Some aspects of the Russian language democratization in modern media

The article is of an overview and theoretical nature, and its subject is the active processes in the language of modern Russian mass media, caused by the democratization of society, especially in connection with the restructuring of the state and political system that took place in the countries of Eastern Europe in the 1990s. Based on scientific publications, as well as on empirical material (modern journalistic text), the authors systematize socio-cultural processes (within the framework of the general trend towards democratization) that have influenced and continue to influence the language of the media: the social construction of reality and the engagement of the media, the polarization of social groups and formations, the displacement of the transmission model of media functioning by the interaction model, the phenomenon of echo chambers. In connection with the influence of the socio-political factor, the authors note the most important dynamic processes in the language of the media, such as depatetization of the language clichs of the era of totalitarianism, neosemantization, the growth of vocabulary related to the sphere of consumerism, the activation of means serving the sphere of dialogical relations, overcoming an overly complex nature the language system, etc. It has been shown that the transition to a model of interaction between the media (with political, religious, public organizations, corporations - on the one hand, and the consumer community - on the other hand) caused the social engagement of media discourses, which in its the queue has caused the growth of labeling, evaluative and expressive text elements. Another important trend is associated with the phenomenon of echo chambers - its reflexes in the language of the media are the specialization of vocabulary and a decrease in the degree of grammaticalization of messages. The aspects of democratization of the language of the media presented in the article in the future can serve as parameters in accordance with which media monitoring can be carried out, including elements of a linguo-critical nature.

The construction of Digital Reality: Intellectual Versus Social

The aim of this article is to compare two models of reality construction and their applicability to explain the various effects of the digitalization process. The evolution of the constructivist ideas about reality is reconstructed in the context of the dispute among realists and constructivists, which was one of the most significant events in the epistemology and philosophy of science of the 20th century. The author points out the differences between the intellectual and the social construction of reality, and carries out a comparative analysis of the philosophical theories and concepts describing the aforementioned alternatives. The intellectual construction of reality, which often takes place in theoretical physics at different stages of its development, is also analyzed. Particular consideration is given to the philosophic-scientific contexts generated by the sociology of knowledge, the theory of speech acts, and the actor-network theory. The article also shows a distinction between the construction and the constitution of reality. The constitution of reality within various types of non-theoretical (pre-theoretical, post-theoretical) thinking, fixed using the means and methods of phenomenological philosophy of science, allows identifying and describing the main contexts through which the word reality acquires significance and is endowed with meaning in the present-day intellectual and social practices. Special attention is paid to the concepts of virtual reality and digital reality. The features of the intellectual construction of virtual reality are described. The difference between the intellectual and the social construction of digital reality is substantiated as between two alternative practices, which determine the meaning, and the prospects of digitalization. This distinction may be of particular interest to those who design digital platforms and implement digitalization in various areas of human life and society, especially in as education, legal procedure, management, economics, and business. Today, when partly spontaneous, partly controlled digitalization is taking place in these spheres, the results of this study make it possible not only to understand the logic of the changes taking place but also to apply forecasting and planning methods actively, i.e., constructing the digital reality.

Covid-19 and the Social Construction of Reality in Jordan

Almost all nations are struggling to slow down the transmission of Covid-19 by restricting large gatherings and close social interactions. However, it is not expected that people will stop all social gatherings and interactions voluntarily. This situation requires the construction of a new social reality that compels people to abandon their traditional practices, particularly in countries such as Jordan that have a traditional social order and strong bonding social capital. Nevertheless, Jordan had the lowest rates of Covid-19 in the Middle East during the first four months of the pandemic, because its government used its power to impose restrictions and new regulations. However, the situation has become one of the worst cases in the entire world after the government eased its restrictions. The example of Jordan provides strong evidence that the social construction of reality sometimes requires coercive intervention. Thus, this article reconsiders and extends Berger and Luckmann’s theory of social construction by examining it in the realm of social power. The theory includes three significant processes of social construction: externalization, objectivation, and internalization that should consider the concept of social power to extend the range of its powerful explanation.

Is (What Gets Called) Religion an Argument, Discourse, or Ideology?

In this chapter Malory Nye and Laurie L. Patton debate the idea of religion. Patton, in her initial definition, stresses the communal, belief structures, and notions of authority. Nye instead argues that religion is essentially nothing (no-thing) and is based on the social construction of reality. Nye further objects to the idea that religion has anything to do with so-called ultimate values and again points to the social construction of religion; he prefers to see religion, in good Marxist fashion, as a way for the proletariat to cope with the disadvantages of capitalism. For him, religion is an ideology, something that can appear as neutral or benevolent, but often is neither.

People with Disabilities as Motivational Objects in the Kick Andy Talkshow Program: The Social Construction Approach of Reality Theory

Most of the disability issues have not yet received proper representation in the media, even though quite a few people with disabilities in Indonesia. The depiction of persons with disabilities in the media often distorts them. Often people with disabilities with physical limitations are depicted incorrectly or even irrationally. The Social Construction of Reality (SCR) theory, introduced by Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann, uses to analyze whether the Kick Andy television program supports the stigma of the disabled or can be a medium that changes the stigma that exists as constructs for the disabled-related community. Television viewers have a rationalistic cycle through three moments: externalization, objectivation, and internalization. This theory focuses on general meanings and constructions built by community groups to shape social order (rules, standards, values, and activities recognized in community groups). The study results show that guest stars with disabilities on the Kick Andy television program cannot separate from the social construction that has been formed in the community regarding their condition. The Kick Andy program also clarifies the social construction experienced by its guest stars, which uses as an object of motivation for the audience. The researcher found that the Kick Andy show, intentionally or unintentionally, still gave a lousy label to people with disabilities, even though the host then used the narration built as a background for inspiration.

Papua and the public: News framing of the 2019 Asrama Papua conflict

The 2019 Asrama Papua conflict in Surabaya initiated many discourses on racial discrimination and police brutality towards Papuan students in Indonesia. The question arises as to how the public perceive news framing and its effects on public opinion. This question will be answered by examining reports in the newspapers Kompas (published in Jakarta) and Jubi (Jayapura, Papua) which display quite different thematic and rhetorical structures. As secondary research, this article aims to assess the public opinion on the framing of the incident based on Berger and Luckmann’s Social Construction of Reality. Through qualitative focus group discussion, this study examines people’s perceptions of news media framing and its effect on the shaping of public opinion towards an ethnic minority group. The results show that media framing reinforces a certain idea of public opinion towards minority groups through various factors such as Perspective of Reporting and Depth of Reporting, both of which differ in Kompas and Jubi as a result of differences in their audiences. Differences were also found in such factors as the thematic structure between lens of sympathy and lens of antagonism. Ultimately, this research suggests that the public possess an awareness of news framing, thus giving them the capability to construct their own critical viewpoints towards media and the incident.

Resensi Buku Alfred Schutz: Pengarusutamaan Fenomenologi dalam Tradisi Ilmu Sosial (Book Review Alfred Schutz: Mainstreaming Phenomenology in the Tradition of Social Sciences)

The book "Alfred Schutz: Mainstreaming Phenomenology in the Tradition of Social Sciences" discusses the figure of Schutz regarding his phenomenological methodology which is not widely discussed in the academic world. Schutz himself is an important philosopher and sociologist because of his theory in sociology and philosophy studies. In the world of philosophy, he is a figure who studies the Husserlian tradition of phenomenology. Meanwhile, in the world of sociology himself, Schutz chose to explore Weber's methodological project. With the methodology proposed by Weber, he seeks to develop an interpretive methodology as an attempt to counter the tendency of the positivism tradition of science. The book was written to provide a discussion of the phenomenological methodology by Schutzian, which Schutz pioneered. Through his methodology, he taught that every individual is present in the stream of consciousness obtained from the process of reflecting on daily experiences. This book focuses on explaining the phenomenological methodology by Schutzian which later can become a reference for academics in Indonesia in developing the Schutzian methodology for Indonesian academics. In addition, this book also introduces Alfred Schutz as a critical intellectual who is not widely known, but whose thoughts and contributions have an impact on the world of social science.This book is written and aimed at Indonesian academics, especially in the realm of philosophy and sociology. Although the name Schutz himself lost to other philosophers, he had a very large contribution in the fields of philosophy and sociology, especially for science in Indonesia. The methodology adopted by Schutz has inspired many academics to read reality. It is evident from the many studies in Indonesia that use the phenomenology of the Schutz methodology. This phenomenology is used to read reality in society. As in research conducted by Ristia (2020), it was found that people have different opinions, this is due to the influence of the applied norms. These different opinions become absolute and become freedom by each individual. Research using the Schutz phenomenology method can also be used to explore types of phenomenology and ethnography. Research in the genre of "transcendental phenomenology" is a phenomenon outside the egos of the researcher because the source of truth can be obtained by direct observation of the natural surroundings. The author presents a biography of Alfred Schutz, who was a unique and influential intellectual but little known. The introduction of the background, politics, and culture in Schutz can inspire readers to get inspiration on Schutz's life. In addition, by knowing his background, readers will be able to analyze how a Schutz gets his thoughts. Apart from the history of Schutz's travels, its also provides a brief biography of Husserll. Husserll himself was an influential figure who influenced Schutz's thinking, he himself had the aim of building a scientific basis for philosophy and phenomenology in social science. Schutz's thoughts on phenomenology did not stop there, especially regarding sociology. Schutz's ideas were also continued by his students, such as Schutz himself who inherited knowledge from Husserll. Peter Berger and Luckmann, Schutz's students who could be said to shine were also briefly discussed in this book. They are both known for their work entitled The Social Construction of Reality, which is a work inspired by Schutz. Apart from the two of them, George Psathas, a Schutz student, will also be discussed briefly. Psathas himself prefers to discuss empirical studies in phenomenology which will later be useful for building knowledge about individuals in the subjective world.The book is very important for many people to know, because Alfred Schutz himself was an intellectual who was quite influential in the development of sociology for both the western and non-western worlds (such as Indonesia). The phenomenological study put forward by Schutz itself is a study that can be used by academics, especially sociologists to examine cases and realities in society. Indonesian sociologists and anthropologists can also apply Schutz's methodology and phenomenology studies to research Indonesian society. Indonesian academics have the opportunity to contribute to the scientific space globally to continue developing Schutz's ideas and thoughts. By reading the book, academics and readers will get inspiration from Schutz's thoughts that have been described. Indonesian academics have the opportunity to be involved in global academic activities. So that it is the right choice for academics (social science) to read and implement the knowledge that has been obtained into existing cases and realities.

SOCIOCULTURAL IDENTITY POSTMODERN: PROBLEM OF SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION

Problem setting. The relevance of our study is due to the excessive popularity of the concept of «socio-cultural identity» as a scientific term and tool for studying the postmodern world. As a concept of socio-humanitarian knowledge, it remains one of the most uncertain and at the same time actively used in modern research for theoretical and practical analysis and typology of socio-cultural processes. Understanding the specifics of socio-cultural identity and its formation in postmodern conditions is one of the most relevant and acute topics of modern science, which can provide a full understanding of the essence of this world. Recent research and publications analysis. Representatives of almost all humanities are involved in the discussion about identity. The fundamental development of the concept of sociocultural identity of the postmodern world is contained in the works of J. Habermas, E. Giddens, E. Erickson, A. Etzioni, M. Castells, F. Cassidy, S. Huntington, E. Smith, F. Fukuyama, W. Hesle and etc. Ukrainian researchers have also contributed to understanding the problem of identity. They have a large number of works that are directly or indirectly related to the phenomenon of identity and have such a wide variety of topics that it is not possible to present it exhaustively. A specific feature of their work is the in-depth attention to everything related to the national component of socio-cultural identity. The main result of the accumulation of knowledge about socio-cultural identity by the social sciences and humanities is the understanding that adequate research of this phenomenon is possible only in an interdisciplinary space. The tendency to comprehend identity in science persists and in parallel new directions of research are developing – first of all, it is a study of the social construction of identity in the postmodern era. Paper objective. The purpose of our study is resource of the peculiarities of the transformation of socio-cultural identity as an object and subject of social construction, which has specific features in the postmodern conditions, which has specifics in Ukrainian society. Paper main body. The tendency to study identity in a socio-cultural perspective was formed at the end of the XX century, when it began to be positioned as a set of positive signs of combining oneself with a community based on a common historical past and cultural values. Socio-cultural identity has a personal, individual level and social, group and combines different modifications that depend on its basic criteria - civilization, regional, civic, political, ethnic, national and others. An indisputable sign of the times is the active formation of a hybrid, multiple identity (national, regional, civilizational), when different criteria are used for self-identification, as well as mosaic identity, when self-determination criteria are quickly adjusted according to the new life situation. Postmodern is a historical epoch that begins in the XX cent. and continues to this day, increasingly acquiring such features as dynamism, nonlinearity, ephemerality and conflict-generating development of socio-political processes, exacerbation of territorial, demographic, national, religious, environmental and other problems. Transformational processes of the ending of the XX century led to a weakening of its clarity and the formation of «soft», «fluid» identity, which is associated with the departure into the past of the classical forms of class structure of modern society. The arena of the struggle for identity is politics, various economic, political and social processes that act as mechanisms for constructing socio-cultural identity. The construction of identity is directly based on the problem of social construction of reality. The transformation of socio-cultural identity of the postmodern is due to the following features of the era: pluralization; continuous dynamism, variability that often destroys, devalues, marginalizes traditional basic spiritual values; bifurcation of cultural space; absolutization of freedom and opportunities for individual choice; high level of tolerance; formalization and virtualization of identity, its blurring. Based on this, we identify the leading features of socio-cultural identity of the postmodern: first, personalization, individualization of identity, which is seen as a personal project that allows the individual full self-expression; secondly, flexibility, plasticity, variability. Scientists have repeatedly pointed out the lack of a project of postmodern identity acceptable to Ukrainian society, the need to construct a «new» Ukrainian identity, however, understanding this problem in the context of globalization, called for the uniqueness of the Ukrainian nation. Conclusions of the research. The debate about socio-cultural identity in Ukraine is growing and gaining popularity due to social crises and constant transformations, and, in our opinion, because for a long time (after independence) identity policy was not a priority and the elite did not care about its construction.The Ukrainian elite, trying to build a socio-cultural identity in postmodern society, must use the full potential of cultural space – historical and cultural attractions, language, science (especially the humanities), literature and art, education, museums – to develop a consolidated identification project. The solution to the problem of building a socio-cultural identity in Ukraine can be manifested in two directions – a radical change of identity in accordance with the complete modernization of society in post-Soviet times; – creation of non-conflict (low-conflict) socio-cultural identity on the basis of continuity and preservation of cultural tradition, which could become an effective resource for the development of society

From social celebration to politics as usual : newspaper coverage of the Legislative opening in Ontario, 1900-2007

This dissertation analyzes twentieth century changes in the representation of political authority in Ontario. It does so by conducting narrative analysis and framing analysis of newspaper coverage of the ceremonial Opening of the Legislature. In contrast to standard political science approaches to this key civic ritual, the dissertation builds upon cultural theory that views news as central to the social construction of reality and addresses three research questions: In what ways has the meaning of the legislative opening been represented in mainstream Ontario newspapers? How have mass mediated processes of ritualization changed over time? And what do answers to the first two questions suggest about the development of popular conceptions of political legitimacy in Ontario? Textual analysis demonstrates that social knowledge about the legislative opening has changed significantly between 1900 and 2007. During the first half of the twentieth century, journalists approached and described the Opening of the Legislature as a Social Celebration: a popular festival at Queen's Park that was also a break from routine policy discourse and partisan battle. By contrast, by the 1970s coverage was organized around the Speech from the Throne. Increasingly aggressive journalistic tones and techniques represented the ritual as a performance of rationality--a special iteration of Politics as Usual. Once a celebration of social order centred around Ontario High Society, the legislative opening is now depicted as a debate among competing interests in Ontario society. While remaining critical of the emergent ritual of liberal-pluralism for its part in normalizing systems of inequality, the dissertation argues that changes in newspaper coverage both reflect and reinforce the rise of what Smith calls "electoral democracy", a conception of politics in which extra-parliamentary actors are legitimized as participants in government. At the level of scholarly practice, the study makes an original contribution to recent debates in media anthropology by using longitudinal textual analysis to study the ritualization of civic ritual; and shifts in news coverage are used to advocate further interdisciplinary studies of legislative politics in Canada.

From social celebration to politics as usual : newspaper coverage of the Legislative opening in Ontario, 1900-2007

This dissertation analyzes twentieth century changes in the representation of political authority in Ontario. It does so by conducting narrative analysis and framing analysis of newspaper coverage of the ceremonial Opening of the Legislature. In contrast to standard political science approaches to this key civic ritual, the dissertation builds upon cultural theory that views news as central to the social construction of reality and addresses three research questions: In what ways has the meaning of the legislative opening been represented in mainstream Ontario newspapers? How have mass mediated processes of ritualization changed over time? And what do answers to the first two questions suggest about the development of popular conceptions of political legitimacy in Ontario? Textual analysis demonstrates that social knowledge about the legislative opening has changed significantly between 1900 and 2007. During the first half of the twentieth century, journalists approached and described the Opening of the Legislature as a Social Celebration: a popular festival at Queen's Park that was also a break from routine policy discourse and partisan battle. By contrast, by the 1970s coverage was organized around the Speech from the Throne. Increasingly aggressive journalistic tones and techniques represented the ritual as a performance of rationality--a special iteration of Politics as Usual. Once a celebration of social order centred around Ontario High Society, the legislative opening is now depicted as a debate among competing interests in Ontario society. While remaining critical of the emergent ritual of liberal-pluralism for its part in normalizing systems of inequality, the dissertation argues that changes in newspaper coverage both reflect and reinforce the rise of what Smith calls "electoral democracy", a conception of politics in which extra-parliamentary actors are legitimized as participants in government. At the level of scholarly practice, the study makes an original contribution to recent debates in media anthropology by using longitudinal textual analysis to study the ritualization of civic ritual; and shifts in news coverage are used to advocate further interdisciplinary studies of legislative politics in Canada.