scholarly journals A scientific career launched at the start of the space age: Michael Rycroft at 80

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-121
Author(s):  
Karen L. Aplin ◽  
R. Giles Harrison ◽  
Martin Füllekrug ◽  
Betty Lanchester ◽  
François Becker

Abstract. The scientific career of Michael Rycroft (born in 1938) spans the space age, during which significant changes have occurred in how scientists work, experiment, and interact. Here, as part of his 80th birthday celebrations, we review his career to date in terms of the social and structural changes in collaborative international science. His contributions to research, teaching, and management across solar–terrestrial and ionospheric physics as well as atmospheric and space science are also discussed.

2020 ◽  
pp. 27-37
Author(s):  
E. М. Hayrapetyan ◽  
N. N. Pokrovskaia ◽  
A. B. Chernykh

Fundamental sociological theories of migration study reveal the motives for an individual’s and households’ making decision to migrate, as well as the social factors and consequences of the unfolding of migration processes. Structural changes taking place in society caused by both the innovative nature of economic growth as a whole and the digitalization and expansion of information and telecommunications technologies imply the perception of the phenomenon of migration not only as a territorial movement of the population in space for a long period. Digitalization and development of remote forms of work, in particular, reduces the need for physical concentration of human resources, which allows people to choose the most comfortable places to live. Special attention is paid to the Diaspora, which is one of the important tools for solving communication difficulties. The sociological analysis of migration processes in Armenia illustrates the application of the main concepts, in particular, networked migration and reliance on the Diaspora.


Südosteuropa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (3) ◽  
pp. 408-431
Author(s):  
Irena Petrović ◽  
Marija Radoman

AbstractThe authors analyze the changes in value patterns—patriarchy, authoritarianism and nationalism—in Serbia in the context of the social changes that have marked the postsocialist transformation period. They focus on the extent and intensity of two sub-patterns within each of these three basic value patterns: private and public patriarchy, general and specific authoritarianism, organic (natural) and ethnic nationalism. The conclusions about changes in these value patterns are drawn on the basis of three empirical studies conducted in 2003, 2012, and 2018. They show the prevalence of private patriarchy, general authoritarianism, and organic (natural) nationalism over their counterparts. Private patriarchy has weakened, which is largely to be explained by the significant structural changes in Serbia. On the other hand, support of general authoritarianism and organic (natural) nationalism has been on the rise, which clearly mirrors the unfavorable economic and political situation in the country.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ethan Cowan ◽  
Maria R. Khan ◽  
Siri Shastry ◽  
E. Jennifer Edelman

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unparalleled societal disruption with wide ranging effects on individual liberties, the economy, and physical and mental health. While no social strata or population has been spared, the pandemic has posed unique and poorly characterized challenges for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). Given the pandemic’s broad effects, it is helpful to organize the risks posed to specific populations using theoretical models. These models can guide scientific inquiry, interventions, and public policy. Models also provide a visual image of the interplay of individual-, network-, community-, structural-, and pandemic-level factors that can lead to increased risks of infection and associated morbidity and mortality for individuals and populations. Such models are not unidirectional, in that actions of individuals, networks, communities and structural changes can also affect overall disease incidence and prevalence. In this commentary, we describe how the social ecological model (SEM) may be applied to describe the theoretical effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). This model can provide a necessary framework to systematically guide time-sensitive research and implementation of individual-, community-, and policy-level interventions to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals with OUD.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-81
Author(s):  
Narayan Jena ◽  
Swagatika Parida

This paper attempts to examine the fundamental reasons behind the constant battle of the local people of Uttarakhand over the Himalayan resources since the colonial time. It analyses both the social effects of the deliberate shifting of ownership of natural resources from the local people to government agencies and the ecological impact of dramatic conversion of natural forest into protected areas or reserve forests. Secondly, it questions the validity of such structural changes made by the governments to limit or restrict the local people’s access to the resources of the region. Here, the primary materials for this paper have been derived from the responses of the local people on the government’s shifting and developmental paradigm to substantiate the argument.


Author(s):  
Ivan Kunderenko

Applying the typology of R. Niebuhr to the Protestant environment of Ukraine is nearly impossible, because despite the preserved faith statements, the level of involvement of Protestants in Ukrainian society has changed significantly. Thus, the usual classification is not efficient due to the dynamics of the social dimension of Protestants and the background of theological conservatism. Author agrees with the proposed paradigm of D. Hollinger, that in any interaction with society there are two dimensions, in the middle of which we can make a certain ranking. The impact can be individual or structural, as well as reactionary or preventive. The following vectors have become especially common among Protestants: 1. Christian relief; 2. Creating alternative Christian institutions; 3. Evangelism, not just a method to introduce beliefs to others, but also as a vehicle of structural changes in society; 4. Prophetic proclamation as a way to react on existing negative trends; 5. Political lobbying with an attempt to prevent the adoption of certain bills, or vice versa, their promotion; 6. Creation of political parties or political groups; 7. Nonviolent resistance; 8. The practice of Christian incarnation as a manifestation of faithfulness to God with the understanding that the attainability of ethical standards is possible only within the Christian community; 9. Individual impact with understanding that Christians hold views and moral (ethical) principles that differ from secular society, however Christians apply those principles, within and outside boundaries of Christendom.


2021 ◽  
Vol 298 (5 Part 1) ◽  
pp. 28-35
Author(s):  
Nila Tiurina ◽  
Nataliia Karvatska ◽  
Tatiana Nazarchuk ◽  

The paper was focused on researching the evolution and the reasons for the crisis in the economy of Ukraine for the period of independence. It was determined that the changes in the social and economic nature of the country’s development were followed by discrepancy in power and resources relations as well as in opposition between political forces and business elite. We analyzed the dynamics of changes in the main macroeconomic indicators in the development of the Ukrainian economy. The results showed that large-scale changes had different effects on the development of the national economy, which was characterized by long periods of crisis and short periods of extensive growth. Three main crises in the economical development have been characterized and the reasons for this were identified. We performed an assessment of the multiple indicators dynamics that characterise the outcomes of the economical governance. Specifically, the level of GDP per capita using purchasing power parity, the dynamics of export, import and balance of foreign trade as well as the dynamics of changes in the index of capital investment and the index of economic freedom. It has been established that the presence of effective structural changes in the economy of the country has caused the accumulation of internal and external economic imbalances. The results of the analysis of the rating assessment of the economy of Ukraine by international organizations showed consistently low positions of the country. We concluded that ineffective economic development became one of the main reasons for the deterioration of the social development of the country. Negative indicators of such development were a sharp decline in population, life expectancy, low wages and social security compared to other European countries.


2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 1467-1473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lilia Blima Schraiber ◽  
André Mota

This text covers the professional and scientific career of Maria Cecilia Ferro Donnangelo, professor, researcher and influential intellectual in the area of Collective Health. Born in 1940, and killed in a car accident in 1983, she actively participated in the emergence of Collective Health in Brazil and greatly influenced the creation of the sub-areas of Social Science and the Humanities in the health field. Her brief biography, contextualized professional choices and scientific production is hereby presented. Graduated in pedagogy at the time of national developmentalism with a post graduation in Sociology, Donnangelo fell into the triangulated area of Education, Sociology and Health, focusing medicine as a social practice and as a profession in society. Always with an eye to human rights and an ongoing dialogue with the modern Brazilian state and public policy, she examined questions of the social aspects in health and education, as well as questions of health education as a social tool. An educator of great prestige, her published work was limited. However, due to her foundational presence, her writings are classic references with assured presence and contributions for today and also vital to the future development of the Brazilian Collective Health.


1996 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Franz ◽  
Wernhard Möschel ◽  
Karl-Heinz Paqué

AbstractThe economic policy forum discusses the question of whether the German system of autonomous wage bargaining is still up-to-date. Wolfgang Franz considers two aspects. First, he examines to what extend the existing unemployment rate can be reduced by wage policy. Due to certain forms of unemployment, this can be done only partly by lower real wages. In addition, he shows that it can be rational for employees as well as for employers to agree on wages which are higher than the equilibrium wage. In the second part, he considers the question of whether centralised or decentralised negotiations over wages are more likely to solve the problem of unemployment. Arguments in favour of both options can be found. The paper concludes with some suggestions to make collective agreements more flexible.Wernhard Möschel compares the German system of autonomous wage bargaining with a cartel agreement which results in prices higher than the equilibrium price. Moreover, the globalisation of markets and new orientations in the international division of labour require more flexible solutions. However, the autonomous wage bargaining is a constitutional right which is rather unlikely to be changed. An agreement by the social partners on common measures such as setting minimum wages lower than the equilibrium wage is also not very likely. The paper thus suggests that employers may undertake unilateral actions such as restructuring their associations. This should be accompanied by specific government measures.Karl-Heinz Paqué argues that countries with a system of autonomous wage bargaining are characterised by persisting unemployment. This characteristic is the result of both structural changes of the economy and its consequences for the market value of labour. Two mechanisms exist in order to adopt to the different market conditions: a flexibilisation of the agreed wage rate structure or a general restraint in wage bargaining. However, both mechanisms have failed so far due to the lack of willingness by the social partners. Competition by outsiders on the labour market and a political “alliance for employment” could increase employment while keeping the system of autonomous wage bargaining. The paper concludes with stating that in the near future unemployment will be unavoidable.


Few world regions today are of more pressing social and political interest than the Middle East: hardly a day has passed in the last decade without events there making global news. Understanding the region has never been more important, yet the field of Middle East studies in the United States is in flux, enmeshed in ongoing controversies about the relationship between knowledge and power, the role of the federal government at universities, and ways of knowing other cultures and places. This book explores the big-picture issues affecting the field, from the geopolitics of knowledge production to structural changes in the university to broader political and public contexts. Tracing the development of the field from the early days of the American university to the Islamophobia of the present day, this book explores Middle East studies as a discipline and, more generally, its impact on the social sciences and academia. Topics include how different disciplines engage with Middle East scholars, how American universities teach Middle East studies and related fields, and the relationship between scholarship and U.S.–Arab relations, among others. This book presents a comprehensive, authoritative overview of how this crucial field of academic inquiry came to be and where it is going next.


1981 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
John D. Stephens

This article attempts to assess the contribution of long-term changes in Swedish social structure to three recent developments in Swedish electoral behavior: the decline of the Social Democrats, the decline in class voting, and the increase in the volatility of party preference. The author argues that the decline of the Social Democrats cannot be attributed to long-term structural changes in the electorate but rather is a product of the policies and electoral strategies pursued by the parties. The decline in class voting is found to be partly attributable to long-term structural change. Original secondary analysis of survey data is then presented to show that the socioeconomic composition of individuals' places of residence affects their voting behavior independent of individual-level characteristics. The author then argues that the parties' policies and electoral strategies have reinforced the tendency toward decreasing class voting. Finally, both long-term structural changes and the decline in class voting itself appear to have caused the increase in the volatility of party choice.


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