bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spontaan respons onderzoek: staal zonder waarde?: over de valkuilen en mogelijkheden van spontaan respons onderzoek als beleidsinstrument
Authors: Glorieux Ignace , Moens Maarten , Van Thielen Leen
Published: May 2023

Surveys published by magazines, newspapers, internet, ... collect the opinions of people that respond spontaneously (Spontaneous Response Research). Because this way a large number of people can be reached, it is easily assumed that the gathered image from these surveys is reliable and representative. Being a cheap and easy method – especially through internet surveys – Spontaneous Response Research has been applied and quoted more and more by journalists and policy-makers. In this contribution we examine the value of Spontaneous Response Research. We analyze and compare the answers given to identical questions from two studies on ‘Mobility’ – one based on spontaneous response, the other on a sample taken at random – and analyze the difference in composition of respondents. Our analyses indicate that it is incorrect to consider the answers of Spontaneous Response Research as representative and to generalize them. At the end of this contribution we show how research based on spontaneous response, given that it is used and interpreted correctly, can still be valuable as a policy instrument.
Ongelijkheid in sterfte: een studie naar de impact van burgerlijke staat op mortaliteit in het negentiende-eeuwse Leuven
Authors: Maes Liesbet
Published: May 2023

This research attempted to improve the understanding of mortality differences according to marital status by studying this inequality in a time span different from the twentieth century. After a study of contemporary literature, survival analysis was used to compare the hazard of dying for unmarried and widowed men in nineteenth-century Leuven with that hazard for married men. Also the impact of remarriage on mortality was investigated. It showed that married and unmarried men did not significantly differ with regard to their hazard to die. On the contrary, the death of a spouse significantly increased that hazard, even after remarriage. This confirmed the hypothesis that mortality differences according to marital status are due to the health-undermining outcomes of experiencing the end of a marriage. Furthermore, these results emphasize the importance to distinguish between first and later marriage in research concerning the impact of marital status on mortality, which is currently under-investigated.
Sociaal kapitaal in heterogene gemeenten: een studie naar de relatie tussen een heterogene bevolkingssamen-stelling en het sociaal kapitaal in Vlaamse gemeenten
Authors: Coffé Hilde , Geys Benny
Published: May 2023

A growing body of research alludes to the beneficial effects of social capital on political, social and economic performance. This naturally provokes the question what factors promote (or block) the emergence of this constructive force. In this paper, we focus on the link between community heterogeneity (measured by both diversity in income levels and nationalities) and social capital using an extensive dataset of macro-level variables for 307 Flemish municipalities. Our results show that, after controlling for various socio-economic characteristics of the municipality, income inequality is not significantly correlated with the municipality’s level of social capital. However, we do find a significant negative relation between the level of social capital and the number of nationalities within a municipality. In accordance with previous international findings, municipalities with large groups of differing nationalities among its citizenry are confronted with lower levels of social capital.
De idee van emergentie in de sociologie: perspectieven en problemen
Authors: Van Bouwel Jeroen
Published: May 2023

Recently the philosophical concept of emergence has been used in sociology to understand and defend social causation and nonreductive individualism (e.g. Sawyer 2001; 2003; and 2005). In this paper, I want to analyse how the concept of emergence helps us illuminating the individual-collective relation in sociology, paying attention to the analogies with philosophy of mind. I start with some examples of the (problematic) use of emergence in sociology. Subsequently, some questions will be raised about Keith Sawyer’s analysis of the use of emergence and his defence of sociological explanation. Therefore, it will be important to distinguish ontological from epistemological emergence. Where Sawyer focuses on ontological emergence, I will argue that sociological explanation might better be defended by putting emphasis on pragmatic aspects of explanation (cf. Van Bouwel 2004; Van Bouwel and Weber 2002) and considering emergence as an epistemological category.
Causaliteit in kwalitatief en kwantitatief onderzoek
Authors: Tacq Jacques
Published: May 2023

We are flooded with a wave of writings on causality in the social sciences during the last decades. The same holds for the relationship between quantitative and qualitative research in the social sciences. These writings induced us to develop the thesis of “unity in diversity”, i.e., that there is no difference “in principle” between causality in qualitative and quantitative research, because both are supported by what I will call an “experimental logic”. In developing this thesis a plea is being made for going back to the sources. A historical overview of theories of causality is presented, and also of the opposition between quantitative and qualitative research. After this, the same is being done for the recent literature: “mixed methods research”, the book DSI of KKV, the reactions of David Collier and “QCA” of Charles Ragin. At the end the question of small-n research and the case n = 1 is examined.
De invloed van micro-economische opportuniteitskosten op de timing van het eerste kind
Authors: Jansen Mieke
Published: May 2023

In the past years women have postponed the birth of their first child. In spite of major societal as well as individual consequences of this postponement, re¬ search into the determinants of the timing of the first child in Belgium is rather rare. This article focuses on the influence of micro-economic factors like the income out of labour, career opportunities and career investments of Bel¬gian employed women in the nineties. The results of the hazard rate analysis show firstly an increased first birth risk for women who earn less than 500 euros a month compared to women who earn more than 500 euros. Secondly, highly educated women who have considerable career perspectives seem to postpone the birth of their first child until they acquire a certain level of job security. These results indicate that the opportunity costs add to the decision whether and when to have a first child.
Europeanen en hun migratie-intenties: een vergelijking tussen Oude en Nieuwe Lidstaten
Authors: Ester Peter , Fouarge Didier
Published: May 2023

This article investigates the main determinants and correlates of migration intentions of Europeans. It deals with the impact of past migration on future intended migration, a comparison of migration intentions in the Old and New EU Member States, and the main barriers and triggers to cross-border mobility within Europe. The article contributes to our understanding of the costs to migration that Europeans perceive when making a migration decision. The analyses are based on the 2005 Eurobarometer Mobility Survey conducted in 25 European Member States, the most comprehensive and recent Europe-wide survey on migration intentions. The intention to migrate appears to be strongly linked to past migration behavior. Migration intentions are higher in New Member States although the variation within these states is substantial. Labour market opportunities are an important motive for migration. Existing social ties and socio-cultural singularities are major barriers to migration – though less so for people from the New Member States. From a sociological perspective migration intentions are ‘bounded intentions’, i.e. embedded in a plurality of competing pro’s and cons.
Arbeidsmigratie naar Europa: een economische verklaring van migratiestromen, 1980-2004
Authors: Meuleman Bart , Reeskens Tim , Trappers Ann , Hooghe Marc
Published: May 2023

In this article we try to explain the influx of labour migrants in 17 European countries over the 1980-2004 period, using OECD data on the number of work permits issued yearly. These data show strong differences between countries, but also a steady increase in labour migration throughout Europe. The basic research question is whether economic push-pull theories can be used to explain these patterns. Unemployment figures are shown to have a significant impact on the number of work permits issued. There is no relation, however, with economic growth, high wages or social expenditure. In our conclusion, we offer some suggestions on how we could interpret this strong relation.
Autochtone en allochtone Belgen over nieuwe migranten en mensen zonder wettig verblijf: een kwalitatief onderzoek in Vlaanderen en Brussel
Authors: Devillé Aleidis , Swyngedouw Marc , Jaspaert Eva
Published: May 2023

While Belgium is still trying to come to terms with the presence of migrant workers and their families, it is confronted today with a growing and uncontrollable international migration from all over the world. Meuleman and Billiet (2003) were among the first to study the attitude of the autochthonous population towards these new immigrants. They characterized this attitude as a ‘diffuse ethnocentrism’. In the qualitative study of semi-structured interviews presented here we analyze this phenomenon with Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). We find a diffuse ethnocentrism in the attitude of unskilled and semi-skilled autochthones. Highly-skilled respondents however do make a distinction between migrant workers and new immigrants. This picture is even more striking in the interviews with unskilled and semi-skilled immigrants, who state that the new immigrants give ‘old immigrants’ a bad image. It is furthermore remarkable that the attitude of highly-skilled autochthonous respondents towards the various groups of immigrants hardly differs from the attitude of highly-skilled immigrant respondents.
Socio-economische uitkomsten voor migranten in verschillende welvaartsregimes
Authors: Morissens Ann
Published: May 2023

Immigrants’ precarious labour market situation has received attention from academic scholars and policy makers alike. As a consequence of their weak labour market attachment, immigrants are more likely to be dependent on public transfers in order to be able to achieve a decent standard of living. This dependency on transfers has also raised concern amongst policy makers, who increasingly started promoting policy measures to push immigrants into the labour market. These policies are often accompanied by a lowering of certain benefits, aimed at increasing the incentives to work. This article addresses immigrants’ and ethnic minorities’ labour market and income situation in three countries: Denmark, Germany and the United Kingdom. These countries are characterized by different welfare and labour market institutions; a comparative approach allows to see whether there are important differences between the countries. The results show a considerable employment gap between immigrants and non-immigrants in all three countries. Results of the logistic regression indicate that having an immigrant background decreases the probability of being employed. None of the welfare regimes is successful in offering immigrants equal labour market opportunities compared to natives. The same holds for poverty, migrants face a bigger risk to be poor than natives.
De rol van welvaartsstaten en professies in de Vlaams-Nederlandse verschillen in de organisatie van de zorg voor moeder en kind
Authors: Christiaens Wendy
Published: May 2023

The Netherlands are well-known for their high percentage of home deliveries and low medical intervention rates. In Flanders home deliveries are rare and maternity care is dominated by the biomedical discourse. By combining insights from the cross-national analysis of welfare states with medical sociology and the sociology of professions, we explore the diverging social forces causing these Flemish-Dutch differences in the organisation of formal and informal care. The cross-national differences are the result of the diverging professionalisation trajectories of the Flemish and Dutch midwives, and the family policies of the Belgian and Dutch welfare states. In Flanders defamilialising family policies complement the medicalisation of maternity care through the formalisation of care. In addition, the professionalisation of the medical profession, but not midwives, has been supported. The Netherlands are characterised by the ambivalent co-presence of familialising and defamilialising structures in parental care, and the social and medical model regarding maternity care. The social model is supported by the semi-professionalisation of Dutch midwives.
Mensen met een handicap: over medicalisering en sociologisering
Authors: Desnerck Greetje , Bosteels Sigrid , Hardonk Stefan
Published: May 2023

In recent decades a rich debate has evolved in the academic field of disability studies. In literature, arguments for different theoretical approaches have been put forward. Two distinctive models can be identified: the individual model and the social model. Individual models are characterized by explanation of disability within the individual; the medical model being a typical example. Activists inside and outside the academic world have criticized considerably the medicalisation on disability and as a reaction developed a social model. Social models tend to emphasize macro-sociological factors as explanations for disability. Nevertheless the reasoning of disability as social construction or social creation is also open to criticism. In this article we advocate an eclectic-integrated approach of disability in research and practice.
Het subjectief welbevinden van Vlaamse rusthuisbewoners
Authors: Bronselaer Jeroen , Callens Marc , Vanden Boer Lut
Published: May 2023

This article explores the relative impact of both individual and organisational factors on the subjective well-being of non-demented rest and nursing home residents. A Probability Proportional to Size random sample of Flemish rest and nursing homes (n = 86) and residents (n = 397) in 2004 was used. The main research question is: which organizational factors have an impact on the subjective well-being of the residents after controlling for individual factors? This article contributes to our understanding by taking into account factors (such as the degree of collaboration of rest and nursing homes) that are given less attention by the existing research literature based on the socio-ecological framework of Moos & Lemke. Using multilevel regression techniques we found that the effect of individual-level factors such as feelings of loneliness and subjective health experience dominate facility-level effects such as staff to resident ratio and the number of external collaborators for client referral.
Hoe zwaar weegt de mantel?: determinanten van de ervaren zorgbelasting bij Vlaamse mantelzorgers
Authors: De Koker Benedicte , Jacobs Thérèse
Published: May 2023

Providing informal care may be perceived as a considerable burden by the caregiver and result in mental and physical health problems. This article focuses on the perceived care burden of informal carers (N = 1816) of a severely disabled person, making use of data of the postal survey “Informal care in Flanders”. Based on the stress-appraisal model of Yates, Tennstedt & Chang (1999) and role theory, 4 types of determinants are being discerned: the intensity of caregiving, resources and other roles of the informal carer, and background- and contextvariables. Results show that women and carers of a spouse or child feel more burdened, as well as carers providing more intensive care and persons who report a lower relationship quality with the care receiver. Help received with caregiving and other roles of the informal carers have only a minor influence and show mixed results.
De impact van het publieke antiretrovirale programma op de fysieke en emotionele levenskwaliteit van HIV/AIDS-patiënten in Zuid-Afrika
Authors: Wouters Edwin
Published: May 2023

This study attempted to assess the relationship between short and medium term public sector ART and both physical and emotional health outcomes in the Free State province of South Africa. The first model examined the effects of less than six months of ART on both physical and emotional QoL and of physical QoL on emotional QoL, while controlling for the possibly perturbing influences of inequitable ART distribution. The second model assessed the effects of the next six months of ART by comparing the physical en emotional QoL of patients at baseline and follow-up. First, the findings demonstrate the positive physical and emotional health outcomes of the first six months of ART in the Free State, South Africa. The study suggests that the poorest of the poor are not the first beneficiaries of the public programme. Second, the results show no additional positive effect of the subsequent six months of ART on the emotional and physical QoL of patients.
De invloed van karakteristieken op buurtniveau op de deelname aan borstkankerscreening in de stad Antwerpen
Authors: Van Hal Guido , Rotthier Pieter , Van Roosbroeck Sofie , Dierckx Elke , Michiels Anneleen , Weyler Joost
Published: May 2023

In this article, we explore the relationship between participating at the breast cancer screening programme in the city of Antwerp and the socio-economic status of the neighbourhood the women reside in. To this end, social and demographic characteristics that might explain the variance in the participation rate were listed. A logistic multilevel analysis was performed. In general, 13,415 women (37.8%) took part in the screening programme in Antwerp. The difference in participation rate of women living in privileged and underprivileged areas is 9.3%. The neighbourhoods are defined as statistical sectors. Statistical sectors with a high percentage people above 65 years and couples with children tend to have a higher attendance, whereas the percentage of foreigners has a negative influence. There is a need to discover the specific causes of the lower participation rate in the underprivileged areas and how one can cope with this problem. Further research is also needed where the assessment of the socio-economic status is concerned.
Inkomensongelijkheid en woonuitgaven in Vlaanderen en Nederland
Authors: Heylen Kristof , Haffner Marietta
Published: May 2023

In this study we concentrate on the effect of the housing situation on income inequality, for Flanders and the Netherlands in the year 2005/6. We analyze the income inequality using the disposable household income before and after housing expenses. The most important conclusion is that the income inequality increases in both ‘countries’ when the equivalent disposable income is corrected for housing expenditure. With regard to the subsidy mechanisms, the role of the housing allowance system in the Netherlands is remarkable. The housing allowance is generally granted to the lower incomes on the rental market and keeps the increase in equality after deduction of housing expenses relatively small in the Netherlands compared to Flanders. The fiscal advantage of a mortgage loan is – due to characteristics of the fiscal system – generally higher for owner-occupiers (with a mortgage) with higher incomes and increases general income inequality.
Etniciteit: op het lijf geschreven?: etnische patronen in gezondheid: een conceptueel model
Authors: Vandenheede Hadewijck
Published: May 2023

Ethnic health differentials are documented extensively. In this article we focus on the one hand on the question of the deep-rooted causes of these ethnic differences in health; on the other hand on the question of the intermediary mechanisms. The structural causes of ethnic differences in health are grounded in the socio-economic/political context and in social stratification. With regard to the intermediary mechanisms, we discern for important processes - biological, cultural, socio-economic and identification processes -, which may contribute to health through specific determinants. Next to this situational analysis of the association between ethnicity and health, we also draw attention to the importance of migration. We argue that migration from less to more industrialized countries is a sweeping social event that may influence health. We conclude this article with an example of research on ethnic differences in health, namely on type 2 diabetes in Belgians of Turkish and Moroccan origin.
Racisme van leerkrachten in de klas: een exploratief onderzoek naar de betekenis en perceptie van racisme bij leerkrachten door hun autochtone en allochtone leerlingen
Authors: Stevens Peter A.J.
Published: May 2023

This study uses ethnographic data collected in a Flemish (Belgian) secondary, multicultural technical and vocational education school, to investigate how, to what extent and why students perceive their teachers to be racist. The analysis suggests that students have relatively little experience of teacher racism. Using a Symbolic Interactionist framework, this study shows that students will define particular attitudes and social actions of their teachers as indicative of teacher racism. Differences between students in their perceptions of teachers as racist seem to be informed by the interactions between students and teachers and the particular meaning attached to teachers’ attitudes and social actions in particular contexts. The conclusions discuss the implications of this study for future research on racism in (educational) organizations and social policy.
Van clubhuis naar gironummer?: Giro-activisme en sociaal kapitaal in Vlaanderen
Authors: Van den Bosch Dries
Published: May 2023

A core issue in the social-scientific debate on the (alleged) decline of social capital in present-day societies, relates to the organizational transformation from ‘secondary associations’ to ‘tertiary organizations’, and the concomitant shift from active to passive modes of involvement, such as cheque-book activism. Recently, research on newly emerging forms of participation, and their impact on social capital, has been increasing. However, as yet, cheque-book activism has received scant attention. This article aims to fill this gap on the basis of population data from Flanders (Belgium). It explores empirically the prevalence of cheque-book activism in Flanders, and examines its relative effect on social capital as compared to other forms of participation. The research findings reveal that cheque-book activism is a broadly practiced phenomenon, and that it has a positive impact on social capital. As a result, a revision of the classic social capital thesis may be warranted.
Europese studentenmobiliteit als hefboom voor Europese identiteitsvorming?
Authors: Van Mol Christof , Wauters Joris
Published: May 2023

Since the introduction of the Erasmus programme in 1987, student mobility has become more visible. One underlying rationale of Erasmus and other international exchange programmes is the promotion of a European feeling of identity. In this article, the authors study the influence of European student mobility on European identity using a mixed-method approach. The quantitative part consists of an online survey, conducted among students at ten universities in seven countries, at the end of the 2008-2009 academic year. The qualitative part consists of 32 semi structured in-depth interviews and four focus group discussions, conducted with students at four European universities. The analysis shows that a study period abroad influences the development of an “experience-based Europe”. This experience of Europe adds a social dimension to the political and cultural definition of the term, and is the result of socialisation processes that are characterised by internal and external identity observations.
Oost-West mobiliteit en de bestuurlijke europeanisering van steden: een vergelijkende studie van de cases Gent en Rotterdam
Authors: Van Puymbroeck Nicolas , Van De Pol Sanne , Oosterlynck Stijn
Published: May 2023

Little research has examined the Europeanization of urban governance. This article seeks to plug this gap in the literature by comparing the political reactions of the cities of Ghent and Rotterdam with regard to East-West mobility. We focus on two dimensions of the Europeanization of urban governance, namely (1) the impact of European integration on the urban policy agenda and (2) the development of urban policy strategies on a European scale. Although Ghent and Rotterdam have both experienced an increase of East-European newcomers, the urban governance process shows important distinctions. Whereas the growth of East-West mobility aroused debate about Ghent’s self-proclaimed progressive policy culture, Rotterdam’s reaction verged on the limitations of lawful intervention. The article concludes that the Europeanization of urban governance does not necessarily lead to mutual convergence, but is dependent on the interplay of the national/ regional context, the urban political culture and the strategies of urban actors.
Zichtbare politiek als voorwaarde voor een Europese publieke ruimte
Authors: Rummens Stefan , Geenens Raf , Van Hecke Steven
Published: May 2023

In the debate around the possible development of a European public sphere, three different approaches can be distinguished. The ‘sceptical’ approach argues that a European public sphere is neither feasible nor desirable in the absence of a strongly developed collective identity at the European level. The ‘functionalist’ approach believes in the development of a decentralised European public sphere consisting of a series of ‘issue publics’ complementing and supporting the current European governance structures. We argue, however, in favour of a third, ‘political’ approach which advocates the further politicisation of European policy-making as a prerequisite for the formation of a sufficiently integrated, transnational European public sphere. Further politicisation would not only increase the quality of European decision-making, it would also, for the first time, allow European citizens to identify the European Union as a political project in which they can collectively shape their common future.
De meting van armoede in de Europese Unie: een pleidooi voor de ontwikkeling van Europese referentiebudgetten
Authors: Storms Bérénice , Goedemé Tim , Van den Bosch Karel
Published: May 2023

Enlargement of the European Union to the less prosperous countries of Eastern Europe has invigorated the debate about the accurate measurement of poverty. Even though there is agreement that poverty indicators should somehow take account of the social context, there is much discussion of the extent to which poverty indicators should be relative (i.e. dependent on the social context). The compound indicator of poverty and social exclusion which is used in the new Europe 2020 Strategy consists of one sub-indicator using national poverty lines and another one which adheres to a single European poverty line. As a result, the number and distribution of the poor differs markedly with each sub-indicator. Although each sub-indicator has both academic merit and political importance, we believe that reference budgets may offer important additional information on the cross-national variation in the minimum income needed to participate fully in society. Moreover, poverty lines based on reference budgets can suggest ways to reduce poverty. The main disadvantage of the European reference budgets currently used is that they are difficult to compare. In this article we outline how to move forward towards cross-country comparable reference budgets, listing the main points of discussion in order to develop the essential common theoretical framework and methodology.
Regionale gezinsculturen en kinderopvang door grootouders in Europa
Authors: Jappens Maaike , Van Bavel Jan
Published: May 2023

Europe is characterized by international and regional diversity in family life. Using the second wave of the European Social Survey, this paper scores subnational regions of 23 European countries according to three dimensions of family culture. We construct regional indicators and use them in a multilevel analysis of the use of grandparents as the main source of child care by European mothers. Results clearly show that the reliance on grandparental child care is subject not only to characteristics of mothers and the supply of formal child care, but cultural attitudes prevalent in the region where mothers live also have an impact. We find that, rather than individual mothers’ attitudes, it is the regional cultural climate that matters.
Welke rol speelt alimentatie in het arbeidsaanbod van gescheiden vrouwen?
Authors: Vanderheyden Griet , Mortelmans Dimitri
Published: May 2023

During recent decades women participate in large numbers in the labour market, but nevertheless significant gender differences in labour participation still exist. In case of marriage dissolution, women experience a disproportionate decline in income compared to men. To cope with this financial deterioration, women can employ certain strategies, of which labour is an important example. In this article we focus on the effect alimony and child support have on women’s labour supply after experiencing a divorce. According to labour economics and the eco¬ nomic need hypothesis, we expect a negative (income) effect from alimony on labour. Child support creates an income and a substitution effect, so the direction of the effect on labour is a priori unknown. Results based on data from ‘Divorce in Flanders’ show that the hypotheses are partially supported. The combination of alimony and child support does indeed decline women's labour supply after divorce. This implies an increased dependence upon the ex-spouse.
Overeenkomsten tussen Nederlandse gedetineerden en hun partners op het gebied van demografische, sociaaleconomische en criminele kenmerken
Authors: de Goede Susanne , Nieuwbeerta Paul , Van der Lippe Tanja , Dirkzwager Anja , Reef Joni
Published: May 2023

This research note is about a very specific group of (marital) partners in our so¬ ciety: prisoners and their partners. The aim is to investigate to what extend there is a resemblance between detainees and their partners. Data from the Prison Project from 2011 on 1.909 detainees and their partners was used. To examine the resemblance between detainees and their partners, odds ratios were estimat¬ ed using logistic regression models. Detainees and their partners resemble each other greatly on demographic, social economic, and criminal characteristics. In contrast to what was expected, cohabiting and married couples only resemble each other more than dating couples on a few characteristics and couples of whom both partners have committed crimes do not resemble each other more than couples of whom the non-detained partner has never committed a crime.
Ouderenmis(be)handeling in België: de rol van de leefomgeving in de prevalentie van mis(be)handeling bij oudere vrouwen
Authors: Delcourt Sofie , De Donder Liesbeth , Verté Dominique
Published: May 2023

This research examines the relation between different social components of the neighbourhood and the prevalence of elder abuse. Data (N = 436) were derived from an European study on quality of life of older women. The results demon¬ strate that 32% of the respondents experienced r abuse in the previous year. Emotional abuse occurred the most. Moreover, almost 5 % of the older women was victim of several situations of elder abuse, each occurring at a very frequent base. Futhermore, this research underlines different significant relations between environmental components and elder abuse. Depending on each type of abuse, different components are important. In the discussion, we give attention to the prevention and treatment of mistreatment of the elderly and highlight different paths for further research. Active anticipation on the social environment for de¬ veloping intervention strategies is recommended.
Kinderen van God?: de rol van generatie, discriminatie en religieuze context voor de religie van migranten in Europa
Authors: Van der Bracht Koen
Published: May 2023

This article argues for an intergenerational perspective on migrant religiosity. Social integration theory is used to derive the hypothesis that second generation immigrants are less religious than the first generation. Perceived discrimination is introduced in the migrant-religion research to account for the stress buffering capacities of religion. On the contextual level we suppose a positive effect of na¬ tive religiosity and religious diversity. Three aspects of religiosity are examined, religious affiliation, subjective religiosity, and praying. We use four waves of the European Social Survey in a 3-level random intercept multilevel model. Among others, the most interesting results are that (1) second generation immigrants are less religious than their first generation counterparts, (2) perceived discrimina¬ tion has a positive effect on immigrant religiosity and the effect is greater for the second generation and (3) native religiosity has a positive effect on immigrant religiosity with a larger effect on the second generation too.
De vreemde bedreiging van de verzorgingsstaat.
Authors: Abts Koen , Kochuyt Thierry
Published: May 2023

Confronted with rising immigration, extreme right parties have mobilized voters who want to defend their own people. Within the framework of the welfare state these voters advocate a welfare chauvinism that reserves solidarity for our kind of people. Quantitative analysis illustrates the results of the political polariza¬tion, but provides little insight into the reasons and the arguments leading to the protectionist defense. Using qualitative data, we reconstruct the reasoning on solidarity and welfare state among Vlaams Belang voters. The resistance towards the entrance of the stranger into the welfare state is not only motivated by self¬ interest and identity, but it refers also to norms and values of equality, reciprocity and justice. The critique on the welfare state goes beyond welfare chauvinism. There are diverse arguments - ranging from the ideological left to right - that fi¬nally merge in a welfare populism eroding the universal and inclusive ambitions of the Belgian welfare state.
Individualisme ontleed. Een theoretische en empirische analyse van individualisme-discoursen.
Authors: De Keere Kobe , Spruyt Bram , Elchardus Mark
Published: May 2023

The idea of individualism has always been a major theme within cultural socio¬ logy. However, there is little theoretical uniformity and coherence about the definition of the term. This has resulted in a conceptual proliferation of new notions like strive for authenticity, self-realization or narcissism, distinctions between concepts like expressive and utilitarian individualism and frequent ‘discoveries’ of new forms of individualism. This often leads to confusion where the same concept designates different cultural discourses or different concepts are assigned to one and the same cultural phenomenon. This paper argues that different variations in contemporary discourses of individualism can be reduced to a com¬ bination of two dimensions, namely the way in which the ‘self’ is presented and how freedom and equality’ are understood. The paper tries to explain the theoretical significance of these dimensions and shows how existing classifications or types of individualism can fit within this scheme. In the empirical part we will operationalize these dimensions on the basis of data from a survey conducted on a random sample of people in 2010 (18-75 years, N: 1967; Flanders, Belgium). Multinomial logistic regression analyzes the distribution and social embedded¬ ness of the various combinations.
Samen kunst maken': de semi-directieve werkrelatie binnen de hedendaagse dans.
Authors: Laermans Rudi
Published: May 2023

Unlike ballet, contemporary dance neither knows distinct aesthetical or technical conventions nor strongly directive work relationships. Based on 18 in-depth interviews with dancers and/or choreographers who are predominantly associated with the Brussels dance scene, we examine the most important factors ensuring a minimal order in the semi-directive mode of artistic collaboration that dominates within contemporary dance. We successively discuss (i) the motives to initiate or break off a collaborative relation, (ii) the importance of mutual artistic trust and a particular personal fascination in the one whom one cooperates with, and (iii) the expectation of a considerable creative contribution and a sufficient degree of personal recognition. In the conclusion, we first briefly signal the relatively scant interest for processes of co-creation within the sociology of the arts. We then conceptualize the analysed semi-directive work relation in light of the model of symbolic exchange (the dynamic of gift and counter-gift) developed by Marcel Mauss and point out the relevance of both this interpretation and the presented empirical findings for the study of work relationships in other artistic fields and the so-called creative economy.
De consequenties van categorieën: een analyse van grensoverschrijdende genre-identiteit in de populaire muziek.
Authors: van Venrooij Alex , Schmutz Vaughn
Published: May 2023

Based on an analysis of the genre classifications by reviewers of 2951 pop music albums the consequences are analyzed of a ‘fuzzy’ or multiple-genre identity on the commercial and critical success of these albums. The results confirm previ¬ous research on the ‘categorical imperative’ in cultural industries. Particularly with regards to commercial success, a negative sanction is found for combining ‘contrasting’ genre categories. This categorical imperative is however less strong for artists who have already obtained an established position and high status within the field of popular music.
Zakgeld, echtscheiding en macht van het kind: een ruiltheoretische invalshoek
Authors: Van den Broeck Lara
Published: May 2023

In the last decade, researchers became interested in children’s pocket money. Although it is a recurrent finding that parents and children believe a social exchange takes place in the family between children’s allowance and their household chores, no research has explicitly analyzed this exchange. Using data from the Divorce in Flanders Survey (N = 686), this paper aims to study the allowance of children as an exchange outcome from household tasks, with an emphasis on the influence of family structure. This influence is explored through the social exchange literature, more specifically through Emerson’s (1962) power-dependence theory. The probability and the amount of pocket money are not only examined in general, but specific logistic and linear regression analyses are also separately performed on the data of children in intact and non-intact families. Household chores, family structure, gender and age of the child, equivalent household income and the number of items children have to pay with their pocket money are included in the analyses. The results are discussed and potential reasons for these findings and recommendations for further research are developed.
De evolutie van schoolse segregatie in het Nederlandstalige onderwijs in België
Authors: Wouters Thomas , Groenez Steven
Published: May 2023

School segregation in the Dutch-speaking education system in Belgium has increased rapidly over the past ten years. Children from different socio-economic backgrounds used to be more evenly distributed across schools than they are now. Applying the Hutchens index of segregation to population data, we illustrate this evolution between the academic years 2001-2002 and 2011-2012. The increasing trend is robust over different geographical regions. In secondary schools, segregation between educational tracks is high, especially when compared to differences in socioeconomic composition between geographical regions. We also demonstrate that segregation is characterized by concentrations of disadvantage, rather than by concentrations of advantage. Our results indicate that the increase in school segregation can partly be explained through a rise in neighbourhood segregation, and partly through parental preferences for school composition. We also demonstrate that not only the so-called concentration schools (commonly indicating schools with high concentrations of disadvantage) drive this evolution. Above all, increasing segregation seems to result from an increase in the distribution of all schools according to their share of disadvantaged pupils, also of those schools that reflected the overall population well to begin with.
Meetequivalentie in internationaal vergelijkend onderzoek
Authors: Meuleman Bart , Davidov Eldad , Cieciuch Jan , Billiet Jaak , Schmidt Peter
Published: May 2023

It is indisputable that comparative research contributes to sociological knowledge by providing insight in the differences that exist across national and cultural contexts. However, valid cross-national comparisons require theoretical constructs to be measured equivalently across countries. This is especially the case for abstract concepts, such as values, attitudes, or opinions. As such, measurement equivalence cannot be readily assumed; it is a hypothesis that needs to be tested empirically. This article reviews the social science literature on the cross-national comparability of measurements. We start with some conceptual clarifications regarding the central notion in this field, namely ‘measurement equivalence’. Possible sources of inequivalence as well as preventive measures are discussed. A subsequent section deals with statistical models to test empirically whether the conditions for measurement equivalence are fulfilled. Most attention is paid to the most popular technique for testing equivalence, namely multiple group confirmatory group analysis (MGCFA). By means of illustration, we test whether the ESS-scale measuring support for the welfare state is comparable across respondents from the Netherlands, Flanders and Wallonia. Finally, we suggest what may be done when equivalence is not supported by the data.
De paradox van het watervalsysteem: wanneer het groeperen van studenten in homogene groepen tot meer heterogeniteit leidt in het beroepsonderwijs
Authors: Van Praag Lore , Boone Simon , Stevens Peter A.J. , Van Houtte Mieke
Published: May 2023

Tracking and other forms of ability grouping such as streaming or setting, are general features of many educational systems in Europe. Policy makers have introduced tracking to facilitate teaching and learning. In this study, we will examine the impact of the structure of the tracking system in Flanders (northern part of Belgium) on learning and teaching. Results are based on data from participant observations and semi-structured interviews with students and teachers from fifth grade of secondary education and one post-secondary vocational one-year specialisation year in three multi-ethnic schools in Flanders. Our findings suggest that due to the cascade-like structure of the Flemish educational system, there appears to be a higher heterogeneity in terms of previously followed educational trajectories in less appreciated tracks at the end of secondary education, compared to higher appreciated tracks. This higher heterogeneity appears to contrast with initial tracking objectives and complicate teaching and learning, influence classroom behaviour and study motivation.
Nationale dagen en nationale kernwaarden
Authors: de Regt Sabrina , Van der Lippe Tanja
Published: May 2023

During national commemorations the core values of a society are communicated. In the Netherlands the Liberation and freedom in general are annually celebrated by means of large-scaled Liberation Festivals. Based upon the literature on national days and the program of these Liberation Festivals it can be expected that such festivals increase the awareness around freedom. In order to examine to what extent visiting a Liberation Festival indeed increases the appreciation of freedom we have collected survey data on five Liberation Festivals in 2014. In total more than 1000 visitors of these festivals participated in our study. The visitors indeed do think about the Liberation and about freedom during their visit. More than 50 percent of the visitors said that they think about the Liberation in 1945 and more than 90 percent of the visitors indicated that they believe it is important to think about people who are currently not living in freedom. By comparing awareness about freedom of people before they have visited the Liberation Festival with awareness about freedom of people after they visited the festival no evidence was found for the hypothesis that visiting a Liberation Festival increases awareness about freedom. We furthermore expected that visiting a Liberation Festival would be more influential for higher educated persons and for visitors who are in their formative years (between 17 and 25 years old). These hypotheses were also not confirmed by the analyses. In the concluding section implications of these findings as well as suggestions for future research are formulated.
Langs digitale weg dan maar?: patronen van internetgebruik en politieke participatie bij Vlaamse jongeren
Authors: Siongers Jessy , Keppens Gil Antoine , Vandenbossche Lauren , Spruyt Bram , Van Droogenbroeck Filip
Published: May 2023

The rise of online communication possibilities has revived the debate on the impact of media on political participation, and this especially with respect to young people who are considered to be prime users of online communication technologies. On the one hand, new media are thought to facilitate innovative and more accessible forms of political participation. More pessimistic views, however, hold that new media contribute to personal isolation, loss of social capital and an endorsement of existing individual prejudice and delusions. Not surprisingly, then, the relationship between new media and political participation has already been the topic of several empirical studies. This paper improves upon the existing literature in two ways. First, although it is argued that new media have primarily created new opportunities for non-institutional forms of political participation, most studies use one single indicator for offline political participation. In this paper we distinguish between institutional forms of participation and alternative or less institutional forms of participation. Secondly, among young people important differences can be found with regard to the purposes of internet use. In this paper we relate these different patterns of internet use to more traditional media (radio, television, magazines) and compare their mutual effects on the two forms of political participation. For our analysis, we rely on survey data from Flanders (the Dutch speaking part of Belgium) gathered in 2013, containing questionnaires of 3133 adolescents aged 14 – 30.
Van kwetsbaarheid naar agency: een ethisch perspectief op etnografisch onderzoek naar mensen zonder papieren
Authors: Swerts Thomas
Published: May 2023

Irregular migration is increasingly the subject of qualitative sociological research. The vulnerability of undocumented migrants is often underscored in these studies. The study of vulnerability goes hand in hand with an ethical approach that encourages researchers to do undocumented migrants no harm due to their participation in scientific research. In this article I argue in contrast that the agency of the undocumented should be placed at the center of an ethical perspective towards qualitative studies on irregular migration. Such a perspective requires special attention to measures that can (re)negotiate the power differential between the researcher and the undocumented community. I therefore argue for the importance of active community participation, increased sensitivity around the representation of life stories and the need for public intervention. These aspects are illustrated by my experiences with fieldwork performed in the context of a comparative ethnographic study of undocumented activists in the United States and Belgium.