The Construction and Use of Hope within Health‐Settings: Recent Developments in Qualitative Research and Ethnographic Studies

Qualitative and ethnographic studies within sociology and anthropology have paid increasing attention to the concept of hope. This review focuses on the analysis of hope within contexts of health and healthcare. An all‐compassing definition has continued to prove elusive, though studies have brought forth useful insights on the conceptualization and nature of hope. The article explores three common themes which emerged from recent literature. The first theme emphasizes different ways in which hope is enacted by people to ensure that hope can be maintained. The second theme focuses on the ways hope can transcend different frames of future time through the imagination of future possibilities, as well as moving people to cross‐geographical and imaginative borders. Finally, the third theme highlights insights into tensions that seem to be inherent to hoping. Hope proves to be ambivalent, as there always remains a possibility that the future which people imagined is not realized. The review shows that more empirical material is needed to understand how people deal with these tensions and how these tensions relate to the fluctuating nature and experience of hope. This offers interesting directions for further research on hope, both within and outside the context of health and healthcare.     

The Impact of Rainfall on the First Out-Migration: A Multi-level Event-History Analysis in Burkina Faso

Using event history analyses, we investigate the impact of rainfall conditions — a crucial environmental factor in the livelihood of Sahelian households— on the risk of the first village departure in Burkina Faso. The distinction of migrations by destination and duration proves critical in studying this relationship. Findings suggest that people from the drier regions are more likely than those from wetter areas to engage in both temporary and permanent migrations to other rural areas. Also, short-term rainfall deficits tend to increase the risk of long-term migration to rural areas and decrease the risk of short-term moves to distant destinations.     

Work-home interference: How does it manifest itself from day to day?

Although work-home interference (WHI) refers to a process of negative interaction between the work and home domains, little attention has been paid to the actual processes involved in the within-person, day-to-day management of work and home. Therefore, this study investigated if, and how, a global report for the individual, of WHI (i.e., a general indicator of experienced WHI) is reflected in daily reports of WHI, in employees' daily activity patterns in the work and home domain, and in their daily health and well-being. Effort-Recovery theory (Meijman & Mulder, 1998) provided the theoretical basis for this study. Data were collected among 120 academic staff members (62% male) who completed a general questionnaire, addressing global WHI as well as demographical information, and who also participated in a 5-day daily diary study. WHI was measured using the 8-item WHI subscale of the Survey Work-home Interaction Nijmegen (SWING), with an adapted version being used for the diary studies. Results showed that global WHI: (1) was positively related to daily WHI; (2) was positively related to the time spent daily on overtime work in the evening; (3) was negatively related to the time spent daily on low-effort activities; and (4) was positively related to daily fatigue and sleep complaints. We conclude that Effort-Recovery theory seems promising for the study of WHI, and that diary studies are valuable, as these provide detailed insight into what global reports of WHI actually signify from day to day.     

Developmental Changes in Visual Scanning of Dynamic Faces and Abstract Stimuli in Infants: A Longitudinal Study

The characteristics of scanning patterns between the ages of 6 and 26 weeks were investigated through repeated assessments of 10 infants. Eye movements were recorded using a corneal‐reflection system while the infants looked at 2 dynamic stimuli: the naturally moving face of their mother and an abstract stimulus. Results indicated that the way infants scanned these stimuli stabilized only after 18 weeks, which is slightly later than the ages reported in the literature on infants' scanning of static stimuli. This effect was especially prominent for the abstract stimulus. From the 14‐week session on, infants adapted their scanning behavior to the stimulus characteristics. When scanning the video of their mother's face, infants directed their gaze at the mouth and eye region most often. Even at the youngest age, there was no indication of an edge effect.     

Ende des Elends

In the German speaking Sociology of the Industry the debate about an alleged crisis of the discipline itself continues. Yet recent contributions demand structural surmounting of this crisis through reminiscence and consecutive re-wording of ancient theories — particularly Marx’ theory. The article is considered as an actual contribution towards a conceptual endeavour of the re-wording of the Sociology of the Industry. To begin with, it will be demonstrated that the claim for an action-theoretical re-interpretation endeavour of the re-wording of Marx’ fundamentals falls on prolific grounds — as the Sociology of Work and Industry has already contributed specifically towards the sociological Action-Theory with the concept of subjectifying work action. In addition, the paper shows that the claimed societal-theoretical re-foundation demands a dialectic re-animation of Marx’ fundamentals (perhaps not just) of the Sociology of Work and Industry, and that it seems solvable with the category of work capacity. Thereby an actual contribution to the recent once more claimed extension of the work notion is presented. The article thereby critically continues the debate which has been taking place.     

The Sunday Times Heritage Project: heritage,the media and the formation of national consciousness

Since the advent of democracy in 1994, the landscape of memory in South Africa has undergone significant changes. While most new monuments, memorials and heritage sites have emerged under the aegis of the government, this article focuses on a private sector initiative, the Sunday Times Heritage Project (STHP), sponsored by the Sunday Times newspaper in celebration of its centenary in 2006. The project involved the installation of 30 small-scale memorials commemorating key moments in the history of South Africa, with each memorial being accompanied by a website entry. The article focuses on the role of the media in shaping a new national consciousness in South Africa and specifically investigates how a new, supposedly shared history emerges through the work of the Sunday Times journalists in selecting stories and negotiating with stakeholders. With reference to specific examples, significant differences are highlighted between the newspaper’s heritage initiative and the state-initiated memory projects, but ultimately, it is argued, the STHP reveals a calculated or unconscious acceptance of the state-endorsed historical discourse structured around resistance narratives, which has become hegemonic since 1994.     

Alcohol Consumption Among University Students in North Rhine–Westphalia,Germany—Results From a Multicenter Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: To assess alcohol use and problem drinking among university students in the German Federal State of North Rhine–Westphalia (NRW) and to examine the associated factors. Method: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in 16 universities in 2006–2007 in NRW by a standardized questionnaire and 3,306 students provided information (response rate of 88%). Problem drinking was measured by the CAGE questionnaire. Results: Alcohol consumption in the last 3 months was reported by >90 % of students. About 80% reported heavy drinking, and 20% displayed problem drinking. Male students, students living in residence halls, and students from sport faculties had a higher risk of heavy drinking and problem drinking. When students were compared across study years, frequency of heavy drinking decreased with higher semesters. Conclusions: Overall, heavy drinking and problem drinking are common among university students in this sample. Intervention programs should be designed for students at a particularly high risk.     

Charismatic leadership and organizational citizenship behaviour: examining the role of stressors and strain

This study analyses the impact of followers' stress on the relationship between charismatic leadership and organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB). Stressors are distinguished as the objective component of work-stress, and strain as the subjective component of work-stress. It is assumed that stressors will moderate the relationship between charismatic leadership and OCB (Hypothesis 1). In addition, it is hypothesized that followers' strain will mediate the relationship between charismatic leadership and OCB (Hypothesis 2). Results from a study interviewing 142 nurses from three German hospitals confirmed the second hypothesis: followers' strain fully mediated the relationship between charismatic leadership and followers' OCB.     

Sleep disturbances in shift-workers: A marker for maladaptation syndrome

Abstract

This study aims to examine whether the relationship between overtime and well-being is influenced by the voluntary vs. involuntary (i.e., compulsory) nature of overtime work and by the presence or absence of rewards for overtime. We also explored the prevalence of these types of overtime and how they were related to work and personal characteristics. A survey was conducted among a representative sample of Dutch full-time employees (N=1612). AN(C)OVA was used to compare rewarded and unrewarded, voluntary and involuntary overtime workers on personal and work characteristics, fatigue, and work satisfaction. Most overtime workers were rewarded (62%). About half of the sample (n=814) could be classified as either voluntary or involuntary overtime workers, or as having “mixed reasons” to work overtime. Voluntary and unrewarded overtime workers had a relatively high income and favourable job characteristics. Involuntary overtime work was associated with relatively high fatigue and low satisfaction, especially for involuntary overtime workers without rewards who can be considered a burnout risk group. Voluntary overtime workers were non-fatigued and satisfied, even without rewards. It can be concluded that control over overtime and rewards for overtime are important for well-being. Moderate overtime work may not be a problem if it is done voluntarily. Moreover, the negative effects of compulsory overtime work may be partly offset by fair compensation for the extra work.