http://hdl.handle.net/11089/145 Wed, 27 May 2026 08:38:32 GMT 2026-05-27T08:38:32Z http://hdl.handle.net/11089/58383 State and Civil Society Response to the 2024 Floods in Southern Poland: A Critical Review Kubala, Konrad This article presents a secondary analysis of research findings on the responses of state institutions and civil society to the September 2024 flood in southern Poland. The study selectively examines results from individual and group interviews regarding flood preparedness, the mobilization of social actors during the crisis, and organizational transformations necessary to enhance state resilience. The primary research objective is to analyze the interfaces between governmental, local, and civil society institutions, conceptualized herein as “crush zones.” The original contribution of this paper lies in operationalizing these zones to evaluate how inter-institutional friction impacts societal resilience. Furthermore, the conclusions of the source report are subjected to a critical evaluation within the context of the existing literature on resilience, with attention to its potential to mask institutional power asymmetries. Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/11089/58383 2026-05-26T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/11089/58382 Reviewing the Stigma: A Critical Analysis of Conspiracy Belief in Social Science Research Barzen, Annika The analysis shows that empirical social science studies examining psychological and social characteristics of conspiracy belief are characterized by a persistent deficit orientation, with a strong tendency to pathologize or stigmatize individuals. The core of this research is an empirical content analysis of 25 social sciences studies published between 2020 and 2025.The analysis identifies a set of recurring patterns in the academic representation of conspiracy believers, including associations with cognitive, social, and psychological deficits, emotional instability, and maladaptive personality traits. The dynamics of marginalization become particularly evident through the examination of discursive practices of delegitimization, which are further sustained by the selective interpretation of research findings.While some studies acknowledge structural or societal factors that may foster conspiracy beliefs, the narrative remains predominantly individualizing and negative. The findings highlight an ambivalence in the scholarly discourse: although conspiracy beliefs are recognized as complex, multidimensional, and sometimes rooted in legitimate grievances, they are frequently reduced to markers of irrationality or deviance. This suggests the need for greater reflexivity within the scientific community, particularly regarding language, methodological choices, and the balance between critique and stigmatization. Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/11089/58382 2026-05-26T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/11089/58380 “It Looked Like I Was Going Through a Breakup”: Extinction-Based Sleep Training and the Cultural Dilemmas of Mothering Ruehs-Navarro, Emily; Kosiarek, Maya This article explores extinction-based sleep training as a case study of the lived tensions of contemporary motherhood in the United States. Extinction-based sleep training is an umbrella term for techniques used to teach an infant or young child to sleep without parental intervention, often by ignoring a child’s cries. On the one hand, extinction-based sleep training is sanctioned by medical institutions and has been commonly cited in parenting advice over the last century. On the other hand, mothering today is influenced by a culture that heralds “attachment” or “responsive” parenting as the best forms of mothering, often contradicting the very practice of extinction-based sleep training. Drawing on 30 interviews with mothers of children under the age of five, this research explores how mothers who engage in extinction-based sleep training grapple with this tension. First, mothers engage in emotion work to abide by the feeling rules of innate responsiveness. Second, mothers professionalize their sleep decisions, using expert permission, scientific language, and personal qualifications to justify their choices. Finally, mothers engage in a highly rationalized approach to sleep training, in which the practice is measurable and quantifiable. Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/11089/58380 2026-05-26T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/11089/58381 Choosing a School, Imagining a Childhood. Emotional, Moral, and Social Dimensions of School Choice in Denmark Gulløv, Eva International studies have shown that concerns about children’s academic outcomes and future educational opportunities shape parents’ choice of primary school. In Denmark, such concerns are manifested differently due to a less competitive educational system that generally offers broad, flexible pathways. Even so, many Danish parents carefully consider which school will best support their child. Based on ethnographic observations and interviews with 38 parents, this article examines parents’ reflections and concerns regarding school choice. A cultural analytical approach that focuses on understanding how parents make choices and set priorities is used to show that, regardless of social class, their primary concern is ensuring their children’s well-being and psychological development rather than academic outcomes. However, this emphasis implies awareness of other parents’ parenting practices, subtly reflecting but also helping to construct and maintain social distinctions and moral boundaries despite egalitarian ideals and efforts prevalent in Danish society. Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/11089/58381 2026-05-26T00:00:00Z