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Zwischen dem Dorf als Ort und Residualkategorie ländlich-vormoderner Gesellschaften und der großen Stadt als spezifischem Gebilde und Prägestock der Moderne nimmt die Kleinstadt eine Zwischenstellung ein. In modernisierungstheoretischen Perspektiven stellt sie eine Übergangserscheinung dar. Tatsächlich aber ist die Kleinstadt keineswegs nur "von Gestern". Dem gegenüber stellt sie historisch, aber auch aktuell mehr als nur einen Haltepunkt bzw. den Gegenentwurf zu einer auf die Großstadt bzw. Urbanisierung zulaufenden Moderne dar. Sie lässt sich vielmehr auch als ein Ort erfahren und beschreiben, an dem unterschiedliche Facetten und diverse Bruchstücke, auch widersprüchliche Erfahrungen und Entwicklungen fortschreitender Modernisierung aufeinander treffen und zur Gestaltung anstehen. Facetten und diverse Bruchstücke dessen, was die diversen und auch widersprüchlichen Erfahrungen und Entwicklungen der Moderne ausmacht, aufeinander treffen.

Many environmental challenges, such as littering, are rooted in human behavior. However, comparatively little literature exists on the empirical evaluation of intervention programs aimed at changin...

In light of recent studies on the changing views on masculinity, this quantitative study aimed to determine the attitudes of South African undergraduate students toward the display of the tenets associated with orthodox and inclusive masculinities in contact sport, and to determine to what extent these attitudes were predicted by students' gender, race, religiosity, and attitudes toward the importance of primary gender-role sport socialization and homosexuality. Findings, which originated from the data collected through the use of 200 structured interviews, indicated that male and female students endorsed displays of a 'softening' in masculinities in sport, and were slightly opposed toward displays of 'harder' masculinities, a trend that was strongest among women. The more importance these students' ascribed to primary gender-role sports socialization, the more likely they were to support the display of orthodox masculinities in sport, and the less likely they were to endorse inclusive masculinities, with the converse being true for those who were more accepting of homosexuality. The study contributes to current theorization in a twofold way: Firstly, by problematizing a simplistic differentiation between orthodox and inclusive masculine typologies in favor of ascribing to theorization that indicates how the attitudes among students of the said South African university campus arguably attest to the concurrent existence of 'multiple dominant masculinities.' In-keeping with this, the findings arguably echo the Andersonian emphasis on the co-existence of declining levels of homohysteria among younger persons and the continuing prevalence of homophobia among some students on university campuses.

Using the North-West University (NWU) as a case study, this article argues for and demonstrates the value of empirically assessing the impact of universities on their communities. A cross-sectional survey design (n = 984) was used to investigate the NWUs impact on three different communities, as well as to empirically assess the needs of these communities. Results suggest that community-based projects and services, work-integrated learning activities, and, to a lesser extent, the quantity and quality of a university's graduate students, as well as initiatives such as science and engineering weeks, open days, sports weeks, and botanical gardens likely represent the most powerful and viable avenues for universities to achieve impact in their communities, especially when such endeavours are specifically tailored to community needs. The findings also suggest that universities’ outputs do not necessarily equate with or guarantee impact, and that impact is optimised when outreach activities are based on the actual needs of communities

Understanding environmental attitudes (EAs) has been viewed as prerequisite to changing environmental behaviour and is a particularly salient topic in the context of higher educational institutions which play an important role in shaping students’ worldviews. As such, the study aimed to explore EAs of undergraduate students at three different campuses of a South African University (n = 1283) and to examine how these EAs differ in terms of students’ demographic characteristics. A structured questionnaire was used to collect biographical data, and EAs were assessed via the Revised New Ecological Paradigm Scale (NEP) and the Environmental Attitudes Inventory (Short form) (EAI-24). Results indicated that students’ EAs lean more towards utilization, which is an anti-environmental factor, than to the pro-environmental factor of preservation. Furthermore, demographic factors such as gender and ethnicity were significantly, but often a-stereotypically associated with students’ EAs. These results have practical implications for tailoring environmental-based interventions aimed at enhancing pro-environmental attitudes among students. However, the results also raise concerns about the cross-cultural validity and efficacy of some EA-related measuring instruments and environmental organizations, and suggest that a need exists to develop culturally sensitive EA measures, as well as environmental organizations that incorporate a greater focus on social justice and indigenous knowledge systems.

Like all those pictures of other countries, which are treated in imagological research, images of Germany are also complex, mediated by social history and historical experience, misunderstanding, misrepresentation and ideological assumptions. On the whole, these images represent the expectations and experiences of the observer even as they can truly be connected with the history, or social and cultural affairs, of the population. Thus, these images appear to be reversible figures that are simultaneously true and the products of subjective perception.

This study investigated the relationship between mindfulness and psychological well-being in a convenience sample of black South African students (n = 203) and their parents and other relatives (n = 204) (66.1% = female; age range 18–73). The students self-reported on their mindfulness on the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale and psychological well-being on the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Adult Trait Hope Scale and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire. A multivariate regression model was specified and analysed via structural equation modelling in Mplus 7.3. Results revealed that mindfulness scores strongly predicted elevated levels of meaning and positive affect, and lowered levels of negative effect, and were moderately strong predictors of life satisfaction and hope. The findings imply that mindfulness likely plays an important role in relation to the psychological well-being of cross-generational African culture community members.

There has been a shift in organisations towards leaders who are positive and able to create positive work environment for employees, as well as build relationships through teamwork and trust. Many have argued that positive leadership is needed in dealing with challenges that leaders face in organisations due to the constantly changing world of work. Although there are numerous studies on positive leadership, there is still confusion and considerable variability regarding the conceptualisation of positive leadership in literature. This chapter commences by outlining the findings of a critical review of existing literature on the topic of positive leadership, which considered both quantitative and qualitative articles published in English that contained conceptualisations, definitions, descriptions, behaviours, characteristics, or principles of positive leadership. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The key themes that were derived from the data included a number of leadership traits, motivational characteristics, as well as specific leadership behaviours. Secondly, this conceptualisation is used as the basis for proposing an integrated definition of positive leadership, which in turn is utilised in the final part of the chapter to propose three positive leadership interventions.

Eugen Webers 1977 erschienene grose Studie Peasants into Frenchmen. The Modernization of Rural France, 1870–1914 berichtet nicht nur davon, wie aus Bauern Franzosen wurden, sondern stellt die Prozesse der Einbeziehung landlicher Bevolkerungen, die es auf dem Territorium des damaligen Frankreich in einer Vielzahl von Gruppen, Sprach- und Erfahrungsgemeinschaften gab, in einen nationalstaatlichen und zugleich damit staatsburgerlichen Zusammenhang unter verschiedenen Facetten dar.

This study investigated the psychosocial well-being of an indigenous cultural community in South Africa, using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. Data on life satisfaction and emotional, social and psychological well-being were collected from 521 local residents (48% female) of Ndumo in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa using the Satisfaction-with-Life Scale and Mental Health Continuum. In addition, interviews were conducted with 20 Ndumo residents (35% female). Findings revealed that community members had above-average levels of psychosocial well-being and exhibited significant resilience towards countering socio-economic under-resourcing, including poverty and unemployment. The community resources found to aid resilient living included being able to live off the land, a pleasant climate, personal safety, hope for a better future, and instrumental, material, and social support from philanthropic organisations.

Angesichts aktueller gesellschaftlicher Umbrüche hat auch das Landleben wieder Konjunktur. In Medien und politischen Reden, ökonomischen Kalkulationen, demografischen Untersuchungen und infrastrukturellen Planungen werden Bilder ruraler Lebenswelten aufgerufen. Sie greifen auf romantische Vorstellungen zurück, entwerfen aber auch düstere Untergangsszenarien. Nicht zuletzt haben zeitgenössische Literaturen, Filme und alltagsbezogene Forschungen - abseits gängiger Polarisierungen - das Landleben wieder für sich entdeckt. Die Beiträge des Bandes zeigen: Leben auf dem Land wird so zur Projektionsfläche, aber auch zu einem Erkundungsraum und Verhandlungsort gesellschaftlicher Entwicklungen und darauf bezogener Diskurse.