Writing sociology at the beginning of the twenty-first century

Paul Veyne has suggested in 1971 that Sociology lacked a study object. Three quarters of a century after Durkheim’s Rules, it had yet to discover social types and orders of preponderant facts. At any rate, Veyne claimed, since Sociology or at least sociologists exist, we must conclude that, under that label, they do something else. Briefly, besides studying the logical conditions of Sociology, we should also sociologically consider it, as well as other neighbour and potentially rival disciplines. In this paper it is argued that, contrary to other scientific fields, Sociology lives in an environment of permanently renewed crisis. Different authors and traditions have indeed asserted exactly that, while based on entirely diverse assumptions. In order to justify the characteristic traits of today’s crisis, we try to list some of the little demons that have contributed to the current situation: 1) The hagiographic syndrome; 2) The isomorphism defence; 3) The acceptance urge

Charting the Constellation of Science Reform

Over the past decade, a sense of urgency has been building in the scientific community. They have discovered that much of the literature body is unreliable and possibly invalid thanks to weak theory, flawed methods, and shoddy statistics. This is driven by a widespread competitive, secretive approach to research, which, in turn, is fueled by toxic academic incentive structures. Many in the community have decided to address these issues, coming together in what has become known as the ‘scientific reform movement’. While these ‘reformers’ are often spoken of a single, homogeneous entity, my findings underscore the heterogeneity of the reform community. In my dissertation, I explore the scientific reform group using ethnography and social network analysis tools. I primarily studied their online Twitter engagements to understand their culture, practices, and structure. With Wenger’s Community of Practice theory as an interpretive framework, I analyze scientific reform discourse playing out between reformers on Twitter. Using quantitative Twitter friend/follow data, I investigate which reform members engage online, using following behavior to understand aspects of their social structure. I link the quantitative exploration with my qualitative analysis, to conclude that while the reformers are united by their interest in improving science, they are better characterized as a constellation of small communities of practice, each with their own norms, priorities, and unique approach to the group enterprise of scientific reform. My investigation is an exercise in reflexivity as I have studied a community in which I am an active part

International financial integration : a complex network analysis

06.03.2018 tarihli ve 30352 sayılı Resmi Gazetede yayımlanan “Yükseköğretim Kanunu İle Bazı Kanun Ve Kanun Hükmünde Kararnamelerde Değişiklik Yapılması Hakkında Kanun” ile 18.06.2018 tarihli “Lisansüstü Tezlerin Elektronik Ortamda Toplanması, Düzenlenmesi ve Erişime Açılmasına İlişkin Yönerge” gereğince tam metin erişime açılmıştır.Finansal entegrasyon yeni bir kavram olmadığı gibi küreselleşme de yeni bir fenomen değildir. Finansal entegrasyon; sınır ötesi sermaye hareketliliğindeki engellerin kaldırılması, deregülasyon politikaları, teknolojinin evrimi ve artan uluslararası işbirliği imkanları ile hız kazanmıştır. Yine de, dünya tamamen entegre olmaktan uzaktır ve artan sınır ötesi sermaye akışlarından gerçekten fayda sağlamayı başaran birkaç ülke vardır. Yapılan tez çalışması, uluslararası finansal ağın analiz tipolojisine ve evrimine ağ yaklaşımı ile ışık tutmaktadır. Ana veri kaynağı, IMF tarafından yayınlanan Eşgüdümlü Portföy Yatırım Anketi (CPIS) olup, 2004'ten 2015'e kadar olan dönemi kapsamaktadır. Analizde 70 ülkeye yer verilmiştir. Finansal ağ kalıplarını ve evrilmesini değerlendirmek için kullanılan ağ parametreleri: ağ yoğunluğu (network density), kümelenme katsayısı (clustering coefficient), düğüm merkeziliği (node centrality), aradalık merkeziliği (betweenness centrality), yakınlık merkeziliği (closeness centrality) ve merkezler ve otoriteler (hubs and authorities – HITS Algorithm). Bu tez çalışmasında, karmaşık bir ağ modeli kullanarak, finansal ağın haritasını çikarılması ve onun topolojisini ve emrimini analiz etmek amaçlanmaktadır. Bu tezin ampirik sonuçlarına göre, dış varlığı elinde bulunduran ülkeler artmaktadır, lakin en büyük portföy ($ cinsinden) ABD tarafından tutulmakta ve finansal ağdaki en etkili ülke olarak mutlak liderliğini sürdürmektedir. Japonya, İngiltere, Lüksemburg, Fransa ve Almanya da ağda oldukça etkili görünmektedir. Bu ülkeler büyük miktarda uluslararası çapta yayınlanmış finansal varlıklara sahiptir. Genel olarak, yapılan tez çalışmasının bulguları önceki çalışmaların sonuçları ile uyumludur. Finansal ağ merkez-çevre yapısıdır ve ağın merkezinde bulunan az sayıdaki ülke ve hem kendi arasında hem de geri kalan çevre ülkelerle finansal ilişkiler sürdürmektedir. Çevresel olarak sınıflandırılan ülkeler, merkez ülkelerle ilişkiler kurma eğilimindedir ve bu ülkelerin diğer ülkelerle bağlantı kurma konusunda daha az istekli oldukları görülmektedir.The concept of financial integration is not new and globalization itself is not a novel phenomenon. International financial integration was mainly accelerated due to removal of barriers on international capital flows, deregulation policies, technological evolution, increased international cooperation, etc. Still, the world is far from being fully integrated and international financial network clearly demonstrates a core-periphery structure. This thesis employs a network approach to explore typology and evolution of international financial network. Main data source is Coordinated Portfolio Investment Survey (CPIS) published by IMF and covers a period from 2004 until 2015. 70 countries are included in the analysis and sample is restricted due to data availability. Key network parameters used to assess financial web patterns and evolution are: network density, clustering coefficient, degree centrality, betweenness centrality, closeness centrality and hubs & authorities centrality. Applying a complex network analysis, main purpose of this thesis is to map and explain the typology and evolution of international financial integration. Empirical results of this thesis show that while there is an increasing number of countries holding geographically diversified portfolio of assets issued by non-residents, most influencing country in the financial network is the USA. Japan, UK, Luxembourg, France and Germany as well appear to be influential in the network owning large portfolios of internationally issued financial assets. In general, this thesis' findings are in line with previous studies considering financial network as a core-periphery structure, with a small number of countries located in the core of network and maintaining intensive relation both among each other and with the rest of network. On the other side, countries classified as periphery tend to establish relations with core countries and have less incentive to connect with other countries positioned in the periphery layer. Lastly, unlike expected, global and European financial crises did not significantly change position of countries in the international financial network

Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationThis study examines how Islamists are socially, discursively and linguistically represented in the Egyptian newspaper al-Ahram. The main question of this study is what would the Egyptian government do to halt the Brothers' political growth and potential threat? To answer this question, the study uses Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to examine how Islamists are represented in frontpage news reports in the Egyptian newspaper al-Ahram, in 2000 and 2005. The analysis first examines both discursive and social practices related to the Muslim Brotherhood. This analysis examines the process of news making, role of ideology, history of Islamism, and type[s] of relationships between Islamists and the regimes. Second, the news reports are analyzed linguistically in terms of Idealized Reader (IR) framework, transitivity, sourcing, lexical choices and presupposition. The analysis leads to the conclusion that the Egyptian regimes have been practicing a constant and systematic strategy of exclusionary nature towards the Muslim Brotherhood. This exclusion has been implemented through the use of sheer power (detention, prison, and military tribunals) and through soft power (media negative representation) as well. Van Dijk's ideological square (1998) is found well-suited to describe the relationship between the Egyptian regime and Islamists: we are good and they are bad. The analysis of al-Ahram data, supplemented by analyzing other news sources, shows that: A. Almost all the accusations of the Egyptian government against the Muslim Brothers are unfounded, B. al-Ahram uses the technique of silence to conceal the good aspect of the Muslim Brotherhood, C. Islamists, in contrast with what is said about them, are willing to participate in democratic and civil society, and D. There is a relation between the discourse on Islamism and Orientalism. The negative representation, the study also concludes, is explained by the government's fear of Islamists as a political threat, its desire to maintain the West's support, and the continuation of Orientalist discourse

Networks of Survival in Kinshasa, Mumbai, Detroit, and Comparison Cities; an Empirical Perspective

People in impoverished cities, for example in Kinshasa, lend small quantities of food to neighbors when requested, to prevent starvation. In Mumbai, they share their living space with others who are homeless. In Detroit, churches and the Detroit Urban League have helped poor residents to obtain jobs, meals, and housing. Rather than mere self-interest, this expression of generosity is an outstanding human quality. Networks of survival also include the lessons of history, good economic and political policies, human rights, equal opportunity, and culture

Applications Of Geographic Information Systems In Construction Management

Construction management is one of the fields of Civil Engineering. It includes planning, analyzing, coordinating and controlling of sequential activities in construction site. The primary goals of construction management are to minimize the loss of time and construction costs by appropriate materials, adequate labor and resource selection. These objectives can be achieved by current and updated continuous information flow between participants and departments of construction organization. When information sharing doesn’t happen effectively and timely it results delays and additional costs at the construction projects. Information technology has become prominent position in the development of technology. It supplies some opportunities to construction industry. One of the important parts of information technology is geographic information systems. It provides effective solutions to the locational based problems so they are used in many areas. The possibilities of using GIS in construction management and new models have been developed in various countries in the world in recent years. In this study, using GIS in construction management is investigated and a new method in construction management is tried to develop by use of GIS. Another aim is to supervise all data related with construction on a single platform. A new office block in Erbil is determined as a case study. Project drawings of the building are brought to three-dimensional form in GIS and it is visualized according to the data in the schedule of construction. Database support and visualization feature of GIS is put forward in this paper

Sustainability In Construction Projects: Part 2 (Case Studies)

The guideline developed in a companion study by the authors is applied and studied in this work to assess the sustainability score of several big construction projects in Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Results were varied as the sustainability measures being applied on certain steps and neglected on many others .Attention on this issue can be found in the conclusions