Expulsions, a risk factor for school dropout and failure

The present study tries to analyze the variables influencing school dropout and failure, focusing on a specific population with the highest risk, minors expelled from schools. For this, the data collected during five school years (2014-15 to 2018-19) has been taken, through an initial questionnaire carried out in the Civic Association for Prevention (ACP), within the Project for Attention to Minors in Expulsion (PAMEX), to a total of 523 minors. It can be observed in the results obtained the determination of a profile that characterizes these students, mostly boys of the first cycle of secondary education, with similar hobbies and enjoyment of free time, as well as the consumption of addictive substances, highlighting the importance of abuse of energy drinks. This longitudinal study has made it possible to compare these variables over time and how they have been maintained. Future lines of research and intervention are also proposed after the confinement suffered by minors due to COVID-19, focused on mitigating variables such as resilience and engagement.

REPRESENTATION OF NATIONALISM: STRUCTURE, CONTENT, CRITICISM

Nationalism determines modernity — L. Grinfeld’s thesis at the very beginning of the 90s of the twentieth century (repeating the judgment of E. Keduri in the early 60s), unexpectedly for liberal social science, immediately acquired political relevance. The purpose of the article is to identify the reasons for this «surprise»: the representation of the nation in the economic paradigm of the political (D. Agamben’s term) as a civic association of freely self-determining autonomous individuals-citizens excludes the possibility of national conflicts, the reality of which is obvious. Objective scientific research within the disciplinary structure of modern science has as a given object of research in the representation: thus, a philosophical interpretation becomes necessary as a method of criticizing the representation of the nation and the national in the economic paradigm. It has been established that the representation of a nation is normatively and value-wise conditioned by the foundations of «liberal metaphysics»; it is necessary to distinguish between «civil» and «ethnic» nationalisms, which does not have «empirical foundations» (R. Brubaker); attribution to value as a way of constructing an ideal-typical concept of nationalism presupposes the need for an assessment conditioned by the way nationalism is presented; the moral and political disqualification of «ethnic nationalism» as an invalid «remnant» (V. Pareto) is thus «built in» into scientific research, which is at the same time an ideological instrument and a political program. The philosophical interpretation of the meaning of the representation of nationalism in liberal social science, external in relation to the dominant paradigm of the political, provides scientific novelty and leads to the conclusion: a «civil nation» is valid as a political project that presupposes a «historiographic recalculation of the past» (M. Heidegger), retrospectively placing the beginning of nationalism in past. In the course of the presentation, the practical significance of the conclusion is clarified: the theory of the «civilized nation» presupposes drawing a border between «civilized» and — «cultural» and «natural» nationalisms as political enemies that must be removed: drawing the line between «civil» and «ethnic» nationalisms has both scientific and political significance; These circumstances contribute to the understanding of the meaning and the assigned goal of the nation-building process and the practice of national politics.

Why Do Practitioners Want to Connect with Researchers? Evidence from a Field Experiment

ABSTRACTResearchers often want to increase the broader societal impact of their work. One way to do that is to discuss research findings directly with practitioners. Yet, such interactions are voluntary and do not regularly arise, which raises a key demand question: Under what conditions do practitioners want to connect with researchers? This article shows that relational considerations affect these decisions—that is, what practitioners expect the interaction will be like. I partnered with a US-based civic association to conduct a field experiment. I find that group leaders in this association are more likely to speak with researchers after learning that the researchers will (1) efficiently share information during the interaction, and (2) value practitioners’ knowledge. The results provide actionable guidance for how researchers should approach practitioners and also demonstrate one powerful way that social science evidence can inform efforts to bridge research and practice.

Towards Addressing the Challenges Bedeviling the Strategies of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’a Wa’iqamatis-Sunnah in the Democratization Process of Katsina State-Nigeria

The paper investigates the challenges bedeviling the strategies of an Islamic civil society organization known as Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’a Wa’iqamtis-Sunnah [JIBWIS] popularly known as Izala in the democratization process of Katsina State-Nigeria with a view to proffering solutions. A lot of problems have been militating against the efforts of Izala Islamic civil society association towards improving the quality of the democratic order. As a case study qualitative research inquiry, the study was conducted through an in-depth semi-structured interview with 18 key informant’s personal experiences on the phenomenon. Analysis of data was done by using NVivo 12 which significantly aided in the coding, categorization and data management which produced the themes and sub-themes. System theory was used as a framework in the explanation of the phenomenon. The study found out that there are myriads of problematic issues related to the strategies used by the Izala organization; which negates their strategies in the democratization process. Furthermore, the study has identified the various ways in which such strategies could be strengthened for the Islamic organization to give a positive impact on the advancement of the democratization process in the State. Thus, the study presents a conceptually and empirically supported framework to describe the strategies of Islamic civic association in the democratization process of the state. In effect, therefore, the lingering Izala strategy’s crises in the democratization process was explored and analyzed. The study is particularly useful for religious civil societies, politicians, policy-makers, and researchers by identifying and proposing the ways in which the state, political parties, religious organizations, and other democratic stakeholders should conduct and relate in a nascent democratizing society. The analysis points toward the potential for change in the strategies of Izala Islamic civil society in the democratization process.

Not All Civic Action Is Equal: Two Forms of Civic Associations and Their Disparate Effects on Poverty and Poverty Segregation

This study specifies the relationship between civic associations and their effects on communities by analyzing how two forms of civic association—neighborhood development organizations and institution-based community organizing coalitions—impact poverty in neighborhoods and cities, and poverty segregation in cities. Some social scientists argue that civic associations are the key to well-functioning democracy, allowing people to collectively organize for the promotion of their common interests, but others argue that civic associations instead breed exclusion, leaving few communities in the position to reap their benefits. Results show that not all civic associations’ effects are equal. The form of civic association is vital in determining its effects. Place-based organizations help their neighborhoods, but not their cities, unless they are organizing in poor cities. Alternatively, identity-based organizations do not affect their neighborhood but do significantly decrease city-level poverty segregation. Longitudinal analyses of neighborhoods and cities from 1990 to 2010 provide evidence.

How do Civic Associations Foster Political Participation? The Role of Scope and Intensity of Organizational Involvement

This paper investigates factors associated with individuals’ decisions in engaging in various modes of political participation, including voting, formal and informal political activities. Two aspects of civic association involvement are highlighted: scope and intensity. Using data from the U.S. Citizenship, Involvement, and Democracy Survey in 2006, we find that one’s memberships in civic associations only explain one’s participation in formal political activities, but the intensity of involvement, measured by the number of activities one performs at one’s most active voluntary association, is positively associated with both formal and informal participation modes. Neither the scope nor the intensity explains voting behavior. The study suggests ways to promote the development of civic associations and enhance democracy.