Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Social constructionism'
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1
Stepnisky, Jeffrey N. "Kenneth Gergen's social constructionism." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1998. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/tape15/PQDD_0026/MQ34323.pdf.
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Hochman, Adam. "Beyond Biological Naturalism and Social Constructionism about Race: An Interactive Constructionist Approach to Racialisation." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/11438.
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In this thesis I argue for anti-realism about race. Simply put, human races do not exist. The debate between biological naturalists, social constructionists, and anti-realists about race takes place against a backdrop of broad agreement about the scientific findings on human biological diversity. For the most part, the debate is not about the facts of human diversity, but about how to interpret those facts. A racial interpretation of human diversity relies on a definition of race which is too weak to revive race as a legitimate category of biological classification. Social constructionists define race socially, which leads to a distorted history of the concept, and limits the ways in which our racial categories might be constructed. Yet human biological diversity (which is not properly described as ‘racial’) and social factors do play important roles in the construction of our racial categories. We should replace racial ontology, I suggest, with the process ontology of racialisation. I argue that racialisation is the product of the ongoing interaction between a number of factors: social, cultural, historical, biological, lingual, religious, geographic, psychological, political, and so on. I call this view ‘interactive constructionism’. The products of this process are racialised groups, not races. Races are not real, racialised groups are. We should be interactive constructionists about racialised groups.
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Gilles, Roger Wayne. "Social-elite constructionism: The rhetoric of commercial news." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/185811.
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I argue that contemporary journalists paradoxically require a subjectivist epistemology to comply with the standards of what is known as "the ideal of objectivity." Because of this, these writers have lost much of the fact-claiming and meaning-making ability that makes their work so important. In order to understand how knowledge and meaning are constructed in journalism, we need to look past the surface rhetoric of the reporter and uncover the institutional rhetoric that has developed during the course of the 20th century. In this dissertation, I apply the classical rhetorical terms kairos and nomos to the political economy of the news industry and the professional conventions produced by that industry.
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Wyckoff, Donna Louise Galey. "Speaking about life experiences : personal narrativizing and social constructionism." The Ohio State University, 1994. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1285259040.
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Aarvold, Joan Evelyn. "How adults learn to use a computer : a social relational perspective." Thesis, Northumbria University, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.246596.
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Magnabosco, Marra Marlene. "Social Constructionism as a theoretical approach to understand sexual abuse." Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, 2014. http://repositorio.pucp.edu.pe/index/handle/123456789/99702.
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The text aims to discuss Social Constructionism as a theoretical approach for understanding sexual abuse. This approach enables the construction of new narratives, and creates conditions for the reinterpretation of the situations lived due to sexual abuse. It will furthermore help the person construct a more positive story of his/her life and identity. While narrating stories of sexual abuse, families get to know and perceive other new narrative sequences, finding a meaning that corresponds to the lived moment. These special conversations invite the reconstruction of a new narrative and enable a more reflective and critical position about violence. Additionally, there is a modification in the relation between the people involved in the conversation.Este artículo se propone discutir el Construccionismo Social, como marco teórico para abordar el abuso sexual. Dicho marco favorece la construcción de nuevas narrativas, ofrece condiciones de reinterpretación de vivencias de abuso sexual, ayudando a las personas a ingresar en un relato más positivo de sus vidas y de su identidad. Al narrar historias de abuso sexual, las familias conocen y perciben otras y nuevas secuencias narrativas, hallando una pauta de sentido que corresponde al momento vivido. Estas conversaciones especiales incitan a la construcción de una nueva narrativa, invitando a la toma de una postura más reflexiva y crítica en relación con la violencia. Esta postura modifica la relación entre las personas involucradas en la conversación.
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Viere, Jack Michael. "Pipelining: Problematizing the Social Constructionism of Disability in Supported Employment." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/83869.
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People who are disabled encounter income inequity and employment discrimination. The intersection of disability-based inequity and employment discrimination has increasingly been called the Disability and Employment Conundrum (DEC). Within the last 20 years, the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model attempts to resolve the DEC. Through a policy-based method called Supported Employment (SE), the IPS model aims to gain employment for people who are disabled and seeking employment. Much of the research that supports the IPS model neglects to look at external factors that impact the DEC. The IPS model's scope focuses on internal factors, or the individuals who are seeking employment, and is thereby narrowed. The IPS model's narrowed scope disproportionately impacts people with cognitive disabilities who are seeking employment. From a social constructionist perspective, this thesis examines how the IPS model became focused on internal factors at the expense of people who are disabled and seeking employment.Master of Arts
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Dalton, Susan Iris. "Social norms associated with drinking : their nature and influence upon untreated heavy drinking." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.369375.
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JAYAT, PHILIPPE. "WHY IS POLICE BRUTALITY A SOCIAL PROBLEM IN THE UNITED STATES AND NOT IN FRANCE?" University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2002. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1018620379.
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Kenwood, Christine Jessica. "Social constructionism in psychology, the road to solipsism and an alternative." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2001. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/ftp04/MQ58537.pdf.
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NETO, ORESTES DINIZ. "MARITAL GAMES: A PROPOSAL OF A SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM MARITAL THERAPY MODEL." PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIRO, 2005. http://www.maxwell.vrac.puc-rio.br/Busca_etds.php?strSecao=resultado&nrSeq=7791@1.
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PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIROO objetivo deste trabalho é propor, em uma perspectiva sistêmica construcionista social, um modelo de terapia de casal orientado pelos padrões interacionais do casal em terapia, tomados como marcadores e preditores da formação e dissolução do laço conjugal. É apresentada uma formulação metodológica para a construção do modelo psicoterapêutico que contempla a explicitação dos aspectos epistemológicos, teóricos, morfológicos e técnicos, em relação à inserção nos campos epistêmico, doxológico, axiológico, e no de demanda social. Dentro desta proposta, são revistos estudos sobre temas relevantes para construção deste modelo terapêutico, tais como padrões da conjugalidade na pós-modernidade; características emergentes dos estudos sobre psicoterapia de casal, enfocando a eficácia e eficiência terapêutica; estudos sobre marcadores e preditores da formação e dissolução da conjugalidade; o processo de mudança em psicoterapia, com o aumento da autonomia e complexidade, como produção de novas subjetividades. O modelo apresentado ressalta, além do enfoque sistêmico na relação psicoterapêutica, a construção social da subjetividade e do significado da conjugalidade, sendo que o terapeuta é coparticipante, provocando, através do seu discurso, perturbações que levem a mudanças de segunda ordem, favorecendo aspectos de criatividade na conjugalidade, dentro do espaço social de construção intersubjetiva. Algumas questões técnicas e éticas são apontadas, assim como são sugeridas novas direções de exploração.
The aim of this paper is to propose, in a social constructionism systemic perspective, a model of marital therapy, oriented by couple`s interactional patterns in therapy, as markers and predictors of the conjugal ties formation and dissolution. It is proposed a methodological formulation, for the construction of a psychotherapeutic model that contemplates the explicitness of the epistemological, theoretical, morphological and technical aspects, concerning the insertion in the epistemic, doxological and axiological fields, and of social demand. Within this proposal, studies on subjects relevant to the construction of this therapeutic model, such as conjugality patterns in post-modernity; characteristics emerging from the studies on couple psychotherapy, focused on therapeutic efficiency and efficacy; studies on markers and predictors of the conjugality formation and dissolution; the changing process in psychotherapy like the increase of autonomy and complexity as the production of new subjectiveness are reviewed. The presented model emphasizes, besides the systemic focus on the psychotherapeutic relation, the social construction of subjectivity and the meaning of conjugality, in which the therapist is a co- participant, stimulating, though his speech, disturbances that take to 2nd level changes, favoring creative aspects in the conjugality, within the social space of intersubjective construction. Some technical and ethical issues are pointed out. New directions of exploration are proposed.
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Larkin, Michael. "Understandings and experiences : a post constructionist cultural psychology of addiction and recovery in the 12 step tradition." Thesis, Nottingham Trent University, 2002. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.246586.
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Reid, Paul James. "Homeless young people : ways of coping with harassment." Thesis, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2002. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.269561.
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Matsebatlela, Emmanuel Mogoboya. "South African tabloid newspapers’ representation of black celebrities: A social constructionism perspective." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/2326.
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Thesis (MPhil (Journalism))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines how positively or negatively as well as how subjectively or objectively the South African tabloid newspapers represent black celebrities. This examination was primarily conducted by using the content analysis research technique. The researcher selected a total of 85 newspapers spread across four different South African daily and weekend tabloid newspapers that were published during the period February to September 2008. The results from the data collected reveal that tabloid newspapers tend to overemphasize negativity when reporting about black celebrities. The findings also reveal a clear differential in the representation of black female celebrities vis-à-vis male celebrities. Unlike male celebrities whose roles were mainly defined in terms of political activities and personal disputes, female celebrities’ roles were largely confined to relationships and sex. The language used by the four newspapers in their representation of celebrities appears to be humiliating and, in some instances, downright disparaging. There is little doubt that media representations of celebrities, whether positive or negative, serve as mirrors to how some members of society behave. To this end, there needs to be a shift from the current preoccupation with sensationalizing negative news when South African tabloid newspapers report on black celebrities. Tabloid newspapers should judiciously use their greater focus on celebrities’ private lives to report on more positive personal stories that focus on the achievements of celebrities, including how some celebrities are living positively with HIV/AIDS. Since this study only focused on South African tabloid newspapers’ representations of black celebrities, and only employed the content analysis method, further research is recommended on the impact of celebrities’ representations on the South African society.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek hoe positief of negatief, asmede subjektief of objektief, daar oor swart beroemdes in Suid-Afrikaanse ponie- of skinderkoerante verslag gedoen word. Die ondersoek is primêr met behulp van die inhoudsanaliseondersoekmetode uitgevoer. Die navorser het 85 koerante uit vier verskillende Suid-Afrikaanse dagblaaie en naweekponiekoerante gekies uit die tydperk Februarie tot September 2008. Die resultate toon ‘n tendens in die poniekoerante dat oorwegend negatiewe verslagdoening oor swart beroemdes vooropgestel word. Die bevindinge toon ook ’n duidelike verskil tussen die verslagdoening oor beroemde swart vroue teenoor dié oor swart mans. In teenstelling met die mans wie se rolle hoofsaaklik ingevolge hulle politieke aktiwiteite en persoonlike dispute gedefinieer word, word beroemde swart vroue se rolle hoofsaaklik beperk tot verhoudings en seks. Die taalgebruik in die verslaggewing oor beroemdes in die vier poniekoerante blyk uiters vernederend, en in sommige gevalle, selfs degraderend en wrang te wees. Daar bestaan min twyfel dat verslaggewing oor beroemdes in die media, hetsy positief of negatief, weerspieël hoe sommige lede van die samelewing lewe. Om hierdie rede is ’n verskuiwing in die huidige beheptheid met die sensasionalisering van negatiewe nuus in die verslaggewing oor swart beroemdes nodig. Poniekoerante wat op die persoonlike lewens van beroemdes fokus behoort na meer positiewe verslagdoening oor hul prestasies te strewe, insluitend, hoe sommige beroemdes positief met MIV/Vigs lewe. Aangesien hierdie navorsing net op verslagdoening oor swart beroemdes in Suid-Afrikaanse poniekoerante kragtens die inhoudsanalisemetorde gefokus het, word verdere navorsing aanbeveel oor die impak van verslagdoening oor beroemdes op die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing.
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Jackson-Cruz, Elizabeth R. "Social Constructionism and Cultivation Theory in Development of the Juvenile “Super-Predator”." Scholar Commons, 2019. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/7814.
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The myth of the “super-predator” offender was adopted by newspaper media in the mid-1990s characterizing “violent”, urban, and minority juvenile offenders. The phrase originated from newspaper headlines of the 1980s and 1990s, but limited research has identified whether this con-struct predated DiIulio and Fox’s crime surge prediction. This study sampled juvenile crime news items from The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times and The New York Times (N=2,008) 1985-1995 with defined search criteria of juvenile actors, “violent” juvenile crime, and/or juvenile drug crime. A descriptive analysis of the data determined reporting trends sought for a “period effect” caused by the publicity of the prediction and searched for the pre-existence of “super-predator” construct. Finally, a series χ2 test determined the statistical independence of “super-predator” offender, the victim, and crime characteristics, from variables of news article prominence. This study found support for identifiable trends in juvenile crime reporting, no identifiable “period effect” and mixed, but ultimately null findings, in pre-establishing the super-predator media construct. The χ2 test determined the statistical independence of “super-predator” offender, the victim, and crime characteristics, found some characteristics were statically independent of variables of article prominence, but that these relationships are weak.
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Månsson, Maria. ""Man vill ju se bra ut" : En kvalitativ studie om ungdomars syn på sociala medier." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Institutionen för kultur- och medievetenskaper, 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-98966.
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This thesis examines young people's thoughts about their presence on social media. With a social constructive approach the study focused on how young people think and act on social media in relation to constructions of gender and normality. The analysis is based on four group interviews with 13-year old boys and girls. The theoretical approach is based partly on social constructionism where discourses and ideas of normality are identified and analyzed. Erving Goffman's theory of social interaction was central to illustrate how young people presents themselves based on the prevailing discourses. It is clear that they adjust their representations of themselves depending on the context. Theories of new media and young people as digital natives were relevant for the study to understand how and why young people act as they do in their use of social media. The study also highlights the ignorance of adults perceptions about young peoples presence on social media. This is related to Stanley Cohen's theory of moral panic. In conclusion, one can say that the interviewees are well established in the digital media landscape and social media is a natural part of their everyday lives. They see risks but also opportunities where they can share across social networks and be a part of an interactive platform in constant change. The young people relate to norms and gender constructions that are historically and culturally imprinted. On social media they perceive themselves according to ruling discourses that makes them fit in, in the situation.Denna uppsats undersöker ungdomars tankar om deras varande på sociala medier. Med utgångspunkt från en socialkonstruktionistiskt teoriansats inriktades uppsatsen till att undersöka hur ungdomarna förhåller sig till genuskonstruktioner och olika normsystem. Genom fyra gruppintervjuer med både tjejer och killar i sjunde klass insamlades materialet som ligger till grund för den genomförda analysen. De teoretiska utgångspunkterna bygger dels på socialkonstruktionism där diskurser och normer identifierats och undersökts. Erving Goffmans teori om social interaktion var central för att belysa hur ungdomarna presenterar sig själva utifrån rådande diskurser. För förståelse för hur och varför ungdomarna agerar som de gör vid deras användande av sociala medier var teorier om nya medier och de unga som den digitala generationen relevanta. Uppsatsen belyser också vuxnas okunskap om ungas varande på sociala medier vilket relateras till Stanley Cohens teori om moralpanik. Avslutningsvis går att konstatera att ungdomarna är väl etablerade i det digitala medielandskapet och sociala medier är en stor och naturlig del av deras vardag. De ser risker men också möjligheter med att kunna dela med sig över sociala medier och vara en del av en interaktiv plattform i ständig förändring. Ungdomarna förhåller sig till normer och genuskonstruktioner som bygger på socialt konstruerade föreställningar som upplevs vara starkt historiskt och kulturellt präglade. Den manliga blicken identifieras som en social konstruktion vilken alla de intervjuade agerar utifrån.
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Hickok, Suzanne E. "The social construction of pictorial space." Diss., Online access via UMI:, 2009.
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Svensson, Kristin, and Jannike Wretman. "Självmord : en kunskapsöversikt." Thesis, Stockholm University, Department of Social Work, 2007. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-7071.
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The aim of this essay is to try to gain understanding and to get a more profound knowledge of suicide. The questions at issue were 1) What empirical factors are mentioned in the research as possible to explain suicide. 2) Which theoretical perspectives are discussed in research concerning suicide. To answer our questions at issue we carried out a selective research overview with a qualitative perspective. The primary documents that has been the foundation of this essay is constituted by nine of the leading researchers publications in the area of suicidology. The questions of issue were analyzed and answered on the basis of social constructionist theory. The research findings showed that suicide is a complex area with no single answers. There are several empirical variables that the researches describe as factors that might influence suicidal behavior and the research has shown patterns in certain risk groups. These variables interact in dynamic processes and shall not be regarded on a one to one basis. The theoretical perspectives that are discussed in research are divided up in three main areas; Sociological, Psychological and Neurobiological & Genetic theories. Although all theories have their own approach and explanation to the phenomena of suicide the research findings are moving towards a more multidisciplinary approach. The social constructionist perspective of this essay gives the reader a new dimension to the phenomena. Empirical and theoretical findings can be seen as constructions aroused from the interaction among people in our society which we all are a part of maintaining.
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Johansson, Camara Jasmine. ""Gud ser oss ändå!” : Åtta kvinnors erfarenheter av den religiösa gemenskapen." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Institutionen för idé- och samhällsstudier, 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-117070.
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This essay looks to examine how eight religious women within Sunni Islam and Conservative Judaism in Sweden perceive their place in the religious community. The essay in itself rests on the theories of social constructionism and intersectionality, along with a qualitative interview study conducted with the eight different women. The results show that the women have very different opinion in regards to their thoughts about their place in the religious community depending on a variety of pre-consisting social factors which includes (but are not limited by) religious background, ethnicity and culture. Some women feel satisfied with their place in the religious community and in society while others call for a change to be made both in the religious community they belong to and in the society they live in.
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Wong, Ka Nar. "The inherent limits of person-making : an analytical investigation of the concept of meaning." Thesis, University of Oxford, 1995. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.295642.
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Brokensha, Melissa. "The South African exodus : a social constructionist perspective on emigration." Diss., Pretoria : [s.n.], 2003. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-09022005-141949.
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Caswell, Dominique. "Experiences of coloured heroin users in Metro South area of Cape Town: A social work perspective." University of the Western Cape, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/6212.
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Magister Social Work -MSWHeroin usage is on the increase in the Western Cape province of South Africa owing to globalization and to increased access to the drug in this province. The goal of this study is to explore the experiences of coloured heroin users in the Metro South area of Cape Town, which stretches from Simons Town and Muizenberg to Retreat, Lavender Hill, Grassy Park, Parkwood and Wynberg. These individuals have been found to congregate in the Wynberg CBD. The overarching theoretical framework for the purpose of this research is social constructionism and symbolic interactionism, using a qualitative means of inquiry. Snowball sampling was used to recruit prospective participants and data was collected by means of in-depth interviews, with a semi structures interviewing schedule. The questions informed the subsequent themes and categories that arise from the data collection process. Snowball sampling was employed in this case, a non-probability sample, in which participants were recruited via key informants. The sample distribution included 13 participants, 10 of which were heroin users (5 female, 5 male) and the remaining 3 were key informants which contributed to triangulation of the data.
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Richters, Juliet. "The Social Construction of Sexual Practice: Setting Sexual Culture and the Body in Casual Sex Between Men." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/352.
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Human sexual behaviour is highly variable and not tightly linked to biological reproduction. However, it has not been studied as social behaviour until the last 40 years and until recently it is largely deviant behaviour that has gained the attention of sociologists. Sociology has adopted an unnecessarily antibiologistic position and consequently neglected the body. In reviewing sociological approaches to sex I draw on social constructionism, particularly the work of Gagnon and Simon (1974) and their notion of scripts; these can be interpreted as discursive structures defining sexual acts and sexual actors at both the individual and societal level. I outline a range of social constructionist positions in relation to sexuality and adopt a moderately radical but realist one that concedes some place for the physiology of arousal linking the elements of the discursive realm of the sexual in social life. Finding the basic assumptions of symbolic interactionism a fruitful base from which to approach sexual conduct I reject the concept of 'desire' as too complex and obscure to serve as a starting point in understanding the social organisation of sex. A review of the ethnographic observational studies of settings in which men have casual sex shows that beats (public places such as parks and toilets) operate in a similar manner in many countries. Commercial sex venues are more varied. They are safer and more comfortable than beats and may offer private rooms and facilities for esoteric sex such as bondage. Sex in such settings is impersonal and anonymous, costs little effort, time or money, and offers a variety of partners. Interaction is largely nonverbal. Interview studies of men who have casual sex with other men tend to undersample men who are not gay-identified, but they offer insights into men's motivations and understandings. Both kinds of research are necessary. The empirical component of the thesis is a thematic analysis of transcripts from three interview studies of gay men in Sydney done between 1993 and 1997: Negotiating Sex (n = 9), the Sites study (n = 21) and the Seroconversion study (n = 70). All involved detailed narratives of sexual encounters. The analysis takes a situational interactionist approach with a specific focus on practice. Central questions asked are: how does the setting (beat, sex venue, home) affect what happens? What does sex mean to the men, and how does this affect what they do? How do men's sexual skills, tastes and experience relate to their practice? How do men's bodies and their understandings of the body affect their practice? What do different sexual practices mean and how are they organised and negotiated within the encounter? How (if at all) do men integrate considerations of safe sex into their practice? Physical surroundings were found to have a profound effect on practice. Sex venues as cultural institutions enable patterns of practice that do not occur elsewhere. Physical arrangements within beats and venues encourage or enable particular practices, such as oral sex or group sex. Motivations for and meanings of sex to the participants varied widely; these were related to practice within the men's own accounts but not in any clear predictive way. Men's sexual skills, tastes and preferences, which were also very varied, related to their practice. Men made trade-offs between risk and pleasure. Men looked for a range of features in casual partners. Suppression of social cues restricted the range of criteria on which partners were selected, enabling wider choice. Men's bodies affected their practice most strikingly in the issue of erection or the lack of it. Understandings of the body and physiological processes affected men's interpretations of information about HIV risk. These men have a vocabulary of sexual practices within which some common practices are less salient. These practices are socially patterned in ways that benefit men with certain tastes and abilities and frustrate those with others. Safe sex considerations are routinely integrated into sexual practice but in a way that leaves room for considerable risk of HIV transmission. In conclusion I argue that conceptualising sex between men exclusively in terms of gay identity and culture is inappropriate. The outcome of the empirical work confirms the theoretical analysis that found it necessary to incorporate some physiological notions, such as 'libido', into a social constructionist view of sex. The findings and their interpretations have important implications for framing effective HIV prevention programs. Some specific suggestions are made for how this might be done.
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Richters, Juliet. "The Social Construction of Sexual Practice: Setting Sexual Culture and the Body in Casual Sex Between Men." University of Sydney. Public Health and Community Medicine, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/352.
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Human sexual behaviour is highly variable and not tightly linked to biological reproduction. However, it has not been studied as social behaviour until the last 40 years and until recently it is largely deviant behaviour that has gained the attention of sociologists. Sociology has adopted an unnecessarily antibiologistic position and consequently neglected the body. In reviewing sociological approaches to sex I draw on social constructionism, particularly the work of Gagnon and Simon (1974) and their notion of scripts; these can be interpreted as discursive structures defining sexual acts and sexual actors at both the individual and societal level. I outline a range of social constructionist positions in relation to sexuality and adopt a moderately radical but realist one that concedes some place for the physiology of arousal linking the elements of the discursive realm of the sexual in social life. Finding the basic assumptions of symbolic interactionism a fruitful base from which to approach sexual conduct I reject the concept of 'desire' as too complex and obscure to serve as a starting point in understanding the social organisation of sex. A review of the ethnographic observational studies of settings in which men have casual sex shows that beats (public places such as parks and toilets) operate in a similar manner in many countries. Commercial sex venues are more varied. They are safer and more comfortable than beats and may offer private rooms and facilities for esoteric sex such as bondage. Sex in such settings is impersonal and anonymous, costs little effort, time or money, and offers a variety of partners. Interaction is largely nonverbal. Interview studies of men who have casual sex with other men tend to undersample men who are not gay-identified, but they offer insights into men's motivations and understandings. Both kinds of research are necessary. The empirical component of the thesis is a thematic analysis of transcripts from three interview studies of gay men in Sydney done between 1993 and 1997: Negotiating Sex (n = 9), the Sites study (n = 21) and the Seroconversion study (n = 70). All involved detailed narratives of sexual encounters. The analysis takes a situational interactionist approach with a specific focus on practice. Central questions asked are: how does the setting (beat, sex venue, home) affect what happens? What does sex mean to the men, and how does this affect what they do? How do men's sexual skills, tastes and experience relate to their practice? How do men's bodies and their understandings of the body affect their practice? What do different sexual practices mean and how are they organised and negotiated within the encounter? How (if at all) do men integrate considerations of safe sex into their practice? Physical surroundings were found to have a profound effect on practice. Sex venues as cultural institutions enable patterns of practice that do not occur elsewhere. Physical arrangements within beats and venues encourage or enable particular practices, such as oral sex or group sex. Motivations for and meanings of sex to the participants varied widely; these were related to practice within the men's own accounts but not in any clear predictive way. Men's sexual skills, tastes and preferences, which were also very varied, related to their practice. Men made trade-offs between risk and pleasure. Men looked for a range of features in casual partners. Suppression of social cues restricted the range of criteria on which partners were selected, enabling wider choice. Men's bodies affected their practice most strikingly in the issue of erection or the lack of it. Understandings of the body and physiological processes affected men's interpretations of information about HIV risk. These men have a vocabulary of sexual practices within which some common practices are less salient. These practices are socially patterned in ways that benefit men with certain tastes and abilities and frustrate those with others. Safe sex considerations are routinely integrated into sexual practice but in a way that leaves room for considerable risk of HIV transmission. In conclusion I argue that conceptualising sex between men exclusively in terms of gay identity and culture is inappropriate. The outcome of the empirical work confirms the theoretical analysis that found it necessary to incorporate some physiological notions, such as 'libido', into a social constructionist view of sex. The findings and their interpretations have important implications for framing effective HIV prevention programs. Some specific suggestions are made for how this might be done.
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Vall, Castelló Berta. "Bridging Constructivism and Social Constructionism: A Dialogical and Relational Approach to Narrative and Meaning Making." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Ramon Llull, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/127399.
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L'objectiu d'aquesta tesi és contribuir a la comprensió dels processos de construcció de significat humans i la seva relació amb el benestar psicològic. Aquesta contribució s’emmarca en els enfocaments constructivistes i construccionistes socials, i en la teoria narrativa.
Tot que els enfocaments constructivistes constructivistes i socials comparteixen la premissa bàsica que els processos de construcció de significats són construïts en la interacció en contextos socioculturals específics, ambdós paradigmes difereixen sobre l'èmfasi que posen en l'individu enfront allò social. No obstant això, les últimes investigacions han arribat a reconèixer alguns punts de trobada per integrar ambdós enfocaments, pel que fa al focus en la narrativa i el llenguatge (McNamee, 2004).
Aquesta tesi té com a objectiu explorar alguns d'aquests punts de trobada, ja que es troba a la cruïlla de la integració dels enfocaments constructivistes i construccionistes, en analitzar la construcció de significat des d'un enfocament narratiu. Per tant, es presenta una sèrie d'estudis centrats en dos enfocaments narratius integradors en el qual s'entrellacen les perspectives constructivistes i construccionistes. El primer enfocament integrador seguit és l'enfocament constructivista relacional, proposat per Luis Botella i col•laboradors (Botella, 2001; Botella i Herrero, 2000). El segon enfocament, és la Teoria dialògica i, en concret, la metodologia Dialogical Investigations of Happenings of Change, desenvolupada per Jaakko Seikkula i col•laboradors (Seikkula, Laitila, i Rober, 2012).
Per tal d'aconseguir l’objectiu d'aquesta tesi -contribuir a la comprensió dels processos de construcció de significat i la seva relació amb el benestar psicològic basant-se en la teoria narrativa- quatre estudis diferents han estat desenvolupats que persegueixen els següents objectius:
1. Analitzar les característiques i l'existència de narratives prototípiques que diferenciïn els pacients que presenten depressió d’aquells que presenten ansietat;
2. Analitzar disrupció narrativa i la qualitat de vida percebuda en els processos d'immigració;
3. Analitzar els processos de construcció de significat des d'un enfocament dialògic en un entorn psicoterapèutic d'una teràpia de parella per violència de gènere.
En els dos primers objectius, l'estudi de les narracions s'aborda des d'un enfocament constructivista relacional, el qual sembla el més apropiat quan es treballa de forma individual. El tercer, se centra en el Dialogical Methods of Investigations of Happenings of Change, el qual sembla el més apropiat quan es treballa amb la família i la teràpia de parella.
En les conclusions es destaquen els principals resultats troballes de cada estudi i la forma en què proporcionen nova informació sobre els processos de construcció de significat, des d’un enfocament narratiu. També s’assenyalen les possibles implicacions clíniques derivades d'aquest programa de recerca, les limitacions i les qüestions que es deixen per a investigacions futures. Finalment, en les conclusions finals es discuteix sobre la utilitat d'aquests dos enfocaments integradors quan el focus se centra en la narrativa i la construcció de significats.El objetivo de esta tesis es contribuir a la comprensión de los procesos de construcción de significado y su relación con el bienestar psicológico. Esta contribución se nutre de los enfoques constructivistas y construccionistas sociales, basándose en la teoría narrativa. Aunque los enfoques constructivistas y construccionistas sociales comparten la premisa básica de que los procesos de construcción de significados son construidos en la interacción en contextos socioculturales específicos, ambos paradigmas difieren sobre el énfasis que ponen al individuo frente a lo social. Sin embargo, las últimas investigaciones han llegado a reconocer algunos puntos de encuentro para integrar ambos enfoques en referencia a la narrativa y el lenguaje (McNamee, 2004). Esta tesis tiene como objetivo explorar algunos de estos puntos de encuentro, ya que se sitúa en el cruce de la integración de los enfoques constructivistas y construccionistas, al analizar la construcción de significados a través de un enfoque narrativo. Por lo tanto, se presenta una serie de estudios centrados en dos enfoques narrativos integradores en los que se entrelazan las perspectivas constructivistas y construccionistas. El primer enfoque integrador seguido es el enfoque constructivista relacional, propuesto por Luis Botella y colaboradores (Botella, 2001; Botella y Herrero, 2000). El segundo, es la Teoría dialógica y en concreto, la metodología “Dialogical Methods of Investigations of Happenings of Change”, desarrollada por Jaakko Seikkula y colaboradores (Seikkula, Laitila y Rober, 2012). Con el fin de lograr el objetivo de esta tesis -contribuir a la comprensión de los procesos de construcción de significado y su relación con el bienestar psicológico desde la teoría narrativa- cuatro estudios diferentes han sido desarrollados que persiguen los siguientes objetivos: 1. Analizar las características y la existencia de narrativas prototípicas que diferencien los pacientes con depresión de los pacientes con ansiedad; 2. Analizar la disrupción narrativa y la calidad de vida percibida en los procesos de inmigración; 3. Analizar los procesos de construcción de significado desde un enfoque dialógico en un entorno psicoterapéutico de una terapia de pareja por violencia de género. En los dos primeros objetivos, el estudio de las narraciones se aborda desde un enfoque constructivista relacional, el cual parece más apropiado cuando se trabaja con los individuos. El tercero, se centra en el Dialogical Methods of Investigations of Happenings of Change, el cual parece el más apropiado cuando se trabaja con terapia familiar y/o de pareja. En las conclusiones se destacan los principales resultados de cada estudio y la forma en que proporcionan nueva información sobre el proceso de construcción de significados, desde un enfoque narrativo. También señalamos las posibles implicaciones clínicas derivadas de este programa de investigación, las limitaciones y las cuestiones que se dejan para trabajos futuro. Por último, en las conclusiones finales se discute acerca de la utilidad de esos dos enfoques integradores cuando el enfoque se centra en la narrativa y la construcción de significados.
The goal of this thesis is to contribute to the understanding of human meaning making processes and their relation to psychological well-being. This contribution is drawn from constructivist, and social constructionist approaches, heavily relying on narrative theory. Although constructivist and social constructionist approaches share the basic assumption that meaning making processes are embedded and constructed in interaction in specific sociocultural contexts, both paradigms differ regarding the emphasis they place to the individual vs the social word. However, latest research has come to recognize some meeting points for bridging both approaches when the focus is on narrative and language (McNamee, 2004). This thesis aims at exploring some of these meeting points, since it is situated at the crossroad of the integration of constructivist and constructionist approaches, when analyzing meaning-making through a narrative focus. Therefore, it presents a series of studies focused on two integrative narrative approaches in which constructivist and social constructionist perspectives are intertwined. The first integrative approach followed is the Relational Constructivist approach, proposed by Luis Botella and collaborators (Botella, 2001; Botella &,Herrero, 2000). The second one, is the Dialogical Theory and specifically, the Dialogical Investigations of Happenings of Change methodology, developed by Jaakko Seikkula and collaborators (Seikkula, Laitila,, & Rober, 2012). In order to accomplish this thesis’ goal -to contribute to the understanding of human meaning making processes and their relation to psychological well-being relying on narrative theory- four different studies have been developed addressing the following objectives: 1. To analyze the characteristics and the existence of prototypic narratives that differentiate depressed from anxious patients; 2. To analyze narrative disruption and the perceived quality of life in immigration processes; 3. To analyze meaning making processes from a dialogical approach in a psychotherapeutic setting of a couple therapy for Intimate Partner Violence. As can be inferred, in the first two objectives, the study of narratives is addressed from a relational constructivist approach, which seemed the most appropriated when working with individuals. The third one is focused on the Dialogical Methods of Investigations of Happenings of Change, which seemed the most appropriated when working with family and couple therapy. In the conclusion we highlight the main findings of each study and the way in which they provide new information on human meaning making process focusing on a narrative approach. We also point out the potential clinical implications derived from this research program, the limitations, and the issues that are left for future work. Finally, in the concluding remarks we discuss about the usefulness of those two integrative approaches when focusing on narrative and meaning making.
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Razzano, Anna, and Maria Nilsson. "Det är ju en familjehemlighet : En studie kring hur socialsekreterare förhåller sig till barn som upplever våld och deras behov av stöd." Thesis, University of Kalmar, School of Human Sciences, 2008. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hik:diva-211.
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In November 2006 and July 2007, changes were made to the Social Services Law and the Criminal Injuries Law, defining children who have witnessed domestic violence as crime victims. The objective of our study is to examine if these changes have affected how social workers responsible for child protection inquiries interact with children who have witnessed domestic violence, and to what extent these children’s need of support are taken into account. Qualitative interviews have been carried out with five social workers, with the aim to evaluate how they meet and become aware of these children. Our problem-formulation is based upon the question how social services implement the recent changes to the law. The framework for analysis combines a social constructionist approach with a critical perspective. The study identifies shortcomings when it comes to the ways in which these children are encountered and the extent to which they are allowed to participate in the investigation process. The social workers interviewed have little knowledge about how children are affected by domestic violence, and also about these children’s need of help and support. The study further shows that children are not perceived as actors that have a right to participation and to be involved in the process. However, even if parents tend to be the focal point of child protection inquiries, there are also social workers who try to bring children’s rights to the fore and find ways to support these. The study thus supports the notion that it is important to see children as actors and individuals in their respective situation rather than as passive victims whose needs are overshadowed by those of the adults.
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Mills, Margaret. "Dementia and guardianship: challenges in social work practice in a health care setting." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/12783.
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This thesis critically examines social work practice in complex and disputed situations where an alternative legal decision-maker is perceived as necessary for a person with dementia. Australia has unique adult guardianship legislation and social workers are actively engaged in the process in a variety of ways, such as weighing the benefits against the possible harm and lodging applications. Yet within the profession this is an area where there is very little research. The purpose of this study is therefore to enable social workers to better understand the dynamics involved in adult guardianship proceedings for a person with dementia and provide knowledge that can be used for more effective practice. The theoretical approach is to use perspectives from social constructionism, with the links which can be made to modernism and postmodernism being taken into account. Five research case studies were investigated drawing from the caseload of social workers in an aged care service at a large metropolitan hospital in Australia. A thematic network analysis of the findings showed that the research case studies are constantly evolving, where different players participate by bringing their own perspectives, and in this process alliances are formed which reflect underlying dynamics of power. There are many diverse and contested issues, such as varied understandings of dementia and capacity and differing constructions of the notions of risk, protection and responsibility. The implications for social work practice are that in a contemporary health and welfare context social work is well placed to make an important contribution through its traditional roles of negotiation, interpretation and mediation between those who have discursive rights and those who do not.
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松嶋, 秀明, and Hideaki MATSUSHIMA. "観察者の「私」の物語り的構成 : 筆者自身のフィールドワーク過程の再検討." 名古屋大学大学院教育発達科学研究科, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/2237/3120.
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Johnson, Christopher Michael. "Philosophical Ends to Scientific Means: Diagnosis and the Epistemology of Psychology." Antioch University / OhioLINK, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1540821236348954.
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Wernberg, Johan. "Bortom den sociala konstruktionen : Argument för en realistisk filosofisociologi." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Sociologiska institutionen, 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-109263.
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In this essay the author argues against what is defined as radical social constructionism and its place in the relatively new sociology of philosophy in Sweden. A realistic approach is presented as a more plausible and desirable alternative.
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Fernando, Weerahannadige Dulini Anuvinda. "Exploring the interplay between gender, social context and career : a study of professional women in Sri Lanka." Thesis, Loughborough University, 2011. https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/9214.
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This PhD takes a social constructionist approach (see Burr, 2003) to explore how professional women in Sri Lanka make sense of and enact their careers. By explaining career through the recursive relationship between social context and individual agency, this study adds new insights into existing understandings of women s careers which are dominated by psychological models of women s development over their lifespans (see Maneiro and Sullivan, 2005; O Neil and Bilimoria, 2005; Pringle and Dixon, 2003). Most importantly this study which addresses women s experiences in Sri Lanka fulfils a significant gap in the extant literature which has paid only little attention to careers in South Asian nations. This study is based on qualitative interviews (see King, 2004) conducted with 24 professional Sri Lankan women: eight in early career, eight in mid-career and eight in late career (see O Neil and Bilimoria, 2005). All respondents aspired to reach the highest possible level in their organisations hierarchies and therefore continuously engaged with work organisations, home and family and wider contextual structures in Sri Lanka in pursuit of achieving their career goals, contributing towards maintaining and/or transforming these social structures in the process. Based on these findings I developed a theoretical framework to understand women s careers in a dynamic and contextually significant manner. This framework highlights eight different strategies women use to develop their careers which has four possible social outcomes. In illuminating specifically what women do to advance their careers within their social contexts and with what implications this framework makes a significant contribution to the careers literature which gives only little attention to individuals career strategies. Moreover by appreciating both social context and individual agency as explanations of women s careers this model refrains from taking an overly deterministic (see McRae, 2003; Crompton, 2011) or voluntaristic (see Maneiro and Sullivan, 2005; O Neil and Bilimoria, 2005) stance to conceptualising women s career development. Second, I outline a South Asian model of women s career development highlighting family, moral notions, religious philosophies and wider belief systems such as astrology and horoscopes as central constituents of women s careers. I highlight how these understandings could be used to identify blind spots in existing literature and further develop prevailing ideas of women s careers in the West. Specifically I argue that traditional notions do not altogether disappear as societies develop (see Gerth and Mills, 1991), but rather individuals use these notions to walk towards modernity. Finally I conclude the thesis by outlining how scholars could develop my work further, calling upon authors to bring moral character, traditional notions and enchantment back to the careers field. Key words: Gender, Career development, Social constructionism, Sri Lanka.
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Higley, Ramona Avis Linville. "The Case of Youth Gangs in the Mormon Cultural Region A Synthetic, Dialectical Theory of Social Problems: Bridging Social Constructionism and Objectivism." DigitalCommons@USU, 2003. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/4688.
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This dissertation uses the case of youth gangs in the Mormon Cultural Region to present a synthetic, dialectical theory of social problems, bridging the perspectives of social constructionism and objectivism. The primary assertion of this dissertation is that communities use social problems as tools to establish and maintain social boundaries and to protect the core values and beliefs of the established communal order.
The case of youth gangs in Utah, core of the Mormon Cultural Region, demonstrates that both social problems and the organizations involved with social problems follow a natural-history cycle similar to that reported in social movement literature. Anti-gang organizations, youth gangs, and the gang movement all seem to change forms as they progress through this cycle. Further, the relationship between the claims-making and the ontological increase in social problems is dialectical.
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Mathews, Kulthum. "An exploratory study investigating the construction of university students’ perceptions of menstruation and the influence menstrual product advertisements in print media." University of the Western Cape, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/4176.
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Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych)Menstruation is a quintessential phenomenon unique to females which prepares the body for reproductive functioning. Although this phenomenon is a natural biological process of development, social institutions such as science, socio-cultural factors, religion and the media impact young women’s perceptions of menstruation. Media, in particular advertising has been instrumental in conveying specific versions of reality that mirrors Western capitalist and patriarchal ideologies of women and their bodily processes. Media representations of menstruation portrays it as a ‘hygiene crisis’, rational and in need of symptomatic treatment. Media portrayal of women’s bodies highlights the importance of identifying ways in which advertising contributes to young women’s perceptions of menstruation. The aims of this study are twofold; firstly this study aims to understand how young women’s perceptions of menstruation are constructed. Secondly, this study also aims to explore young women’s perceptions of menstrual product advertising in print media. Literature shows that the media often portrays menstruation as a ‘hygiene crisis’ instead of a maturation process. Improved hygiene seems to be the rationale and modern answer of ‘treating’ symptoms. Literature also identifies advertising as a pervasive form of media, which is often unconsciously acknowledged, and it is thought to convey specific versions of reality in order to mirror Western capitalist and patriarchal ideology. Taking these factors into consideration shows the importance of identifying ways in which advertising contributes to young women’s perceptions of menstruation. Positioned within a social constructionist framework, specifically on macro social constructionism the emphasis is on unpacking power relations and how this exercises social control over women. The use of social constructionism strengthens the study with focusing on the importance of how perceptions are constructed through interactions with our environments. This study utilized a qualitative approach using focus groups as the data collection method. The sample comprised of 16 participants recruited from the female population aged 18-23 years from a University in the Western Cape. Foucauldian discourse analysis was employed to analyse the data collected. All ethical requirements as stipulated by the University were strictly adhered to. This study will therefore contribute to the dearth of literature in the South African context as literature in this area is very limited and inaccessible. This study in particular contributes to the South African body of knowledge by furthering the understanding of how societal messaging influences and perpetuates power relations and the social control of women.
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Santos, Sidnei Ferreira. "A construção social do mercado funerário no Brasil : agentes, instituições e estratégias de negócios /." Araraquara, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/11449/182404.
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Orientador: Maria Chaves JardimBanca: Renata Medeiros Paoliello
Banca: Silvio Eduardo Alvarez Cândido
Resumo: Essa pesquisa objetiva analisar o desenvolvimento do mercado funerário na sociedade brasileira sob a luz da Sociologia Econômica, considerando o seu postulado de que os mercados são construções sociais, observando os diversos tipos de mercado e os diferentes juízos morais atribuídos à morte (SWEDBERG, 2004). Buscando entender o desenvolvimento da empresa funerária a partir dos planos funerários e o embate desses com os outros serviços, como seguros de vida e os planos de saúde que também oferecem seguros de vida e assistência funerária. Na intersecção das transformações societárias, políticas, econômicas e jurídicas, no interior do Estado brasileiro, buscando entender como tais mudanças provocam transformações no plano simbólico e material, criando novas iniciativas de produção e consumo, produtos e serviços funerários. A inspiração teórica pauta-se na Sociologia Reflexiva de Pierre Bourdieu em termos metodológicos, através da coleta de dados das instituições que representam o setor funerário, como sindicatos, associações e também legislações referentes à atividade funerária.
Abstract: This research analyzed the development of the funeral market in Brazilian society, under the light of Economic Sociology, considering the postulate that markets are social constructions, observing the different types of markets and the different moral judgments attributed to death. Thus, we sought to understand the development of the funeral company from the funeral plans and the clash of these with other services, such as life insurance and health plans, which in addition to offering life insurance, offer funeral assistance. At the intersection of societal, political, economic and juridical transformations within the Brazilian State, it sought to understand how these changes provoke transformations in the symbolic and material plane, creating new initiatives of production, consumption, products and funeral services. The theoretical inspiration was based on the Reflexive Sociology of Pierre Bourdieu; in methodological terms, secondary sector data such as unions and associations were used, as well as the study of the legal framework, as well as an interview with directors of a funeral company.
Mestre
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Homan, Jacqueline. "Realism, social constructionism and 'natural' hazards : a study of people-nature relations in Egypt and the U.K." Thesis, University of Liverpool, 1998. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.366403.
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Recent literature in the social sciences has emphasized the socially constructed nature of knowledge. Consequently, this has had a bearing upon the understanding of science; interpretations of the natural world; and issues associated with understanding 'the Other'. The relevance of these wider social debates can be extended into a consideration of 'natural' hazards in different cultural contexts. This thesis attempts to develop a 'middle ground', drawing on theories of critical realism, that appreciates the socially constructed nature of scientific practice, but that retains the empancipatory, positive potential of science and that allows intervention in other cultural contexts. The remainder of the thesis attempts to put some of these ideas into practice and to develop the implications of these arguments for those interested in understanding and mitigating 'natural' hazards in other cultures. Two case studies are used, relating to Egypt and the U.K., which explore the scientific understandings of 'natural' hazard events in two different cultural contexts. Fundamental to the approach adopted is the need to acknowledge science as a social practice and how it functions within different societies. Examples are given, pertaining to both Egypt and the U.K., of what this might mean in 'practice'. In summary, therefore, there is an appreciation of the implications of recent social science literature for hazards research and the development of a practical approach to hazards with a social and philosophical justification
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Sanif, Sazuliana. "Implementation of peer observation of teaching in ELT tertiary education system in Malaysia : a social-constructionism view." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10871/21049.
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The present study primarily aims to explore the English language (EL) teachers’ current practices and their experiences of teacher evaluation, and how these are related to the introduction of peer observation of teaching (POT) in the Malaysian university system. Then, it aims to explore the possibilities and challenges faced by Malaysian universities in introducing peer observation. The participants of the study were determined by 2 stages of the research design. In Stage 1, from 10 different universities around Malaysia, 72 teachers completed the online questionnaire and eight semi-structured interview were conducted. In Stage 2, at the university where the study was conducted, 24 participants completed the after-workshop questionnaire and ten observations as well as eight semi-structured interview were carried out. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS descriptive statistics while qualitative data were transcribed and then analysed using thematic content analysis. The findings on teacher evaluation revealed that there was teacher evaluation in place at every university involved in the survey. However, there seemed to be some major shortcomings that need to be addressed. Shortcomings such as teachers were not reminded of the real purposes of each evaluation undertaken, some evaluations were wasted because they were not studied, and teachers were not given ownership in setting out the suitable methods for evaluation. The findings on peer observation revealed that teachers had different understanding about it. Through the intervention study, it was discovered that the tone of the discussion between teachers were sometimes calm and celebrating, whilst some were critical and judgemental. The findings also showed that introduction of peer observation may be possible at the university under study provided the purposes were for developmental. However, teachers still had the feeling of nervousness and being judgemental about the whole process because of the common top-down approach. The findings from the study have provided several implications for the improvement of the existing EL teacher evaluation in particular, as well as evaluation of teachers of other subjects in general. In addition, the findings have also provided several implications for the introduction of peer observation especially to the university managements and the teachers in particular. The current study also contributes to knowledge by proposing: i) a model for teacher evaluation, and ii) one plan for the procedure of peer observation of teaching; which can be adjusted according to the suitability of any given context.
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Backström, Jens. "Obstinat och rabiat eller lat och flat? : En diskursanalys av medias framställning av socialtjänsten." Thesis, Kristianstad University College, School of Health and Society, 2009. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hkr:diva-5323.
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The aim of this essay was to deepen the knowledge of how child-protection-work is illustrated by massmedia. The essay takes it stand in discourse analysis to explain what image is displayed of social work concerning child-protection that is published in news media during 2007 in one of Sweden’s most read evening-papers. The result of the study is that social workers involved in child-protection-work often are categorized as either too zealous or too uncommitted, in the media. The result reflected the current discourse concerning how social workers do their duties in the modern society.
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Hammarquist, Johanna, and Batti Viyan Hajo. "Honour Culture : The thoughts and experiences of four young men, who have lived in a residential care home for unaccompanied children." Thesis, Högskolan i Gävle, Socialt arbete, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-23911.
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This is a qualitative study that explores the thoughts and experiences of honour culture of young men who have previously been living in a residential care home for unaccompanied children. The data was collected through four semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The social constructionist theory was used together with previous research in order to analyse the results. The results of this study show that the informants highly associate honour culture with women, and therefore feel burdened with the fact that they are expected to guard females both in and outside their own families. Results also show that males are subjected to honour based oppression in different forms. Furthermore, it was found that honour culture is connected to shame and a fear of being ostracized from the family or the community.
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Backlund, Rambaree Brita. "Contextualising Constructions of Corporate Social Responsibility : Social Embeddedness in Discourse and Institutional Contexts." Doctoral thesis, Stockholms universitet, Sociologiska institutionen, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-136009.
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‘Corporate social responsibility’ (CSR) and ‘socially responsible investment’ (SRI) have become predominant frameworks connecting business to society that have spread across the globe. They comprise a shared set of ideas and practices, such as those promoted in global reporting standards and by international organisations such as the UN Global Compact. Nonetheless, both are constructed and reproduced by companies in relation to context-specific social institutions, including norms and conventions shaping company engagement in social issues. Using a neo-institutionalist theoretical framework, the thesis examines constructions of social responsibility in discourse and within institutional contexts, across regions that are not often compared in the research terrain: two West European welfare states (Sweden and the UK) and two emerging African economies (South Africa and Mauritius). The purpose of the thesis is to add to the literature on CSR and SRI with a sociologically informed perspective that is comparative and connects institutional theory with social constructionism and a Foucauldian perspective on power. The thesis analyses how perceptions of CSR and SRI are constructed in relation to the social institutions that encase companies’ engagement with social issues, such as national level welfare configurations and the institution of financial investments. The main argument in this thesis is that CSR and SRI need to be seen as contextually constructed, in discourse and practice, in ways that draw the boundaries and set the conditions for company engagement with social issues. The thesis comprises three articles. Article 1 is a content analysis of company self-reporting on CSR and the article examines how the content given to CSR relates to broader welfare configurations and as such differs in four national settings across the divide between emerging African economies and Western welfare states. Article 2 is a discourse analysis that examines interpretative repertoires occurring in company self-reporting across the same set of four countries. The interpretative repertoires are analysed as discursive practices where power intersects with the production of knowledge on CSR. Article 3 focuses on SRI and examines responsible investing as a form of institutional work that institutional investors engage in. Based on an interview study with institutional investors in Sweden, the article analyses institutional work as a process that has the effect of both institutional creation and maintenance and it connects these institutional processes to the construction of meaning on SRI. In its entirety the thesis contributes a sociological perspective on how prevailing understandings of corporate social responsibility come into being and are reproduced.Uppfattningar om företags samhällsansvar har begreppsliggjorts i huvudsak genom idéer om ’corporate social responsibility’ (CSR) och ’ansvarsfulla investeringar’. Under de senaste decennierna har dessa begrepp utvecklats till att bli vanligt förkommande och har spridits över världen. Som globala koncept medför de en gemensam uppsättning av idéer och metoder, såsom de som förs fram i internationella standarder för företags CSR rapportering, och utav internationella organisationer såsom FN:s Global Compact. Ändå skiljer de sig åt mellan olika kontexter och är konstruerade och återges av företag i förhållande till sociala sammanhang. Begreppen ges mening i relation till sociala institutioner i form av normer och konventioner som redan omger företag och sociala frågor. Baserat på nyinstitutionell teori undersöker avhandlingen konstruktioner av samhällsansvar och ansvarstagande, i diskurs och i institutionella sammanhang, över regioner som inte ofta jämförs i forskningen kring skillnader i företags samhällsansvar: två Västeuropeiska välfärdsstater (Sverige och Storbritannien) och två tillväxtekonomier i södra Afrika (Sydafrika och Mauritius). Syftet med avhandlingen är att bidra till litteraturen kring CSR och ansvarsfulla investeringar med ett sociologiskt perspektiv som är jämförande och för samman institutionell teori med social konstruktionism och Foucaults perspektiv på makt. Avhandlingen analyserar hur föreställningar om CSR och ansvarsfulla investeringar konstrueras i förhållande till de sociala institutioner som omger företags engagemang i samhällsfrågor, och belyser speciellt vikten av samhällets välfärdssystem och konventioner kring finansiella investeringar som betydelsefulla för dessa begrepp. Huvudargumentet i denna avhandling är att CSR och ansvarsfulla investeringar måste ses som kontextuellt skapade, i diskurs och praxis, på ett sätt som drar gränserna och skapar förutsättningarna för företags engagemang i samhällsfrågor. Avhandlingen omfattar tre artiklar. Artikel 1 är en innehållsanalys av företags självrapportering om CSR och artikeln undersöker hur innehållet som ges till CSR i självrapporteringen relaterar till hur samhället i övrigt hanterar välfärd och sociala frågor. Artikeln visar på hur CSR på så sätt skiljer sig åt mellan fyra olika länder där två är tillväxtekonomier i södra Afrika och två är Västeuropeiska välfärdsstater. Artikel 2 är en diskursanalys som undersöker språkliga repertoarer (interpretative repertoires) som förekommer i företags självrapportering om CSR, i samma uppsättning av fyra länder. Repertoarerna analyseras som tillämpandet av diskurs och de synliggör hur makt är av betydelse i skapandet av diskurser kring CSR. Artikel 3 fokuserar på ansvarfulla investeringar och undersöker detta som en form av aktivt skapande och återskapande av samhällsinstitutioner. Baserat på en intervjustudie med institutionella investerare i Sverige analyseras ansvarfullt investerande som en process som på samma gång innebär både skapande av en ny social institution, ansvarsfulla investeringar, och återskapande av en existerande institution, finansiella investeringar. Skapandet av nya idéer inom ramarna för en existerande institution påverkar innebörden i ansvarsfulla investeringar. I sin helhet bidrar avhandlingen med ett sociologiskt perspektiv på hur uppfattningar om företags samhällsansvar skapas och återskapas.
At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 1: Manuscript. Paper 2: Manuscript. Paper 3: Manuscript.
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Williams, Sinazo Onela. "Xhosa men's constructions of depression." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/71590.
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The research aimed to use social constructionism as a methodology to explore Xhosa men’s constructions of depression. The theoretical framework chosen for this research was intersectionality. Purposive sampling was conducted to obtain between four to six participants who self-identified as Xhosa men. In the end four participants were interviewed through semi structured interviews. Interviews were conducted in the language of convenience for the participants. This was noted to be a mixture of English and isiXhosa. The interviews were transcribed and translated to English. Thematic analysis was used as a method of analysis. The analysis followed a systematic process which consists of six steps that were proposed by Braun and Clarke. Emerging themes related to how culture influenced Xhosa men’s constructions of depression, how masculinity influences Xhosa men’s constructions of depression, and How masculinity and the Xhosa culture intersect and interact in men’s constructions of depression. The findings showed that Xhosa men valued and accepted their cultural values, and gender roles, and thus their constructions of depression were influenced by that. The findings also revealed that depression also played a role in how Xhosa men construct gender and their culture. Hence highlighting the idea of intersectionality.Mini Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2019.
DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Human Development
Psychology
MA (Clinical Psychology)
Unrestricted
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Almethen, Abdullah K. M. K. "Exposing institutional influences on entrepreneurship among Kuwaiti youth." Thesis, University of Bradford, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/16046.
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This research focuses on the influence of institutions on entrepreneurship among Kuwaiti youth. It aims to capture the role played by institutions on youth entrepreneurship at the backdrop of a dampening ‘spirit’ for it. This research is currently very important due to various economic and geo-political factors leading to an economic downturn, which has led to the need for entrepreneurial ventures. It reviews and consolidates concepts and factors purported to facilitate and increase entrepreneurship for the benefit of the society and economy of Kuwait. This research uses a social constructionist approach to make sense of how institutions influence Kuwaiti youth in their quest to become entrepreneurs. It exposes institutional endorsement and legitimacy from formal and informal institutions. It shows the use of regulative, normative and cognitive dimensions and influences on entrepreneurial intentions and actions. This research shows how institutions interact with Kuwaiti youth and what role they play in the formulation of intentions and actions concerning entrepreneurship. A number of key formal and informal institutions have come to the fore that influence one another (in)directly as living entities, and likewise influence the youth (in)directly. The research contribution also shows that young people have to approach some key institutions and in return their desire to become entrepreneurs is strengthened or weakened depending on how institutions respond and what role they are willing to play in their lives.
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Major, Adia Y. "Social Constructionism, Parental Ethnotheories, and Sex Education: Exploring Values and Belief Systems in a Mexican/Mexican-American Population." Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1244648092.
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Major, Adia. "Social constructionism, parental ethnotheories, and sex education exploring values and belief systems in a Mexican/Mexican-American population /." Bowling Green, Ohio : Bowling Green State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=bgsu1244648092.
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Bårdby, Christian. "SOCIALSEKRETERARES PÅ EKONOMISKT BISTÅND UPPLEVELSE AV ATT UTREDA SPELMISSBRUK." Thesis, Malmö universitet, Fakulteten för hälsa och samhälle (HS), 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-26804.
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This study focuses on how gambling disorder is a part of the investigation at the social office. Gambling disorder is a part of Socialtjänstlagen. This new law came into effect 1/1-2018. The purpose of this study is to examine how the economic aid, in the social office, works with gambling disorder. The study was made from a qualitative approach and was conducted through semi-structured interviews, the results of which were consequently analyzed by using a theory about social constructionism and social construction. The results indicated that there were some problems in how to ask questions about gaming disorder when meeting with the clients. The study also showed that the investigation are suppose to include the child perspective, but not to which extend this investigation should be made. This study shows the importance of knowledge and understanding in how to help clients with a gambling disorder. The study also shows that social workers might not have enough qualification to investigate gambling disorder among their clients.
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Kramer, Amanda L. "Deconstructing Newspaper Representations of the International Criminal Court." Thèse, Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/22855.
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This thesis employs a social constructionist perspective to analyze constructions of the International Criminal Court (ICC), specifically (1) the notion of impunity; (2) the presence of a critical analysis; and (3) the connection between state support/opposition and favourable/negative portrayals of the Court. The theory chapter focuses on the propaganda model’s main premise that “media serve the interests of that state … framing their reporting and analysis in a manner supportive of established privilege and limiting debate accordingly” (Herman & Chomsky, 1998, p.32). A thematic qualitative content analysis and several tools of grounded theory deconstructed 1,982 articles collected from The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. Overall, the newspapers contained a high level of support for the propaganda model’s main assertions. Some of these conversations were quite limited and/or biased; specifically, American newspapers manipulated debates to justify American opposition to the Court.
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McKenzie, Kevin. "In the gulf between prejudice and culture : talking the experience of Western expatriates in the Middle East." Thesis, Loughborough University, 1997. https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/6775.
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This thesis is an investigation into the accounting practices by which British and American expatriates make sense of Western involvement in the Middle East. Based on the analysis of an audio-taped archive of some sixty hours of face-to-face interview material recorded in Kuwait during a ten-month period in the year immediately following the Persian Gulf Conflict of 1990-91, this project explores the interactional work by which speakers situate their conversational contributions in dialogic anticipation of a range of competing but mutually co-implicative demands for accountability which they take their talk and their participation in the circumstances of that talk to entail. Specifically, speakers are seen to manage the productive tension between the competing demands for accountability to conflicting assumptions about the nature of prejudice on the one hand, and the awareness of and/or sensitivity to cultural difference on the other, in and while attending to the situated concerns for their warrant in making the claims that they do and the degree to which they are implicated in those claims in and through the activity of their production. In this way, conflicting assumptions are show to be constitutive of the social practices whereby speakers account for Western involvement abroad.
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Lewaks, Andre. "The experiences of families of an intervention programme for fathers." University of the Western Cape, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/4895.
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Magister Artium (Social Work) - MA(SW)The importance of the role of fathers in the lives of their children and families has received much attention in recent years. This new focus on responsible fatherhood has led to an increase of programme interventions for responsible fathers. The aim of this study was to explore how families experienced an intervention programme for fathers, and how the intervention contributed to child and family well-being. The study made use of a qualitative research methodology. The research sample included fathers, who participated in the intervention programme, as well as their life partners and children. The sample for the study included 10 fathers, 10 spouses, as well as 10 children of the fathers, who participated in an intervention programme for fathers. The final sample of participants in this study was 30 participants. A semi-structured interview schedule was used to collect the data in face-to-face interviews. The data analysis was conducted by means of a thematic analysis. All ethical considerations were adhered to by ensuring the confidentiality and anonymity of participants. The following themes were found in the study: Understanding of family well-being, Conceptualization of fatherhood and father involvement, Communication about the programme, Parent-child relationships, Parental involvement and personal matters, Discipline and conflict management, Experience of programme intervention the father attended. The results of the study showed that (1) the intervention contributed to the well-being of children and their families; (2) the involvement of fathers in the lives of their children increased post-intervention; (3) fathers' communication skills improved; (4) fathers were more involved in unpaid care; (5) spousal relationships improved with less conflict in their relationships.
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Bester, Alan. "Corporate chaplaincy, spirituality and wellness : a post-foundational practical theological exploration." Thesis, University of Pretoria, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/66359.
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The research explores the themes of corporate chaplaincy, workplace spirituality and
employee wellness, and their relationship to each other. The question is asked if the
corporate chaplain has a contribution to make through the multi-disciplinary helping team in
achieving and maintaining employee wellness. The method of study is postfoundational and
relies upon three stages of research: an acknowledgement of the local context through the
dialogue with twelve co-researchers; a process of transversality that includes a discussion
with nine interdisciplinary respondents and traditions of interpretation; and a response that
explores a preferred alternative reality for, and beyond, the local context. The stage of
acknowledgement reveals several emerging themes that highlight the value of a workplace
spirituality in employee wellness, but in which spirituality is an identified gap in wellness
progs. The discussion explores the value of spirituality in wellness and the obstacles in the
development of workplace spirituality and the employ of corporate chaplains. The response
requires a revisiting the title of "corporate chaplaincy" noting the unhelpful assumptions that
the title makes. The response includes a definition of workplace spirituality that
communicates the value of a workplace spirituality and the workplace spiritual helper to help
overcome the obstacles of religious plurality, secularism, and an unhelpful religiosity. The response of affirming spirituality in achieving and maintaining wellness for the employee and
the corporate through the corporate chaplain requires the establishment of a registered
professional body. In recognising the present difficulty in appointing corporate chaplains,
alternative forms of developing workplace spirituality are suggested.Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2017.
Practical Theology
PhD
Unrestricted
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Lauer, Kristen. "The Experience of “Cool”: A Qualitative Exploration." Antioch University / OhioLINK, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1532344949603525.
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Matlakele, Kenneth Moabi. "Experiences and challenges of different family structures in dealing with delinquent children in Botswana." University of the Western Cape, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/4870.
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Magister Artium (Child and Family Studies) - MA(CFS)Over the past decade, there has been a dramatic increase in the study of family structure and its impact on child well-being, growth, as well as development of delinquency behaviour. However, there is limited reliable literature on what experiences and challenges the different family structures encounter, in dealing with delinquent children in Botswana. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore and describe the experiences and challenges the different family structures face, in dealing with delinquent children in Botswana. The study utilised an explorative-descriptive qualitative methodological approach. Semistructured interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect data from five focus group discussions with learners at the Bana Ba Metsi School, individual interviews with staff members, working with learners, as well as individual interviews with families of some learners, making up a research sample of 47 participants for the entire study. The collected data was analysed using a thematic analysis method. The participants reported that their children’s delinquent activities led to mostly negative experiences, such as shame, embarrassment, psychological pain, discrimination, stress and depression. They also reported happiness, due to their children’s behaviour modification, as a result of attending the Bana Ba Metsi School. It is evident from the findings, though, that they encountered challenges, such as the long distance between their homes and the school, the lack of communication with their children, the lack of resources, as well as the lack of family support. However, they disclosed strategies that they employed to deal with the challenges, such as attending support groups, counselling, family discussions and prayer. In conclusion, the results of this study have practical implications for all personnel dealing with such families, including the social welfare departments, as well as schools coping with juveniles.