Hybrid journal * Containing 2 Open Access article(s) in this issue * ISSN (Print) 0144-333X - ISSN (Online) 1758-6720 Published by Emerald[362 journals]
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Authors:Hira Amin, Logan Cochrane, Nouf Al-Kaabi Abstract: There have been significant ruptures in family formation and dynamics in the Arabian Gulf. Scholars usually outline the following key determinants: educational reform and the labour market, particularly for women; urbanization; technology uptake; migration, and population demographics; as well as globalization general. Few studies explore the impact of rapid development on the faith and family nexus. This study is based on a bottom-up, granular approach using semi-structured, photo-voice interviews with thirty young male and female Qataris aged between 18 and 35 from diverse backgrounds. It aims to explore shifts in Qatari youth in terms of their identities, worldviews and aspirations and the role of Islam, family and society in this process. Young Qataris, along with their parents, are rethinking and reconceptualising Qatari traditions including the Islamic faith, in the context of the modern, globalising world. This includes nuanced changes, such as demarcating the boundaries between what is considered unacceptable under religious law (haram) and what is considered unacceptable in Qatari Arab customs (aib), as well as critically reflecting on sources of authority, particularly imported paradigms from the West, leading to novel – not necessarily liberal – imaginations for future pathways. The family unit is one of the key sites where this is happening. The World Values Survey labels Qatar as one of the most traditional societies in the world, marked by strong family ties and religious adherence. A qualitative perspective, however, adds depth and sheds light on the subtle and concrete signals of change. Citation: International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy PubDate: 2025-04-17 DOI: 10.1108/IJSSP-10-2024-0473 Issue No:Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2025)
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Authors:Olga Breskaya Abstract: The study aims to examine the relationship between the Parental Religious Socialization Index (PRSI) and individual autonomy concerning religious freedom, comparing the role of family agency with that of broader social networks. How does religious upbringing shape the experiences of young Nones in societies with differing secularization paths, such as Italy and Russia' To explore this question, the PRSI is introduced and tested for validity on a sample of university students (N = 1810, including 645 Nones). The findings suggest that country of origin plays a role in how Nones perceive the significance of the PRSI, with Russian Nones displaying slightly higher levels of endorsement. Regarding religious freedom, Italian Nones showed the strongest support for the freedom to choose one’s religious or non-religious identity and to speak openly about religious matters. In contrast, Russian Nones prioritized the values of human dignity, the search for individual truth and the pursuit of personal spiritual fulfillment. Additionally, for Russian Nones, the PRSI is associated with the support of the idea of human dignity as connected to religious freedom, and in the Italian case, the stronger association is found between the PRSI and frequency of worship. Social networks appear to play a more significant role than the child–parent relations in shaping more autonomous positions in religious matters in both samples. The results are discussed in comparison with groups adhering to majority religions. The results highlight certain limitations, particularly the absence of longitudinal data to track long-term trends in religious socialization and the lack of control for parents’ religious backgrounds, which could provide a more nuanced understanding of intergenerational religious shifts. Another limitation is the overrepresentation of women (more than 70% of respondents), which may influence responses on topics such as gender and religious leadership. These findings have important implications for social institutions, particularly in creating pluralistic spaces that foster the development and respect of “diverse sensibilities” and encouraging dialogue between secular and religious worldviews (Breskaya et al., 2024). In particular, religious education classrooms – where social justice, morality, respect for difference, and religious equality are central aims – play a crucial role in equipping young people with “a language to articulate their perspectives or a grammar to enter into meaningful conversation with others” (Strhan and Shillitoe, 2022, p. 271). Our study suggests that at least two key factors are crucial in addressing the research question of this study: (1) the perceived importance of child-family communication and the specific ways in which secular or religious worldviews are transmitted at home, and (2) the role of the social milieu and broader social networks in filling gaps in the formation of individual choices and autonomy in matters of religion. Current studies on Nones highlight the need for a more detailed examination of their sociodemographic, political, economic and spiritual-religious characteristics. Our research suggests that it is particularly important to explore the extent to which Nones’ choices regarding (non)religion are deliberate and autonomous, as well as the kinds of experiences they bring to young people. Our findings raise important questions about what is actually transmitted through religious upbringing – is it primarily religious family identity, a break from previous religious affiliations, or the development of individual autonomy in shaping one’s spiritual experiences and worldview' Furthermore, what role does the family play in fostering individuals – whether spiritual, religious or secular – who value personal choice and autonomy' Citation: International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy PubDate: 2025-04-15 DOI: 10.1108/IJSSP-10-2024-0510 Issue No:Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2025)
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Authors:Sonya Sharma Abstract: Sociologists of religion continue to prioritise parent–child socialisation in research on families and religion. In doing so, other kinds of family relationships that also influence faith practices can go unnoticed. I therefore propose a lateral reading of religion and intimate ties between siblings, specifically adult sisters. Research on this group is limited with much of sibling research focusing on younger cohorts. Explorations of faith and intimacy among sisters are also scant. Drawing on 23 biographical interviews with adult women who were based in the UK, identified as sisters, in a sister relationship and as a practicing Muslim or Christian, I examine intersections of faith and intimacy. I employ a feminist standpoint and lived religion approach along with conceptualisations of practices of intimacy from family sociologists to analyse adult sister experiences. Overlapping themes of religion and intimacy between sisters are discussed which reveal faith as a source of intimate connection, sisters as everyday sources of support and care, religion as part of the everyday fabric of sister relations and that sisters’ differing religious identities can offer a lens onto society’s changing relationship to religion. In offering a lateral vantage point, I foreground the co-constitutive shaping of faith and intimacy among adult sisters which contributes to sociological knowledge on families and religion. Consideration of religion and intimacy among adult sister relationships also raises important points for social policy on care especially in mid and late adulthood. Citation: International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy PubDate: 2025-04-14 DOI: 10.1108/IJSSP-09-2024-0422 Issue No:Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2025)
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Authors:Getrude Dadirai Gwenzi Abstract: Adults with care experience often struggle to make sense of their family relationships owing to adverse childhood experiences (ACES). This study analysed motifs of faith and spirituality in how care leavers made sense of the concept of “family” in their lives. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 45 adult care leavers Harare, Zimbabwe. A thematic analysis brought out recurring ideas of faith and spirituality that influenced participants’ family constructions. The Church played a functional role in care leavers’ lives providing support and care. Faith-based residential care facilities engaged in group spiritual practices, such as going to Church together, praying and worshiping together, which fall within the contemporary concept of “family practices” and allowed care leavers to view unrelated caregivers as “family” based on shared experiences. Finally having faith in God was described as an anchoring force when dealing with the hardships of adulthood in the absence of biological family and state support. These findings have implications for social policy around the role of faith-based institutions in child welfare. The investigation of the role of faith and spirituality in care-experienced lives is an emerging area of study. This study explores the role of faith and spirituality in care leavers interpersonal lives, which contributes to studies of care leavers’ personal lives. As a marginalized group of young people, their voices are crucial in informing social policy around their care after leaving public state care. Citation: International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy PubDate: 2025-01-21 DOI: 10.1108/IJSSP-09-2024-0438 Issue No:Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2025)
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Authors:Maurizio Busacca Abstract: This study examines the digitalisation of active labour market policies in Italy’s Veneto region, exploring how organisations navigate institutional pressures for digital adoption in a fragmented welfare system. A multi-site ethnographic approach was employed, involving 400 h of observation and 96 semi-structured interviews across public employment services, municipal social services, social enterprises, and for-profit organisations. Organisations exhibit varied responses to digitalisation pressures based on their institutional logics. Public employment services emerge as aligned organisations, integrating market and social welfare logics. Social enterprises represent contested organisations, grappling with conflicting demands. For-profit enterprises align with the dominant organisation type, prioritising market logic. Municipal social services exemplify estranged organisations, resisting market-driven digitalisation. The study’s focus on the Veneto region may limit generalisability to other contexts. Future research could explore comparative studies across different welfare state regimes. Findings underscore the need for a coordinated approach to welfare state digitalisation in fragmented institutional contexts, considering varied organisational responses and potential consequences for service quality and accessibility. This study contributes to the literature on institutional logics by demonstrating how fragmented institutional fields lead to heterogeneous organisational responses to digitalisation pressures. It extends understanding of the challenges in implementing digital technologies in welfare contexts, highlighting the complex interplay between institutional logics, organisational types, and technological change. Citation: International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy PubDate: 2025-01-07 DOI: 10.1108/IJSSP-10-2024-0506 Issue No:Vol. 45, No. 13/14 (2025)
Hybrid journal * Containing 2 
Open Access article(s) in this issue *
