Uncertainty and Narratives of the Future. A Theoretical Framework for Contemporary Fertility

Explanations for fertility decisions based on structural constraints—such as labor, housing condition, or income—do not account for the contemporary fertility downturn faced by many countries in Europe. In this paper, we posit that the rise of uncertainty is central for understanding contemporary fertility dynamics. We propose a theoretical framework (the Narrative Framework) for the study of fertility decisions under uncertain conditions based on expectations, imaginaries and narratives. Relying on the idea of future–oriented action, we argue that uncertainty needs to be conceptualized and operationalized taking into account that people use works of imagination, producing their own narrative of the future. Narratives of the future are potent driving forces helping people to act according to or despite uncertainty. We present the different elements of the Narrative Framework and address its causal validity. We conclude by highlighting the advantages of taking into account the narratives of the future in fertility research

A Reflection on Economic Uncertainty and Fertility in Europe: The Narrative Framework

none5openVignoli, Daniele; Guetto, Raffaele; Bazzani, Giacomo; Pirani, Elena; Minello, AlessandraVignoli, Daniele; Guetto, Raffaele; Bazzani, Giacomo; Pirani, Elena; Minello, Alessandr

La dimensione territoriale del comportamento politico. L’ex triangolo industriale Genova-Milano-Torino

Electoral studies in Italy boast a remarkable research tradition based on territorial studies. As it is well known, over the years the municipal, regional or macro- regional level has been privileged. Recently, the decline of geopolitical areas (white and red) has led to favouring other approaches, often based on survey data. More recent contributions have instead tried to shed light on the relationships between socio-economic variables and voting using the sub-municipal level. In this line of research, this article aims to verify the presence of electoral trends at sub-municipal level with reference to the cities of Genoa, Milan and Turin, and also proposes to advance some explanations on their causes starting from the cleavage «losers/winners of globalization». The analyses on the electoral trends in the three municipalities were carried out using the data of six elections: parliamentary 2008, European 2009, parliamentary 2013, European 2014, parliamentary 2018 and European 2019. The electoral results obtained by parties were correlated with a disadvantage index built from Istat data, using the statistical areas into which the territory of the three municipalities is divided. The article shows how the choices of the voters are still dictated by the presence of territorial divisions, however operating at sub-municipal level, less lasting than traditional sub-cultural divisions and based on socio-economic elements

Fake accounts, real activism: Political faking and user-generated satire as activist intervention

In this article, I explore user-generated political satire in Italy by focusing on fake political accounts. By fake accounts, I refer to humorous social media accounts that satirize a politician or a political organization through impersonation. I investigate political faking and user-generated satire as an activist intervention. Through in-depth interviews, I explore the motivations and the relationship with Italian politics of a sample of fake account creators. The results show that most of the satirists interviewed here consider satire as a form of activism and even those who do not, still recognize the subversive nature of satire. Furthermore, a majority of the interviewees have complex biographies of activism that predate the creation of the fake accounts. For a smaller number of them, the fake accounts have also provided new possibilities to engage in activism away-from-keyboard (AFK)

Uncertainty and Narratives of the Future: A Theoretical Framework for Contemporary Fertility

Explanations for fertility decisions based on structural constraints—such as labor, housing condition, or income—do not account for the contemporary fertility downturn faced by many countries in Europe. In this paper, we posit that the rise of uncertainty is central for understanding contemporary fertility dynamics. We propose a theoretical framework (the Narrative Framework) for the study of fertility decisions under uncertain conditions based on expectations, imaginaries and narratives. Relying on the idea of future–oriented action, we argue that uncertainty needs to be conceptualized and operationalized taking into account that people use works of imagination, producing their own narrative of the future. Narratives of the future are potent driving forces helping people to act according to or despite uncertainty. We present the different elements of the Narrative Framework and address its causal validity. We conclude by highlighting the advantages of taking into account the narratives of the future in fertility research