International Sociology

In this article some links between comparative methods, interdisciplinary studies and the internationalization of sociological knowledge are explored. The most fruitful comparative approach, it is argued, is neither positivistic nor relativistic, but should involve systematic incorporation of contextual analysis in selecting indices and explanatory variables. It is demonstrated that in order to carry out such contextual analysis effectively, the researcher is impelled toward both an interdisciplinary approach and international collaboration.

At the start of the third millennium social scientists’ preoccupation with the weakening of Gemeinschaft is - particularly in western postmodern societies - again at its peak. Waning social capital is believed to have undermined community, as reflected in widespread feelings of social mistrust, in citizens turning away from prime institutions and political authorities, and even engaging less in informal interactions. This diagnosis of civil society as advanced by especially American scholars would be a very serious account of our present times, if the debate and research in this field were not impaired by a set of equally serious theoretical and methodological problems. This article addresses a number of these basic problems. The main issue is the lack of sensitivity in civil society studies to new, alternative and innovative forms of solidarity, connectedness and civic and political engagement, particularly those facilitated by the Internet. It is time to thoroughly define today’s forms of civil society made by contemporary people with contemporary means, in a contemporary world. This article aims to reframe the civil society research agenda.

In this article, the author investigates individuals’ social capital, adopting a micro-relational perspective. The definition of social capital adopted is centred on personal contacts and exchanges. Reconstructing individuals’ net-works can precisely depict the network resources utilized by the actors. The study builds on the accumulated knowledge of previous research and literature on social capital, but directs attention to occupational division among the self-employed. The typology of (solo) self-employment that is introduced represents a variety of forms of self-employment activities in advanced economies, ranging from highly educated and profitable professionals to the poorly educated and often precarious unskilled self-employed, and it has been proposed in order to evaluate the role that social capital differentials play in structuring individuals’ work experiences. The article stresses that not ‘any’ network can represent ‘social capital’. It is necessary to single out the important ‘social resources matrix’ that produces effective social capital which can be used by subjects in purposive ways. The article shows how the different amount of social capital among the three types of self-employed workers (professionals/skilled/unskilled) has a strong impact on individuals’ levels of work involvement and psychological distress. By combining the network-operationalization of social capital with a ‘case by variable’ logic of analysis, it is demonstrated that social capital can be quite useful to explain differences in individuals’ well-being. In this sense, the article poses the question about social capital as a factor of social inequality.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have become influential actors in policy and political decision-making. Using a case study of the formation of the White Carpathian Euroregion, this article examines how the actions of local and regional NGOs change in response to shifting political opportunities and how these groups can influence domestic policy and relations between states. The results suggest that NGOs work to advance their agendas by relying on strategies based on communication, leverage and community development. As new political conditions emerge, NGOs rely on the same general strategies, but vary the specific tactics they select based on the degree of political access and receptivity. This study further demonstrates that when domestic NGOs pursue a long-term vision, even when the political context is not favorable, they can gain credibility and establish a basis for action that they can then leverage to foster local, regional and international change when new political opportunities emerge.