Towards A Sociology Of Academic Work

This introductory chapter outlines where and how this book contributes original research to the existing scholarship on politics of rentier states in the Arabian Peninsula, as well as the academic work on political Islam through a brief literature review. This book will demonstrate that political Islam serves as a prominent voice critiquing social policies, as well as promoting more strictly political, and often populist or reformist, views supported by a great many Gulf citizens. As laid out in this chapter, this book demonstrates that the way that Islamist organizations operate in the unique environment of the super-rentiers is distinct. It also presents information about the methodology and sources used, as well as a detailed explanation for the use of country cases chosen. The chapter closes by describing the format of the book.

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The Relation between Social Capital and Academic Motivation of Students: A Study of Health Professional Education in Japan

European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education ◽

10.3390/ejihpe11010011 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 129-141

Author(s):

Yuka Koyanagi ◽

Myo Nyein Aung ◽

Motoyuki Yuasa ◽

Miwa Sekine ◽

Okada Takao

Keyword(s):

Social Capital ◽

University Students ◽

Intrinsic Motivation ◽

Extrinsic Motivation ◽

Academic Motivation ◽

Academic Work ◽

Health Profession ◽

Average Level ◽

Social Connections ◽

Health Profession Education

Academic motivation consists of reward-based extrinsic motivation and curiosity-based intrinsic motivation. Students studying at university or college develop several new social connections with friends, classmates, and teachers, in addition to their family and community. Belonging to their networks, students acquire opinions, appreciation, trust, and norms of the society. Whether those social connections enhance the motivation of university students for academic work is a question yet to be answered in the context of health profession education in Japan. Judo-therapist education is a form of health profession education in Japan. This study aimed to measure the academic motivation and social capital (SC) of judo-therapist students in Japan, and to find the relation between social capital and academic motivation. This cross-sectional study recruited a total of 2247 students applying multi-stage sampling across Japan. A Japanese version Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) measured the learning motivation in three constructs: (1) intrinsic motivation (IM); (2) extrinsic motivation (EM); and (3) amotivation (alpha 0.94). A newly-developed 46-itemed, 4-pointed scale measured social capital (SC) in five constructs: (1) family relations, (2) on-campus friends, (3) off-campus friends, (4) classroom social capital; and (5) regional social capital (alpha 0.85). Robust regression analysis treated all constructs of SC as independent variables and IM and EM as dependent variables respectively in the three models. Among the average level of constructs, the family SC average level was the highest. Classroom SC was less than family SC and community SC was the lowest. Intrinsic motivation is positively influenced by classroom SC the most, followed by family SC, on-campus friends’ SC, and community SC. Extrinsic motivation is positively influenced by classroom SC the most, followed by family SC, on-campus friends’ SC, and community SC. Amotivation is negatively influenced by social capital constructs except external friends’ SC. In conclusion, social connections have the power to enhance the motivation of university students’ academic work within health profession education. The relations, trust and bonds developed in the classroom may allow an adult learner’s motivation to evolve into autonomous intrinsic motivation and prevent amotivation.

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