Digital Commons Network^™

Gatekeeper Persuasion And Issue Adoption: Amnesty International And The Transnational Lgbtq Network, Robyn Linde

Faculty Publications

Network theory is a valuable tool for understanding how transnational human rights advocacy emerges and develops; how norms become salient; and how nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) gain prominence within networks. This article evaluates political network theory through the case study of the transnational lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) advocacy network. Through interviews with key figures at human rights and LGBTQ NGOs, I suggest that the transnational LGBTQ network emerged through contestation with the human rights gatekeeper, Amnesty International, and its US section, AIUSA. This process of contestation would produce a specific type of gatekeeper activism that would become a …

Supporting People As They Age In Community: Housing, Rachel Filinson, Maureen Maigret

Faculty Publications

Aging in community can be a healthier, happier option for many seniors, but only if they have the right resources and support, starting with suitable housing. Homes must be affordable for retirees on fixed incomes and adapted for those with physical limitations. Older people living on their own need access to community services to keep them healthy and connected. Without affordable, age-friendly housing and access to services, aging in community can be stressful, isolating, and limiting, rather than empowering.

Supporting People As They Age In Community: Information And Service Access, Rachel Filinson, Maureen Maigret

Faculty Publications

As people age, they often rely on the support of public and private programs to help them live healthy, independent lives. What if older people and their caregivers had access to a single website, phone number, or office that could connect them with all the support and resources they need, from applying for Medicare benefits and finding long-term care facilities to accessing transportation and meal delivery services?

Building Age-Friendly Community: Notes From The Field, Rachel Filinson, Marianne Raimondo, Maureen Maigret

Faculty Publications

Building age-friendly communities is a global as well as a national concern. The purpose of this paper is to explore fundamental tensions underlying the formulation of age-friendly goals and their implementation, based on a review of age-friendly projects and reflections on the journey towards age friendliness in one state (Rhode Island). The authors conducted a comprehensive investigation of the relevant literature on previous age-friendly initiatives, which included case studies of individual projects, meta-analyses of age-friendly work, and educational toolkits for promoting age-friendly community. They also collected original data from ten focus groups with older adults, interviews with key informant service …

Evolving Ethical Standards In The Digital Age, Frederic G. Reamer

Faculty Publications

Ethical standards in social work have matured significantly since the formal inauguration of the profession in the late 19th century. This article traces the global evolution of ethical standards in social work, focusing especially on current challenges in the digital age. The author discusses changes over time in social workers’ understanding of ethical issues and development of conceptual frameworks and protocols for managing them. Social workers’ increasing use of digital technology poses novel and unprecedented ethical challenges pertaining to privacy, confidentiality, informed consent, professional boundaries, conflicts of interest, documentation, client abandonment, and professionalism, among others. The article outlines emerging ethical …

Congress, Interest Groups, And The Strategic Use Of Judicial Review, Gary S. Pascoa

Honors Projects

Prior research suggests that political actors use judicial review for politically strategic purposes in order to achieve policy goals. Depending upon institutional considerations, members of Congress and interest groups will either seek to allow or preclude judicial review of agency actions. This study seeks to test these claims using the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 and focuses on the creation of the Independent Payment Advisory Board. The findings provide some support for the claims, but show less than expected concern over judicial review, particularly among interest groups. The study then provides four explanations for these findings.

The War Next Door: Peace Journalism In Us Local And Distant Newspapers' Coverage Of Mexico, Katherine Lacasse, Larissa Forster

Faculty Publications

This study explores the relationship between proximity to a conflict and the tendency to use peace journalism rather than war journalism modes of reporting. In the context of the current drug war occurring in Mexico, articles from both local, border region US newspapers and from distant US newspapers were coded according to their usage of war or peace journalism frames. Analyses revealed that local newspapers utilized more peace journalism frames overall, and presented a less pessimistic and negative view of the conflict and parties. Distant newspapers, however, were more likely to showcase complexity of the conflict and many parties and …

Demographics Comes Of Age As A Key Analytical Tool, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"When last Oct. 16, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that this country's population had reached the 300 million mark, there was considerable hoopla--and rightly so, since we continue to be the third most populated country, home to about one in 20 people in the world."

Tax Fraud, Money Laundering And The Financing Of Organized Crime, Erin Todisco

Honors Projects

Demonstrates that tax fraud and money laundering are major means of financing organized crime operations and argues that more aggressive enforcement of the tax code and money laundering legislation are necessary to help stop such crime.

For Providence, Another Era Of Greatness?, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Providence has come a long way from just 20 years ago when a visitor coming into the city by rail would find sprayed across the walls of the nearly empty Union Station such epithets as 'Providence is the pits' and 'Welcome to dead city.' And it was. I know because I lived there."

Moral Philosophy Meets Social Work, Frederic G. Reamer

Faculty Publications

In recent years, social workers have become increasingly aware of ethical dilemmas in practice. Beginning especially in the mid-to-late 1970s, social work's literature has included a steady stream of reflections on difficult moral choices involving conflicts among professional duties and obligations (Loewnberg and Dolgoff 1996; Congress 1998; Reamer 1998, 1999). To what extent do clients have the right to engage in self-harming behavior without interference? How should social workers allocate scarce or limited resources such as emergency services, shelter beds, funds, and even their own time? Is it ethically permissible for social workers to violate laws and regulations they believe …

Rhode Island Teachers Ahead Of The Crowd, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"For teachers this is the time to enjoy the summer break to travel, stay home with their own children or just take a vacation. But for the majority there is something called professional development. Summer is the usual time when teachers go back to school to hone their skills, learn more about their subject area, work for advanced degrees or pick up some new practices for that high tech equipment sitting in the classroom. Like may other professionals who want to advance their careers and keep up with new ideas and practices, teachers also take courses during the school year …

Retaining And Revitalizing Teachers, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Bankers do it; corporate members do it; even non-refundable profits do it, so why in the world can't teachers do it? What I'm talking about is the opportunity to get away from the job for a short period to have some free time, to contemplate, to talk with your colleagues, be pampered and to learn. This so-called retreat provides the opportunity to relax and reflect on your life and your work, to refresh yourself and to be recognized for the important work that you do. This is what they do for teachers in North Carolina, the only state to have …

Early Observations On The 2000 Census, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The 281.4 million residents of our country counted in 2000 exceeded census estimates of 274.5 by nearly seven million and 13.2 percent, was the largest numeric gain for a decade in the history of census taking, dating back to 1790 when the first one was taken. Swelled by immigrant numbers and holding a steady birth rate, this increase topped the previously highest increase of 28 million of the baby boom years of the 1950s."

Hud Report Hails City's Revival, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Recent rankings of Providence have given it high grades, ranging from restaurant reviews to being named by Money magazine as the best city in the Northeast in which to live. All of these tributes have received considerable publicity. But the best endorsement of the city's revitalization likely comes from a publication not commonly seen by the public, the annual State of the Cities report published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development."

Revised Census Gives Mayors Worry And Hope, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The numbers are in. They were a surprise for the Census Bureau, the nation and the state of Rhode Island. They year 2000 22nd decennial census whose numbers were first revealed to the President by the December 31, 2000 deadline and then to the public, fooled many observers by coming in considerably higher than that previously estimated. this was true for both the nation and the state of Rhode Island."

Where Did They All Go? R.I. Population Still Shrinking, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Just how accurate are the U.S. Census Bureau estimates of the population, done every year between the actual count of population done every ten years? Well, we should soon be able to make comparisons of the recently released estimates for 1999 and the actual state totals when they are released at the end of this years, and when city and town figures are released April 1, 2001, exactly one year after the census of 2000."

A Tale Of Two Cities, Similar, But Also Quite Different, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Five years ago I wrote a column for this paper about a visit to Worcester, especially to explore the newly opened Worcester Fashion Common OUtlets. When I told my daughter who works in the area that I was going for a weekend in Worcester, she asked 'Why?' The report that I wrote was not a positive one."

Charting The Census Count On The Way To Our Woodsian Future, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Our country is a wonderful example of the world in miniature. because of our generous immigration policy which allows approximately one million persons to enter the country each year and to come from almost any country in the world, it is not necessary to go out in search of different people and cultures for almost all are to be found here. Whether one talks of the Hispanics and Native Americans of the Southwest, the AfroAmericans of the South, the Asians of Hawaii, the whites of the North or the more than 120 national groups found in the Elmhurst neighborhood of …

Measuring Up Rhode Island, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Among its several distinctive characteristics is Rhode Island's small size. The smallest state gives its residents a distorted perception of distance (a trip to Woonsocket requires an overnight); is often used as a measure of scale (the fire burned an area the size of Rhode Island); and in the eyes of non-Rhode Islanders does not exist as a state (island off the coast of New York or a spot on the highway to Cape Cod)."

Congratulations On City's Renaissance, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The excellent and comprehensive front-page story on the Providence Renaissance by Bill Van Sicen in Sunday's Providence Journal of May 21, 2000, nicely brought together all of the exciting development from the recent past, the present, the planned future and the vision of what the long-term future might be for the capital city's center. And the map, which depicted the location of these 18 development sites, was impressive in the sense that so much of the downtown and nearby areas have been and will be affected by this development. Oh, how different from the recent past."

A Proposal To The Governor: 'Let's Get Together', Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Americans have always had a dislike of cities. From the time Thomas Jefferson who felt that the good life was to be found in rural areas to that of Frank Lloyd Wright who claimed that cities were for banking and prostitution and little else, the American city has received little sympathy on the part of most Americans."

Tiger Woods, A Herald For The Blending Of The Races In U.S., Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Tiger Woods, perennial winner of gold tournaments, has a unique way of describing his ancestry. When asked his background, e claims to be a "Caublasin," i.e., Caucasoid, Black, Asian and Indian. But, in reality, the Tiger may not be unique in a country that is now moving toward becoming a blended multiracial society."

Sprawl Is The Enemy; Victory Might Need A March In Reverse, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"SPRAWL--the word even sounds ugly Webster's definition is "to spread out carelessly or awkwardly," and it might have added inefficiently and expensively. And that is exactly what is happening as development takes place in the suburbs of Rhode Island and throughout the country."

Accurate Census Count Critical For Ri, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"In his recent speech to the General Assembly outlining his proposed budget for the next fiscal year starting on July 1, Governor Almond's proposal for a $2.3 billion state spending package will require an increase of $97.2 million over this year. meanwhile there will be a small decrease in the state income tax. Beyond increased spending and reduced state income taxes there is another variable that will affect the state budget, but that opportunity comes only this year."

Where Are We Going? Tv Show Seeks Answers, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"How will the future Rhode Island look, and will it be better than today? Where will new development take place? How will this development affect cities and towns? Will there be adequate and affordable housing, and where will it be built? Will there be enough land available for future growth, as well as water, sewers, roads and other infrastructure to accommodate this additional population? And will communities try to prevent growth or work to accommodate it? The future is in our hands, and how we address such issues will determine how well our children will live in the not too …

After The Count Is Over, It's Time To Reapportion The House, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"In a few weeks more than 100 million households in the country will be receiving an invitation from the U.S. Census Bureau to tell something about themselves. And it is important that all respond to this invitation because it means federal money to be distributed for improvements to your state and local community, based upon the numbers counted."

There's Good News From The Nation's Classrooms, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Last May at the finals of the National Geographic Bee held in Washington, DC, Alex Trebeck was getting concerned because he thought that he would be running out of questions for the ten finalists who came from throughout the country. Well, he did have enough, although it was close.

In the previous year it took just 80 questions to determine a winner of the Bee, an annual event sponsored by the National Geographic Society in which over five million kids nationwide from grades four through eight compete. In 1999, however, it took 140 questions before a winner was determined. In …

Are You Geographically Informed?, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"With all the hoopla today about kids not knowing their geography, the question could also be raised about today's businessperson and his knowledge of the world. After all, aren't the buzzwords now the global economy and knowing your place in it?"

Census Bureau Seeks Partners In Business, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"By now you should have seen the advertisements for the U.S. Census Bureau to apprise us of the forthcoming census on April 1, 2000. And there will be plenty more since the Bureau has budgeted $167 million on this push for public awareness, something it has never perviously paid to do."