https://jas.ui.ac.ir/ Journal of Applied Sociology en daily 1 Tue, 22 Dec 2026 00:00:00 +0330 Tue, 22 Dec 2026 00:00:00 +0330 https://jas.ui.ac.ir/article_30393.html Introduction Organ transplantation is a modern therapeutic approach involving the removal of organs from one individual and their donation to another person in need. This treatment method is not solely a medical or clinical issue; rather, it is shaped by a range of legal, organizational, social, and cultural factors. Available statistics indicate a global increase in organ donation. For instance, a 2023 study covering 89 countries reported that organ donation from both living and deceased donors rose by 9% compared to 2022. In the same year, Spain (49.38 per million population), the United States (48.04), and Portugal (36.93) recorded the highest organ donation rates. In Iran, the highest rate in recent years was 14.3 per million population achieved in 2019. Despite a substantial number of brain-dead patients—particularly due to the high rate of traffic accidents—only about 10% of families express willingness to donate organs. Consequently, many patients in need die without receiving the required organs. Given this context, the primary objective of the present study was to examine the influence of several social and cultural factors—including religiosity, traditionalism, awareness, social trust, and especially institutional trust—on attitudes toward organ donation among citizens of Yasuj.       Materials & Methods This study employed a survey research method. The statistical population consisted of all citizens aged 15 years and older in Yasuj, totaling 134,532 individuals. From this population, 400 participants were selected by using multistage random sampling and data were collected through a researcher-developed questionnaire. The validity of the questionnaire was assessed by using face validity, as well as convergent validity, at both the indicator and construct levels. Its reliability was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and composite Cronbach’s alpha. The research data were analyzed using SPSS and PLS software.   Discussion of Results & Conclusion The findings showed that positive attitudes toward organ donation and altruism were above the average level, whereas awareness of brain death, traditionalism, and trust in the medical profession were below the average level. The mean level of religiosity in the statistical population was at the average level. Collectively, these variables explained 42% of the variance in the dependent variable—attitude toward organ donation. A comparison of attitudes toward organ donation based on background characteristics revealed no differences by gender or marital status. However, individuals in the very high socioeconomic class held more positive attitudes toward organ donation compared to those in other classes. This difference was likely due to other variables not examined in this study, such as cultural capital. Additionally, mean comparisons showed that those who had acquaintances with a history of organ donation generally held more positive attitudes toward the practice. Among the statistical population, awareness of the nature of brain death and consequences of organ donation had led to changes in attitudes and willingness to donate organs. The greater a person's knowledge and understanding of brain death were—specifically that recovery was impossible for brain-dead patients—the greater their willingness to donate organs could be. Furthermore, having close acquaintances, who had donated organs and gained information through contact with them also increased willingness to donate. Regarding the effect of trust in doctors and the medical profession on organ donation, the analyses showed that this variable had a positive effect of 0.169. In other words, the greater the trust in the medical profession was, the more positive and favorable the attitude toward organ donation would be. In a context where the medical profession was trusted and physicians' diagnoses were regarded as reliable and accurate, there were greater willingness and a more positive outlook toward organ donation. Altruism with a regression effect of 0.242 influenced attitudes toward organ donation. In other words, the greater the spirit of altruism was, the more positive and favorable the attitude toward organ donation became. This variable could also be seen as mediating the effect of religiosity on organ donation since morally oriented religiosity could increase altruism and thereby lead to greater willingness to donate organs. Tradition as the opposite of modernism focused on rejecting innovation, new patterns, and new ways of life. In this study, traditionalism had a regression effect of -0.346 on attitudes toward organ donation, which was the strongest effect in the sample. Traditionalism not only had a direct negative effect on attitudes toward organ donation through its own characteristics, but also reinforced its position by shaping various beliefs. One of the issues addressed in this study was the secular-religious outlook toward organ donation. This variable had a negative effect on attitudes toward organ donation with a regression coefficient of 0.313 and was itself influenced by traditionalism, which explained 6% of its variance. In fact, this factor could create certain sacred beliefs or, in some cases, fears presented as having a religious basis and in this way might hinder the formation of a positive attitude toward organ donation. Another finding of the study showed that religiosity had an overall positive effect of 0.208 on attitudes toward organ donation. Given that the core philosophy of religion is to promote moral virtues among human beings, helping those in need—especially saving their lives—can be seen as one of the most important moral acts; therefore, its positive impact on organ donation is entirely understandable. In addition, religiosity also indirectly affects positive attitudes toward organ donation by positively influencing altruism. Overall, the data from this study, while confirming the findings of many previous studies in this area, showed that organ donation was by no means purely a medical phenomenon, while social and cultural factors strongly influenced whether it was carried out.   https://jas.ui.ac.ir/article_30371.html IntroductionIn recent decades, the expansion of communication technologies, the internet, and artificial intelligence has transformed traditional patterns of social life, exerting a particularly profound influence on Generation Z—namely, those born between 1995 and 2010. Having grown up in an environment deeply embedded in digital technologies, social networks, and intelligent tools, this generation organizes a significant portion of its interactions, decisions, and everyday experiences in close connection with these technologies. By personalizing communication, facilitating access to information, and shaping communicative choices, artificial intelligence can play an influential role in redefining the social interactions, roles, and communicative practices of Generation Z. Despite the expansion of virtual interactions, face-to-face communication continues to be essential for fostering empathy, trust, and stable social bonds. Accordingly, Generation Z occupies a dual position situated between in-person communication and technology-mediated interaction. This condition assumes particular significance in the city of Isfahan, which represents a cultural and urban field with a rich historical background and deeply rooted social traditions. On this basis, the central problem of the present study was to examine how and to what extent artificial intelligence affects the social relations of Generation Z in Isfahan.  Materials & MethodsThe present study was conducted using a quantitative approach and a survey method. In terms of temporal dimension, it was a cross-sectional study; in terms of purpose, it was applied; and in terms of breadth and depth of investigation, it fell within the category of broad-based research. The statistical population consisted of Generation Z residents of the city of Isfahan defined according to Turner as those born between 1995 and 2010. Based on data from the 2016 national census, the population of this group in Isfahan was estimated at 451,038 individuals. The sample size was determined as 340 respondents by using Sample Power software, taking into account the statistical requirements of the research model. A quota sampling method was employed proportional to the size of the statistical population with quotas distributed according to age–gender groups and residential area across the fifteen municipal districts of Isfahan. Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire, the items of which were designed based on the theoretical foundations of the study and the dimensions of the main variables—namely, artificial intelligence, social interaction, and social roles. The reliability of the instrument was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Finally, the data were analyzed at both descriptive and inferential levels using SPSS and AMOS software. Discussion of Results & ConclusionThe findings of the study indicated that artificial intelligence played a significant role in the social relations of Generation Z in the city of Isfahan. However, this role could not be understood merely in terms of the instrumental use of technology. The results showed that the mean score of social interaction among Generation Z was lower than the theoretical mean, suggesting a relative weakness in the quality, cohesion, and depth of this generation's social relations. This finding might reflect the dual condition of Generation Z: on the one hand, this generation lived within digital, rapid, extensive, and platform-based forms of communication; on the other hand, it still required face-to-face, emotional, and in-person interactions for the formation of trust, empathy, and stable social bonds. In contrast, the mean score of social roles being higher than the theoretical level indicated that, despite changes in communicative patterns, Generation Z possessed a relatively favorable awareness of family, professional, academic, and social roles and was capable of enacting these roles across different contexts of everyday life. This result is consistent with Giddens's view of reflexive identity and social roles in late modernity. Generation Z did not perceive or enact its roles as fixed and traditionally determined; rather, it redefined them in relation to changing conditions, individual choices, and technological possibilities. Furthermore, the lower mean score of the artificial intelligence variable compared with the theoretical mean suggested that, although this technology was present in the lives of Generation Z, levels of awareness, perception, acceptance, and trust regarding it had not yet become fully established. Therefore, the impact of artificial intelligence on the social relations of this generation did not necessarily imply the complete dominance of technology over human relations. Rather, it pointed to an emerging process, through which intelligent technologies were gradually being incorporated into patterns of interaction, decision-making, and enactment of social roles. The results of structural equation modeling further revealed that artificial intelligence explained a considerable proportion of the variance in both social interaction and social roles. This finding confirmed that, in the contemporary social context, artificial intelligence was not merely a technical tool; rather, it had become a social, cultural, and communicative factor capable of reconfiguring modes of communication, processes of meaning-making within social relations, and patterns of role enactment. Overall, it could be concluded that the social relations of Generation Z in Isfahan were situated at the intersection of cultural traditions, face-to-face interactions, and intelligent technologies. Accordingly, a sociological understanding of these relations required simultaneous attention to both the communicative opportunities offered by artificial intelligence and its potential consequences for the quality of human relationships, social cohesion, and intergenerational gaps. https://jas.ui.ac.ir/article_30405.html Introduction The present study focused on the phenomenon of "ekip life" among young people in the city of Yazd and sought to understand how ekip identity was formed, as well as how it shaped the individual and collective experiences of youth. Although friendship groups have always existed in human societies, in recent years—particularly within the context of cultural, social, generational, and communicative transformations—a new form of friendship has emerged among young people, which this article referred to as "ekip". An ekip is not merely a simple circle of friends; rather, it is a dynamic, fluid, and multilayered social field, in which young people experience, redefine, and reconstruct their relationships, values, identities, roles, and lifestyles. The central problem of this article was to examine how ekip identity was formed among young people in Yazd and identify the factors contributing to its formation, transformation, continuity, or collapse. The authors demonstrated that while ekips provide opportunities for belonging, intimacy, support, interaction, and shared experiences, they are also characterized by internal instability. Ekip relationships are often not based on fixed boundaries, stable commitments, or formal structures. Instead, they are shaped through flexible, elective, emotional, and sometimes fragile bonds. Consequently, ekip identity is not a fixed or predetermined identity; rather, it is gradually constructed through everyday interactions, cultural encounters, collective goals, class differences, gender relations, and shared experiences. The significance of this study lay in the fact that the existing literature had mostly focused on friendship, the quality of friendship relations, or peer groups, while paying limited attention to ekip as an independent social phenomenon. Accordingly, this article attempted to examine ekip not merely as a form of friendship, but as an emerging mode of youth life, communicative action, everyday resistance, and a field of identity formation.     Materials & Methods This study was conducted using a qualitative approach within an interpretive paradigm. Since the aim of the research was to gain an in-depth understanding of the meanings, experiences, and interpretations of young people regarding ekip life, the authors employed the systematic grounded theory method. This approach allowed theory to emerge not from pre-existing assumptions, but from field data and the lived experiences of participants. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Participants included 25 young people from the city of Yazd, who had experience of membership in friendship ekips. They were selected through purposive and theoretical sampling in order to capture a diverse range of ekip experiences. The inclusion criteria consisted of having at least one year of experience in ekip life, membership in a group with at least 4 members, and awareness of one's position as an ekip member. Participants were between 20 and 30 years old and varied in terms of gender, occupation, educational background, and length of ekip membership. The interview process continued until theoretical saturation was reached—that is, until new interviews no longer generated additional concepts or categories. Interviews were conducted in settings, such as universities, cafés, co-working spaces, and green areas, with each interview lasting between 30 minutes and 2 and a half hours. Data analysis was carried out simultaneously with data collection; in other words, the findings from each interview helped guide the focus of subsequent interviews. Data were analyzed through 3 stages of coding: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. In the open coding stage, interview texts were examined line by line, and initial concepts were extracted. In the axial coding stage, similar concepts were organized into subcategories and main categories. Finally, in the selective coding stage, the main categories were integrated around a core category. This analytical process resulted in the extraction of 698 concepts, 47 subcategories, and 14 main categories, which ultimately led to the identification of the core category: "ekip identity: formative fluidity".   Discussion of Results & Conclusion The findings of the study indicated that ekip life among young people was a multidimensional, unstable, transformative, and yet meaningful experience. The most important conclusion of the research was that ekip identity was not a fixed identity, but rather an identity in the process of becoming. This identity was shaped over time through members' interactions, evolving goals, the entry and exit of individuals, value encounters, gender and class differences, and shared experiences. One of the major categories identified in the study was "relational fluidity". Ekips often began with a group of friends, but their membership composition changed over time. Some individuals left, new members entered, and sometimes the ekip split into smaller groups. This fluidity, on the one hand, provided young people with freedom and the possibility of choice; on the other hand, it might create a sense of instability, lack of belonging, and identity uncertainty. Another important category was the "emergent phenomenon" of the ekip. The article showed that the ekip was still a phenomenon in the process of being normalized within Iranian society and, for this reason, faced misunderstandings, cultural judgments, and social resistance. From the perspective of young people, ekips were spaces for friendship, experience, support, and self‑expression. However, from the perspective of some segments of society, they might be perceived as unstable, informal, or even threatening. The findings also showed that ekips were formed through specific "processes of formation". These processes included the development of common goals, gradual transformation of those goals, merging of ekips, creation of subgroups, and even fragmentation caused by differences in objectives. Therefore, an ekip was not a complete and pre‑existing structure; rather, it was constructed and reconstructed over time. Another significant finding concerned the tension between individual life and ekip life. While young people were interested in participating in ekips, they had to balance their personal, family, educational, or occupational responsibilities with their ekip relationships. This balance was inherently unstable and might be disrupted by personal problems or changing life priorities. The article further demonstrated that ekips provided a context for value and behavioral convergence. Through everyday interaction, shared language, common experiences, and generational proximity, members developed mutual understanding. At the same time, ekips might also produce conformity, suppress certain individual thoughts, and encourage obedience to reference figures. Some members gained a central position due to charisma, experience, appearance, social status, or symbolic power, thereby influencing group decisions and lifestyles. Another important finding was the role of ekips in identity encounters. The ekip was a space in which individuals navigated between their real self, performative self, and ideal self. Some individuals felt more comfortable expressing their real selves within the ekip, while others attempted to present a more desirable image of themselves. For this reason, the ekip could function both as a site of self‑knowledge and personal growth and as a space of pressure to conform to group expectations. The results also pointed to the de‑gendering and stereotype‑disrupting functions of ekips. Participation in diverse ekips exposed young people to individuals from different genders, classes, cultures, and lifestyles, encouraging them to reconsider some of their prior assumptions. In this sense, the ekip could serve as a space for reducing stereotypes, increasing flexibility, and expanding social experience. In conclusion, the study argued that the ekip was not a fixed group, but rather a fluid field for redefining identity, relationships, and belonging. Ekip identity was formed through instability, interaction, difference, resistance, and everyday experiences. Therefore, the concept of "formative fluidity" effectively captured the idea that the ekip is always in the process of formation, and that young people's identities within it are constructed gradually, relationally, and in unstable ways.   https://jas.ui.ac.ir/article_30462.html IntroductionSubstance Use Disorder (SUD) among pregnant women and mothers of young children has emerged as a significant public health and social concern globally. Its importance stems not only from the health impacts on both mother and child, but also from its intergenerational effects. International studies indicate that women's experiences with SUD during pregnancy frequently co-occur with domestic violence, mental health issues, unstable housing, and fears of stigma and child removal. In Iran, although research on women's substance use is increasing, most studies have focused on general addiction experiences with limited attention given to pregnant women or mothers raising young children. There is a notable lack of understanding regarding mothers who manage pregnancy or infant care while coping with SUD, particularly within the complex urban environment of Tehran. From a social work perspective, theoretical frameworks—including Bronfenbrenner's ecological model, the Person-In-Environment (PIE) perspective, the biopsychosocial model, and the strengths-based approach—underscore that SUD in these mothers cannot be fully understood without considering micro-systems (family), mezzo-systems (health services), and macro-systems (custody laws and structural inequalities). Furthermore, Iran's legal system, particularly Article 1173 of the Civil Code—which considers parental addiction as grounds for removing child custody—may intensify fears of seeking treatment. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of pregnant women or mothers of infants and toddlers who were dealing with SUD.  Materials & MethodsThis research employed a qualitative method grounded in descriptive phenomenology, drawing on Husserl's philosophy. Data analysis was conducted using Colaizzi's 7-step approach, emphasizing the concept of the lifeworld and the principle of epoché (bracketing). Participants included pregnant women or mothers of infants and toddlers with SUD residing in Tehran during 2020–2021. A targeted snowball sampling strategy was used, resulting in a sample of 25 participants. Inclusion criteria were: providing informed consent, possessing the cognitive capacity to articulate personal experiences, receiving a DSM-5 diagnosis of SUD, and being either pregnant or having a child under two years of age. Initial participants were identified through social workers at organizations assisting women with SUD, including the MehrAfarín Center and the National Addiction Line. Data collection continued until theoretical saturation, which was reached at the 23rd interview; two additional interviews were subsequently conducted for validation. Data were gathered through in-depth semi-structured interviews, each lasting an average of 90–120 minutes. Primary themes explored included the experience of motherhood in relation to SUD, self-care during pregnancy, support networks, factors contributing to substance use, and coping strategies. All interviews were audio-recorded with participants' consent, transcribed verbatim, and organized for analysis. Trustworthiness was established following Lincoln and Guba's criteria: credibility was ensured through 6 months of engagement, member checking, and external auditor review; transferability was achieved through thick description; dependability was maintained via thorough documentation; and confirmability was supported by researcher self-reflection. Ethical considerations included voluntary participation, confidentiality, trauma-informed interviewing, and referral to specialized services whenever crisis indicators emerged. Discussion of Results & ConclusionThe results were organized into 4 primary themes. First, participants exhibited a distinct socio-cultural profile characterized by a transition from traditional lifeways to urban marginalization. This shift led to social disconnection, fatalism as a mode of meaning-making, cultural resource deficits, emotional instability, and economic and social isolation. Second, substance use was embedded within intergenerational cycles accompanied by ongoing violence, significant sexual trauma, psychological distress resulting from accumulated trauma, and self-medication driven by restricted access to formal healthcare. Third, "substance use slums" emerged as alternative living environments, in which intra-group solidarity functioned as a form of contradictory social capital—simultaneously aiding survival while perpetuating substance use. Inequality in access to formal services highlighted a structural gap in the healthcare and social support systems. Fourth, complex layers of exclusion contributed to the breakdown of essential support systems, perpetuation of intergenerational violence, restricted reproductive decision-making, misconceptions about the effects of substance use on unborn children, and estrangement from children—signifying a loss of maternal identity. In addition, a phenomenon of "self-governed morality" emerged, in which individuals distanced themselves from societal norms even after having internalized them.Theoretical integration revealed that Goffman's stigma theory illuminates how the label of "substance-using mother" becomes internalized. The strengths-based perspective recognized resilience and group solidarity as capabilities that could be further enhanced. The PIE and ecological frameworks emphasized that mothers cannot be understood in isolation from violent micro-systems, marginalized mezzo-systems, and punitive macro-systems. Implications for social work included the development of harm-reduction services, design of multi-level ecological interventions, revision of custody policies (Article 1173), investment in sexual and reproductive health education in underserved communities, and strengthening of NGO-based, strengths-oriented services. Tensions, contradictions, and layered suffering characterized the experiences of mothers with SUD. These women should not be reduced to negative labels. They are individuals who, within unequal systems marked by ongoing violence and exclusion, struggle with scarce resources to survive and find meaning. A phenomenological approach, in dialogue with social work theories, is essential for uncovering the processes that perpetuate deprivation and creating more effective and equitable interventions that promote social justice while safeguarding the rights and well-being of both mothers and children. Limitations included difficulties in accessing resources due to stigma, scheduling changes, crowded interview locations, power dynamics, and findings confined to the social context of Tehran. https://jas.ui.ac.ir/article_30460.html Introduction Pet ownership is a longstanding and widespread practice. Estimates indicate that more than half of the world's population shares their living space and home with one or more pets (GfK, 2016). Pets are often perceived as assets, impulsive purchases, or toys for children. In some cases, an animal is chosen to fulfill unmet needs of adults, even when it appears to be primarily a companion for children (Jalongo, 2023). However, more significant and intentional reasons for acquiring and keeping pets likely exist. On the other hand, the challenges and drawbacks associated with the growing prevalence of this phenomenon are also noteworthy. These include zoonotic diseases (illnesses transmissible between humans and animals), high maintenance costs, unresolved legal issues, control of home environmental hygiene, animal phobias, and other concerns. Furthermore, epidemiologists caution that new zoonotic diseases are emerging and spreading across geographic regions worldwide as a result of changing human lifestyles and increased interactions with animal environments (Damborg et al., 2016; Paghasian, 2005). Ethical issues related to pet ownership have also consistently been a subject of debate (Karimian Saygalani, 2023). In recent decades, the metropolis of Shiraz has witnessed profound structural changes in citizens' behavioral patterns marked by a shift toward a modern lifestyle (Iman & Marhamati, 2014; Soroush & Hosseini, 2013; Khojehnouri et al., 2013; Ganji et al., 2019). One of the most prominent aspects of this cultural transformation is the rapid proliferation of pet ownership across various social strata in the city. The significant increase in the number of veterinary clinics and pet shops, along with the visible presence of pet owners in the public and recreational spaces of Shiraz, indicates that pets have become a key element in redefining concepts of leisure, identity, and social status. However, this behavioral shift within the urban context of Shiraz carries a paradoxical and problematized character. Thus, the decision to keep a pet in Shiraz is not a simple act but a challenging choice situated at the boundary between social acceptance on one side and normative rejection on the other. This phenomenon exemplifies a profound cultural shift, in which animals have moved from the margins to the center of daily human life. Given the aforementioned aspects and considering the exploratory, dynamic, and multidimensional nature of this phenomenon, reliance on pre-existing models and quantitative methods cannot reveal the hidden layers of participants' lifeworld. Therefore, the present study aimed to enter the field of research in Shiraz without imposing presuppositions and extract the processes, reasons, and contexts underlying the inclination toward this emerging lifestyle from the lived experiences of citizens themselves.       Materials & Methods A qualitative method based on the grounded theory approach was selected for this research since pet ownership had rarely been examined from a sociological perspective, leaving a notable gap in the research literature. The participants of this study were pet owners residing in Shiraz. Initial field studies revealed that approximately 66 pet service stores (pet shops) were active in Shiraz. After compiling a list of store names, a brief internet search of the city map of Shiraz clearly indicated that the highest concentration of pet shops and veterinary clinics was located in Districts 1 and 6 of the city. This study employed purposive and theoretical sampling methods with sample size determined based on data saturation. Data analysis was conducted following the systematic grounded theory model proposed by Strauss and Corbin (2011), which comprised 3 stages: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. To ensure research ethics, all participant names were recorded under pseudonyms and informed consent was obtained from each participant for audio recording and using their data for research purposes.   Discussion of Results & Conclusion The abstraction of data regarding the contextual conditions of pet ownership yielded 3 categories: history of living with animals, economic hardship, economic barriers to childbearing, and avoidance of parental responsibilities. Furthermore, the causal conditions of pet ownership were categorized under the axial theme of "searching for affection and meaning in non-human connections". Two additional categories—"advisory acceptance" and "unexpected acceptance"—were grouped under the axial theme of "random or coercive acceptance", ultimately coalescing around the core category of "constructing a quasi-familial relationship with the pet". The results indicated that pet owners, when confronted with prohibitions and limitations, adopted 3 main strategies: justificatory, avoidance, and evasion. Finally, the consequences of this phenomenon were identified in 4 domains: living in the moment, filling voids of power and security, communicative consequences, and psychological consequences. These findings demonstrated that pet ownership should be analyzed as part of broader socio-cultural transformations in the lifestyle of Iranian society. In conclusion, the concept of "quasi-family construction" introduced in this study suggested that pet ownership must be examined within a deeper context—namely, cultural shift and the axiological and semiotic transformations of lifestyle and emerging family forms in Shiraz. Analyzing this phenomenon solely through individual intentions or a purely behaviorist lens would be reductionist. https://jas.ui.ac.ir/article_30280.html Abstract: The transition to independence, or the transition to adulthood, is a significant phase in the lives of young people. Employment is a key indicator of this transition, particularly for young men, as it is influenced by social structures and various forms of capital. This article explores the lived experiences of emancipated youth from the welfare system regarding employment. The study employs a phenomenological approach, using in-depth interviews with nine emancipated young men.The findings reveal that employment becomes inevitable for them after gaining independence. However, they often find themselves marginalized in the labor market, leading to a process of objectification. In this process, individuals lose their social agency and become subjects of management, surveillance, or control. This situation is particularly evident among marginalized groups or those lacking necessary capital, manifesting as repeated cycles of passivity, dependency, and an inability to alter their fate. Consequently, this hinders their successful transition to adulthood. The failure in this transition can be attributed to factors at three levels: individual, institutional, and structural. https://jas.ui.ac.ir/article_30430.html Superstition has been with him as a part of life since the beginning. In every era, this tendency has shown itself in different forms, and several factors have affected its intensity and sharpness. Superstition is an ancient and multifaceted phenomenon that continues to exist in contemporary societies with scientific advances. This article aims to identify the social and psychological factors on it by reviewing the history and theories related to this field and examining them among a sample of Tehrani citizens. This research was conducted as a survey among 284 citizens of Tehran's 15th district. The random sampling method and data analysis were performed using Amos23 and SPSS26 software. The results show that: The relationship between the level of tendency towards superstition and social factors (religion, fatalism, modernism); (the fatalism variable was significant and direct and the religiosity and modernism variables had no significant relationship) was obtained. And with the total psychological factors (anxiety, frustration, feeling of insecurity), all variables had a direct and significant relationship. In terms of the tendency towards superstition among contextual variables (gender, age groups, education and income), the average score of women was higher than that of men, the average score was higher than that of widows, singles and married people, the average score of older people was higher than that of younger people, the average score of less educated people was higher than that of more educated people, and the average score of low-income people was higher than that of high-income people. In the regression model, among the independent variables, the variable of feeling insecure and gender had the greatest impact and had a direct effect, and the variables of anxiety (indirect effect), fatalism (direct effect), education (indirect effect), modernity (direct effect), age (direct effect), hours of using cyberspace (direct effect), and income (indirect effect) played a role in explaining the dependent variable. Also, in the structural equation model, the impact of social factors was greater than that of psychological factors on the tendency towards superstition. https://jas.ui.ac.ir/article_30479.html https://jas.ui.ac.ir/article_30486.html In recent years, the discourse of Thirdspace has increasingly converged across diverse societies. This study undertakes a comparative historical discourse analysis of Thirdspace as articulated in the urban protests of Chile and Iran during 2019, employing the methodological framework of historical discourse analysis advanced by Ruth Wodak.The research data were firsthand and secondhand data including newspapers, News agents and academic research. The findings reveal three recurrent topoi that resonate across both contexts: 1) change and dignity, 2) political subjectivity, 3) inclusiveness, and justice. In both protests, protesters try to impose their subjectivity to the state, while force it to making just economic policies; policies that provide them a dignified life. Additionally, spatial action patterns in protests are affected from protests and reproduce it. Carnivalistic actions were signs of violence and symbolic actions were signs of civility in protests. Both of them indicate the change and dignity topoi because represent the willing to a dignified life. In addition, symbolic actions indicate the tense willing of protests to change status-quo and historical rethinking that represents the justice and inclusiveness topoi in future policymaking processed. Cyber-rhizomatic actions indicate continuity and expansion the domain of protest actions in social media and practical materialization of political subjectivity topoi. https://jas.ui.ac.ir/article_30523.html Abstract This qualitative study, employing an interpretive phenomenological approach, aims to uncover the structure of the lived experience of poverty among female-headed households in Bamyan City, Afghanistan. The theoretical framework is grounded in the concept of "lifeworld" and the subjective perceptions of Afghan women regarding poverty. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 30 Afghan women selected via purposive and snowball sampling. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis within a phenomenological framework. The findings reveal that the core of the poverty experience for these women is encapsulated in three interconnected main themes: "Livelihood Distress" (the daily struggle for survival), "Psychosocial Exhaustion" (erosion of self-esteem, shame, and social exclusion), and "Biosocial Pressure" (the destructive interplay of these factors). Together, these themes form a unified structure in which poverty is not merely an economic deficit but a pervasive, multilayered, and debilitating existential condition that undermines the individual and social identity of Afghan women, trapping them in a vicious cycle of material and psychological deprivation. https://jas.ui.ac.ir/article_30557.html This study examines the relationship between media consumption and family cohesion, with reflexivity as a mediating factor among married women in Shiraz, Iran. The theoretical framework integrates Cultivation Theory, the Uses and Gratifications approach, Giddens’s theory of reflexivity, and Olson’s Circumplex Model of family cohesion. Using a survey method and multistage cluster sampling, data were collected from 407 married women through a researcher-designed questionnaire. The data were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression. The findings indicate that media consumption patterns, particularly engagement with social media content, have a positive and significant association with family cohesion. Reflexivity also showed a positive effect by facilitating the reconfiguration of family relationships, whereas exposure to transnational media content was negatively associated with family cohesion. In addition, income and education emerged as significant predictors. The final model explained 21.1% of the variance in family cohesion. Overall, the findings suggest that media influence on family life is contingent upon both content type and reflexive interpretive processes https://jas.ui.ac.ir/article_30609.html According to the new public health paradigm, health-oriented behaviors are recognized not merely as individual choices but as a complex outcome of structural, social, and cultural determinants that play a central role in preventing the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases. However, examining how these contextual factors influence health decision-making in local settings requires a shift from reductionist approaches to multidimensional empirical analyses. This research was designed and conducted with the aim of theoretically and empirically analyzing the social and cultural determinants of health-oriented behaviors among citizens of Kashan city. The research method was survey-based, and the statistical population included residents of the five districts of Kashan city, from which 550 individuals were selected using multi-stage cluster sampling with the Sample Power software. The findings indicated that there is a significant direct relationship between economic capital, cultural capital, social capital, social support, health literacy, and e-health literacy with health-oriented behaviors. Additionally, the results of the structural equation modeling (Amos) showed a good fit for the model (CMIN/DF=2.047; CFI=0.902; PCFI=0.827; RMSEA=0.044). Overall, the main factors of the study were able to explain 76.9% of the variance in health-oriented behaviors, with cultural capital, social capital, and health literacy having the highest impact on these behaviors. https://jas.ui.ac.ir/article_30653.html In recent decades, the water crisis has moved beyond being a purely environmental issue and has become a multidimensional phenomenon with social, psychological, and institutional consequences. Nevertheless, the dominant focus of existing studies remains on material, economic, and public health aspects. In this context, the concept of perceived water insecurity, with its emphasis on subjective experiences, social meanings, and the psychological consequences of unstable access to water, highlights a critical gap in the literature. This article aims to conceptualize perceived water insecurity as a socio-human issue by examining its determinants, consequences, and coping mechanisms. The theoretical framework integrates socio-ecological theory and intersectionality, which shows how structural inequalities, power relations, and social differences are “embodied” in the lived experiences of individuals and lead to psychosocial consequences.The study adopts a descriptive–analytical approach based on a review of relevant theoretical and empirical literature. The findings indicate that perceived water insecurity is shaped by diverse social factors and produces multi-level consequences, including anxiety, chronic stress, social shame, weakened family relationships, declining institutional trust, social conflicts, and the intensification of poverty cycles. Households respond through various coping strategies—such as purchasing water from markets, relying on support networks, and adopting psychosocial strategies—which may themselves reproduce existing inequalities. Overall, the article argues that understanding and managing the water crisis requires simultaneous attention to its material, social, and psychological dimensions, as well as a rethinking of water policies through the lenses of social justice and public health. https://jas.ui.ac.ir/article_30675.html The modern medical institution is an arena of social action and the result of the interaction between the doctor and the patient, and in this arena, the behavior of the actors is faced with a percentage of error and harm. This trend is a significant challenge in global health systems that has widespread consequences. The aim of this research is to understand how patients encounter medical error. Therefore, a qualitative approach and a data-based method were used. The data are the result of semi-structured interviews with patients and families who experienced medical errors. Participants were selected through purposive and theoretical sampling. The results show that the causal conditions fall under three main categories; limited medical human capital, institutional inefficiency, and disorganization of the professional role. The three factors of citizen neglect, active-passive participation, and irrational and anomic selection are the underlying and intervening conditions; self-help in the face of crisis, identity reconstruction and restoration, and self-selected relief are the three strategies for managing the situation that people involved in medical errors have used. According to the findings, it is suggested that structural changes, the establishment of independent monitoring systems, improving medical education standards, and strengthening transparency and accountability in the healthcare system be undertaken to correct this situation, as well as supportive interventions for affected patients, public education in the field of informed physician selection. With this process, we can stop the trend of moral inversion and move the health system towards justice, efficiency, and accountability. https://jas.ui.ac.ir/article_30679.html Within the cultural context of Iran, marriage is not merely an individual act but is shaped through interaction with the family and intergenerational relationships. The present study aimed to explore the dimensions of family support in the marriage process among young people in Yazd. Using a qualitative design and thematic analysis, data were collected and analyzed through semi-structured interviews with 21 married young people aged 18–35, selected via purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. The findings identified six main themes, including family economic scaffolding, emotional accompaniment, continuous education, youth agency, marital conflict management, and the normative function of the family in the marriage process. The results indicated that family support extends beyond economic or emotional assistance; it also encompasses educational, normative, and cultural dimensions, playing a pivotal role in young people's transition to adulthood and marriage. Furthermore, the findings underscore the need for policy interventions aimed at improving economic conditions alongside strengthening and empowering the couples' families to alleviate the heavy burdens of marriage expenses, dowries, and housing at the onset of young people's marital life. https://jas.ui.ac.ir/article_30680.html Water governance in Iran has undergone multiple discursive transformations over the past five decades, reflecting shifts in political ideologies, development paradigms, and managerial approaches to water resources. Despite the gradual emergence of concepts such as sustainable development, social participation, and environmental protection, water policymaking in Iran has remained predominantly shaped by state-centered, infrastructural, and exploitation-oriented approaches. This study employs a qualitative meta-synthesis using a meta-ethnographic approach to analyze the discursive transformations of water governance in Iran between 1979 and 2024. In this regard, 12 qualitative studies were systematically selected from national and international academic databases and analyzed. The findings indicate that water policymaking in Iran has not followed a linear or stable trajectory; rather, it has been characterized by discursive ruptures, policy shifts, and recurrent gaps between policy formulation and implementation. Three recurring meta-patterns were identified across the selected studies: the “discourse–implementation gap,” the “hegemonic crisis” in the 2010s, and “intra-governmental shifts” in the early 2020s. The results also show that public participation has largely been limited or symbolic, while environmental considerations, despite their formal inclusion in policy documents, have often been subordinated to developmental priorities. The study concludes that the persistence of Iran’s water crisis cannot be explained solely by natural resource scarcity, but is also rooted in unstable governance patterns, weak institutional coordination, and a persistent gap between policy discourse and implementation practices. https://jas.ui.ac.ir/article_30688.html Theft as a crime against property, has been on the rise in recent years, making it one of the most pressing social problems in the country. This research has studied theft within a qualitative framework, using the grounded theory in social context of Bushehr province. The participants were 16 thieves selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed using open, axial and selective coding. The coding process resulted in 143 codes, 23 concepts and 11 categories. Economic poverty and lack of social support were identified as the causal conditions of theft; social disorder and social deviances as the context conditions; loss of rationality and family breakdown as the intervening conditions; planning and skill development as the strategies used by thieves; and finally, psychosomatic illnesses, punishment and social disorder as the consequences of theft. The findings led to the emergence of a core called escaping constraints in an endless cycle of consequences. In an inefficient economic structure marked by numerous bottlenecks, people steal to escape constraints but quickly face further consequences. This traps them in a prolonged cycle of theft.