scholarly journals Women’s Consumption of Pornography: Pleasure, Contestation, and Empowerment

Sociology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (5) ◽  
pp. 969-986
Author(s):  
Athanasia Daskalopoulou ◽  
Maria Carolina Zanette

This article draws on 27 interviews with women (with exclusive and non-exclusive sexual orientations) to understand the role of pornography in the construction of female sexuality. Building upon research that moves beyond the ‘negative effects paradigm’ in the study of pornography, we show that consuming pornography is both disciplining and empowering for women. Our informants recognise that pornography reproduces and promotes patriarchal discourses of sexuality, but they manage to use it to reach a state of pleasure (exercise of fantasy, sexual gratification) and perfection (optimal way of performing sex). We also show pornography’s role in cultivating a renewed understanding of female sexuality. In this process, aspects of the genre are questioned, negotiated and reconciled in order to continue using pornography to satisfy desire. We contribute to ongoing debates about the role of pornography in society by documenting the experiences of women whose voices have been hitherto underrepresented in the literature.

2020 ◽  
pp. 92-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. I. Bakhtigaraeva ◽  
A. A. Stavinskaya

The article considers the role of trust in the economy, the mechanisms of its accumulation and the possibility of using it as one of the growth factors in the future. The advantages and disadvantages of measuring the level of generalized trust using two alternative questions — about trusting people in general and trusting strangers — are analyzed. The results of the analysis of dynamics of the level of generalized trust among Russian youth, obtained within the study of the Institute for National Projects in 10 regions of Russia, are presented. It is shown that there are no significant changes in trust in people in general during the study at university. At the same time, the level of trust in strangers falls, which can negatively affect the level of trust in the country as a whole, and as a result have negative effects on the development of the economy in the future. Possible causes of the observed trends and the role of universities are discussed. Also the question about the connection between the level of education and generalized trust in countries with different quality of the institutional environment is raised.


Author(s):  
باي زكوب عبد العالي ◽  
سوهيرين محمد صوليحين

الملخّصيعدّ عبد الحميد بن باديس أحد العلماء الجزائريين المبرزين بالإصلاح الاجتماعي والدّيني والسّياسي والتربوي، عاش خمسين سنة في القرن العشرين الميلادي، حيث كانت ولادته سنة 1889م، وكانت وفاته سنة 1940م، ولقد فرض الواقع الجزائري إبّان فترة الاحتلال الفرنسي الذي كان يسعى إلى طمس ثوابت الأمّة الجزائرية، وخرق تاريخها، وهُويّتها، وثقافتها، ووحدتها الدينيّة، واللّغوية على ابن باديس أن يسلك نهج التربية والتعليم، قاصداً بذلك مواجهة الاحتلال الفرنسي الغاشم من خلال عدّة جبهات ومجالات كمثل مجال الصحافة، ومجال التربية والتعليم، ومجال الجمعيات، ومجال السياسة وغير ذلك، يهدف هذا البحث إلى إبراز دور عبد الحميد بن باديس في النّهوض بالأمّة الجزائريّة نحو تربيّة أفضل، وحياة أسعد، فيبدأ أوّلاً وبشكل موجز، بالتعرّف على الفترة الصعبة التي عايشها ابن باديس والمتمثلة في فترة الاحتلال الفرنسي الغاشم، وآثاره السلبية على الصعيد السياسي والاقتصادي والاجتماعي والثقافي والديني الجزائري وقتذاك، ثم يقوم ثانياً بتسليط الضّوء على حياة ابن باديس وتكوينه العلمي ورحلاته الداخلية وأسفاره الخارجية؛ ثم يسعى ثالثاً وبتعمّق، التعرّف على أعمال ابن باديس الاجتماعيّة وجهوده التربويّة التي أخذت حظّاً وافراً من حياته اليومية، والتي تركّزت على منبرين رئيسين، هما: منبر الصّحافة، ومنبر التربيّة والتعليم.الكلمات المفتاحيّة: الإمام عبد الحميد بن باديس، الاحتلال الفرنسي، التربية، الجزائر، الإصلاح.             AbstractImÉm ‘Abd al-×amÊd ibn BÉdÊs is an Algerian scientist, and eminent social, religious, political and educational reformer. He lived fifty years in the twentieth century. He was born in 1889 and died in 1940, and lived during the French occupation that attempted to distort and undermine the foundations of the Algerian nation by destroying its history, identity, culture, and religious and linguistic unity. Ibn BÉdÊs pursued an educational approach to face the brutal French occupation on several fronts, including journalism, education, civil associations, politics, etc. This paper highlights the role of ‘Abd al-×amÊd ibn BÉdÊs in the advancement of the Algerian nation toward better education and a happier life. The paper begins with a brief canvas of the difficult times in which Ibn BÉdÊs lived, and the negative effects of the brutal French occupation from political, economic, social, cultural and religious angles, besides highlighting the life of Ibn BÉdÊs, his education and his local and international travels. The focus of this research is an in-depth examination of Ibn BÉdÊs’ social and educational efforts that consumed much of his daily routine: journalism, and education.Keywords: ImÉm ‘Abd al-×amÊd ibn BÉdÊs, the French Occupation, Education, Algeria, Reform.


Author(s):  
Valeria Seidita ◽  
Francesco Lanza ◽  
Arianna Pipitone ◽  
Antonio Chella

Abstract Motivation The epidemic at the beginning of this year, due to a new virus in the coronavirus family, is causing many deaths and is bringing the world economy to its knees. Moreover, situations of this kind are historically cyclical. The symptoms and treatment of infected patients are, for better or worse even for new viruses, always the same: more or less severe flu symptoms, isolation and full hygiene. By now man has learned how to manage epidemic situations, but deaths and negative effects continue to occur. What about technology? What effect has the actual technological progress we have achieved? In this review, we wonder about the role of robotics in the fight against COVID. It presents the analysis of scientific articles, industrial initiatives and project calls for applications from March to now highlighting how much robotics was ready to face this situation, what is expected from robots and what remains to do. Results The analysis was made by focusing on what research groups offer as a means of support for therapies and prevention actions. We then reported some remarks on what we think is the state of maturity of robotics in dealing with situations like COVID-19.


Philosophy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 96 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-97
Author(s):  
Hassan Alsharif ◽  
John Symons

AbstractThis paper argues that open-mindedness is a corrective virtue. It serves as a corrective to the epistemic vice of confirmation bias. Specifically, open-mindedness is the epistemically virtuous disposition to resist the negative effects of confirmation bias on our ability to reason well and to evaluate evidence and arguments. As part of the defense and presentation of our account, we explore four discussions of open-mindedness in the recent literature. All four approaches have strengths and shed light on aspects of the virtue of open-mindedness. Each mentions various symptoms of confirmation bias and some explore aspects of the corrective role of open-mindedness. However, ours is the first to explicitly identify open-mindedness as a corrective virtue to the specific epistemic vice of confirmation bias. We show how the corrective account also permits a response to the concern that open-mindedness might not actually count as a virtue.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 328-346
Author(s):  
Esther Miedema ◽  
Winny Koster ◽  
Nicky Pouw ◽  
Philippe Meyer ◽  
Albena Sotirova

There is a burgeoning body of research on the role of ‘shame’ and ‘honour’ in decisions regarding early marriage in different parts of the world. Conceptualizing shame and honour as idioms through which gendered socio-economic inequalities are created and maintained, we examine early marriage decisions in Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Senegal. While we acknowledge the existence of important differences between countries in terms of the nature and manifestations of shame and honour, we argue that regardless of setting, neither shame and honour, nor female sexuality and chastity can be separated from the socio-economic hierarchies and inequalities. Thus, in this article we seek to identify the cross-cutting dynamic of marriage as a means to overcome the shame associated with young single women’s sexuality, protecting family honour and social standing, and/or securing young women’s social-economic future. Building on our data and available scholarship, we question the potential of emphasizing ‘choice’ as a means of reducing early marriage and advancing women’s emancipation in international development efforts. Instead, we argue in favour of initiatives that engage with young people and caregivers on the ways in which, at grassroot levels, communities may revise narratives of respectability, marriageability and social standing.


2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 730-745 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Cegarra-Sanchez ◽  
Juan-Gabriel Cegarra-Navarro ◽  
Anthony Wensley ◽  
Jose Diaz Manzano

Purpose Knowledge acquired from sources of unverified information such as gossip, partial truths or lies, in this paper it is termed as “counter-knowledge.” The purpose of this paper is to explore this topic through an exploration of the links between a Hospital-in-the-Home Units (HHUs) learning process (LP), counter-knowledge, and the utilization of communication technologies. The following two questions are addressed: Does the reduction of counter-knowledge result in the utilization of communication technologies? Does the development of counter-knowledge hinder the LP? Design/methodology/approach This paper examines the relevance of communication technologies to the exploration and exploitation of knowledge for 252 patients of a (HHU) within a Spanish regional hospital. The data collected was analyzed using the PLS-Graph. Findings To HHU managers, this study offers a set of guidelines to assist in their gaining an understanding of the role of counter-knowledge in organizational LPs and the potential contribution of communication technologies. Our findings support the proposition that the negative effects of counter-knowledge can be mitigated by using communication technologies. Originality/value It is argued in this paper that counter-knowledge may play a variety of different roles in the implementation of LPs. Specifically, the assignment of communication technologies to homecare units has given them the means to filter counter-knowledge and prevent users from any possible problems caused by such counter-knowledge.


Author(s):  
Carolin Dietz ◽  
Hannes Zacher

AbstractSickness presence can have important individual and organizational consequences, such as health deterioration or productivity loss. Additional risks, such as negative customer reactions, may be particularly relevant in the service sector. Based on affective events theory and appraisal theories, we hypothesize that employee sickness presence negatively impacts customer repurchase and recommendation intentions. Furthermore, we explore potential affective mechanisms of these effects, including disease avoidance, personal anger, moral outrage, post-consumption guilt, and customer compassion for the employee. We conducted four studies, including three experimental vignette methodology studies (Ns = 227, 72, and 763) and a qualitative study (N = 54). In Study 1, employee sickness presence had negative effects on repurchase and recommendation intentions. Results of Study 2 show that customers experienced disgust, fear, anger, guilt, compassion, and indifference in response to sickness presence. In Study 3, anger explained the negative effects of employee sickness presence on repurchase and recommendation intentions, while appraisals of moral fairness were negatively related to both customer intentions. Finally, in Study 4, disgust and anger explained negative effects, while fear, guilt, and compassion explained positive effects of employee sickness presence on customer intentions. Appraisals of goal incongruence, reduced agency of the customer, and uncertainty were negatively related to customer intentions. The physical absence of the customer in the service encounter (phone call) mitigated the experience of disgust, fear, and anger, whereas it exacerbated feelings of compassion for the ill employee.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 5857
Author(s):  
Chuluunbat Tsendsuren ◽  
Prayag Lal Yadav ◽  
Sangsoo Kim ◽  
Seung-Hun Han

This study investigates the influence of local religious beliefs to evaluate managerial motives towards corporate environmental engagement, considering the growing attention of the role of external factors in shaping corporate behavior. Using Newsweek’s green rankings of the largest publicly traded US firms by market capitalization from 2014–2016, we find that competent managers show a higher strategic preference for corporate environmental practices in firms located in low-Protestant or high-Catholic areas exhibiting higher risk and uncertainty, which tend to mitigate the negative effects of risky environments. We find that corporate environmental practices positively influence the sales of firms in high risk-taking states. This study provides significant contributions to the literature documenting the consequences of local religious risk-taking behavior and elaborates on the perceptions of competent managers on environmental management. The results provide valuable insights for practitioners and policymakers looking to incorporate environmental practices.


2021 ◽  
Vol 125 ◽  
pp. 103539
Author(s):  
Dawn S. Carlson ◽  
Merideth J. Thompson ◽  
Kaylee J. Hackney ◽  
Wayne S. Crawford

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 453-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sepehr Ghazinoory ◽  
Ali Bitaab ◽  
Ardeshir Lohrasbi

Purpose – In the last two decades, researchers have paid much attention to the role of cultural values on economic and social development. In particular, the crucial role of different aspects of culture on the development of innovation has been stressed in the literature. Consequently, it is vital to understand how social capital, as a core cultural value, affects the innovation process and the innovative performance at the national level. However, to date, the impact of different dimensions of social capital and innovation has not been properly portrayed or explained. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of four different dimensions of social capital (institutional and interpersonal, associational life and norms) on two of the main functions of national innovation system (NIS) (entrepreneurship and knowledge creation) based on over 50,000 observations in 34 countries. Design/methodology/approach – In this regard, national-level data from the World Values Survey database was employed to quantify social capital. Entrepreneurship is, in turn, assumed to consist of three sub-indexes and 14 indicators based on the Global Entrepreneurship Index. Knowledge creation is also measured through US Patent Office applications. Also, exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling approach were used to build the measurement model and investigate the impact that each factor of social capital had on entrepreneurship and knowledge application, respectively. Measurement and structural models were built and their reliability and validity were tested using various fit indices. Research findings suggest the strong positive effect of institutional trust and networking on entrepreneurship. Also, interpersonal trust and networks were shown to have high influence on knowledge development at the national level. Norms appear to have naïve to medium negative effects on both functions. Findings – Research findings suggest the strong positive effect of institutional trust and networking on entrepreneurship. Also, interpersonal trust and networks were shown to have high influence on knowledge development at the national level. Norms appear to have naïve to medium negative effects on both functions. Originality/value – However, to date, the impact of different dimensions of social capital and innovation has not been properly portrayed or explained.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document