Iranian Journal of Sociology

Abstract It is possible for adverse situations to occur in any society, but what is important is the quality of the society's response to these difficult situations; Among such cases, we can mention the state of hope in the society; whether there is hope for improvement or not. Citizens' point of view regarding comparing the present with the past, evaluating the present and the level of hope for the future in various fields is very important and significant due to its many effects and consequences. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to present a picture of the state of hope and attitude towards the present and the future in Iranian society and the process of its changes based on the views of respondents in national surveys. In this regard, by using the secondary analysis method to the reports of the national surveys measuring "values and attitudes of Iranians", three waves of which have been implemented so far in the years 2000, 2003 and 2015, and the national surveys of the "Nationwide Social Capital Survey" (2005, 2014 and 2017) in which there was an item to measure hope or attitude towards the present and evaluation of the future.
Our findings showed that in general, regarding the evaluation of the current situation, more than 85% of the respondents were not satisfied with the current situation and indicated their need for reform. Also, the examination of the process of hope chenges, i.e. the indicators of comparing the current state of society with the past, as well as the attitude towards the future of society and their indicators (such as class gap, economic status and welfare status, vitality, prevalence of positive moral characteristics) showed that the assessment of the situation. Also, examining the process of changes in hope in terms of comparing the current state of society with the past, as well as the attitude towards the future of society and their indicators (such as class gap, economic status and welfare status, vitality, prevalence of positive moral characteristics) showed that the assessment of the situation. The current and future of the society was not favorable in the examined indicators because a significant percentage of the respondents have always been placed in desperate options (worsening the situation) and monitoring the change process showed that with the passage of time, there has been an erosion process in some indicators and a relative improvement in others.
 

Abstract In recent decades, Iranian society has experienced the formation and growth of new spiritual groups. Given the obvious differences that most of these groups have with the traditional culture of the society and the official institution of religion, their proliferation has created problems for the society in general. Maintaining social order in the face of this social reality is based on recognizing it scientifically. Globalization and the similarity between new spirituality in Iran and religious transformation in other parts of the world lead researchers to pursue the identification of religious transformation from a global perspective. One dimension of this identification is the recognition of macro-social trends and facilitating factors that provide a suitable basis for the emergence of these developments in the world, including Iran. Accordingly, the aim of this research paper is providing a sociological explanation of the growth of new religious groups from a global perspective and evaluating the current encounter with it. Here, using logical analysis and inference from research and findings in the field of sociology of religion, the relevant explanations are categorized and explained, and, then, some suggestions are made about the common and appropriate encounter with spiritual groups.
 

Abstract In Iran, like other societies, along with the process of globalization and the country's development process, the rate of exploitation and destruction of nature. It is expected that the institution of education and especially higher education works in the direction of building culture for the optimal use of nature and the realization of a healthy and sustainable environment. This paper is theoretically based on John Hannigan's theory and on thematic analysis method in terms of research orientation. Participants in the research include ten managers of the Iranian Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, as well as agents of the Environmental Protection Organization, who were selected through a targeted sampling and then interviewed in depth.  First of all, the respondents pointed to the fact that, the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology has not done any special activity regarding environmental sustainability. In the second stage, in response to the question of what kind of activities the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology can do in this field, comments were gathered. Using McQuida software, 99 codes were extracted from the findings. Then by classifying the codes into 13 categories, including the planned intervention of the government, paying attention to the principle of cultural continuity, territorial planning, public awareness and education, creating discourse in universities, strengthening organizations Madani, Prioritizing research on sustainable environment, Development of environment-oriented educational programs, strengthening inter-sectoral cooperation in the direction of sustainable environment, synergy and alignment, taking advantage of the role of experts, capacity building through media and green management were identified.
 

Abstract Despite the connection between religion and politics during the Islamic Republic of Iran and the active participation of Shiite clerics in politics, the political action of Sunni clerics in Kurdistan has taken on different aspects. The authors of the present study attempt to identify the forms of political action, the effective contexts and its consequences on the individual and social life of the clerics by analyzing the experiences and understandings of a sample of Sunni clerics in Sanandaj. This research is conducted using a grounded theory method. To do this, 27 clerics of  Sanandaj have been interviewed. Our results indicate that contexts such as "disruption of citizenship", "decline of religious and identity tolerance", "disruption of institutional relations", "political mistrust" and "limited available resources" have limited the arena for the political action of clerics in Sanandaj. Therefore, the clerics who were interviewed experience a feeling of political powerlessness and despite the political concern and the emphasis on political organization as the necessity of political activity, they are disappointed with the formal institutional channels to pursue their demands. They are politically isolated and disappointed with the ballot box, and inevitably, have turned to cultural actions. Political action for clerics has resulted in consequences such as "social deprivation" and "decline of public trust", which refers to the core category of "disruption and inequality in social recognition".
 
 

Abstract The central aim of this article is providing a social analysis of the issue of cancer in Iran. Based on the argument that medicalizing reduces the issue of cancer to a biological matter and hides the social components of the disease. This image is confused with the totality of this disease, whose analysis leads to some social structures, including economic and political relations. The authors of this research paper attempt to show the socio-economic method of health and disease and social characteristics of cancer. The research method is based on political economy perspective. This method is based on analysis of available information to bring into the light some hidden aspects of the reality of cancer. Our findings show that the risk factors for cancer are determined by economic and social factors and the distribution of resources and access to facilities for behavioral patterns of people explain their risk level. Smoking, inactivity and nutrition patterns that cause cancer risk factors correspond to the ranking of the people involved, and the socioeconomic lower groups are at a possible risk. Understanding of cancer as a social reality, directs the treatment of this disease towards political solutions in the use of resources.
 

Abstract The main goal of this research is to understand the level of environmental responsibility of employees and its relationship with social capital in Borujen city. The theoretical basis of the research is based on Putnam's theory. The research method is a survey with a researcher-made questionnaire tool. The research findings show that the environmental attitude of employees has a significant difference with their environmental behavior. At the attitude level, about 96% of employees, their level of responsibility is medium to high (with an average of 18.3); while at the behavioral level, the responsibility of about 95% of them is medium to low (with an average of 12.5). Social capital has a positive and significant relationship with environmental responsibility. Social capital indicators including trust, participation, interactions and social support have a significant relationship with environmental responsibility. Strengthening environmental responsibility requires creating social interactions in the form of associations, friendly relations and relations with colleagues. The focus of these interactions should be to preserve the environment