Social Sciences

Abstract This study examines the representation of “Iranian society” in high school English textbooks in Iran. Its main goal is analysis of the thematic content of the books and evaluation of the comprehensiveness, accuracy, and diversity of the image they present of Iranian society. To this end, the subject-oriented sections (lesson illustrations, conversation topics, and reading comprehensions) of English textbooks for the first and second years of high school (six book titles) and their corresponding books in the technical and vocational schools (two book titles) were subjected to qualitative content analysis through codification based on (1) cultural diversity (diversity of values, customs, language, and the like) and (2) social diversity (differences in economic and social class). The results show that the majority of categories that could be extracted from these textbooks revolve around "education", "science", "geography and nature", "customs and traditions", and "tourism and cultural heritage", and "Iranian society" (with its cultural and social variety, diversity and multiplicity) is rarely represented in them. Based on the findings of this study, it is suggested that the content of high school English textbooks be revised and improved with a multifaceted approach, diversification of images and narratives, and the use of modern educational technologies.

Abstract تکنولوژی های دیجیتال به مثابه پیشران هایی برای تحولات اجتماعی و فرهنگی بر آرایش و روابط نسلها و پیوندهای آنها با یکدیگر تاثیر گذار بوده و چشم انداز تازه ای را در نظم عاطفی، اخلاقی و شناختی کاربران خویش ایجاد می کنند. مقاله حاضر با اتکا به پیمایش های ملی و مرور پژوهش های کمی و کیفی موجود به تحلیلی از نگرش ها و رفتارهای نسل های مختلف در ایران نسبت به این فناوری ها می پردازد. نتایج نشان می دهد که دسترسی های نابرابری و شکاف های دیجیتال اگر چه در سطح درون خانوادگی تنش های جدی در مناسبات خانوادگی پدید نیاورده اند، با اینحال در سطح کلان و ساختاری زمینه تقویت و بازتولید شکاف های اجتماعی و سیاسی و فرهنگی را ایجاد می کنند. پوشش حداکثری و عادلانه دیجیتال، استفاده ار ظرفیت های خانوادگی و اجتماع محلی برای آموزش و تقویت سواد دیجیتال و آموزش های اجتماع محور از جمله توصیه های سیاستی برای رفع چالش های فوق هستند

Abstract A career plateau refers to an individual’s career path where the likelihood of further advancement within the organizational hierarchy becomes minimal. This study examines the simultaneous impact of various dimensions of career plateau (structural, content, and inclusive) on job satisfaction among Cooperative, Labor, and Social Welfare department employees in Isfahan Province. This research is applied in terms of its objective and descriptive survey in terms of its methodology. The statistical population includes all Cooperative, Labor, and Social Welfare department employees in the province in 2021, totaling 529 individuals, with a sample size of 223. Data collection was conducted using a standardized questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. The validity of the questionnaire was assessed in terms of content and construct. Its reliability was calculated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the variables of structural, inclusive, and content plateau, and job satisfaction, at 89%, 78%, 82%, and 71%, respectively. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS statistical software. The results indicate that the simultaneous effect of the dimensions of career plateau on reducing job satisfaction is significant. Ultimately, the study suggests that employees’ job satisfaction levels can be significantly enhanced by mitigating career plateau conditions.

Abstract Given its geopolitical position, Iran has been one of the primary hubs of migratory movements worldwide over the past several decades. According to estimates by the Ministry of Interior, more than six million foreign nationals currently reside in the country. The present study aims to examine the status of social integration among foreign nationals in Iran and the factors influencing it. Utilizing a survey research design and drawing on the theoretical framework of Ager and Strang, the study’s target population consisted of all foreign migrants aged 18 and above residing in Iran. Accordingly, 3,545 individuals were selected as respondents. The findings indicate that, structurally, migrants’ average levels of access to citizen-oriented tools and services (healthcare, education, and employment) were 44.8 out of 100; social bonds, bridges, and links scored 59.6; facilitators (language proficiency, familiarity with customs, traditions, and culture, and a sense of security and stability) scored 79.2; and observance of citizen rights and responsibilities averaged 69.15. Regression analysis shows that the independent variables collectively predict 45% of the variance in the dependent variable, and that observance of citizenship rights (β = 0.498) exerts the strongest effect on the dependent variable.

Abstract In modern welfare systems, although the government holds the primary responsibility for ensuring well-being, it is sometimes unable to cover all layers of poverty, particularly during economic crises. In this context, charitable institutions act as "complementary" entities, covering groups that remain unsupported by the government.. However, their major challenge lies in resource limitations and the necessity of optimally allocating these resources to the neediest individuals. The present research, adopting a practical approach, introduces a new quantitative model to address this challenge. This method is based on the integration of multi-criteria techniques and was implemented on households covered by the Relief Committee in Golbahar city, with data collected from 150 households. In this model, a combination of SWARA and WASPAS methods has been used to identify factors and rank households; specifically, "SWARA" was used for weighting indicators, and "WASPAS" was employed for the final ranking. The results indicate that "low income level," "employment status of household members," and "family size," with weights of 0.110, 0.101, and 0.093 respectively, are the most critical indicators of food security. Unlike traditional methods, this model facilitates targeted intervention by accurately identifying high-risk households.

Abstract The present study investigated the mediating role of conditional self-esteem in the relationship between parental acceptance-rejection and students' tendency to risky behaviors. The participants in this study were 283 undergraduate students of Shiraz University who were selected through multi-stage random cluster sampling and responded to the Iranian Adolescent Risk-taking, Parental Acceptance-Rejection, and Conditional Self-Esteem Questionnaires. The reliability and validity of the instruments were verified using Cronbach's alpha coefficient and confirmatory factor analysis. Structural equation modeling with bootstrap test was used to analyze the data in AMOS version 24. The results indicated a good fit of the model. The findings from examining the research hypotheses showed that parental acceptance-rejection does not have a direct significant effect on risky behaviors, but it directly and positively predicts conditional self-esteem. The results of the bootstrap test indicated a complete mediating role of conditional self-esteem in the relationship between parental acceptance-rejection and students' tendency to risky behaviors. Therefore, the results show that the family, as one of the most important institutions of socialization, not directly but through the reproduction of beliefs related to social approval, social comparison, or self-esteem in children, creates the basis for their tendency towards risky behaviors.

Abstract This article examines the limitations of variable-based approaches to the analysis of complex and contextual phenomena by rethinking the logic of causality in the social sciences. Variable-based approaches define causality primarily in terms of correlations or statistical effects between variables and consider it to be linear, symmetric, and largely probabilistic, which limits the ability to answer “under what conditions” questions. In contrast, set-based causality logic, by focusing on necessary and sufficient relationships, allows for the analysis of causal combinations, multipaths, and asymmetries of relationships. By recognizing empirical heterogeneity and being sensitive to degree differences between cases, this logic strengthens the link between theory, conceptualization, and empirical analysis. The FsQCA framework is introduced as an operational formulation of this logic that uses fuzzy sets to enable the simultaneous analysis of necessary conditions and sufficient combinations. However, its successful application requires a clear theoretical framework, precise conceptual calibration, and correct definition of sets. The paper shows that the transition from linear to mixed causality has important implications for research questions, generalizability, and explanatory validity, and can lead to the production of more realistic and theoretically richer explanations in social research.