SMART social science? Examining the nature and role of social scientific expertise in institutional design

Daniel Bromley argues against Oran Young’s FIT model as a basis for environmental governance, on the grounds that humans cannot manage nature and that attempts to do so are based on a scientistic, modernist conceit. At issue is the role of natural and social scientists in adjudicating questions about what we ought to do to close governance gaps and address unsustainable behaviors. If Bromley is right, then the lessons of the American pragmatist tradition recommend against attempts to “fit” social institutions to the natural world. The first objective of this paper is to argue that Bromley’s view is not in keeping with the pragmatism of C. S. Peirce and John Dewey, which actually places a high value on natural and social scientific modes of inquiry in the service of social ends. I argue that Young’s proposal is in fact a development of the pragmatist idea that social institutions must be fit in the sense of fitness, i.e., resilient and able to navigate uncertainty. Social institutions must also evolve to accommodate the emerging values of the agents who operate within them. The second objective of this paper is to examine the role of social science expertise in the design of social policies. Governance institutions typically rely on the testimony of natural scientists, at least in part, to understand the natural systems they operate within. However, natural systems are also social systems, so it seems pertinent to ask whether there is a role for social systems experts to play in helping to design environmental governance institutions. I argue that social scientists can make a unique contribution as experts on social institutions, and as such, are necessary to bring about a transformation of the unsustainable institutions that are preventing us from achieving stated sustainable development goals.

THE MARKETING OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISES: Understanding the concepts of marketing and market orientation of social enterprises within the context of Pakistani market

The concepts of social entrepreneurship and social enterprises have been extensively discussed in the previous two decades, yet the topic is still not matured yet. Most of the available literature is focused on defining these terms. Similarly, limited number of authors has discussed the marketing function of these enterprises or how marketing is interpreted in social entrepreneurship models. However, there is a plethora of literature on marketing entailing many different theories, amongst which the newest one is the “market orientation concept”. Market orientation is a mix of customer orientation, competitor orientation and inter-functional coordination suggesting marketing to be a part of the business philosophy. This study focuses on the marketing and market orientation of social enterprises while giving an overview of the literature of marketing and market orientation in social enterprises. This study aims to provide two basic questions, 1) what is the literature on marketing and market orientation of social enterprises while explaining the literature of social enterprises in Pakistan and 2) how these concepts are interpreted in social enterprises in Pakistani market. Key features of research methodology include case study approach while conducting thematic analysis using thematic networks. The results indicate that only a limited number of authors have discussed market orientation concept in social enterprises. The results from the interview data indicate the usage of marketing by a firm unconsciously without a specific marketing department. In addition to that, it has been found that in social enterprise world competition is tackled through a win-win approach with a view that many enterprises working for society improve the society which is the basic mission of any social enterprise. The data also showed that in Pakistani market, social enterprise concept is not legally used yet, which allows for more room for innovation. This study intends to give a new perspective to the theorists to use market orientation concept in social enterprises and also to managers to use marketing as their business philosophy in order to satisfy the stakeholders for better delivery of their businesses and as well for social good.

Philosophy of Computer Science and its Effect on Education: Towards the Construction of an Interdisciplinary Group

This article presents an interdisciplinary experience that brings together two areas of computer science; didactics and philosophy. As such, the article introduces a relatively unexplored area of research, not only in Uruguay but in the whole Latin American region. The reflection on the ontological status of computer science, its epistemic and educational problems, as well as their relationship with technology, allows us to elaborate a critical analysis of the discipline and a social perception of it as a basic science.

Los nuevos movimientos sociales, el uso de las TIC y su impacto social

El siguiente trabajo es el resultado una revisión sobre los Nuevos movimientos sociales y el uso de las nuevas tecnologías, vistos a la luz de la filosofía política. Esta reflexión parte de los resultados obtenidos en la tesis doctoral sobre “Nuevos movimientos sociales y uso de las TIC. Estudio de casos” presentada en la Universidad Complutense de Madrid en el doctorado de Comunicación, Cambio Social y Desarrollo. Si bien estos movimientos han existido desde hace mucho tiempo, las nuevas tecnologías digitales permiten la visualización, expansión y divulgación mayor de sus agendas y propuestas. El “saber hacer” de estos nuevos movimientos y su capacidad de transformación social, son expresión de un marco de estrategias diferentes a las propuestas por los grupos tradicionales enmarcados en los partidos políticos. Las metodologías de acción civil requieren de un flujo natural de la información, que los partidos políticos no pueden reproducir. Los recursos simbólicos y las expresiones de sentimientos y emociones, saltan a la palestra del juego social configurando un nuevo lenguaje, una manera distinta de ser. Más allá de la implicaciones mediáticas y políticas, hay un trasfondo en términos de cambio social profundo.

Los proyectos interdisciplinares de módulo: una experiencia innovadora en el Grado de Educación Social de la UPV/EHU

[ES]En este artículo se presenta una experiencia de innovación que se ha articulado, en el seno de un diseño curricular a través de módulos, al objeto de mejorar los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje que se están desarrollando en la Facultad de Fª y Ciencias de la Educación de la UPV/EHU. El marco de innovación aprovecha la oportunidad surgida con la configuración de los nuevos planes de estudio para su convergencia en el Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior. El contexto más amplio en el que se enmarca esta experiencia, es el de los cambios organizativos, curriculares y culturales, que está suponiendo la realización de un diseño modular de las nuevas titulaciones de grado (Pedagogía y Educación Social), trabajando en equipos docentes coordinados y contando con el apoyo institucional de la UPV/EHU. La innovación concreta que se presenta, describe minuciosamente uno de los siete módulos que componen la nueva titulación del Grado en Educación Social, y subraya la labor desplegada por el equipo docente que imparte las cinco materias que conforman el módulo en las dos lenguas oficiales: euskara y castellano, al planificar, desarrollar y evaluar la actividad interdisciplinar que les compete de manera coordinada. En este trabajo se reflexiona respecto a las posibilidades que la estructura modular ofrece para acometer un cambio real en la cultura de la práctica docente, y a cómo gestionar factores clave que garanticen el tránsito a un modelo docente activo, participativo y colaborativo. // This paper presents an innovative approach to improving teacher quality that is being developed at the Faculty of Philosophy and Educational Sciences of the UPV / EHU, taking the opportunity arose with the configuration of the new curricula for their convergence in the European Higher Education Area. It is framed in the broader context of organizational change, curriculum and cultural, that is assuming the implementation of a modular design of the new degree (Education and Social Education), working in teams coordinated and with the institutional support of the UPV. The concrete innovation is presented, describes one of the seven modules of the new degree of Social Education, and underlines the work done by the faculty team who teach the five subjects that make up the module in the two official languages: Basque and Spanish, because they must plan, develop and evaluate the interdisciplinary activity in a coordinated manner. We reflect in this paper on the potential that the modular structure offers to undertake real change in the culture of teaching practice, and how to manage key factors to ensure the transition to a teaching model active, participatory and collaborative.

The Impact of Community Social Capital on the occurrence of Injuries in adolescents and falls in older adults: Population-based Studies Conducted in Canadian samples

The objectives of this thesis were to study specific Canadian populations in order to examine; (1) relationships between the neighbourhood-level social capital and injuries in youth, as well as (2) falls in older adults, and; (3) to address methodological issues relevant to the study of such relationships. The thesis is comprised of four manuscripts. The first addresses methodological issues surrounding the validation of neighbourhood-level variables for the study of adolescent health, and demonstrates the existence of structural confounding in the study of related etiological relationships. Informed by the latter, the second manuscript examines the association between neighbourhood-level social capital and injuries in youth, and demonstrates that lower levels of social capital are protective factors for girls but not for boys. Manuscript 3 uses an international database focused on older adults, and shows that our existing measure of social capital is valid at neighbourhood levels, but also that there is a high possibility for the existence of structural confounding among Canadian older adults. The fourth manuscript then examines the association between neighbourhood-level social capital and the occurrence of falls in older adults and determines that differences between neighbourhoods are important factors in the occurrence of falls, and that higher levels of social capital are a risk factor for falls. Taken together, results from this thesis provide a better understanding of the role of neighbourhood-level social capital on the occurrence of injuries in Canadian youth and on the occurrence of falls in older adults. Our contributions were important both methodologically and etiologically.

Person, community, Tian: the emergence of order and harmony in Chinese philosophy

This thesis clarifies how the concept of tian functions in Chinese thought, and what tianren heyi (the continuity between tian and humans) means in the Chinese context. With a new interpretation about tianren heyi, I provide a new contribution for understanding these Chinese concepts for an English speaking audience. Tian is not a fixed concept like the idea of heaven, rather, it can be the principle for one’s immanent world. The meaning of the term changes depending on the context it is being used in, and can also be neutral when necessary. Continuity means that there is a resonance and reciprocity in the way these aspects of cosmology emerge together. Humans and tian are not being unified or connected—there is simply continuity between them. What happens is that a productive relationship between them produces depth, harmony, and enhanced significance. Through the interaction between humanity and tian, the human world gains order, and from the perspective of tian, gains harmony. This different understanding the continuity between humanity and tian leads to a new understanding of timing or the appropriateness in li. In the process of practice and self cultivation, it is seen that li is also an idea that is not fixed to one single interpretation as it is connected with timing and appropriateness. The Classical Chinese concept of “Person” (ren 人), as the concrete context of li, is the centre of this practice. Because of the unfixed natures of tian and li, one needs to be flexible in order to cater to their demands. This embodies the freedom of the subject in Chinese thought. As the outcome of li, the social and political structure is shaped in this process, the examples being the models of “great union” and “small tranquillity” (Chapter 3) in Chinese tradition.

[the Teaching Of Social Sciences In Health: Between Practice And Theory].

The models of teaching social sciences and clinical practice are insufficient for the needs of practical-reflective teaching of social sciences applied to health. The scope of this article is to reflect on the challenges and perspectives of social science education for health professionals. In the 1950s the important movement bringing together social sciences and the field of health began, however weak credentials still prevail. This is due to the low professional status of social scientists in health and the ill-defined position of the social sciences professionals in the health field. It is also due to the scant importance attributed by students to the social sciences, the small number of professionals and the colonization of the social sciences by the biomedical culture in the health field. Thus, the professionals of social sciences applied to health are also faced with the need to build an identity, even after six decades of their presence in the field of health. This is because their ambivalent status has established them as a partial, incomplete and virtual presence, requiring a complex survival strategy in the nebulous area between social sciences and health.

[almost An Autobiography: A Study Of Social Scientists In Health Based On The Lattes Curriculum].

Among the various ways of adopting the biographical approach, we used the curriculum vitaes (CVs) of Brazilian researchers who work as social scientists in health as our research material. These CVs are part of the Lattes Platform of CNPq - the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, which includes Research and Institutional Directories. We analyzed 238 CVs for this study. The CVs contain, among other things, the following information: professional qualifications, activities and projects, academic production, participation in panels for the evaluation of theses and dissertations, research centers and laboratories and a summarized autobiography. In this work there is a brief review of the importance of autobiography for the social sciences, emphasizing the CV as a form of autobiographical practice. We highlight some results, such as it being a group consisting predominantly of women, graduates in social sciences, anthropology, sociology or political science, with postgraduate degrees. The highest concentration of social scientists is located in Brazil's southern and southeastern regions. In some institutions the main activities of social scientists are as teachers and researchers with great thematic diversity in research.

[collective Health Paradigms: A Brief Reflection].

The article discusses the possibility of applying Kuhn's concept of paradigm to collective health. The concept and its use in epidemiology, planning and the social sciences are reviewed briefly. The study stresses the multi-paradigmatic character of collective health, resulting from the convergence of multiple epistemologies and the involvement of diverse fields such as the biological sciences, philosophy, the social sciences and humanities.

Juan César García: Social Medicine As Project And Endeavor.

This paper analyses some aspects of the trajectory of the Argentinian physician and sociologist Juan César García (1932-1984) in the field of Latin American Social Medicine. Three dimensions constituting his basic orientations are highlighted: the elaboration of systematic and reflective social thought; a critical attitude in questioning teaching and professional practices; a commitment to the institutionalization and dissemination of health knowledge.

Brazilian multicentre study of common mental disorders in primary care: rates and related social and demographic factors

Mental health problems are common in primary health care, particularly anxiety and depression. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of common mental disorders and their associations with socio-demographic characteristics in primary care in Brazil (Family Health Strategy). It involved a multicenter cross-sectional study with patients from Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Fortaleza (Ceará State) and Porto Alegre (Rio Grande do Sul State), assessed using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD). The rate of mental disorders in patients from Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Fortaleza and Porto Alegre were found to be, respectively, 51.9%, 53.3%, 64.3% and 57.7% with significant differences between Porto Alegre and Fortaleza compared to Rio de Janeiro after adjusting for confounders. Prevalence proportions of mental problems were especially common for females, the unemployed, those with less education and those with lower incomes. In the context of the Brazilian government's moves towards developing primary health care and reorganizing mental health policies it is relevant to consider common mental disorders as a priority alongside other chronic health conditions.

A formação humana na perspectiva histórico-ontológica

The theme of human formation is at the centre of the philosophy of education, whose aim is precisely the process of human promotion brought about by education. Starting from the critical vigilance proper to philosophy, the text sketches a phenomenology of the present time, verifying that the ideas prevailing in education at present are centred on the critique of reason and on the notions of truth and objectivity. This neo-pragmatism, which in the attempt to oppose metaphysics becomes deeply metaphysical, reducing everything to language, is contested by the authors with Marx's thoughts as a historicising philosophy that concerns not abstract subjects, but real individuals, historical subjects that are constituted as a synthesis of social relations. To that end, the authors resort to the historical ontological reflection on human formation contained in Marx's Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844. The article concludes by defending the proposition that access to the classics is a necessary condition for human formation.

Identidade social e auto conceito do dançarino em cadeira de rodas

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Procurando o lazer no Constituinte : sua inclusão como direito social na Constituição de 1988

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física