Gender (in)equality in Chilean press: journalists and sources

Who writes the news in the Chilean press according to gender? Who are the sources, male or female, in the Chilean press? Is there a relationship between the gender of journalists and the gender of the sources in the Chilean press? This article studies the gender of the Chilean newsroom and their sources in 12,113 news through a quantitative method with a computational social science approach. This method combines web scraping and natural language processing techniques to gather and preprocess data, facilitating the exploration of complex social phenomena. Results show important biases in journalists and source gender. From a sample of 158 journalists, 99 were men (63%) and 59 women (37%). Also, from 12,113 news, 7,565 (62%) were written by male and 4,548 (38%) by female journalists. Of the 12,334 sources mentioned in the news, 9,771 were men (79%) and 2,563 were women (21%). A significant finding is that equality in the newsroom is related to how female and male journalists choose their sources. In other words, when a media has a newsroom with gender equality, the sources of the journalists are more equitable too. These results have important insights to discuss within the journalism schools, to make students aware of the gender bias in the profession. Furthermore, if the presence of female – journalists or sources- increased in the media, it would allow them to grow their media power and status.

Sex tourism in an era of globalisation, harm reduction and disease migration: a new conceptual model

Purpose This paper aims to contribute to sex tourism literature by placing it into a contemporary context of globalisation, harm reduction and disease migration. Design/methodology/approach The paper takes a public health and social science approach to map sex tourism, drawing on sex worker and tourist situations alongside global forces including technology, human rights, law enforcement and health. Findings A new, holistic conceptual model is presented, containing interacting, multi level associations. Whilst the separate micro, contextual, meso and macro levels are versatile, decision makers and practitioners will be equipped to understand sex tourism in its entirety. Originality/value The paper’s originality is found in the proposed conceptual model.

How can we know a self-driving car is safe?

Self-driving cars promise solutions to some of the hazards of human driving but there are important questions about the safety of these new technologies. This paper takes a qualitative social science approach to the question ‘how safe is safe enough?’ Drawing on 50 interviews with people developing and researching self-driving cars, I describe two dominant narratives of safety. The first, safety-in-numbers, sees safety as a self-evident property of the technology and offers metrics in an attempt to reassure the public. The second approach, safety-by-design, starts with the challenge of safety assurance and sees the technology as intrinsically problematic. The first approach is concerned only with performance—what a self-driving system does. The second is also concerned with why systems do what they do and how they should be tested. Using insights from workshops with members of the public, I introduce a further concern that will define trustworthy self-driving cars: the intended and perceived purposes of a system. Engineers’ safety assurances will have their credibility tested in public. ‘How safe is safe enough?’ prompts further questions: ‘safe enough for what?’ and ‘safe enough for whom?’

Techniques of Neutralization in Narratives of Addicted Gamers: A Social Science Approach on Gaming Disorder

Due to a hegemony of psychology, the phenomenon of addicted gaming tends to be conceptualized as a chronic illness. Taking a sociological perspective requires reframing the phenomenon: As deviant behavior, and therefore as a behavior, that goes against behavioral expectations of social groups. Such change of perspective raises new questions and sheds light on aspects of the phenomenon that have been unstudied so far. The article takes one step in this direction and applies the concept of neutralization as a heuristic to study how gamers classified as addicted make sense of their deviant gaming practices. Analyses of biographical-narrative interviews with addicted gamers indicate that they use five neutralization techniques in order to carry out their deviant practices without generally questioning social norms, these are rejection of individual responsibility, trivializing revaluation, positive revaluation, revaluation of deviance as self-determined choice and condemnation of instances of social control.

Methods, Developments, and Technological Innovations for Population Surveys

This article reviews contemporary issues in survey research, connecting established methods to innovative tools and technologies like real-time sensors and computer vision. This link takes into account the idea about the “organical” nature of Big Data, which represents a challenge toward a modernization of population studies in the light of technological innovations. The adopted dominant paradigm of data gathering is web survey (computer-assisted web interviewing), which is explored through the formalization of chain-referral methods as respondent-driven sampling. The general orientation is toward a computational social science approach. Weaknesses of such methodology is studied and solutions are provided with insights from empirical research on panel management. Contribution from gamification techniques is critically discussed.

Negotiation of needs towards halal talents sustainability

Purpose This study aims to identify the negotiation parameters of needs for Halal talents in Malaysia and proffer solutions on the sustainability of halal talents in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach A focus group discussion was performed among seven Halal talents from the industries of various schemes. Using the theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ) analysis approach, a functional model, as well as causes and effect analysis, is generated by the participants. The model is translated into a contradiction matrix to obtain the necessary solutions in developing a sustainable framework for Halal Talents in Malaysia. Findings The cause-and-effect analysis reveals that poor career path, lack of training and poor salary structure are experienced by the participants. Research limitations/implications Having had vast categories of halal industries, this research focuses on nine schemes under halal certification JAKIM which excludes banking and tourism. Practical implications It is suggested that the implementation of mutual benefits should be in place to enhance positivism among Halal talents in the near future. Originality/value Unlike the social science approach, the use of TRIZ analysis provides a substantial framework of sustainability among halal talents in Malaysia.

Epilogue: The Language Opportunities for the 21st Century

This epilogue to the Special Issue on Language Challenges in the 21st Century offers commentary on the current state of social scientific inquiry in the field of language and social psychology. Inspired by the seven articles that make up this Special Issue, I became curious about what we would find if we sought language opportunities instead of language challenges in the 21st century. I recommend future scholarship at the intersections of global and linguistic diversity include a positive social science approach in order to consider the full spectrum of challenges and assets. I conclude with a note about the direction of future research related to COVID-19.