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Contemporary Society (contemporary + society)
Selected AbstractsCultures of Control in Contemporary SocietiesLAW & SOCIAL INQUIRY, Issue 3 2002Joachim J. Savelsberg First page of article [source] The Role of the Development Industry in Shaping Urban Social Space: a Conceptual ModelGEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2007EDDO COIACETTO Abstract Socio-spatial differentiation or the spatial arrangement of social groups in cities has long been the subject of scholarly attention in urban studies from a variety of perspectives. In many contemporary societies, the development industry plays an important and growing role in socio-spatial differentiation. This paper presents a conceptual model for the empirical analysis of the role of this industry in shaping urban social space. [source] Searching for Belonging , An Analytical FrameworkGEOGRAPHY COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 6 2010Marco Antonsich Belonging is a notion both vaguely defined and ill-theorized. Scholars in various social disciplines often take this notion for granted, as if its meaning is somewhat self-explanatory. Others tend to equate it with the notion of identity, citizenship, or both. By relying on a critical reading of an extensive literature across academic disciplines, this study aims to offer an analytical framework for the study of belonging. I argue that belonging should be analyzed both as a personal, intimate, feeling of being ,at home' in a place (place-belongingness) and as a discursive resource that constructs, claims, justifies, or resists forms of socio-spatial inclusion/exclusion (politics of belonging). The risk of focusing only on one of these two dimensions is to fall in the trap of either a socially de-contextualized individualism or an all-encompassing social(izing) discourse. The open question is whether the increasing cultural and ethnic diversification of contemporary societies can lead to the formation of communities of belonging beyond communities of identity. [source] On Acting Against One's Best Judgement: A Social Constructionist Interpretation for the Akrasia ProblemJOURNAL FOR THE THEORY OF SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR, Issue 2 2008DIEGO ROMAIOLI Abstract Akrasia is a philosophical concept meaning the possibility to perform actions against one's best judgement. This contribution aims to clarify this phenomenon in terms of a social construction, stating it as a narrative configuration generated by an observer. The latter finds himself engaged in justifying a "problematic" line of action with regard to specific cultural beliefs referring to the self, the others and the behaviour. This paper intends to make explicit the assumptions underlying the traditional definitions of akrasia when, paradoxically, an agent performs an action not in accordance with his/her best judgement. In the transition from modern to post-modern psychology, we here propose an interpretation of the phenomenon in psychological terms, envisaging akrasia as a narrative form functional to the identity processes and to the social dynamics of the structures of contemporary societies. Implications in the psychological practice will be taken into account. [source] Economic Growth and Social CapitalPOLITICAL STUDIES, Issue 3 2000Paul F. Whiteley Recent interdisciplinary theoretical work has suggested that social capital, or the interpersonal trust of citizens, plays an important role in explaining both the efficiency of political institutions, and in the economic performance of contemporary societies. This paper examines the relationship between social capital and economic growth in a sample of thirty-four countries over the period 1970 to 1992, within the framework of a modified neo-classical model of economic growth. The findings suggest that social capital has an impact on growth which is at least as strong as that of human capital or education, which has been the focus of much of the recent work on endogenous growth theory. It appears to have about the same impact on growth as catch-up or the ability of poorer nations to adopt technological innovations pioneered by their richer counterparts. [source] The second modern condition?THE BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY, Issue 3 2010Compressed modernity as internalized reflexive cosmopolitization Abstract Compressed modernity is a civilizational condition in which economic, political, social and/or cultural changes occur in an extremely condensed manner in respect to both time and space, and in which the dynamic coexistence of mutually disparate historical and social elements leads to the construction and reconstruction of a highly complex and fluid social system. During what Beck considers the second modern stage of humanity, every society reflexively internalizes cosmopolitanized risks. Societies (or their civilizational conditions) are thereby being internalized into each other, making compressed modernity a universal feature of contemporary societies. This paper theoretically discusses compressed modernity as nationally ramified from reflexive cosmopolitization, and, then, comparatively illustrates varying instances of compressed modernity in advanced capitalist societies, un(der)developed capitalist societies, and system transition societies. In lieu of a conclusion, I point out the declining status of national societies as the dominant unit of (compressed) modernity and the interactive acceleration of compressed modernity among different levels of human life ranging from individuals to the global community. [source] Choosing Buddhism in Australia: towards a traditional style of reflexive spiritual engagement1THE BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY, Issue 2 2005Tim Phillips Abstract There has been little dedicated sociological research on the appeal Buddhism holds for many individuals in the West. It is suggested that this absence reflects a current tendency within the discipline to highlight a new age approach to spiritual involvement and to overlook other optional styles of engagement. Such a pattern of study is concerning because the propensity to privilege the new age style would seem to be less an outcome of a coherent research agenda than a result of the currency that the idea of postmodern religion has come to assume in theoretical accounts of spiritual transformation in contemporary societies. Using data from a modest quantitative survey, the study investigates spiritual style among a sample of Australians who have developed an interest in Buddhist practice and belief. The results point to the prevalence of a traditional approach to involvement, whereby the individual decides to engage solely with Buddhism for the long duration. Given its possession of these qualities, the research goes on to examine the social patterning of spiritual commitment. The findings suggest that comprehending the social restrictions to any kind of involvement is a more pressing sociological question than explaining social divergences among the engaged. [source] Neutralization theory and the denial of risk: some evidence from cannabis use among French adolescents*THE BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY, Issue 1 2003Patrick Peretti-Watel ABSTRACT In contemporary societies, risk culture and risk profiling lead to the stigmatization of unhealthy behaviours as ,risky'. Risk denial theory refers to a cognitive way to deal with risky behaviours and can be considered as an updated variant of Sykes and Matza's neutralization theory. People neutralize the ,risky' label using specific techniques that must be added to those previously enlisted by Sykes and Matza. This paper introduces and discusses three techniques of risk denial: scapegoating, self-confidence and comparison between risks. As it is usually defined and studied as a ,risky behaviour', cannabis use provides a relevant example to illustrate these types of risk denial, thanks to various ethnographic studies (including Becker's seminal work on marijuana smokers) and quantitative French data from the 1999 European School Survey on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD). In order to deny the ,risky' label, cannabis users scapegoat ,hard drugs' users, they emphasize their own ability to control their consumption personally, or they compare cannabis and alcohol risks. The paper concludes with suggestions for further analyses of risk denial. [source] Moment of Stasis: The Successful Failure of a Constitution for EuropeEUROPEAN LAW JOURNAL, Issue 3 2009Andreas Philippopoulos-Mihalopoulos The 2005 French and Dutch negative votes on the Constitution open up a space of conceptualisation, not only of Europe's relation to its demos, but significantly to its failures. Through a critical analysis of mainly Niklas Luhmann's systems theory, the article proposes taking a distance from traditional constitutional dogmatics that are no longer capable of dealing with the paradox of contemporary society, and more specifically with the eventual resurgence of the European project as one of absence and stasis: the two terms are used to explain the need, on the one hand, to maintain the ,absent community' of Europe, and, on the other, to start realising that any conceptualisation of the European project will now have to take place in that space of instability and contingency revealed by the constitutional failure. The relation between law and politics, the location of a constitution, the distinction between social and normative legitimacy, the connection between European identity and demos, and the concept of continuity between constitutional text and context are revisited in an attempt to trace the constitutional failure as the constitutional moment par excellence. [source] CONSTRUCTING, VISUALIZING, AND ANALYZING A DIGITAL FOOTPRINT,GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW, Issue 3 2007STEPHEN D. WEAVER ABSTRACT. Herein, we discuss the desire for new technology, the need for security, and the right to privacy; in doing so, we argue that each of these concerns comprises an important, tripartite debate. To highlight the complexities in this problem, we define our notion of a "digital footprint" and introduce Big Foot,specialized software created for the research described here to facilitate visualization and exploration of the data that comprise Stephen Weaver's personal digital footprint. Using Big Foot we demonstrate how multiple digital personae can be created from the data that constitute one unique digital footprint and provide a methodology for understanding the good and bad impacts that new technologies may have on future societies. One of the primary arguments of this work is that the debate,though not formally recognized,is currently before contemporary society and must receive sufficient attention. [source] Suffering and Domesticity: The Subversion of Sentimentalism in Three Stories by Marie Von Ebner-EschenbachGERMAN LIFE AND LETTERS, Issue 1 2006Charlotte Woodford The fiction of Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach (1830,1916) is set firmly in the material reality of the Habsburg Empire. Although realist in its commitment to reflecting contemporary society and its values, it has often been ,accused' of sentimentalism. This article argues that while Ebner's short stories indeed adopt some sentimental tropes, this should not be regarded as detracting from the complexity of her work. Rather, it is complex and worthy of examination in its own right. A closer and more differentiated analysis of sentimentalism in Ebner's fiction than is usually undertaken by modern criticism demonstrates that Ebner self-consciously uses sentimental strategies, such as religious imagery, the idealisation of characters or the death of a protagonist, in order to subvert the ethos of the conventional sentimental novel. This tended to reinforce women's domestic role and strengthen the reader's belief in the spiritual value of suffering. The stories ,Das tägliche Leben', ,Die Resel', and ,Der Erstgeborene' show how Ebner, by contrast, undermines the idea that suffering has any value in a religious sense, and takes issue with the idea that women should obediently submit to domestic unhappiness. [source] Urban Space and Cyberspace: Urban Environment in the Age of Media and Information TechnologyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF JAPANESE SOCIOLOGY, Issue 1 2002Mikio Wakabayashi Today, the many innovations and the spread of new media and information technologies are bringing new realities to contemporary society. In Japanese sociology, this social transformation is called johoka, or information,oriented transformation. The present study examines two aspects of today's urban environment, concerning this social transformation. One is the phenomenon of "Disneylandization" of the urban environment and the other is the emergence of "cyberspace" or the "cybercity". The former is the proliferation of areas and buildings filled with signs and designs that are quoted from other historical or geographical contexts, and arranged under some "theme" or "concept", such as theme parks. The latter is the emergence of "virtual spaces" and the "virtual city" in computer networks, especially on the Internet. The former is a change in the physical urban environment and the latter is a phenomenon of the non,physical environment, inside computers. However, in spite of this contrast, these phenomena can be considered to result from the same social transformation,that is, the new relationship between space and society. The semantic emptiness, and expectations and desires for a sense of "placeness" in contemporary society are the preconditions of both phenomena. Often these elements are regarded as postmodern phenomena, yet it is of interest to explore Disneylandization and the emergence of the cybercity as the latest versions of the modern urban transformation and the modern urbanism. [source] Imperial Warfare in the Naked City,Sociality as Critical InfrastructureINTERNATIONAL POLITICAL SOCIOLOGY, Issue 3 2008Ronnie D. Lipschutz The Global War on Terror (GWOT), framed as conflict with groups and individuals determined to disrupt and destroy "critical infrastructures," is heavily dependent on technological and psychological discourses and practices to find terrorists and their plots., These methods seek to protect the material "backbone" of contemporary society and to detect those individuals whose capabilities might progress to action. Yet, the social nature of all action suggests that "critical infrastructure is people," and that surveillance cannot, by itself, determine who might act and who will not. The ultimate purpose and effect of the GWOT is better understood as involving the transformation of individual mentalities, so that "heretical" thoughts and practices become impossible. [source] Multicultural Crisis Communication: Towards a Social Constructionist PerspectiveJOURNAL OF CONTINGENCIES AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2006Jesper Falkheimer Crisis communication is a field dominated by case studies and is lacking of systematic knowledge and theoretical framework analysis. Functionalist and objectivist perspectives have dominated the field even though there are exceptions. This may be one reason why multicultural approaches to crisis communication, increasingly relevant in contemporary society, are very few and undeveloped. The aim in the article is to give a critical analysis of research that has been done on crisis communication as well as intercultural public relations and develop a different theoretical framework. We propose the use of ethnicity, focusing collective cultural identity as dynamic, relational and situational in crisis theory and practice. Ethnic differences seem to escalate during crises. Media use and access are also discussed. A Swedish survey shows, among other things, that people with a foreign background read mainstream newspapers more seldom than average Swedes, but that the access to Internet and mobile phones is very high. Based on a social constructionist epistemology, the article ends with four proposals for future research and practice in multicultural crisis communication: (1) audience-orientation , focusing sense-making, (2) a proactive and interactive approach , focusing dialogue, (3) a community-focused approach , focusing a long-range pre-crisis perspective and, (4) an ethnicity-approach towards intercultural communication. [source] Thoughts on building a just market societyJOURNAL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, Issue 2 2002Michael Thomas Abstract This paper explores the tensions that exist in contemporary society between the individual as citizen and the individual as consumer. The power of the global market place can potentially drive the polity, so it is necessary to raise questions about the means to secure a healthy civic and political life. Financial capitalism, knowledge capitalism and social capitalism are explored as a means of understanding the nature of modern market capitalism. Can financial knowledge and social capitalism be turned into a virtuous circle of innovation, growth and social progress? The paper suggests that trust is the glue, the cement of a just society, and the dimensions of this trust are explored. Finally, the paper examines the nature of stakeholder society. Copyright © 2002 Henry Stewart Publications [source] Material civilization: things and societyTHE BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY, Issue 2 2006Tim Dant Abstract This paper argues that although classical sociology has largely overlooked the importance of social relations with the material world in shaping the form of society, Braudel's concept of ,material civilization' is a useful way to begin to understand the sociological significance of this relationship. The limitations of Braudel's historical and general concept can be partially overcome with Elias's analysis of the connection between ,technization' and ,civilization' that allows for both a civilizing and a de-civilizing impact of emergent forms of material relation that both lengthen and shorten the chains of interdependence between the members of a society. It is suggested that the concept of the ,morality of things' employed by a number of commentators is useful in summarizing the civilizing effects of material objects and addressing their sociological significance. From the sociology of consumption the idea of materiality as a sign of social relationships can be drawn, and from the sociology of technology the idea of socio-technical systems and actor-networks can contribute to the understanding of material civilization. It is argued that the concept of ,material capital' can usefully summarize the variable social value of objects but to understand the complexity of material civilization as it unfolds in everyday life, an analysis of ,material interaction' is needed. Finally the paper suggests some initial themes and issues apparent in contemporary society that the sociological study of material civilization might address; the increased volume, functional complexity and material specificity of objects and the increased social complexity, autonomy and substitutability that is entailed. A theory of ,material civilization' is the first step in establishing a sociology of objects. [source] Work hard, play hard: selling Kelowna, BC, as year-round playgroundTHE CANADIAN GEOGRAPHER/LE GEOGRAPHE CANADIEN, Issue 2 2005Luis L.M. Aguiar A keen interest in place making and place selling is widespread in contemporary society. While the bulk of academic research has focused on studying the restructuring of large urban conglomerates, places beyond the exploding metropolis, by comparison, have received little attention, especially when it concerns Canadian landscapes. In an attempt to study the particularities of place making in contemporary smaller, more isolated communities,hinterlands,this work analyses the city of Kelowna, in British Columbia, Canada. We argue that historically Kelowna, a small rural community specialising in ranching, forestry and fruit production, since the early 1980s, has been re-imagined and re-designed, on the one hand as an all-year playground and as an innovative frontier for high-tech industries; on the other hand, this post-Fordist reinvention contains a discourse of ,whiteness', one that entices by packaging ,place' in terms of ,sameness' and ,familiarity'. In contrast to large cosmopolitan post-industrial cities, hinterland-type cities are invented, sought and lived as geographies cleared from the ,elements' that make cities ,unsafe'. L'étude de la fabrication et de la vente du lieu suscite beaucoup d'intérêt dans la société contemporaine. Alors que la plupart des travaux académiques se sont concentrés sur la restructuration des grandes agglomérations urbaines, leurs périphéries qui font parti du paysage canadien ont reçu peu d'attention. Afin de comprendre les processus qui entre en jeu dans la fabrication du lieu des communautés plus petites et plus isolées de l'arrière-pays, nous avons étudié la ville de Kelowna en Colombie Britannique au Canada. Notre argument est qu'une petite communauté avec un riche passé agricole et une économie basée sur l'exploitation de ressources naturelles, Kelowna s'est re-imaginée et re-définie, dans un premier temps comme site de villégiature toute saison, et aussi comme centre de recherche de haute technologie. Dans un deuxième temps, cette ré-invention post-fordiste contient un discours de ,whiteness, qui encourage la création d'un espace socialement homogène. En contrepartie au post-industrialisme des grands centres métropolitains, les villes de l'arrière-pays sont inventées, recherchées et vécus comme des lieus géographiques où il fait bon vivre, ou les dangers généralement associés aux grandes villes y sont absents. Notre but est donc de comprendre le caractère unique qui contribue à la fabrication du lieu dans les sociétés de l'arrière-pays. [source] Musculoskeletal disorders and psychosocial risk factors among veterinarians in Queensland, AustraliaAUSTRALIAN VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 7 2009DR Smith Objective Although musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) represent one of the most important occupational health issues in contemporary society, few studies have specifically investigated this problem among veterinarians. Design An anonymous questionnaire survey mailed to all veterinarians registered with the Veterinary Surgeons Board of Queensland during 2006. Results Almost two-thirds of respondents (63%) had experienced MSD of the lower back, 57% had experienced neck-related MSD, 52% had experienced shoulder-related MSD and 34% had experienced MSD of the upper back during the previous 12 months. MSD was statistically correlated with a range of psychosocial factors, including stress associated with career structure, time pressures, client's attitude, lack of recognition by the public, lack of recognition by colleagues, lack of understanding from family or partners and work stress because of insufficient holidays each year. Conclusion Overall, this study has demonstrated significant correlations between MSD and psychosocial risk factors among a large cohort of veterinarians, apparently for the first time in the published literature. The results also suggest that personal and workplace issues may contribute more to the development of MSD among veterinarians than many of the previously recognised ergonomic risk factors. [source] Child Development and Evolutionary PsychologyCHILD DEVELOPMENT, Issue 6 2000David F. Bjorklund Evolutionary developmental psychology involves the expression of evolved, epigenetic programs, as described by the developmental systems approach, over the course of ontogeny. There have been different selection pressures on organisms at different times in ontogeny, and some characteristics of infants and children were selected in evolution to serve an adaptive function at that time in their life history rather than to prepare individuals for later adulthood. Examples of such adaptive functions of immaturity are provided from infancy, play, and cognitive development. Most evolved psychological mechanisms are proposed to be domain specific in nature and have been identified for various aspects of children's cognitive and social development, most notably for the acquisition of language and for theory of mind. Differences in the quality and quantity of parental investment affect children's development and influence their subsequent reproductive and childcare strategies. Some sex differences observed in childhood, particularly as expressed during play, are seen as antecedents and preparations for adult sex differences. Because evolved mechanisms were adaptive to ancestral environments, they are not always adaptive for contemporary people, and this mismatch of evolved mechanisms with modern environments is seen in children's maladjustment to some aspects of formal schooling. We argue that an evolutionary perspective can be valuable for developing a better understanding of human ontogeny in contemporary society and that a developmental perspective is important for a better understanding of evolutionary psychology. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||