Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050329

Authors: Chereese Phillips Caroline Black

There is clear evidence that non-safety-related concerns abound in child protection hotline calls. In the United States, over half of Child Protective Services (CPS) calls are screened out because they do not meet criteria for a child welfare investigation. While reporter bias is one factor theorized to contribute to this level of screened out calls, the field has neither used methods that account for culturally specific socialization processes involved in bias nor analyzed hotline calls to determine if these biases were present. This paper describes cultural domain analysis (CDA) as an innovative method to inform the measurement and assessment of bias in reporters’ narratives about children and families during calls to a CPS hotline. We describe CDA, which involves a rapid interviewing technique (freelisting), a participatory method for coding (pile sorting) and how the resultant findings can be used to inform the development of a measurement framework (codebook and scale), which may be tested using recorded hotline calls. Together, these methods provide a useable framework that can help surface common and shared ways bias is conceptualized and defined in the context of CPS hotline calls. This proposed approach provides a socially valid and reliable way for measurement to make generalizable inferences across a jurisdiction. When applied in practice, data collected and analyzed from the proposed measurement framework can inform jurisdictional CPS hotline policy, practice, and training.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050328

Authors: Hélder Prior Maíra Orso Miguel Andrade

This article investigates the discursive construction of populism in the Portuguese digital public sphere, focusing on the communicative strategies of two party media outlets linked to the populist radical right party CHEGA: Folha Nacional and CHEGA TV. Drawing on Entman’s model of framing functions and the literature on populist communication and digital propaganda, the study examines how these outlets articulate simplified, moralized and emotionally charged narratives to mobilize public opinion and legitimize the party’s political agenda. The empirical corpus consists of 4915 video titles and descriptions published between 2024 and 2025 (CHEGA TV, n = 2476; Folha Nacional, n = 2439). Each unit was coded according to five macro-frames characteristic of populist discourse: (1) appeal to the people and antagonism, (2) messianism, (3) moral restitution, (4) anti-system and anti-elite rhetoric, and (5) exclusion of the other. The research combines qualitative frame analysis with quantitative frequency and co-occurrence analysis, enabling the identification of dominant discursive patterns and their temporal evolution. The study contributes by offering a systematic analysis of populist framing in Chega’s party media, an under-explored field, and by proposing a replicable methodological approach to examine the hybridization of propaganda, emotionality and digital political communication in Europe.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050327

Authors: Leco-Berrocal Sánchez-Martín Mateos-Rodríguez Rengifo-Gallego

Depopulation and structural demographic challenges affect social and territorial cohesion in Europe, a phenomenon that is particularly evident in rural municipalities in Spain, where the loss of the working-age population and the concentration of older adults threaten sustainability. This study analyzes the case of Pescueza (Cáceres, Spain) using a mixed-methods design that combines longitudinal demographic analysis (2000–2024) with a qualitative evaluation of the community project “Quédate con nosotr@s,” which focuses on comprehensive care and intergenerational participation. The results are critical regarding the demographic structure, with an aging index of 500% and dependency levels three times higher than the national average, although a slight demographic recovery linked to local initiatives is observed. This project has positive effects on social cohesion, community capital, and resilience in the face of demographic challenges, establishing itself as a replicable model for rural micro-territories. The study proposes a strategic framework based on the SWOT-CAME matrix and social sustainability indicators, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and European territorial cohesion policies. It concludes that social innovation, collaborative governance, and multilevel cooperation are key elements for addressing rural aging, and recommends public policies aimed at stable funding, inclusive digitalization, attracting young people, specialized training, and the creation of adapted infrastructure.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050326

Authors: Manuel José Mera Cedeño Gertrudis Amarilis Laínez Quinde Wilson Alexander Zambrano Vélez César Ernesto Roldán Martínez

The present study seeks to synthesize the scientific evidence from the last decade (2015–2025) regarding the transition from inequality in technological access toward social stratification mediated by automated decision-making systems. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines and the SPIDER model, a corpus of 74 high-impact records from Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, and PsycINFO was examined. The results reveal an exponential growth in scientific production since 2018, marking a shift from infrastructure-based inequality toward a systemic stratification mediated by algorithmic opacity. Three critical sectors of exclusion are categorized: the socio-health nexus, the labor market, and the educational ecosystem. Methodologically, quantitative algorithmic auditing predominates (58%), although mixed sociotechnical approaches have increased by 25% since 2021 to capture experiences of intersectional vulnerability. The study concludes that AI acts as an active agent of social reproduction, necessitating a transition toward “Algorithmic Justice” and “Human-Centric Governance.” Finally, a “Reinstating AI” framework is proposed to democratize technological development and mitigate systemic biases, offering a roadmap for researchers and policymakers in the pursuit of technological sovereignty.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050325

Authors: Robert Lekganyane Sipho Sibanda

Social workers can play a significant role in promoting environmental citizenship to benefit vulnerable groups, such as those residing in informal settlement areas. With the proliferation of informal settlements in many African countries, the role of social workers in advocating for environmental citizenship is even more crucial. Their involvement should be evidence-based and entrenched in research that promotes an understanding of the impact of environmental degradation on human lives and their roles in environmental citizenship. Such knowledge should then inform environmental citizenship policies and programmes. Despite this crucial role as imposed by their professional mandate, policies, legislations and international treaties to address the conditions of marginalised and vulnerable people, environmental degradation continues to aggravate the vulnerability of people living in informal settlements. Furthermore, the scholarly contribution of social workers to environmental citizenship is delicate, with limited knowledge around the subject matter. Following the integrative literature review method, this paper outlines the nature of environmental citizenship, the relevance of social work to environmental citizenship, and the approach that social workers can adopt to contribute towards environmental citizenship in informal settlements. Literature around environmental citizenship in informal settlements, environmental disasters and informal settlements, and social work, as well as environmental citizenship and social justice, served as a population, from which a sample meeting predetermined inclusion criteria was purposefully drawn and analysed. The study confirms that, by its nature, environmental citizenship is central to social work and that there is a need to empower social workers around the subject matter.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050324

Authors: María Ángeles Fernández-Barrero Luisa Graciela Aramburú Moncada

Background: The growing use of big data and algorithmic personalisation in political communication has intensified concerns about surveillance, privacy, and manipulation. Although previous research has examined these issues among the general public, much less is known about how journalism students—future professionals who have grown up in data-fied environments—perceive them. This study investigates the extent to which these students feel ‘spied on’ by digital platforms and online media, how such perceptions influence their trust in media, platforms and political actors, and what attitudes they hold regarding the ethical use of data in journalism. (2) Methods: Based on a survey of 222 journalism students, the research analyses perceptions of digital surveillance, awareness of political microtargeting, and attitudes toward the ethical use of audience data in journalism practice. A qualitative component, through focus groups, complements the survey by exploring ethical reflections on algorithmic tracking and journalistic responsibility. (3) Results: The findings reveal a widespread distrust of social networks and political actors and a more moderate scepticism toward the news media. Students express strong ethical concerns about data use and algorithmic personalisation, particularly in political communication and in relation to their future professional roles. (4) Conclusions: The study suggests that journalism students show critical awareness of algorithmic personalisation. Their perceptions highlight the need for academic training in transparency, consent, and accountability in data-driven practices.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050323

Authors: Andrew Harvey

This article highlights the nature and extent of challenges faced by students from refugee backgrounds in Australian higher education, and suggests potential cultural, institutional and policy reforms to meet these challenges. People from refugee backgrounds are less likely than other Australians to access higher education and face barriers across and beyond the student life cycle. These issues include highly unequal graduate outcomes, resulting from factors such as unconscious (and conscious) employer bias and limited social networks. However, while national census data confirm relatively poor access rates and graduate outcomes, most people from refugee backgrounds have historically been subsumed under a broader non-English speaking background (NESB) category within higher education statistics. This approach has served to mask inequities and create a largely invisibilized group of under-represented domestic students. Improving access and outcomes will require a greater focus on collection and publication of equity data, more targeted institutional policies across the life cycle, and effective advocacy. Cultural change is also required for universities to better identify, recognize, and reward diverse forms of capital possessed by students from refugee backgrounds. Equally, effective advocacy could include allyship with the original displaced people in Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, whose own voices are increasingly centered and central to reform of Australian higher education.

Due to increasing disruptions in rainfall patterns, stormwater management, and pollution accumulation brought on by urbanization and climate change, urban hydrology faces significant challenges. Although the demand for sustainable solutions is rising, limited research has focused on integrating stormwater management practices, such as Low Impact Development (LID) stormwater controls, in areas where rainfall variability and pollutant accumulation are pronounced. This study investigates the effectiveness of Low Impact Development (LID) stormwater controls, specifically bioswales, in improving stormwater quantity and quality in Ver Dominic Heights, a newly developed residential area in Palo, Leyte, Philippines. Using the EPA Storm Water Management Model (SWMM), simulations were conducted to approximate existing site conditions and evaluate the performance of bioswales under varying green-to-gray (GG) land use ratios, ranging from 1% to 99% at intervals of 10%. Rainfall scenarios were modeled for the 85th, 90th, and 95th percentiles, with bioswale surface areas compared to impervious structural coverage. The study incorporated pollutant data, including Total Suspended Solids (TSS), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb), sourced from literature and site-specific assessments. Results highlighted that frequent use of motorcycles and tricycles contributed to localized pollutant buildup despite minimal overall traffic. SWMM simulations revealed that runoff peaked at 30%‒40% green coverage before stabilizing at 90%. At the same time, infiltration remained consistent, achieving a maximum of 10 mm under the 95th percentile rainfall scenario at a 90:10 green-to-gray ratio. The significance of context-sensitive approaches in stormwater management planning was highlighted by a comparative examination of site-specific and literature-based pollution data, which showed that localized data gave more realistic and moderate results. This study highlights the integration of bioswales and green infrastructure in urban development to reduce rainfall-induced runoff and pollutant accumulation successfully. The findings provide important insights into optimizing green-to-gray ratios for sustainable stormwater management and underline the necessity of site-specific assessments to handle the variability of rainfall and pollutant dynamics.

Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of street-level bureaucracy and the evolving role of prosecutors under institutional pressure, this article offers an empirical contribution to the literature on ‘crimmigration’. It interrogates how prosecutors interpret their role within human-smuggling cases and how these interpretations affect the criminalization or protection of migrants. The findings suggest that excessive criminalization may stem not only from broad legal definitions but also from the ways in which prosecutors understand and enact their role in practice. The article further contends that promoting a more magisterial prosecutorial role – characterized by legal autonomy, normative deliberation, and a rule-of-law-based weighing of interests – can foster a more balanced and rights-compliant approach to human smuggling. Such an orientation, it suggests, better aligns prosecutorial practices with international and European legal standards, and may help to counter the overreach of criminal law in migration governance.

This paper examines whether e-procurement adoption is associated with procedural competition and transparency, two core components of procurement integrity. Using award-level microdata for Italian regional contracting authorities (2019–2023), we analyze a period preceding the legal obligation of full-cycle digital procurement, when the use of e-procurement tools remained discretionary across authorities. We construct three procedure-level indicators—notice-to-deadline length, single bidding, and ex-post outcome communication—and estimate pooled OLS, Probit, and Linear Probability models with extensive controls and robustness checks. We find that e-procurement adoption is differentially associated with these indicators across procedure types: it reduces single-bid outcomes in non-competitive procedures, while in competitive settings it lengthens submission periods and increases the likelihood of end-of-procedure communication. Although correlational, the results suggest that discretionary digitalization can reinforce procedural competition and disclosure practices through transparency and traceability gains.

Despite growing interest in, and the increasing importance of, trust in regulatory governance and the regulatory state, we are still missing a systematic discussion of their interaction. This leads to conceptual ambiguities, disparate language for similar phenomena, and scholars talking past each other. This paper fosters clarity and systematization for a cumulative knowledge-building trajectory. We propose a multi-layered framework, which begins with a genealogy that traces how and when trust became important in the field of regulation and how it may redefine its boundaries. Next, we offer a basic typology that categorizes trust-regulation relationships into five core types—decoupled, substitutive, undermining, complementary, and reinforcing—based on mode (conflictual/cooperative) and degree (low/high) of interaction. We then expand it by disaggregating trust and regulation into key dimensions (level, design, and action) for richer, finer-grained analysis. Finally, we use the framework to introduce this special issue contributions. Our collective findings challenge conventional views depicting trust and regulation in negative, static and simplistic terms, revealing often complementary or even reinforcing dynamics, which can shift over time and be contingent upon the specific dimensions analyzed. Our framework promises to advance theoretical precision, guide empirical inquiry, and inform policy design in the field of regulatory governance.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050322

Authors: Ernesto F. L. Amaral

International migration research is entering a phase in which digitalization reshapes how migration processes are measured, modeled, and governed. At the same time, recent scholarship emphasizes the need to further develop migration theory so that it reflects contemporary migration dynamics and evolving data environments. This article proposes a global framework for “digital migration systems” that integrates classic migration theories with digital-demography infrastructures and digital trace data. The framework conceptualizes migration as a multi-scalar system in which origin and destination contexts, policy regimes, and network dynamics interact with measurement technologies and data architectures. Building on digital-era demographic scholarship, the article outlines how traditional population sources such as censuses and household surveys can be combined with administrative records and digital trace data while maintaining attention to representativeness, coverage, and bias. The article then presents a modeling pathway connecting spatial interaction models and Bayesian approaches to common migration data constraints. Finally, it develops policy applications illustrating how a digital migration systems perspective can support scenario-based policy evaluation, rapid shock assessment, and local capacity planning. The article contributes a conceptual bridge integrating migration theory, digital measurement infrastructures, and policy analysis. It also clarifies scope conditions for applying the framework across diverse national contexts.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050321

Authors: Adrianna N. Taylor Rebecca Lisenbee Colleen Slentz

Despite the focus on social justice, social work education is still heavily rooted in hierarchy and harmful educational practices. This conceptual and practice-informed article aims to highlight the deconstruction of educational hierarchy within the classroom through a justice lens, with equitable intention, and storytelling as meaningful discourse in social work education. These authors intend to deconstruct power dynamics, dismantle harmful assumptions, and encourage the unlearning of systemic and oppressive methods with the integration of clinical social work experience, useful decolonized classroom practices, and narrative pedagogy. The practice of storytelling can be healing, aid in building community, and also offer a collective learning experience that is actively working in social work education. The unlearning of harmful grading practices, classroom power structures, and models that reinforce individualism are essential for propelling social work education toward a more collective, justice-oriented approach. This article draws on transformational pedagogy and clinical social work practice to explore the ways in which change can occur with intention, attunement, and humility on behalf of instructors and lends to the ongoing conversation around decolonizing social work education. The authors posit that transformative education lies in the space between social work education and clinical practice. The methodology for this article is a culmination of a narrative literature review and the authors’ collective clinical social work practice and pedagogical experience, and this article brings what already occurs in that space into the scholarly literature.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050320

Authors: Alaa AL-Taii Marzouqah Alazmi Hamza Allam Muna Alhammadi Kayaty Ashour

Despite legislative advancements, social and reputational norms continue to govern domestic conflict’s institutional visibility. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design in the United Arab Emirates, covering the period 2019–2025, this study analyzes how the transition across two successive domestic violence statutes is associated with women’s institutional trajectories. Quantitatively, 412 first-instance case files were analyzed using non-parametric tests and a CHAID decision tree. Qualitatively, interviews with women (n = 28) and institutional actors (n = 23) explain how “status flipping” occurs through counter-complaints and moral character narratives. Findings indicate that norms-based moral regulation and structural constraints (e.g., financial dependency and custody leverage) are strong correlates of escalation from case closure to formal prosecution. The CHAID model identifies structural constraints as the principal splitter in trajectory separation. Post-2024 patterns suggest an institutional lag, where implementation routines evolve more slowly than formal law. The paper contributes a model of reputation-mediated escalation and proposes procedural safeguarding to curb retaliatory cross-filing and make patterned coercive control legally legible. By situating women’s legal interactions within an interactional pathway of norms, constraints, and institutional translation, the study clarifies why “protection” can paradoxically morph into complex procedural outcomes in legally transitioning contexts.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050319

Authors: Victoria Cooper Stephanie Jane Bennett

Children of prisoners (CoP) and their families experience stigmatisation simply because a family member is imprisoned. The stigma of familial imprisonment compels CoP to keep their family circumstances hidden, which intensifies isolation and restricts access to essential support. Furthermore, the impact of language used to represent CoP, along with media reporting of familial crimes, perpetuates stigmatising narratives and subsequent marginalisation. Despite long-standing recommendations, efforts to enhance provision for CoP in schools across England and Wales have been only partially implemented, resulting in inconsistent and inadequate support. As CoP remain unrecognised as a priority group, policy inaction and stigmatisation risk perpetuating cycles of exclusion. Drawing upon empirical data, this article provides a unique contribution to the academic field using a symbolic interactionist, labelling theory and critical realist framework to examine how targeted strength-based support for CoP can help them to reconstruct stigmatising narratives and mitigate negative outcomes by moving from a position of silence to a position of strength.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050318

Authors: Adam Ballout Marian S. Harris

Legal advocacy for parents involved in the public child welfare system in the United States is typically initiated only after a child has been removed and a dependency petition has been filed. For infants, removal at or shortly after birth constitutes a profound disruption of the parent–child attachment relationship and is increasingly recognized as an adverse childhood experience. This paper focuses on a summative program evaluation of the Family Intervention Response to Stop Trauma (FIRST) Legal Clinic in Washington State, a prevention-oriented model providing free, confidential legal advocacy and peer support to pregnant and postpartum parents prior to Child Protective Services (CPS) investigation or court involvement. Administrative data from 2019 to 2025 for 1232 eligible families were utilized to examine eligibility and referral patterns, reasons for ineligibility, and case outcomes. Findings demonstrated that eligible families with known outcomes avoided dependency court involvement entirely or experienced case closure without child removal, while a smaller proportion proceeded to dependency court filings. These findings highlight the need to reduce unnecessary child welfare system entry and mitigate traumatic disruption of the parent–child attachment relationship at birth by providing legal advocacy before investigation and court involvement.

Societies doi: 10.3390/soc16050165

Authors: Giovanni Allegretti Patricia García-Leiva

Over the last two decades, the global political landscape has witnessed an unprecedented surge in interest in processes of democratic renewal and innovation [...]

Societies doi: 10.3390/soc16050164

Authors: Antonia Ramírez-García Daniel Macías-Fernández Irina Salcines-Talledo Arantxa Vizcaíno-Verdú M. Pilar Gutiérrez-Arenas

This article develops theoretically an integrative analytical construct (InMeDiT Capital, acronym for informational, media, digital and technological capital) derived from Pierre Bourdieu’s social field theory framework to expand its conceptual capacity to interpret and explain specific relational dynamics within a hyper-digitised social context that directly affects families. Based on Bourdieu’s social field theory, different types of classic capital and other more novel types (informational, media, digital, or technological) have been defined. The characteristics of 21st-century society require that the latter be addressed from an integrative perspective. Methodologically, the work is based on a critical and systematic review of the literature. Based on this analysis, a process of conceptual abstraction and theoretical modelling was carried out that can be described as phenomenological in its attempt to capture the depth of the concepts. This consisted of (1) defining the ontological and relational assumptions of the original framework, (2) isolating the analytical mechanisms relevant to the phenomenon under study, and (3) reorganising these elements into a coherent conceptual structure. The result is an updated conceptual framework (InMeDiT Capital) that maintains epistemological consistency with social field theory, but introduces a novel conceptual articulation through its hybridisation, the dimensions that comprise it, and an operational framework for diagnosing and mobilising capital in the family context.

Despite its nutritional and industrial significance, selenium (Se) is considered a pollutant in aquatic environments owing to its toxicity at elevated concentrations, which potentially cause environmental degradation and adverse health effects in humans and local biota. We conducted a structured review of studies published between 2015 and 2024 to identify Se sources, contamination levels, and co-occurring inorganic pollutants in surface water and groundwater impacted with Se pollution. We found that anthropogenic activities, particularly mining, are the predominant sources of Se pollution, accounting for over 71% of all cases. Industrial and agricultural activities also contribute to a lesser extent. Geogenic processes, including mineral oxidation, weathering, and seawater intrusion, also cause excessive Se accumulation predominantly in groundwater. In most freshwater sources, Se concentrations range from 100 to 1000 µg/L (n = 59 of 116 water bodies); however, values from anthropogenic sources can be significantly higher, reaching up to 7640 µg/L. Se pollution is frequently associated with several co-pollutants across all sources, including anions such as chloride and phosphate, as well as metals such as cadmium, lead, and nickel, but arsenic is consistently the most prevalent, with concentrations generally ranging between 10 and 100 µg/L. Other significant co-pollutants, including aluminum, chromium, mercury, manganese, uranium, vanadium, and antimony, are source-specific. This structured review provides essential insights for addressing sources and concentration ranges of Se pollution and highlights the necessity for developing simultaneous removal strategies of Se and its co-pollutants from global aquatic environments and groundwater sources.

This article develops an analytical framework for understanding regulators' struggles for legitimacy, highlighting tensions between two key sources: credibility and responsiveness. A regulator must earn credibility with actors around the regulatory arena, but organizational tools for credibility-building, including codified rules and mobilized expertise, create path dependence that limits subsequent responsiveness to public pressure. This self-constraining mechanism generates a “legitimacy trap”: credible regulators become unable to respond without damaging established credibility yet risk organizational survival if they remain unresponsive. I demonstrate this mechanism through process tracing of drug funding policies by England's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. The findings show how regulators strive to maintain credibility despite partial yet substantial changes signaling responsiveness to public concerns. They reveal why non-majoritarian institutions resist policy change under politicization and why changes, when forced, involve subsuming new rules within the existing framework, demonstrating the limits of politicization in transforming regulatory policies.

The extent to which Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs) conform to the “ideal” rational decision-making model depends on factors such as political appropriation and the capacity of regulatory bodies. However, despite RIAs being embedded in bureaucratic settings, little research examines how the degree of formalization of RIA implementation affects their quality. In many contexts, RIAs are implemented within decision-making environments characterized by bureaucratization, where discretion is constrained by legalism, formal boundaries, and standardized processes. This study investigates how bureaucratization influences RIA quality and whether regulators socialized in more bureaucratized administrative cultures rely more heavily on standardized procedures than their peers, thereby affecting RIA quality. Drawing on evidence from Brazilian regulatory agencies that operate within a traditionally bureaucratized administrative system, we employ a mixed-methods design that combines OLS regression analysis with qualitative interviews. Our findings show that lower bureaucratization, operationalized as the use of strategic guidance documents that convey essential concepts and outline decision-making steps, is associated with higher-quality RIAs. By contrast, higher bureaucratization, characterized by the adoption of overly standardized templates, diminishes impact assessment quality. In addition, regulatory boards composed primarily of public sector professionals tend to adopt these templates more frequently, further reinforcing lower quality RIAs. Overall, the study contributes to research on the determinants of RIA quality and demonstrates how excessive bureaucratization can displace the intended goals of policy instruments.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050317

Authors: Robin W. Spencer Samuel M. Otterstrom

Many studies of human migration focus on modern issues such as economics, politics, urbanization, and commuting. Here, we seek foundational patterns by using very large genealogies to measure migration centuries before modern technologies or census data became available. In Europe and North America from 1400 to 1950 we find two distinct patterns of internal lifetime migration: in most locations and eras we find “steady-state” migration with a power–law distribution of migration distance. A very different “frontier” distribution appears suddenly in North America after 1740; it is not a simple power law and has much longer average distances. All datasets (both patterns) are well fit by a three-parameter model; the temporal and geographic patterns of the fitted parameters give new insight to American internal expansion 1620–1950. In addition, we find that frontier migration is highly directional and asymmetric; gravity models do not apply. The American frontier pattern arises from the colonial-era steady-state within two generations, plateaus, and then returns to a more mobile steady-state. This frontier pattern is enabled by large-scale technological or numeric imbalance and geographic opportunity; when these forces abate, a new steady-state begins.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050316

Authors: Gabriella Hideg-Fehér Zsuzsanna Pótó

The aim of the present study was to explore differences in fair play attitudes among university students in Hungary and Kenya using the Fair Play Attitude Scale (EAF). The questionnaire was culturally adapted for the Kenyan context and administered in both countries. A total of 2090 university students participated in the survey (1278 from Kenya and 812 from Hungary). The scale measures three dimensions of fair play attitudes: gamesmanship and the importance of winning, acceptance of rough play and cheating, and fair play and enjoyment of the game. Principal component analysis confirmed the three-factor structure of the instrument, and reliability indices indicated satisfactory internal consistency in both samples. Due to the non-normal distribution of the variables, non-parametric statistical procedures were applied to examine differences between groups. The results revealed significant cross-cultural differences in fair play attitudes. Kenyan students, particularly men, showed higher acceptance of competition-oriented behaviour and gamesmanship, whereas Hungarian students placed greater emphasis on enjoyment and adherence to fair play principles. The findings highlight the role of cultural and social contexts in shaping ethical attitudes in sport and underline the importance of fair play education in sport pedagogy and educational practice.

Societies doi: 10.3390/soc16050162

Authors: Ludovica Carini Emanuela Mora Kalkidan Shashigo

This article offers an exploratory overview of the contemporary Ethiopian textile, fashion and apparel system. The contribution originated from a teaching experience in Addis Ababa within the framework of the AICS–UNIDO-funded project “Ethiopia: Support to Youth and Women through Products and Services Development and Public–Private Partnerships in the Fashion Value Chain” which prompted the authors to deepen their understanding of the local fashion ecosystem. Drawing on informal conversations, observations, and ethnographically oriented field notes, the authors developed the analysis through desk research and a review of the relevant literature. The picture that emerges reveals both the creativity and strong entrepreneurial drive of Ethiopian designers, alongside the structural barriers they commonly face, including limited access to materials, investment, and institutional support. Designers are shown to negotiate ongoing tensions between cultural heritage and global aesthetics, while also contending with local consumption patterns situated between second-hand clothing markets and international brands. These dynamics highlight both the challenges and the potential of the Ethiopian fashion scene, pointing to opportunities for mutual learning and for fostering fashion practices that are sustainable, globally relevant, and firmly grounded in local contexts.

Societies doi: 10.3390/soc16050163

Authors: Annamária Šimšíková

This study addresses the phenomenon of the hikikomori syndrome and escapism into digital environments. We examined the associations between digital escapism and identified supportive factors contributing to the liminal state between the real and digital worlds among digital hikikomori individuals. The case study captures, through in-depth interviews, the life situations of five hikikomori individuals aged 27–33 from selected countries: France, Russia, North America, Malaysia and Japan. The study covers the period from June 2025 to January 2026. Escapism into the digital environment is associated with the consumption of narrative digital content and digital games. Characters and avatars play a significant role in escapism. By identifying with characters and avatars, digital hikikomori reflect on their own life stories, exercise emotional self-regulation, and control their digital experience in a safe environment. Stressful life situations are the driving force behind the creation of a virtual identity. Through characters and avatars, digital hikikomori not only engage in self-reflection but also present their own identities, abilities, character traits, and personalities absent in the real world. They likewise substitute psychological and relational needs. Escapism into the digital environment, time investment in consuming narrative digital content, building a virtual identity, and progress in the digital environment that saturates self-assertion in the real environment are, in relation to the real environment, prerequisites for stagnation, procrastination, and liminal experience.

Societies doi: 10.3390/soc16050161

Authors: Gita Šakytė-Statnickė

Background: Sustainability in education requires creating a supportive working environment that promotes the well-being, motivation, and professional development of employees in the education and science sector. From the perspective of sustainable human resource development in the education and science sector, it is essential to identify job resources that are positively associated with work engagement, as emphasized in the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model. The aim of this paper is to examine whether three key work organization and job content resources (influence at work, possibilities for development, and meaning of work) predict work engagement among employees in the Lithuanian education and science sector from a sustainability perspective. Methods: Based on the JD-R model, this study applied a quantitative research design. Data were collected through a structured written questionnaire completed by 446 employees in the Lithuanian education and science sector. The relationships between key work organization and job content resources and work engagement were examined using hierarchical multiple regression analysis, with gender, age, and position included as control variables. Results: The hierarchical regression analysis showed that meaning of work and influence at work remained statistically significant positive predictors of work engagement after controlling for gender, age, and position, whereas possibilities for development showed a positive but non-significant tendency in the controlled model. These findings are consistent with the Job Demands-Resources theory and can be interpreted from the perspective of the UNESCO Education for Sustainable Development framework, which emphasizes the importance of empowering teachers, scientists and other employees in the education and science sector, fostering continuous improvement, and connecting their work to a broader educational and societal purpose. Conclusions: The hierarchical regression analysis indicates that meaning of work and influence at work are the most stable predictors of work engagement in the education and science sector from a sustainability perspective. This study contributes to the literature by applying the JD-R model through a sustainability lens in the education and science sector. The results provide new insights into how influence at work, possibilities for development, and meaning of work can be interpreted as sustainability-oriented job resources associated with work engagement in the education and science sector.

This article investigates how Danish academics participate in, interpret, and reproduce debates on the legal and normative regulation of Muslims in Denmark since the early 2000s. Through a thematic analysis of journal articles and public dissemination outputs authored by Danish researchers, it explores the social production of legal knowledge and scholars’ positioning in relation to mainstream Islamophobic discourse. The study finds that positionality statements are largely absent or superficial, while identity-prejudicial stereotypes, pre-emptive silencing, and epistemic objectification are widespread. Academic accounts frequently omit Islamophobia as an analytical concept, which marginalizes the lived experiences of Muslims and obscures the religious and racial dynamics of law. Consequently, the findings suggest that Danish academic discourse systemically distorts the collective understanding of laws and regulations affecting Muslims by perpetuating testimonial and hermeneutical injustices.

Recent years have seen mounting concern about the use of rap music as evidence in criminal proceedings, alongside an ever-increasing number of cases involving ‘rap evidence’. Yet, while rap music is widely recognized to be highly prejudicial as evidence in court, little is known about how ‘prejudicial effect’ is, or should be, conceptualized and addressed in these cases. This article unpacks the meaning of prejudicial effect in criminal trials, offering a broad interpretation that encapsulates epistemic (accuracy) and non-epistemic (fairness) concerns, interrogates how the social and cultural context of rap music can make it ‘unduly prejudicial’ as evidence, and explores how the appellate courts approach the prejudicial effect of rap evidence. The article proposes more informative directions to jurors and advocates for legislation to restrict the admissibility of rap evidence, emphasizing the importance of assessing evidence in its proper social and cultural context.

This article deals with a comparative analysis of hybrid models for designing upflow anaerobic filters separated in two and three stages (UAF-2SS and UAF-3SS) treating sanitary landfill leachates (SLLs) generated from Guayabal sanitary landfill (GSL) and La Cortada -SL (LCSL), Colombia. Experimental factors (EFs) to treat SLLs from GSL in UAF-2SS were configured through two experimental designs (EDs). EDs1-GSL involved volumetric organic load (VOL) (1.8 to 4.64 kg COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand)/m³/d), Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) (18 h), temperatures (T) (20°C, 27°C, 34°C) SLLs from LCSL were treated in UAF-3SS configuring four EDs: (VOL(1.7 to 17.48 kg COD/m³/d), T (32°C to 36°C)), HRT(8.6 h, to 22.1 h). Six hybrid models (HMs) were analyzed through their kinetic parameters and graphical depictions. Among the HMs, HMs-1, HMs-2, HMs-3 and HMs-6 tended to give satisfactory results, being suitable to select intermediate curves that relate organic remaining fraction and VOLs for the reactor design purposes. It is also recommended to low-VOL calibrated interval (1.7 to 4.64 kgCOD/m³/d. For HM5, substrate utilization rate and microbial cell growth rate for methanogenic and non-methanogenic bacteria tended to be increased as the VOL was decreased, as well as methane yield was relatively steady under different VOLs, temperature and depth ratios. The novelty consists of to provide graphical predictions to illustrate and complement the design parameters included in hybrid models for achieving an appropriate physical configuration and operation of UAF-2SS and UAF-3SS reactors.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050315

Authors: Renata Avancini Tonini Mariana Borges Nunes Vieira Francisco Antonio Coelho Maria Caroline Goulart Iaria Guerra Aretha Salomão Pedro Marques-Quinteiro

The inclusion of refugees in the formal labor markets of host countries has been recognized as a sustainable solution to forced migration. In Brazil, due to the growing number of refugees, it is urgent to look at the difficulties faced by this population and develop strategies for their socio-economic inclusion. This study proposes a reflection on the meaning of decent work for refugees, considering their own perspectives, with the aim of offering a broader understanding of their desires and needs in the labor sphere. A survey was applied to 78 Venezuelan refugees in the northern region of Brazil. The data were analyzed using Jamovi software (Version 2.3.28), including descriptive and inferential statistics. Among the findings were the expectation of opportunities that value the skills of refugees. Difficulties due to cultural adaptation in organizations and a lack of professional recognition were pointed out. Job crafting proved to be a promising strategy for positively shaping work.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050313

Authors: Nicolette V. Roman Chanté Johannes Shenaaz Wareley

Abusive relationships are too often explained solely in terms of individual behaviour, as if a woman’s decision to stay were simply a matter of psychology or poor judgement. In South African communities, however, the reality is considerably more complex. The reasons women remain are situated within what can be described as a distorted process of care: a network of relational, material, and structural forces that alter the very meaning of care itself. This study aimed to explore these interconnections. Guided by an ethics of care framework, we employed multimodal qualitative methods to engage participants from four South African communities between August 2024 and July 2025. Participants (n = 262) were recruited through snowball, purposive, and convenience sampling. Data were coded using ATLAS.ti V8 and analysed thematically. Five interconnected themes shaped the framework. Distorted care described how caregiving could become coercive, shaped by fear, rigid gender roles, intergenerational abuse, and substance misuse. Care under constraint highlighted the material limitations, financial dependency, daily survival challenges, and self-sacrificing caregiving, that left women depleted. The silence of care captured emotional withdrawal, isolation, and the disabling effect of shame on help-seeking. Reclaiming care traced the tentative routes towards healing through ethical self-care, faith, forgiveness, and a conscious effort to disrupt harmful patterns. Woven throughout was structural failure, including absent family networks, the moral decline of communities, and institutional systems that consistently failed women. Remaining in an abusive relationship is not a sign of weakness. It is a negotiation, profoundly constrained, within systems of care that have been fundamentally distorted. Effective intervention should move beyond framing gender-based violence as an individual problem and address it as a collective one, restoring care as a shared social and political responsibility.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050314

Authors: Tim Lomas Dennis Snower James O. Pawelski Brendan W. Case Matthew T. Lee Jonathan D. Teubner Tyler J. VanderWeele

Can qualities of wellbeing and flourishing be meaningfully applied at the level of the social group, not merely as an aggregation of the wellbeing or flourishing of its members, but on its own terms as an emergent entity? This paper proposes that this is indeed the case, over three sections. First, we introduce the notions of wellbeing and flourishing, and note that these are usually applied to individual humans, not to groups (other than as the sum of the wellbeing/flourishing of their individual members). Second, to explore whether wellbeing/flourishing can apply at the group level, we elucidate the idea of a complex adaptive system (CAS), exploring work which argues that both individuals and groups constitute CASs, albeit different kinds. Finally, we consider some qualities by which a group itself could be deemed as flourishing.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050312

Authors: Mi-Young An

University dropout remains a critical challenge in South Korean higher education, with over 100,000 students leaving annually. This study investigates the structural and institutional factors influencing dropout rates across 211 four-year universities in South Korea, using publicly available data from the Korean University Information Disclosure System. Three research hypotheses were tested through independent samples t-tests, Pearson correlation analysis, one-way ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis. The results indicate that private universities exhibit significantly higher voluntary withdrawal rates than public institutions (t=−3.86, p<0.001), and non-metropolitan universities show significantly higher overall dropout rates than their metropolitan counterparts (t=−4.52, p<0.001). Furthermore, a significant negative correlation was found between student enrollment rates and dropout rates at the regional level (r=−0.561, p=0.019), with this relationship being particularly pronounced in non-metropolitan areas (r=−0.592, p=0.026). Multiple regression analysis revealed that institutional type (public vs. private) and regional enrollment rate are significant predictors of dropout rates, explaining 19.8% of the variance (F=17.01, p<0.001). These findings suggest that policy interventions should target private and non-metropolitan institutions, where structural vulnerabilities amplify dropout risks.

Societies doi: 10.3390/soc16050160

Authors: Bodhi Taylor Matthew James Phillips

Current research directed toward exploring the complexities of experiences within video gaming culture often comprises male-majority yet mixed-gender samples. Although valuable, these findings do not provide a male-representative overview of male gamers and risk diluting male gamer experiences as universal to all gamers, losing valuable gendered perspectives. In our study, we aimed to bridge this research gap by addressing: “What are the experiences of male gamers in online video gaming environments?” Through a qualitative, exploratory approach, underpinned by social constructionist epistemology, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 Australian adult male-identifying people who self-identified as online gamers (aged 18–36 years). Interviews were analysed through Reflexive Thematic Analysis, and findings present an overview of the complex social dynamics that shape male gamer experiences. Participants discussed experiences with toxicity online and frequently attributed problematic behaviour to characteristics they described as unrepresentative of male gamers broadly. They further described the sophisticated nature of online socialisation regarding the depth of bonds formed through gaming, which, at times, constitute larger online communities. These were navigated through a multitude of social criteria, revealing the underlying sociological structures that maintain dynamics within gaming environments. As such, broader concerns for the sociocultural status of men arose, particularly the problematisation of masculinity, which participants countered through identity management strategies aimed at restoring their reputation. Our findings highlight implications surrounding the importance of accounting for gendered meaning within gaming-based academic discourse and encourage public discourse surrounding problematic behaviour online to be redirected toward systems-level approaches.

Marine macroalgae from the Veraval coast show species-specific heavy metal uptake, with higher accumulation of zinc (Zn) and chromium (Cr) in some species. The results indicate coastal pollution and potential health concerns.

ABSTRACT

Heavy metal contamination in coastal environments is a growing concern due to the persistence, toxicity, and bioaccumulative nature of these elements. Marine macroalgae are effective biomonitors due to their capacity to absorb and concentrate trace metals from seawater. The present study investigated species-specific accumulation of seven heavy metals, lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and chromium (Cr) in 17 macroalgal species collected from the Veraval coast along the Arabian Sea, Gujarat, India. Metal concentrations were determined following acid digestion of dried algal tissues, and multivariate statistical analyses were applied to evaluate accumulation patterns and sources. Considerable variation in metal concentrations was observed among species. Zn showed the highest mean concentration (79.55 mg kg⁻¹), followed by Cr (21.75 mg kg⁻¹), and Pb (12.15 mg kg⁻¹). Among the studied species, Sargassum cinereum exhibited the highest Zn concentration (95.5 mg kg⁻¹), whereas Codium decorticatum showed the highest Cr level (35.8 mg kg⁻¹). Bioaccumulation factor values indicated strong uptake capacity, particularly for Zn, with maximum accumulation in Sargassum cinereum (BAF = 837.72). The metal pollution index (MPI) indicated variation in overall metal burden, with Scinaia carnosa (MPI = 17.81) and Grateloupia filicina (MPI = 17.56) showing the highest accumulation potential. Human health risk assessment indicated that target hazard quotient (THQ) values for Cd and Cr exceeded safe limits in several species, resulting in hazard index values ranging from 3.35 to 7.43, suggesting potential non-carcinogenic health risks. Multivariate analyses, including Pearson correlation, principal component analysis (PCA), and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), revealed distinct species-specific accumulation patterns and indicated the influence of natural geochemical and anthropogenic inputs. Overall, the findings establish marine macroalgae as bioindicators of coastal metal contamination and provide baseline data for monitoring and food safety along the Veraval coast, Gujarat, India.

Societies doi: 10.3390/soc16050159

Authors: Ji Won Kang

Dementia care research has been largely shaped by Western biomedical and cognitive paradigms that privilege verbal, linear, and memory-dependent methods of data collection. While these approaches have generated valuable insights, they also reproduce epistemic and ethical limitations, particularly in cross-cultural contexts. Linguistic dominance, culturally mismatched diagnostic and care frameworks, and reliance on caregivers as proxy informants can marginalize culturally and linguistically diverse communities and risk pathologizing cultural difference as cognitive deficit. In response, this conceptual paper advances a participatory arts-based framework for cross-cultural dementia care research that centers multiple ways of knowing beyond language. Drawing on principles of co-creation, shared decision-making, reflexivity, power-sharing, and relational ethics, the framework positions people living with dementia as collaborators rather than subjects. It articulates five interrelated dimensions: (1) modes of expression (visual, embodied, sensory, and performative); (2) forms of participation (co-design, co-creation, and co-analysis); (3) cultural situatedness of meaning-making; (4) relational ethics, including ongoing assent, trust, and reciprocity; and (5) intersectionality across culture, gender, migration, class, and caregiving roles. The paper illustrates how participatory arts-based methods, such as photovoice, body mapping, collaborative art-making, and sensory storytelling, can enable culturally resonant engagement across stages of dementia while addressing power asymmetries inherent in conventional research designs. By foregrounding embodied, sensory, and culturally grounded forms of expression, this framework offers a critical reorientation of dementia care research toward more inclusive, ethical, and culturally responsive knowledge production in diverse care contexts.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050311

Authors: Erhan Hancığaz

This study examines how Syrian migrants in Turkey—who generally have temporary protection status—adapt to their new environment, focusing on their sense of belonging, social acceptance, and social interaction. In this research, acculturation is considered not only as a one-way adaptation process but also as a multidimensional and mutually evaluated process that emerges through various variables such as the relationships migrants establish with the host society, their intercultural communication experiences, and their daily life practices. The study, conducted using a qualitative research design, is based on data obtained from in-depth interviews with semi-structured questions conducted with 20 Syrian migrants who have resided in various cities in Turkey for at least 5 years. The data emerging from the interviews were analyzed using descriptive-thematic analysis. The findings reveal that positive social contact and interaction within the social structure reinforce the sense of belonging; conversely, discrimination, exposure to exclusion, and legal uncertainty negatively affect acculturation processes. The study contributes to the literature by providing a context-sensitive analysis of acculturation, emphasizing the role of social interaction, belonging, and social acceptance in shaping migrants’ experiences.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050310

Authors: Kimberly B. Rogers Nina Bouche Jaein Chung Ellison Huang Alexa Kalish

Mental health issues among U.S. college students are reaching critical levels. Sociological theories explain how self and identity processes shape mental health, but few studies assess theoretically grounded interventions designed to improve it. Drawing on the affect control theory of self (ACT-Self), we examine whether students’ sustained investment in a positive, powerful, active identity across an academic term is associated with positive changes in their self-sentiments and mental health. Twenty-nine students invested in such an identity as part of a term-length project in a sociology course. We gathered three waves of survey data to track students’ self-sentiments and mental health immediately before (Wave 1) and after (Wave 2) the project and one month later (Wave 3). Students’ self-sentiments drew significantly closer to their goal at Wave 2 and remained closer at Wave 3. Depression, anxiety, and stress decreased across waves but were not significantly lower than baseline until Wave 3. Thriving and flourishing were significantly higher at Wave 2 but did not significantly differ from baseline at Wave 3. Students with self-sentiments closer to their goal reported lower depression and anxiety at Wave 2 and lower depression at Wave 3. Our findings provide preliminary evidence that identity-based interventions may be associated with improvements in some dimensions of college student mental health, depression in particular.

Societies doi: 10.3390/soc16050158

Authors: Stefanos Balaskas Ioanna Yfantidou

Gender-based violence (GBV) in higher education is increasingly recognized as a systemic problem across offline and online contexts, yet the pathways linking gender-related attitudes, victimization, and formal help-seeking remain insufficiently understood in Southern Europe. This study examined whether Sexual Harassment/Assault and Coercive Control mediate associations between ambivalent sexism, Acceptance of Dating Violence, Perceived Behavioral Control, and Formal Help-Seeking Intentions among women students in Greek higher education. An anonymous online survey was completed by 550 women students, and structural equation modeling tested direct, mediated, and multi-group associations by age, education level, and perceived financial situation. Coercive Control was the strongest predictor of Formal Help-Seeking Intentions, followed by Acceptance of Dating Violence and Perceived Behavioral Control, whereas Hostile and Benevolent Sexism had no significant direct effects. Mediation analyses showed that Coercive Control, rather than Sexual Harassment/Assault, provided the more consistent pathway to help-seeking intentions. Multi-group analyses indicated broadly stable patterns, with selected differences by age, education, and financial situation. The findings suggest that university GBV policies should move beyond incident-based responses, address patterned Coercive Control, and improve students’ perceived ability to access formal support services.

Societies doi: 10.3390/soc16050157

Authors: Shyhnan Liou Cyleen A. Morgan

As Taiwan faces rapid population aging and increasing longevity, individuals are expected to assume greater responsibility for their own financial security in later life. Future Time Perspective (FTP) is a well-established cognitive-motivational construct associated with long-term planning, while curiosity has been linked to adaptive functioning and sustained cognitive engagement across the lifespan. However, its role in shaping perceived timing of financial preparation remains underexplored. This study examined the associations among FTP, joyous exploration (JE), and perceived timing for financial preparation, and tested whether curiosity mediates this relationship. Cross-sectional data from 435 adults in Taiwan (aged 31–89 years) were analyzed. Participants completed validated measures of FTP, JE, and perceived timing for initiating financial preparation. OLS regression and mediation analyses were conducted, controlling for age, sex, education, and health. FTP was positively associated with JE. JE predicted earlier perceived financial preparation timing. Although the direct effect of FTP indicated endorsement of later preparation ages when controlling for JE, a significant negative indirect effect demonstrated that higher FTP was linked to earlier preparation ages through increased JE, reflecting inconsistent mediation. JE may represent a modifiable psychological pathway for promoting earlier and more proactive financial preparation in super-aging societies such as Taiwan.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050309

Authors: Alex R. Piquero

Developmental and life-course criminology (DLC) has been the epicenter of criminology for over 35 years. The onset of DLC began with theoretical models that sought to better understand the development of antisocial and criminal activity. Then, with the ‘aging’ of longitudinal studies and the development of advanced quantitative methods, researchers began to empirically test DLC-related hypotheses and propositions. While the extant research base has been extensive, less work has considered how findings from DLC research can inform justice policy. By reviewing key insights from the extant research, this essay focuses on how DLC-related research has made policy gains and, more importantly, how it can lead to more informed decision making surrounding youthful offenders.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050308

Authors: Regina C. Serpa Tony Manzi

As housing and migration are increasingly emerging as key global concerns in the 21st century, this article offers an in-depth evaluation and synthesis of existing research at the intersection between housing and migration. Through a detailed critical review of discipline-specific approaches in sociological, political and economic traditions, the article assesses the strengths, weaknesses and gaps in extant literature to challenge and define underlying assumptions and approaches to analysis. The article argues that the debates surrounding migration have been under-theorised in the housing literature and that, despite some exceptions, the general literature in migration studies has tended to underplay the importance of housing. Moreover, studies which have been undertaken within housing research can be criticised on grounds of being aspatial, ahistorical and/or apolitical. This critical review identifies cross-cutting themes of causality, cohesion and citizenship as areas for further development and argues that future housing and migration research studies should have a more solid theoretical foundation, which can offer opportunities for more effective, engaged scholarship.

Societies doi: 10.3390/soc16050156

Authors: Elliott J. Alvarado Gabriel Alvarez

This paper revisits assimilation theory—developed to explain immigrant incorporation into U.S. society—and advances a reformulation centered on reciprocal assimilation. Classical models describe a linear convergence toward dominant Anglo-American norms, while segmented assimilation highlights multiple pathways shaped by context, race, and class. Both, however, tend to frame incorporation as a directional process in which minority groups adapt to dominant institutions. Drawing on contemporary autism scholarship, this paper brings assimilation theory into dialogue with neurodiversity to examine how its core assumptions extend beyond immigrant contexts. Using autism as a critical case, we show that social adaptation often occurs through camouflaging (masking, compensation, and behavioral adjustment), producing outward conformity without changing underlying neurological differences and often carrying psychological costs. These dynamics suggest that inclusion is frequently conditional on sustained performance of normative behavior rather than true structural incorporation. We identify an underlying assumption of universal assimilability within assimilation research and show how engaging with disability calls for a broader conception of incorporation. In response, we propose reciprocal assimilation as a framework in which adaptation emerges through dynamic interaction among individuals, institutions, and social structures. Integrating life-course concepts—turning points, cumulative (dis)advantage, agency, and social bonds—we illustrate how participation trajectories are shaped by accessibility, accommodations, stigma, and support over time. We conclude that a reciprocal model shifts emphasis from cultural convergence to meaningful participation, offering a more flexible framework for understanding incorporation across diverse populations, with implications for research, measurement, and policy.

Assessing soil quality in forest fragments is crucial for understanding ecosystem dynamics and guiding conservation strategies. This study evaluates soil properties (0–0.20m) and leaf area index (LAI) using principal component analysis (PCA) and the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to identify key indicators of soil environmental quality. The research was conducted in four forest fragments, where soil samples were collected and analyzed for physical and chemical attributes, including organic matter content, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and base saturation. PCA revealed that chemical variables, such nutrient availability, CEC, organic matter and pH, were the primary drivers of soil quality variation across sites. AHP was then used to integrate expert judgment in weighting these variables, providing a structured ranking of soil attributes based on their ecological significance. The combined PCA-AHP approach proved effective, with PCA highlighting key soil properties and AHP complementing the analysis by incorporating expert knowledge to prioritize factors influencing soil quality. The results highlighted specific management needs: the small size of the Argentina Farm makes it particularly vulnerable to edge effects, whereas parameters like phosphorus levels at the Anhumas Farm and lower base saturation at the Quilombo fragment indicate the need for sustainable practices to enhance their ecological function. These findings contribute to improved land management by identifying critical soil indicators essential for conservation planning and sustainable practices.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050307

Authors: Enikő Kovács-Szépvölgyi Polett Koncsekné Reményi Roland Kelemen

In recent years, several states have introduced restrictive measures regarding children’s use of digital devices in schools, shifting policy focus from digital literacy development towards prohibition and regulation. This study employs a comparative policy analysis to examine the regulation of ICT device use across EU member states, followed by a Hungarian case study focusing on a ministerial decree that restricted students’ access to digital devices. The social and educational implications are explored through an empirical survey-based study conducted among parents of children aged 6–18. The findings indicate that the regulation’s legitimacy is based on a general normative conviction rather than direct experience. The study reveals that a top-down policy, lacking broad social consensus and student participation, tends to function as a lex imperfecta (imperfect law) in practice, which in turn fosters a “hidden curriculum” of rule circumvention among students. We argue that such policies, by undermining the perceived legitimacy of rules, may unintentionally damage students’ long-term legal socialization and respect for norms. This suggests that effective regulation requires participatory approaches to build legitimacy, rather than relying solely on prohibition.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050306

Authors: Ehsan Jozaghi Pouria Jozaghi

Debates about the relevance of constitutional monarchies have intensified in recent years, with critics questioning their democratic legitimacy, symbolic role, and public cost. This study moves beyond normative debates by evaluating the monarchy through a measurable economic framework grounded in the artificial intelligence (AI) driven influencer economy via mass and social media. Specifically, it analyzes the Royal Family’s presence on YouTube, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), alongside traditional media coverage indexed in the Newsstream database, to estimate tangible benefits relative to institutional costs using mathematical modelling and sensitivity analysis. The findings highlight that the combined annual value of social and mass media influence is approximately US$26,672 billion, with an estimated benefit–cost ratio of 40.0 million to 1. Even under conservative assumptions, the scale of media reach and engagement substantially exceeds the per capita cost of maintaining the institution. By reframing monarchy as a large-scale soft-power actor embedded within contemporary digital AI driven media ecosystems, this study contributes to research on constitutional governance, nation branding, and influencer economics. The results suggest that, in an era of globalized media and algorithmic amplification, monarchies may function not only as ceremonial institutions but also as influential and economically significant actors within modern evolving communication networks.

Societies doi: 10.3390/soc16050155

Authors: Gloria Macassa Anne-Sofie Hiswåls Elias Militao Joaquim Soares

Corporate crime is a widespread societal issue that causes significant physical, emotional, and financial harm. Despite its prevalence, research examining its effects from a public health perspective remains limited. This viewpoint paper, informed by a systematic review, examines the relationship between corporate crime and mental health, highlighting potential associations and methodological gaps. Evidence from OECD countries identified only two empirical studies, both conducted in Spain, both focusing on financial fraud, leaving other forms of corporate wrongdoing largely underexplored. The discussion is guided by a conceptual framework linking corporate financial violations to mental health outcomes, integrating stress theory, social determinants of health, and bidirectional pathways in which mental health may also influence corporate crime. The paper outlines a research agenda for public health researchers, addressing priority populations, study designs, measurement approaches, and policy implications. By bridging criminology and public health perspectives, this approach offers both theoretical insight and practical guidance for understanding and mitigating the mental health impacts of corporate crime. This framework constitutes the paper’s primary conceptual contribution by explicitly integrating criminological and public health perspectives into a multi-level and bidirectional model that has not been systematically articulated in prior literature. Rather than providing generalisable OECD-wide evidence, the paper highlights a substantial empirical gap within OECD settings and identifies key directions for future research.

Our research combined statistical data, interviews, and geographic information system (GIS) tools to map social welfare legal aid ‘deserts’ in England and Wales. This novel mixed methodology enabled us to explore the spatiality of unmet legal aid need. We show that provision may be spatially uneven even where provider offices do exist, indicating that some legal desert areas have gone unidentified (absolute shortage), that contracted provider offices may not in fact be undertaking any legal aid work even when surrounded by areas of likely legal aid need (obscured shortage), and that certain types of provision may be unavailable even where other types are available, while few areas have provision for multiple legal problems (partial shortage). These findings call into question the commonly used dichotomy of met and unmet legal aid need. We argue that our findings demonstrate that a market-based scheme alone cannot meet the need for legal aid provision.

Societies doi: 10.3390/soc16050154

Authors: Florencio Arias-Coronel Mauricio Solórzano-Alarcón Paola Andrea Arias Bravo Ricardo Chamorro López

Background/Objectives: From a phenomenological perspective, the body is not merely a biological entity but the primary medium through which we experience and interpret the world. This study aimed to understand the lived body experience of advanced physiotherapy students at a university in Cali, Colombia, exploring how significant life events are embodied and expressed. Methods: A qualitative phenomenological design was employed. Twenty physiotherapy students participated in a body mapping exercise within a mental health elective. Participants graphically represented sensations, emotions, and memories on a body silhouette using colors and symbols. Data from the resulting body maps were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach via a data extraction matrix to identify patterns in symbolic, chromatic, and narrative elements. Results: The analysis revealed that students consistently inscribe both traumatic and positive life events onto their body maps, illustrating a narrative of resilience. Specific colors and body parts were symbolically charged: black and red in the heart, head, and shoulders represented pain and emotional burden, while blue and green in areas like the hands and stomach signified stability and achievement. External symbols (e.g., landscapes, bicycles) served as emotional anchors or representations of personal growth. Conclusions: Body mapping proves to be a powerful technique for accessing the embodied, often non-verbal, narratives of students. It underscores that the body functions as a living archive of experience. Integrating such methodologies into physiotherapy education can significantly enrich professional training by fostering sensitivity to corporality as a lived, relational, and cultural phenomenon, thereby strengthening future clinicians’ holistic and humanistic competencies.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050305

Authors: Abel Yeboah-Ofori Awo Aidam Amenyah

Background: Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse is a longstanding global issue, increasingly amplified by digital technologies, mobile devices, and internet access. This shift has intensified Child Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (COSEA). WeProtect 2020, a Global Alliance Intelligence brief report, indicated a 200% rise in online abuse forums. Existing studies focus on child protection, grooming, and survey-based analyses and draw inferences regarding grooming tactics and thematic analysis. Social issues such as underreporting, limited threat intelligence sharing, and low cyber awareness persist, leading to vulnerabilities and various exploitations. Further, a lack of social engagement and support persists, posing serious challenges for victims and law enforcement. Multiple studies have used the term Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (OCSEA) that focus on a technology-centric approach. However, the paper considers Child Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (COSEA) child-centric approach as we explore challenges of a child accessing the internet and engaging in online activities. Methods: This study analyses COSEA using the MITRE tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) framework to examine perpetrator behavior, motives, and potential attribution, considering the evolving threat landscape. Results: TTP-based analysis enables the identification of adversary intent, methods, and opportunities. The study contributions are threefold: (1) we explore COSEA and its manifestations; (2) we apply the MITRE TTP framework with subjective expert judgment to analyze perpetrator behavior and the victim; for instance, what leads victims to become complicit in wrong acts; and (3) propose mitigation strategies and stakeholder roles. Conclusion: By integrating technical, social, and behavioral perspectives, it highlights the roles of economic, societal, and deterrence factors and recommends policy, education, and collaborative threat-intelligence sharing to enhance child online safety.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050304

Authors: Thouez Schweiger

Municipal leadership has become increasingly central to addressing global challenges such as war-related displacement, migration governance, and climate change, reflecting a broader shift toward polycentric and networked forms of multilateralism. This study examines how cities have expanded their international roles over the past decade, responding to governance gaps with pragmatic, people-centred action. Using a qualitative, theory-informed comparative case study design, it draws on three original case studies grounded in direct practitioner experience: European municipal cooperation supporting Ukraine during war; city engagement in shaping the Global Compact for Migration; and municipal leadership in advancing climate action and the emerging climate mobility agenda. Across these cases, the analysis identifies consistent patterns of multi-scalar municipal agency, including decentralized humanitarian action, norm-setting in international negotiations, and innovations in multilevel climate governance. Cities leverage transnational networks—such as the Mayors Migration Council and the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group—to amplify political influence, exchange solutions, and secure resources, even as fiscal pressures and political polarization increasingly constrain local capacity. It concludes that cities are becoming important actors in shaping global governance, yet their effectiveness depends on institutionalized representation, enhanced fiscal autonomy, and stronger protections for local leaders. Embedding municipalities more fully within evolving multilateral architectures can better align global commitments with local implementation and improve the resilience and legitimacy of international policy coordination.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050303

Authors: Matthew Wilson Daniel Sage Jennifer Robinson Sean Farmelo

In this mostly conceptual article, we address calls to promote heterodox thinking within business schools to develop alternative approaches to management, alternative economies and organizations that can better address societal-level ‘grand challenges’ from social justice to ecological sustainability. We illustrate our thinking by discussing the ideas behind a project: Re-Organise. Drawing on the work of Sara Ahmed, we consider the performative dimensions of introducing critical ideas in business and management schools; we argue that students will often have an affective form of resistance to new and challenging ideas, not because of their content per se, but because they are unknown and therefore experienced as challenging. To counter this resistance, we suggest there is value in introducing heterodox ideas in low-level but widespread ways in order to acclimatize students to them. We explain how within Re-Organise we have started developing this approach in three universities in the UK, by asking lecturers and professional services staff to introduce references to heterodox ideas such as cooperatives—into their work. Put simply, we want to expose students to these ideas as frequently as possible, even if this often means only superficial engagement. Whilst this approach is not intended to replace the more far-reaching change in business school pedagogy which we believe is necessary, we think that working towards what we call subtle ubiquity can help slowly produce more positive affective responses.

Societies doi: 10.3390/soc16050153

Authors: Soonhee Hwang

Gender disparities in STEM education continue to shape students’ academic persistence and career development. Identifying how psychological and contextual factors operate differently for male and female students is essential for understanding these disparities and designing targeted interventions. This study examines gender differences in the structural pathways linking contextual supports, career barriers, engineering self-efficacy, major motivation, career exploration behaviors, and academic persistence intentions among STEM undergraduates in South Korea. Using data from 2393 students collected through a national institutional project, multi-group structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to compare path coefficients between male and female students. The results showed that contextual supports significantly enhanced engineering self-efficacy, which in turn predicted higher major motivation and stronger academic persistence intentions across both groups. However, gender-specific differences emerged. Major motivation had a stronger positive effect on persistence among male students, whereas career exploration behaviors were negatively associated with persistence intentions only among female students. In addition, career barriers exerted a stronger negative total effect on persistence among female students. These findings suggest that gender differences in STEM are reflected not only in overall levels but also in the structural mechanisms linking key variables. Practically, supporting female students in managing perceived barriers and reframing career exploration as an adaptive process may help strengthen their academic persistence.

Longtime stepfamilies and later-life re-couplers with adult children from previous relationships are a growing demographic. Legal default assumptions are designed for younger first-time families, not for aging families or stepfamilies. However, for stepcouples who plan, and who document their wishes, the legal landscape allows for later-life stepcouples to exercise choice and create individualized alternatives. This article addresses normal challenges created by stepfamily structure that impact later-life “blended families” in three areas: health and end-of-life decision making, later-life financial management, and inheritance plans that consider both the current partner and children of previous relationships. Throughout, this article addresses the importance of using a stepfamily lens, not a first-time family lens.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050302

Authors: Francis D. Boateng Michael K. Dzordzormenyoh Godwin Egbe Nabi Youla Doumbia

The present study attempts to understand factors that influence bystanders’ decisions to intervene in risky sexual situations in the Ivory Coast. The study aimed to examine the influence of personality traits, history of sexual violence victimization, sense of community, and rape myths on bystander intervention among college students. Two hundred college students from one of the major cities in the Ivory Coast were invited to participate in the study using a convenience sampling approach. Using an OLS framework, our analysis revealed that extroversion is associated with a willingness to intervene, whereas prior sexual assault experience undermines the desire to intervene. Moreover, we found that students’ demographic characteristics influence their willingness to intervene. Policy implications of the findings are discussed.

Social Sciences doi: 10.3390/socsci15050301

Authors: Yao Wang Scott D. Ryan Damone Wisdom Hui Huang Catherine A. LaBrenz

The child welfare system is designed to promote child safety, well-being, and permanency, but the high stress and intensity of cases require a specialized workforce. Using a qualitative case study design, this study explored the perspectives of current and former Title IV-E stipend recipients on their preparation and readiness to actively participate in the child welfare workforce. The research team conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 individuals who had participated in a large Title IV-E stipend program in a southern state during a five-year period (2020–2025). Using applied thematic analysis, four main themes emerged: (1) bridging the classroom-practice gap; (2) professional preparation and development; and (3) experiences and future directions for Title IV-E Programs. We explored implications for Title IV-E policies and programs on specific strategies to best prepare the child welfare workforce so that they can best ensure child safety, permanency, and well-being.