Frontiers in Sociology and Social Research – serie

This volume engages the interface between the development of human lives and social relational networks. It focuses on the integration of two subfields of sociology/social science--the life course and social networks. Research practitioners studying social networks typically focus on social structure or social organization, ignoring the complex lives of the people in those networks. At the same time, life course researchers tend to focus on individual lives without necessarily studying the contexts of social relationships in which lives are embedded and “linked” to one another through social networks. These patterns are changing and this book creates an audience of researchers who will better integrate the two subfields. It covers the role of social networks across the life span, from childhood and adolescence, to midlife, through old age.

This book illuminates the importance of threat on the representation of everyday life, from an interdisciplinary perspective. Divided into three parts, the book sets out by addressing the conceptual aspects of threat and by opening views  on phenomena and social processes associated with threat. It shows how  threat constitutes an analytical category that simultaneously involves social, psychological, religious, historical and political factors, and calls for a sufficiently broad conceptual definition to integrate pluri-disciplinary contributions. The second part focuses on the building of threats, mainly the environmental threats that have reached a tragic dimension today and are a core aspect of world concerns, the contemporary global terrorism, the migrations and the challenges these bring to contemporary societies, as well as the threats associated with the emergence of nationalism and the diverse aspects of excluding the Other. The final part examines the coping strategies, including oblivion, denial and defiance associated with different sources of threats, for instance those arising from epidemic and collective diseases, financial technology, natural disasters and collective traumas.

This book illuminates the importance of threat on the representation of everyday life, from an interdisciplinary perspective. Divided into three parts, the book sets out by addressing the conceptual aspects of threat and by opening views  on phenomena and social processes associated with threat. It shows how  threat constitutes an analytical category that simultaneously involves social, psychological, religious, historical and political factors, and calls for a sufficiently broad conceptual definition to integrate pluri-disciplinary contributions. The second part focuses on the building of threats, mainly the environmental threats that have reached a tragic dimension today and are a core aspect of world concerns, the contemporary global terrorism, the migrations and the challenges these bring to contemporary societies, as well as the threats associated with the emergence of nationalism and the diverse aspects of excluding the Other. The final part examines the coping strategies, including oblivion, denial and defiance associated with different sources of threats, for instance those arising from epidemic and collective diseases, financial technology, natural disasters and collective traumas.

This volume ambitiously applies sociological theory to create an understanding of aspects of survey methodology. It focuses on the interplay between sociology and survey methodology: what sociological theory and approaches can offer to survey research and vice versa. The volume starts with a focus on direct connections between sociological theories and their applications in survey research. It further presents cutting-edge, original research that applies the “sociological imagination” to substantive concerns important to sociologists, survey methodologists, and social scientists and includes issues such as health, immigration, race/ethnicity, gender and sexuality, and criminal justice.

This volume ambitiously applies sociological theory to create an understanding of aspects of survey methodology. It focuses on the interplay between sociology and survey methodology: what sociological theory and approaches can offer to survey research and vice versa. The volume starts with a focus on direct connections between sociological theories and their applications in survey research. It further presents cutting-edge, original research that applies the “sociological imagination” to substantive concerns important to sociologists, survey methodologists, and social scientists and includes issues such as health, immigration, race/ethnicity, gender and sexuality, and criminal justice.

This book illustrates the potential for computer simulation in the study of modern slavery and worker abuse, and by extension in all social issues. It lays out a philosophy of how agent-based modelling can be used in the social sciences. In addressing modern slavery, Chesney considers precarious work that is vulnerable to abuse, like sweat-shop labour and prostitution, and shows how agent modelling can be used to study, understand and fight abuse in these areas. He explores the philosophy, application and practice of agent modelling through the popular and free software NetLogo.This topical book is grounded in the technology needed to address the messy, chaotic, real world problems that humanity faces—in this case the serious problem of abuse at work—but equally in the social sciences which are needed to avoid the unintended consequences inherent to human responses. It includes a short but extensive NetLogo guide which readers can use to quickly learn this software and go on to develop complex models. This is an important book for students and researchers of computational social science and others interested in agent-based modelling.

This book illustrates the potential for computer simulation in the study of modern slavery and worker abuse, and by extension in all social issues. It lays out a philosophy of how agent-based modelling can be used in the social sciences. In addressing modern slavery, Chesney considers precarious work that is vulnerable to abuse, like sweat-shop labour and prostitution, and shows how agent modelling can be used to study, understand and fight abuse in these areas. He explores the philosophy, application and practice of agent modelling through the popular and free software NetLogo.This topical book is grounded in the technology needed to address the messy, chaotic, real world problems that humanity faces—in this case the serious problem of abuse at work—but equally in the social sciences which are needed to avoid the unintended consequences inherent to human responses. It includes a short but extensive NetLogo guide which readers can use to quickly learn this software and go on to develop complex models. This is an important book for students and researchers of computational social science and others interested in agent-based modelling.

This volume presents recent developments in identity theory and research. Identities are the basic building blocks of society and hold a central place in every social science discipline. Identity theory provides a systematic conceptualization of identities and their relationship to behavior. The research in this volume demonstrates the usefulness of this theory for understanding identities in action in a variety of areas and settings. The volume is organized into three general areas: ethnicity and race; family, religion, and work; and networks, homophily, and the physical environment. This comprehensive and authoritative volume is of interest to a wide readership in the social and behavioral sciences, including students and researchers of sociology, social psychology, psychology, and other social science disciplines.

This volume presents recent developments in identity theory and research. Identities are the basic building blocks of society and hold a central place in every social science discipline. Identity theory provides a systematic conceptualization of identities and their relationship to behavior. The research in this volume demonstrates the usefulness of this theory for understanding identities in action in a variety of areas and settings. The volume is organized into three general areas: ethnicity and race; family, religion, and work; and networks, homophily, and the physical environment. This comprehensive and authoritative volume is of interest to a wide readership in the social and behavioral sciences, including students and researchers of sociology, social psychology, psychology, and other social science disciplines.

This open access book focuses on a particular but significant topic in the social sciences: the concepts of “footprint” and “trace”. It associates these concepts with hotly debated topics such as surveillance capitalism and knowledge society. The editors and authors discuss the concept footprints and traces as unintended by-products of other (differently focused and oriented) actions that remain empirically imprinted in virtual and real spaces. The volume therefore opens new scenarios for social theory and applied social research in asking what the stakes, risks and potential of this approach are. It systematically raises and addresses these questions within a consistent framework, bringing together a heterogeneous group of international social scientists. Given the multifaceted objectives involved in exploring footprints and traces, the volume discusses heuristic aspects and ethical dimensions, scientific analyses and political considerations, empirical perspectives and theoretical foundations. At the same time, it brings together perspectives from cultural analysis and social theory, communication and Internet studies, big-data informed research and computational social science.This innovative volume is of interest to a broad interdisciplinary readership: sociologists, communication researchers, Internet scholars, anthropologists, cognitive and behavioral scientists, historians, and epistemologists, among others.

This open access book focuses on a particular but significant topic in the social sciences: the concepts of “footprint” and “trace”. It associates these concepts with hotly debated topics such as surveillance capitalism and knowledge society. The editors and authors discuss the concept footprints and traces as unintended by-products of other (differently focused and oriented) actions that remain empirically imprinted in virtual and real spaces. The volume therefore opens new scenarios for social theory and applied social research in asking what the stakes, risks and potential of this approach are. It systematically raises and addresses these questions within a consistent framework, bringing together a heterogeneous group of international social scientists. Given the multifaceted objectives involved in exploring footprints and traces, the volume discusses heuristic aspects and ethical dimensions, scientific analyses and political considerations, empirical perspectives and theoretical foundations. At the same time, it brings together perspectives from cultural analysis and social theory, communication and Internet studies, big-data informed research and computational social science.This innovative volume is of interest to a broad interdisciplinary readership: sociologists, communication researchers, Internet scholars, anthropologists, cognitive and behavioral scientists, historians, and epistemologists, among others.

This volume presents recent advances in identity theory, which is a prominent and active theory in sociological social psychology and a versatile framework for explaining the sources of identities, how they develop, how they operate in situations and groups, and how they influence behavior and well-being. The volume is organized around new theoretical developments, measurement techniques, and research in the field. Theoretical developments covered in the volume sharpen, reframe, and expand fundamental concepts in identity theory. State-of-the-art techniques for measuring identities assess, refine, and update existing measures. New research in the volume addresses both individual processes and outcomes and group processes and outcomes. The chapters together showcase the wide applicability of identity theory to a host of identities, such as the religious, gender, sexual, physical attractiveness, racial/ethnic, parent, student, partisan, and group member identities. The volume editors introduce identity theory and provide an overview of the chapters. In the last chapter, they describe how this volume points to future directions for advancing theory, measurement, and research in identity theory. This volume is of interest to a wider readership, including sociological social psychologists, sociologists, and scholars in other disciplines (psychology, political science, economics, education) whose research or teaching deals with identities. Graduate and advanced undergraduate students interested in identity research will also find this book accessible. Finally, this is for discerning laypersons who are interested in how identities influence and shape their lives and affect their well-being.

This volume presents recent advances in identity theory, which is a prominent and active theory in sociological social psychology and a versatile framework for explaining the sources of identities, how they develop, how they operate in situations and groups, and how they influence behavior and well-being. The volume is organized around new theoretical developments, measurement techniques, and research in the field. Theoretical developments covered in the volume sharpen, reframe, and expand fundamental concepts in identity theory. State-of-the-art techniques for measuring identities assess, refine, and update existing measures. New research in the volume addresses both individual processes and outcomes and group processes and outcomes. The chapters together showcase the wide applicability of identity theory to a host of identities, such as the religious, gender, sexual, physical attractiveness, racial/ethnic, parent, student, partisan, and group member identities. The volume editors introduce identity theory and provide an overview of the chapters. In the last chapter, they describe how this volume points to future directions for advancing theory, measurement, and research in identity theory. This volume is of interest to a wider readership, including sociological social psychologists, sociologists, and scholars in other disciplines (psychology, political science, economics, education) whose research or teaching deals with identities. Graduate and advanced undergraduate students interested in identity research will also find this book accessible. Finally, this is for discerning laypersons who are interested in how identities influence and shape their lives and affect their well-being.

This volume elucidates international biographical and narrative perspectives on how COVID-19 influenced people’s daily lives across different countries and contexts. It draws together global interdisciplinary scholarly contributions and conceptualizes the lived life as a complex, multilayered and multidimensional phenomenon that is constantly unfolding both in and across time. Significantly, this volume focuses on seldom-heard groups including persons diagnosed with HIV, COVID-19 dissenters, prisoners, essential workers, waste pickers, refugees and migrants. The chapters focus on the pandemic's multifarious impacts on people’s lived realities in personal and professional domains, exploring the complexity of people’s relationships with family, friends, interactions with colleagues and students and the centrality of emotions, to everyday human experiences, including grief, loss and loneliness as well as moments of joy and processes of personal renewal. This volume explores innovative questions, issues and challenges on the development and utilization of rich, biographical narrative methodologies during COVID-19, addressing important issues like power and voice, and pragmatic questions of how to do biographic research whilst socially distant. Contributions to this work illuminate the multidimensionality of human experiences, adaptability to adverse circumstances and the complexity of working through unanticipated global events whilst reimagining novel social futures.

This volume elucidates international biographical and narrative perspectives on how COVID-19 influenced people’s daily lives across different countries and contexts. It draws together global interdisciplinary scholarly contributions and conceptualizes the lived life as a complex, multilayered and multidimensional phenomenon that is constantly unfolding both in and across time. Significantly, this volume focuses on seldom-heard groups including persons diagnosed with HIV, COVID-19 dissenters, prisoners, essential workers, waste pickers, refugees and migrants. The chapters focus on the pandemic's multifarious impacts on people’s lived realities in personal and professional domains, exploring the complexity of people’s relationships with family, friends, interactions with colleagues and students and the centrality of emotions, to everyday human experiences, including grief, loss and loneliness as well as moments of joy and processes of personal renewal. This volume explores innovative questions, issues and challenges on the development and utilization of rich, biographical narrative methodologies during COVID-19, addressing important issues like power and voice, and pragmatic questions of how to do biographic research whilst socially distant. Contributions to this work illuminate the multidimensionality of human experiences, adaptability to adverse circumstances and the complexity of working through unanticipated global events whilst reimagining novel social futures.

This book applies the most recent research in social psychology to decisive historical events that arguably built white supremacy as a cultural force, institutional system, and dominant social character. Simultaneously, the discussion considers the progressive counter-forces that have and continue to challenge white supremacy, and how this dialectical battle has brought the United States to the polarizations of the present day. The book builds a four-part argument. First, it considers the origins of white supremacy in the United States, and how some people uphold it today. Second, it discusses personality types that find white supremacy appealing. Third, it lays out the sociohistorical patterns that promoted white supremacy, rewarded people who practiced it, and created generations of people who find meaning and comfort in racist, misogynist, and heteronormative domination. Fourth, it discusses the social counterforces that challenge white supremacy and links these to personality types as well.Overall, the book examines how social character correlates with differing personality types, resulting in very different social movements, cultural expressions, political activities, and daily interactions.

This book applies the most recent research in social psychology to decisive historical events that arguably built white supremacy as a cultural force, institutional system, and dominant social character. Simultaneously, the discussion considers the progressive counter-forces that have and continue to challenge white supremacy, and how this dialectical battle has brought the United States to the polarizations of the present day. The book builds a four-part argument. First, it considers the origins of white supremacy in the United States, and how some people uphold it today. Second, it discusses personality types that find white supremacy appealing. Third, it lays out the sociohistorical patterns that promoted white supremacy, rewarded people who practiced it, and created generations of people who find meaning and comfort in racist, misogynist, and heteronormative domination. Fourth, it discusses the social counterforces that challenge white supremacy and links these to personality types as well.Overall, the book examines how social character correlates with differing personality types, resulting in very different social movements, cultural expressions, political activities, and daily interactions.

This volume celebrates identity theory as a leading framework that organizes research on identities across a wide swath of disciplines, such as sociology, psychology, political science, criminology, social work, and education. It positions identity as not merely an abstract concept studied in a vacuum; but rather, as a foundational aspect of our lives that are developed, maintained, and negotiated in real, day-to-day social contexts, and that carry very real implications for health, well-being, future aspirations, and realized successes in a variety of social arenas. Featuring original, empirical work from senior, mid-career, and junior scholars, this volume presents new and cutting-edge developments in identity theory that advance research in the context of higher education, rural communities, political engagement, police-citizen interactions, racial/ethnic minorities, and patients in healthcare settings. Other topics covered include identity development, identity maintenance and negotiation, mental health and wellbeing, and aspirations and success expectations. Many chapters feature continued measurement improvements and/or bridges to other theories. The volume highlights the practical, applied utility of identity research for understanding and contributing to solutions for contemporary social problems. It is essential reading for researchers, academics, and graduate and undergraduate students who are interested in the relationship between identities and social problems and who seek to stay apprised of new and emerging emphases within the identity theory research community.

This volume engages the interface between the development of human lives and social relational networks. It focuses on the integration of two subfields of sociology/social science--the life course and social networks. Research practitioners studying social networks typically focus on social structure or social organization, ignoring the complex lives of the people in those networks. At the same time, life course researchers tend to focus on individual lives without necessarily studying the contexts of social relationships in which lives are embedded and “linked” to one another through social networks. These patterns are changing and this book creates an audience of researchers who will better integrate the two subfields. It covers the role of social networks across the life span, from childhood and adolescence, to midlife, through old age.

Scholarly analysis in the sociology of education has burgeoned in recent decades. Frontiers in Sociology of Education aims to provide a roadmap for sociologists and other social scientists as they set bold new directions for future research on schools.  In Part 1 of this forward-looking volume, the authors present cutting-edge research to set  new guidelines for the sociological analysis of schools. In Part 2, notable social scientists, historians, administrators and educators provide a wide-ranging array of perspectives on contemporary education to insure that scholars make creative and broadly informed contributions to the sociological analysis of schools. The contributors to this volume examine events currently influencing education including: globalization, expansion of educational access, the changing significance of religion, new family structures, and curriculum reform.  Frontiers in Sociology of Education offers an innovative collection of research and ideas aimed at inspiring new analyses of schools better linked to changing societal conditions.