Spoločenskovedné reflexie krízy a návratu k bežným časom

DOI: https://doi.Org/10.31577/SN.2023.1.01 © Ústav etnológie a sociálnej antropológie SAV, v. v. i. © 2023, Martina Wilsch. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31577/SN.2023.L01 Prvé číslo Slovenského národopisu v roku 2023 ponúka multidisciplinárnu reflexiu sociálnych realít a oblastí života, ktoré sa po pandemickej skúsenosti (ale nielen) vracajú k bežným časom.1 Ústrednou líniou čísla je kríza, krízové ruptúry spoločenského poriadku a ich dôsledky na žitú realitu v rôznych oblastiach, s dôrazom na slovenský kontext. Riziká prekračovali hranice národných štátov a svetadielov, ale aj dopady opatrení, ktoré boli s úmyslom pandémii zabrániť zavádzané, ako napríklad zatváranie hraníc, zavádzanie sociálnej izolácie, zavádzanie dištančného vzdelávania a podobne. Inými slovami, vplyv rizika, ale aj krízy samotnej, sa vo svojich dopadoch vzhľadom na prístup k moci toto riziko definovať líši a niektorých zasahuje viac než iných. Kríza spojená s pandémiou dala do popredia mnohé z problémov, ktoré existovali už v predkrízovom období, vytvárajúc tak tlak nielen na jednotlivcov, ale aj na štáty a ich inštitúcie. Sociálna izolácia je s partnerským násilím na ženách spojená tým, že izolovanie partnerky patrí medzi násilné stratégie ako získať nad partnerkou kontrolu.

Cezhraničná cirkulácia slovenských opatrovateliek v Rakúsku počas pandémie na pozadí krízy starostlivosti

The paper focuses on the cross-border care circulation of Slovak care workers who work in Austria, with the care crisis and the pandemic in the background. Slovak care workers often work in short-term two-week work rotas, allowing them to balance work and private life. They remain primarily responsible for the social reproduction and care of their households. The pandemic and imposed measures have fundamentally affected this transnational circulation of care. Caregivers faced the challenge of mobilizing capacities and resources to cope with emerging situations, developing new strategies, and modifying existing ones. Based on interviews with care workers, employment agencies, and a non-governmental organization focusing on the rights of care workers, the study presents how care workers coped with the measures introduced during the pandemic period, describes selected strategies of care workers to ensure social reproduction in their families despite the pandemic, and also discuss selected changes in the individual life trajectories of women, to which the pandemic period contributed. The paper argues that although women contributed to addressing the emerging care deficit reinforced by the pandemic crisis, they had to rely on their capacities for the care needs of their families.

Keď sa stratégia násilia stane spoločenskou normou: vplyv sociálnej izolácie počas pandémie na partnerské násilie na ženách

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a global rise of intimate partner violence against women as it combined multiple risk factors. Crisis situations and their potential economic impact cause psychological stress and increase negative coping strategies, which belong to the significant risk factors for intimate partner violence. In addition, restriction of social contacts and social isolation that constituted an important part of anti-pandemic responses are well documented strategies of batterers that use them as mechanisms of coercive control and to prevent help-seeking. Several studies of the impact of COVID-19 on intimate partner violence focused on its increase and the limited access to services during the pandemic. Less attention has been paid to social isolation as a legitimation of violent strategies and its impact on IPV survivors' resilience. The present text addresses social isolation in this context. It derives from qualitative research on the impact of COVID-19 on IPV survivors carried out through interviews with 9 employees of specialised social services for women experiencing violence. As such, it reflects service providers' experience and their expert evaluation. As expected, social isolation as a new social norm during the pandemic has increased this specific form of violence and led to a limited availability of help. However, it has also generated less predictable effects such as slowing down of the healing process and retraumatising of already compensated survivors, as well as challenging service providers as social isolation contradicts the philosophical principles of services for intimate partner violence survivors.

„Korona neexistuje!": Humor ako komunikačná stratégia v čase krízy

The study provides an ethnographic probe into the lives of the members of the PCR test team during the pandemic of COVID-19. The aim is to show the use of humour as a communication strategy in times of crisis from the perspective of symbolic anthropology and ethnography of communication, especially theories of danger and joke. The approach of state health institutions have often failed to meet the needs of society, affecting patients' access to information, the treatment of diseases or the identification of positive patients. Humour helped to prevent the conflicts, signalled forgiveness and influenced attitudes towards adherence to the rules. We focus on interpersonal and interactional aspects of communication, social identification of the respondents, as well as the influence of political culture. Coping strategies are followed through: (1) representations of dirt and the boundaries of the body, (2) the recontextualization of the statements and acts, (3) the boundaries of the joke in relation to feelings of safety, and (4) the subversive effect of humour and flirtation in a time of the disciplining of bodies. The study demonstrates how laughter bridges the gap resulting from the conflicting informational inputs. The recontextualisation of the teams' motto: Corona does not exist! is interpreted in its socio-pragmatic dimension.

"We Are in Control": Instagram Influencers and the Proliferation of Conspiracy Narratives in Digital Spaces

Female spiritual influencers on Instagram engage with conspiracy content and appeal to the issue of control over female bodies to bridge the gap between mainstream and fringe online spaces. I use the concept of "third space" to analyse the dynamics of Instagram communities around spiritual influencers and highlight how these communities operate as spaces for political discussion while simultaneously appearing apolitical from the outside. Analysing data from participant observation and interviews with six female Czech spiritual influencers, I place their online communication and presentation within the context of the conspirituality movement (Ward, Voas, 2011). Furthermore, I present ethnographic evidence on how the influencers moved from spiritual to conspiritual content within their everyday online performances.

Predicting COVID-19 community infection relative risk with a Dynamic Bayesian Network.

As COVID-19 continues to impact the United States and the world at large it is becoming increasingly necessary to develop methods which predict local scale spread of the disease. This is especially important as newer variants of the virus are likely to emerge and threaten community spread. We develop a Dynamic Bayesian Network (DBN) to predict community-level relative risk of COVID-19 infection at the census tract scale in the U.S. state of Indiana. The model incorporates measures of social and environmental vulnerability-including environmental determinants of COVID-19 infection-into a spatial temporal prediction of infection relative risk 1-month into the future. The DBN significantly outperforms five other modeling techniques used for comparison and which are typically applied in spatial epidemiological applications. The logic behind the DBN also makes it very well-suited for spatial-temporal prediction and for "what-if" analysis. The research results also highlight the need for further research using DBN-type approaches that incorporate methods of artificial intelligence into modeling dynamic processes, especially prominent within spatial epidemiologic applications.

Construction and appropriation of urban territory by communities: development of the citizen movement around the defense of heritage neighborhoods in Santiago, Chile

In Cuba, efforts to achieve more significant advances in food security and nutrition are a priority of its economic and social policy. However, the problems that persist aggravated by the appearance of the Covid-19 pandemic, express the need to address the issue with a comprehensive approach that synergistically harmonizes its dimensions. To contribute to this purpose, cooperation is fundamental through the strategic alliances it promotes, so it must be strengthened mainly with Latin America and the Caribbean. The analysis of the status of the agri-food cooperation relations of Cuba with the region 2016-2020 is an objective of the work developed through the theoretical methods analysis and synthesis and the historical-logical, as well as the Empirical method through document analysis and social network analysis with UNICET and NETDRAW 6.645 software. It is concluded that the current cooperation agreements favour joint work;however, it is essential to diversify their typology by being concentrated in commerce. To this end, strategic lines are proposed around trade relations, training, innovation and investment.

RISE OF THE PANDEMIC (COVID-19) AND SECURITY OF THE INSIDERS: A NEW CHALLENGE FOR TRADITIONAL BORDER POLICIES IN THE EU

Borders not only determine where the territories start and end;but also determine the insiders and the outsiders while regulating entrances and exits. Last century was of great importance in transformation of security and border issues. However, for two decades, sharp changes started to turn up due to evolving challenges that we face. After migration crisis, arising from the ongoing civil war in Syria, the biggest challenge the world, notably the EU, has faced is the COVID-19 pandemic which carried the border security issue to a new dimension that never came to mind. Today's border security policies are built on protecting citizens from microorganisms, viruses and carriers and it seems that "others" will continue to be both at the centre and out of these policies.

Pandemic and Irregular Migration: A Critical Review of the European Union's Irregular Migration Policy on the basis of the Turkey and Libya Deals

This study critically reviews the European Union's (EU) irregular migration policy based on the Turkey and Libya deals' performance during the Covid-19 pandemic. The study has two main findings about how the pandemic has affected the deals' performance especially as to international cooperation and irregular migration management capacities: 1) The deals have failed in terms of sustainability and resilience. 2) The deals - aiming to reduce the irregular migration flows, improve access to protection, strengthen the international cooperation on irregular migration - have undermined the humanitarian and international cooperation. In conclusion, the study argues that strengthening the migration management capacities in transit and source countries as well as improving the humanitarian and international cooperation will be beneficial to overhauling of the EU's irregular migration diplomacy.

Applicability of the Vienna Sale Agreement (CISG) for Advanced Purchase Agreements of COVID-19 Vaccines in EU Member States

The European Commission has signed advanced purchase agreements with various vaccine manufacturers for the production, purchase and supply of the COVID-19 vaccine in the EU. Some parts of the agreement texts with AstraZeneca, CurevacAg and Pfizer Inc./BioNTech have been blacked out. In these agreements, it is understood that Belgian courts are competent and Belgian law is chosen. In a dispute, it is possible for the competent courts to apply CISG since Belgium is a party to the CISG. Even if choice of law hasn't been made, the fact that the workplaces of all parties to these ageements are party to CISG, makes the CISG applicable. This study evaluates the applicability of the CISG to advanced purchase agreements (especially made with AstraZeneca) in EU Member States.

Communication without borders in times of Pandemics The Enlazadas Project by the Network of Latin American and Caribbean Publishers, EULAC

This article presents an approach to Latin American publishing networks, their role and importance and how, through joint work, the dissemination of knowledge generated by the academic press is expedited. To exemplify this process, the Enlazadas project of the EULAC Latin American and Caribbean Publishing Network is analyzed and how it has enriched the dissemination and networking process in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Does Misinformation Thrive With Social Networking Site (SNS) Dependency and Perceived Online Social Impact Among Social Media Users in Nigeria? Testing a Structural Equation Model

This study modelled the factors that encourage misinformation diffusion behaviour among social media users, with a focus on Nigerian social media users. To gather our data, we used an online survey to sample 385 social media users using a chain referral approach. Smart partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to analyse the data. We discovered that social tie strength, virality, social media usage intensity and fun all predicted misinformation circulation. Conversely, trust in social networking site (SNS) and parasocial interaction were not found to be related to misinformation spreading. The study concluded with some theoretical and practical implications.

University Education in Times of Pandemic in Latin America

COVID-19 brought the temporary suspension of face-to-face education, leading to the urgent transformation and adaptation of teaching-learning processes in the university context. The objective of this research is to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on university education in Latin America. The methodology applied was documentary research, using the method of content analysis through a systemic review. Academic articles were searched between the years 2020 and 2022 from the Scopus and Web of Science databases and that contain the concepts: COVID-19, university education, Latin America. It was found that, in Latin American studies, categories were found regarding university teaching in times of pandemic, advantages, disadvantages, difficulties and limitations and challenges. It was concluded that teachers have responded positively to the abrupt changes produced by the pandemic, ensuring essential university educational processes;being necessary their training and updating in the use of technology applied to teaching.

The Rights of Workers through the Labor Code in the Babahoyo Canton, 2020

Ecuador's labor regime has undergone a series of changes for several years that, directly affected the only force that can lead to the development of peoples, the worker. For several years, they have tried to understand the current labor legislation, without even realizing the situation that is actually experienced. The current Constitution of the Republic of Ecuador guarantees people the right to work, a source of personal fulfillment and the basis of the manifest family economy. However, nothing is said about job stability that must go hand in hand with established law, for faithful compliance with the principles established in labor matters. The purpose of this research is to make visible the existing legal gaps in labor regulations in the Babahoyo canton, affected by COVID-2019. In the present investigative work, the stability of the Ecuadorian worker is analyzed, based on the current employment situation, as it is a social phenomenon of vital importance for the economic and social development of the country.

Ruling Party Patronage, Brokerage, and Contestations at Urban Markets in Harare

This study contributes to debates on varieties of clientelism through an analysis of brokerage and ruling party patronage at urban markets in Harare, Zimbabwe. Urban markets are sites of contestation between the opposition-dominated city council and actors aligned with the ruling party, the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF). Based on qualitative case study research at two designated markets, the article demonstrates how ruling party brokers are central to organizing patronage and political mobilization, thus sustaining authoritarian politics. While ruling party patronage is a deliberate strategy to control urban spaces, the article demonstrates how it is being negotiated. Factionalism within ZANU-PF shifted the power of brokers, and the lockdown enforced in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in 2020 caused a rupture, offering the city council and opposition-aligned youth the opportunity to (re)claim control over vending spaces. This article contributes to debates on clientelism in authoritarian regime settings, by showing the imbrication of coercion and patronage in the role of the broker and demonstrating how patronage is organized vertically through brokerage. This study extends the study of clientelism beyond electoral politics, since brokers are not always politicians, but nonetheless are part of the systems of ruling party patronage.

From post-socialist transition to the COVID-19 crisis: cycles, drivers, and perspectives of subordinate financialization in Latvia

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the specific features of financialization in peripheral and semi-peripheral contexts. To date, the majority of this research, however, consists of broad studies covering a number of countries, leaving a gap in the analysis of case studies, especially from east-central Europe. Therefore, the present article attempts to address this gap through an in-depth analysis of Latvia. The research shows that subordinate financialization is a changing and heterogeneous phenomenon that goes through uneven cycles of advance and retreat, which can lead to divergent dynamics between and within economies.

Socio-Psychopedagogical Characterization of Primary Schools after the First Outbreack of COVID-19 in 2020

The objective was to characterize the primary schools from the socio-psycho-pedagogical perspective, at the conclusion of the first outbreak of Covid-19. A random sample of 227 children and another of 30 teachers in schools in a socially vulnerable area were selected. The survey method was applied to children and teachers. Two-dimensional and contingency crosstabulations were calculated. 89% of the children viewed the classes on television and more than 90% were eager to start school. Television and video games occupied their free time and changed their life habits. The mental and physical well-being of the children did not suffer significant injuries. Teachers rated the educational actions for health care as numerous. Most worked on course readjustments. Emotional changes, lifestyle changes, fear of losing loved ones and worry about illness were the causes of stress of teachers.

Governance in Public Health

Governance refers to the management of horizontal interaction processes between the public and private spheres and social actors, in the broader context of an institutional framework that allows progress on major social goals. The effective application of governance techniques has a positive or negative impact on the health status of the population. The greatest challenge for health governance has been the COVID 19 pandemic. The implementation of government policies through what we now know as health governance is a socio-political process that has matured to the extent that the interaction between the elements provided by the state, civil society with its organizations and the economy based on a common objective: the improvement of the population's health indicators.

Parent Education and Social Service in Mexico During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Social service in Mexico is a practical insertion activity, legally established as a mandatory requirement to obtain a professional degree. This service is carried out in institutions, work centers, groups and communities, by those who are about to conclude, or have completed their professional training. Currently, the COVID-19 pandemic involved alterations in this activity, as it happened in all areas of human performance. The objective of this work is to analyze the experience of social service, as a requirement for a degree in pedagogy during the COVID-19 pandemic, in parent education work. The fundamentals of social service in Mexico, the vicissitudes of its implementation in a pandemic, the useful implications in this context of isolation for school children's parents, and the training experience of the pedagogy graduate who performed social service under these conditions, are analyzed.