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Interdisciplinary Social Research in Economics, Environment, Education, and Philosophy
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Interdisciplinary Social Research in Economics, Environment, Education, and Philosophy

A special issue of Societies (ISSN 2075-4698).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 October 2025 | Viewed by 6945

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Florin Lobont

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Political Science, Philosophy and Communication Sciences, West University of Timisoara, 300223 Timișoara, Romania
Interests: philosophy of social science; 19th century philosophy; 20th century philosophy
Dr. Vasile Hațegan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Faculty of Economics, Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad, Arad 310130, Romania
2. Faculty of Educational Sciences, Psychology and Social Work, Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad, Arad 310130, Romania
Interests: applied philosophy; philosophical counseling; philosophy for society; economics; community; social responsibility and environment; personal development; bioethics; education; organizational consultancy; ethical leadership; democracy and society; communication
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We propose a collection of research and scientific works with societal approaches characteristic of an interdisciplinary study, which can be applied to areas with a major impact on human society. This Special Issue will bring together original research papers, literature reviews, and scientific approaches and interpretations derived from the research of the proposed fields of economy, environment, education, or philosophy, which can be considered to be part of contemporary emergent societal research. The Issue aims to gather a cutting-edge interdisciplinary array of approaches that analyze the complex interactions of political cultures, formal political institutions, markets, educational philosophies and policies, social sciences, environmental challenges, and informal social arrangements as responses (adequate or inadequate) to the multiple challenges of the present and foreseeable future, and pro-active steps towards their resolution. With a strong focus on the environmental crisis, we acknowledge the essential role of society in finding and refining environmental values. As a young environmental philosopher, F. Pruna, argues, human agency means irreversible environmental transformation and environmental knowledge coincides with social knowledge and vice-versa. Contributors are invited to argue that the way environmental knowledge—in general—is currently produced, disseminated, valued, and used by our society is one of the principal obstacles ‘we’ face in achieving a more inclusive, concerned and aware, environmentally-responsive, and responsible society.

Contributions must follow one of the three categories of papers for the journal (article, conceptual paper, or review) and address the topic of the Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Florin Lobont
Dr. Vasile Hațegan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as conceptual papers are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Societies is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • educational sciences and philosophy
  • environmental challenges sustainability (policies, society, markets)
  • environmental ethics and philosophy
  • political cultures
  • sustainable markets
  • social sciences
  • top-down bottom-up social responsibility

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 1032 KiB  
Article
Mapping Australian Culture and Society in the Animated Series Bluey—The Use of Audiovisual Material in Early EFL Learning
by Amaya Arigita-García, Lidia Mañoso-Pacheco, José Luis Estrada-Chichón and Roberto Sánchez-Cabrero
Societies 2024, 14(12), 252; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14120252 - 27 Nov 2024
Viewed by 618
Abstract
Bluey stands as the current pinnacle in children’s television series, lauded and adorned with multiple accolades for its educational and social merits. It stands out for its portrayal of childhood social learning within familial settings, offering a realistic depiction of everyday challenges. In [...] Read more.
Bluey stands as the current pinnacle in children’s television series, lauded and adorned with multiple accolades for its educational and social merits. It stands out for its portrayal of childhood social learning within familial settings, offering a realistic depiction of everyday challenges. In addition, Bluey is based on the everyday life of Australian society, clearly reflecting the country’s customs, social values, and natural environments, making it an invaluable resource for enriching the cultural learning of the English language and culture from an Australian point of view, an issue that is rarely addressed in the specialist literature. Thus, this study seeks to identify the cultural and societal facets of Australia depicted in it, with the aim of assessing its pedagogical value in teaching English to non-native learners within the context of primary education. Thirty evaluators analyzed the 52 episodes of the first season of Bluey, endeavoring to identify elements across nine thematic areas. To mitigate variances among evaluators, elements were verified only if agreement was reached by at least three evaluators. In total, evaluators identified 3327 elements representing Australian culture, comprising these categories: (1) Childhood; (2) Devices; (3) Lifestyles; (4) Food; (5) Language; (6) Sports; (7) Animals; (8) Nature; and (9) Places. A total of 1223 elements received verification by the requisite number of evaluators. The resulting catalog of Australia-specific elements per episode serves as a valuable tool in selecting the most instructive episodes for English-language and Australian cultural education for non-natives. This compilation facilitates a nuanced approach to teaching English, rooted in the diverse and culturally rich Australian context, thus breaking away from strictly British and American cultural associations and embracing a broader linguistic and cultural landscape. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Social Research in Economics, Environment, Education, and Philosophy)
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20 pages, 1024 KiB  
Article
Human Resource Practices and Job Performance: Insights from Public Administration
by Zakaria Ouabi, Khadija Douayri, Fatine Barboucha and Omar Boubker
Societies 2024, 14(12), 247; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14120247 - 22 Nov 2024
Viewed by 651
Abstract
The Moroccan government has taken several initiatives to improve HR practices in the public sector, with the aim of enhancing the performance of civil servants and thereby improving the quality of public administration services. Therefore, this study employs the PLS-SEM technique to investigate [...] Read more.
The Moroccan government has taken several initiatives to improve HR practices in the public sector, with the aim of enhancing the performance of civil servants and thereby improving the quality of public administration services. Therefore, this study employs the PLS-SEM technique to investigate the influence of HRM practices on job satisfaction, affective commitment, and in-role job performance within public administrations. The dataset was collected online from 390 Moroccan civil servants. The results indicate that recruitment and selection (RSE), training (TRA), compensation (COM), employment security (ESE), and internal career opportunities (ICOs) had a positive impact on job satisfaction (JSA). Likewise, RSE, TRA, and ICOs improved affective commitment (ACO). In addition, JSA and ACO enhanced in-role job performance (RJP). These findings provide valuable theoretical implications and practical guidelines for policymakers on how to adapt HR practices to enhance civil servants’ job satisfaction and affective commitment, ultimately improving their in-role job performance levels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Social Research in Economics, Environment, Education, and Philosophy)
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19 pages, 745 KiB  
Article
Improving Innovative Work Behavior in Small and Medium Enterprises: Integrating Transformational Leadership, Knowledge Sharing, and Psychological Empowerment
by I Nengah Aristana, Ni Made Dwi Puspitawati, Putu Pradiva Putra Salain, Viktor Koval, Oksana Konarivska and Tetiana Paniuk
Societies 2024, 14(11), 228; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14110228 - 3 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1082
Abstract
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) significantly contribute to society’s growth and welfare. Nevertheless, SMEs often experience challenges, i.e., high levels of competition and market demands. To maintain SMEs’ existence, a competitive advantage is demanded by increasing innovative work behavior. This study explores and [...] Read more.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) significantly contribute to society’s growth and welfare. Nevertheless, SMEs often experience challenges, i.e., high levels of competition and market demands. To maintain SMEs’ existence, a competitive advantage is demanded by increasing innovative work behavior. This study explores and evaluates the relationship between transformational leadership and innovative work behavior and examines the mediating role of knowledge sharing and psychological empowerment on the relationship between transformational leadership and innovative work behavior. This study uses a quantitative approach, where data were gathered from a questionnaire distributed to 190 employees of export SMEs and were further examined using Smart PLS 3.2.9. The findings demonstrate that transformational leadership does not influence innovative work behavior but significantly and positively influences psychological empowerment and knowledge sharing. Psychological empowerment and knowledge sharing significantly and positively influence innovative work behavior. Subsequently, psychological empowerment and knowledge sharing partially mediate the linkage between transformational leadership and innovative work behavior. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Social Research in Economics, Environment, Education, and Philosophy)
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15 pages, 1089 KiB  
Article
Comparative Analysis of Stakeholder Integration in Education Policy Making: Case Studies of Singapore and Finland
by Ghalia Al-Thani
Societies 2024, 14(7), 104; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14070104 - 28 Jun 2024
Viewed by 2744
Abstract
This paper analyzes stakeholder engagement in educational policymaking in Singapore and Finland, two countries renowned for successful education systems. While both countries achieve high academic standards, they employ distinct approaches to engage stakeholders in shaping educational policies. Singapore adopts a centralized model where [...] Read more.
This paper analyzes stakeholder engagement in educational policymaking in Singapore and Finland, two countries renowned for successful education systems. While both countries achieve high academic standards, they employ distinct approaches to engage stakeholders in shaping educational policies. Singapore adopts a centralized model where policymaking is primarily directed by the Ministry of Education (MOE), with limited participation from external stakeholders. In contrast, Finland adopts a decentralized approach, empowering local authorities and schools with significant autonomy and actively involving stakeholders in policymaking. Key stakeholders, including teachers, parents, students and the private sector, play different roles in each country’s education governance. In Singapore, stakeholders are consulted through formal channels but have limited influence on decision-making, whereas, in Finland, stakeholders actively steer fundamental policy directions through extensive participation and consensus-building. The paper highlights the strengths and weaknesses of each approach and their impacts on education outcomes. Despite differences in governance models, both countries prioritize inclusive education, social cohesion, and holistic development. The analysis underscores the importance of meaningful stakeholder engagement in crafting effective education policies that align with national values and visions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Social Research in Economics, Environment, Education, and Philosophy)
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13 pages, 260 KiB  
Concept Paper
Theorising Pandemic Necropolitics as Evil: Thinking Inequalities, Suffering, and Vulnerabilities with Arendt
by Anastasia Christou
Societies 2024, 14(9), 171; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14090171 - 4 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1038
Abstract
A conceptualisation of the COVID-19 pandemic through the analytic lens of a ‘necropolitics as evil’ brings to the fore Hannah Arendt’s theorisation that evil is both an expression of, and a threat to, humanity and its plurality as an intersectional assemblage, and by [...] Read more.
A conceptualisation of the COVID-19 pandemic through the analytic lens of a ‘necropolitics as evil’ brings to the fore Hannah Arendt’s theorisation that evil is both an expression of, and a threat to, humanity and its plurality as an intersectional assemblage, and by extension as freedom in political action. Arendt accepts that while evil—as an expression of our humanity—can never be eradicated, it must—as a threat to our common humanity—be confronted. From this perspective, the functioning of race, gender, and wider structural inequalities as operational hinges of COVID-19 capitalism required spaces for resistance and change within the political economy of global inequalities during the recent pandemic. This (concept) paper explores such a conceptualisation through stories of the pandemic and with a particular focus on Indigenous people, marginalised groups such as migrants and asylum seekers, as well as the homeless. It is through the viral logics of cytopathic COVID-19 capitalisms that we confront and resist theoretical pathologies by re-theorising evil as conceptual currency to confront this conjuncture, critique limitations, and meaningfully translate the current societal landscape through this lens. This allows for engaging in a particular kind of reading of Arendt that is contextualised in terms of the stakes of the paper: the importance of thinking about convivialising solidarities in the ongoing pandemic that has been perpetuated by ‘evil political formations/evil governance’ under capitalism, and as such, the structural pathologies that exacerbate COVID-19’s deathly effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interdisciplinary Social Research in Economics, Environment, Education, and Philosophy)
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