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Assisting The Most Vulnerable Populations In The Regions Of La Rioja And The Maghreb: The Human Rights-Based Approach And Social Work, Neus Caparrós Civera, Domingo Carbonero Muñoz, Esther Raya Díez

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article examines the evolution of social assistance provided to the most disadvantaged populations in La Rioja, Spain and the Maghreb, going from charity to the human rights-based approach (HRBA). A case-analysis methodology was applied to two social interventions: the ABDEM project, which is part of the EU Tempus program, and the UNICEF program to combat poverty in the Spanish region of La Rioja. In these two cases, the HRBA represents a conceptual leap in the promotion of people’s autonomy and an effective means for sustainable progress in response to the inequality, discrimination and unjust power relations negatively affecting the …

Social Work And Accessibility Of Persons With Disabilities In Mexico: Hidden Barriers, María Del Carmen Martín Cano, Yolanda María De La Fuente Robles

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article proposes that a thorough understanding of the concept of diversity should facilitate the full inclusion of all people in society. Furthermore, it proposes that we should look at diversity and inclusion from a community perspective. Consistent with these premises, Mexico has recently taken a significant leap forward by developing programs to serve functionally diverse people. Most significantly, the federal government has created the National Program for the Wellbeing and Development of People with Disabilities that is sponsored by the executive branch of government. The creation of this program followed the dissemination by the National System for the Integral …

Social Workers And Politics: Direct Political Involvement And Encouragement Of Client Involvement In Politics, Amnon Boehm, Neveen Ali Saleh Darawshy, Esther Boehm-Tabib

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The research focused on two aspects of political involvement among social workers. The first was the direct political involvement of social workers on behalf of their clients, and the second, the social workers’ encouragement of their clients’ involvement in political activity. The main purpose of the research was to identify the factors that explain these two types of political involvement among social workers. The data were collected by means of a structured questionnaire from a research sample of 165 social workers in 50 social services departments in Israel. The findings indicate that the factors of the community (as opposed to …

Tracing The Evolution Of The Tarasoff Duty In California, Benjamin A. Swerdlow

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Since the first Tarasoff decision in 1974, the question of mental health professionals’ “duty to protect” third-parties has been a topic of vigorous debate. The ensuing forty-three years witnessed considerable shifts in the statutory and legal landscape in the United States, including several significant changes in California state law over the past decade alone. In this historical review, I trace the evolution of the Tarasoff duty with a specific focus on the state in which that duty originated, California, with the intention of elucidating the major policy, ethical, and practical questions that have followed in the wake of the Tarasoff …

Journal Of Sociology And Social Welfare Vol. 45 No. 2

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

No abstract provided.

The Welfare Subject In The “One-Stop Shop”: Agency In Troublesome Welfare Encounters, Kjetil Lundberg

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The purpose of this article is to investigate the agency of “welfare subjects” in welfare encounters, situated in a “one-stop shop” reform context, thereby providing increased theoretical sensitivity into the field of welfare encounters’ research. Anchored in a Norwegian reform context, this article analyses agency related to welfare encounters, including welfare subjects’ attempts to hold NAV (the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration) accountable to help them. Shifting agency positions are located, the lines of responsibility in the welfare encounters are found to be unclear, and there are indications that this may contribute to the production of destructive agency positions.

Educational Attainment In Young Adulthood, Depressive Symptoms, And Race-Ethnicity: The Long-Reach Of Parenting Styles In Adolescence, Brittany N. Hearne, C. André Christie-Mizell

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Utilizing four parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian, uninvolved, and permissive) and two types of educational achievement (years of education completed and completion of a college degree), we investigated whether mental health (i.e., depressive symptoms) mediates the relationship between parenting styles in adolescence and the educational attainment of young adults. We further assessed whether the relationships among parenting styles and educational attainment vary by race and ethnicity for African Americans, Hispanics, and whites. Compared to youth with authoritative parenting, those who experienced uninvolved or authoritarian parenting were more likely to experience depressive affect, and these symptoms of depression partially mediated the relationship …

Is It Just Enough?, John Solas

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Since its inception, social work has professed an abiding commitment to social justice. Indeed, it is perhaps one of the few professions to have maintained such an obligation. This pledge is officially inscribed in the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). This document affirms the pursuit of social justice as a core value, not just for members of the Association, but also for social workers in general. However, what kind of social justice does the Association advocate and how just is it? While answers to these questions are critical to the Association’s members and broader …

Will We Build A Wall? Fear Of Mexican/Latino Immigration In U.S. History, Emilia E. Martinez-Brawley, Paz M.-B. Zorita

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A presidential election was won on the strength of a nativist philosophy which asserts that the U.S. must build a wall of separation with its closest neighbor to the South. The current president has voiced not only his frustration and prejudices but the nativist sentiments of the public. The emphasis on “building the wall” and the antagonism expressed towards Mexico have deepened the centuries-old sense of fear and separation felt by members of the Mexican/Latino immigrant group. Can we look at history in search of plausible explanations? This paper examines past and contemporary reasons that might explain the observable antagonism …

Review Of Labor Of Love: Gestational Surrogacy And The Work Of Making Babies. Heather Jacobson. Reviewed By Yanfeng Xu., Yanfeng Xu

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of:

Heather Jacobson, Labor of Love: Gestational Surrogacy and the Work of Making Babies. Rutgers University Press (2016), 201 pages, $19.99 (paperback).

Review Of Adult Sibling Relationships. Geoffrey L. Greif And Michael E. Woolley. Reviwed By Teri Kennedy., Teri Kennedy

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of:

Geoffrey L. Greif and Michael E. Woolley, Adult Sibling Relationships. C olumbia University P ress (2016), 3 01 p ages, $ 29.99 (paperback).

Journal Of Sociology And Social Welfare Vol. 45 No. 3

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Support Exchanges On The Psychological Well-Being Of Volunteers, Christy L. Erving, Amy Irby-Shasanimi

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Using a sample of volunteers, we examine whether providing and receiving emotional and instrumental support is associated with self-esteem and mastery. Drawing from social psychological theories of social exchange, we also assess the psychological effects of over-benefiting, under- benefiting, and reciprocal support exchanges. We use data from the Social Support from Peers: Mended Hearts Visitors Study. The sample is comprised of volunteers for Mended Hearts, a national and community-based organization. We find that giving emotional support was associated positively with self-esteem. Reciprocal instrumental support exchanges were associated positively with self-esteem and mastery. This study draws attention to the importance of …

Problems And Politics: A Multiple Streams Analysis Of The Excellence In Mental Health Act Of 2014, Megan Leopold

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Inadequate funding of community mental health has led to a variety of problems, including a shortage of available providers and services. After decades of being ignored, Congress acknowledged these difficulties in 2014 with the passage of the Excellence in Mental Health Act. The Excellence in Mental Health Act, one of the first to target community mental health in decades, created national standards of care and more adequate reimbursement rates for centers able to meet these new standards. The Multiple Streams framework is used to study the success of the Excellence in Mental Health Act in becoming law, examining how policy …

Deconstructing And Reconstructing Identity: How Queer Liberation Organizations Deploy Collective Identities, Ben Anderson-Nathe, Joseph Nicholas Defilippis, Gita R. Mehrotra

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The mainstream gay rights movement has made significant strides toward its agenda, at least in part due to the movement’s claim that it represents all the interests of all LGBTQ communities. However, a queer liberation movement (QLM) led by queer people of color and other marginalized LGBTQ people has existed alongside the mainstream movement since its inception. This movement pursues a radically different agenda and employs organizing strategies distinct from those of the mainstream movement, centering the interests of those LGBTQ people most often left behind by the mainstream agenda. This paper examines how the QLM negotiates and deploys collective …

Women’S Experiences With Microfinance In Urban Bangladesh: Results From A Qualitative Study, Nadine Shaanta Murshid, Navine Murshid

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In this qualitative study, in-depth interviews with 30 microfinance participants were conducted in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This article explores the experiences of women participating in microfinance through the lens of what we call neoliberal patriarchy. Thematic analyses of the textual data obtained from “rich description” from women indicated that the experience of microfinance was both liberating and burdensome for them. While navigating their ways though microfinance, women also found that men’s domination over women extended beyond the household; for example, they experienced harassment on the streets and at their places of business. Implications for practice are discussed.

Review Of The Three Pillars Of Transforming Care: Trauma And Resilience In The Other 23 Hours. Howard Bath And John Seita. Reviewed By Elizabeth Carey., Elizabeth Carey

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of:

Howard Bath and John Seita, The Three Pillars of Transforming Care: Trauma and Resilience in the Other 23 Hours. University of Winnepeg Faculty of Education Publishing (2018), 136 pages, $25.00 (hardcover).

Social Investments, Asset Building, And Social Development— The State Of The Art: A Special Issue In Honor Of James Midgley, David K. Androff, Mary Caplan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

First Paragraph:

Social investment and social development approaches seek to promote human well-being by harmonizing social welfare with economic development (Midgley, 2014). Social development emerged from diverse traditions, including postcolonial social policy, international development, and institutional approaches to the welfare state; over the last two decades this approach has risen to prominence as a key policy and practice perspective around the globe. The social development perspective has yielded policy innovations and catalyzed practice models such as developmental social work (Midgley & Conley, 2010). From the 1995 World Summit on Social Development, subsequent Millennium Development Goals, and the current Sustainable Development …

Journal Of Sociology And Social Welfare Vol. 45 No. 4

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

No abstract provided.

Social Development, Asset Building, And Social Investment: The Historical And International Context, James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article provides an historical background to the special issue by tracing the evolution of social development, asset building and social investment in different parts of the world. These approaches transcend remedial and service-oriented interventions and seek to promote progressive social change. They also stress the importance of investing in people and communities, and focusing on their strengths rather than deficits. The historical evolution of these three approaches in different countries and world regions is described, and their key features are highlighted. The article compares these approaches and considers some of their implications for social welfare, pointing out that they …

Social Protection In Africa: Beyond Safety Nets?, Leila Patel

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Social protection is one of the most recent, yet fastest growing social policy instruments in low and middle income countries to end poverty. At least 50 countries in Africa have non-contributory social protection programmes targeting poor and vulnerable households and individuals. Are these social policies an extension of residual social policies, or do they signal new directions in social policy in the Global South? This article reviews the theoretical approaches that inform social protection policies as well as their practical application in different African countries. The analysis suggest that there is a changing trend towards more expansive social investment-oriented poverty …

Asset Building And Property Owning Democracy: Singapore Housing Policy As A Model Of Social Investment And Social Justice, James Lee

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper discusses a fundamental issue that continues to haunt Western welfare states: despite rising levels of social expenditures and a rigorous social investment-oriented social policy, poverty and acute social inequalities persist. Using the concept of Property Owning Democracy (POD) advanced by John Rawls, this paper argues that an asset-based housing policy might be able to improve social justice and reduce poverty. Using Singapore’s housing system as an example, this paper illustrates the connection between asset building and POD, and suggests that Singapore’s housing system, to some extent, fulfills the requirements of Rawls’ theory of justice in terms of maintaining …

Financial Capability As Social Investment, Mary Caplan, Margaret Sherraden, Junghee Bae

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

People are increasingly part of a complex landscape of financial transactions, services, and institutions across nearly all realms of everyday life. They face an often confusing array of choices of products, and the consequences of those choices can both reflect and exacerbate social and economic inequalities. In response to these contemporary conditions, there are global efforts to increase peoples’ financial capability, which is composed of the interrelated concepts of financial literacy and financial inclusion. The term financial capability includes a person’s ability to act (knowledge, skills, confidence, and motivation) and his or her opportunity to act (access to quality financial …

Human Rights-Based Social Investments, David Androff

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Human rights provide a normative framework for social policy. Social investments are required for a state to realize the rights of its people. For example, the human right to health requires a well-funded system of health care infrastructure with a well-trained workforce of health care professionals. However, the implications of human rights for social development policies have not been examined. This paper attempts to fill in this gray area by exploring a rights-based approach to social investment. Human rights-based approaches to poverty, health, mental health, child welfare, and older adults are analyzed for their implications for social investment policy proposals. …

Review Of Unmaking The Global Sweatshop. Rebecca Prentice And Geert De Neve (Eds.), Jacob Van Pelt

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of: Rebecca Prentice and Geert De Neve (Eds.), Unmaking the Global Sweatshop. University of Pennsylvania Press (2017), 304 pages, $79.95 (hardcover).

Review Of Creative Teamwork: Developing Rapid Site-Switching Ethnography. By Pat Armstrong And Ruth Lowndes, Zhong Xin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of: Pat Armstrong and Ruth Lowndes, Creative Teamwork: Developing Rapid Site-Switching Ethnography. Oxford University Press (2018), 194 pages, $55 (hardcover).

Review Of Technology, Activism, And Social Justice In A Digital Age By John G. Mcnutt, Joel Izlar

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

No abstract provided.

Life Is A Lab: Developing A Communication Research Lab For Undergraduate And Graduate Education, Autumn P. Edwards, Chad Edwards, Patric R. Spence

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Tips offered center on classroom discourse, curriculum choices, and potential assignments. In this article, we present tips for creating a thriving undergraduate and graduate communication research lab. Based on our experiences developing and co-directing the Communication and Social Robotics Labs (CSRLs), we offer 10 best practices for acquiring resources and recognition, building a strong lab community, and attaining faculty and student goals for scholarship and beyond. Our overarching approach is framed by Dewey’s (1916) pragmatist educational metaphysic, which stresses student- and subject-centered learning, enlarging experiences, and the co-construction of meaning and knowledge. Although our labs are focused on human-machine communication …

Service-Learning As An Effective Pedagogical Approach For Communication Educators, Sara Chudnovsky Weintraub

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Service-learning combines the learning goals of a course with service to the community. Through service-learning, students engage in action and reflect on their experiences in order to connect what they see and do in the community with what they are learning in their courses. Whether service-learning projects account for part of a course or an entire course is centered on service-learning, service-learning works because it connects theory with practice. Service-learning is an important pedagogy because it offers students a chance to do meaningful work that helps their community and teaches them the importance of civic engagement.

From The Classroom To The Community: Best Practices In Service-Learning, Donna R. Pawlowski

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

As a pedagogy, service-learning connects students with the community while focusing on course outcomes. The community becomes a live text for reflection and enriches students’ experiences they otherwise would not have in the classroom. This article provides tips and strategies for implementing service-learning in the classroom. These tips and strategies include developing the structure of the course, linking service-learning to outcomes, creating partnerships, working through logistics with partners, communicating with community partners, setting logistics, preparing students, creating reflections, handling challenging issues, giving credit for the learning, and assessing service-learning.