Anthropology in Security Science

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 22-31
Author(s):  
Katarina Stolarikova
Keyword(s):  
Social Relations ◽  
Cultural Anthropology ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Security Studies ◽  
Operational Environment ◽  
Proper Understanding ◽  
Human Use ◽  
The Military ◽  
Security Science ◽  
Effective Source

Security is in general closely linked to any activity of individuals and society as a whole, and bound to social relations, which are always decisive in shaping the security strategies of individual states. Security is one of the most important values of society and culture. Security and conflict resolution should be an object of the interdisciplinary approach. Socio-cultural anthropology applied in security studies is a valuable and effective source of knowledge protecting all actors. Only with a proper understanding of the operational environment with its variables and elements, it is possible to assure effective and human use of power and military decision-making tools and methods. While this paper brings the ideas of many authors, sociocultural anthropology is not that widely used in the military.

On Others’ Emotions, and Ours: a Reflection on Narratives, Categories, and Heuristic Devices

Relations ◽  
2013 ◽  
pp. 9-22
Author(s):  
Sabrina Tonutti
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Cultural Anthropology ◽  
Collective Phenomena ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Heuristic Devices

This article reflects on some epistemological and methodological tenets of cultural anthropology such as the informants’ role in ethnographical research, the relation between collective phenomena and individuals, and that between case studies (individual level) and abstraction (generalization). These tenets will be addressed focusing on the lack of recognition of animals’ individuality and agency in social relations, and on the related humans/animals opposition. With the topic of the emotional lives of animals as a starting point, the essay sets out to reflect on how the narratives we use to interpret and describe them inform our enquiry within an anthropocentric and essentialist view, consequently biasing our understanding of diversity.

scholarly journals Internet Users Engage More With Phatic Posts Than With Health Misinformation On Facebook

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manon Berriche ◽  
Sacha Altay
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Cultural Evolution ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Emotional Valence ◽  
Real World Data ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Evolution Dynamics

Social media like Facebook are harshly criticized for the propagation of health misinformation. Yet, little research has provided in-depth analysis of real-world data to measure the extent to which Internet users engage with it. This article examines 6.5 million interactions generated by 500 posts on an emblematic case of online health misinformation: the Facebook page Santé + Mag, which generates five times more interactions than the combination of the five best-established French media outlets. Based on the literature on cultural evolution, we tested whether the presence of cognitive factors of attraction, that tap into evolved cognitive preferences, such as information related to sexuality, social relations, threat, disgust or negative emotions, could explain the success of Santé + Mag’s posts. Drawing from media studies findings, we hypothesized that their popularity could be driven by Internet users’ desire to interact with their friends and family by sharing phatic posts (i.e. statements with no practical information fulfilling a social function such as “hello” or “sister, I love you”).We found that phatic posts were the strongest predictor of interactions, followed by posts with a positive emotional valence. While 50% of the posts were related to social relations, only 28% consisted of health misinformation. Despite its cognitive appeal, health misinformation was a negative predictor of interactions. Sexual contents negatively predicted interactions and other factors of attraction such as disgust, threat or negative emotions did not predict interactions. These results strengthen the idea that Facebook is first and foremost a social network used by people to foster their social relations, not to spread online misinformation. We encourage researchers working on misinformation to conduct finer-grained analysis of online contents and to adopt interdisciplinary approach to study the phatic dimension of communication, together with positive contents, to better understand the cultural evolution dynamics of social media.

scholarly journals New institutional challenges to the educational space: security as a criterion for development in the conditions of digitalization

2020 ◽  
pp. 81-93
Author(s):  
Sergei Vladimirovich Rabkin
Keyword(s):  
Social Development ◽  
National Security ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
The State ◽  
Internal Factors ◽  
Sociocultural Processes ◽  
Institutional Challenges ◽  
The Impact

The subject of this research is the institutional transformations of educational space associated with the global processes of digitalization of social relations, as well as internal factors in cooperation between society and the state with regards to determination of the criteria of security for their development. Using the general methodology of institutional analysis, methods of analogy and summary, as well as interdisciplinary approach towards studying the educational space, the author considers the questions of implementation of digital education technologies under the conditions of current sociocultural transformations. Special attention is turned to the balance between rational and immaterial factors that affect the formation of modern educational space, and thereby, specification of the new institutional challenges to the security of social development. The conducted analysis of the problems of implementation of such technologies in the system of higher education leads to the conclusion on the need for assessing the effectiveness of implementation of digital technologies in accordance with the institutional criteria that imply not only the impact of both, rational and immaterial factors of social development. The institutional nature of these factors is insufficiently studied, however determines the possibility of application of cognitive models in solution of the tasks aimed at ensuring national security in the conditions of digitalization of sociocultural processes. Therefore, the crucial institutional criterion that defines the effectiveness of implementation of digital technologies in the educational space consists in its security in all regards. The proposed institutional-criteria approach allows the state and society to focus on ensuring security of the educational space in the context of solution of relevant tasks of ensuring national security of the Russian Federation.

scholarly journals Body on the Plate. On the Relation between the Carnality and Food (on the example of meat in advertising)

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-151
Author(s):  
Wojciech Goszczyński ◽  
Anna Wójtewicz
Keyword(s):  
Social Relations ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Cultural Anthropology ◽  
Food Studies ◽  
The Body ◽  
Sociology Of The Body

Do we own our bodies? Do we control them during the meal, or does the meal control us? In this paper, we aim to examine the complex nexus of social and physical practices embedded in eating habits. During the examination of selected culinary advertisements, we will attempt to explain how food stabilizes, catalyzes, separates, and mediates social relations, as well as social and individual bodies. The paper merges the perspective of cultural anthropology, sociology of the body, and food studies.

The Process of Westernization of the Balkans after WWII: The Cases of Greece and Bulgaria

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-34
Author(s):  
Alla Kondrasheva ◽  
Stavris Parastatov
Keyword(s):  
Social Relations ◽  
Short Interval ◽  
Western Country ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Spheres Of Influence ◽  
Western Influence ◽  
The Cold War ◽  
The Military ◽  
Of Greece

The high significance of the Balkan geopolitical knot was clearly expressed in the bipolar era when the main frontier between the two warring blocks passed through the Balkans. Due to the secret ‘Percentages Agreement’ between Great Britain and the USSR in 1944, the Balkans were divided into spheres of influence of the two great powers. Subsequently, London ceded the role of the main source of Western influence in the region to Washington.Of particular interest are the cases of Greece and Bulgaria as border countries that found themselves in different ‘worlds’ and, given the geostrategic importance of their territories, which were the main ideological instruments and conductors of ideas in the Cold war of the hegemons that stood behind. The Truman Doctrine in 1947 and NATO membership in 1952 strengthened and institutionalized Western influence in Greece. Westernization of Greek society in the form of liberalization and democratiza-tion of social relations and consequently its political system proceeded rapidly with a relatively short interval of the military dictatorship.Greece was assigned the role of a model for the rapid and successful develop-ment of a western country, a bridgehead for the dissemination of anti–communist ide-as in other countries of the Balkan region, primarily Bulgaria. Besides, due to the establishment of a strict pro–Soviet regime in Sofia, the westernization of Bulgarian society was carried out including through intelligence agencies, and after a certain thaw in relations through economic cooperation.

Respect for gender equality as a component of civilian democratic control over the military organisation of the state

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-60
Author(s):  
Yuliia Yu. Bobrova ◽  
Yuriy O. Bobrov
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equality ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
The State ◽  
Public Attention ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Gender Balance ◽  
Democratic Control ◽  
The Military ◽  
The Impact

The analysis of numerous scientific publications demonstrates the great relevance of gender studies at the current stage of Ukrainian social development, in almost all spheres of social relations. As for ensuring equal participation of men and women in the functioning of the military organisation of the state, the implementation of such a gender balance contributes to improving civilian control over it through the possibility of developing the capacity of regulatory bodies in gender issues, promoting dialogue between the community and control bodies, and drawing public attention to the problems of accountability of institutions of this organisation. The main purpose of this study is to highlight the state of gender equality in the military organisation of the state through the lens of civilian democratic control. The study determined the state of legislative regulation of the concept of military organisation of the state and civil democratic control. The study analysed the introduction of a gender perspective in Ukraine in the subject matter and the dynamics of establishing a gender balance in the military organisation of the state; the impact on existing trends of legislative initiatives. It is stated that the modern Ukrainian army is mostly “male”. Despite the fact that women are allowed to serve in the military, they do not take part in making socially important decisions, they do not hold high military positions, and career growth is challenging for them. The study identified the main problems of implementing gender equality in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other structures of the Defence Forces of Ukraine, which are more based on social stereotypes of pre-defined roles for men and women. Civil control over the Armed Forces is described as a socio-political process in this area

A History of the Future: Carolyn Wood Sherif, Equitable Knowledge, and Feminist Psychology

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 422-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanne Marecek
Keyword(s):  
Social Relations ◽  
Sociology Of Science ◽  
Social Institution ◽  
Boundary Crossing ◽  
Feminist Psychology ◽  
The Future ◽  
Institutional Relations ◽  
Narrow Space ◽  
The Military ◽  
Thought Styles

Writing some 40 years ago, Carolyn Wood Sherif left a legacy of critical reflections on the fledgling field of feminist psychology. Here I read her work, not as a record of the past, but with an eye to the future. In the two works I consider in this essay, Sherif offered a scrutiny of the knowledge-producing practices and social relations of the psychology of her time, as well as an agenda for feminist research practice. I draw on Ludwik Fleck’s sociology of science to reflect on Sherif’s thoughts. For Fleck, scientific communities are thought collectives with characteristic styles of thinking that come to seem like objective reality. Sherif took issue with many thought styles of orthodox psychology, particularly the dicta that limited psychological inquiry to narrow space-time frameworks, thus erasing culture, history, and social structure. In addition, Sherif advocated for a critical consciousness of the institutional relations of psychology, in particular the ways that psychology buttressed and was buttressed by the military. Sherif’s concerns remain urgent today. I urge readers to join epistemological debates and boundary-crossing conversations. I also call on readers to join with social critics in examining the discipline’s place as a social institution.

How ‘Democratic’ Was the Pauline Ekklēsia? An Assessment with Special Reference to the Christ Groups of Roman Corinth

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. L. Welborn
Keyword(s):  
Social Relations ◽  
Political Institutions ◽  
First Century ◽  
Proper Understanding ◽  
House Churches ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
New Research ◽  
Epigraphic Evidence ◽  
The City

Several recent studies have argued for the importance of democratic practices and ideology for a proper understanding of the issues and debates reflected in Paul's Corinthian correspondence. This new perspective stands in tension with older scholarship which emphasised the role of patronage in the structure and dynamics of the house churches that made up the ekklēsia of Christ-believers at Corinth. This essay draws upon new research into the political sociology of Greek cities in the early Empire, which highlights evidence of the continuing vitality of democratic assemblies (ekklēsiai) in the first and second centuries, despite the limitations imposed upon local autonomy by Roman rule. Special attention is devoted to the epigraphic evidence of first-century Corinth, whose political institutions and social relations were those of a Roman colony. The essay seeks to ascertain whether the politics of the Christ groups mimicked those of the city in which they were located or represented an alternative.

Interdisciplinary Approach to the Examination of Law Enforcement Practice Issues

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (10) ◽  
pp. 0-0
Author(s):  
Александра Абрамова ◽  
Aleksandra Abramova
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Development Stage ◽  
Actual State ◽  
Functional Integrity ◽  
Integrated Theory ◽  
New Development ◽  
The Law

The article justifies the need to create an integrated theory of efficient law enforcement, and in the author’s opinion it is the interdisciplinary approach that is designed to serve this purpose. Integration of various spheres of scientific knowledge which forms the base of the interdisciplinary approach permits to consider law enforcement with reference to and in mutual interdependence of all its system elements, to reflect actual state of the law effects on social relations. The possibility emerges for the search of more efficient ways that help to disclose law enforcement in various aspects, see its new dimensions, and identify the most problematic issues of this type of activity. Conditions are created for preserving functional integrity of law enforcement, and its transfer to the qualitatively new development stage is provided, which meets modern challenges, answers requirements for innovation and modernization of this process.

scholarly journals CONCEPT AND CONTENT OF MILITARY SECURITY OF UKRAINE IN THE LIGHT OF MODERN CHALLENGES AND THREATS

2018 ◽  
pp. 33-47
Author(s):  
Y. Lutsenko
Keyword(s):  
National Security ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
The State ◽  
European Continent ◽  
Scientific Analysis ◽  
Military Security ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
State Defense ◽  
Political Economic ◽  
The Military

The article provides a scientific analysis of the problems that exist in the sphere of national security of Ukraine. The problems in the sphere of state security of Ukraine are investigated, the concept and content of military security of Ukraine are considered in the light of modern challenges and threats. Attention is drawn to the fact that in the presence of military security, many tasks can be solved to ensure national security and create the necessary conditions for the stable development of political, economic, social, environmental, spiritual, intellectual, demographic fundamentals of society's life. The work emphasizes that military security can not be achieved only through the organization of state defense, and is a complex category, which is closely connected with many spheres of social relations and life of the state. It is noted that military security is the foundation of national security, the basis of the country's independence. In connection with this, the military security of Ukraine as one of the priority (basic) types of national security of the state can not be considered separately from the development of political, economic, social processes both on the European continent and around the world, and some features of the geopolitical situation In many cases, the directions and tasks of Ukraine's foreign policy are determined near its borders.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document