Researching stigma as an outsider: considerations for qualitative outsider research

In this article, we discuss a number of important considerations that we have encountered in the process of researching health stigma topics as “outsiders”: researchers (personally) unfamiliar with the experience or topic under study. In particular, we discuss the importance of the following: a reflective stance, challenging negative representations, flexible and sensitive recruitment strategies, validating experiences of stigma, and participant control and power. We see these points as particularly important in the context of researching stigma as outsiders, where our privilege may contribute to unhelpful, narrow, de-politicized or overly simplistic representations of particular “groups” or experiences. We share these considerations in hope of assisting other researchers to reflect on, and articulate, how they negotiate their positionings within their research and the ways in which they shape and construct the research agenda and, by implication, the people or topics under examination.     

Anxiety and hostility to an "outsider," as moderated by low perceived power

The hostile and anxious responses of young adults to an immigrant (vs. native-born) stranger were examined as a function of participants' self-perceived power. In Studies 1 and 2, individuals with low perceived social power (males, in particular) showed high anxiety toward an "outsider" but more so if that individual was an immigrant (and thus posed an ambiguous threat to their position in the hierarchy). In Study 3, young adult males competed on a reaction time test with an immigrant or native-born rival. With immigrant rivals, males with low perceived social power showed relatively high aggression toward an immigrant rival and derogation of the rival's formidability; however, they showed a more deferential pattern with native-born rivals.     

天人合一与道法自然——道教关于人与自然和谐的理念与追求

人与自然的关系始终是人类社会关注的问题。道教的自然观强调人与自然的和谐共生,人与自然和谐的法则就是“天人合一”与“道法自然”。“人法地,地法天,天法道,道法自然”是道教处理人与自然关系的准则,它反映了道教“天人合一”的和谐理念,“道法自然”的和谐原则。一、道教对理想仙境的追求道教对于理想仙境的追求,实际上是对于人与自然万物和谐的一种向往,也是达到人与自然和谐的一种借助力。这种追求,一方面表现在对神仙洞府的描述;另一方面也体现在道教的神仙信仰之中和对自然的态度上。道教对理想仙境的追求,首先表现在对神仙洞府的…     

The holy grail of cognitivism: a response to Adams and Aizawa

In their papers for this issue, Sterelny and Sutton provide a dimensional analysis of some of the ways in which mental and cognitive activities take place in the world. I add two further dimensions, a dimension of manipulation and of transformation. I also discuss the explanatory dimensions that we might use to explain these cases.     

Max Weber as outsider: His nominal influence on German sociology in the twenties

An assessment of the influence which Max Weber's writings had on the growth of German sociology after World War I. The author isolates those themes which were of major importance during the Weimar Republic: the concern with social integration; the shattered faith in reason; and the attempt to create a uniquely “German” sociology. It becomes clear that neither Weber's conception of sociology nor his methodological formulations had much impact on the next generation. These findings can be accounted for in three different ways: (1) that he died too early; (2) that German sociology lacked the necessary institutionalization; or (3) that there was a reorientation in scholarship following World War I, which Weber's opus could not bridge.     

Occupational prestige and the Ethiopian student

Approximately 200 university sociology students in Ethiopia, in rating 90 selected occupations, placed governmental positions at or near the top with unskilled positions near the bottom. Authority and power were leading reasons for high placement. Comparative ratings of the same or similar Ethiopian and American occupations provided a high correlation coefficient.