Social Identity and Youth Aggressive and Delinquent Behaviors in a Context of Political Violence

The goal of the current study was to examine the moderating role of in-group social identity on relations between youth exposure to sectarian antisocial behavior in the community and aggressive behaviors. Participants included 770 mother-child dyads living in interfaced neighborhoods of Belfast. Youth answered questions about aggressive and delinquent behaviors as well as the extent to which they targeted their behaviors toward members of the other group. Structural equation modeling results show that youth exposure to sectarian antisocial behavior is linked with increases in both general and sectarian aggression and delinquency over one year. Reflecting the positive and negative effects of social identity, in-group social identity moderated this link, strengthening the relationship between exposure to sectarian antisocial behavior in the community and aggression and delinquency towards the out-group. However, social identity weakened the effect for exposure to sectarian antisocial behavior in the community on general aggressive behaviors. Gender differences also emerged; the relation between exposure to sectarian antisocial behavior and sectarian aggression was stronger for boys. The results have implications for understanding the complex role of social identity in intergroup relations for youth in post-accord societies.

Georg Lukács as a Communications Scholar: Cultural and Digital Labour in the Context of Lukács’ Ontology of Social Being

The task of this work is to apply thoughts from Georg Lukács’ final book, the Ontology of Social Being, for the theoretical analysis of cultural and digital labour. It discusses Lukács’ concepts of work and communication and relates them to the analysis of cultural and digital work. It also analyses his conception of the relation of labour and ideology and points out how we can make use of it for critically understanding social media ideologies. Lukács opposes the dualist separation of the realms of work and ideas. He introduces in this context the notion of teleological positing that allows us to better understand cultural and digital labour as well as associated ideologies, such as the engaging/connecting/sharing-ideology, today. The analysis shows that Lukács’ Ontology is in the age of Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter still a very relevant book, although it has thus far not received the attention that it deserves. This article also introduces the Ontology’s main ideas on work and culture, which is important because large parts of the book have not been translated from the German original into English. Lukács’ notion of teleological positing is crucial for understanding the common features of the economy and culture.

A Social Institutionalist Perspective on HR Diffusion: Histrorical and Cultural Receptivity to HRM in a Post-Comminist Context

This research considers cross-national diffusion of international human resource management (IHRM) ideas and practices by applying an emergent frame of sociological conceptualisation – ‘social institutionalism’ (SI). We look at cultural filters to patterns of diffusion, assimilation and adoption of IHRM, using Romania as a case study. The paper considers the former Communist system of employment relations, suggesting that through institutionalisation former ways of thinking continued to influence definitions and practice of people management in post-Communist Eastern Europe. The paper provides a new perspective on HRM by discussing the value of SI as a general model for understanding cross-cultural receptivity to HR ideas, sensitising the HR practitioner and academic to institutionalised culture as a historical legacy influencing receptivity to international management ideas.

El treball social en el context de la crisi econòmica actual. 'El trabajo social en el contexto de la crisis económica actual'.

Resumen tomado de la publicación

El paper de les TIC en el nou context social.'El papel de las TIC en el nuevo contexto social'.

Resumen basado en el de los autores en catalán

Sistema educatiu de les Illes Balears: variables de context, indicadors de sistema i resultats. Cap a un compromís social per l’educació

L’objectiu és esbrinar quines variables o quins factors expliquen amb més intensitat i precisió els resultats que obtenen els alumnes1 de les Illes Balears en les avaluacions de competències bàsiques, fetes tant en l’àmbit internacional, com l’estatal o l’autonòmic (Avaluació General de Diagnòstic, d’àmbit estatal —en la qual se centra l’article—, PISA i Avaluació de Diagnòstic de les Illes Balears) i la manca de correlació entre algunes variables i indicadors i els resultats. Aquesta correlació, però, que no existeix a les Illes Balears, sí que és habitual a altres comunitats autònomes, estats o regions. En aquest àmbit, són millors els indicadors (situats per sobre de la mitjana estatal) que els resultats que se’n podrien esperar, atesa la correlació, que de vegades és intensa o forta. Hi ha altres comunitats autònomes que tenen uns indicadors pitjors que els de les Balears, però que ofereixen, això no obstant, uns resultats més bons. Què és el que no funciona? Quin element pertorba la correlació habitual que sí que s’expressa a altres llocs? Què és el que s’hauria de modificar? Què és el que diferencia o caracteritza el sistema educatiu de les Illes Balears?

La participació social dels adolescents en el context escolar i el seu benestar personal: estudi psicosocial d'una experiència participativa

The aim of this research is to gain greater understanding of the psychosocial implications of adolescents’ social participation at school and how this relates to their personal well-being. We designed this research from the perspective of methodological pluralism, articulating quantitative and qualitative methodology. The data obtained allow us to identify key elements of the relationship between social participation and personal well-being in adolescents and led us to elaborate a theoretical model that explains how the relationship between social participation and personal well-being is concerned with three interrelating factors: (a) adolescents’ stance with regard to social participation, (b) their aspirations for change, and (c) the attitudes and expectations of key adults in the adolescents’ lives with regard to them and their social participation.