Tourism as a discipline in light of the non-classical sociology of science

Embedding the issue of the recognition of tourism by the academia in the context of the scientific identity of the researchers of tourism can bring valuable insights into the debate. Moreover, such an approach is aligned with the main assumptions of social constructionism and the non-classical sociology of science (knowledge) stemming from the paradigm theory of science formulated by Kuhn. These concepts served as the foundations for the present research, allowing for the formulation of its main hypothesis: that every academic community has the right to decide whether it accepts tourism as a separate academic discipline or not, and that there is no reason why any opinion on this matter should be imposed on everyone. Another useful piece of information can be gained by adopting an epistemological perspective in the form of the questions: will separating tourism from other disciplines make it possible for us to learn more about it? Or should we continue considering it through the prisms of other disciplines? These were the premises which drove both parts of the present research: literature query and empirical study (which featured results from researchers from all around the world), and were addressed in the conclusion.     

社会学课程教学中的综合性教学模式探析

社会学是一门非常讲究实证的学科,理论与田野体验联系非常紧密.实行综合性教学模式,有利于改变社会学学科教学中的条块分割现状,提高课程的教学效果.这种综合性的教学模式包括教学理念的总体性、教学内容的广延性、教学方式的多样性、教学时空的跨越性和教学效果评价的灵活性.     

From ‘just a swimmer’ to a ‘swimming mother’: women’s embodied experiences of recreational aquatic activity with pre-school children

Increased academic attention on the gendering of leisure pastimes in recent years has highlighted the centrality of the gendered body in influencing how leisure is accessed, experienced and transformed. To date, however, little attention has been paid to how women experience aquatic leisure activity, the second most popular form of leisure activity in the UK, and where female participation predominates. This paper presents results from research investigating the aquatic leisure experiences of 22 women, with children aged under 3, in the North-East of England. A number of key themes emerged from the data, which highlighted the centrality of the gendered, lived body as a key social construct contouring participant perceptions in the swimming pool environment. Women reflected upon their self-perceived physical deficiencies when wearing revealing swimming costumes, particularly under the critical gaze of ‘other’ bodies, whether present or imagined. The co-presence of other bodies was also central in shaping lived experiences, and the presence of ‘dependent’ children’s bodies shifted bodily intentionality away from the self towards perceived maternal responsibilities and the management of perceived risks, including ‘dirt’ and ‘germs’ and the negotiation of the tacit rules of the swimming pool. Results also suggest that the emphasis on maternal responsibility in aquatic leisure activity and timing of parent-toddler sessions could lead to reproduction of gender inequalities and the exclusion of some fathers from participation.     

Inked: historic African-American beach site as collective memory and group ‘Third Place’ sociability on Martha’s Vineyard

Using data gained from ethnographic research and interviews, this article examines ‘third place’ sociability in the social interactions of the Polar Bears of Martha’s Vineyard, a group of predominantly but not exclusively middle-aged and senior African-American men and women who swim, exercise and socialise together each morning at ‘the Inkwell’ beach. Using Georg Simmel’s concept of sociability and Ray Oldenburg’s third-place theoretical framework, this study explores the key role of the Monday communal breakfast and the function of conversation in establishing bonds between individuals. It further investigates the promotion of strong feelings of social connectedness, belonging, social support, social capital gains and community among its group members. The ongoing sociability and informal rules of the Polar Bears of Martha’s Vineyard has enabled it to become a model group demonstration of third-place community building. The importance of race, class and place is socio-historically investigated within the broader social context of the popular racialised section of the beach, ‘the Inkwell’, of African-American community life, and within the sub-community milieu of group social interaction.     

What is Socioeconomics? An Overview of Theories,Methods, and Themes in the Field

The term socioeconomics is widely used, even though it is often connoted to quite divergent understandings about what it actually describes. It sometimes appears as an umbrella term for a range of quite successful but diverse and occasionally antagonistic approaches that cannot easily be combined. Sometimes it is applied to rather specific scientific endeavors. This paper is not conceptual, i.e., it concludes with some moderate considerations about optional ways to advance a consolidation of socioeconomics only. In first instance, it is intended to provide some orientation in the diverse field and discusses distinctions that can be made between major theoretical and methodological currents, subject areas, and understandings of the purpose of socioeconomics.     

‘RE‐OPENING THE BLACK BOX’: THE STORY OF IMPLEMENTING A RISK ANALYSIS METHOD IN A FRENCH LOCAL GOVERNMENT

This research is a study of the implementation of a risk analysis method (RAM) in a French local government. Based on the sociology of translation framework, this study shows that the success of the implementation of this management device is due to the transformation of its initial characteristics. Indeed, the RAM was initially designed to analyze the risks of outsourcing public services and thereby to aid elected officials with decision making. But in the hands of the actors in charge of its implementation, it progressively became a means for the members of the administrative services to inform elected officials about the consequences of their choices. This paper thus describes the ‘trajectory’ of this management device in a local government and, in doing so, emphasizes how it progressively became what it is (and what it is not) at present in this local government.     

Small Business and Empirical Perspectives in Business Ethics: Editorial

In this editorial to a collection of papers on ethics in small firms, the case is made for greater use of high quality empirical research on business ethics. Sociological perspectives have much to offer to the field of business ethics that continues to be dominated by normative, moral philosophy. The second contribution of the paper is to argue for a re-orientation away from the large multi-national firm as a benchmark subject of business ethics research. One important point of view to be included is that of the small firm, which remains the dominant organisational form throughout all the OECD countries.     

市场分割的制度基础与概念内涵——基于组织社会学制度理论的视角

中国的市场分割是中国经济转型在特定阶段出现的一种市场结构或状态。从组织社会学制度理论的视角看中国市场分割可以发现:中国的市场分割存在着行为权力的分割现象,市场分割不仅源于制度和政策的差异,同时也有制度与政策执行中的差异。市场分割中的地区性行政垄断、地方保护主义行为及非整合状态,反映出现阶段的中国经济体制中存在的问题。     

网络：旅游系统研究的新经济社会学转向

文章从新经济社会学视角,分别对旅游系统的社会与经济网络性质、网络结构的嵌入性和网络经济社会建构3方面进行了分析,基本形成了旅游系统网络研究的新经济社会学分析框架。鉴于文章是首次提出旅游系统网络研究的新经济社会学研究范式,仍需从旅游系统网络的社会网络结构、结构洞的竞争优势、旅游市场的社会建构3方面来进行深入分析,从而完善旅游系统网络研究的新经济社会学理论体系。旅游系统网络研究的新经济社会学转向将会为我国旅游学研究提供新的理论研究范式。     

社会保障核心价值理念再思考——基于社会学视角的社会公平理论分析

作为人类社会久远的福利制度安排,社会保障发展到现代,已经越来越鲜明地体现出对公平、正义、共享等价值理念的追求和实践.对社会问题和社会公正的研究,是社会学的重要范畴,也是众多社会学家关注的焦点.因此,从社会学视角来分析社会公平问题,能够更深入地认识和思考社会保障的核心价值理念,更好地把握其意义以及如何实践.