مجله مطالعات اجتماعی ایران
سال پنجم شماره 1 (پیاپی 13، بهار 1390)

Attachment to the place of residence indicates a feeling of belonging that individuals tend to have about their residential neighborhood. These affective bonds are especially related to the memories, experiences and significant events in a person’s life. The attachment to the place of residence is significant because it facilitates the collective action, increases the organizational participation, encourages the investment and creates proper opportunities for growth and social development of the residential neighborhoods. The present study, through utilization of a systemic model, a concept of neighborhood use-value, and social disorganization theory, examines attachment to the place of residence and its causes. This is a survey research through which 320 persons above 20 years of age residing in the residential areas of Kerman city have been interviewed through multistage cluster sampling method. The data extracted from 300 questionnaires was analyzed. The findings indicate that variables of local social bonds, accessibility to facilities and recreations, feeling security and social order exert significant effects on attachment to a neighborhood. The path analysis also indicates that the indirect effect of variable of length of residence exerted through the local social bonds is more than its direct effect. In sum, the results of multiple regression indicate that the main variables of research explain 59 percent of the variances of the dependent variable.

The present research aims at studying factors influencing reflexive identity among students of Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman. The extracted theoretical framework is that of Anthony Giddens and Peter Berger theories, and research hypothesis designed according to the model. Independent variables are: rate of using ICT (internet and cell phone), educational degree, parents’ education, job status of father, mother’s employment, gender, birth place, religious identity; ritual aspect, household income, rate of using supplementary reading resources and satellite antenna (TV). According to Lin (1976) by considering 50% parameter, 95% confidence level and 5% error, sample size estimated n=377, but for more confidence, 391 questionnaire completed and analyzed. Stratified random sampling was used because of the diversity of colleges and branches. Data collection tool was a questionnaire consisting closed and half-open questions. Likert scale was used for measuring reflexive identity aspects, religious identity (ritual aspect), and internet dependency. Alpha coefficients of above scales were acceptable and for reflexive identity scale it was more than. 80. Generally, among 12 independents variables, 8 variables showed significant relationship with reflexive identity. They are: 1- rate of using ICT (internet and cell phone), 2- Father’s education, 3- Mother’s education, 4- gender, 5- birth place, 6- religious identity, 7- satellite antenna (TV), 8- supplementary reading resources. All of above variables had positive significant relationship, except religious identity and one of the subdivision of the supplementary reading resources, that is religious resources, which were main challenge against reflexive identity development. Variables that didn’t showed significant relationships with reflexive identity are: educational degree, father’s job status, mother’s employment, and household income. Among subdivision variables of supplementary reading resources, two of them, i.e. reading and interest in the Iranian history and literature had not significant relationship with reflexive identity.

This paper is based on four articles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In 1994 the Islamic Republic of Iran assented conditionally to the terms of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Yet, little has been done for practical fulfillment of the principles put forward by the convention. This article surveys the status of some basic principles of this convention, including training of the labor child. These selectively surveyed principles are seen as the guarantees of the fulfillment of all the principles of the Convention, in the major fields (survival, growth, security and participation) for the children. This survey was conducted in the city of Kerman. The research used Snowball sampling (asking directions) method. The researchers interviewed 474 under 18 labor children (411 Iranian and 63 Afghani) from 9 different districts of Kerman province. The results indicate that the Iranian and Afghani children have been deprived of at least one of their rights, while, for the second group, more than one of their rights have been suspended. In continuation of the study, some solutions for the problem have been investigated in three fields of professional, critical, and public sociology. Thus three sociological models and two solutions are proposed.

Mental health is an important aspect of wellbeing and general health. Today woman-headed families are increasing in number worldwide as it is the case in Iran. These household head women undergo special life experiences; thus experiencing particular mental health situations as well. The aim of this survey is to study mental health of women who are heading the family and are supported by the Welfare Organization of the city of Kerman, nationally known as ‘behzisty’. Some sociological concepts such as social capital and social networks are used here. The functions of these concepts are also looked at and discussed. The sample volume is 325 women heading households who are currently supported by the Welfare Organization. The main data gathering tool was a twofold constructed questionnaire which was accompanied by the interview. The results indicated that about 44% of women suffered unsuitable mental health. The variables such as age, social trust, social communication, sense of belonging, social capital, and size of social network, as well as frequency of meeting network members had strong relationships with mental health. The regression analysis showed economic, emotional, service supports and social communication/participation were among the most important variables for explaining mental health. Therefore, the network’s social capital, particularly taken in its functional aspect, is considered to be more explanatory vis-à-vis mental heath, than the general social capital.

Marital life satisfaction reduces the effects of the possible conflicts within the family thus providing an environment conducive to nurturing of the child. Being aware of factors affecting marital satisfaction is therefore of importance. This sociological research probes the relationship between social capital and marital satisfaction among married couples in the city of Kerman. The significance of social capital is derived from the fact that it provides the spouse satisfaction through emotional and mental support. The purpose of this study is to identify the relationship between these two variables. This is a survey-method research. In order to put to test the hypotheses of the study, 382 women and men aged between 18-45 years, were selected by clustered random sampling. The ENRICH questionnaire was used in order to measure participants’ satisfaction. As to social capital, we utilized a combined version of Lin and Coleman’s theories measuring social capital via a constructed questionnaire in 6 dimensions: structural bonding, bridging, linking capital and cognitional bonding, bridging and linking capital. The statistical methods of Pearson correlation, T and F tests were also used for testing the hypotheses. The regression analysis was employed to measure the research method. The results indicates a meaningful relationship between marital satisfaction and cognitional bonding, bridging, linking capital, individual’s esteem within the family power relations, sense of life satisfaction, age, and the individual’s income. Moreover, there was found a meaningful difference between women and men in marital satisfaction and social capital. The results of multiple regressions also showed that cognitional bonding capital, bridging capital, and the individual’s esteem in the family are the most important indicants in married men’s and women’s mental health. Considering the findings what can be highlighted is the fact indicating that if the individuals enjoy high level of social capital it means that they access valuable resources. The main resources can be listed as mutual trust, social, mental and financial support, existence of kinship networks, and the like. Given the above resources, the spouses will have a higher chance of enjoying an enhanced marital satisfaction.

At the beginning of the 21st century, the consumer co-operatives, like other forms of co-operatives are in crisis. The consumer co-operatives areconsidered to be the pioneers of international co-operative movement and the first formal co-operatives in the world. Cooperatives suffer from crises of capital, ideology, legitimacy and management. The overall crisis is so serious that it has deeply affected their philosophy of existence (Macpherson, 2000:37). These crises are contagious, spreading worldwide. Then, Iran cannot be an exception. International Co-operative Alliance (ICA), as the apex of the movement and the most formal referee of co-operatives in the world, has recommended that membership acquisition is the ultimate solution to overcome the crisis. It has conducted much worldwide research on the issue and has asked the members to do the same. This research is conducted in pursuit of the ICA's recommendation. The research, adopts theoretical framework, concepts and theories to deal with participation, focusing on social capital. With respect to the critical affect of ground factors on participation and the necessity of flexibility in methodology, the dominant method is qualitative but the quantitative method has also been used. Gathering data has been carried out through explanatory and instrumental case study, systematic observatory and non-interfering tools, the questionnaire, planned interviews and document review. Regarding the members, sampling is random but all the members of the board of directors have been interviewed. Data analysis has been performed through a descriptive approach utilizing content analysis and deductive use of categories to lead to a ground theory, a theory that would result in an increase of member's participation. It is toward this end that suggestions have been presented, namely to increase member's participation in the staff consumer cooperatives. Such an increase is hoped to come by through a social capital based approach in its both forms; cognitive and structural, in the fields implying potential member's participation.

This article analyzes the ‘gender identity disorder’, while emphasis is placed on traits carried as a result of the family upbringing of the ‘abnormal’ as compared with the normal persons. Identity has different dimensions, one of which is gender identity, which is acquired during childhood. These traits result from certain conditions particularly in the family environment which affects them. Gender identity disorder is constant inclination towards other sex or persistence on belonging to other sex and deep uneasiness with gender and gender role given to the person, which can have serious outcome for the individual, his family and society. This study focuses on characteristics of the people having this symptom and their families in Kerman Province. To analyze this disorder in Kerman all people that had referred to Welfare Organization of Kerman Province, nationally known as ‘behzisty’, were studied. This is a quasi experimental study. The experiment group was compared with normal (control) group, selected by assimilation process, interview and filling up initial and final questionnaire. The data was collected by interviewing both groups and analyzing the files of the experimental group. It should be mentioned that TTest was used to compare the role of families of the two groups. It was found that various variables at personal and family levels showed meaningful differences between the experimental and control group. These variables are as follows: Parents’ behavior during childhood, socialization process, emotional participation, emotional expression in the family, effective relationship with the family, sexual abuse and unsuitable dress, and makeup used during childhood.