Society as a system of subsystems -- Manifest and latent functions : the Matthew effect -- An automated utopia : systems theory -- From functionalism to structuralism -- Constructivist structuralism : habitus -- The analysis of socially constructed reality -- Interactionism -- Dramaturgy -- Ethnomethodology -- The information society -- A new modernity -- Individuals as the basis of social actions -- The theory of communicative action -- The dialogic turn in the social sciences
The sustainability of societies is an issue of utmost importance for humankind. This is reflected in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which highlight the main challenges that citizens face, including underserved groups, and set the path for finding solutions to overcome them. The achievement of the SDGs for 2030 is setting not only the political agenda, but also the scientific one. From the field of social sciences, an issue that remains underexplored is the contributions (or lack thereof, in some occasions) from social theory to the consolidation of more sustainable societies, including the underserved groups. In this vein, the aim of this article is to provide robust evidence on how social theory has contributed to such improvement and is still doing it. To this end, it provides an analysis of how the advancements made from social theory with social impact have contributed to the achievement of the SDGs. Alongside, this article also presents how some theories that never had social impact at their core have hindered the improvement of societies. This dual approach provides a clear picture of the role that social theory can play in the achievement of the SDGs, as well as evidence towards the overcoming of exclusionary theories with no scientific basis.
El informeEqualitity of Educational Opportunity (EEO)de James S. Coleman en 1966, señaló el escaso efecto de la escuela en la igualdad educativa, marcando el contexto socioeconómico y las diferencias étnicas como elementos claves para el aprendizaje. Estos supuestos inspiraron décadas de investigación sobre el rol de la escuela en el rendimiento académico, generando un discurso reproduccionista que negaba la posibilidad de mayor igualdad. Ya autores como H. Levin (1972), o los de laBlack Responserespondieron inmediatamente a los fallos estadísticos y las negativas consecuencias sociales de ese informe y otros análogos como el de C. Jencks (1972). Este artículo presenta cómo el programa de investigación científica europeo ha demostrado que la realización de actuaciones educativas de éxito (AEE) varíamuy significativamente los resultadosacadémicos, superando así todas las variables deterministas consideradas por Coleman.
Este artículo presenta un análisis de los retos que la educación de personas adultas afronta en el contexto de la sociedad de la información desde las perspectivas de la pedagogía crítica y de las investigaciones de orientación comunicativa llevadas a cabo desde CREA (Centro de Investigación Social y Educativa). En una primera parte, se enmarcan dichas perspectivas en el contexto social y educativo actual y en relación a las aportaciones de diferentes autores y autoras del ámbito de las ciencias sociales. En una segunda parte, presentamos investigaciones y experiencias concretas con el objetivo de clarificar hacia dónde evoluciona la educación de personas adultas y la importancia de facilitar el acceso a las nuevastecnologías a todas las personas como premisa para evitar el surgimiento de nuevas desigualdades sociales y superar las ya existentes. Partiendo de dos proyectos, el Distance y el Omnia, recogemos aquellas prácticas y metodología educativa que potencian y democratizan la extensión de las nuevas tecnologías y la formación a través de éstas, a todas las personas. La organización de la educación de personas adultas que proponemos para el siglo XXI es triple, formada por: a) la de los y las participantes, b) la de los educadores y las educadoras y c) la del profesorado de universidad vinculado a la comunidad científica.ABSTRACTThis article introduces an analysis ofthe challenges adult education faces in the context ofthe Information society from the critical pedagogy and the communicative research approaches developed by CREA (Centre for Social and Educational Research). In the first part these approaches are placed within the current social, labour and educational context and in relation to the contributions of different authors from the social sciencies. The second part, introduces research and concrete experiencies in order to clarify the evolution ofthe field of adult education. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of facilitating access to new technologies for all the people, as a mechanism to avoid new social inequalities and to overcome those that already exist. From the reference of two projects, Distance and Omnia, we compile those practices and educational methodologies that foster and democratise the new technologies extensión and education through them, for all. The organization ofthe educational model we propose for the twenty first century is three-fold: a) participants b) educators and c) University professors who are involved in the scientific community.
The main issue dealt with in this theoretical paper is the explanation of the starting scientific and democratic revolution both in the educative field and in the educative research. In addition, evidence-based arguments are included to provide validity of some affirmations. The first section argues that the social sciences are the daughters and an essential part of democracy. A few historical arguments about the way in which the dominant classes have slowed down the scientific progress and the development of people that make it possible. In the second section, it is analyzed the opposition of feudal universities to this unstoppable beginning of what could be called the scientific and democratic revolution. At the same time, we deal with its ambivalent character requiring to be supported and to be criticized so that it can be improved. In the third section, we expound the way in which this progress has provide some conditions that makes it possible to overcome the strong gender-based violence happening in our institutions of higher education and makes it also possible that women who were persecuted are now transforming our universities. Influences and criticism to our university feudalism, made by social movements such as the named 'Spanish Revolution', appear in the fourth section. In the fifth and last section, we offer a proposal to promote the scientific, democratic, and revolutionary approach of the university. ; La idea central desarrollada en este artículo teórico se basa en la explicación de cómo se ha iniciado una revolución científica y democrática tanto en el ámbito de la educación como en el de la investigación educativa. Se incluyen además, argumentos respaldados por evidencias empíricas que clarifican la validez de algunas de las afirmaciones. El primer apartado argumenta que las propias ciencias sociales son hijas y parte imprescindible de la democracia. Se aportan argumentos históricos acerca del freno que las clases dominantes han supuesto para el avance científico y para muchas de las personas que lo desarrollan. En segundo lugar, se analiza la oposición de las universidades feudales a este imparable inicio de lo que podemos llamar como revolución científica y democrática. A su vez se profundiza en el carácter ambivalente, que exige al mismo tiempo, que se la apoye y se la critique para mejorarla. Se expone en tercer lugar como este avance ha creado condiciones para superar la enorme violencia de género que hay en nuestras instituciones de educación superior, logrando, que quienes antes eran perseguidas en el sistema feudal, estén ahora transformando nuestras universidades. La cuarta sección recoge la influencia y la crítica a nuestro feudalismo universitario manifestada por los últimos movimientos sociales, ejemplificados en la denominada "Spanish Revolution. En quinto y último lugar, se ofrece una propuesta que promueve el enfoque científico, democrático y revolucionario de la universidad.
La première phase de la "société d'information", celle de sa création, est terminée. Elle a vu se développer, entre les mains d'une élite sociale, de nouveaux moyens de communication, Internet en tête. Aujourd'hui, cette "société d'information" entre dans une deuxième phase : celle de la "société d'information pour tous". Interculturelle, égalitaire et prosélyte, elle s'expérimente notamment dans des "cyber-cafés" associatifs, où le dialogue interculturel s'installe entre migrants.
Countless eforts to combat sexual harassment have been proposed, and for the frst time in history, the second order of sexual harassment (SOSH) has been legislated under the term second-order violence (SOV) by a unanimous vote of the Catalan Parliament. Advances in preventing and responding to sexual harassment contribute to highlighting the intervention as being crucial to supporting survivors against retaliation. A lack of support provides a general explanation on why bystanders tend not to intervene and highlights the reality that reprisals are sufered by those who support victims.
COVID-19 has exacerbated the vulnerability of the Roma communities in Europe. However, these communities have a strong sense of resilience, and the role of Roma women must be highlighted since they have historically nurtured solidarity networks even in the most challenging situations. Aim: A particular action organized by a Roma Association of Women is analyzed: the Roma Women Students' Gathering (RWSG, or gathering). In its 19th edition, this democratic space aimed at tackling the challenges the pandemic has raised and its impact on the Roma communities. Method: The 19th RWSG, which was the first one held online, was inductively analyzed to gain a deeper understanding of the key aspects that the Roma women highlight when they organize themselves. Results: RWSG generates optimal conditions where Roma women identify the challenges affecting their community and, drawing on the dialogues shared, agree on strategies to contest them. RWSG also enhanced solidarity interactions that enabled the conquering of the virtual space, transforming it into an additional space where the Roma could help each other and thus better navigate the uncertainties unleashed by COVID-19. Key features of the Roma culture emerged in these spaces of solidarity, such as protecting the elderly and prioritizing community wellbeing rather than only the individual's preferences. Conclusion: Roma women play a key role in weaving an organized response to the uncertainty derived from COVID-19, and connecting them to the public sphere, potentially achieving social and political impacts.
Neuroscience has well evidenced that the environment and, more specifically, social experience, shapes and transforms the architecture and functioning of the brain and even its genes. However, in order to understand how that happens, which types of social interactions lead to different results in brain and behavior, neurosciences require the social sciences. The social sciences have already made important contributions to neuroscience, among which the behaviorist explanations of human learning are prominent and acknowledged by the most well-known neuroscientists today. Yet neurosciences require more inputs from the social sciences to make meaning of new findings about the brain that deal with some of the most profound human questions. However, when we look at the scientific and theoretical production throughout the history of social sciences, a great fragmentation can be observed, having little interdisciplinarity and little connection between what authors in the different disciplines are contributing. This can be well seen in the field of communicative interaction. Nonetheless, this fragmentation has been overcome via the theory of communicative acts, which integrates knowledge from language and interaction theories but goes one step further in incorporating other aspects of human communication and the role of context. The theory of communicative acts is very informative to neuroscience, and a central contribution in socioneuroscience that makes possible deepening of our understanding of most pressing social problems, such as free and coerced sexual-affective desire, and achieving social and political impact toward their solution. This manuscript shows that socioneuroscience is an interdisciplinary frontier in which the dialogue between all social sciences and all natural sciences opens up an opportunity to integrate different levels of analysis in several sciences to ultimately achieve social impact regarding the most urgent human problems.
Los Estados-nación han reforzado la vinculación entre identidad y territorio delimitado por fronteras. En los últimos años, la comunidad gitana, con su definición como un pueblo que ni tiene ni quiere un territorio, ha iniciado un proceso que está transformando la relación entre territorio e identidad tanto en la Unión Europea como en la teoría social. El parlamento europeo recogió y aprobó por unanimidad la principal conclusión del precedente de INCLUD-ED, el proyecto RTD WORKALÓ, del V Programa Marco de Investigación: el reconocimiento del pueblo gitano. Esa investigación aportó el análisis de la identidad transterritorial gitana, uno de los mejores ejemplos reales de que disponemos como modelo de la globalización. El impacto de esa nueva concepción no sólo ha llegado a la política, sino también a las ciencias sociales, en las cuales autores como Beck, Habermas o Touraine han criticado el nacionalismo metodológico para analizar los actuales fenómenos sociales. ; The Nation States have reinforced the connection between identity and territory demarcated by borders. Over the last years, the Roma community, defined as a people that do not have nor want a territory, have started a process that is transforming the relationships between territory and identity both in the European Union as well as in the social theory. The European parliament gathered and approved by unanimity the main conclusion of INCLUD-ED's background project, the RTD Project WORKALÓ, from the V Framework Programme of Research: the recognition of the Roma People. This research provided the analysis of the Roma transterritorial identity, one of the best real example as a model of the globalization. The impact of this new conception not only has influenced politics but also the social sciences, in which authors such as Beck, Habermas or Touraine have criticized the methodological nationalism to analyze current social phenomena.
The scientific literature has shown Mondragon Corporation (MC), with 65 years of history, as a clear example that cooperativism can be highly competitive in the capitalist market while being highly egalitarian and democratic. This cooperative group has focused on its corporate values of cooperation, participation, social responsibility, and innovation. Previous scientific research reports its enormous transformative and emancipatory potential. However, studies on the effects of various types of worker participation on competitiveness and workers' psychological wellbeing in this cooperative group exist to a lesser extent. Specifically, one aspect that needs further empirical research and that represents a competitive advantage for Mondragon is the degree of commitment and emotional attachment that can be observed in the people who work there. For this reason, this article aims to identify key elements of the democratic participation of workers in these cooperatives that relate to the development of organizational commitment. Based on a communicative and qualitative approach, data collection included 29 interviews to different profiles of workers (senior and junior workers, members and non-members of the cooperative, and researchers involved in the cooperatives) from eight different cooperatives of the Corporation. Through this research methodology, the participants interpret their reality through egalitarian and intersubjective dialogue because their voices are considered essential to measure the social impact. This study found three different ways in which the democratic participation of worker-members in management and ownership contributes to developing affective organizational commitment among those working in Mondragon cooperatives, generating positive psychological and economic outcomes for both workers and cooperatives.
In December 2020, the Catalan Parliament approved by unanimity the world's first legislation of the concept of Isolating Gender Violence (IGV); in 2021, several parliaments are developing their own legislations. The elaboration of this concept and later this name has been a long and dialogic process among diverse scientists, policymakers, governments, parliaments, victims, survivors, social organizations and citizens. Since 2016, CREA (Community of Research on Excellence for All) has developed a process of elaborating the concept of IGV oriented to obtain the scientific, policy and social impact required to make a key contribution to overcoming gender violence. This process was simultaneous to the elaboration by the same researchers of the criteria of policy and societal impact of the EU's scientific programme of research (Horizon Europe). This paper presents this dialogic research conducted to get the concept and the name IGV and the consequences of this concept along scientific, policy and social impact. The results show that the key for getting the name and the impacts of this scientific robust concept has been three of the main characteristics of the present EU research program Horizon Europe: the priority of social impact, the co-creation of knowledge between scientists and citizens and sustainability.
