Social insecurity and varieties of family resilience strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThis study is aimed at developing an understanding of the consequences of the pandemic on families' socioeconomic resilience, and the strategies adopted by the families in overcoming social vulnerabilities amid uncertainty.Design/methodology/approachThe materials for this study consist of semi-structured interviews with 21 families spread across the South Sumatra Province, Indonesia. Families in the study represent four different income levels, namely very high, high, middle and low, and who also work in the informal sector. Each family has at least 1 or more members who fall into the vulnerable category (children, the elderly, people with disabilities unemployed or having potential economic vulnerability).FindingsTwo main findings are outlined. Regardless of their socioeconomic status, many of the families analyzed adopted similar strategies to remain resilient. Among the strategies are classifying the urgency of purchasing consumer goods based on financial capacity rather than needs, leveraging digital economic opportunities as alternative sources of income, utilizing more extensive informal networks and going into debt. Another interesting finding shows that the pandemic, to some extent, has saved poor families from social insecurity. This is supported by evidence showing that social distancing measures during the pandemic have reduced the intensity of sociocultural activities, which require invited community members to contribute financially. The reduction of sociocultural activities in the community has provided more potential savings for the poor.Research limitations/implicationsIn this study, informants who provided information about their family conditions represent a major segment of the workforce and tend to be technologically savvy and younger, due to the use of Zoom as a platform for conducting interviews. Therefore, there may be a bias in the results. Another limitation is that since the interviewees were recommended by our social network in the fields, there is a risk of a distorted selection of participants.Originality/valueThis study offers insights that are critical in helping to analyze family patterns in developing countries in mitigating the risks and uncertainties caused by COVID-19. In addition, the literature on social policy and development could benefit from further research on COVID-19 as an alternative driver to identify mechanisms that could bring about change that would result in "security.” Critical questions and limitations of this study are presented at the end of the paper to be responded to as future research agenda.

The status quo of online and offline moral education classroom barriers and connecting paths

New challenges in the development of teaching methods lead to a large number of new tools, methods, and approaches to teaching. The structure and functions of a class as a basic social group in education is being radically transformed, becoming more and more virtual especially in COVID-19/post-COVID period. In this regard, this study proposes a model that generalizes the existing trends in changing forms of education towards its digitalization, virtualization and mobility to increase the effectiveness of pedagogical practice. The model is based on Pierre Bourdieu's model of a social field, which has proven its effectiveness in pedagogy. The study considers the communicative space of the class as an integral structure aimed at the optimal academic, social and moral development of the participants. Considering a physical and communicational expanse of class as a social field that describes the field of cognitive, social, and psychological interaction between participants in the educational process, the study tries to establish its structure, stages of formation and suggests considering examples of partial successful application of similar models in other studies. The proposed model acts as a generalization, combining models and approaches previously used on the basis of the social field theory. The practical application of this model will make possible the classroom learning process more effective in both online and off-line implication and social interaction less conflict and stable.

Relationship between the Social Development Index and Self-Reported Periodontal Conditions.

Inequalities in oral health are influenced by the social strata of the population. Few studies have focused on the multitude of factors related to social development as indicators of living conditions and periodontal health status. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between self-reported periodontal conditions and the Social Development Index (SDI). A cross-sectional validated questionnaire was carried out among 1294 Mexican adults. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify the best predictors of self-reported periodontal conditions. Bone loss reporting was used as a proxy for the presence of periodontal disease. We found that higher global scores on the SDI and quality and available space in the home (QASH) increase the probability of having bone loss. Global SDI (OR = 7.27) and higher QASH (OR = 3.66) were indeed the leading societal factors related to periodontal disease. These results have pointed out how SDI and its indicators, in particular QASH, can be used to further explore inequities related to privileged access to dental care in the context of periodontal diseases.

Impacts of COVID-19 quarantine and isolation on adolescent social functioning.

This review discusses research conducted globally between March 2020 and March 2023 examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent social functioning, including their lifestyle, extracurricular activities, family environment, peer environment, and social skills. Research highlights the widespread impact, with largely negative effects. However, a handful of studies support improved quality of relationships for some young people. Study findings underscore the importance of technology for fostering social communication and connectedness during periods of isolation and quarantine. Most studies specifically examining social skills were cross-sectional and conducted in clinical populations, such as autistic or socially anxious youth. As such, it is critical that ongoing research examines the long-term social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and ways to promote meaningful social connectedness via virtual interactions.

Effective Usage of Social Media Platforms as a Communication Tool Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world completely changed how one thought about communication and engaged with one another. Hence, there is a need to critically explore the effective use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and YouTube as communication tools for information sharing amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has become necessary for many different organisations. In the quest to avoid the spread of incorrect information and bad news that may cause panic from the general public, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, bloggers and news agencies call for proper and effective use of social media platforms as communication tools. This paper analyses the effects of the development of social media messaging platforms, alongside its inferences to the general society.

How can gastronomy impact the social change of a vulnerable population assisted by social programs? The case of Brazilian social gastronomy

Social gastronomy is a topic studied in recent years, mainly due to the continuous emergence of organizations categorized within this concept during the economic crisis and pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus. However, very little research has been done on the team associated with social gastronomy. And in Brazil, this movement has been growing in recent years, highlighting here in this work a social project in partnership with the university in a peripheral neighborhood of one of the largest metropolises in Brazil, Fortaleza. The Federal University of Ceará Social Gastronomy Program (Gastronomia Social UFC), an extension program of the Federal University of Ceará, promotes qualification courses for young people and adults, residents of the city of Fortaleza-CE, especially in the neighborhoods that make up the Grande Bom Jardim (Canindezinho, Bom Jardim, Siqueira, Granja Portugal, and Granja Lisboa), in communities whose population is prone to social risks, since this entire area has a high level of violence and a low HDI. Therefore, the present study aims to analyze the social impacts of the courses offered by the Social Gastronomy Program in People's Garden in 2019. The research was qualitative, quantitative, exploratory, and descriptive, carried out between February and March of 2021 through an electronic form with a sample of 51 students participating in the courses. The results showed that the courses promoted favorable social impacts for the community and provided opportunities to improve the quality of life, skills, and techniques in gastronomy, fulfilling a role commonly expected by the extension of the Federal University of Ceará.

The Kerala model 25 years later. Lessons in Covid times

The Indian state of Kerala, recognized for its model of human development whose achievements are far from the rest of India and the developing world, has been able to successfully deal with Covid despite the adverse conditions that the region faced. The legacy of the Kerala model, especially the availability of a primary care public health system and high educational levels, together with an effective public action where a proactive state and an organized society are fed back, explain the good results in containment of the Covid pandemic, as well as in alleviating its socioeconomic impacts.

Event satisfaction and interdependent happiness in sports volunteers: focused-on a triathlon event during the COVID-19 pandemic

Sports volunteers play an important role in sports event management. There are various motivations for the participants of sports volunteer activities. In particular, the occurrence of sports events has significantly decreased due to the impacts of COVID-19. At the same time, consideration should be given as to whether it is possible to find value and reward from volunteer activities or not. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between event satisfaction and interdependent happiness in sports volunteers. This research focused on sports volunteers of the 2021 Asia Triathlon Championships Hatsukaichi. The data was collected from 163 participants, with a significant response rate of 48.9%. The average respondent age was 54.0 years old, 123 respondents were male (75.5%), and 40 respondents were female (24.5%). The result of multiple regression was significant (F = 3.28, p < .01) and it accounted for 20% of the interdependent happiness. The predictors of socio-demographics were not deemed significant. On the other hand, event satisfaction was significant (p < .01) with regard to independent happiness. This research utilized the relationship between event satisfaction and independent happiness through structural equation modeling. The result of Structural Equation Modeling was significant at the .10% level. In sum, event satisfaction was significant in regard to independent happiness. This result shows a possibility to help understand the value of sports volunteers. Additionally, sports events in the community are expected to have not only an economic impact, but also, contribute to the sustainable social developments of the community.

Is Democracy Lost?

President Kais Saied's de facto dissolution of parliament in July 2021, abandonment of the constitution, and targeting of the opposition are clear signs that Tunisia is no longer a democracy and has returned to the authoritarian playbook of Arab leaders past and present. I see three main reasons for this abrupt end to Tunisia's decade-old democracy: 1) the failure to accompany political reform with socioeconomic gains for citizens;2) the subsequent rise of populism;and 3) the mistakes of the Islamic party. To move forward in Tunisia and the Arab world more broadly, prodemocratic forces must link freedom, development, and social justice.

On the role of innovation and market structure on trade performance: is Schumpeter right?

PurposeThe goal of the paper is to examine the dynamics between innovation, market structure and trade performance. Firstly, the author first investigates the effects of innovation on trade performance. Secondly, the author then examines how market structure affect trade by classifying industries based on their innovation intensity.Design/methodology/approachThe author uses a detailed level data set of eight OECD countries in a panel of 17 industries from the STAN and ANBERD Database. The author employs both a pooled regression and a two-stage quantile regression analysis. The author first investigates the effects of innovation at the aggregate level, and then the author assesses the effects at the disaggregated or firm level.FindingsThe author finds that at the aggregate level, innovation and market size have a positive and significant effect on competitivity in most of the specifications. However, innovation is negatively associated with trade performance in the case of bilateral trade between Spain and the Netherlands. Also, the sectoral analysis provides evidence that the innovation-trade nexus depends on technological classification. The author shows that: (1) the effect of innovation activity on trade performance economic performance is lower for the high technology and high concentration (HTHC) market compared to the low technology (LT) market;(2) the impact of innovation on economic performance is ambiguous for firms in the high technology and low concentration (HTLC) market.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the database provides a rich data set on industrial data, it fails to provide innovation output such as patent data which may underestimate the innovation activities of firms that do not have a separate R&D records. In the current context of subdue economic growth these research results have important policy implications. Firstly, the positive impact of innovation on trade performance strengthens its role for sustainable development. The negative coefficient on innovation is an indication that research intensity in some cases has not been able to create a new demand capable to boost economic performance.Practical implicationsThe market classification analysis provides new evidence that innovation in the LT market has the potential to enhance competition. Secondly, market size supports industries that are competing in the international market. Policy makers must therefore put in place incentives to encourage firms to grow in size if they want to remain globally competitive.Social implicationsSustainable development can be supported through investment in research and development in the low technology sector.Originality/valueThe study is the first as far as the author knows, to examine the impact of innovation on bilateral trade performance using industry level data from OECD countries. Secondly, the author complements the existing literature by examining how innovation activities (classified as high technological intensive or low technological intensive) affect trade performance.

The carelessness and the inhospitable. inhabit times of pandemic

The pandemic has placed us in a situation of estrangement from ourselves. We have been acutely aware of our vulnerability and fragility. Through the stories of lived experiences, we have learned about and witnessed tragic circumstances in which inhospitality and neglect have become evident. We have been shocked by the awareness of the lack of recognition, accompaniment and welcome. Institutional decisions have prioritized public health, the good for all, but have forgotten the biographies of people, full of suffering. And this has produced a moral damage, a loss of trust, a feeling of injustice that we have not been able to fight against. This is why it is necessary to build hospitality, which can be achieved through care. Care with a political dimension that takes charge of reality and transforms society. The key is a responsibility in solidarity. Faced with the possibility of dehumanizing ourselves, we seek hospitality as an alternative way of narrating lives that have to be reconstructed, that have to relearn how to take care of each other amidst the multiple possibilities of estrangement that threaten us. Hospitality is at the heart of a narrative ethics at the height of our times.

A Social Work and Social Development Perspective on the Need to Decolonise African Economies in Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons for Africa

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the world more than any other crisis in the twentieth century. Although the pandemic is global, countries in Africa have been left more vulnerable and exposed. The structural and institutional economic deficiencies that characterise the continent have been laid bare. The health fatalities have been minimal, but millions of people in Sub-Saharan Africa face an even more lethal ‘poverty virus.' The greatest lesson from the current pandemic for Africa centres not only on the need for better preparedness in anticipating future potential disasters, but in building socioeconomic systems that can withstand major shocks such as the current one. This crisis has demonstrated an urgent need for African countries to rethink the neo-liberal economic trajectories currently obtaining. The total collapse of the global village mantra because of shutdowns has exposed the dangers of blindly subscribing to the neo-liberal hegemony for many African countries. The pandemic has exposed how Africa remains the most socially and economically vulnerable continent within the global arrangements of capitalism through the exploitative umbilical code of globalisation. Drawing on a social work and a social development perspective, this chapter discusses the critical lessons that African countries should derive from the COVID-19 pandemic to build resilient and people-centred economies that guarantee social protection and secure livelihoods for the most vulnerable. The author posits that a strategic delink from the current global socioeconomic and political order is necessary. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

The social development of immigrant children: A focus on Asian and Latinx children in the United States

The number of international migrants has continued to grow globally between 2000 and 2020, with the United States having the largest number of immigrants. Two in three children are projected to be of a race other than White by 2060, suggesting that the United States will be more racially and ethnically diverse. Asians and Latinx are the largest and the fastest-growing United States racial-ethnic immigrant groups. This chapter defines Asian and Latinx immigrant children in the United States and discusses the family structure and cultural values of these two groups as may be pertinent to these children's social and emotional development, and highlights some unique challenges for their social development. It provides an overview of the extant literature on several key areas of socioemotional and behavioral development and their contributors among Asian and Latinx immigrant families with young children. It also considers specific social development challenges faced by Asian and Latinx immigrant during the Covid-19 pandemic as a way to highlight the major gaps in the current literature. The chapter ends with some directions for future studies towards understanding and supporting the diverse experiences and social development of Asian and Latinx immigrant children in the United States. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The COVID-19 Crisis: Impact of Social Attitudes and Representations on Social Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

This chapter focuses on the social representations of COVID-19 as they are culturally constructed and shared in the African context and its consequences on the socioeconomic development of the population. Illness is indeed a subjective concept that varies depending on the culture to which it belongs. The close relationships between culture, disease, and social representations are convincing and have been studied by many researchers in medical anthropology and social sciences. It is therefore important to question the representations of COVID-19 among Africans subjected to the influence of their culture. About a hundred online participants responded to our survey. The results show that there is a social representation of COVID-19 shared by black Africans, who essentially refer to it as a conspiracy or an imported disease. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

Games as Mediating Platforms in an Open and Digital World

The complexity of social interactions has been pointed out as challenges in studies on social development, education, cultural diversity, behavior change, and innovation. The COVID-19 pandemics highlighted important issues of our modern society, especially regarding emotional and psychological issues: humans as artificial beings disconnected from the planet, anxious for socialization, mainly through virtual worlds. Stress, anxiety, hopelessness and depression are sources of concern, while pleasure - a fundamental aspect for human life - loses space. We argue that our society needs to recover the pleasure which relies on the learning aspects of life situations as well as to rebuild the way we interact for social or work purposes. In this chapter, we propose as a challenge for the games research community, to face the sophistication that encompasses how to conceptualize, model, design, evaluate, and play games which can turn our actions in the world more playful. We primarily approach games as enablers and agents for work relations, social change and innovation in organizations, with a special look to the Brazilian context. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Parent-reported social-communication changes in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK.

Introduction: The coronavirus pandemic has swept across the United Kingdom (UK). Given the ever-evolving situation, little is known about the repercussions of coronavirus and the subsequent lockdowns for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Therefore, this study explores the social-communicative impact of the first lockdown (March 2020 - July 2020) in the UK and the return to school period (September 2020 - October 2020), following prolonged disruption to routine, in children diagnosed with ASD. Methods : Parents of autistic children completed 2 separate online surveys following the first lockdown in the UK (n = 176) and also when children returned to school following the summer break (n = 54). Results : The results suggested that self-regulation skills (p < .05) and co-operation skills (p < .05) were most affected over the course of the lockdown. Children's physical activity levels were perceived to significantly increase during the return to school (p < .0001), which was associated with better social-communication outcomes (p < .05). Conclusion : Future work is needed to confirm and explore the findings. Such work could be implemented to protect and improve the social-communicative outcomes of autistic children.

Covid-19 and children's social development: Insights from the life-course perspective

In this chapter, the authors focus on disruptions to children's lives at home and at school (including early childhood care and education programs [ECCE] and primary schooling) as critical settings for healthy development. The Covid-19 pandemic has upended children's lives in myriad ways, including disruptions in the family system due to illness or death, financial instability tied to job loss, and educational disruptions as a result of closures of child care facilities and schools. In considering how the Covid-19 pandemic is shaping children's social development, the authors attend to how interactions with others and socialization processes within families and schools may buffer or exacerbate the pandemic's negative impact. Developmental scientists are well positioned to research how macro-level shocks such as the coronavirus pandemic affect children's developmental trajectories, and the life-course perspective can guide and inform that investigation. © 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The PreCCL strategies to empower women against intimate partner violence occurrences in Limpopo province, South Africa

South African women remain vulnerable to gender-based violence, including femicide. Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a major and very complex public concern in the country currently. This makes IPV the most widespread method by which men perpetrate violence against women. It is not clear if women are empowered with IPV Information, Motivation and Behavior skills (IBM) to protect themselves against IPV occurrences. This article presents the developed PreCCL (prevention, community-based, corrective and law enforcement) strategies to empower women against intimate partner violence in Limpopo Province, South Africa. PreCCL strategies were developed based on qualitative and quantitative IBM (Information, Motivation and Behaviour) of IPV results as well as evidence-based information from the review of literature. Delphi technique was used to organize one stakeholder engagement meeting with a panel of 38 experts knowledgeable regarding Vhembe district IPV issues (namely managers from Vhembe Thohoyandou victim empowerment centre, members of the Executive council of the 6th administration of Limpopo provincial Legislatures, heads of departments or directors from the department of health, social development and community safety and security, chairperson of gender equity, TVEP managers, as well as women who were victims from Vhembe where the study was conducted, and chairperson of gender equity, disability women and children). The purpose of the stakeholder engagement meeting was consultation and buy-in of experts in the field regarding feasible and practical evidence-based intervention strategies for local communities. The setting for stakeholder engagement meeting was Vhembe District Tshifulanani at Munnandinnyi and Hadumasi the Victorious Community offices. However, due to COVID-19 regulations other stakeholders failed to attend, and the rating scales were emailed to them together with the PreCCL strategies. The participants were asked to rate the PreCCL strategies on a given Likert scale in terms of relevance, importance, potential effectiveness and recommendation for adoption. The 0.67 Cronbach Alpha reliability score of the Likert scale was found acceptable for this study. Of the 65 questionnaires sent out, only 38 were returned, which was 58.5% response rate. Data were analyzed quantitatively using SPSS. The strategies were rated relevant in addressing IPV in the district by most (n = 36;97,4%;Mean ± SD = 3.0 ± 0.7) of the stakeholder, whereby (n= 6;15.8%;Mean ± SD=3.8 ±1.2) strongly agreed and (n =30;78,9%) agreed. In terms of importance, most (n = 32;84.3%) of the respondents rated the strategies very important in addressing IPV in the communities. The strategies were rated potentially effective in addressing IPV by most (n =34;89.5%;Mean ± SD (3.2 ± 0.6) of the stakeholder. The majority (n = 34;89.6%) of the stakeholders recommended the adoption of the developed strategies in current state. Conclusion: PreCCL strategies to empower women against IPV occurrences, which were developed based on IBM qualitative and quantitative results as well as review of literature are considered relevant and potentially effective by stakeholder who recommend their adoption by the Department of Social Development, Limpopo Province.

Odzivi socialnega dela na ukrepe za zajezitev epidemije covida-19 v domovih za stare ljudi

V prvem delu prispevka je prikazano, kako je epidemija covida-19 obudila ideje o razvoju socialnega dela s starimi ljudmi. Pogostejše kršitve človekovih pravic, povečevanje diskriminacije starih ljudi in iskanje odgovorov na vse hujše stiske ob socialni izolaciji starih ljudi so teme, ki kar kličejo po vzpostavitvi specializacije za socialno delo s starimi ljudmi. Razvoj specializiranega znanja pa koristi tudi razvoju socialnega dela v domovih za stare ljudi. Prikazane so nekatere ključne prakse za razvoj novih področij socialnega dela v domovih. V osrednjem delu prispevka je opisana raziskava s socialnimi delavkami slovenskih domov in predstavljeni so rezultati o vplivu epidemije na socialno delo. Prikazano je, kateri so ključni izzivi za socialno delo, kako socialno delo ohranja vlogo pri organizaciji oskrbe v domu in katere so najbolj žgoče etične dileme socialnega dela. Predstavljene so tako pomanjkljivosti kot prednosti socialnega dela, da bi obstoječa tveganja za socialno delo prepoznali kot priložnost za nadaljnji razvoj stroke.Alternate abstract:The first part of the article shows how the covid-19 epidemic revived ideas about the development of social work with old people. More frequent violations of human rights, increasing discrimination of old people, and searching for answers to the increasingly severe hardships of the social isolation of the old people - these are topics that call for the establishment of specialization for social work with old people. The development of specialized knowledge also benefits the development of social work in homes for old people. Some key practices for the development of new areas of social work in homes are shown. In the central part of the paper, research with social workers in Slovenian homes is described and the results of the epidemic's impact on social work are presented. The article presents the key challenges forsocial work, howsocial work maintains its role at organizing institutional care and what are the most pressing ethical dilemmas of social work. Both the shortcomings and advantages of social work are shown in order to recognize the existing risks for social work as an opportunity for further development of the profession.

Can prolonged exposure to information on COVID-19 affect mental health negatively?

The COVID-19 pandemic delivered a heavy blow to social and economic development globally and presents an unprecedented challenge to public health and livelihoods. Using data from a survey on the living needs of people in China amid the COVID-19 outbreak, this study analysed the relationship between the duration of exposure to information on COVID-19 and mental health;the mediating effects of risk perception and confidence in pandemic prevention and control were also measured. We found that prolonged exposure to information on COVID-19 made people feel more anxious and stressed. Meanwhile, risk perception and confidence in pandemic prevention and control functioned as mediators between the duration of exposure to information on COVID-19 and anxiety and stress. Therefore, reduced duration of exposure to pandemic information can lower risk perception and enhance confidence in pandemic prevention and control. It can also relieve anxiety and stress caused by information about the spread of the pandemic.