فصلنامه جامعه شناسی کاربردی
سال سی و دوم شماره 1 (پیاپی 81، بهار 1400)

This study aims to anticipate religious orientation based on identity styles among students of Kashan University. Identity, on the one hand, distinguishes between "I" and "we" or "other" and "others", and on the other hand, it is the most important source of recognizing emotions and feelings and organizing individual and collective behaviors within the surrounding society. By integrating different aspects of identity, Berzonsky (1992) presents a process model of identity in which he uses and analyzes identity as a cognitive structure, specific framework, and source for the interpretation of experiences. His model emphasizes the various strategies for information processing that individuals use to explore issues of identity, including politics, religion, and social relations. Besides, according to Allport and Ross's (1967) theory, the religious orientation of individuals is classified into intrinsic and extrinsic categories. Intrinsic religion has become an all-encompassing religion with organized and internalized principles. In people with an intrinsic religious orientation, religion creates a sense of comfort, security, usefulness, and self-compatibility. In other words, people with religious orientation live in harmony with their religious beliefs and rituals, and this leads to greater social security and stability in them. Extrinsic religion, on the other hand, is an external tool used to satisfy one's materialistic needs, such as wealth, status, and security. With such an approach, the present study seeks to answer the question of the extent to which students’ religious orientation can be explained and predicted based on different identity styles of individuals.

Based on the subject under study, the method of the present research is survey and, 150 undergraduate students of Kashan University with an average age of 21.86 years, and a standard deviation of 2.24 years were selected using the convenience sampling method to test the objectives and hypotheses of the research. In the present study, the data collection method was a questionnaire and the students answered a questionnaire including a list of identity styles (ISI-G6) (based on the study of Berzonsky, 1992) and a religious orientation scale (based on the study of Allport & Ross, 1967).

Enter method in multiple regression was used to analyze the data. The findings showed that informational and normative identity styles directly and diffuse-avoidant style inversely can significantly predict intrinsic religious orientation (P=0/001, F(3 and 146)=28/29, R2=0/368). Extrinsic religious orientation was also predicted inversely and meaningfully through informational and normative styles (P=0/001, F(3 and 146)=48/71, R2=0/50). Explaining the role of informational identity in predicting intrinsic religious orientation, it can be said that people with informational identity structure their lives around their religion. Therefore, to achieve this kind of religious orientation, one needs extensive and comprehensive meditation in all aspects of life and it cannot be achieved without searching and thinking. Moreover, according to the normative identity style, individuals are constantly internalizing the expectations and value of their important others and may have internalized religion as well, despite little exploration. They avoid looking at it superficially and instrumentally. Besides, in explaining the role of avoidant identity style in predicting intrinsic religious orientation in reverse, it can be said that people with avoidant identity style interpret the content of religion superficially and avoid examining personal issues in religious affairs. In general, based on the findings of the present study, different styles of identity can explain 37% of the variance of intrinsic religious orientation and 50% of the variance of extrinsic religious orientation of the studied students. These findings, in line with the findings of some other studies, confirm the close relationship between identity and religion in young people and emphasize that in examining students' religious orientation, special attention should be paid to their identity styles.

Women, as half of human society, have played different roles throughout history, taking advantage of different social and economic status. Like men, they performed various activities in society. Women work alongside men in society and take on important responsibilities. In the past, housewives cared about raising children. Today, however, women must be present in the social, political, cultural, and economic fields as active and creative people. Not so long ago, a rural woman interacted and communicated with family members by attending a family center, and therefore her life was satisfactory for her. Despite the traditional division of labor in the village, she played her roles well and there was no conflict between her roles. With the modernization of societies and the resulting changes, the role of women in the family changed. These changes caused a lot of emotional stress, including depression, lack of self-confidence, dissatisfaction with life, lack of happiness, etc., which threatened the physical and mental health of women. The present study investigates the evolution of the family, social, economic, political, and cultural roles of women in Joshagh village. This study aims to help women understand the concept of happiness. The consequences of changes in the role of women's happiness is another goal of this study.

Research data have been made available during five months of continuous living with rural women in Joshagh district. This has been achieved through techniques such as exploratory study, semi-organized interviews, focus group discussions, participatory observation, and direct observation. To do this, first, the available sampling method was taken from women. For this purpose, available people or volunteers were asked to participate in the research. Also, the snowball method contributed to the research in the next step. Finally, the findings of this study were the result of 31 interviews with 37 rural women. Individual and group interviews were analyzed in three analytical stages including open coding, axial coding, and selective or core coding by fundamental theory method.

Based on the results, the concept of happiness includes components such as women's gatherings, attending gatherings of friends, acquaintances, and relatives, attending religious ceremonies and places, women's work, and activities, happiness, lack of stress, worries, restlessness, anxiety, help and cooperation between women, enjoying the blessings of health, both mentally and physically, having a happy and strong spirit, enjoying life, and attending celebrations and joy. These components are strengthened by collective relations, social participation, and social trust between individuals. People’s interaction and communication with each other make people happy and that is why people enjoy being together.The results of the present study show that some of the interactions of rural women in their collective activities in the field of agriculture and animal husbandry have decreased. This decrease in interactions has reduced happiness. In other words, the changing role of women has reduced their traditional cooperation and collective participation. Women's gathering places have been gradually destroyed and no new place has been replaced. Many joyful ceremonies in the village have been forgotten and reduced to only a few religious and non-religious ceremonies throughout the year. This research shows that economic issues, the prevalence of luxury, etc. can be effective in reducing collective interactions. These have reduced women's happiness. First-generation women believed that despite the lack of facilities, women's cooperation created a happy mood. The group brought happiness to themselves and their peers by holding occasional gatherings such as walking the streets or attending religious ceremonies. Second-generation women understand both their mothers’ collective life and their daughters’ individualism. This generation is trying to get rid of everyday worries by using what they have learned, such as carpet weaving and so on. They also try to live happily by participating in partial and limited ceremonies in the village. The third-generation includes young girls who claim that the lack of facilities and equipment in their living space has caused them to lack happiness. Another reason for the lack of happiness can be related to the culture in the village, which does not allow them to move freely with their peers. Individualism is seen in this generation. However, this group tries to use their leisure time (such as meeting friends, traveling, attending religious ceremonies, etc.) to experience happiness with their peers.

Today, universities cannot survive as an autocratic and non-authoritarian organization, without interaction with other social areas. This interaction must change the role of universities, and prioritize the economic and social development of their communities, which in turn requires new approaches towards university and community union. Thus, there is a clear need for further research and the creation of clear research strategies for university social participation and the identification of local community expectations. This study suggested that, as its main purpose, Semnan University was able to contribute to its local community as a local university and identified its needs and expectations. This study aimed to identify some of the stakeholders in the university to achieve the goals of the university's social participation. It is evident that this approach is to improve the efficiency of the university and its exit from isolation and within itself, thereby providing a link between the university and the local community. Based on this attitude, it can be hoped that with an emphasis on the recognition of needs and expectations of stakeholders, the university and its social participation were a step toward public interests and reducing the problems and challenges of the province and the future of the province.

In this research, the Grand Theory method was used. The research process began with a study area and gradually the related issues were added. The statistical research population included Semnan province and Semnan University. In researching the views of the guest guide, it is permissible to use the information of the interview. For this purpose, an unstructured interview tool was used to enable the researcher to take the leading role of the interview and handle it by introducing a few general questions and listening to the narrative of the contributors. In the interview, 29 people (13 university stakeholders and 16 international stakeholders) were interviewed. Data analysis was performed in the three-step process of accurate performance coding. To confirm the validity and reliability of the research, the strategies of Pitti, Thomson, and Steve (2012), Charms (2010), and Lincoln and Gaba (1985) have been used. These strategies included Dependability, Credibility, Conformability, and Transferability. Together, they enhanced the validity of the research and made it possible to transfer the findings to other similar contexts.

The results showed that the most important factors of social participation in university social participation were periodic monitoring of university performance through local organizations and their peers, education on environmental issues, enrichment of curricula, and appropriate educational content. In this regard, strategies from key managers concerning their experiences and perceptions of university social participation were obtained. These strategies can be used to educate citizens the concept of culture, open up the social environment for youth development, education in the province especially in deprived regions, the sensitivity of programmers in the field of protection of the environment, and review the educational content based on the need of the society. To implement these guidelines, there should be no meritocracy regarding the role of environmental factors such as changing the university and changing the views of government, lack of responsibility and responsiveness to society, lack of responsibility and responsiveness to scientific consumerism, lack of responsibility and the habit of scientific consumption, the notion of cooperation between university and industry. Finally, with these interactions and responses to the social participation of the university, there must be consequences such as reducing social damage, increasing the quality of life of citizens, and improving health needs, becoming in university, reducing unemployment, and aligning the education with the needs.

Competition, as one of the forms of social interaction that lies within the spectrum of conflict-cooperation, can once become a social constructive action that has a cooperative character. Competition, which is an essential aspect of organized social life, plays an essential role in improving the political and economic condition of society. Evidence shows that in societies with a dynamic order, economic competition is expanded and institutionalized in the society through the mechanism of regulation and participation, and cooperative regulation, and so the possibility of development is increased. According to the latest Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) report for 2019, all the top 15 countries are in South Asia, Western Europe, and North America. Asian countries are Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea. These countries except for Japan, are considered emerging developed societies. While Iran does not have a satisfactory situation in this complex due to its natural and human resources and various infrastructures. Iran’s ranking in the overall competitiveness index in 2010 was 61st among 139 countries, and in the latest survey in 2019, Iran's ranking among 141 countries dropped to 99. Iran has declined 10 places between 2018 and 2019 in this ranking. The main question of the article is how and why some developing countries have been able to improve the level of economic competitiveness? And why Iran, despite having comparative advantages in some aspects of competitiveness, is not in a good position at all?   Material & Methods In this study, by using the Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fs/QCA), the factors and obstacles of economic competitiveness between five emerging economic countries in Southeast Asia and five countries in the West Asian region were studied. So, the sample of the research consisted of Iran, as well as nine other countries, including South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey, and Pakistan. The variables studied also included the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) and the six conditions of the rule of law, generalized trust, transparency, security, equality of opportunity, and democracy. First, the scores of these variables were converted to fuzzy scores by the software (FS/QCA), and then they were examined by the test of singular causal conditions and complex causal conditions.   Discussion of Results & Conclusions According to the test of singular causal conditions, transparency (with a consistency index of 0.99) was a sufficient condition for competitiveness, and this hypothesis was acceptable with 95% confidence. In addition, with 95% confidence, generalized trust can be more or less a sufficient condition for economic competition. The test of the necessary condition for the internal security showed that this variable (with a consistency index 0.983) was the necessary condition of competition. This means that in the absence of security, there will be no possibility of competition in countries. The results of the test of complex causal conditions also showed that the combination of the rule of law and the lack of insecurity was a necessary and not sufficient cause of competitiveness that can result in a combination of social trust and transparency or in combination with the lack of inequality. The overall consistency and coverage index for this combination was 0.98 and 0.60. Also, based on the parsimonious solution, the lack of rule of law has been a necessary and sufficient condition for the absence of competitiveness in failed countries. The values of the consistency and coverage index of this condition were 0.83 and 0.92. As a result, it can be said that establishing a transparent information system and a decisive fight against corruption, creating a fair and just judiciary, increasing trust and social capital among individual and collective actors, and raising the level of institutional trust between the government and the people are the most basic policies in low-competitive systems for social-economic development.

Adolescence is the starting point for identification. In addition to the rapid changes in this period and the acquisition of identity, adolescence is one of the most important periods of life in which a person could have more problems with the mental image of his body. During this period, attempts to gain identity and identity formation may be affected by hormonal, biological, and physical changes. Physical changes may occur if placed in a ‘body-centered’ text and social context during adolescence increasing the gap between what exists and what will be, and could create a sense of self-loathing, dissatisfaction, and a negative image of one’s body in adolescence.   Materials and Methods The present study was a qualitative study of the body identity of adolescent girls under the influence of their body image, experiences, and physical events in Boroujerd County, Lorestan Province, Iran. Data from this study were collected through semi-structured interviews and the grounded theory method was used to analyze the data. Using theoretical and purposeful sampling methods, 30 high school girls were interviewed and finally, the collected data were coded and analyzed in the form of nine axial categories and one core category.   Discussion of Results and Conclusions Constructing the body identity of adolescent girls through the formation of their mental image of their bodies as a core category has been subject to certain conditions. These conditions are classified into three categories: causal, contextual, and interventionist. Causal conditions include gender stereotypes and comparing one's body with others. At the same time, maturity acts as a background condition, the Internet as the medium and the ideal body (slimming) acts as an interfering condition. Also, an adolescent girl’s body contrasts between the real body and the ideal body. She makes certain interactions and adopts certain strategies. These interactions and strategies can be categorized in the form of body monitoring and handling of irregular eating patterns (such as strict diets, vegetarianism, the use of diet pills and powders, etc.). Adolescent girls, under their specific physical conditions during puberty, gender stereotypes, and the presentation of physical ideal standards through the Internet and beauty norms, feel a great gap between what they see in their bodies now and what they imagine. They need to engage in strategies such as strict diets, regular check-ups, and regular check-ups under the conditions, factors, and backgrounds that adolescent girls are sensitive to during their adulthood. They experience rapid changes and feelings. Feelings can be categorized into several categories including feelings of physical anxiety, embarrassment, and gender alienation. Thus, during adolescence, efforts to gain identity and identity formation may be influenced by hormonal, biological, and physical changes. And these physical changes, if located in a social body-centered context and the adolescent's confrontation with gender stereotypes, can create a beautiful, attractive woman for her feminine body to be selected and prepared for the role of a mother and a wife. Also, the adolescent is confused by the paradoxical conditions of childhood and adulthood, and the expectations of the society. In order to get rid of this situation, she seeks the ideal and acceptable body of the society with the help of virtual network channels (the Internet). By going back and immersing herself in these channels, she learns that she has to lose weight, do anything to become more attractive, etc. During adolescence, dissatisfaction with the physical appearance increases because physical changes such as the weight gain during puberty contrasts with social prescriptions and idealism in relation to physical attractiveness. But adolescent girls, in spite of their relentless efforts to become more beautiful, find themselves in a great gap and become dissatisfied with their bodies and feel ashamed and worried.

The border areas of Kurdistan in recent years have witnessed the emergence of a new phenomenon called porterage (kulbery), which is one of the false and dangerous jobs of the country. Baneh city is one of the poor border areas of Kurdistan province in which the porterage job can be seen. Job opportunities in this city are very limited. Although Iran suffers from unemployment, statistics show that in the Kurdish provinces of the country, the unemployment rate is high, and as a result, the economic and social indicators are not in a good condition.

The methodological model of this research was based on the methodology of the data-based theory. The approach of this study was qualitative and basic theory was used to analyze the data. The participants of this research were people who work porterage in Baneh city. Participants were selected by the purposive sampling method and using the snowball technique. Semi-structured and in-depth interviews were also used to collect information.

The main themes (border political economy, survival risk, demolish of social exhaustion the occupation, self-alienation, legitimation, and family dissatisfaction) and a core category (high-risk political economy) to express the attitude of people who do this job in Baneh in relation to the concept of porterage were extracted from the data. The data were finally depicted in the form of a basic model. According to the information obtained from interviews conducted (formal and informal), the Kulbery was an inevitable reaction and strategy of these people to unsatisfactory conditions of the city in terms of geography, economy, and political dominance in the area. In fact, the unfavorable living conditions in the region is one of the causes of the occurrence and continuation of the kulbery. According to the paradigm of the study, it can be said that the phenomenon of cross-border trade in its current state is a social structure and as a historical and basic matter, the result of reactions and interactions of native people to the opportunities and limitations of geographical, economic, and political conditions. The final result of the study showed that the porterage participating in the study, by interpreting themselves, understood the effective areas in the emergence of the porterage, and expressed concern about it and its adverse consequences. They believed that the borders and algebraic conditions of the region caused the city to be underdeveloped. Rigi (2016) confirmed the results of the study. His research showed that borders, with their special conditions, lead to the phenomenon of underdevelopment, and underdevelopment leads to issues such as contraband and porterage. Kolberi also leads to social inequalities. The study of Amirpour et al. (2012) also confirmed the effect of unemployment and livelihood problems on the formation of porterage. Their results showed that the lack of investment by the government and the private sector was one of the effective causes of creating kulbery. New job opportunities are not provided for the unemployed due to the lack of investment in this city. Based on the findings of the study, kulbars perceived their work as a phenomenon that has its own consequences. They considered their work to be a phenomenon that meets their livelihood needs on the one hand and brings them many unpleasant consequences on the other hand, which has made this phenomenon a challenge. The unjust distribution of facilities has led to the spread of the phenomenon of excessive marginalization in the city of Baneh. In fact, by examining the background and basis of the formation of Kolberi and its consequences, the authors of the present study have achieved a kind of risky political economy. A high-risk political economy means that a part of the local issues arisen in the border town of Baneh is rooted in financial issues and in itself depending on the performance of the country's political system. In fact, many of the dangers that lurk in kulbars are rooted in economic issues, and economic issues depend on government policies in the region.

This study aims to focus on one of the major factors, namely, the degree of democracy and its relation to happiness. Looking at the preliminary evidence, it is well established that countries with a high level of democracy look happier. Moreover, the life satisfaction of the people of these countries is higher. The key question is whether concentration of power and the extent of democracy in societies increase or decrease happiness among individuals. Also, what is the role of economic factors and income inequality regarding happiness in addition to the level of democracy as one of the major variables at the macro level? The present study examines the relationship between f democracy and happiness. This study is a cross-national study. Data from 145 countries has been gathered from a variety of data sets. The method of study is secondary analysis. The study approach is a kind of combined theory that, simultaneously with the role of democracy, has considered the factor of economic development and inequality in examining the amount of happiness.

The key question is whether concentration of power and the extent of democracy in societies increase or decrease happiness among individuals. There are a few approaches regarding the relationship between democracy and happiness. Some believe that the findings do not indicate a positive relationship between happiness and democracy, and that if there is a relationship between happiness and democracy, it is influenced by other factors including economic development (Inglehart, 2006). Another theoretical approach asserts that democracy itself directly and indirectly contributes to the increase in happiness in society. Scholars, in this approach, has found a very strong positive relationship between democracy and happiness (Loubser, 2017; Doran, 2005).In this study, a third approach is selected. This approach states that democracy in many ways enhances happiness at the community level. First, by reinforcing the democracy, the social capital is reinforced in a society. It has reinvigorated civil society, broadened trust, and expanded happiness throughout society by expanding cultural renewal. Second, democracy increases the level of social security in society through decreasing corruption. This reduces anxiety in individuals and increases life satisfaction. The method of this study is comparative-quantitative and cross-sectional. The unit of analysis is the country and the method of study is secondary analysis. Data for 2017 and 2018 have been collected from several reputable sources. Happiness data have been used from the data collected by Venhanen (2018). In addition, Legatum data were used to investigate the factors affecting happiness.

The results show that there is a positive and significant relationship between happiness and democracy. There is also a positive and significant relationship between the existence of modern social capital and the level of happiness. The findings state that first, the level of happiness has significant differences among nations. Nordic countries with the highest average of 80% have the maximum levels of happiness in the world. Second, democracy has a positive and significant effect on the amount of happiness. Thirdly, this effect will be larger through social capital. Therefore, in the combined model presented by macro-level factors, the amount of happiness along with increasing economic development and reducing the amount of income inequality has the capability to explain a significant amount of changes in happiness.This would have a greater impact when development and economic prosperity in society increase and income inequality decreases. In addition, the results of this study show that several macro-level variables in a society must be simultaneously running to have a positive and lasting effect on increasing happiness. Democracy can create a vibrant civil society by enhancing modern, not tribal, social capital. Attending multiple associations in a dynamic civil society is one of the most important factors in enhancing individual agency. This must be done alongside the growth of welfare in society to meet basic human needs and not to increase social inequality. In other words, economic development will lead to greater happiness at the community level when individuals, along with an efficient democracy, can also benefit from the positive aspects of economic development.