Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Commodification, The Welfare State And Israeli Kibbutz, John Gal

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The notion of commodification refers to the degree to which the individual is dependent upon the market for the satisfaction of his economic and social needs. The welfare state has been described as having a decommodifying influence in that it provides the individual with the means to maintain a reasonable standard of living while not working. An examination of the Israeli Kibbutz is undertaken in order to understand the workings of an extreme case of decommodification. In Kibbutzim, there exists a very highly developed system of welfare services that arc determined by individual needs and not by individual earning power. …

Review Of The Pursuit Of Equality In American History. J.R. Pole. Reviewed By Joel Blau, State University Of New York At Stony Brook., Joel Blau

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

J. R. Pole. The Pursuit of Equality in American History. Berkely, CA: University of California Press, 1993 [Second edition, revised and enlarged]. $35 hardcover.

The History Of Social Work Education For Black People 1900-1930, Robenia Baker Gary, Lawrence E. Gary

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The nature and extent of the contributions of Black people to social work education during the early twentieth century is the focus of this paper. The scope of this investigation includes: the identification of prominent Black social work educators; analysis of the curricula and the Atlanta School of Social Work and the Bishop Turtle School; and a description of the four basic approaches to social work training for Black people during this development phase of the social work profession.

Social Workers And The Development Of The Naacp, Linda S. Moore

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article addresses the relationship between African-American leaders and settlement house workers in the development of the NAACP. Using social movement theory and Hasenfeld and Tropman's conceptual framework for interorganizational relations, it analyzes the linkages developed between voluntary associations and how they benefitted all involved. This linkage provides lessons for today's struggle for social justice.

Effectively Teaching African American Social Welfare Historical Developments, Wilma Peebles-Wilkins

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A select group of African American and other educators continue to develop literature on African American social welfare. As this literature increases and is subjected to scholarly exchange and debate, educators are beginning to raise questions about effective teaching strategies for integrating the content into the curriculum and effectively delivering the content through classroom lectures and discussions. In addition to concerns about the content being "heard", black educators are concerned that African Americans not always be depicted historically as helpless individuals who were the "white man's burden" and are also concerned about the broad characterization of African American Social Welfare …

Introduction - The Legacy Of African-American Leadership In Social Welfare, Iris Carlton-Laney

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The legacy of African-American leadership in social welfare history is only recently finding space in social work literature. The small number of professional journals in social work that publish historical articles, along with institutionalized resistance to the acknowledgement of African-Americans contributions to the development of the profession, have contributed to this dearth of scholarship. The results have been that many professionals are disinclined to perceive of African-Americans as resourceful, skilled and powerful. Instead, the theme of pathology permeates social work literature, teaching, and ultimately social work practice. The social work profession emphasizes the importance of diversity, yet fails to acknowledge …

"Gentle Student Bend Thine Ear To My Speech" An Essay About Sojourner Truth, Abolitionist And Feminist, Laura B. Somerville

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Sojourner Truth provides a powerful model of advocacy for the social work profession. This paper offers an analysis of this important historical figure that centers around the implications of being a doubly oppressed minority. An analysis of the nineteenth century chattel slavery system sets the stage for understanding the social environment. A brief biography of her life and evolution from enslaved chattel to feminist activist will highlight her social, spiritual, and personal development. Her philosophy, which is compatible with the modern feminist movement, is outlined by an analysis of her speeches.

William Still, A Pioneer African American Social Worker, Audreye E. Johnson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article focuses upon William Still as an early modern day social worker who engaged in providing social work services to individuals/ families, groups, and the community. The contributions of other African American pioneers are noted to demonstrate the legacy of service in the African American community. Still's life long dedication to social welfare and social work are highlighted. Covered is more than half a century of service to African Americans by this devoted man. African American contributions to social work is underscored through the life and time of William Still.

North Carolina Public Welfare Institutes For Negroes 1926-1946, Yolanda N. Burwell

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Black welfare workers in the South had limited opportunities for professional social work education and development. In 1926, annual public welfare institutes for Blacks were sponsored by the North Carolina State Board of Charities and Public Welfare through its Division of Work Among Negroes. They filled a critical educational and professional void. For twenty years, these annual institutes bolstered the knowledge and skills of a growing corp of Black welfare workers and the maturation of the profession in North Carolina.

Social Work Services And Social Work Training For African Americans In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1900-1930, Tawana Ford Sabbath

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The longstanding presence of African Americans in Philadelphia explains the establishment of social welfare institutions and agencies by more affluent African Americans in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Armstrong Association of Philadelphia and Women's Christian Alliance are two of the more prominent and enduring efforts initiated by African Americans to serve their own. Both also provided a vehicle for training for African Americans who desired to join the new profession of social work.

"Almost A Partnership": African-Americans, Segregation, And The Young Men's Christian Association, Susan Kerr Chandler

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

On January 1, 1913, the Colored Men's Department of the Young Men's Christian Association gathered in Washington, D.C., at the Twelfth Street "Y". The six African American International Secretaries made a practice of coming together on this holiday, finding in the New Year a quiet time to talk among themselves. Dr. Jesse E. Moorland, the Department's senior secretary, was scheduled to give "Remarks," as usual, and the secretaries looked forward to them-particularly this year, which, they knew, held great opportunity for their work. The Twelfth Street Y.M.C.A.-the "Colored Branch"-itself bore witness to the measured sense of hope abroad in African …

A Black Community Development Model: The Universal Negro Improvement Association And African Communities League 1917-1940, Amnifu R. Harvey

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A discussion of The Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA & ACL) founded by Marcus Garvey in 1915 is presented. The organization provided social services for people of African ancestry in both the U.S. and other countries as well. An analysis of this organization occurs, citing the functions of subgroups like the Universal African Legions and the Universal African Motor Corps. This organization serves as a historic model for contemporary community development.

Assassination In Modern America: Political Participation Through A Gun Barrel?, Richard Grossenbacher

Masters Theses

Assassination has been a constant companion of the world's societies from the beginning of recorded history. Only relatively recently have social scientists begun empirical study of these acts in an effort to reveal any commonalties and possible predictive traits. Investigation of the assassination phenomenon assumed a special urgency in America as violence seemed to escalate in the 1960s, which resulted in some notable research.

The present research collected data of presidential and non-presidential assassinations and attempts that occurred from 1969 through 1992 and compared the findings with the results of earlier studies.

The data indicate that presidential assaults increased in …

Contracts In Conflict: Perestroika And The Decline Of Soviet Legitimacy, Karl Glenn Hokenmaier

Masters Theses

Gorbachev's perception of the Soviet Union's socio-economic crisis and his subsequent actions to correct the economy and reform the political system were linked with attempts to renegotiate the social contract between the state and the Soviet people. However, reformulation of the social contract was incompatible with the conditions of a second arrangement between the leadership and the nomenklatura--the Soviet ruling class. The failure of Gorbachev's reforms and the decline of Soviet legitimacy were linked to the irreconcilability of the nomenklatura's "political contract" and the social contract.

The construct of the social contract was utilized to represent the Soviet state-society relationship …

Offense Perceived, Appropriate Actions And Possible Solutions: A Research Of Censorship, Sharon K. Van Poolen

Masters Theses

Students at Western Michigan University were asked via a survey to read lyrics and indicate an offensiveness rating. Lyrics containing vulgar or sexual language or derogatory statements about religion received higher offensive ratings. Actions deemed acceptable in response to offensive lyrics include picketing and boycotting. Prevalent themes identified in the lyrics are antagonism toward religion, sexism and unhealthy sexual relations. Groups cited most frequently as potentially harmed by lyrics are children 5-12, adolescents and women. Respondents were questioned about participation in certain activities and what alternatives to direct censorship are acceptable. Most would prefer to be involved indirectly, for example, …

The Impact Of Work History On Economic Security At Old Age Among Africans In South Africa, Martha Tshitshi S. Mbatha

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Work histories of most Africans in South Africa determine whether or not they will be poor at old age. To illustrate this point, the author uses the literature and data collected from elderly Africans. Findings show racial discrimination in education and in the labor market as resulting in the concentration of the majority of Africans in low paying jobs. Low wages and the absence of a national pension scheme prevent most Africans from saving for their retirement. African workers constitute the largest percentage of the working poor in South Africa. Their circumstances are unlikely to change even after retirement. At …

The Use Of Music Therapy To Influence The Self-Confidence And Hostility Of Adolescents Who Are Sexually Abused, Joy Clendenon-Wallen

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine whether music therapy would be an effective therapeutic medium for reducing hostility and increasing the self-confidence of sexually abused adolescents. The study utilized an experimental and control group which is unique in the sexual abuse literature. Most studies are descriptive or quasi-experimental in nature. Some of the subjects increased their self-confidence and decreased their hostility although no statistical significance was achieved for either group. This study describes the treatment problems of sexually abused adolescents and offers examples of non-confrontational and goal directed treatment strategies which can be achieved through music therapy. Music …

Aggressive Dating Behavior Among College Students, Felicia D. Flowers

Masters Theses

Past studies have revealed that people with traditional gender role views are often involved in dating violence. This study examines both male and female athletes and non-athletes in terms of traditional gender role views and dating violence. Athletes and non-athletes are an important focus because literature is virtually silent on these two populations in terms of dating violence. The researcher surveyed 188 undergraduate students attending Western Michigan University on their attitudes and experiences concerning gender role views, athletic involvement, and history of dating violence, respectively. The results indicate that gender role views and athletic participation appeared to have no significant …

Social Support Networks Of Gay Men, Raymond M. Berger, David Mallon

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Although social workers and other helping professionals frequently stress the importance of social networks among gay men, there has been little empirical research to describe these networks. In the present study, the authors analyze data on perceived social support from 166 gay men recruited through gay community groups and social networks. Most gay men were found to have large and diverse social networks. Frequent communication occurs between respondents and network members, most of whom know of respondents' homosexuality. The most frequent and supportive network member was a close friend, and the most common type of support received was emotional. Those …

Federal Relief Programs In The 19th Century: A Reassessment, Frank M. Loewenberg

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The American model of the welfare state, incomplete as it may be, was not plucked out of thin air by the architects of the New Deal in the 1930s. Instead it is the product and logical evolution of a long historical process. 19th century federal relief programs for various population groups, including veterans, native Americans, merchant sailors, emancipated slaves, and residents of the District of Columbia, are examined in order to help better understand contemporary welfare developments.

From Welfare To Liberation: A Socio-Historical Analysis Of The Animal Rights Movement, Linda J. Rynbrandt

Masters Theses

This thesis is a socio-historical analysis of the animal rights social movement in the United States of America at the end of the 19th and 20th centuries. The theoretical model is resource mobilization theory, especially McCarthy and Zald's (1973) entrepreneurial model. The method, which contrasts this social movement at two points in time, is informed by Skocpol's (1984) interpretative historical sociology. In particular, leadership, ideology, organizational structure, and strategy tactics in both eras are examined. Comparing the two manifestations of animal rights protest, the data show that: (a) Leadership and organizational structure, though similar in many respects, are more professionalized …

Introduction: Social Work And Philosophy, Roberta Wells Imre

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A journal issue unequivocally about philosophical concerns in social work is evidence of the recent progress we have made in the profession in recognizing the importance of philosophical commitments in social work activities. Awareness of the presence of these commitments and dissatisfaction with conventional social work resources for addressing them led to the organization of the Study Group for Philosophical Issues in 1985. The papers presented here have been contributed by members of this group, which is open to anyone interested in joining the conversation.

Effects Of Music As A Conditioned Stimulus And Progressive Muscle Relaxation In Reducing Anxiety, Marie Elaine Clarkson

Masters Theses

The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether music could become a conditioned stimulus for lowered muscle tension and/or reduced anxiety.

There were three groups: (1) the PMR group receiving PMR alone, (2) the MUS group receiving music alone, and (3) the PMRM group receiving PMR followed by music. After four training sessions, a posttest was conducted in which all of the groups were given five minutes to relax. The PMR group had silence, the MUS group had music and the PMRM group had music which had previously been heard after relaxation training. Tension and anxiety reduction were …

Ethical Implications Of Politics In English Speaking West African Countries: The Need For A Greater Ethical Concern, Adeyinka Christopher Thompson

Masters Theses

This thesis evaluates the ethical implications of policies adopted by politicians in three West African countries: Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. The evaluation focuses on the policies African politicians adopt in their bid to solve two problems facing Africa: corruption, and achieving a democracy.

The evaluation relates selected policies of some African politicians to certain ethical theories propounded by various philosophers. Such questions as the respect politicians show for human life or dignity; the way they manipulate people, using them solely as a means to an end; secrecy in government; and whether their policies are meant for the general good …

Workfare Programs In Rural America: Joblessness In Ohio's Appalachian Counties, Karen V. Harper, Richard W. Greenlee

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In 1988 the Family Support Act was passed into law requiring welfare recipients to participate in work experience programs to receive their welfare benefits. This paper questions the effectiveness of mandatory workfare programs in rural impoverished regions of the United States. The Appalachian counties of Ohio are used as a case example to demonstrate the problems in implementing workfare programs in economically distressed regions where limited job opportunities exist. Implications for policy are examined, alternatives to mandatory work programs are discussed, and further research to determine the utility of workfare programs is called for.

Of Berry Pickers, Shanty Boys, And The Jack Pine Bird: Patterns Of Settlement And Subsistence In Nineteenth Century Oscoda County, Rose Lockwood Moore

Masters Theses

The provisions of the Homestead Act of 1863 (U.S. Congress 1862a) required a settlement pattern of dispersed single families on small tracts of land, which, in turn, affected the subsistence strategies available to the homesteaders. The interaction of federal land legislation with the ecosystem of southern Oscoda County resulted in marked spatial and temporal differences between the tracts that were homesteaded as opposed to those acquired for their timber. A sample population of quarter sections was analyzed in terms of the physical and biotic environments, date of entry, and use. The analysis confirmed that the timber lands were located on …

Ethnography Of A Lesbian Community In Michigan, Carol W. Burton

Masters Theses

The purpose of this master's thesis is to describe the structure and workings of a community of women in a major western Michigan metropolitan area, who identify themselves as lesbians, and to describe how this subcommunity relates to the dominant American culture in the area. This study examines the ways in which these lesbians define themselves and their subculture.

To facilitate this research, the researcher participated in the group's meetings, both formal and informal, and spoke with individual members about the history of the group, organizational principles, problems and concerns, formal and Informal rules of conduct, values, and any other …

Work And Welfare: How Industrialists Shaped Government Social Service During The Progressive Era, Cynthia Hamilton

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article focuses on the welfare work of industrialists which was developed as a mechanism for fighting trade unionism during the Progressive era. This focus is designed to place welfare in its proper perspective within the political economy and to identify its political and economic functions. The article concludes that industrial welfare was one of the instruments used in creating a work ethic in the United States and one of the mechanisms of social engineering both in and outside of industry.

Religious Belief, Salience, And Social Action: Are They Related?, Timothy R. Tuinstra

Masters Theses

With the increasing size and social/political activity of theologically orthodox religious groups within the United States, research dealing with the relationship between orthodoxy and social action is necessary in better understanding the phenomena. Past research has been inadequate in that it has largely focused either on the clergy or, when using the laity, has only measured attitudes toward social action rather than participation in social action. This study measured social action participation among lay members drawn from three Grand Rapids area United Methodist Churches. A third variable, salience of religious belief, was also examined, which past research indicated could be …

Gay Masquerade: Male Homosexuals In American Cities, 1910 To 1940, Steven L. Lewis

Masters Theses

Prior to 1900, American scientists struggled to formulate a sexual norm. Their categorization of sexuality ironically led to the creation of a label (homosexual) by which individuals created and expressed a sexual identity at variance with the newly created norm.

By 1910, the climate of moral reform (Progressivism) led to the discovery (and documentation) of a homosexual subculture in larger American cities. With Chicago and New York City as examples, the author documents the growth of this sexual underground in the period between 1910 and 1940. Using primary sources such as diaries, letters, autobiographies and novels, the world of the …