A relational view of Psychological Empowerment and Sense of Community in academic contexts: a preliminary study

Scholars need to pay attention to understand the factors that shape the interactions between individuals and social groups. Constructs like Psychological Sense of Community (PSoC) and Psychological Empowerment (PE) are powerful constructs used to evaluate the antecedents and the consequences of individual attachment to social settings. In parallel, recent advances in network analysis show that the position occupied within whole networks and ego-centric networks are relational factors that affect the subjective perception of membership to social groups. Studies that are conducted in organizational and community settings show strong associations between PSoC and PE. However, these connections have rarely been evaluated within natural settings such as the classroom context. On the other hand, although the theoretic basis of PSoC and PE claims that both processes are formed in a relational way, there are few studies that empirically evaluate the effects of social connectedness on the emergence of PSoC—referred to the classroom—and PE referred to academic-task development. The aim of this research is to determine the effects that the position occupied in formal and informal exchange networks induce on PSoC and PE dimensions. Sixty-four students enrolled in a master degree program (women = 68.8%, Mean age = 26.09, SD = 3.88) participated in this cross-sectional study. Multivariate analyses and network analyses were performed to test the hypotheses under study. The main research finding is that PSoC and PE are synergistic constructs that mutually shape to each other. In relational terms, by sending several nominations in informal networks, it is possible to generate notable impacts on some PSoC dimensions, while receipt of a wide number of nominations in formal contact networks is associated with high levels of PE. In addition, individuals who present high levels of PE are located in the core of formal exchange networks. These results are discussed in order to design actions to increase PSoC and PE in postgraduate academic settings

El principio de elección en la dramaturgia de Alan Ayckbourn y Yasmina Reza

[Resumen] El objeto de este estudio es reunir las dramaturgias de dos autores en apariencia distantes en sus formulaciones teatrales, Alan Ayckboun y Yasmina Reza, a partir de la similitud que presentan formal y conceptualmente sus propuestas escénicas. Por medio de la integración de elementos extraídos de la novela experimental así como de estructuras pertenecientes al discurso cinematográfico, ambos autores plantean nuevas sintaxis escénicas que implosionan las categorías lineales clásicas de tiempo, espacio y acción, en dos de sus obras más representativas, Intimate Exchanges (1982) y Trois versions de la vie (2000). Frente a la evolución lineal del tiempo intrahistórico teatral, los dramaturgos establecen un patrón común basado en el eterno retorno a un punto de partida inicial, fundado en la necesidad de elección del personaje como elemento fundacional del individuo. Ambas obras se desdoblan así en múltiples lecturas de un mismo acontecimiento, cuyas diversas variantes responden a las consecuencias derivadas de la elección del sujeto, en una travesía iniciática que redefine la función del espectador para con la escena

Underlying dimensions of social cohesion in a rural community affected by wartime violence in Colombia

War deteriorates the quality of life of the population and profoundly alters social dynamics. We discuss a rural community in northern Colombia whose population was the victim of a massacre and examine the main components that model social cohesion: (a) positive attitudes towards the community, (b) prosocial behaviours and (c) interpersonal relationships. This investigation is a cross-sectional empirical study that includes an analysis of social support networks. The research involved 106 residents, (81.1%, women), with an average age of 42.5 years (standard deviation (SD) = 16.4), who have lived in the community an average 28.8 years (SD = 18.75). Cluster analysis shows that there are two types of personal networks based on homophily and the duration of the ego-alter relationship. The networks that provide the most types of social support shows a moderate level of homophily according to the type of relationship and place of origin and in which the duration of the ego-alter relationship is shorter, compared to networks characterized by high homophily and in which the duration of the ego-alter relationship is longer (χ2 = 5.609, p < 0.018). Homophily based on place of residence actively affects the sense of community and social cohesion. Moreover, the sense of community is the variable that most affects social cohesion (β = 0.650; p < 0.001) and is, in turn, determined by prosocial behaviour (β = 0.267; p < 0.006). However, prosocial behaviours do not significantly affect interpersonal relationships or community cohesion. The results are discussed to promote social development strategies aimed at building individual, organizational and community capacity to foster psychosocial well-being in post-war contexts.e Centro para la Investigación, el Desarrollo y la Innovación, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana 202-01/17/G-00

Ça fait pas cher et ça émerveille…: Mitografía y profesionalización del phénomène en Francia durante la primera década del siglo XX

El objetivo de este artículo es rastrear los diferentes mecanismos de representación parateatral presentes en el freak show de principios de siglo XX en Francia. A través de la exhibición del cuerpo anómalo en espectáculos de feria y de circo, elucidaremos, en un primer momento, el papel del phénomène en tanto que actor y/o personaje atendiendo a criterios derivados de la mitohistoria. En un segundo tiempo, abordaremos los principales hitos de la profesionalización del freak, insertándolo dentro de la industria cultural francesa de finales del XIX y principios del XX. Palabras clave: freak show; industria teatral; mitohistoria; corporeidad.The aim of this paper is to explore the mechanisms inherent to the freak show as a paratheatrical performance in France at the beginning of the 20th century. Firstly, throughout the exhibition of the anomalous body in foires and circuses, I will analyse to what extent the phénomène may be considered an actor, a character, or both following the precepts of mythistory. Secondly, I will attend to the main milestones of the professionalisation of the freak actor by means of his/her contextualisation within the processes of the French cultural industry at the turn of the 19th century. Keywords: freak show; theatre industry; mythistory; physicality

Determinants of inter-organizational network formation in the cultural sector

En los últimos años se han incrementado las investigaciones que aplican el Análisis de Redes Sociales (ARS) para estudiar la formación de redes interorganizativas. Para determinar estos factores hemos analizado la red sociocéntrica de 32 organizaciones culturales en Andalucía. El procedimiento de asignación cuadrática de regresión múltiple a nivel diádico muestra que la percepción de afinidad (i.e., homofilia) y la posibilidad de establecer contactos en el futuro influyen en el establecimiento de contactos informales. A nivel interno, factores como el volumen de actividad y la antigüedad de la organización en el sector se relacionan con el grado de intermediación de las entidades en la red de colaboración en proyectos. Finalmente discutimos los resultados para optimizar el funcionamiento de redes interorganizativas y fortalecer la implementación de políticas públicas.Nos últimos anos, tem aumentado a pesquisa com aplicação de análise de redes sociais para estudar a formação de redes interorganizacionais. Para determinar esses fatores, analisamos a rede sociocêntrica de 32 organizações culturais na Andaluzia. O Problema Quadrático de Alocação de regressão diática múltipla mostrou que a afinidade entre o nível de percepção (homofilia) e a possibilidade de estabelecer contatos no futuro influencia o estabelecimento de contatos informais. Internamente, fatores como volume de atividade e idade da organização no setor associam-se ao grau de intermediação de entidades na rede de colaboração em projetos. Por fim, discutimos os resultados para otimizar o funcionamento das redes interorganizacionais e fortalecer a implementação de políticas públicas.In recent years, the number of studies applying Social Network Analysis to the formation of inter-organizational networks has increased. This paper analyzed a socio-centric network composed of 32 cultural organizations in Andalusia to measure this increase. Multiple Regression Quadratic Assignment Procedure (MR-QAP) at the dyadic level, showed that perceptions of affinity (i.e., homophily) and the possibility of establishing contacts in the future, can exert influence on the establishment of informal contacts. At the internal level, an organization’s brokerage position in collaboration project networks is related to the volume of business and the old in the sector. Finally, this article discusses applications for the management of inter-organizational networks in order to strengthen the implementation of public policies

Curso de Análisis de Redes Sociales : metodología y estudios de caso

J.A. PANIAGUA LÓPEZ, Curso de Análisis de Redes Sociales : metodología y estudios de caso. Granada : Editorial Universidad de Granada, 2013

Structural Cohesion, Role Equivalence, or Homophily: Which Process Best Explains Social Homogeneity?

Social homogeneity, understood as the similarity of perceptions and attitudes that individuals display toward the environment around them, is explained by the relational context in which they are immersed. However, there is no consensus about which relational mechanism best explains social homogeneity. The purpose of this research is to find out which of the three classical relational processes most studied in network analysis (structural cohesion, role equivalence, or homophily) is more determinant in explaining social homogeneity. To achieve the research objective, 110 professionals (psychologists, social workers, and community facilitators) implementing a psychosocial care program in three regions of Northwest Colombia were interviewed. Different types of relationships among professionals were analyzed using network analysis techniques. To examine the structural cohesion hypothesis, interveners were categorized according to the level of structural cohesion by performing core-periphery analysis in the networks evaluated; to test the role equivalence hypothesis, participants were categorized according to their level of degree centrality in the networks examined; to test the homophily hypothesis, participants were grouped according to the level of homophily in terms of professional profile. The non-parametric tests showed that role equivalence was the most powerful mechanism for explaining social homogeneity in the sample of psychosocial interveners evaluated.Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana 203-01/17/G-003Universidad Tecnológica de Bolivar 2301139