The Dynamics of the Sociological Imagination

This article focuses on the factors that influence the dynamics of the sociological imagination. The author argues for the codependence of sociological theorizing, thinking, and imagination that are analyzed through the prism of the increasing complexity of social and cultural dynamics of the society, the accelerated complex development of human communities within the ＂arrow of time＂. He critically discusses the types of sociological imagination worked out by C. Wright Mills, P. Sztompka, S. Fuller, and U. Beck, and proposes his own model of sociological imagination in the form of a non-linear humanistic one that is based on the synthesis of social, hard and humane science. It deals with the acceleration of socio-cultural dynamics and glocal complexity, the integrity of the interdependent humanity, and synergetically takes into consideration paradoxical synthesis, breaks, risks, and dispersions of socium, its obiective, subjectively constructed, and virtual realities, searching for new forms of humanism, based on men＇s existential needs. It presupposes humane praxis--nowadays the world needs the passing over from technological to humane modernization that can be achieved due to a humanistic turn in sociology, its orientation on a non-linear humanistic sociological imagination.

Sociological Complexity Theory:From Epistemology to Empirical Methodology

This study,through a re-conceptualization of sociological complexity theory’s epistemological sources,specifically in Edgar Morin’s formulation,sheds light on the theoretical models as well as empirical methodologies of sociological analysis of today’s complex,interconnected,diverse and globalized society and global disorder.Complexity theory leads to a shift in perspective and a transformation of the epistemological status of social sciences with an in-depth intervention of disorder,contingency,case,singular,and non-repeatable in the sociological analysis.The notion of dialogic interplay is placed at the paradigm level and stands out at the heart of the concepts,analyzing the social system as auto-eco-organizer.Similarly,the notion of‘emergence’at macro-micro levels imposes itself as complex,logically requiring overcoming simple,linear thinking and model of explanation to adopt the perspective of organizational rotativity in which the product retroacts by transforming the one producing it,by conceiving a circularity of co-production between individuals and society through interactions.Declining epistemology and sociological complexity theory in the empirical methodology setting,the complex sociological approach is phenomenon-,event/information-and crisis-centered,privileging observation,participation-intervention,and‘live inquiry’.The open,in-depth and possibly non-directive interview is part of clinical sociological methodology,raising the question of the observer-phenomenon-observed relation.

Empirical Analysis on Sociological Factors for Underdevelopment of Rural Sports

Rural sports are weak parts in sports development of China.In the social environment of new socialist countryside construction and new urbanization advancing side by side,rural sports have great opportunities and serious challenges.Taking sports of Gannan old revolutionary base area as an example,this paper analyzed factors influencing rural sports from the sociological perspective,to provide measures and recommendations for sustainable development of rural sports.

Sociological Features of the Casualties from the 1996 M_S7.0 Lijiang Earthquake, Yunnan Province

A statistics analysis was conducted on the basic information about fatalities from the Lijiang MS7.0 earthquake in 1996. The factors include age, gender, educational background, occupation, cause of death, death place, etc. We found that even though deaths caused by the Lijiang earthquake had some common features with those from earthquakes in other places in China, it also showed some specific features because of the multiracial and economically-underdeveloped situation of Lijiang area. The results reached in the paper can serve as a reference for studying the features of casualties caused by future strong earthquakes in Yunnan, and for the delicate and human-oriented emergency treatment.

A Relational Sociological Study on the Effects of Uncertainties in the Case of Influenza in Turkey

Health issues, especially global health issues, are important subjects of study for many sociologists. For example, the spread of influenza as a pandemic affects a large number of people and their emotions in terms of fear, becoming a social problem instead of a psychological issue. Because of uncertainties, what is happening and what people should do during global threats is not clear for many people generally and during pandemics specifically. The primary aim of this paper is to show the construction process of fear and risk by conducting a systematic review of former studies about the influenza that occurred in Turkey during the last 10 years. It is assumed that a combination of relational sociology and the sociology of disaster and development will provide an appropriate theoretical framework. In other words, H. White and his uncertainty typology along with A.E. Collins’ classification are both used to define the construction process of fear as a culture, starting with uncertainty and moving to alienation and finally normalization. Findings from this study, which are supported by N. Elias’ and U. Beck’s methodological considerations, revealed that uncertainties may lead to negative consequences, such as alienation. Due to conflicting information, people find themselves in a dilemma and they stop following norms and rules in terms of normlessness. Normlessness, as a sub-division of alienation along with meaningless, might result in negative actions, such as not getting vaccinated. Liminality, turning points and footing are also used to describe the construction process of fear and risk. Results also showed that over a 10-year period many things are normalized and people no longer panic as easily.

Sister Founders in Sociology： Democratisation of Contemporary Sociological Education

Sister＇s founders in sociology as a coin term are formed by Mary ]o Deegan, in order to explain, reintroduction to female stream sociological theory. Even though there are more than 52 women considered to be founders of sociology, they are still not recognized in sociology, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Aristotle＇s distinction between male and female, according to authoress Shipley, represents the key moment to ideological foundation of the women exclusion from academia and public life, because of their identification with natural and irrational. Results of wars, global ecological movements, and movements for the rights of the minorities were joined together in creation of significant subversion and counterpart of male stream patriarchal ordained theories in eco-feminist movement. The women and nature in male stream theories are considered to be the insignificant other, formed as counterpart for male principal which is culture, reason, and activity. Logic of dominance with its objectification, imperialism, colonialism, patriarchy, and European West racism must be rendered with the logic of nurturing as the prevailing concept of successful bioregional cooperation and interpersonal relationships, pacification and peace agreements. Postmodern sociology especially in works of Rosemarie Tong supports the admissions of all ＂exiled, alienated, deviant and marginal people＂, therefore, the posthuman society must involve the egalitarism in works of female and male in the sociology.

The New Paths of Italian Song. A Sociological and Lexicometric Analysis

Italian music in the last decade is characterized mainly by the rise of rap,previously relegated to a niche of listeners,and an archipelago of musicians from the many talent shows on Italian television.The essay presents the results of a survey of a representative sample of 653 songs,478 of which come from the repertoire of rappers and 175 from musicians of various genres who have graced the stages of talent shows.The goal of the analysis is to penetrate,through text mining,the content that is most disseminated by rap and songs offered in talent shows,trying to suggest interpretive perspectives with respect to potential effects on listeners.It is in that form and content that can be read some kind of social distinction that passes through the transformation of audience tastes in music.

Felski’s Literary Sociological Thought From the Perspective of Actor-Network Theory

The relationship between literature and society has been a subject of continuous exploration since the inception of literature itself.On the one hand,from Plato’s theory of mimesis onward,literature has consistently been viewed as a representation of social reality,positioning literature as subordinate to society.On the other hand,with the rise of structuralism and the New Criticism,certain schools of thought have focused exclusively on literature itself,deliberately overlooking the complex connections between literature and society.The growing tension between these two perspectives has increasingly placed contemporary literary studies in a polarized state,leading to a crisis in the legitimacy of literary scholarship.In response to this,Rita Felski’s exploration of the uses of literature embodies a new literary sociology that offers a way out of the current impasse in literary studies.

The burden and psychosocial impact on immediate caregivers of patients with spinal cord injury in a tertiary health facility,Edo State,Nigeria

Objective:This study aimed to assess the burden and psychosocial impact of spinal cord injury on the immediate caregivers at a tertiary health facility in Benin City,Edo State.Materials and Methods:A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted among 73 family caregivers in the neurological ward of a tertiary health facility using a structured questionnaire as instrument of data collection.Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression.Results:Findings revealed that an overall mean of 2.73 indicates that the burden on the caregivers was moderate with a moderate psychological impact(m=2.88)and a high sociological impact(m=3.12).Factors affecting the caregiving provided by immediate caregivers include social and household responsibilities(94.5%),financial situation(89.0%),family support(83.6%),and health status of the caregiver(80.8%).Age(odds ratio[OR]=5.67,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.23-27.17,P=0.027),education(OR=3.75,95%CI:1.05-13.39,P=0.041),and“others”(spouses,siblings,friends,or extended family members)(OR=3.167,95%CI:1.583-6.337,P=0.001)were predictors for high psychological impact while education(OR=0.074;95%CI:0.015-0.370,P=0.001)and caregiving role(OR=3.167;95%CI:0.1.583-6.337,P=0.001)high sociological impact.Conclusion:Majority of the caregivers experience moderate burden,moderate psychological impact,and high sociological impact.Understanding these factors is essential for developing targeted interventions and support services to address the unique needs of caregivers and mitigate the burden of caregiving on their psychosocial health.

Navigating interdisciplinary research:Historical progression and contemporary challenges

Interdisciplinary research plays a crucial role in addressing complex problems by integrating knowledge from multiple disciplines.This integration fosters innovative solutions and enhances understanding across various fields.This study explores the historical and sociological development of interdisciplinary research and maps its evolution through three distinct phases:pre-disciplinary,disciplinary,and post-disciplinary.It identifies key internal dynamics,such as disciplinary diversification,reorganization,and innovation,as primary drivers of this evolution.Additionally,this study highlights how external factors,particularly the urgency of World War II and the subsequent political and economic changes,have accelerated its advancement.The rise of interdisciplinary research has significantly reshaped traditional educational paradigms,promoting its integration across different educational levels.However,the inherent contradictions within interdisciplinary research present cognitive,emotional,and institutional challenges for researchers.Meanwhile,finding a balance between the breadth and depth of knowledge remains a critical challenge in interdisciplinary education.

Rural-Oriented Pre-service Teachers Transitioning in Multiple Identities:An Ethnographic Study in a Chinese University Based on Sociological Institutionalism

Based on the identity theory and the sociological institutionalism theory,this study establishes a triple identity analysis framework and describes the interaction pattern and internal logic between the internal identity cognition and the external identity expectation of rural-oriented pre-service teachers through the study of educational ethnography.It is found that while they form a dominant identity in the interaction with policies,they are also endowed with the identity“privilege”and the energized learning motivation,but there are mutual restrictions between policies’entitlement and empowerment.In the interaction with social norms,they exchange with the policies reciprocally due to the torture of moral obligation,and then consciously undertake the responsibilities of their identity,but ego and publicity still conflict with each other in the underlying logic.In the interaction with their ego,they gradually reconcile with themselves and reshape their identity after experiencing identity rejection under the stigmatization cognition.Then,in the process of habitualization and institutionalization of identity,they adopt two different strategies:passive compromise and active adjustment.

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Education from Social Disciplinary Theoretical Perspectives

Disaster is a social phenomenon. The occurrence and impacts of disasters including the education sector can be studied through a social problem lens. This paper draws meaning and understanding of DRR education using the sociological disciplinary framework in a detailed qualitative case study of three schools as they responded to the devastating Gorakha earthquake in 2015 and other disasters in Nepal. This paper considers the three sub-disciplines of sociology: the sociology of disaster, the sociology of education and the sociology of education governance in a development context. These sub-disciplines are nested together to analyse social, political and historical factors and their relationships which are helpful to identify risks and vulnerabilities in the education sector in Nepal. These are the major areas to explore the disaster context and needs of context-specific education acts (hereafter DRR education) to minimise the potential risks of disasters. The article concludes that the social disciplinary framework is significantly useful to analyse DRR education provisions and implications of education governance to mobilise school in disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

ANALYSIS ON THE CASE OF DISSUADING SMOKING IN ELEVATORS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE SOCIOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION OF LAW

I. INTRODUCTION On an ordinary day in May 2017, Yang went downstairs to take the express, and when he entered the elevator, an old man was smoking. For his professional instinct, Yang advised this old man not to smoke in the elevator, but the old man therefore argued with Yang. After arguing in the elevator, they went to the property management department located on the first floor to find property management staff. At that time the staff appeased and persuaded the old man, Yang left to take his express. About 15 minutes later, Yang took the express and came back. Someone told him that the old man that just argued with him in the elevator was unconscious due to a heart attack. Before the arrival of the 120 ambulance, Yang, as a doctor, gave the old man a first aid measure including cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but Yang was unable to save the old man ultimately. The close relatives of the old man thus sued Yang and claimed a compensation of more than 400,000 yuan.

Understanding Risk Governance:Introducing Sociological Neoinstitutionalism and Foucauldian Governmentality for Further Theorizing

This article traces the career of risk across prominent theoretical approaches by highlighting their key assumptions and premises,specifically the technical approach found in the physical sciences,and economics,psychology,and sociology in the social sciences.In each discipline,the strengths and limitations of each theoretical approach are pointed out.The discussion focuses on sociology in particular because other approaches—in treating risks as dominantly technical,psychological,or economic phenomena—tend to downplay the broader historical and socio-political context that impinges on risk construction and production,and its differential impact across society.This exploration points out that institutions play an important role in creating,managing,and distributing risks in society.After highlighting the integrated risk governance framework as a nascent practice-oriented framework,the framework is examined theoretically using sociological neoinstitutionalism and Foucault’s concept of governmentality.The conclusion elaborates the challenges of using these two bodies of knowledge to study risk governance of extreme events.Although Foucault’s concept of governmentality corrects neoinstitutional theory’s ambivalence toward power,more work needs to be done in order to reconcile their divergent intellectual commitments.

Transcending Existing Traditions of Sociology--A Review of Fei Xiaotong＇s Reflections on Sociological Method in His Old Age

In his old age, Fei Xiaotong＇s reflections on Chinese sociological method opened up new room for transcending the existing traditions of sociology. His spiritual legacy is well worth further explanation. According to Fei, traditional Chinese culture and wisdom embodies a wealth of concepts, such as ＂harmony between nature and man,＂ ＂mind for others＂ and so on, all of which need further definition and should he used as fulcrums for the transcending of sociological traditions.

The Management of Mental Health, and Service Networks in Italy

Madness has attracted and frightened for centuries,and talking about this means discussing how this diversity was built and managed in different social contexts and historical periods.Not all societies have had,and still have,the same relationship with madness.It is only with the affirmation of the Modern State,and of Capitalism,that the idea of“normality”indispensable to be able to conceive diversity as something dangerously distant and different from the norm takes over.In our post-modern society,people with mental illness in Italy can resort to specialists and social-health services.But the heterogeneous answers given after the approval of law 180 appear to be increasingly diversified.In this research,much attention will be paid to how the social and health services,located in different areas of Italy(Messina,Rome,Trento)face the current growing risk of social,housing and economic isolation of these fragile subjects.The aim of the research is to explore the possibility of a new relationship between the social-health service and the local community.On the one hand,research investigates what the contribution of the services could be.On the other what the spaces of protagonism and participation of the community could be in inclusion process account.In order to better understand the differences between these two dimensions,a qualitative research approach was chosen through the conduct of in-depth interviews.In this way it was possible to investigate:(1)the partial representations characteristic of the single individual,family members,operators and stackholders in general;(2)the services around the topic dealt with is articulated.From the first results of the research it emerges that the territory can no longer be considered as an abstract entity,but becomes the social space within which the construction of a new community welfare can and must take place.

Exploring Green Development From the Perspective of Sociology:Logical Basis,Constraints,and Optimization Paths

With the advancement of ecological conservation in China,the concept of green development has gained extensive acceptance and recognition.Exploring green development from the perspectives of environmental protection and sociology holds great theoretical value and practical significance in studying the issues related to green development.Firstly,this paper examines green development in light of the objective needs of the economic and social transformation in the international community and China,and deconstructed its underlying social logic.Secondly,it further investigates the social factors that restrict green development,encompassing social structures,social concepts,social systems,and social behaviors.Finally,within the framework of the“green”discipline system in environmental sociology,this paper proposes specific measures such as restructuring social systems and transforming production modes,lifestyles,and consumption patterns to promote green development.

Towards Inclusive Development: Situating the Socio-Economic Wellbeing and Environmental Issues of an Indigenous Cultural Community in the Philippines

The Municipality of Carranglan is a rural community where agriculture is the main source of livelihood. The Kalanguya Ancestral Domain (KAD) is also located in the area, and it provides a home for the Kalanguya indigenous cultural community. They have fled to the area for a variety of reasons. Despite its rural setting, Carranglan is regarded as a first-class municipality and the largest municipality in Nueva Ecija. This study described and documented the socio-economic profile, and existing issues and problems the Kalanguya Indigenous Peoples (IPs) experienced in their milieu, especially in terms of environmental protection. Recognizing and valuing their perspectives is vital for inclusive development. This study also situated the current status and conditions of the IPs, who generally live below the poverty line and face a range of plights and challenges. As part of safeguarding indigenous rights and interests, this study was undertaken after series of consultations with community elders and leaders. Key informant interviews, household surveys, semi-structured interviews, focused-group discussion (FGD), and direct observations were used to elicit information. Many of the respondents are elementary undergraduates which show that the community had lacked access to education. The following are the primary socioeconomic issues confronting IPs: insufficient access to potable water, suboptimal agricultural productivity, meager monthly income, and a dearth of supplementary and alternative livelihood opportunities. Forest fires, landslides, encroachment of illegal loggers, and concerns about wildlife resources are some of the current environmental issues they have encountered. The local population was supportive of plans and actions targeted at improving the environment. This reveals that the IPs possess unique indigenous forest expertise that enables them to properly manage natural resources.

Dignity and its related factors among older adults in long-term care facilities:A cross-sectional study

Objectives:This study aimed to explore the dignity and related factors among older adults in long-term care facilities.Methods:Cross-sectional data were obtained from a sample of 253 Chinese older adults dwelling in long-term care facilities.Dignity among older adults was measured using the Dignity Scale,and its potential correlates were explored using multiple linear regressions.Results:Results showed that the total score of the Dignity Scale is 151.95±11.75.From high to low,the different factors of dignity among older adults in long-term care facilities were as follows:caring factors(4.83±0.33),social factors(4.73±0.41),psychological factors(4.66±0.71),value factors(4.56±0.53),autonomous factors(4.50±0.57),and physical factors(4.38±0.55).A higher score of the Dignity Scale was associated with higher economic status,fewer chronic diseases,less medication,better daily living ability and long-time lived in cities.Conclusion:Older adults with low economic status,more chronic diseases,and poor daily living ability,taking more medications,or the previous residence in rural areas seem to be most at low-level dignity in long-term care facilities and thus require more attention than their peers.

Quality of life after liver transplantation:State of the art

Quality of life(QoL) after deceased donor liver transplantation is increasingly recognized as a major outcome parameter. We reviewed recent publications in this rapidly evolving field in order to summarize recent achievements in the field and to define opportunities and perspectives for research and improvement of patient care. QoL does improve after liver transplantation according to a typical pattern. During the first year, there is a significant improvement in QoL. After one year, the improvement does stabilise and tends to decline slightly. In addition to the physical condition, different psychological parameters(such as depression, anxiety, sexual function) and sociodemographic elements(professional state, sex, marital state) seem to impact QoL. Opportunities for further research are the use of dedicated questionnaires and identification of influencing factors for QoL.