Showing papers in "Revista Internacional De Sociologia in 2010"

Defining and measuring environmental consciousness

Abstract: Based on a review of the main analytical approaches found in the literature, in this paper we establish a multidimensional and behaviour-oriented definition of environmental consciousness. We propose a method to operationalize this definition with the final aim of obtaining summary measures (or indexes) of this phenomenon which can be applied to different social contexts and time periods. The data obtained from a survey on environmental attitudes and behaviour conducted in 2004 among Andalusians (Ecobarometro de Andalucia 2004) is used as an empirical basis for the proposed operationalization. The resulting measures are then employed to identify social groups according to the diverse forms of their environmental consciousness and to explore their basic socio-demographic profiles

Desde la dis -capacidad hacia la diversidad funcional. Un ejercicio de dis-normalización

Abstract: El colectivo de personas con discapacidad en Espana ha propuesto el concepto de “diversidad funcional” para reivindicar su derecho a tomar decisiones y a abandonar la marginacion a la que tradicionalmente ha sido sometido. El concepto se inscribe en los presupuestos de la “filosofia de vida independiente” y trata de superar las definiciones en negativo (discapacidad, minusvalia), reclamando el derecho al pleno reconocimiento de su dignidad como una expresion mas de las muchas diversidades que en la actualidad son reconocidas positivamente en nuestra convivencia colectiva. Sin embargo, el concepto no logra superar, por si mismo, ciertos presupuestos asociados a la concepcion de la discapacidad que tienen que ver con la moderna normalizacion del cuerpo y de la salud derivados de la hegemonia del discurso de la ciencia medica. En el texto se proponen las lineas de argumentacion critica que, frente a dichos presupuestos, habra de afrontar la perspectiva de la diversidad funcional.

Segregación residencial de los extranjeros en el área metropolitana de Madrid. Un análisis cuantitativo

Abstract: El siguiente articulo se propone tres objetivos. En primer lugar, mostrar la relevancia del lugar de residencia para el desarrollo vital de sus habitantes a traves de su relacion con los demas espacios de socializacion y con los procesos de exclusion social. En segundo lugar, medir la segregacion residencial de los extranjeros en el area metropolitana de Madrid en cuatro de las cinco dimensiones propuestas por Denton y Massey (1988), ademas de utilizar otras medidas menos comunes en la literatura y una nueva medida basada en el indice de disimilitud. Por ultimo, identificar las caracteristicas de los grupos de extranjeros que se encuentran asociadas a la segregacion residencial. En concreto, pretendo averiguar si la segregacion urbana esta asociada con la situacion economica y los rasgos culturales de la poblacion extranjera. El trabajo analiza la distribucion residencial de 46 nacionalidades y demuestra que tanto los aspectos culturales como economicos estan asociados con la segregacion residencial, si bien el trabajo no es capaz de determinar con precision los mecanismos causales que se esconden detras de estas correlaciones.

El movimiento por la vivienda digna en España o el porqué del fracaso de una protesta con amplia base social

Abstract: Antes de la irrupcion de la crisis economica internacional de 2008 las encuestas de opinion mostraban que los espanoles consideraban la problematica de la vivienda como una de sus maximas prioridades. En 2003, y como resultado de esta preocupacion, surgio un movimiento social que se centraba en el dificil acceso a la misma. El movimiento adquirio un renovado impacto social y un mayor impetu con la creacion de una nueva organizacion tres anos mas tarde: la Asamblea por la Vivienda Digna. Liderada principalmente por jovenes y estudiantes, la Asamblea ha propiciado el desarrollo de un nuevo movimiento por una vivienda digna (MVD) de tipo mas rupturista y menos convencional al tiempo que se ha embarcado en una estrategia de accion colectiva contenciosa en las calles. A pesar de la importancia que la sociedad otorgaba a la situacion del mercado inmobiliario, el MVD ha sido incapaz de �explotar� el tema y de conseguir resultados tangibles. El uso de un enmarcado radical e intransigente, la ausencia de estrategias que facilitaran el establecimiento de amplias alianzas sociales y la falta de disposicion para cooperar con potenciales aliados politicos pueden explicar por que esta organizacion no ha sido capaz de generar un movimiento social exitoso.

Mujeres extranjeras en prisiones españolas. El caso andaluz

Abstract: The Spanish penal system has undergone deep changes since the 1980’s. Important aspects of this process have been both the notable increase in the female prison population —Spain now has the highest number of female prisoners in Europe— and the presence of foreigners, highlighting the progressive increase in women immigrants from a variety of countries. This paper shows the sociological profile of imprisoned women for Spain in general, and Andalusia in particular; establishes their criminal profile, and analyses prison life from a perspective which recognises the specificity of gender and nationality. We have centred our field work on the prisons of Huelva, Algeciras (Cadiz) and Alhaurin de la Torre (Malaga). We carried out in-depth interviews with professionals and foreign female inmates. With this in mind, we highlight the relevance of the field work carried out, held inside the prisons, in women’s units.

Causas sociales de la depresión. Una revisión crítica del modelo atributivo de la depresión

Abstract: Depression is the leading cause of deterioration in psychological well-being in the world. The present research aimed at analyzing depression from a socio-psychological perspective, focusing on the role of causal attributions on the origins of depressive disorders. Therefore, a model of depression is suggested in which the role of social factors such as stressful life events and coping strategies, social support, alienation and self-esteem are considered. The results are consistent with the attributional style hypothesis, as well as with the attribution model of depression. However, the results also point to the fact that the attributional style is not significantly associated to depression when taking into consideration the role of other social variables. These results lead us to the conclusion that a larger, and specifically more sociological, perspective is needed when analyzing depression.

Estrategias para aumentar la tasa de respuesta y los resultados de la Encuesta Social Europea en España

Abstract: The longitudinal analysis of the contact form data of the third round of the European Social Survey in Spain allows us to identify the most successful strategies in order to increase response rates in social and political surveys in Spain. The analysis of these data provides us with very useful information to estimate what are the likely gains in response rate due to the improvements of fieldwork design and supervision. More especially, we show in this paper that concentrating fieldwork efforts in locating and converting refusals with specific strategies such as a better controlling of interviewers, increasing incentives, and targeting respondents after the regular working hours and during weekends really pay off.

La relevancia sociológica de la Ilustración escocesa

Abstract: This paper is derived from a more extensive investigation into different characteristics of genderrelated occupations as compared to gender-mixed occupations (Ibanez, 2008). In the present study, we observe that men and women are treated differently depending on whether they are in a maledominated or female-dominated occupation. Secondly, we analyse the extent to which opting for gender-segregated occupations may be more or less deleterious depending on the gender of the employee. For this study we used multinomial and binomial logit regression to analyse three databases: the 2001 Census, the Labour Force Survey (EPA-02) and the Survey on Salary Structures (EES-02). The results show that, in general, women in male job environments and men in female environments are better situated and receive higher labour rewards than wage-earners in own-sex occupations. However, raising the educational level required for certain jobs, as well as intervention in the public sector where women tend to occupy male occupations, seem to be two ways of counteracting this phenomenon.

Migración irregular y aislamiento social. Los jornaleros tamaulipecos indocumentados en los Estados Unidos

Abstract: “Social isolation” is a concept poorly developed in the analysis of poverty. “Social exclusion” and “marginality” are concepts more frequently used. “Social isolation” refers to an erosion of the relational sphere of the individual (i.e.: it is a lack of familial support and/or social networks, and an absence of social activity and recreational interaction). Moreover, “social isolation” is associated with anxiety and depression symptoms. This paper analyses the situation of “social isolation” of Tamaulipas’ undocumented farm workers employed in the United Stated.

Espacios naturales en zonas urbanas. Análisis comparado de la ciudad alemana de Halle y las chilenas de San Pedro de la Paz y Talcahuano

Abstract: In order to study the social perception and valorization that people of different social statuses and different cultural cities have about nature, an international cooperative project was started between Germany and Chile. Due to the comparative nature of the project, districts of upper-middle and lower-middle class neighborhoods in both countries were chosen. In Germany, two neighborhoods (Silberhohe and Paulusviertel) were chosen from the city of Halle whereas in Chile one neighborhood from the city of Talcahuano (Tumbes) and the city of San Pedro de la Paz (both in the Region VIII, Biobio) were selected. People from all four study areas were surveyed with the same questions. The results revealed a differential use and perception of the urban landscape by people of different social and cultural backgrounds. Likewise, in Chile a person’s social condition was found to determine the possibility of his/her access to green areas and recreational zones.

Las tallas grandes perjudican seriamente la salud: la frágil legitimidad de las prácticas de adelgazamiento entre las madres de clases populares

Abstract: The article defends an analysis that considers discourses as strategic moves. It takes as an example the discursive oscillations and contradictions on weight control of working class mothers: the intention to lose weight is asserted and denied. These contradictions are due to their difficult position between two contradictory norms: the slimness norm and the value of the sacrificed good mother. The tension between both norms allows us to understand discourse oscillations, as well as practices. These try to balance the care of the self with the legitimacy of the good mother.

Género y vocación científica. Un estudio de caso basado en mecanismos

Abstract: Despite the advances towards equality, the academic staff of the Spanish universities is still predominant by masculine. From the different filters that are avoiding the academic progress of women towards superior categories, those that take place in the application and enjoyment of research grants are especially important. In that period, it is taking place a differential process of subjectivities construction for women and men, the principal effect of which is a differential elaboration of professional expectations and preferences for the future. From the analysis of 40 interviews (18 conducted with grant staff and 22 with academic staff of the Autonomous University of Barcelona), and an online survey made to 258 scholarship holders of the AUB, we try to identify some causal mechanisms that help us to explain why is there a difference in the probability of forming of a preference order that places the scientific activities as a priority professional goal, that is to say, why men develop a scientific vocation more often than women.

EL ESPEJISMO DE UNA ENERGÍA SOCIAL La economía del hidrógeno

Abstract: This paper is a critical examination of proposals for a “hydrogen economy.” In Jeremy Rifkin’s The Hydrogen Economy (2002) such an economy was proposed as a solution to the many problems associated with the use of fossil fuels including the dangers of global climate change. The promise has been echoed since by many others who have been concerned by energy policy. Hydrogen has increasingly been viewed as a “dorado” energy that would greatly benefit all humanity, especially the most disadvantaged. But the golden age of energy has not yet appeared and may never do so. There are multiple problems in the development of a hydrogen economy. One of these problems concerns social impacts, which have especially been ignored. It is the potential social impacts of a hydrogen economy that are given special attention here, in order to explore some of the reasons for doubting that the social economy of hydrogen will be able to realize the many hopes associated with it.

Are dictatorships necessary?: trade unions and neoliberal populism in four Latin American countries

Abstract: The economic crisis of the beginning of this century in Latin America has questioned that a neo-liberal kind of populism may solve the puzzle of how to implement pro-market economic reforms by democratic regimes in less developed countries. Populism is both prone to corruption and incompatible with the necessary institutional reforms (the “second generation” reforms) complementing the economic reforms. Non-populist politicians may not have this handicap, but they could not overcome the labor resistance to their pro-market reforms either. Still, under certain conditions, democratic politicians can implement these reforms without suffering from the costs of populism.

¿Políticas privatizadoras o políticas degradadoras? El caso de los ferrocarriles españoles

Abstract: One of the key strategies in the process to modernize the European economy is the privatization of railway transport; separating infrastructure maintenance from transport management. Privatization has led to farreaching changes with respect to organizations, professional careers, and the very culture of railway work. The opinions held by those most closely involved in and affected by these changes can contribute to the analysis of occupational health and safety with a view to preventing failures that have occurred in previous railway privatization processes. In this article, we analyze the effects of this privatization model on the safety and health of railway workers as well as on the safety of passengers and freight.

THE SOCIOECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF ECONOMIC INEQUALITY Evidence from Portugal

Abstract: This article uses data from the 1994-2001 waves of the European Union Household Panel to investigate the socioeconomic determinants of economic inequality. the paper focuses on Portugal, a country with the largest inequality levels among EU countries, to report relevant facts on the distributions of income, labour earnings, and capital income. the paper shows how these distributions are related to family characteristics such as age, education, marital status and employment status. a generalized ordered Probit model is used to investigate how and to what extent the households’ socioeconomic attributes determine their economic status and their mobility along the distributions. the article concludes that education is by and large the dimension more closely related to inequality.

La ocupación laboral de los convivientes con afectados por discapacidades. Un análisis multivariable

Abstract: La relacion entre el rol de cuidador y la actividad laboral ha cambiado mucho durante las ultimas decadas, influida por la evolucion del contexto demografico, sanitario y sociologico, pero tambien por una politica sociosanitaria que persigue la maxima implicacion de los familiares utilizando la Encuesta sobre Discapacidades, Deficiencias y Estado de Salud, y mediante el analisis de regresion logistica multivariable, investigamos como se relacionan en los hogares la convivencia o cuidado de personas con discapacidad y la ocupacion laboral de los convivientes Los resultados confirman que el determinante principal es la asuncion del rol de cuidador y no el sexo, pero tambien se comprueba que los roles complementarios, masculinos y femeninos, se hacen mas intensos en los hogares que deben afrontar la discapacidad de alguno de sus miembros, en detrimento de la igualacion entre hombres y mujeres

El mobbing y la teoría de la acción de Pierre Bourdieu

Abstract: In the first part of this article we defend theoretically why to undertake the study of mobbing from the perspective of Pierre Bourdieu´s Action Theory Model. At the same time we revise the main concepts of his theory, that is, Field, Capital and Habitus In the second part we present the model linking these concepts with the factors that are associated with mobbing in order to get a deeper and more complex understanding of the phenomenon than those of the psychopathological model developed by Inaki Pinuel, the socio-psychological model by Jorge Corsi and Graciela Peyru, and the job hazard model by Dolores Fernandez and Clara Llorens.

El recuerdo de voto en España. Un análisis del período 1996-2008

Abstract: In this paper we examine the evolution of the vote recall along three terms using the Barometer’s data provided by the Center for Sociological Research (CIS, Spain). As a first step, we identify the potencial sources of error that could bias recall. Specifically, we will pay attention to the influence of mistakes in the retrieval process, in the social desirability bias and in the impact of the measurement tool. Secondly, we will show the main biases in Spain using aggregate data, showing that the passing of time introduces successive errors in voters’ statements. Specifically, part of the interviewees tend to reconstruct their vote recall upon their present vote intention. Finally, we will see the possible influence of short-term factors and the impact of the fieldwork. Our goal is to help researchers who use the vote recall to rethink the biases.

La identidad y el comportamiento del maíz Bt. El debate sobre la predicción de las posibles consecuencias adversas de la ingeniería genética

Abstract: This article analyses the main causes and consequences related to the powerful scientific and technological network of the contemporary occidental societies. Specifically, it is examined the particular controversy about the creation, growing and commercialization of a transgenic corn variety which it is property of a multinational enterprise called Syngenta. In opposition to the more idealistic and metaphysical perspectives of the research practice, in this work it is proposed that the development of the research may not completely guarantee the future closure of some problems related with the present scientific and technological system. bearing in mind a more critical and reflexive point of view about the new technoscience, it is explored the dissimilar collective translations activated and mobilized here and it is investigated which particular social groups are benefited and which others are harmed by the conflict of the free global propagation of these genetically modified organisms.

El legado de Samuelson. La preferencia revelada

Abstract: The prolific work of the recently deceased Paul A. Samuelson makes a significant contribution to several areas of economic theory. He was awarded the 1970 Nobel Prize in Economics for doing more than any other contemporary economist to raise the level of scientific analysis in economic theory. He is also well-known as the author of several influential textbooks which are among all-time best-sellers. Although it is not easy to highlight only one of his contributions, over seventy years ago his revealed preference analysis opened a fertile field of research that went beyond the scope of consumer theory, thus creating a bridge that leads to reconciling economic theory with other social sciences.

Las aportaciones de la sociología española a la responsabilidad social empresarial

Abstract: In the Conclusion 39 of the European Summit in Lisbon in 2000, the European Council makes a special plea to the sense of social responsibility of companies being such as a voluntary integration in their strategy and actions of their social, economic and environmental concerns, which arise from the interactions between the organizations and their groups of interests. Different international proposals, European and spanish, support the practice of the business responsibility. In Spain, a Forum of Expertise of this matter coordinated by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has recognized “the importance of a new sensibility of the companies about social affairs”. This makes us question if Sociology has also shown interest for this new “sensibility” of the business organizations and which the degree of presence is in corporate social responsibility being also an object of study in the academic field of Sociology. Therefore, the presence of this subject in the research as well as the syllabus of the studies of Sociology in Spain is studied.

La pobreza como espacio de indeterminación. Un análisis desde la biopolítica

Abstract: In this article is analyzed the problem posed by policies that handle poverty as a particular way of biopolitics of population with the purpose of enhancing the contradiction generated by favouring the inclusion as well as the exclusion of the sectors considered as poor. Such contradiction is analyzed from three different edges: the legal relation established with the figure of the poor, how it defines a space of indetermination of poor population and finally the implications it has in the conformation of a specific surveillance of these social sectors. In this way it is observed that the poverty attention policies are based in a strategy which maximizes the lifes of the de-poverted populations white it tends to maintain them in surviving levels. Considering the effects it may have on the democratic consolidation of the region, it slanld be payed more attetion to this issue.

La metáfora teatral en la interacción social

Abstract: The scientific description of some phenomena makes normal use of metaphors in order to facilitate its research and understanding. Sociological theory uses rol to identify the shared expectations of behavior in social interaction. This theatrical, or dramaturgical, metaphor allows the construction of the notion of homo sociologicus through which it is possible to perceive social regularities that may be labeled as rituals, adding a great heuristic capacity to the idea of ritual drama. But it is necessary to keep in mind the epistemological risk of supposing that our knowledge of social reality is a mirror of nature, forgetting its ambiguities and contingency.