Global Impact Journal: Sociology & Anthropology

Ambivalence, universality, and collectives—Three questions for recognition theory

Onni Hirvonen — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This text outlines three interlinked questions for contemporary recognition theory: (a) the question of ambivalence, (b) the question of universality/historicity, and (c) the question of collective recognition. It is argued that all the questions present “forks” in the theoretical road, providing two or more distinct pathways forward. Different responses to these questions lead to three distinct approaches to recognition theory and, consequently, three different interpretations of recognition theory as a critical theory: (1) an anthropologically grounded universal theory of recognition; (2) an institutionally mediated universal theory of recognition; or (3) a localized and historicized theory of recognition. The article concludes that a deeper analysis of the institutional mediation of recognition and recognition institutions is required to clarify the differences between the available positions and to enable informed choices to be made between them.

Geneticization in the genomic era: a scoping review of ethical, clinical, and sociocultural transformations

Safa Shaheen, Mohammed Ghaly — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Geneticization is a concept originally introduced by Abby Lippman to critique the growing dominance of genetic explanations in health, identity, and society. Over the decades, the notion of geneticization has undergone significant development across various academic fields including sociology, bioethics, clinical medicine, and cultural studies, highlighting its broad relevance and impact on multiple areas of research. We conducted a scoping review of 25 peer-reviewed studies from 2011 and 2024, to investigate how the concept has been taken up, redefined, and challenged across multiple disciplines. Guided by two central research questions: (1) What are the prevailing themes surrounding geneticization in recent scholarship?and (2) To what extent do Lippman’s original concerns remain relevant? the review synthesizes insights from these studies, categorizing them across sociological, clinical, and ethical dimensions. Findings reveal a shift from deterministic framings toward more complex understandings, such as enlightened geneticization, biosociality, and biological citizenship, which highlight individuals’ agency in interpreting genetic information. At the same time, the review identifies ongoing risks of genetic reductionism in areas such as race, identity, reproduction, and education. The results underscore that while the term “geneticization” has evolved in both use and meaning, it remains a critical analytical lens for evaluating the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of genetic technologies. The review concludes by emphasizing the continued relevance of interdisciplinary inquiry and ethical vigilance in the genomic era.

From housing to home and belonging: structural violence, ontological (in)security and women’s mental health

Mon, 04 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Women’s mental health is profoundly shaped by structural violence through housing, which impacts their experience of home and sense of belonging. This Perspective advances an integrative sociological framework across a continuum from the most concrete manifestation of shelter (housing) through symbolic representations of home, to the psychological experience of belonging to a place. We synthesize evidence for relationships between unstable, unsafe housing, abusive homes, social dislocation, and mental ill-health. Drawing on interdisciplinary scholarship, we specify how housing insecurity erodes community, relationships, and safety, generating ontological insecurity that amplifies vulnerability to interpersonal violence. We show that these dynamics are bidirectional: mental health conditions can impede access to resources and secure housing, reinforcing insecurity, while housing adversity is associated with worsened mental health. An intersectional lens reveals that minoritised women experience compounded harm through migration status, precarity, and policy regimes that limit protection and support. Our framework connects macro-level structures (national and international policy), meso-level institutions (welfare, health, and housing services), and micro-level lived experience, demonstrating how structural conditions become embodied as mental health symptoms. This Perspective situates ontological (in)security as central to the relationships between shelter, place, and women’s mental health, identifying actionable leverage points for change. We argue for gender-sensitive, integrated interventions that expand access to safe, stable housing, co-locate mental healthcare with rights-based and anti-discrimination services, and address feedback loops between shelter, place, and mental health. By foregrounding housing as a key conduit of structural violence, this Perspective advances sociological understanding of how belonging and mental health are co-constituted and offers directions for research and policy to improve women’s health and flourishing.

Regulated religion, fading belief: how Indonesians’ religiosity has quietly changed, 2000–2020

Amika Wardana — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Indonesia is a majority Muslim country with a significant influence of religion in public and private life. Islam, alongside the five others officially recognized religions, serves as a crucial moral foundation within the country’s diverse cultural and governmental frameworks. However, the role of religion has been subject to debate over the years up to the recent politico-religious polarization observed during the last three presidential elections (2014, 2019, and 2024). Drawing from contemporary secularization theory, this study aims to explore the continuity and change in the societal role of religion in Indonesia over the past two decades. It tests the potential decline of religiosity among the populace amidst the continuing strong state’s regulation on religion in the country. The study collects and analyzes secondary data from Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS or the Office of Indonesian National Statistics) and the World Values Survey to investigate continuities and shifts in religious adherence and affiliation, levels of socio-religious participation, and individual religiosity—including belief in God and frequency of daily or weekly prayer. The findings indicate that religious adherence and affiliation remain relatively high, coupled with a decent level of socio-religious participation. However, there is a decline in personal religious belief among the population. The contradiction between those three forms of religiosity—affiliation, participation and belief—might suggest an early stage of long-term secularization. In the last two decades, religion is often viewed as a formal identity marker in Indonesian public life, with more nuanced correlation to individuals’ personal religious beliefs and practices.

The health system and women experiencing violence: the dedicated pathway in Emergency Departments in Italy and the experience in the city of Rome

Francesca Proia, Alice Marta Mauri — Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Violence against women (VAW) is a global public health problem and the health sector has an especially important role to play, considering the serious health risks faced by women. Women who experience violence are, more than others, at risk of acute and chronic health problems, as well as premature death. Medical services—especially Emergency Departments (EDs)—play a crucial role in a system that aims to intercept VAW at an early stage and guarantee women’s fundamental rights. In 2017, Italy approved National Guidelines for healthcare and Hospital Organizations on emergency and socio-healthcare assistance for women experiencing violence. World Health Organization (WHO) and national policy guidelines state that healthcare providers must develop integrated and multidimensional responses to intervene in cases of violence. The study aims to draw attention to the implementation of the guidelines because of two reasons. The first one is that no systematic assessment has yet been conducted to determine how effectively they are being applied. The second one is about how an integrated and multidimensional response can be developed in a complex setting such as an EDs to support women experiencing violence. The ongoing research makes use of desk and field research. Regarding the desk analysis, the study used technical reports and scientific literature to reconstruct the origins, characteristics and goals of national guidelines. The field research was conducted in Rome, because of its historical significance as one of the longest-running experiences of this kind in Italy. The case was studied by analyzing documentation and conducting field interviews with three anti-violence association referees present in the EDs and by visiting their EDs workplaces. This contribution presents selected findings. Specifically, it: outlines the objectives of the National Guidelines; reconstructs the heterogeneity of organizations operating in the city of Rome; examines three experiences of healthcare services that host anti-violence practitioners; highlights critical issues in the implementation of integrated and sustainable measures; emphasizes the need for stronger engagement by regional and hospital authorities to ensure that the Guidelines can fulfill their potential within broader policies to combat male violence against women.