Approaches in sociology and development

Abstract Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the emergence of the concept of political consumerism in political sociology. The research explains the nature, contexts, forms, and processes of political consumerism as a non‑institutional mode of political participation. A documentary and library‑based method was employed, and therefore no statistical population or sampling procedure was involved. Data were collected through library sources and online academic materials, using note‑taking techniques aligned with the research questions and objectives.
Findings: The results indicate that political consumerism represents a contemporary form of political participation that has become prevalent in developed societies.
Conclusion: As an emerging phenomenon, political consumerism enables individuals to participate in social and political processes by choosing goods and services that align with their personal values. This market‑driven form of engagement cannot fully develop in societies lacking a strong civil sphere.

Abstract Abstract
Purpose: The present study aims to examine the social and cultural factors influencing the tendency toward emotional divorce among couples referring to counseling centers in the city of Qaemshahr.
Method: This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive–correlational with a survey design in terms of methodology. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire consisting of 65 items. The statistical population included all married men and women who visited family counseling centers in Qaemshahr, totaling 1,134 individuals. Using Cochran’s formula, a sample size of 288 participants was determined.
Findings: The results revealed significant correlations between extramarital relationships and emotional divorce (r=0.61), between modern lifestyle and emotional divorce (r = 0.63), between individual-level factors and emotional divorce (r= 0.59), between the erosion of family social capital and emotional divorce (r=0.69), between the erosion of family cultural capital and emotional divorce (r=0.67), and between socioeconomic status and emotional divorce (r=0.60).
Conclusion: Emotional divorce is one of the key challenges confronting many contemporary families. The deterioration of marital bonds represents one of the most prominent manifestations of current transformations within the family structure. Therefore, identifying and analyzing the factors contributing to emotional divorce is increasingly essential.

Abstract Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to sociologically examine and understand the practice of nail implantation among women living in the city of Quchan.
Method: The research was conducted using a qualitative approach and the grounded theory method. Semi‑structured interviews were employed as the data collection tool. Interview participants were selected through purposive sampling, and theoretical sampling was used to determine the final number of participants. The study population consisted of women in Quchan who had experience with nail implantation. A total of 27 women aged 20 to 60 who had undergone nail implantation participated in the study.
Findings: The findings indicate that the causal conditions of this phenomenon include fear of social rejection and negative self‑perception regarding the appearance of their hands. The central phenomenon of the study is the desire for beauty (and bodily expressiveness), which takes place within the context of social values and family conditions. Social restrictions and feelings of conflict, along with the influential role of advertising and encouragement from others, act as facilitating conditions for this practice. The consequences identified in the study include increased self‑confidence, time savings, and economic savings.
Conclusion: In a changing society where women have limited social presence and face multiple constraints, the body becomes a highly effective medium for self‑expression and self‑presentation.

Abstract Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to conduct a comparative examination of the concept of justice in Islamic sociology and Western sociology, with a focus on the ideas of Martyr Morteza Motahhari and Michael Walzer. To derive a justice framework from the perspectives of these two thinkers, three layers of knowledge—philosophical (including epistemology, anthropology, and ontology), paradigmatic, and scientific (including theory and model)—were considered. Data were collected and analyzed using the comparative method.
Findings: The findings indicate that despite certain shared emphases—such as the importance both thinkers place on society and communal goods as well as the principles governing their distribution—Motahhari prioritizes the rights of society over the rights of individuals and disagrees with extensive relativism and maximal pluralism in social goods and distributive principles. He also maintains, unlike Walzer, that some universal and immutable perceptions of justice exist.
On the other hand, Walzer, by identifying eleven distinct spheres of justice (membership, security and welfare, money and commodities, office, hard work, leisure, education, kinship and love, recognition, divine grace, and political power), emphasizes the preservation of each sphere’s independence from domination and monopoly. Motahhari, however, identifies three broader domains of justice—divine justice, individual justice, and social justice—and argues for a comprehensive reciprocal relationship among them, in which divine justice forms the foundation of human justice, and individual justice underlies social justice.
Conclusion: Justice continues to be a central concern in socio‑economic and political thought. Although numerous social movements and political revolutions have sought to achieve justice and equality, there remains no universal agreement on the structure of a fully just society.

Abstract Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to conduct a sociological analysis of the dimensions of economic and social sustainable development within the country’s oil and gas industry. Method: This descriptive–review study examined the existing body of literature related to the sociological analysis of sustainable economic and social development in the oil and gas sector over the past ten years (2014–2024). Relevant studies were selected through random sampling. Following an initial search and subsequent screening of articles and theses, 12 studies were chosen and analyzed. Findings: The results indicate that several key indicators—including public participation, fluctuations in oil revenue and urbanization growth, governance and transparency, livelihood changes, lifestyle transformations, shifts in values and norms, environmental challenges, socio‑economic inequalities linked to oil exports, weak job‑skill competencies, increased disparities, and oil‑based economic and development planning—are among the most influential factors shaping sustainable economic and social development in the national oil and gas industry. Conclusion: In Iran, oil—serving as the backbone of national economic income—has significant effects on various social transformations, including social mobility and sustainable development. In resource‑rich countries such as Iran, revenues from natural resources, due to factors such as ineffective revenue management, can influence social and economic conditions in ways that hinder sustainable development. Therefore, oil can function both as a driver of socio‑economic growth and as a potential barrier to it.

Abstract Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of machine‑learning predictive algorithms on sociology. By introducing and implementing an innovative framework based on transfer learning and multi‑environment data collection, this research adopts a hybrid approach to explore the potential of modern algorithms for analyzing social issues across diverse cultural and economic contexts. Unlike previous studies that were largely limited to a single society or dataset, the proposed approach—through the integration of supervised learning models and transfer learning—enables the generalization of findings from one society to another. Data were gathered from various cross‑cultural sources and, following adaptive preprocessing, algorithms such as Random Forest, Neural Networks, Support Vector Machines, and Logistic Regression were applied. Findings: The results not only demonstrate the superior performance of these algorithms within heterogeneous social environments but also highlight the relationships among cultural and economic variables and the social interpretation of predictive models. The innovative contributions of this study lie in the use of transfer learning, cross‑societal validation, and culturally sensitive algorithmic analysis, offering a new pathway for data‑driven research in sociology and supporting the development of evidence‑based policymaking and social justice. Conclusion: The rapid growth of big data and the advancement of machine‑learning algorithms in recent years have laid the foundation for a significant conceptual and methodological shift within the field of sociology.