationships of these young people with work, understanding how these perceptions are socially constructed and how they influence their experiences and expectations. The research is based on the Theory of Social Representations (TRS) to analyze how young people structure their social reality and how this affects their insertion and behavior in the world of work. The results seek to offer insights into the aspirations, needs and motivations of Generation Z in the Brazilian labor context, highlighting the relevance of understanding such dynamics to promote more harmonious and productive work environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human beings display the extraordinary ability of grasping and communicating abstract concepts. Yet, no standardized instruments exist to assess this ability. Developing these tools is paramount for understanding abstract representations such as social concepts, with ramifications in educational and clinical settings. Here, we developed an image database depicting abstract social concepts varying in social desirability. We first validated the image database in a sample of neurotypical participants. Then, we applied the database to test different hypotheses regarding how social concepts are represented across samples of adults and children with autism spectrum condition (ASC). Relative to the neurotypicals, we did not observe differences related to ASC in identification performance of the social desirability of the concepts, nor differences in metacognitive ability. However, we observed a preference bias away from prosocial concepts that was linked to individual autistic traits in the neurotypicals, and higher in ASC relative to the neurotypicals both in adults and children. These results indicate that abstract representations such as social concepts are dependent on individual neurodevelopmental traits. The image database thus provides a standardized assessment tool for investigating the representation of abstract social concepts in the fields of psycholinguistics, neuropsychology, neuropsychiatry, and cognitive neuroscience, across different cultures and languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social progressions such as the feminist movement and technological advances may have influenced the way young adults perceive romantic relationships. Although long-term relationships are traditionally viewed favorably in society, short-term relationships are becoming more popular in recent years. It's important to understand the common perceptions of romance among young adults because it affects their partner choices and expectations. While experts can define the concepts of long-term and short-term relationships, we believe the most reliable method is to ask young adults directly. Therefore, we collected data from 229 self-reported British nationals aged between 18 and 33 (M = 19.66; SD = 2.72) to understand their perceptions of long-term and short-term romantic relationships. We asked them to write down the words or phrases that come to mind when they think of these concepts. Using the structural approach of the theory of social representation, we analyzed the values and norms of young British adults regarding these concepts. Based on our study, we observed four important things. Firstly, short-term relationships (STRs) are associated with "fun", "excitement", and "passion", while long-term relationships (LTRs) are associated with "love", "commitment", "trust", and "loyalty". Secondly, while sex is important in romantic relationships, it's only a peripheral component of STRs and not a significant factor in LTRs. Thirdly, both those in relationships and single individuals agree that "fling" and "passion" are primary aspects of STRs, but those in relationships tend to use the term "fun," while single individuals use "exciting" to describe STRs. Lastly, "love", "trust", and "commitment" are essential elements in LTRs for both single individuals and those in relationship. However, individuals in relationships also value loyalty as a critical aspect of romantic relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Without structures of employer coordination, it is difficult to develop and deliver effective and legitimate labour market policy. This article theorises the conditions under which employer coordination occurs in a context usually described as a Liberal Market Economy. An explanatory framework of employer coordination is developed arguing that there are structural, institutional and ideational factors that facilitate and hinder coordination. The framework is applied to an empirical analysis of the Scottish context where devolution means that the Scottish Government has taken a different approach to issues of regulating work, emphasising the policy importance of 'fair work'. Empirical material was collected through interviews with employers' organisations (EOs) and other key stakeholders. The article extends existing theorisation by demonstrating that the pressures that facilitate and hinder employer coordination are dynamic and contested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saqanefars are structures from the Qajar period that are derived from the indigenous and ritual architecture of Mazandaran. In contrast to comparable structures, Saqanfar Kijatekiyeh in Babol is characterized by a plethora of pictorial themes that are specifically focused on women. This research aims to explore the themes and significance of women's roles in these murals. The research questions are as follows: -What is the reason for the increased prevalence of women's motifs in Saqanfar Kijatekiyeh Babol in comparison to other Saqanefars? -What are the reasons for the prominence of women in these murals? - Which themes are illustrated in the murals of Saqanfar Kijatekiyeh, Babol? The research employs a descriptive-analytical method, which involves the non-random selection of specific images from epic, otherworldly, symbolic, and quotidian activity motifs and their description using an iconological approach. Significant developments and changes in women's status were reflected in the Qajar era, which saw a zenith in the redefining of women's roles in society, family, and art. The northern regions of Iran underwent a change in gender concepts as a result of their geographical and livelihood conditions. The development of women's roles is significantly influenced by historical, social, political, and cultural factors. The Tekiyeh building's simultaneity with the Qajar period, the fundamental changes in social relations, clothing styles, political positions, and aesthetic concepts of women, as well as the abundance of women's images, suggest a direct connection between these motifs and the political and social developments of the era. This is indicative of the impact of indigenous artists on the representation of political and social conditions within a particular historical context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming to debate the the power of the counter-mobilization that emerged on Twitter during the coronavirus pandemic in Brazil, we carried out a documental study on Twitter collecting texts and images associated with the #BolsonaroGenocida hashtag, between March 13 and June 6 of 2021, a period in which intense public demonstrations took place against the Bolsonaro's government in the country. We analysed 1243 tweets and 503 images, identifying the main contents anchored and objectified by the hashtags, revealing the various dimensions that compose the social representations associated with Bolsonaro and his management during the pandemic. The tweets' contents comprehend the social and political demonstration arising from part of the Brazilian people against the actions taken by the president of Brazil during the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to thousands of deaths that could have been avoided; regarding the images, the results point out an emotional anchoring of Bolsonaro's image to death. It is therefore important to demarcate the nature of Twitter as an specific platform for the mobilization of SR through the sharing of images and texts, which ends up evoking emotions that contribute to accentuating the social identity of the group that is expressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.)

This article asserts that it can be analytically expedient to employ and combine aspects of Critical Criminology and Critical Romani Studies in research that analyses the relationship between Roma and the criminal justice system. The resulting approach focuses on criminalization and racialization processes and how they are intertwined, as well as on social construction of representations and on structural discrimination, which is analysed from an intersectional perspective. When applied to research into mothers serving community sentences in Italy, this analytical framework enabled us to highlight forms of discrimination that affect Roma women given non-custodial sentences and show how their relationship with the criminal justice system is influenced by the prevailing cultural constructs regarding gender and motherhood, as well as by racialization processes and class backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn this study, it was aimed to investigate the experiences of mothers with disabled children directly affected by the 6 February 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye regarding the concept of death in the context of social representations. The interpretive phenomenological analysis method, which is a qualitative research method, was used in the study. The content of semi-structured interviews held with 23 mothers was analyzed according to the analysis guidelines of Smith and Osborn. As a result of the analyses, four themes representing the views of the participants on the concept of death, which were “the perception of death, individual factors affecting the perception of death, environmental factors affecting the perception of death, and methods of coping with death anxiety,” as well as fifteen categories under these themes, were revealed. The results of this study present the experiences and needs of mothers with disabled children after the aforementioned earthquakes, their needs in this process, their views about death, and their coping resources within a cultural framework. According to the results, the existing needs and death anxiety of mothers with disabled children have become more prominent after the earthquakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is part of a broader investigation into the portrayal of disability within the context of the Paralympic Games. Focusing on media coverage from 2008, 2012, and 2016 in French and Tunisian newspapers, representing two distinct cultural landscapes, we explore the nuances of how disability is depicted. Employing a multifaceted approach involving statistical analysis utilizing the Chi-squared test, discourse content analysis, and photo analysis, we delve into uncharted territory by examining the treatment of impaired athletes in Tunisian media. Our findings highlight significant disparities and instances of discrimination, not only between disabled and able-bodied athletes but also among genders within each nation. Of particular concern are the disparities in photo representation, notably the portrayal of Tunisian women athletes. By contextualizing ourfindings within the existing body of literature, this study provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics of disability representation in sports media. Furthermore, it contributes to a deeper understanding of societal attitudes towards disability and offers actionable recommendations to foster more inclusive media coverage in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many adolescent females are active online, finding creative ways to express themselves through evolving social media technologies. Social virtual worlds (SVWs), distinguished by extensive avatar customization features, provide them with unique opportunities to craft virtual identities and explore diverse facets of self-presentation. This study investigates adolescent females' construction of avatars in Zepeto, a South Korea-based global SVW platform. Employing social representation theory (SRT) as a theoretical framework, this study conducted in-depth interviews with adolescent female Zepeto users to uncover their perceptions of and motivations behind avatar creation in SVWs, as well as to explore how the interplay of virtual and real worlds presents them with various opportunities and challenges. While the prospects of SVWs remain uncertain, examining how these young users interpret and experience SVWs contributes to identifying potential strategies to enhance the sustainability of these platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The psychosocial intervention program described in the present paper is implemented in five modules. The general objective is to provide an initial protocol in the procedure of psychosocial interventions to prevent alcoholism in adolescents through the empowerment of new social representations of its consumption. This proposal resides in a multi-methodological strategy, starting from the Historical-cultural approach, specifically from the social situation of development as a category. The epistemological platform is expected to facilitate a valuable methodology to prevent alcoholism in adolescents. Systematizing said prevention process will aim at setting the course for a theoretical model. [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]

Objective: To reveal the Social Representations (SRs) that the population of Sincelejo, department of Sucre, Colombia, has regarding the Corralejas tragedy of 1980, which occurred in that city. Methodology: Grounded theory, applied to the analysis of information that was collected from various sources, key informants, and texts found on social networks through videos and comments. Finally, the information was analyzed using Atlas.Ti. Results: Six categories were revealed: premonitions or bad feelings, popular stories and legends, isolated rain, human-animal interaction, funerary aspects and cemeteries, and, finally, the central image associated with death, pain and trauma. Conclusions: The categories revealed become SRs of tragedy from the concretization of magical thinking, which sought non-rational and less stigmatizing explanations of a tradition that clashes with the modernity, and that has deep cultural roots in the Colombian Caribbean region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the structural patterns in the cognitive representation of social networks by systematically classifying false positives and negatives. Although existing literature on Cognitive Social Structures (CSS) has begun exploring false positives and negatives by comparing actual and perceived networks, it has not differentiated simultaneous occurrences of true and false positives and negatives on network motifs, such as reciprocity and triadic closure. Here, we propose a theoretical framework to categorize three classes of errors we call imaginary network motifs as combinations of accurately and erroneously perceived ties: (a) partially false, (b) completely false, and (c) mixed false. Using four published CSS data sets, we empirically test which imaginary network motifs are significantly more or less present in different types of perceived networks than the corresponding actual networks. Our results confirm that people not only fill in the blanks as suggested in the prior research but also conceive other imaginary structures. The findings advance our understanding of perception gaps between actual and perceived networks and have implications for designing more accurate network modeling and sampling. • The dyad census approach of a multiplex motif method is developed and applied to Cognitive Social Structure data. • The approach identifies a hidden category of mixed false where false positives and negatives co-occur. • The method reveals false positives and negatives occur with true positives and negatives. • Most false positives and negatives happen in proxy ties rather than the ones people report about themselves. • Perceived network density can partially explain the patterns of false positives and negatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Revista Colombiana de Educación is the property of Universidad Pedaggica Nacional 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.)

Individual identification plays a pivotal role in ecology and ethology, notably as a tool for complex social structures understanding. However, traditional identification methods often involve invasive physical tags and can prove both disruptive for animals and time-intensive for researchers. In recent years, the integration of deep learning in research has offered new methodological perspectives through the automatisation of complex tasks. Harnessing object detection and recognition technologies is increasingly used by researchers to achieve identification on video footage. This study represents a preliminary exploration into the development of a non-invasive tool for face detection and individual identification of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) through deep learning. The ultimate goal of this research is, using identification done on the dataset, to automatically generate a social network representation of the studied population. The current main results are promising: (i) the creation of a Japanese macaques' face detector (Faster-RCNN model), reaching an accuracy of 82.2% and (ii) the creation of an individual recogniser for the Kōjima Island macaque population (YOLOv8n model), reaching an accuracy of 83%. We also created a Kōjima population social network by traditional methods, based on co-occurrences on videos. Thus, we provide a benchmark against which the automatically generated network will be assessed for reliability. These preliminary results are a testament to the potential of this approach to provide the scientific community with a tool for tracking individuals and social network studies in Japanese macaques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Criminal justice agencies increasingly recruit new personnel online using social media. This paper analyzes correctional officer recruitment videos appearing on YouTube. Engaging with literature on social media representations and authenticity, we examine the content and the themes appearing in these videos. We use a grounded theory approach to data analysis accompanied by a semiotic reading of these video texts. We argue that these video representations convey a sense of fantastical authenticity, meaning there is a mythical or embellished dimension to these depictions and accounts. We also find that these videos communicate establishment narratives about prisons and prison work. We also situate our analysis in broader literature on social media use and communications by criminal justice agencies. We conclude with reflections on what this means for understanding representations of criminal justice as well as social media use by prison authorities in North America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even in our highly interconnected modern world, geographic factors play an important role in human social connections. Similarly, social relationships influence how and where we travel, and how we think about our spatial world. Here, we review the growing body of neuroscience research that is revealing multiple interactions between social and spatial processes in both humans and non-human animals. We review research on the cognitive and neural representation of spatial and social information, and highlight recent findings suggesting that underlying mechanisms might be common to both. We discuss how spatial factors can influence social behaviour, and how social concepts modify representations of space. In so doing, this review elucidates not only how neural representations of social and spatial information interact but also similarities in how the brain represents and operates on analogous information about its social and spatial surroundings. This article is part of the theme issue 'The spatial–social interface: a theoretical and empirical integration'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the transition between Fordism and neoliberalism in Italy employing insights from International (IPE) and Comparative Political Economy (CPE). Transitions are key periods to observe how countries tend to converge towards similar political economy developments through processes of social, political and institutional adaptation. We contribute to the literature by detailing how transformations in the 'social and political bases of political economy' influence institutional change. We understand these transformations as movements from below (changes in sociodemographic and productive compositions, and social movements) and above (agency in political parties, trade unions, business associations and elites); we name these components 'the social and productive composition' and 'the social and political representation sphere' respectively. Employing process tracing, we identify three historical periods in post-WWII Italian political economy – state Fordism (1945–78), a transitional period we name 'the long 1980s' (1979–91), and neoliberalism (1992–) – delineated by two historical ruptures: a breakup moment in 1978–9 that signalled the decline of Fordism, and a critical juncture that ushered in neoliberalism in 1992. Analytically, changes within the social and productive composition during state Fordism impacted on the social and political representation sphere, and on several reforms undertaken in different institutional domains. However, since the breakup moment 1978–9 this dynamic changed together with the international political economy context. Similar to other western countries, the main actors within the social and political representation sphere increasingly approached institutional regulation inspired by neoliberal ideas, while the pressures coming from the more active forces within the social and productive composition faltered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social imaginaries are conceived as schemes that allow us to perceive something as real, explain it and intervene operationally in what contemporary societies consider to be reality. This work seeks to infer the social representations that emanate from the advertising strategies that were produced and disseminated by UEFA (Union of European Football Associations), as well as by its official sponsors, in the promotion of the women's football championship: UEFA Women's Euro 2022. The results demonstrate the social function that brands acquire when representing, legitimizing and promulgating a transnational and globalized vision of women in football and in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes public transportation as a trope for networked narrative forms in two novels by Chinua Achebe: No Longer at Ease and Anthills of the Savannah. Combining insights from mobility studies with criticism on tragedy, the present article suggests that intersections of tragedy and transportation remain understudied aspects of Achebe's fiction. While agon implies the struggle or dispute that drives literary plots in general, I argue that Achebe settles elements of the deliberative agon from classical Greek theatre within transport networks to structure agonistic exchanges amongst characters and social groups, to juxtapose forms of thinking, and to expand the idioms within his novels. As much as Achebe's novels pivot on the experiences of singular and seemingly heroic protagonists, he is deeply invested in the relations between individuals and collectives and the representation of both in novels concerned with the problems of postcolonial nations and nation-states. As such, Achebe's transportation systems facilitate fleeting modes of assembly for the exchange of ideas. Studying No Longer at Ease and Anthills of the Savannah together crystallizes the orchestrated and often ironic interplay between individual and collective insights. Achebe's representations of conviviality and agonism in public transportation thus present models of thinking and feeling collectively in the novel. Moments of transportations in Achebe's fictional worlds impart the modes of thinking animating the imagination of the nation and the machinery of the state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses young women's reading practices and the social uses of literature for enabling gender equality that are present in those practices. Through a digital ethnography study where six young women collaborated as participants, I asked the data: How is literature, precisely its capacity to be used, conceived by young women readers in the search for gender equality? These women's reading engagements are tightly woven with a gender perspective. What are these readers embracing, and what are they rejecting by assuming a gender lens? By tracing these attachments and exclusions, I describe how books affect readers' perspectives and practices on their identities, their choice of authors, the cultural value of books, the social representations of books and reading as education. Participants' close and distant connections between the book and their desire for gender equality allow me to discuss the literature's pedagogical instrumentality and uselessness for achieving gender‐inclusive literacy. Finally, I argue that a plural and non‐functional approach to literature could offer young people heterogeneous and more creative forms to approach the challenge of gender equality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between mainstream media and social media for news reporting is a complex one. Mainstream media news is relied on as a source of information on key social issues, carrying and reproducing the social representations of a society. South African townships have been reported as a hotbed of anti-migrant unrest, with the growing reliance on the communities' lens through their social media representations shared online often considered by mainstream media as authentic sources of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM). Townships are spaces of contestation for belonging and despite the diversity of those communities, there remains stigmatizing social representation between migrants and citizens, with communities attributing social ills to migrants. This study analyses how social media has influenced the reproduction of social representations in mainstream media of anti-migrant township unrest. Through a qualitative exploratory approach, mainstream news articles were analyzed for how social representations from social media are reproduced in mainstream media reporting. Social media representations reproduced in mainstream media reporting may risk perpetuating communication risks of othering, affect social cohesion in those communities, and fuelling mistrust among citizens and migrants living in South African township communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos del Centro de Estudios de Diseño y Comunicación is the property of Cuadernos del Centro de Estudios de Diseno y Comunicacion 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.)

AbstractThis study investigates the discursive devices deployed by the late former Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, to represent social actors in his speeches, in order to unveil how these devices and the ideologies in them are mobilized to maintain political power and garner popular support. The data for the study comprise his: 2002 world summit on sustainable development speech in South Africa, 2005 party manifesto speech in Zimbabwe, 2003 Non-aligned speech in Malaysia, and 2007 UN speech in New York. These were subjected to qualitative analysis with insights from Teun A. van Dijk’s socio-cognitive model of Critical Discourse Analysis. The study reveals that Mugabe uses discursive polarization strategies to emphasize positive things/de-emphasize negative things about his in-group (himself, Zanu-PF, the majority black, majority Zimbabwean supporters, and the third-world country allies), but emphasizes negative things/de-emphasizes positive things about the out-group (the minority white Zimbabwean land grabbers, the USA, the UK, Tony Blair, George Bush, etc.). The discursive strategies identified were used to pursue land ownership, anti-imperialist, revolutionary, and Marxist ideologies. The study concludes that these strategies were employed by Mugabe as linguistic, rhetorical and political strategies to maintain power and mobilize the support of majority black Zimbabweans for years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting health communication about organ donation remains a crucial objective within Native American communities. The goals of the current study were to communicate with young adult Native Americans about the Organ Donation Willingness Model (ODWM; Horton & Horton, 1991) to gain their responses to materials from campaigns about donation strategies tailored to Native American communities. Six focus groups were conducted with a total of 31 participants. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2019, 2022) and following Smith's guidelines (2008), which include showing deep respect for the group participants, conducting the study in a face-to-face setting, and being active listeners of the group and their cultural norms, exercising special attention towards those norms. The analysis generated four themes: (1) knowledge and transplantation support emerging from family and community factors; (2) conflicting cultural beliefs; (3) geographic opportunities for improved health care, and finally, (4) the presence of Native Americans as tokenized people in campaign messages. Future collaboration with rural communities and campaign messages could focus on approaches that emphasize communal voice, social representations theory, and clear message strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Aïcha Limbada's book, La nuit de noces. Une histoire de l'intimité conjugale, explores the intimate event of the wedding night in 19th century France. The author delves into the challenges faced by historians in studying such a private moment and examines the ignorance surrounding sexual matters among young bourgeois women during the Victorian era. Limbada uses a variety of sources, including ecclesiastical court records, to provide a realistic depiction of the experiences of newlyweds on their wedding night. The book also explores the traditional "marital rite" in different social classes and pays attention to the power dynamics within couples. Overall, the book is praised for its well-written narrative and feminist perspective." [Extracted from the article]

Social Darwinism is a concept coined by British philosopher Herbert Spencer, who apply biological concepts such as natural selection and the theory of "survival of the fittest" to politics and sociology. In his essay, The Social Organism (1860), Spencer likens society to a living organism and suggests that as biological organisms develop via natural selection, society also develops and increases in complexity through similar processes. However, since Spencer's theories in sociology bear many similarities to Darwin's theories in biological science, the term 'Social Darwinism' is still referred to Charles Darwin in today's scientific world. For this reason, Spencer has been acknowledged by most Darwinists for preceding Darwin's scientific theory and applying his ideas in ways that Darwin would have strongly agreed on. In this context, this study aims to examine representations of Social Darwinism in selected short stories to highlight the victimizing nature of its practices in modern society. For this, first, Stephen Crane's The Open Boat (1897) will be analyzed to show the struggle for survival in a wild natural environment and its symbolic similarity with the competitiveness of man in the capitalist social order. Then, Guy De Maupassant's Ball of Fat (1880) will be examined to show the greedy nature of human beings and the theme of hypocrisy in 20th century French society. In both examples, the main purpose of this study will be to highlight depictions of how the consequences of Social Darwinism lead to tragic ends and victimize those deemed least fit for modernizing society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to investigate the causes behind teachers leaving their profession in France, as well as the aspects that influence some teachers to stay in. The phenomenon of teacher dropout and abandonment is increasingly prevalent in OECD countries, particularly affecting new teachers. Taking a social psychological perspective, the research delves into the representational content of teachers' attitudes towards their profession. By distinguishing between teacher dropout and abandonment—the latter being considered an earlier phase, the results suggest that pupils play a central role in preventing teachers' dropout, along with the love and passion for teaching and the discipline they teach. Conversely, lack of consideration, inadequate resources, working conditions and classroom management challenges are identified as aspects contributing to increase teachers' dropout phenomenon. The findings provide an empirical basis for future studies and valuable insights for enhancing initial teacher training programmes. Understanding these phenomena through the lens of social representations provides valuable insights for developing supportive environments that foster teacher retention and well‐being and facilitate intervention and prevention strategies targeting key elements linked to teachers dropping out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite social changes and the opening up of all professions to men and women, society continues to adhere to many stereotypes, and many professions are still considered to be feminine or masculine. In addition to gendered representations of occupations, there are also social representations linked to the social prestige associated with a profession. These two elements shape the study and professional choices of individuals. Based on this observation, the aim of this article is twofold: I study individuals' perceptions of various professions and I analyse the influence of theses perceptions on their choice of orientation. I use a questionnaire administered to secondary school pupils and students. The results obtained show a differentiated influence of stereotypes on career plans. It also appears that individuals tend to underrate the professions they consider 'feminine'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]