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Topic Review
Sustainable Finance
Sustainable finance or green finance is the set of financial regulations, standards, norms and products that pursue an environmental objective, and in particular to facilitate the energy transition. It allows the financial system to connect with the economy and its populations by financing its agents while maintaining a growth objective. The long-standing concept was promoted with the adoption of the Paris Climate Agreement, which stipulates that parties must make "finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development." In 2015, the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda to steer the transition towards a sustainable and inclusive economy. This commitment involves 193 member states and comprises 17 goals and 169 targets SDGs aimed at tackling current global challenges, including protecting the planet. Sustainable finance has become a key cornerstone for the achievement of these goals.
  • 882
  • 04 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Self-Employed People
Self-employment (SE) is a growing precarious work arrangement internationally. In the current digital age, SE appears in configurations and contours that differ from the labor market of 50 years ago and is part of a ‘paradigm shift’ from manufacturing/managerial capitalism to entrepreneurial capitalism. The SE trend is accelerating due to the rising 'gig' economy and the undermining of the former employment structures that provided secure, lifetime jobs with predictable advancement and stable pay. 
  • 880
  • 24 May 2022
Topic Review
Sociotechnology
Sociotechnology (short for "social technology") is the study of processes on the intersection of society and technology. Vojinović and Abbott define it as "the study of processes in which the social and the technical are indivisibly combined". Sociotechnology is an important part of socio-technical design, which is defined as "designing things that participate in complex systems that have both social and technical aspects". The term has been attributed to Mario Bunge. He defines it as a grouping of social engineering and management science. He sees it thus as a form of technology, distinguished from other branches of it such as engineering, biotechnology, information technology and general technology. Its goal is to help engineer sociosystems and evaluate their performance, while making use of social science research. In short, sociotechnology can be seen as the creation, modification and maintenance of social systems. Writing on sociotechnical change, Bijker wrote: "Society is not determined by technology, nor is technology determined by society. Both emerge as two sides of the sociotechnical coin." Technology is the sum of ways in which social groups construct the material objects of their civilizations. The things made are socially constructed just as much as technically constructed. The merging of these two things, construction and insight, is sociotechnology. "For example, we typically build a bridge when there’s some expectation that people need to get from Point A to Point B, and there’s something they need to bypass along the way (e.g. a river, a canyon, another road). Failure to consider the social factors as well as the technical factors could lead to a "bridge to nowhere" – and we all know at least one person who's had a problem with those".
  • 879
  • 29 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Development of Emergency Intimate Partner Violence Shelters
When a woman seeks emergency shelter from an abusive relationship, she may bring her children but rarely companion animals. Companion animals are viewed as problematic, as obstacles to their clients’ safe relocation, falling outside the scope of IPV shelters (who rarely take a co-sheltering approach), and as potential strains on an already resource-stretched social institution. Addressing a gap in the literature about the effects of companion animal policies in social housing on clients and staff, the results are relevant to social service providers and policymakers working with multispecies families, including insights about women and children’s reactions to separation from companion animals, contradictions in related policies, and institutional priorities.
  • 874
  • 15 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Social Trust and Economic Cyclicality
Nowadays, in the context of a complex fragility that radically transforms the economic habitat, the cyclical evolution of the economy is governed by new rules and constraints that transcend the economic area and increasingly interfere with the sociocultural features of life. The nature of the relationship between social trust and economic dynamics is still little explored and understood, and the research conducted so far is mainly positioned in a macroeconomic perspective, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches that still leave many questions unanswered. 
  • 871
  • 16 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Social Equality
Social equality refers to the state of affairs in which individuals or groups in a society enjoy equal rights, opportunities, and status, regardless of their various backgrounds, such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, religion, or other distinguishing characteristics. The concept is rooted in the idea that all members of a society should have the same fundamental rights, and they should be treated with fairness and impartiality.
  • 862
  • 25 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Meta-Power
Meta-Power is a concept of having control not simply of individuals, but of the social structures themselves. The idea has stemmed from work by sociologists such as Tom R. Burns and Peter Hall, the economist Thomas Baumgartner, as well as by political scientists such as James Rosenau and Stephen D. Krasner. Its study often uses the language of game theory since at some level, having meta-power over a group of people means that one can control the form of the game, thereby controlling the outcome.
  • 851
  • 11 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Social Infrastructure
Social infrastructure is a general term referring to a class of internet services which allow websites or mobile devices to integrate social functionality into their application user experience. Such functionality includes social login, sharing, commenting, activity feeds, online identity storage, gamification and others. The technologies and services comprising social infrastructure are made available by a variety of sources including social network providers such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google. Third-party providers like Gigya, Livefyre, Hull, Echo, BazaarVoice, Janrain, Loginradius, AddThis, and ShareThis provide services that allow applications to integrate social functionality using multiple social networks. While each provider offers a different range of social functionality to applications, all providers offer their own set of tools, plugins, SDKs and APIs to ensure their platform is accessible across as many devices as possible. Using standard programming languages (HTML, JavaScript, PHP, Java, Objective-C, etc.), applications can interface with social infrastructure from desktops, laptops, mobile phones and tablets. Indian ICT company United Telecoms Limited has implemented social infrastructure projects targeting health exchanges, tsunami warning systems, city surveillance, broadband and communication systems for rapid transportation systems.
  • 849
  • 27 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Handbook of Middle American Indians
Handbook of Middle American Indians (HMAI) is a sixteen-volume compendium on Mesoamerica, from the prehispanic to late twentieth century. Volumes on particular topics were published from the 1960s and 1970s under the general editorship of Robert Wauchope. Separate volumes with particular volume editors deal with a number of general topics, including archeology, cultural anthropology, physical anthropology, linguistics, with the last four substantive volumes treating various topics in Mesoamerican ethnohistory, under the editorship of Howard F. Cline. Select volumes have become available in e-book format. A retrospective review of the HMAI by two anthropologists discusses its history and evaluates it. One review calls it a fundamental work. Another reviewer says "since the first volume of the HMAI appeared in 1964 is far and away the most comprehensive and erudite coverage of native cultures of any region in the Americas." A review in the journal Science says that "There can be little doubt that, like the Handbook of South American Indians, this monumental synthesis will provide a sound basis for new generalizations and will stimulate additional research to fill the gaps in knowledge and understanding that will become apparent. Starting in 1981, six volumes in the Supplement to the Handbook of Middle American Indians were published under the general editorship of Victoria Bricker.
  • 847
  • 28 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Troubled Families
The Troubled Families programme is a United Kingdom Government scheme under the Department for Communities and Local Government with the stated aim of helping troubled families turn their lives around.
  • 820
  • 27 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Australian Archaeology
Australian archaeology is a large sub-field in the discipline of archaeology. Archaeology in Australia takes three main forms, Aboriginal archaeology (the archaeology of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia before and after European settlement), historical archaeology (the archaeology of Australia after European settlement) and maritime archaeology. Bridging these sub-disciplines is the important concept of cultural heritage management which encompasses Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sites, historical sites and maritime sites.
  • 815
  • 02 Nov 2022
Topic Review Peer Reviewed
Reviewing Nation Branding Indexes: An Approach to Their Methodologies and Results
Nation branding refers to the strategic management of a country’s image to ensure that it is a fair, balanced, and useful reflection of the country itself. A strong nation brand is fundamental to its diplomacy, economy, and the well-being of its inhabitants, among other elements. To monitor the degree of this strength, different international indexes are periodically created and published. This entry focuses on introducing the concept of nation branding, and on describing the methodologies and latest results of the rankings that are currently considered most relevant in both academia and industry. These rankings are divided into two categories, namely, general nation branding indexes (Nation Brands Index, Future Brand Country Index, RepCore Nations, Good Country Index, Best Countries ranking) and field-specific nation branding indexes (Global Soft Power Index, Country Brand Ranking Tourism Edition, Country Brand Ranking Trade Edition, World Economic Outlook, Better Life Index).
  • 813
  • 17 Apr 2025
Topic Review
Methodology: Video Data Analysis
Video Data Analysis (VDA) is a curated multi-disciplinary collection of tools, techniques, and quality criteria intended for analyzing the content of visuals to study driving dynamics of social behavior and events in real-life settings. It often uses visual data in combination with other data types. VDA is employed across the social sciences in disciplines such as sociology, psychology, criminology, business research, and education research.
  • 807
  • 15 Mar 2023
Topic Review
The Digitization of Seniors
The lower digitization among seniors must be understood in the context of the coming together of multiple digital divides. In addition to the obvious generation divide (age is one of the factors most determining digital uses), others also have an influence, such as a lower education or income level, which is characteristic of this group and also strongly correlated with lower use of new technologies. 
  • 799
  • 04 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Family Social Support and Children’s Mental Health Resilience
The role of the parents or guardians is crucial in caring for children and seeing to it that their requirements for food, clothes, education, shelter, and protection are addressed, particularly in times of crisis. In addition to these responsibilities, if the children suffer chronic psychological disorders or mental illness, this requires additional work and duties. 
  • 768
  • 07 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Personal Independence Payment
Personal Independence Payment (abbreviated to PIP and usually pronounced as one word) is a welfare benefit in the United Kingdom that is intended to help adults with the extra costs of living with a long-term health condition or a disability. It is non-means-tested, non-contributory and tax-free; it is not linked to a person's ability to work and it is available equally to people in or out of work. It is not intended to be a substitute for a person's earnings, unlike Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or ESA's predecessor, Incapacity Benefit. Eligibility for PIP is based upon the practical effects of a condition on a person's life, rather than the condition itself. It is not currently available to children who still claim Disability Living Allowance and are invited to claim PIP from their 16th birthday; it can be claimed by adults under the State Pension age, and people already on the benefit will continue to receive it after they retire. PIP and the benefit it replaces are predominantly received by older people, because increasing age is the main risk factor for developing disabling diseases.
  • 762
  • 02 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Sociology of Architecture
The sociology of architecture explores the intersection between architectural design, the built environment, and social structures. It investigates how space and design influence and are influenced by societal behaviors, social norms, and power relations. Architecture is not merely a physical space but a social construct that reflects and shapes cultural, economic, and political realities. As such, the study of architecture in its social context is essential for understanding human behavior and societal organization in both historical and contemporary settings. Key thinkers in the field highlight how space is both a product of and a tool for social interaction and organization. Architecture affects how individuals perceive and interact with their surroundings, influencing patterns of behavior, social segregation, and community engagement.
  • 762
  • 28 Feb 2025
Topic Review
Sociology of Education
The sociology of education is a subfield of sociology that examines how educational institutions, policies, and practices shape and are shaped by social structures, cultural norms, and economic systems. It explores how education contributes to socialization, social mobility, social stratification, and the reproduction of societal inequalities. This field draws from classical sociological theories (functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism) to understand the role of education in maintaining or challenging social order. It also investigates the impact of race, class, gender, globalization, and digital technology on educational access and outcomes.
  • 757
  • 04 Mar 2025
Topic Review
SkillPages
SkillPages was a social platform for finding skilled people and had over 20 million users on the platform from over 160 countries. The CEO was Laura Shesgreen who was appointed after the company's co-founder and former CEO Iain Mac Donald stepped down unexpectedly in 2013 due to sudden illness. In December 2014, the Directors of the company sought the appointment of a provisional liquidator and said the company was for sale. On 2 February 2015, SkillPages announced that they had been purchased by London-based Bark.com. The website was available in English and Spanish. It now redirects to Bark.com. The company was based in Dublin, Ireland, with offices in Palo Alto, CA, USA, and in Singapore.
  • 744
  • 21 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Social Bonding and Nurture Kinship
Social Bonding and Nurture Kinship: Compatibility between Cultural and Biological Approaches is a book on human kinship and social behavior by Maximilian Holland, published in 2012. The work synthesizes the perspectives of evolutionary biology, psychology and sociocultural anthropology towards understanding human social bonding and cooperative behavior. It presents a theoretical treatment that many consider to have resolved longstanding questions about the proper place of genetic (or 'blood') connections in human kinship and social relations, and a synthesis that "should inspire more nuanced ventures in applying Darwinian approaches to sociocultural anthropology". The book has been called "A landmark in the field of evolutionary biology" which "gets to the heart of the matter concerning the contentious relationship between kinship categories, genetic relatedness and the prediction of behavior", "places genetic determinism in the correct perspective" and serves as "a shining example of what can be achieved when excellent scholars engage fully across disciplinary boundaries." The aim of the book is to show that "properly interpreted, cultural anthropology approaches (and ethnographic data) and biological approaches are perfectly compatible regarding processes of social bonding in humans." Holland's position is based on demonstrating that the dominant biological theory of social behavior (inclusive fitness theory) is typically misunderstood to predict that genetic ties are necessary for the expression of social behaviors, whereas in fact the theory only implicates genetic associations as necessary for the evolution of social behaviors. Whilst rigorous evolutionary biologists have long understood the distinction between these levels of analysis (see Tinbergen's four questions), past attempts to apply inclusive fitness theory to humans have often overlooked the distinction between evolution and expression. Beyond its central argument, the broader philosophical implications of Holland's work are considered by commentators to be that it both "helps to untangle a long-standing disciplinary muddle" and "clarifies the relationship between biological and sociocultural approaches to human kinship." It is claimed that the book "demonstrates that an alternative non-deterministic interpretation of evolutionary biology is more compatible with actual human social behavior and with the frameworks that sociocultural anthropology employs" and as a consequence, delivers "a convincing, solid and informed blow to the residual genetic determinism that still influences the interpretation of social behaviour."
  • 736
  • 24 Oct 2022
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