International and Multidisciplinary Journal of Social Sciences

From Exile to Belonging: The [re]construction of Identity in the Context of Forced Migration

Massoud Sharifi Ahmadipour — 2024-11-29

Focusing on Syrian and Afghan refugees and asylum seekers in Spain and Greece, this study employs social identity theory and intergroup contact theory to examine the process of identity construction. Drawing from thirty-five semi-structured interviews, the study highlights how the positive distinctiveness of their homeland and community significantly shapes their sense of self-worth, despite having fled due to persecution. The study finds that Afghan and Syrian refugees alike demonstrate a close attachment to their natural heritage, while also assigning particular importance to the historical and cultural legacies of their native lands. This sense of homeland identity interlaces with a multifaceted self-representation, mirroring the intricate ties between the host and homeland. Three identity discourse patterns appear: persecuted identity, identity conciliation, and critical consciousness. The refugees' dual perception of their homeland, as both a failed and desired land, influences their perceived self-worth in interpersonal interactions, as well as their sense of integration within the host society.

Sustainability Impact Unveiled: Validating a Multi-criteria tool for Assessing Citizen Initiatives

Fanny E. Beriguete — 2024-11-29

Numerous studies highlight the pivotal role of Citizen Initiatives (CIs) in urban sustainability, yet existing methodologies often fall short in capturing their comprehensive neighborhood impact. This article validates the Multi-criteria tool for Assessing the Sustainability of CIs (MASCIs), specifically designed for the nuanced assessment of CIs on neighborhood sustainability. The primary objective is to thoroughly assess and validate MASCIs through a mixed-method approach, including interviews with fifteen experts surveyed on the system's suitability and application to six CIs in Barcelona. Results show that 53.33% of experts found current indicators suitable, with valuable suggestions for improvement. The implementation of the system in CIs validates the usefulness of the tool to quantify the impact of these initiatives in the community. The study reveals the nuanced nature of these initiatives, emphasizing context, stakeholder participation, and adaptability. This research enriches discussions on citizen-driven sustainability by addressing gaps in evaluation systems, deepening our understanding of their broader implications for urban development.

From Conflict to Peace: Exploring Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Nonviolence in Colombia

Daniel R. Martínez-Bernal — 2024-11-29

This study delves into the concepts of forgiveness, reconciliation, and nonviolence through the experiences of victims, social leaders, and academics involved in Colombia's peacebuilding initiatives. Using focus groups, audio/video recordings, and thematic analysis, the research developed comprehensive categories situated within Bronfenbrenner's bioecological framework. The results indicate that the journey towards forgiveness, reconciliation, nonviolence, and peace encompasses a gradient extending from individual subjective experiences to broader sociocultural contexts. These findings underscore the critical importance of addressing structural inequalities and upholding rights, with implications that resonate profoundly within Colombia's ongoing peacebuilding efforts. Victims provided narratives in a deeply personal and communitarian manner, while leaders and academics emphasized the pivotal role of the State in ensuring rights and addressing inequalities to facilitate forgiveness and reconciliation processes. Overall, the study underscores the complex interplay between personal, societal, and governmental factors in Colombia's peacebuilding efforts, offering valuable insights for future research and policy development.

Intervention in organizational culture and its effects on users of public sports services

Luis Alberto Dueñas-Dorado — 2024-11-29

Public sports organizations provide services with the objective of generating benefits for the population. In the realization of these services, the technical-user interaction is one of the essential aspects, being the organizational culture the element that allows improving the performance of workers and that materializes in an increase in user satisfaction. The aim was to find out how a proposed intervention on organizational culture carried out with workers translates into users' evaluations and their future behavioral intentions. The study group consisted of 3985 users and 388 workers of public sports services, divided into two groups, control and experimental. A descriptive and quasi-experimental study was carried out, with an intervention on the control group of workers. The repeated measures method of the general linear model was used to test for differences in the dependent variables and the effect size was calculated. The results showed that an increase in the organizational culture of the workers corresponded to an increase in the perceived value, satisfaction and loyalty of the users. In conclusion, the improvement of the organizational culture of sports services has a positive effect on users' conative, attitudinal and behavioral variables.