Abstract: Background: Accelerating global population aging underscores the need to identify multidimensional determinants of successful aging. This review synthesizes evidence on social, spiritual, and religious factors that shape well-being, and quality of life in later adulthood. Successful aging is conceptualized as adaptation to age-related challenges through internal and external resources. Emerging research suggests that pet ownership and companion animals promote meaning, purpose, and social connectedness, while spiritual, religious, and contemplative practices support coping, psychological stability, and foster life satisfaction in older adults. Methods: This review of the literature examines the intersection of spirituality, religious practice, meditation, life purpose, and pet ownership as mediating and reinforcing influences on successful aging. This review focused on evidence linking prayer, meditation, chanting, and spiritual and religious participation to psychological, cognitive, and physiological outcomes, as well as literature exploring human-animal relationships in later life. Results: Findings indicate that spiritual and religious practices, companion animal relationships, and contemplative practices support core aspects of successful aging, including emotional well-being, reduced loneliness, enhanced coping, and greater life meaning. Yet, it remains unclear whether these influences act synergistically or independently, and how they shape older adults’ experiences of aging and adaptation to decline. Conclusions: Incorporating spiritual, religious, and contemplative practices alongside companion animals may enhance holistic models of successful aging by supporting emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. Future research should explore multidimensional mechanisms to inform interventions that improve quality of life in later adulthood.

Abstract: HM Inspectorate of Probation is committed to building and utilising the evidence base for high-quality youth justice services, and to promoting excellence and having a positive impact upon those inspected and the wider sector. Research evidence and inspection findings are used to inform understanding of what helps and what hinders services and to consider system-wide change. In this article, the latest inspection and research findings in relation to the high-profile areas of serious youth violence and criminal exploitation are highlighted. The article encompasses insights from core and thematic inspections, including those from recent joint targeted area inspections (JTAIs) undertaken with other inspectorates. Alongside the JTAIs which examined multi-agency responses to serious youth violence, research was commissioned to hear directly from children and families about their experiences. Other research commissioned by the Inspectorate has emphasised the importance of implementing relational, child-centred and trauma-informed approaches and to optimising collaborative/partnership working across agencies and sectors. Reports have also drawn attention to the value of paying attention to the socio-ecological framework, systemic resilience, adultification biases, and both contextual and transitional safeguarding.

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to propose a sociological and interdisciplinary framework for analyzing the digitization of emotions in adolescence. This contribution aims to promote theoretical reflection and inform educational and political interventions in the digital age, framing adolescents’ digital experiences as emotionally embodied and socially integrated processes. These aspects are concepts of great importance thanks to (or because of) the rapid spread of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, which has brought about a profound transformation in the emotional, relational, and educational experiences of adolescents. The role of digital and AI-based environments in mediating communication is expanding beyond simple facilitation. These environments are increasingly involved in the production, modulation, and regulation of emotions, thus influencing developmental trajectories and identity formation processes (Lupton, 2018a; Belk, 2013). This is conceptualized as a socio-technical process through which emotions are embodied, narrated, and governed within digital environments (Auriemma, 2023a). Consequently, the article introduces the concept of digital emotional embodiment, drawing on the sociology of emotions, theories of embodiment, and critical perspectives on artificial intelligence. Specifically, the concept refers to the way adolescents experience and express emotions through avatars, images, emojis, algorithmic feedback, and AI-mediated interactions (Niedenthal, Winkielman, Mondillon & Vermeulen, 2009; Zimmermann, Wehler & Kaspar, 2023). Therefore, it is important to emphasize the transformation of empathy, which is increasingly configured as a virtualized and datafied process, moving away (transforming) from that linked to Sympathy and to which we have been accustomed since Hume. In new processes, shaped by the logic of platforms, recommendation systems, and emotionally reactive technologies, standard emotional concepts have been deconstructed, and digital constructs are slowly being restructured (Scribano & Mairano, 2021; Auriemma, 2023b). In this context, AI systems do not merely reflect adolescents’ emotions, but actively contribute to the construction of emotional narratives, influencing emotional regulation, social connection, and future orientation. Digital environments have the capacity to encourage emotional expressiveness, experimentation, and inclusivity (Gall, Roth, Stauffert, Zarges & Latoschik, 2021). Conversely, they can also promote emotional standardization, dependence, and forms of affective vulnerability, particularly during a sensitive developmental stage such as adolescence.

Abstract: In a world characterized by the paradox of unprecedented advances in climate science on the one hand, and high degrees of skepticism towards anthropogenic climate change on the other, the need for a new figure, or expert, arises. Conventional scientists and entire disciplines struggle against climate change denial, while the effects of climate change itself need to be faced and managed in a way that goes beyond the current framework of expertise in the standardized field. Via an evaluation of current challenges and future perspectives, this work redefines the term “terrologist” to introduce a new, ideal expert with a background in climate and social sciences, capable of resolving at a local scale the challenges posed by the phenomenon. The same expert would also be able to offer solutions at much broader scales, possibly beyond the boundaries of countries and their legal systems. These challenges are not to be underestimated, as they threaten the economy and the integrity of society as a whole: a mismanagement of climate-related actions may in fact exacerbate social conflict and deepen the ongoing crisis. The description of this new role highlights the importance of social science involvement in topics normally restricted to climate sciences and its multiple branches, and calls for more cooperation between multiple fields.

Abstract: Studying how people manage and use their time not only deepens our understanding of individual routines but also highlights the roles they play within their household and society. The Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) Wave 8 developed a novel time expenditure module enabling cross-national, longitudinal analysis of daily activities among adults aged 50 and over. This paper presents the module’s design and initial findings. We provide methodological guidance essential for accurate data interpretation and present descriptive results by country, gender, age, and education. Our findings reveal substantial cross-national variation in time allocation patterns. While sleep (7-8.5 hours) and leisure activities (3.5-5.5 hours) dominate daily schedules across all countries, women spend approximately an hour more per day on household chores than men, with even greater gaps of 78 to 109 minutes in Southern Europe. Gender differences in care work are negligible, with the notable exception of Israel where women provide substantially more care. In contrast, men spend more time in paid work and leisure. Educational gradients are most pronounced for paid work: tertiary-educated older adults spend nearly three times as long in employment (119 minutes) compared to those with below-secondary education (44 minutes). Time use shifts substantially with age: paid work drops from 207 to 18 minutes between ages 50-64 and 65-79, while leisure and sleep increase. Contrary to stereotypes of older adults’ lives, these patterns reveal both continuity and change. With subsequent waves, this module will illuminate whether these patterns represent stable features of later life or transitional states that evolve with health, partnership status, and proximity to end of life.

Abstract: This study examines female microenterprise entrepreneurship in the city of Juliaca, Peru, as a response to structural conditions of poverty, informality, and limited inclusion in public policies. In this context, the study seeks to understand and interpret the dynamics of women-led entrepreneurship and its articulation with sustainable local socioeconomic development. A qualitative methodological approach was adopted, based on an interpretative phenomenological design. The research techniques employed included in-depth interviews, direct observation, and documentary review, applied to 16 female microentrepreneurs selected through purposive and snowball sampling. The findings reveal that intrinsic motivations (resilience, leadership, and self-fulfillment) and extrinsic motivations (economic independence, access to financing, and education) constitute key elements in the entrepreneurial process. Additionally, business social capital—through family, community, and institutional networks—was found to play a strategic role in business sustainability. Furthermore, women entrepreneurs actively and significantly contribute to sustainable local socioeconomic development by stimulating local economies, generating employment, and promoting socially, fiscally, and ethically responsible practices. Therefore, although women act as agents of change and transformation, they face structural barriers that require public policies with a territorial and gender-based approach to enhance their impact and sustainability.

Abstract: Background: This paper critically examines the bellicist theory, which posits war as central to national unification in modern state formation. While influential, its applicability to the Third World, particularly Africa, is debated. The research gap lies in explaining nation-building in the absence of war, as exemplified by Tanzania's high national identity despite lacking significant conflict, contrasting with Kenya's lower identity despite interstate war. The central question is: What drove a high national identity in Tanzania despite the absence of war? Methods: A qualitative comparative method (QCM) was employed to analyze post-colonial state formation in Tanzania and Kenya; Results: The findings suggest that post-colonial state policies—discontinuing colonial legacies, fostering inter-ethnic embeddedness, and establishing equal citizenship—are key drivers of higher national identity; Conclusions: this study challenged the necessity of war for nation-building, highlighting the importance of state-led integration processes via inclusive and equal policies to all.

Abstract: The study was conducted to assess primary school teachers’ satisfaction with advocacy services in primary school social work and to identify influencing factors. Data were collected from 398 primary school teachers through a questionnaire, assessing aspects of advocacy services including reliability, responsiveness, competence, empathy and im-plementation conditions. The results of the study showed that teachers’ overall satisfaction was quite high (M = 4.01, SD = 0.27), with all components being positively evaluated. Analysis of differences by demographic factors showed that sex, age, location and region influenced teachers’ evaluation of service quality, while seniority and education level had only limited impact. Pearson correlation analysis shows that all service factors have a positive relationship with satisfaction, in which responsiveness, trust, empathy and im-plementation conditions are statistically significant. Service factors also have strong cor-relations with each other, reflecting the consistency in teachers' perceptions. The study provides a quantitative basis for improving and enhancing the quality of advocacy services in primary school social work, and suggests policies and directions for further research.

Abstract: This paper addresses the critical intersection of demographic shifts and private land conservation, with a focus on the implications for wildlife management in rural private ecosystems. As private land ownership, resulting from the phenomenon of amenity migration, continues to fragment and diversify, understanding how these emerging landowners interact with wildlife and engage in management practices is essential to achieving large-scale conservation outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to shed light on this understudied intersection of literatures through a review that synthesizes existing scholarship, identifies critical gaps, and outlines opportunities for future research and institutional response. Building on socio-ecological systems perspectives, our results showcase four themes where wildlife is mentioned in the amenity migration literature, yet wildlife is rarely treated as a managed social-ecological system in this literature. Our call for action argues that the implications of amenity migration on wildlife management extend beyond individual landowners to include institutional systems, shifting com-munity dynamics, and new patterns of land use that together shape the conditions under which wildlife can persist.

Abstract: Background and Aims: Since the early 2000s, scholarship and policy analysis on Nigeria’s extractive sectors have expanded beyond oil bunkering to encompass the illegal mining of solid minerals, artisanal economies and environmental degradation. These developments have produced new framings and critiques of the “resource curse,” linking extraction to governance, security and justice. This paper aims to elucidate how the idea of “resource governance” has been discussed and perceived across Nigerian scholarly and policy texts from 1999 to 2025. Methods: Terms like “resource governance in Nigeria,” “extractive industries,” “mining” and “illegal mining" were searched across academic databases and institutional repositories. 36 english-language publications explicitly or implicitly addressing Nigeria’s extractive governance, published from 1999 to 2025, were included in the final analysis. Texts were analyzed for discursive themes using a combined scoping review and critical discourse analysis framework. Metadata related to author identity, geography, institutional affiliation, and publication type were also recorded. Results: The criminal-economy discourse (linking extraction to illegality and insecurity) dominated the archive. Other discourses include ecological justice (framing harm as both environmental and moral) and displacement (highlighting exclusion and inequality). Conclusion: Findings indicate that resource governance in Nigeria is framed less as a technical challenge than as a field of political struggle and moral negotiation. These discourses collectively reveal how coercive governance, legitimized through security and reform narratives, helps sustain extractive inequality. The results underscore the need to integrate local agency and justice frameworks into national and transnational debates over resource policy.

Abstract:

Nature is often understood as a purely physical or biological entity governed by scientific laws and economic utility. In contrast, perspectives associated with dark green religion draw attention to how nature itself can be regarded as sacred and morally significant, revealing the cultural and ethical dimensions through which humans can relate to the environment. In this context, this paper examines religion as a symbolic and narrative system through which nature is socially constructed as a moral domain. Focusing on Indigenous Ijaw communities in the Niger Delta, this paper explains how rivers, creeks and wetlands are embedded within religious value systems that emphasize moral responsibility, respect and restraint in human-environment relations. Within this worldview environmental harm is understood not only as ecological degradation but also as a moral and spiritual transgression with consequences for communal well-being.

Abstract: Adapting to evolving resource landscapes, nonprofit organizations increasingly embrace hybrid models to ensure sustainability and impact. This paper investigates the leadership and strategic innovations driving traditional nonprofits to evolve into market-engaged social ventures. Through indepth qualitative analysis of organizational transformations, we identify pivotal entrepreneurial practices that foster commercial viability, professionalize operations, and legitimize a blended socio-economic mission. Our findings offer a practical framework for nonprofit leaders navigating organizational redesign and fostering sustainable social entrepreneurship.

Abstract: Background: Youth from Malaysia’s low socioeconomic communities frequently face chronic instability, limited parental involvement, and restricted access to developmental support. Within such conditions, coaches often assume relational roles extending beyond technical instruction. Methods: This autoethnographic study draws on 20 weeks of longitudinal coaching, reflective journals, and fieldnotes to examine how the coach–athlete relationship evolved into a form of “social fathering” for one low-income youth athlete, Derrick, and how this contrasted with the developmental trajectory of Chia, an athlete from a more stable socioeconomic background. Guided by Nasheeda et al.’s three-layered narrative framework, the analysis integrates personal narrative, thematic interpretation, and sociocultural discourse. Results: Structured adversity—deliberately designed challenges embedded within a trusting relationship—served as a key mechanism for cultivating grit, resilience, and moral reasoning. Father-like practices such as boundary-setting, moral guidance, and life-navigation support compensated for socioeconomic gaps in Derrick’s home environment, whereas Chia’s growth reflected a faster transition toward self-regulated grit due to his more stable support structures. Conclusions: Coaching within disadvantaged contexts functions as relational labour that provides youths with social capital, emotional stability, and developmental resources otherwise inaccessible to them. Implications highlight the need for culturally informed coach-education programmes that integrate relational ethics, adversity-based pedagogy, and contextual awareness of poverty-related challenges.

Abstract: This paper introduces the Sextuple Helix Innovation Model as an extension of the Quintuple Helix Innovation Model by Carayannis and Campbell. It considers the understanding of generative AI (GenAI) as a sixth helix of knowledge production in sustainable innovation ecosystems. Accordingly, the knowledge economy of GenAI will be discussed in the context of innovation processes of cultural and creative industries. While GenAI is largely described in social discourses as a tool that potentially replaces human creativity and thus destroys jobs, this paper discusses GenAI as an entity with a specific knowledge economy that contributes to creative innovation processes in exchange with the five established helices of science, politics, economy, the media- and culture-based public and the natural environment of societies. With the help of a scoping review, a comprehensive evaluation of academic literature from the fields of creative industries, cultural policy, and innovation research, based on a constructivist epistemological approach and knowledge economy theory, confirmed that the positioning of GenAI as an epistemic actor in the Sextuple Helix Innovation Model reframes and redefines discourses beyond the prevailing narratives of disruption and regulation.

Abstract: Climate change poses a growing challenge for high Andean communities around the world, whose livelihoods depend directly on agriculture, livestock farming, and the stability of local ecosystems. In this context, the study sought to understand the construction of social imaginaries among agricultural producers around the dynamics of climate variability, with the aim of analyzing both the vulnerabilities and adaptive capacities that emerge in their daily practices. Based on a qualitative approach, supported by 32 interviews with key informants from 16 communities, four focus groups, and documentary analysis, data was collected in the field and, using Atlas.ti software, the testimonies of community members from Cojata, in Puno, Peru, were processed, revealing the social imaginaries and collective responses linked to the phenomenon. The findings reveal feelings of concern and uncertainty, diverse interpretations of the dynamics of climate change, a reconfiguration of cultural meanings, and the deployment of hybrid adaptation strategies that combine ancestral knowledge and contemporary resources. Taken together, these findings show that social imaginaries play a central role in how communities face the climate crisis, revealing both the persistence of structural inequalities and the need to strengthen intercultural territorial policies that recognize local knowledge, enhance community cooperation, and promote a horizon of resilience and climate justice.

Abstract:

We exist within the confines of an information system called human culture which has evolved over tens of thousands of years alongside humanity itself. Evolution is a dual process comprised of the evolution of the biological systems along with the evolution of the information systems, both of which affect and support each other. Functional Idea (FI) – this is that smallest “piece of software”, an evolutionary product, a concept developed to perform a function in society. Soft Force (SF) – this is a psychological force, a vector that has magnitude and “direction”. There is a direct correlation between FI and SF, with an SF vector being formed in the subconscious based on the FI. Idearchy – this is a collection of all the main FIs comprising human culture. This term facilitates discussion concerning the evolution and health of the Idearchy and the way a society develops means to maintain it. All social systems are formed by agents connecting to them through a set of SFs. Positive or attracting SF vectors are formed in the subconscious for each FI. Also, the negative or repelling SF vectors are formed. All decisions, including the decision whether to stay as part of a social structure, are made on the Soft Force level, not on a logical level. The brain, like any other organ, communicates with our consciousness through a set of signals or symptoms. Emotions are only symptoms of the SF vector interaction.

Abstract: Annotation is often a time-intensive and costly aspect of social sciences research utilizing natural language data. Recent advances in large language models (LLM) and general pretrained transformers promise new methods for quick and easy annotation but often rely on commercial APIs or cloud services that introduce costs, limit researcher control, and raise concerns about privacy. Bias from training data introduces further issues for this approach. This paper investigates the feasibility of LLM annotation using small (less than 14B parameters) models executed on consumer-grade hardware, further investigating potential issues of model bias. The study examines binary topic annotation task quality for 6 different models, two different topics, and two different historical periods on political speeches from the German Bundestag between 1949–2025. Standard metrics, including F1 scores, are calculated against a human-annotated gold standard. Results indicate that most models tested achieve strong performances with F1 scores ranging from 0.7 to 0.9 for both topic annotation tasks, with the annotation of discussions of abortion generally surpassing the annotation of economic topic mentions. Performance varies systematically for the sample origin time, with annotation quality being higher for older speeches. The findings suggest that small, locally executed LLMs can serve for low-cost annotation tasks while also highlighting the need to account for topic, period, and model-specific bias when crafting a studies research design utilizing LLM annotation.

Abstract: Radical environmental protests (REPs) have become more frequent and, in some contexts, increasingly supported by the public. Amid ongoing climate change, biodiversity loss, governmental backsliding, and political polarization, REP is likely to grow, with implications for both social and environmental sustainability. This study examines whether support for REP stems primarily from general pro-environmental attitudes and frustration with the limits of moderate protest, or from radical beliefs such as anti-speciesism (AS). Using UK survey data from 2024–2025 (N = 1163), we assessed support for REP through established measures like the Nature Connectedness Scale and New Ecological Paradigm, alongside new scales measuring governmental efficacy and principled support for radical protest. Moderated multiple regression analysis found that AS significantly predicts support for REP, even when controlling for general pro-environmental behavior. Notably, engagement in public environmental actions was an even stronger predictor. While perceived governmental efficacy did not moderate these relationships, it was an independent positive predictor—indicating that support for REP is linked to political optimism, rather than disillusionment. These findings challenge assumptions that REP emerges from political disengagement, suggesting instead that it reflects a broader, hopeful commitment to environmental action in the face of global crisis.

Abstract: District heating (DH) is increasingly recognised as a crucial solution for urban energy needs, contributing to energy efficiency and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. However, the transition towards adopting renewable energy sources (RES) in DH poses several challenges. The success of such a transition depends on technological innovation, acceptance, and public perception as well as a range of socio-economic, regulatory, and behavioural factors. This study investigates how these key dimensions influence public attitudes towards renewable DH systems in Italy. Based on a survey of 1,200 citizens in Turin we examine how public attitudes towards decarbonised heating options, the integration of renewables and demand-side flexibility are influenced by socio-economic characteristics. These characteristics include income, education, age, housing tenure, eco-awareness, trust in institutions, and technological affinity. Results show widespread support for efficiency and comfort benefits of DH. However, the results also show a limited willingness to pay more for renewable heat, particularly among economically vulnerable groups. The study has important implications for strategies that can facilitate the transition towards adopting RES in DH. In particular, the study points to the relevance of economic incentives, institutional trust, and clarity about benefits, as well as community engagement in supporting this transition.

Abstract: This mixed-methods interdisciplinary study examines critical psychological dimensions underpinning organizational sustainability. Utilizing qualitative interviews with 42 organizational leaders, quantitative survey data from 218 organizations across 11 industries, and a systematic review of 157 empirical studies, the research identifies key psychological constructs associated with organizational resilience and adaptability. The integrated theoretical framework connects psychological safety, positive psychological capital, leadership approaches, and organizational systems within specific contextual moderators. Findings reveal significant associations between psychological safety and innovation (r = .42, p < .001, 95% CI [.36, .48]), psychological capital and organizational resilience (r = .38, p < .001, 95% CI [.32, .44]), and servant leadership practices and employee well-being (r = .45, p < .001, 95% CI [.39, .51]). The study acknowledges important limitations regarding causal inference and demographic generalizability. Implementation challenges and measurement considerations are discussed, with evidence-based considerations for practitioners. The study concludes with directions for future research in this evolving field.