Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 39, No. 1 (March 2012)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Special Issue on The Declining Significance of Race-Revisited

• EDITORS' INTRODUCTION: REVISITING WILLIAM J. WILSON'S THE DECLINING SIGNIFICANCE OF RACE - Richard K. Caputo and Luisa S. Deprez
• MOVING BEYOND DICHOTOMIES: HOW THE INTERSECTION OF RACE, CLASS AND PLACE IMPACT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS - Heather L. Storer , Joseph A. Mienko, Yu-Ling Chang, Ji Young Kang, Christina Miyawaki, and Katie Schultz
• YOUNG, JOBLESS, AND BLACK: YOUNG BLACK WOMEN AND ECONOMIC DOWNTURNS - Raine Dozier
• RACIAL ATTITUDES IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM: COOL FEELINGS IN HOT TIMES - Sarah E. Cribbs
• THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RACE FOR NEIGHBORHOOD SOCIAL …

"Waiting For The White Man To Fix Things:" Rebuilding Black Poverty In New Orleans, Robert L. Hawkins, Katherine Maurer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper revisits William Julius Wilson's thesis that class has surpassed race in significance of impact on African Americans. Our study uses qualitative data from a three-year ethnographic study of 40 largely low-income families in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. We also include a review of the recent U.S. Census study assessing New Orleans's current economic state. Participants in our study viewed race and class as major factors in four areas: (1) immediately following the devastation; (2) during relocation to other communities; (3) during the rebuilding process; and (4) historically and structurally throughout New Orleans. Our analysis concludes that racism …

Towards A Practice-Based Model For Community Practice: Linking Theory And Practice, Amnon Boehm, Ram A. Cnaan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Careful examination of the literature of community practice shows that existing community practice models do not adequately respond to the unique and changing needs of various communities. This article provides an alternative model that challenges the existing models. Based on extensive content analysis of the literature and practice knowledge, this alternative model offers sufficient flexibility to adapt to any particular community. The model is also participatory, process-oriented, and reflective. Herein we first review existing models, provide criteria for assessing their applicability, then introduce the new model, and subsequently discuss its applicability and merit.

Review Of Colonialism And Welfare: Social Policy And The British Imperial Legacy. James Midgley And David Piachaud (Eds.). Reviewed By Melinda Williams Moore., Melinda Williams Moore

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of James Midgley & David Piachaud (Eds.), Colonialism and Welfare: Social Policy and the British Imperial Legacy. (2011). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited. $110.00 (hardcover.)

Review Of What Every Environmentalist Needs To Know About Capitalism: A Citizen's Guide To Capitalism And The Environment. Fred Magdoff And John Bellamy Foster. Reviewed By Paul Saba., Paul Saba

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Fred Magdoff and John Bellamy Foster, What Every Environmentalist Needs to Know About Capitalism: A Citizen's Guide to Capitalism and the Environment. (2011). Monthly Review Press. $13.95 (paperback).

Union Initiated Obstacles That Limit Discretionary Power Of Mid-Level Managers Of The Social Security Administration, Daniel Daugherty

The Hilltop Review

The purpose of this paper is to identify and examine union initiated obstacles that Social Security Administration (SSA) mid-level managers face in using discretionary power. Managers should be aware of the bounds in which they operate in order to adequately negotiate decisions, which ultimately seek to serve public needs and promote workplace democracy. In examining the limitations of discretionary power I emphasize the importance of contractual restrictions by focusing on the elements of collective bargaining and grievance resolution. The intent of contractual obligations is to promote participative leadership and equality. However when management is stripped of certain discretionary powers strong …

A Generation Of Isolation: Cuban Political Economic Policies, Elba Marcell Rivera Rodriguez

The Hilltop Review

Cuba is not only the largest island in the Greater Antilles, but also the only communist island in the Caribbean. This country has been governed by the Marxist-Leninist ideology for more than fifty years. Although the Cuban economy has not shown significant development since January 1, 1959, i.e. when the Revolutionaries came to power, it is presenting a new economic capacity-the tourism industry, which could drive the nation to a modern economic growth.

This article has been revised by the author. The revised version is available as a supplement at the link below.

A Rose By Any Other Name: State Criminality And The Limits Of Social Learning Theory, Elizabeth A. Bradshaw

The Hilltop Review

Over the past thirty years, social learning theory has emerged as one of the top criminological theories of the time. Capitalizing on Edwin Sutherland’s differential association theory, social learning theory provided the means for a quantitative assessment of Sutherland’s propositions. Advanced largely by Ronald Akers, the vast majority of research conducted on social learning theory has been limited to self-report studies of adolescents and college students, largely due to convenience. The limitations of the methods developed to empirically test social learning theory combined with the difficulty of gaining access to people in positions of power, has been the primary impediment …

Index Of Volume Xxxviii, 2011

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY & SOCIAL WELFARE CONTENTS OF VOLUME XXXVIII-2011

Review Of The Study Of Well-Being, Social Policy And The Welfare State: A Review Essay, James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The Study of Well-being, Social Policy and the Welfare State: A Review Essay

JAMES MIDGLEY - School of Social Welfare University of California Berkeley

Francis G. Castles, Stephan Leibfried, Jane Lewis, Herbert Obinger & Christopher Pierson, Eds. (2010). The Oxford Handbook of the Welfare State. New York: Oxford University Press. $150.00 (hardcover).

Emergency Room Use By Undocumented Mexican Immigrants, Ayse Akincigil, Raymond Sanchez Mayers, Fontaine H. Fulghum

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study examined emergency room use by undocumented Mexican immigrants and their sources of health care information. Thirty-eight percent of the respondents reported that they would use a hospital emergency room (ER) for primary medical care. ER use rates declined with time spent in the United States. Emergency room use rates varied significantly by region. Respondents receiving information from a church reported less ER use, compared to all others; respondents receiving information from U.S. newspapers reported higher ER use rates. Lack of health care access for undocumented immigrants remains a public health issue as well as a social justice concern.

Food Stamps And Dependency: Disentangling The Short-Term And Long-Term Economic Effects Of Food Stamp Receipt And Low Income For Young Mothers, Thomas P. Vartanian, Linda Houser, Joseph Harkness

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The Food Stamp Program (FSP) remains one of the most widely used of all U.S. social "safety net" programs. While a substantial body of research has developed around the primary goals of the program- improving food access, nutrition, and health among lowincome families-less attention has been paid to the broader goals of hardship and poverty reduction. Using 38 years of data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, we examine several immediate and longer-term economic outcomes of early adult FSP participation for a sample of3,848 young mothers. While FSP participation is associated with some negative outcomes in the immediate future …

Doing A Little More For The Poor? Social Assistance In Shanghai, Zhang Haomiao

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Shanghai was a leader in nation-wide social assistance reform. It has established an extensive and complex social assistance system. This paper offers a general overview of different major assistance programs in Shanghai and uses a recent survey ofMinimum Living Standard Guarantee System (MLSGS) recipients in urban Shanghai to briefly examine the performance of social assistance. It finds that on the program construction and administration level, Shanghai's social assistance is advanced. However, due to high living costs and relatively low values of social assistance, social assistance plays a limited role in relieving the distress of recipients. The paper analyzes the main …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 38, No. 4 (December 2011)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• IMPACT OF SOCIAL CAPITAL ON EMPLOYMENT AND MARRIAGE AMONG LOW INCOME SINGLE MOTHERS - Jennifer A. Johnson, Julie A. Honnold, and Perry Threlfall
• EMERGENCY ROOM USE BY UNDOCUMENTED MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS – Ayse Akincigil, Raymond Sanchez Mayers, and Fontaine H. Fulghum
• IF NOT WELFARE, THEN WHAT? HOW SINGLE MOTHERS FINANCE COLLEGE POST WELFARE REFORM - Kristin Wilson
• HEALTH SERVICE ACCESS FOR RURAL PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS IN CHINA: A CRITICAL EVALUATION - Xiying Wang, Xiulan Zhang, Yuebin Xu, and Yurong Zhang
• FOOD STAMPS AND DEPENDENCY: DISENTANGLING THE SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF FOOD STAMP RECEIPT AND LOW …

Review Of Contesting Community: The Limits And Potential Of Local Organizing. James Defilippis, Robert Fisher, & Eric Shragge. Reviewed By Nancy Giunta., Nancy Giunta

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of James DeFilippis, Robert Fisher, & Eric Shragge (2010). Contesting Community: The Limits and Potential of Local Organizing. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. $25.95 (paperback).

Review Of Social Work & Restorative Justice: Skills For Dialogue, Peacemaking, And Reconciliation. Elizabeth Beck, Nancy P. Kropf & Pamela Blume Leonard (Eds.). Reviewed By Robert Mcandrews., Robert Mcandrews

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Elizabeth Beck, Nancy P. Kropf & Pamela Blume Leonard (Eds.) (2011). Social Work & Restorative Justice: Skills for Dialogue, Peacemaking, and Reconciliation. New York: Oxford University Press, $45.00 (hardcover).

Review Of Mexican Voices Of The Border Region. Laura Velasco Ortiz & Oscar E Contreras (Eds.). Reviewed By Aviva Chomsky., Aviva Chomsky

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Laura Velasco Ortiz & Oscar F. Contreras, Eds. (2011). Mexican Voices of the Border Region. Temple University Press, $79.50 (hardcover), $29.95 (paperback).

Review Of Politics And Partnerships: The Role Of Voluntary Associations In America's Political Past And Present. Elisabeth Clemens & Doug Guthrie (Eds.). Reviewed By John G. Mcnutt., John G. Mcnutt

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Elisabeth Clemens and Doug Guthrie, Eds. (2010). Politics and Partnerships: The Role of Voluntary Associations in America's Political Past and Present. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, $55.00 (hardcover), $19 (paperback).

Impact Of Social Capital On Employment And Marriage Among Low Income Single Mothers, Jennifer A. Johnson, Julie A. Honnold, Perry Threlfall

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA, P. L. 104-93) called primarily on women to achieve two goals: work and/or marriage. For low income single mothers with limited access to capital, the PRWORA presents a quagmire in that the public safety nets previously guaranteed by the policies of the New Deal were abruptly supplanted by policies with obligations that require various forms of capital. Using longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing dataset, we examine the impact of social capital on the chances of marriage and employment among single, unemployed mothers. We find …

If Not Welfare, Then What?: How Single Mothers Finance College Post-Welfare Reform, Kristin Wilson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The article follows previous work on TANF and AFDC by asking if not welfare, then what social programs and financial aid programs are low-income women using to support their college attendance, and what is the impact of these programs on the college-going decisions of low-income women? The study is based on case studies of 10 low-income women attending a community college. Results indicated that EITC, food stamps, and subsidized housing are stable sources of funding. However, each of these programs requires diferent application processes and compliance regulations. Only the Pell Grant was viewed as a dependable source of funding for …

Health Service Access For Rural People Living With Hiv/Aids In China: A Critical Evaluation, Xiying Wang, Xiulan Zhang, Yuebin Xu, Yurong Zhang

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The increasingly serious HIV/AIDS epidemic creates a significant burden for the public health system; however, little attention has been paid to the issue of health service access in rural China. Based on a qualitative study of 34 Chinese rural People Living with HIVIAIDS (PLWHA) and 13 health providers, this study fills a gap by examining health service access from both the demand and supply-side. Utilizing access theory, this study explores the availability, affordability and acceptability of health services in rural China. Moreover, this study focuses on access barriers and institutional obstacles that PLWHA meet during their illness and considers the …

A Note From The Editors, Marguerite Rosenthal, Jennifer Zelnick

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Marguerite Rosenthal and Jennifer Zelnick - Book Review Editors

Review Of Poor Women In Rich Countries: The Feminization Of Poverty Over The Life Course. Gertrude Schaffner Goldberg (Ed.). Reviewed By Jennifer R. Zelnick., Jennifer R. Zelnick

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Gertrude Schaffner Goldberg, Ed. (2010). Poor Women in Rich Countries: The Feminization of Poverty over the Life Course. New York: Oxford University Press, $39.95 (paperback).

Review Of Child Protection Systems: International Trends And Orientations. Neil Gilbert, Nigel Parton, & Marit Skivenes, (Eds.). Reviewed By Dorinda N. Noble., Dorinda N. Noble

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Neil Gilbert, Nigel Parton, & Marit Skivenes, Eds. (2011). Child Protection Systems: International Trends and Orientations. New York: Oxford University Press, $55.00 (hardcover).

Ill Fares The Land. Tony Judt. Reviewed By Marguerite G. Rosenthal., Marguerite G. Rosenthal

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Tony Judt (2010). Ill Fares the Land. New York: The Penguin Press, $25.95 (hardcover), $15 (paperback).

Quantitative And Qualitative Research Controversy In Public Administration: An Analysis Of Statistical Data Presented On United Kingdom People Category In The Cia World Factbook, Khandaker Nayeemul Islam

The Hilltop Review

Two traditions of social science research can be identified as ‘quantitative‘ and ‘qualitative‘ research, which are different from each other in style and technique. Supporters of these two traditions ―sometimes seem to be at war regarding the supremacy of their respective tradition in analyzing social phenomena (King, Keohane and Verba, 1994). In general, this war is quite visible in the field of social science and in public administration, which refers as federal, state and local government, as a discipline of social science. Transcending the boundaries of academia this debate has received considerable interest recently from people every corner of the …

The Myth Of Progress In Science: Dialectics, Distortion And Lysenkoism In The Soviet Union, Mark A. Ferguson Jr.

The Hilltop Review

The scientific controversy surrounding Lysenkoism is both unparalleled and well known amongst historians and philosophers of science (Joravsky 1970, McMullin 1987, Pollock 2009, Wolfe 2010). Yet, while this may be true for scholars and students a generation ago, I argue that the controversy of Lysenkoism is not widely known today. Particularly in political science, this historical period and phenomenon in the Soviet Union remains irrelevant or at least, inconsequential to the scientific study of politics.

The Myth Of Racial Superiority In Sports, Ian B. Kerr

The Hilltop Review

Sports hold a special place in the hearts of many Americans. Indeed, athletic competition has come to define and shape our understanding in many ways of what it means to be American. There is, however, a dark side to sports and that is the racial tension that often consumes our understanding of athletic competition and the equality of athletic prowess and personal ability. Seemingly innocuous, sports bring to the forefront racial sentiments about innate superiority, that certain types of people are better athletes simply by the nature of their being born. In his book Taboo: Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports …

White Thugs & Black Bodies: A Comparison Of The Portrayal Of African-American Women In Hip-Hop Videos, Ladel Lewis

The Hilltop Review

The continued appearance of African-American women as performers in rap and/or hip-hop videos has called attention to the male gaze1 and the ways in which young African-American women negotiate their sexuality. The most popular music videos of Caucasian and African-American hip-hop artists from 2003-2005 were analyzed and compared to determine the levels of sexism between the two cultures. With these videos, this study replicated a qualitative content analysis from another study that identified three prominent characteristics: (1) the level of sexism; (2) the presence of intimate touch and/the presence of alluring attire; and (3) which race portrayed women in a …

Competition And Interpersonal Conflict In Same-Sex Platonic Friendships, Ewa Urban

The Hilltop Review

This research explores the connection between competition and distributive and integrative conflict messages in same-sex platonic friendships. The study is a partial replication of Messman and Mikesell’s (2000) examination of competition and interpersonal conflict in dating relationships. The competitive behaviors of same-sex friends examined here are compared with those of dating couples as explored by Messman and Mikesell. Findings of the current research indicate that increased competition between same-sex friends is linked to a rise in distributive conflict tactics as well as to a reduction in integrative messages, which is consistent with Messman and Mikesell’s results. The current study also …