Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Theories Of Deviance. Stuart H. Traub And Craig B. Little.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Stuart H. Traub and Craig B. Little (Eds.). Theories of Deviance (Fourth edition). Itasca, IL: F. E. Peacock, 1994. $30.00 papercover.

Gender Differences In Higher Education: A Comparison Of Males And Females Applying To Graduate School, Lynda Bennett

Masters Theses

The objective of this study was to determine in what ways male and female applicants to graduate school are similar or different. Secondary analysis was conducted on survey data which described attitudes and behavior of students admitted to graduate programs at Western Michigan University. The purpose was to assess the relationship between gender and curricula selected, likelihood of applying for and receiving financial aid, and the influence of marital status. Gender did have a statistically significant relationship with curricula selection and influence of marital status. Furthermore, it appeared that women graduate students find marriage to be a more limiting factor …

Trauma In Adult Incest Survivors, Jane Kay Hedberg

Masters Theses

This study explored the traumatic effect of childhood incestuous abuse on the adult survivor. Eleven subjects were interviewed for this study. Hindman's (1989) trauma scale was revised, exploring issues of relationships, mental health, and living skills dysfunctions. In addition to the global score, the scale was disaggregated. Relationships between trauma and age at onset, physical and emotional violence, frequency, identification of self as victim, current relationship with offender, and response to disclosure were explored.

Several dimensions of feeling responsible were reported by victims, including feeling that there was something about them that made others victimize them, feeling responsible for protecting …

Evolving Sisterhood: An Organizational Analysis Of Three Sororities, Bonnie J. Galloway

Dissertations

From 1851 through June, 1993, more than 2,800,000 women have been initiated into the twenty-six National Panhellenic Conference sororities. Not only are members active during collegiate years, but many continue participation through alumnae groups. Upholding the principles of community service and moral development, sorority women volunteer time and talent in a myriad of ways that benefit local communities and the greater society as a whole. Sororities also provide women important leadership training and experience.

The research design of this project takes a sociohistorical perspective. The study utilizes the population ecology model for organizations to examine three representative sororities: Chi Omega, …

Job Satisfaction Among Foreign Employees In The Private Sector In Saudi Arabia, Abdulrahman Al-Suwaid

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships among job satisfaction and demographic variables for foreign employees in the private sector in Saudi Arabia.

The population for this study was foreign employees in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. A sample of 206 employees participated in the study from four private organizations in Riyadh. Each organization was visited to obtain permission to collect data from foreign employees. All subjects were given a packet of forms that included the Job Description Index, Job in General Scale, and Demographic Data Sheet. The subjects' responses were entered into the SPSS …

Criminalizing Pregnancy: An Analysis Of The War On Drugs And The Fetal Rights Movement, Sheryl R. Fett

Masters Theses

The focus of study was the war on drugs and the fetal rights movement as they relate to the criminalization of pregnancy. There was a movement in the 1980s and early 1990s to prosecute pregnant women for prenatal drug use under child abuse statutes and/or drug delivery statutes.

A social constructionist framework was used to analyze this movement. This thesis utilized a qualitative case study relying on documentary analysis. Literature on the war of drugs and the fetal rights movement was analyzed as it related to the prosecutions of pregnant drug users and the subsequent criminalization of pregnancy.

It was …

The Michigan Juvenile Waiver Package: An Analysis Of Its Use In Wayne County, Michigan, Kenneth C. Jackson

Masters Theses

On October 1, 1988, the Michigan Juvenile Waiver Package took effect in Michigan. One of the results of this was the implementation of prosecutorial waiver method in Michigan. Whereas previously juveniles could only be waived and tried in the adult court via a judicial waiver, now it was possible for the prosecutor to waive juveniles aged 15 or 16 if charged with one or more of seven specified Class 1A felonies. Data were collected for all youth subject to prosecutorial waiver in Wayne County over a five year period, from October 1, 1988 through October 1, 1993. Data included: date …

How To Help The Working Poor Develop Assets, John R. Belcher

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article explores the inability of the working poor to withstand income shocks. Because they often lack assets, the working poor are increasingly vulnerable to increasing deprivation. Interestingly, the welfare state enables the middle-class to develop and maintain assets through institutional arrangements. It is argued that solutions to the problem of poverty must include ways for the working poor also to develop and maintain assets.

Assets And Financial Management Among Poor Households In Extreme Poverty Neighborhoods, Cathleen M. Finn, Paz M-B. Zorita, Claudia Coulton

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Proposals supporting the accumulation of assets in poor households are hopeful of creating upward mobility. The experiences of poor families in managing assets and other elements of daily economic life were explored through interviews with low-income Hispanic and Anglo families. All families exhibited planning and management skills needed for assets accumulation, but were unable to escape the effects of unrewarding neighborhood environments. Assets did not provide clear avenues out of poverty. If assets-based programs are to raise the economic status of poor families in extreme poverty neighborhoods they must include mechanisms to protect value and reduce uncertainty.

Rooms For The Misbegotten: Social Design And Social Deviance, Bruce A. Arrigo

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Housing strategies designed to create a sense of community for our nation's at-risk and poverty-stricken citizens continue to be a source of debate. One major issue is the degree to which criminal behavior exists within these environments. In this article, the results from a seven year study of one single room occupancy (SRO) facility in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania are described. Analysis of two models used for intervening with the vulnerable tenant population of the SRO suggest that a "strengthfocused" strategy rather than a "need- focused" approach may be more effective in reducing crime and may contribute to the establishment of a …

Symbolic Violence And Social Control In The Post-Total Institution Era, John W. Murphy, John T. Pardeck, Woo Sik Chung, Jung Min Choi

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Subsequent to the passage of the Community Mental Health Act in 1963, the "Total Institutions" described by Goffman have for the most part disappeared. Nonetheless, many writers charge that social control is still the primary function of mental health programs, even those that are identified as community-based. The new methods of control have not received widespread attention. In community-based programs control is operationalized in the form of "symbolic violence." This paper examines the various factors that contribute to this style of violence.

Inequality, Crime And Control. George S. Bridges And Martha Myers.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

George S. Bridges and Martha Myers (Eds.), Inequality, Crime and Control. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1994. $59.95 hardcover; $22.95 papercover.

The Al-Murrah Tribe In Qatar: Political Impact, Ali A. Hadi Alshawi

Masters Theses

Tribes and tribalism play significant roles in the Arabian Gulf. The focus of this study is on the Al-Murrah tribe, one of the largest tribes in East Saudi Arabia and Qatar. This study will provide an analysis of the Al-Murrah political structure and their relationship with the Gulf states.

This study gathered information using three methods. This researcher visited about 30 majlis (sitting rooms for men) and listening to over 900 tribesmen respond to issues provided by the researcher. Historical and official documents were investigated and personal observation and experience were also used.

Al-Murrah have strong kinship ties which leads …

... And We Keep On Building Prisons: Racism, Poverty, And Challenges To The Welfare State, Paula L. Dressel

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Prison-building is argued to be an intervention of last resort when a nation loses faith in the social welfare enterprise. Recent proposals for more punitive regulations for means-tested benefits, along with the recent dramatic growth in the construction of prisons and in the size of the inmate population, indicate that we are moving as a society toward heightened levels of scapegoating and victim-blaming as a response to troubles generated by significant structural shifts in the economy. This paper analyzes the connections between poverty, punishment, and prisons, with particular emphasis on the scapegoating of people of color. The role of racism …

Racial Differences In Timing And Factors Associated With Retirement, Namkee G. Choi

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Utilizing data from the 1968-1987 interview waves of the Panel Studies of Income Dynamics, this paper analyzes the racial differences in timing and factors associated with the retirement of a sample of 408 male workers. The analysis of the timing of retirement shows that black males past age 60 have a lower retirement rate than white males. Multivariate logit analysis also indicates that disability is a reason for retirement of both black and white males. In addition, white males who desire for leisure and black males with lower economic status are found to be more likely to retire.

A Descriptive Study Of Michigan Auto Workers' (Uaw) Physical And Psychological Responses To 1987 Plant Closures, Lorraine Marie Oginsky

Dissertations

A descriptive study ( 1991-1992) examined 166 closing and nonclosing UAW auto workers in two General Motors settings, as to how they cope mentally and physically with unemployment and displacement 5 years after plant closure and mass layoffs. Workers were asked the question, "Is job loss a threat, a loss, or a challenge?"

Lazarus and Folkman' s ( 1984) Stress, Appraisal and Coping and the Stress Coping Model (Lazarus, 1980) provided the theoretical basis for this study. Measures included the investigator designed Plant Closing Questionnaire, Revised Ways of Coping (Folkman & Lazarus, undated), Hassles and Uplifts Scale (Lazarus & Folkman, …

The Borders Of A Canvas Tent: An Analysis Of Feminist Utopian Novels, Catherine R. Caldwell

Masters Theses

This thesis is a critical examination of three feminist utopian novels: Woman on the Edge of Time, by Marge Piercy; Herland, by Charlotte Perkins Gillman, and Les Guerilleres, by Monique Wittig. The study, derived from the sociology of knowledge and deconstruction theory, focuses on similarities and differences involving: (a) sexuality; (b) community building; (c) religion; (d) decision making processes, political systems, and modes of production; (e) crime, deviance and political conflict resolution; and (f) child rearing. The analysis demonstrates that utopia may serve to critique dominant ideology. It also shows how utopian novels treat, and suggest possibilities …

The Ethnic Aspects Of Population Change In Latvia After Independence, Ilmars Mezs

Masters Theses

This study examines current and historic ethnic and demographic trends and their spatial and cultural contexts within Latvia. Comparisons with the other two Baltic states are also presented and discussed. The Latvian population underwent fifty years of Soviet rule, with deliberate policies to dilute the homogeneity of Latvians through Russification, in-migration, and political dominance. The period from 1940 to 1991 greatly impacted Latvians and immigrants, who were mainly Russians, by placing stresses on the spatial structure of the ethnic groups and their cultural relationship.

Latvians in particular feared ethnic and cultural extinction. The process of ethnic dilution and mixing under …

Gold-Encrusted Chaos: An Analysis Of Auschwitz Memoirs, Mary D. Lagerwey

Dissertations

One way to better understand the Holocaust is to look closely at several survivors' stories. In my dissertation I closely examine six published memoirs of women and men from one time and place: Auschwitz, 1942-1945. Specifically, I ask three questions:

1. How do Holocaust memoirs relate a universal human story?

2. How are Auschwitz memoirs informed by gender?

3. How do Auschwitz memoirs exemplify a polyphony of voices which engulfs and transcends gender differences?

In exploring the first question, I develop a thesis, that there is a universal story which captures the experiences of Auschwitz survivors' experiences. Next, I develop …

Nuclear Threats By The United States In The Korean And Vietnam Wars: Toward A Grounded Theory Of International Governmental Crime, David Kauzlarich

Dissertations

Criminologists have generally ignored the crimes of governmental actors and agencies. This study delves into this neglected area of sociological inquiry by addressing definitional, legal, empirical, and theoretical dimensions of the phenomenon of governmental crime. The four research objectives are to:

1. Demonstrate that socially deleterious governmental actions can be studied criminologically through the epistemological framework of international law.

2. Document the existence of such governmental crimes in the area of nuclear weapons.

3. Describe and compare the patterns of the United States' violations of international laws during the Korean and Vietnam wars.

4. Inductively generate hypotheses and theoretical propositions …

Lesbian's Perception Of Parental Support And The Disclosure Of Sexual Orientation, Janet Trudee Snyder Tarkowski

Dissertations

The relationship between lesbian perception of parental support and disclosure of sexual orientation was examined in the study. From the 200 questionnaires prepared for distribution, a purposive sample of 180 (90%) lesbian-identified adults returned data for analysis. The participants completed a questionnaire addressing demographics and lesbian life-experiences. Three self-report inventories, the Perceived Social Support-Family Scale (PSS-Fa) (Procidano & Heller, 1983), the Silencing the Self Scale (STSS) (Jack, 1991), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) (Beck, Ward, Mendelson, Mock, & Erbaugh, 1961), were also administered.

Data gathering procedures used in the study resulted in a sample which was largely white, well …

Attitudes Toward Euthanasia And Suicide For The Terminally Ill: An Updated Analysis, Thomas Melvin Stankewicz

Masters Theses

Replication of Monte's (1991) analysis of euthanasia and suicide correlates was the focus of this study. In addition, a right to die index was created and results were compared to the replication findings. The data used in the analyses were from the 1985 and 1991 General Social Surveys.

Cross-tabulation and multiple regression analysis were conducted to determine: (a) whether euthanasia and suicide approval increased significantly between 1985 and 1991, (b) which variables were significant predictors of euthanasia and suicide attitudes, (c) whether changes had occurred between 1985 and 1991, and (d) whether results obtained using the right to die index …

Changes In Labor Force Activities And Income Of The Elderly Before And After Retirement: A Longitudinal Analysis, Namkee G. Choi

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper analyzes the changes in work hours and the economic profile of the elderly for a period of 11 years before and after retirement. Workers of all economic status decreased their work hours gradually as retirement approached. But findings show that, as they decreased their work hours, workers with higher preretirement economic status experienced more drastic reduction in income than those with lower economic status. Nevertheless, the preretirement income gap was maintained in postretirment economic status mostly due to differences in asset income and pension benefits. Policies to assist low-income retirees are recommended.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 21, No. 2 (June 1994)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• CHANGES IN LABOR FORCE ACTIVITES AND INCOME OF THE ELDERLY BEFORE AND AFTER RETIREMENT: A LONGITUDINAL ANALYSIS - Namkee G. Choi
• A VIEW FROM THE INSIDE OUT: RECIPIENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF WELFARE - Mark R. Rank
• AN EXAMINATION OF ECOSYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE IN CONSIDERATION OF NEW THEORIES IN BIOLOGY AND THERMODYNAMICS - Barney McDowell
• SOCIAL WORK, SOCIAL SCIENCE AND THE DISEASE MODEL: NEW DIRECTIONS FOR ADDICTIONS TREATMENT - Douglas Frans
• CLIENT-DRIVEN ADVOCACY AND PSYCHIATRIC DISABILITY: A MODEL FOR SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE - David P. Moxley and Paula P. Freddolino
• A MARXIAN REVIEW OF GERONTOLOGICAL LITERATURE - Stephen M. Marson …

A Marxian Review Of Gerontological Literature, Stephen M. Marson, L. Richard Della Fave

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A major concern for the sociology of aging and social gerontology is the lack of theoretical rigor. In particular, Birren and Bengtson (1988) describe all of social gerontology as "data-rich but theory-poor." In an effort to deal with the lack of theory, this essay reviews the general social gerontology literature from a Marxian perspective. The findings suggest that the Marxian framework can illuminate aspects of social gerontology hitherto left unexamined in both the academic and applied arenas.

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 …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 21, No. 1 (March 1994)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

SPECIAL ISSUE ON THE LEGACY OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN LEADERSHIP IN SOCIAL WELFARE

Edited by Iris Carlton-LaNey

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• INTRODUCTION: THE LEGACY OF AFRICANAMERICAN LEADERSHIP IN SOCIAL WELFARE - Iris Carlton-LaNey
• "GENTLE STUDENT BEND THINE EAR TO MY SPEECH:" AN ESSAY ABOUT SOJOURNER TRUTH, ABOLITIONIST AND FEMINIST - Laura Budd Somerville
• WILLIAM STILL, A PIONEER AFRICAN AMERICAN SOCIAL WORKER 1821-1902 - Audreye E. Johnson
• TRAINING AFRICAN-AMERICAN SOCIAL WORKERS THROUGH THE NUL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM - Iris Carlton-LaNey
• NORTH CAROLINA PUBLIC WELFARE INSTITUTES FOR NEGROES 1926-1940 - N. Yolanda Burwell
• THE HISTORY OF SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION FOR BLACK PEOPLE, 1900-1930 - Robenia Baker …