Frontiers in SociologyPub Date : 2025-07-30eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2025.1575778
Lucas Teles da Silva, Dimitri Marques Abramov, Daniel de Freitas Quintanilha
{"title":"Are we truly fighting ableism? Digressions for a complex society.","authors":"Lucas Teles da Silva, Dimitri Marques Abramov, Daniel de Freitas Quintanilha","doi":"10.3389/fsoc.2025.1575778","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fsoc.2025.1575778","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ableism, as a pervasive yet often unchallenged structure of oppression, operates across multiple social domains, shaping perceptions of disability and normalcy. This article interrogates the complexities of ableism through an interdisciplinary framework that integrates complexity theory, Queer theory, and critical disability studies, engaging with the works of Michel Foucault and Georges Canguilhem (among others). Rather than treating ableism as a singular form of discrimination, the study examines its intersections with other oppressive systems, including homophobia, medicalization, and epistemic injustice. By analyzing how blindness, schizophrenia, and paraplegia are socially constructed and regulated, this research highlights how biopolitical and necropolitical mechanisms determine which bodies are deemed valuable, productive, or expendable within neoliberal societies. This framework allows for a deeper understanding of how ableism functions both as a means of control and as a determinant of which lives are considered unworthy of care. Furthermore, by engaging with complexity theory, the article challenges reductionist perspectives that frame disability as an individual deficit rather than as an integral part of human diversity. The implications of this analysis extend beyond theoretical discourse, calling for a reconceptualization of diversity that does not merely accommodate disabled individuals within existing structures but actively deconstructs the epistemological and institutional foundations of ableism. This research contributes to psychological and cultural studies by fostering a critical dialogue on how ableism is reproduced in societal narratives, policies, and everyday interactions. By reframing disability as a site of epistemic and existential richness rather than mere impairment, this article tries to advance a more inclusive understanding of human diversity.</p>","PeriodicalId":36297,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sociology","volume":"10 ","pages":"1575778"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12343582/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144849277","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Frontiers in SociologyPub Date : 2025-07-30eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2025.1568400
Klaus Birkelbach, Hermann Dülmer, Heiner Meulemann
{"title":"Privileges among the privileged: the effect of starting conditions at age 16 on occupational success from age 16 to 66 in an educationally privileged group.","authors":"Klaus Birkelbach, Hermann Dülmer, Heiner Meulemann","doi":"10.3389/fsoc.2025.1568400","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fsoc.2025.1568400","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Do starting conditions in an educationally selected youth still affect occupational success in adult life? Educational selection depends on starting conditions for the career beyond the school which are <i>given</i> or <i>controllable</i> - gender, intelligence, and social origin vs. grades, aspirations, and life plans. In a group already selected, it intensifies competition and challenges motivations to succeed more strongly such that new privileges can arise among the already privileged. This is examined longitudinally from age 16 to 30, 43, 56, and 66. Two hypotheses will be tested cross-sectionally at each age: (1) <i>Effectiveness</i>: All starting conditions should increase occupational success, (2) <i>Control force</i>: Given starting conditions have less impact than controllable ones. And two hypotheses will be tested longitudinally from age 30 to 66: (3) <i>Tapering off</i>: All starting conditions lose impact. (4) <i>Control persistency</i>: Given conditions lose more impact than controllable ones.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data are from the <i>Cologne High School Panel</i> (CHISP). It starts off with 3240 German Gymnasium (the highest layer of the three German high school forms) students at age 16 in 1969. They have been re-interviewed at age 30, 43, 56, and 66 when 1013 respondents remain. The <i>occupational career success from 16 to 66</i> is measured as occupational prestige and hourly net income, corrected for inflation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results show that prestige is higher for men than women; it increases with social origin, and aspirations to a strong degree at age 30, to a lesser degree at age 43, to a still lesser degree at age 56, and not at all at age 66; however, the impact of the earlier success increases strongly and continuously. In brief, the past fades away and the careers consolidate. But given conditions do not have weaker impacts than controllable ones and do not lose their impact more strongly. Thus, (1) the <i>effectiveness hypothesis</i> is confirmed for most starting conditions, but (2) the <i>control force hypothesis</i> is not; and (3) the <i>tapering off hypothesis</i> is, but (4) the <i>control persistence hypothesis</i> is not. Given starting conditions have no less power over occupational success than controllable ones. Privileges resonate indiscriminately and decreasingly in life histories.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Income at age 30, 43, 56, and 66 does not increase continuously with any starting condition, but decreases with intelligence at age 30 and increases with male gender and having a life goal at age 43. And the impact of the earlier successes increases strongly and continuously. In brief, the past throws no shadow and the careers consolidate. The (1 and 2) <i>effectiveness and the control force hypothesis</i> are disconfirmed. Given the irregular impacts of starting conditions, (3 and 4) the <i>fading off and the control persiste","PeriodicalId":36297,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sociology","volume":"10 ","pages":"1568400"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12344656/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144849279","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Modeling the variables that influence substance consumption of people who experience homelessness in Colombia.","authors":"Leandro González Támara, Sandra Patricia Barragán Moreno","doi":"10.3389/fsoc.2025.1474113","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fsoc.2025.1474113","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Homelessness in Colombia is a critical social issue that is strongly associated with psychoactive substance use. This study aims to model the variables influencing substance use among individuals experiencing homelessness in Colombia, offering insights to inform public policy design.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This research draws on data from the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) censuses conducted in 2017, 2019, and 2021. A two-stage quantitative methodology was applied: (1) descriptive analysis of the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the homeless population, and (2) predictive modeling using random forest algorithms to identify key variables associated with substance use. While results reveal strong associations, they do not imply causality. The study focuses on available variables, acknowledging the absence of psychosocial factors and the need for complementary qualitative research.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The analysis identified age and the duration of homelessness as the most influential variables associated with substance use. Descriptive findings revealed that 66-68% of the homeless population reported consuming at least one psychoactive substance, with higher consumption rates observed among younger individuals and those with shorter durations of homelessness. The random forest model demonstrated high predictive accuracy and confirmed the centrality of these variables. Moreover, men were more likely to use substances than women, and both family conflict and prior substance use were key factors contributing to the onset and persistence of homelessness.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The findings indicate that substance use is prevalent among homeless individuals in Colombia and shaped by distinct demographic factors. The bidirectional relationship between homelessness and substance use reveals a complex dynamic in which each condition reinforces the other. These results highlight the importance of targeted interventions directed at younger individuals and those recently experiencing homelessness. Future research using system dynamics modeling is recommended to further explore the feedback mechanisms underlying this relationship.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study offers a detailed analysis of the variables influencing substance use among homeless individuals in Colombia. By identifying age and homelessness duration as critical factors, the research contributes actionable knowledge for the development of evidence-based public policies. Implementing targeted interventions based on these findings may improve the health outcomes and social reintegration of this vulnerable population, ultimately enhancing public health and safety.</p>","PeriodicalId":36297,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sociology","volume":"10 ","pages":"1474113"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12344658/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144849278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Frontiers in SociologyPub Date : 2025-07-30eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2025.1576372
Sameer Hinduja, Justin W Patchin
{"title":"The role of hope in bullying and cyberbullying prevention.","authors":"Sameer Hinduja, Justin W Patchin","doi":"10.3389/fsoc.2025.1576372","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fsoc.2025.1576372","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Research is clear that the cognitive-motivational internal asset of hope is significantly related to enhanced life satisfaction and psychological wellbeing. It has also shown promise in preventing participation in a variety of negative externalizing behaviors, especially antisociality, maladaptive coping, and various forms of aggression among young people. The current exploration evaluates the relationship between hope and youth participation in bullying and cyberbullying.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A nationally representative survey was conducted in spring 2019 among 5,569 U.S. students aged 12-17 (mean age 14.4) to examine bullying and cyberbullying offending, with 2,472 respondents completing Snyder's six-item Children's Hope Scale. The study measured participation in eight forms of school-based bullying and twelve forms of cyberbullying in the previous 30 days, and controlled for demographic variables including age, gender, race, and sexual orientation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study found that 16.5% of students participated in school bullying behaviors and 10.7% in cyberbullying behaviors in the previous 30 days. Name-calling was the most common form of school bullying (16%), while making others feel left out was the most frequent form of cyberbullying (10.1%). Statistical analyses revealed that male students were more likely to engage in both forms of bullying. Importantly, higher levels of hope were associated with significantly lower participation in both school bullying and cyberbullying behaviors.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Findings indicate that hope has an inverse relationship with school bullying and cyberbullying behaviors among US youth, suggesting that fostering hope could help reduce these forms of interpersonal aggression. Specifically, schools should prioritize hope-building through the cultivation of one-on-one relationships, the use of scenario-based learning, and the implementation of supportive-cooperative interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":36297,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sociology","volume":"10 ","pages":"1576372"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12345371/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144849280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Frontiers in SociologyPub Date : 2025-07-25eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2025.1537033
Naomi Alormele
{"title":"\"I dream of an island\": Black joy, storytelling and the art of refusal. Creative methodologies and decolonial praxis in higher education.","authors":"Naomi Alormele","doi":"10.3389/fsoc.2025.1537033","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fsoc.2025.1537033","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper advances a decolonial and Black feminist intervention into higher education research by positioning emotive storytelling, creative methodologies, and Black joy as transformative tools for epistemic resistance and institutional critique. Centring the voices of Black women in academic and professional roles across the UK and Canada, the study draws on Decolonial Theory, Black Feminist Thought, and Critical Race Theory to examine how contributors navigate systemic exclusion, racialised emotional labour, and the limitations of performative diversity. Using a cross-contextual, contributor-led approach-including storytelling conversations, reflective journals, poetry, and visual artefacts-this research establishes emotive and creative forms of expression as legitimate and vital modes of knowledge production. Black joy is conceptualised not as an affective state, but as a radical methodological and political framework: enacted through humour, ritual, and care, it becomes a strategy of survival, refusal, and reimagining. Storytelling functions as both method and praxis, offering contributors space to articulate lived realities and assert epistemic agency. Visual artefacts-such as collages, metaphorical drawings, and illustrated poetry-are analysed as counter-narratives that disrupt erasure and reframe Black women's presence within academic institutions. While UK contributors contend with the afterlives of empire and class-based exclusion, Canadian contributors confront the contradictions of multiculturalism and anti-Indigenous racism. Across both contexts, the study exposes how symbolic inclusion masks structural harm. This study contributes to current debates on decolonising research by demonstrating the power of emotionally grounded, arts-based methodologies to surface hidden forms of knowledge and resistance. It calls for institutions to move beyond rhetorical equity by honouring Black women's intellectual labour, embedding joy as method, and supporting creative, relational approaches to transformation in higher education.</p>","PeriodicalId":36297,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sociology","volume":"10 ","pages":"1537033"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12332979/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144817737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Frontiers in SociologyPub Date : 2025-07-25eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2025.1642404
Sidhanth Ashok, T S Saranya
{"title":"\"Praying in or preying on my skin\": a narrative study of transgender and gender non-conforming individuals' experiences with religion and gender identity in India.","authors":"Sidhanth Ashok, T S Saranya","doi":"10.3389/fsoc.2025.1642404","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fsoc.2025.1642404","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This narrative analysis paper explores how gender non-conforming individuals interact with faith across Indian religious traditions. Drawing upon four in-depth semi-structured interviews with the participants: Participant A, a trans Muslim man; Participant B, a transgender Hindu woman; Participant C, a gender-fluid Catholic; and Participant D, a non-binary Protestant, this study employs an inductive narrative analysis to help trace how queerness and spirituality are shaped by the structures of religious indoctrination, gendered discipline, and theological exclusion. The participants recount experiences of conversion therapy, spiritual correction, and ostracization from ritual space, with many describing an internalized fear of God's punishment. Most poignantly, the themes of \"God's silence,\" \"Spiritual exile,\" and \"Reclamation of Sacred Identity\" take shape from the narratives and speak to the theological and emotional labor of reconciling the expression of gender identity and shaping faith. All four subjects show significant personal spiritual agency, despite institutional failures, which they functionally demonstrate through their own reinterpretations of scriptures, personal ritual practices, and organized queer faith communities. These narratives also push back against the gender binaries associated with a narrow set of constructs in Indian religious discourse, and offer a counter-theology that's based on embodiment, defiance, and reinterpretation. Additionally, this study shows the ongoing need to construct religious belonging beyond cisnormative practices, and places queer spirituality as a reality, instead of reality-anomaly.</p>","PeriodicalId":36297,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sociology","volume":"10 ","pages":"1642404"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12331479/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144817738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Frontiers in SociologyPub Date : 2025-07-24eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2025.1638766
Stergios Kaprinis, Anastasios Charalampakis
{"title":"Social exclusion and psychopathology in LGBTQ+ communities: a neuropsychosocial review.","authors":"Stergios Kaprinis, Anastasios Charalampakis","doi":"10.3389/fsoc.2025.1638766","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fsoc.2025.1638766","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>LGBTQ+ individuals are disproportionately affected by depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, primarily due to persistent social exclusion, prejudice, and systemic discrimination rather than any inherent psychopathology. This review synthesizes contemporary theoretical frameworks, including the Minority Stress Model, the Psychological Mediation Framework, and the Rejection Sensitivity Model, to examine the internalization of systemic marginalization and its manifestation as psychological distress. Significant mediators, such as internalized stigma, emotional dysregulation, and rejection sensitivity, are investigated alongside structural determinants, such as familial rejection and intersectional oppression. Contemporary insights from social psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience were used in this study. Neurobiological data indicate that chronic minority stress modifies the limbic-prefrontal circuitry, disrupts the hypothalamic- pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and increases allostatic load. The implications for clinical practice and public health were analyzed, emphasizing the importance of community-based resilience initiatives, inclusive policy reforms, and LGBTQ+-affirmative therapy. The article concludes by outlining the theoretical constraints and proposing future avenues for participatory and multidisciplinary studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":36297,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sociology","volume":"10 ","pages":"1638766"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12330642/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144800508","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Frontiers in SociologyPub Date : 2025-07-24eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2025.1435207
Júlia Mello
{"title":"Freak to queer bodies: affirming the grotesque in contemporary art.","authors":"Júlia Mello","doi":"10.3389/fsoc.2025.1435207","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2025.1435207","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This article analyzes artworks that employ the grotesque to challenge hegemonic discourses. It draws a parallel between bodies depicted in 19th-century freak shows and queer bodies represented in artistic productions from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s. In both historical and modern contexts, bodily difference plays a pivotal role in defining normality. Various artistic endeavors have aimed to reconsider this premise, particularly by addressing gender issues, exemplified in the works of Brazilian artist Fernanda Magalhães and Chicana artist Laura Aguilar. This investigation employs image analysis, focusing on art history and visual culture, alongside a literature review. The findings suggest the potential for rethinking the social status of bodies labeled abnormal and highlight the political impact of contemporary art in promoting social inclusion.</p>","PeriodicalId":36297,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sociology","volume":"10 ","pages":"1435207"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12329794/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144800507","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Frontiers in SociologyPub Date : 2025-07-24eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2025.1619372
Angel Treesa Joseph, Rashmi Rekha Borah
{"title":"Emplacement of trauma in migrant spaces: non-places and unhomeliness in <i>Living Undocumented</i> and <i>Stateless</i>.","authors":"Angel Treesa Joseph, Rashmi Rekha Borah","doi":"10.3389/fsoc.2025.1619372","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fsoc.2025.1619372","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Migration often places individuals into spaces that lack stability, familiarity, and personal connection. This paper investigates the emplacement of trauma in non-places, focusing on the experiences of immigrants as depicted in the Netflix series <i>Living Undocumented</i> (2019) and <i>Stateless</i> (2020). Utilizing the theoretical frameworks of Marc Augé's non-places and Homi Bhabha's concept of unhomeliness, the study analyzes how these liminal spaces strip migrants of their identity, destabilize their sense of belonging, and intensify their emotional and psychological distress. The analysis examines how non-places contribute to feelings of dislocation, alienation, and cultural trauma, intensifying the struggles associated with identity and belonging in unfamiliar territories. By analyzing the interaction between individuals and these non-spaces, the paper highlights a complex layer of emotional and cultural estrangement often overlooked in discussions of migration. The article argues for a re-evaluation of immigration policies, advocating for approaches that emphasize empathy, inclusion, and respect for human dignity. This research contributes to the evolving discourse on migration, identity, and space, calling for a paradigmatic shift in perspective on how non-places impact the lives of migrants.</p>","PeriodicalId":36297,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sociology","volume":"10 ","pages":"1619372"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12328283/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144800506","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Frontiers in SociologyPub Date : 2025-07-23eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2025.1562478
Tae Jun Kim
{"title":"Racial re-inscriptions? Examining the potentials and limitations of self-identification variables in German survey research.","authors":"Tae Jun Kim","doi":"10.3389/fsoc.2025.1562478","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2025.1562478","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In recent years, quantitative methods have become a central tool in the fight against racism in Germany, offering empirical evidence to support anti-discrimination efforts. Among these methods, especially self-identification has gained prominence as a way to capture racialized experiences more accurately and to empower marginalized visibilities. By drawing on critical theories of racism, this paper argues that while self-identification may appear to challenge essentialist thinking, it can also risk re-inscribing race by stabilizing fluid identities into fixed categories. These risks are particularly salient in the German context, where official statistics have historically avoided racial categorization, and where recent shifts toward race-sensitive data collection raise new ethical and epistemological questions. By engaging with current methodological debates and highlighting both the contributions and limitations of quantitative approaches, this analysis calls for more reflexive, context-sensitive, and theoretically informed research designs.</p>","PeriodicalId":36297,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sociology","volume":"10 ","pages":"1562478"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12325297/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144795725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}