Volume (18): Issue (2)

In this article I have the following goals: to enter the debate on what defines social psychology as a social science, arguing that it is the prominence conceded to a focus on agreed – not natural – limits to human action; to add to this debate a further distinction – that between social facts and cultural/institutional facts – together with a theorization of the later highlighting the relevance of attending to the (de)legitimization of institutions; to extract consequences of this position for social psychology; finally, to offer two cases illustrating and hopefully clarifying the set of theoretical arguments and concepts I used before: Sophocles’ Antigone, and the EU debate on Natura 2000, both evidencing a tension between the legal and the legitimate. I conclude by suggesting that such a social psychology can work together with the social sciences to ask questions productive for extending our knowledge of the ecological and the political.

In recent decades, a growing body of research has discussed and illustrated the so-called deliberative speak – or how, despite representatives of the expert-political system agreeing with public participation in decision-making processes, in practice effective public participation barely occurs. To address this, new governing tools have recently been developed and implemented, such as participatory budgeting, particularly in societies in the Global North. We have also witnessed several profound sociopolitical and economic changes – the post-political turn and localist agendas are all part and parcel of a new era of governance and political institutions that are being discussed increasingly by social scientists as questioning democracy. However, empirical analyses of if and how these changes are being appropriated – reproduced and/or resisted – in the everyday practices of expert-political systems and of citizens and what their consequences are for public participation have been neglected. To overcome that, this article will examine the discourses of citizens and representatives of expert-political systems about their participatory budgeting in three Portuguese municipalities.

Autonomy-connectedness refers to the need and ability the individual has for self-governance, as well as the capacity for intimacy and interpersonal relationships. The present study aimed to examine and compare participants (N=121) of four different cultural groups, namely Portuguese natives as well as Brazilian, British and Ukrainian immigrants residing in Portugal, on the different autonomy-connectedness components (self-awareness: SA; sensitivity to others: SO; capacity for managing new situations: CMNS). It also aimed at investigating the relationship between autonomy-connectedness and acculturation among the groups of immigrants. The results showed significant gender differences and among the cultural groups on SO. Adherence to the heritage culture was associated with the distinct dimensions of autonomy-connectedness differently for the various groups, and time of residence was also key in how the dimensions were endorsed cross time. This study contributes to the theoretical framework of the concept of autonomy-connectedness in light of cross-cultural perspectives.

Human–wildlife conflict has hindered the success of many management measures for the conservation of endangered species. Therefore, this study aims to establish which non-human species are in conflict with human beings and to understand how residents perceive human–wildlife conflict, and how they proceed when in conflict with non-human animals, in the municipality of Santa Comba Dão. The author conducted unstructured interviews with the residents of this county on the subjects of locally existing and extinct species, and problems with amphibians, birds, fish, mammals and reptiles. In this study, the author found non-human species to be in conflict with human beings, with residents blaming them for economic losses. Foxes, for example, were accused of preying on farm animals. However, the residents also identified the construction of roads and the introduction of exotic species as economic activities that adversely affected native species. Interviewees also reported conflicts of interest between local hunters and farmers as the hunters’ associations had introduced wild boar to the area, a species that consumes farmers’ white potatoes and corn. Residents’ perceptions were in part influenced by the local citizens’ beliefs and values – information not previously evaluated in this area. This type of information may be extremely useful during the planning of policy measures, given its importance to establishing effective public policies that protect biodiversity and improve sustainable development.

This article aims to identify changes in the work situation among problematic drug users (PDU) clients of an international therapeutic community located in Portugal, after the completion of treatment. In this article, we analyse these changes on the assumption that entry to the labour market is essential for effective social reintegration. To achieve our aim, we carried out a pilot study with an analysis of the administrative records of a therapeutic community and then held telephone interviews with 63 former clients. Different work-related factors were compared, with special attention being paid to the changes registered. We concluded that, after treatment, although there was greater instability, educational qualifications and the number of PDU employees with an occupation increased. There was a decrease in factory workers and an increase in administrative functions. First jobs were obtained via a more formal channel, while the most recent ones were obtained on own initiative. This leads to the conclusion that after an initial period of greater difficulties the PDU participants in this study manage to gain higher autonomy and better integration into the labour market.

The present study focuses on the estimation of the human capital stock for the Cape Verdean economy in the period 1950–2012. Adapting the methodology proposed by Barro and Lee, based on past schooling values, we found that between 1950 and 2012 the Cape Verdean working-age population showed a gradual improvement in the levels of schooling, rising from 0.7 years of schooling in the 1950s to 5.4 in late 2012. Thus, in each year, the average years of schooling increased only 0.08 years, meaning that, in net terms and on average, only 7.6 per cent of the working-age population was attending some level of formal education. The availability of a time series of number of average schooling years in Cape Verde opens up possibilities for assessing the impact of human capital on the country’s economic development.

Sustainable Urban Development and Globalization: New Strategies for New Challenges – with a focus on the Global South, Agostino Petrillo and Paola Bellaviti (eds) (2018)