Verantwortliches Handeln als soziologischer Grundbegriff

As a critical modification of Parsons voluntaristic theory of action as well as of the theories of rational choice, this contribution suggests Max Weber’s concept of “responsibility” or “responsible action” as an enclosing model of action rationality, integrating both individual freedom of choice as well as over-individual categorical values. This systematical benefit of the concept of “responsibility” is especially due to the idea of a “value discussion”. This dialogical enlargement of rationality includes a modern theory of validity essentially needed to save the rationality of categorical values and to allow the equality of value-rational orientations next to questions of utility. This being said, responsibility can be presented as a basic concept of sociology, containing the key to an integrative social theory based on methodological individualism.     

Bury Your Gays and Social Media Fan Response: Television,LGBTQ Representation,and Communitarian Ethics

Although visibility has increased, there are still television tropes used that can have potentially harmful effects on LGBTQ persons seeking identification through television characters. This essay explores the representation of women-loving women (WLW) on television and how fans respond via social media with regard to their identity and representation. Specifically, by examining the fan culture through a communitarian ethics lens (with an emphasis on duty and mutuality), fans are explored before and after a lesbian character’s death and how their responses created a social movement regarding the current television environment’s treatment of WLW characters. Media anthropology and virtual ethnographic observations on Twitter and Tumblr were used to answer how fans were responding to WLW representation via social media and how they engaged with communitarian ethics. Implications and criticisms are discussed.     

Soziale Klasse in der Arbeitssoziologie. Zur Relevanz eines totgesagten Begriffs

Social class as analytical term has a longstanding tradition in sociology. Starting with Karl Marx and Max Weber international class analysis has developed heterogenous theoretical and empirical approaches. The paper outlines trends in the usage of social class in industrial sociology and the sociology of work in German-speaking countries from the after-war period to the paradigmatic shift heralded by Becks individualization thesis. The displacement of social class is interpreted as manifestation of symbolic struggles over the legitimate view of social reality, which has created considerable blind spots in the analysis of social inequalities. With reference to recent international developments in class research Pierre Bourdieu’s approach is used to explore ways to connect current subject-orientated approaches with questions of social class. Focussing on the class formation of subjectivity draws attention to the development of different orientations towards work and the dealing with the exigencies of work.     

Ein Text in seinem Kontext

The paper comments on a somewhat forgotten empirical analysis of the life-world and living conditions of farm workers in Eastern Germany (Ostelbien) published by Max Weber at the end of the 19^th century on the basis of empirical data collected on behalf of the German Verein für Socialpolitik (Association for Social Policy). It analyses the social circumstances which made Max Weber an aspiring and acknowledged young scholar in the expanding field of social sciences in Germany and examines his rhetorical strategies vis-à-vis the different fractions within the Verein. The paper thus demonstrates the importance of the empirical Max Weber and the role which this empirical work played in his professional career.     

Mysterium tremendum und mysterium fascinans

The history of Western modernity must not only be regarded as a linear process of secularisation: even the “classics” of sociology like Emile Durkheim, Max Weber, and Georg Simmel have dealt with the ambiguities of the modern age, thereby referring to both the “disenchantment” and the “re-enchantment”. Worldly replacements such as science and political movements partly took over the function and the meaning of traditional religions. Political ‘religions’ not only adopted, transformed and amalgamated the contents of Christian texts and imaginations and used Christian rites and symbols, but also fulfilled special functions for their “believers”. One of the most important functions both of traditional religions and political ‘religion’ is to evoke emotions and to give opportunities to act on emotions. The article deals with the relationship between traditional ‘religions’ and political ‘religions’ with regard to emotions. In this context, the political ‘religion’ of Soviet communism until Stalin’s death is examined.     

Globale organisation — globale manager — globale Klasse?

The globalization of business corporations led to the thesis that a so-called global management class would emerge, both integrating transnational companies and facilitating a global business culture which is able to turn cultural diversity into a competitive advantage. Two questions stem from this thesis: First, how do talents and high potentials in transnational companies become global managers? Second, is global management to be understood as an integrating culture or as a selective one in the context of transnational corporations? The article explores these questions by contrasting the theory of global management with empirical findings from research concerning the strategies of international management assignment and the forming of expatriates’ “mental memberships“. It is shown that global management rests on a ‘thin’ Ethos of economic rationalities which give way to an exclusive “business monoculture” challenging cultural diversity taking place in everyday-life of transnational organizations.     

户籍地禀赋与流入地融合 ——流动人口定居意愿影响因素研究

定居意愿是衡量流动人口转向稳定生活状态的重要指标,实则包含了居留意愿和落户意愿两方面的内容。基于2017年全国流动人口卫生计生动态监测数据,通过建立多项Logistic回归模型的方法,重点从与制度结构相关的“户籍地禀赋”与“流入地融合”两个维度,分析流动人口“居留-落户”的定居意愿状况及其影响因素。研究结果表明,户籍地禀赋性因素的“回流”效应和流入地融合性因素的“拉动”效应对流动人口不同层面定居意愿的影响存在差异:与责任、情感、伦理相关的户籍地禀赋性因素以及与经济融入、社会与文化接纳相关的流入地融合性因素对流动人口居留意愿的影响比较显著;与财富价值相关的户籍地禀赋性因素以及与城乡区位相关的流入地融合性因素对流动人口落户意愿的影响比较显著;制度融入因素、生活融入因素、身份认同因素则对两个维度的定居意愿都产生了显著影响。因此,对于具有定居意愿的流动人口,政府应该努力实现基本公共服务的全覆盖,激发流动人口参与社会建设、增强对流入地的身份认同与文化接纳等融合水平;对于没有定居意愿的流动人口,也需为其“回流”后在户籍地的再次融入提供良好的制度保障环境。     

Racisms, heterosexisms, and identities: a semiotic phenomenology of self-understanding

This article examines the contributions of lesbians of color to the developmental relationship between queer theory and qualitative research methodology. Its thesis is that the contributions of lesbians of color in this context have been overlooked despite being featured. This oversight is explained through an examination of theoretical perspectives that dominate our current understanding of the relationship between queer theory and qualitative research. Postmodernism is revealed as susceptible to liberal bias and racist exclusions common in U.S. culture. Semiotic phenomenology is offered as a non-essentialist approach to queer theory and qualitative research that reduces the liberal bias and racist exclusions often perpetuated in postmodern theorizing that have led to the exclusion of contributions of lesbians of color in queer theory.     

当代中国的离婚态势分析和婚姻展望

本文根据有关离婚的统计资料及其他相关资料客观描述和分析了当代中国离婚的态势、特点和原因，并展望了中国未来婚姻之趋势。认为导致当代中国离婚诸多现象的原因。除了很多学者强调的政治、经济、文化影响因素之外。还有社会及家庭伦理的关系变化、道德调节机制弱化、婚姻主体的多元化价值取向冲突、责任缺席等伦理道德的影响因素：建议通过法制、道德和心理相结合的社会调控。既保障合法合理的离婚自由，又反对轻率离婚。并预测中国在本世纪离婚率仍会稳步上升但保持较低的水平,离婚文明化成为社会趋势，离婚带来的消极影响日益减小。婚姻关系将更加自主、自由、健康和平等。家庭形式将更加文明、立体、民主和多元。     

在灾难中成长——中国“80后”、“90后”坚强面对汶川大地震

在中国，1980年以后和1990年以后出生的青少年分别被称为“80后”、“90后”。他们多是独生子女，集全家几代人的关爱于一身，强调自我价值，追求个性张扬，但却缺乏自理能力和社会责任感。在很多人眼中，他们是“被惯坏”的群体。     

Ökonomischer Liberalismus, postmodernes Diversity Management in Unternehmen und der Geist des Kapitalismus

The present article introduces the concept of Diversity Management, which has its roots in the USA. The latter regards the workforce’s diversity, inequality, differentness and individuality as an essential contribution to a company’s success. Against the backdrop of the hegemonial waves in the world system and the related cultural cycles, the argument is being launched that an organizational change from fordism to post-fordism has taken place in the framework of the USA’s hegemonial downturn and the emergence of post-modernism as a cultural pattern. In this context, “diversity” has been able to make its way as an issue. On the one hand, this development attempts to carry out even more the “modern” ideas of “individualism” and “social equality of opportunities” also on an entrepreneurial level; on the other hand, the industrial-capitalist differentiation of labor, person and lifeworld is being demarcated in a “post-modernistic” way and is even more strongly tied into the logic of capital.     

“社会养老”是否淡化了“子女责任”观念？--来自中国农村居民的经验证据

参保行为与养老观念存在双向因果关系,倾向于子女养老的居民参加养老保险的概率较低,而参加养老保险也改变着居民的养老观念。通过联立方程模型以及工具变量控制内生性后,得出了养老保险淡化“子女养老”观念的净效应,进而指出养老保险制度不仅挤出了子女对老人的经济支持,同时也弱化了人们的家庭养老观念。国家大力推行的养老保障体系在行为与观念两个层面上挤出了家庭养老,以国家制度化养老保障体系为主体的社会养老模式对家庭养老模式具有替代性。在养老模式的变迁中要综合考虑各主体的功能与责任,联合各界力量共同承担社会养老责任。     

Narrating Translocality: Dagong Poetry and the Subaltern Imagination

Abstract

In Chinese, ‘dagong’ means ‘working for the boss’. Dagong migrants constitute the most populous group of China's mobile population, so knowledge of their cultural practices is crucial to understanding how globalisation and mobility rework people's sense of locality. This paper is an analysis of poems by dagong workers – a cultural phenomenon that is relatively unknown both outside and inside China. Drawing on ethnographic insights into China's rural migrants, this paper engages the concept of translocality to explore three recurring themes in dagong poetry: alienation of the body in the industrial regime; displacement and homesickness; and disenchantment with the south. The analysis shows that, for the same reason that mobility itself is a stratified process, the means of addressing translocal desires and longings are also stratified.     

The Effect of Cultural Capital on High School Dropout: An Investigation in the Italian Provinces

This article studies at a detailed geographical level the relation between cultural capital and high school dropout. Bronfenbrenner’s systemic theory and Heckman’s perspective on cognitive/non-cognitive skills are considered as theoretical framework. We analyzed data from 103 Italian provinces employing Covariance Structure Analysis and spatial indices of autocorrelation. We found a consistent protective effect of cultural capital on dropout, independently of economic performance, in Central and Southern provinces, but not in Northern provinces. Spatial analyses showed very heterogeneous patterns of autocorrelation for dropout (especially across Southern provinces) even between neighboring areas, in spite of a more compact clustering when considering cultural and economic indicators. These results indicate that living in an environment with animated cultural life might enhance students’ non-cognitive skills, thus fostering their involvement in formative activities and the development of their human capital.     

Paving the way for successful twinning:: Using grounded theory to understand the contribution of twin pairs in twinning collaborations

BackgroundTwinning collaborations, where two groups — from educational institutions, hospitals or towns — work together cross-culturally on joint goals, are increasingly common worldwide. Pairing up individuals, so-called twin pairs, is thought to contribute to successful collaboration in twinning projects, but as yet, there is no empirical evidence or theory that offers insight into the value of the pair relationship for twinning.AimTo explore the contribution of one-to-one relationships between twins to twinning projects, as exemplified in projects between Dutch and Moroccan, and Dutch and Sierra Leone midwives.MethodsWe conducted thirteen in-depth interviews with midwives from two twinning collaborations. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using an iterative, grounded theory process, yielding a theoretical understanding of one-to-one twinning relationships for twinning collaborations.FindingsParticipant comments fell into four substantive categories: 1) Being named a twin, 2) moving beyond culture to the personal level, 3) searching for common ground to engage, 4) going above and beyond the twinning collaboration. Their interplay demonstrates the value of twin pairs in paving the way for successful twinning.DiscussionA complex combination of contextual inequities, personality, and cultural differences affect the twin relationship. Trusting relationships promote effective collaboration, however, as ‘trust’ cannot be mandated, it must be built by coaching twins in personal flexibility and (cultural) communication.ConclusionBy offering original insights into the ways twinning relationships are built, our research explores how twin pairs can enhance the success of twinning projects.     

How Belief in a Just World Benefits Mental Health: The Effects of Optimism and Gratitude

Past research suggests that individuals’ belief in a just world (BJW) is closely connected with their mental health. To clarify the underlying mechanism, the current study proposes that BJW encourages optimism and gratitude which then mediates the relationship between BJW and mental health as indicated by subjective well-being (SWB) and depression. A sample of 1,200 undergraduates yields results indicating that (a) BJW influences optimism, gratitude, SWB, and depression after controlling for gender, age, income, and personality; (b) optimism and gratitude mediate BJW effects by increasing SWB and decreasing depression. The issues of BJW’s adaptive functions are discussed.     

Disparities in Academic Achievement: Assessing the Role of Habitus and Practice

Bourdieu’s theory of cultural and social reproduction—with its core concepts cultural capital, habitus, practice and field—is a leading account of the intergenerational persistence of educational inequality. Although numerous studies examine the relationship between class, cultural capital and academic outcomes, and some focus on gender differences in cultural capital, few attempt to operationalize Bourdieu’s accompanying concepts of habitus and practice, and to consider gender differences along these dimensions. The present study addresses these gaps by examining a “structure-disposition-practice” model of the relationships between family socioeconomic status (SES), sex, habitus, academic practices, and academic achievement using multilevel Canadian data. Findings of SES and gender differences in the model offer qualified support for the potential of Bourdieu’s framework to help increase our understanding of class and gender disparities in educational outcomes. Results suggest that habitus, practice and the “structure-disposition-practice” model are not only theoretically sophisticated, but also empirically sustainable and that future efforts to more precisely measure the model’s concepts and relationships are warranted.     

Towards the Development of Objective,Universal Criteria of Cultural Evaluation: The Challenges Posed by Anti-Foundationalism,Culturalism and Romanticism

Over the course of the last century, it has become increasingly unfashionable in the social sciences to make cross-cultural evaluations. The advance of cultural relativism has ensured that criticisms of other cultures are regarded as subjective and ethnocentric. There remain, however, cultural beliefs, practices and traditions which appear, prima facie, to contradict people’s interests. Are there any means of evaluating such practices or cultures according to objective, universal criteria? If there are, these need to withstand a series of challenges posed by ‘relativist’ critics of objectivity and universality. This article categorises these challenges, detailing anti-foundationalist belief in a conflation of perception and truth, culturalist belief in the overwhelming importance to wellbeing of living according to one’s group’s traditions, and a romantic challenge, which invokes anti-universalism only instrumentally, to particular aspects of Western culture. In order to overcome these challenges, a theory of cultural evaluation must demonstrate the existence of certain goods which are intrinsic to human beings, can be affected by cultural activity and are of greater importance than the culturalist good of living according to one’s group’s traditions. I put forward three plausible conceptual candidates—needs, capabilities and flourishing—discussing briefly the possible merits of each. Finally, I argue that, if we are to measure culture, rather than quality of life, we must consider the influence of circumstance on the nature of cultures and the level of wellbeing. This article is an attempt to identify the parameters for more detailed research into this contentious, but potentially valuable, field of study.     

Gender Minority Stress: A Critical Review

ABSTRACT

Past studies that compare cisgender to transgender (or trans) and gender diverse people have found a higher prevalence of mental health problems among the latter groups. This article uses Testa’s gender minority stress framework, which is an expansion of minority stress theory, to assess minority stressors that are specific to the experiences of trans and gender diverse people. The concept of cisnormativity, an ideology that positions cisgender identities as a norm, is used in relation to the gender minority stress framework to describe the marginalizing nature of social environments for trans and gender diverse people. This article provides a critical review that integrates and expands on past theoretical perspectives on gender minority stressors and protective factors. Specifically, this article demonstrates the relevance of cultural and ethnic backgrounds to complement the application of intersectionality in research on health disparities experienced by trans and gender diverse people.