Problems of Theory and Measurement

1989 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 407-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Bulmer

Social indicators have not fulfilled their promise, or at least have not lived up to the expectations held of them in the late 1950s and 1960s. Despite the continued growth of social statistics, produced both by governments and other organisations, the aim of producing precise, concise and evaluatively neutral measures of the state of society and of change in society has apparently eluded some of the best minds of the social science and governmental statistics communities. Whereas a wide range of economic indicators and data are readily available, if not without their problems (cf. Johnson, 1988), and integrated into the concepts of economic theory, standard measures of crime, health, well-being, education and many other social characteristics have proven much more difficult to construct and establish as standard yardsticks of social conditions. This note considers some of the reasons for these difficulties. It relates specifically to the aspiration to construct social indicators, not to social statistics more generally (as reviewed in, for example, Carley, 1981).

Author(s):  
A. F. Chupilkina

The “social question” and the disclosure of a wide range of the category “social state” are among the most popular in the research of scientists of various sciences. Political scientists, sociologists, economists, philosophers, historians and lawyers present us in the most favorable light the possibilities of the state influence of the past on the well-being of citizens through active and diverse intervention in various spheres of life. However, there is still no unified idea about the genesis of the social state and its features. The purpose of the study is not just to proclaim new stages in the evolution of the idea of a social state, but to establish clear criteria for their definition, which it is proposed to designate as a set (system) of the following features: 1) evolution (change, improvement) of the type of thinking, theoretical approaches; 2) economic and industrial evolution (change or improvement of economic and industrial relations); 3) legislation that affects the viability of the state; 4) the degree of satisfaction with the life of citizens (according to the results of independent sociological surveys). Based on the conducted historical analysis, it is concluded that the origins of the social state have their roots in Ancient Greece during the times of Solon and Pisistratus, who showed practical examples of social reformations.


Author(s):  
Brid Featherstone ◽  
Anna Gupta ◽  
Kate Morris ◽  
Sue White

The state is increasingly experienced as both intrusive and neglectful, particularly by those living in poverty, leading to loss of trust and widespread feelings of alienation and disconnection. Against this tense background, this innovative book argues that child protection policies and practices have become part of the problem, rather than ensuring children's well-being and safety. Building on the ideas in the best-selling Re-imagining Child Protection and drawing together a wide range of social theorists and disciplines, the book challenges existing notions of child protection, revealing their limits. It ensures that the harms which children and families experience are explored in a way that acknowledges the social and economic contexts in which they live, and explains how the protective capacities within families and communities can be mobilised and practices of co-production adopted. The book places ethics and human rights at the centre of everyday conversations and practices.


2010 ◽  
pp. 73-89
Author(s):  
M.-F. Garcia

The article examines social conditions and mechanisms of the emergence in 1982 of a «Dutch» strawberry auction in Fontaines-en-Sologne, France. Empirical study of this case shows that perfect market does not arise per se due to an «invisible hand». It is a social construction, which could only be put into effect by a hard struggle between stakeholders and large investments of different forms of capital. Ordinary practices of the market dont differ from the predictions of economic theory, which is explained by the fact that economic theory served as a frame of reference for the designers of the auction. Technological and spatial organization as well as principal rules of trade was elaborated in line with economic views of perfect market resulting in the correspondence between theory and reality.


Our quest for prosperity has produced great output but not always great outcomes. The list of concerns is growing and familiar. Fundamentally, when it comes to well-being, fairness, and the scope of our humanity, the modern economic system still leaves much to be desired. In turn, trust in business and the liberal market system (aka “capitalism”) has been declining and regulation has been rising. A variety of forces—civic, economic, and intellectual—have been probing for better alternatives. The contributions in this volume, coauthored by eminent philosophers, social scientists, and a handful of thoughtful business leaders, are submitted in this spirit. The thrust of the work is conveyed in the volume’s titular question: Capitalism Beyond Mutuality? Mutuality, or the exchange of benefits, has been established as the prime principle of interaction in addressing the chronic dilemma of human interdependence. Mutuality is a fundament in the social contract approach and it serves us well. Yet, to address the concerns outlined here, we must help evolve an economic paradigm where mutuality is more systematically complemented by reasoned and elective morality. Otherwise the state will remain the sole (if inadequate) protector and buffer between market and society. Hence, rather than just regulate power we must also educate power. Philosophy has a natural role, especially when education is the preferred vehicle of transformation. Accordingly, the essays in this volume integrate philosophy and social science to outline and explore concrete approaches to these important concerns emanating from business practice and theory.


1980 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francois Nectoux ◽  
John Lintott ◽  
Roy Carr-Hill

This article is concerned with the way that social statistics reflect particular views of the world, and focuses on the specific case of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's program to develop a set of social indicators. Some illustrations of previous attempts to collect social indicators are given, but the bulk of the article discusses the series of contradictions which regulate the generation and use of statistics by governments, the principal one being between measures which play the ideological role of displaying economic and social “progress” and measures which are of direct use in social planning. This is discussed both for social indicators in general and for social concerns linked to the measurement of health. The article ends with an attempt to evaluate the future of the OECD program within the development of modern capitalism.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 148-154
Author(s):  
A. I. SAMSIN ◽  
◽  
M. A. PONOMAREV ◽  
V. V. VELIKOROSSOV ◽  
◽  
...  

The article is devoted to the analysis of the main trends and problems of the management system in modern Japan, which is the key to the country's innovative economic development. Shows the social orientation of the state authorities to protect the rights, freedoms and well-being of citizens. Today, the country is actively fighting against the coronavirus pandemic. The decisive role belongs to government bodies, it is they who develop and implement a system of measures to overcome this serious danger.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-112
Author(s):  
Herry Susanto

Salah satu unsur penting dalam pelayanan gereja yang terabaikan adalah peran sosial gereja untuk mewujudkan kesejahteraan. Padahal warga jemaat berhadapan dengan berbagai isu sosial. Salah satu yang cukup krusial adalah kemiskinan. Dalam upaya merevitalisasi pelayanan gereja, salah satu yang perlu diwujudkan adalah integrasi antara kepedulian sosial dan pelayanan gereja. Artikel ini akan menjelaskan bahwa gereja memiliki panggilan dan tanggung jawab sosial. Fondasi bagi gagasan ini adalah karakteristik pelayanan Yesus yang termuat dalam Lukas 4:18-19, yang merupakan kutipan dari Yesaya 61:1-2; 58:6. Berdasarkan penggunaan Yesaya 61:1-2 yang dikombinasikan dengan Yesaya 58:6, artikel ini menunjukkan bahwa penulis Injil Ketiga memodifikasi kutipan tersebut untuk memperkuat karakteristik sosial dalam pelayanan Yesus. Dimensi sosial pelayanan Yesus merupakan landasan penting untuk membangun pelayanan gerejawi yang memiliki kesadaran sosial untuk membentuk kehidupan umat secara menyeluruh. Dalam menguraikan gagasannya, artikel ini akan menerapkan metode kualitatif yang berorientasi pada studi literatur dan analisis hermeneutika. Adapun pendekatan hermeneutika yang akan diterapkan berfokus pada pembacaan Injil sebagai biografi Yunani-Romawi. Prinsip-prinsip yang umum digunakan dalam metode kritik naratif juga akan diterapkan. Karena adanya kutipan dari Kitab Yesaya, pendekatan hermenutika yang digunakan juga akan menganalisis cara penulis Injil Ketiga menggunakan teks Yesaya tersebut. Artikel ini akan berfokus pada tiga aspek, yaitu karakteristik sosial Injil Ketiga, karakteristik sosial pelayanan Yesus berdasarkan Lukas 4:18-19, dan implikasi dimensi sosial pelayanan Yesus bagi upaya revitalisasi pelayanan gereja. One important element that neglected in church ministry is the social responsibility of the church in realizing the well-being of the community. Whereas the congregation is dealing with various social issues. One that is quite crucial is poverty. In an effort to revitalize church ministry, one that needs to be realized is the integration of social care and church ministry. This article will explain that the church has social calling and responsibility. The foundation for this idea is the characteristics of Jesus' ministry conveyed by Luke 4:18-19, which is a quotation from Isaiah 61:1-2; 58:6. Based on the use of Isaiah 61:1-2 combined with Isaiah 58:6, this article shows that the writer of the Third Gospel modified the quotation to strengthen social characteristics in Jesus' ministry. The social dimension of Jesus' ministry is an important foundation for building church ministries that have social awareness to shape the lives of believers holistically. This article will apply qualitative methods that focus on literary study and hermeneutical analysis. The hermeneutical approach applied here focuses on reading the Gospels as Greco-Roman biography. The principles commonly used in narrative criticism will also be applied. Because of the quotation from the Book of Isaiah, this article will also analyze the way the writer of the Third Gospel used the text of Isaiah. This article will focus on three aspects, namely the social characteristics of the Third Gospel, the social characteristics of Jesus' ministry based on Luke 4: 18-19, and the implications of the social dimension of Jesus' ministry for revitalizing church ministry.


POPULATION ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-127
Author(s):  
Lyudmila Rzhanitsyna

Improving labor incentives is a condition for the Russian economy to recover from the crisis, increase the well-being of the population, and further develop the country. In this regard, in the policy and organization of remuneration, it is proposed to switch from an orientation towards the physiological minimum to a standard of income that would allow an employee to earn a decent income on himself and the child, to the standard of economic sustainability of a family with children. A fair salary exempts the worker from dependence on the social assistance of the state, determined by the decision of the official. The transition of the state policy of personal income is a way to reduce the poverty of workers, to ensure material well-being for the economically active population, thereby creating a middle class, the basis of social stability and social peace in society. And the account of expenses for children is an objective component of the price and reproduction of labor in the system of market relations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-30
Author(s):  
Ewa Polak

The article presents problems related to life quality, life satisfaction and sense of happiness, their determinants, methods of measurement and dependence on the level of wealth and other conditions. Life quality is an abstract blurred term which depends on numerous factors. There is not any single, comprehensive definition, measure or cause of such phenomena as life quality, economic well-being or sense of happiness. Their evaluation depends on economic, political, cultural and social conditions and also on individual features, expectations and attitudes. More and more often, next to hard economic coefficients, social indicators are applied, and synthetic measures of the level of life quality or social and economic well-being are developed. The level of social development is strongly affected by the quality of human capital. The article presents an attempt at matching parameters and indicators which characterise various aspects of life quality and applying them for the development of synthetic measures of life quality in its different aspects. It is also aimed at comparing them with the current results obtained by research studies in this field. The aim of the article is to provide an assessment of diversification in the levels of living conditions observed in some selected countries – its size, specificity and cause-effect relations with the use of the listed parameters and measures. The research on life quality should be applied to the assessment of the efficiency of social and economic policy which has been currently implemented.


Author(s):  
Sighard Neckel

In his chapter Sighard Neckel points out the social characteristics of shame. This emotion arises from the interweaving of social relationships and presupposes the difference between the self and its ideal image just as much as a violation of the norm before the eyes of others. In this respect shame is tied to sociality, normativity and morality. The author illustrates the structural anchoring of the loss of self-esteem in social conditions. Analogous to the dimensions of status acquisition used in sociology in modern societies, such as material prosperity, knowledge, position in organizations and in informal groups, different social shaming techniques are explained. Neckel shows that social devaluations arise when the work or need of people is not valued. The associated devaluations in material and social terms produce feelings of inferiority – feelings with which the addressees of social work are systematically confronted. The article concludes that individualizing social situations and interpreting social disadvantages as personal failure generate shame and the experience of one’s own unworthiness. It is shame that indicates how heterogeneous respect and recognition can be distributed in society.


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