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Social Welfare Before The Elizabethan Poor Laws: The Early Christian Tradition, Ad 33 To 313, Vincent Faherty

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Current social welfare history texts in the United States tend to cover quickly the time periods before the passage of the Elizabethan Poor Laws in 1601. This is an unfortunate informationalgap since what is labeled social welfare today has been organized and delivered for centuries before 1601 through the rich religious traditions of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam and thousands of other traditional religions throughout the world. This article provides a broad historical overview of the organization, the roles, and the services provided by the social welfare system in Christian communities, during their first three centuries, throughout what is now …

An Analysis Of Hip-Hop Theatre: From Roots To Performance, Jessica Dee Bocade

Honors Theses

Hip Hop theatre has the potential to be an extremely useful art form with the ability to bring younger audiences back to the realm of live theatre. However, several challenges have prevented it from becoming such a powerful influence in the theatrical world. These problems continue to stifle the potential power of hip-hop theatre to reach a greater audience, as well as the ability to be seen in the theatrical world as a legitimate, effective, and stable genre of theatre - not just a "fad."

Americans' Attitudes Toward Euthanasia And Physician-Assisted Suicide, 1936-2002, Jen Allen, Sonia Chavez, Sara Desimone, Debbie Howard, Keadron Johnson, Lucinda Lapierr, Darrel Montero, Jerry Sanders

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Public opinion polls conducted from 1936 to 2002 found that Americans support both euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. Although public opinion regarding end-oflife decisions appears to have been influenced by the events of the times, Americans have consistently favored the freedom to end one's life when the perceived quality of life has significantly diminished, either by one's own hand or with the assistance of a physician. This paper indicates that existing policy regarding euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide conflicts with the American public's attitudes regarding the matter, as well as examines implications for social workers who serve clients facing end-of-life decisions.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 33, No. 2 (June 2006)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• AMERICANS' ATTITUDES TOWARD EUTHANASIA AND PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE, 1936-2002 - Jen Allen, Sonia Chavez, Sara DeSimone, Debbie Howard, Keadron Johnson, Lucinda LaPierre, Darrel Montero and Jerry Sanders
• PROFESSIONAL HOPE IN WORKING WITH OLDER ADULTS - Terry Koenig and Richard Spano PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT DURING FISCAL CRISIS: A COMMUNITY/UNIVERSITY RESPONSE - Dianne Rush Woods, Phu Tai Phan and Terry Jones
• THE POLITICS OF INDIGENIZATION: A CASE STUDY OF DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL WORK IN CHINA - Miu Chung Yan and Kwok Wah Cheung 63
• RESHAPING RETIREMENT POLICIES IN POSTINDUSTRIAL NATIONS: THE NEED FOR FLEXIBILITY - Angela L. Curl and M. C. …

Review Of Aids, Rhetoric And Medical Knowledge. Alex Preda. Reviewed By Cudore L. Snell., Cudore L. Snell

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Alex Preda, AIDS, Rhetoric, and Medical Knowledge. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2005. $70.00 hardback.

Database Creation And Implementation Using Open Source Software, Shelby Patru

Honors Theses

This project is designed to investigate the use of open source software and utilize this software to create a database for GNP Acoustical. This honors thesis will focus on the history of open source software, the pros and cons of using this software, a brief look at open source vs. proprietary software, the open source maturity model and the specifics of major software packages in the open source field that could be used to complete this project. Open source software was chosen as the subject for this project because of its increasing popularity among worldwide corporations.

This project was going …

Western News, April 20, 2006, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: Bailey leads delegation to Qatar ; Miller wraps up WMU career; Board approves 11 retirements; Obituaries for Roger Bresson, Mary Frances Fenton, Herbert Hannon; On Campus with Kim Cauchy.

The Role Of Professional Women In Pakistani Society, Sarah Husain

Honors Theses

This paper attempts to outline key factors that negatively affect women in Pakistan, including poverty, lack of education, and gender discrimination. First, I will use data that shows the underlying economic problems prevalent there. I will also use information gathered from the interviews that describes how professional women are advocating for positive change in the social structure of the country. Thirdly, I will discuss the role of NGO's in assisting the plight of Pakistani women. Lastly, I will examine the role of religion and how it affects the values of the general public in regard to women.

Western News, April 6, 2006, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: New Graduated College dean named ; Bronco Spirit Days return beginning this month; Obituaries for Sharlene Miller, Marc Perkovic, James Robinson; On Campus with Lisa Carnell.

Communicator Vol. 4, No. 1, School Of Communication

Communicator: School of Communication Newsletter

Three communication graduates honored with University awards; Notes from the Director; New Faculty/Faculty News/Faculty Awards; COM Day 2005 a Success!; Scholarship recognized with Lambda Pi Eta; Scholarship Recipients Named for 2005; Pierce Chosen by Fox 17 for Sports Anchor Competition; Student Awards; Keeping Up with Emeriti; Alumni of Distinction

Prism #15, April 2006, Office Of The Provost

Prism: Western Michigan University's Newsletter for Academic Affairs

No abstract provided.

College Of Arts & Sciences Newsletter Vol. 7 No. 2 Spring 2006, College Of Arts & Sciences

College of Arts and Sciences news

A Publication for Friends of the College of Arts & Sciences

Media Ethics: The Powerful And The Powerless, Elaine E. Englehardt

Center for the Study of Ethics in Society Papers

Papers presented for the Center of the Study of Ethics in Society Western Michigan University.

A Treasure Of Viewing, Miranda Haddock

Gatherings: Friends of the University Libraries Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Gatherings No. 37 Fall/Spring 2005-2006, Friends Of The University Libraries

Gatherings: Friends of the University Libraries Newsletter

Complete issue of Gatherings no. 37. Edited by Laurel Grotzinger.

Comparative Genomic Analyses And Expression Of A Set Of Overlapping Open Reading Frames Of Frog Virus 3, Type Species Of Ranavirus (Family Iridoviridae), Wendy Guat Hoon Tan

Dissertations

Frog virus 3 (FV3) is the type species member of the genus Ranavirus (family Iridoviridae ). To better understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the replication of FV3, including transcription of its highly methylated DNA genome, the complete nucleotide sequence of the FV3 genome has been determined. The FV3 genome is 105, 903 base pairs long excluding the terminal redundancy. The G+C content of FV3 genome is 55% and it encodes 98 non-overlappingpotential open reading frames (ORFs) containing 50 to 1293 amino acids. Eighty-four ORFs have significant homology to known proteins of other iridoviruses, whereas 14 are unique FV3 ORFs. …

Cultural Contradictions And Ethical Dilemmas In The Corporate-Styled University, Eric Gould

Center for the Study of Ethics in Society Papers

Published by the Center of the Study of Ethics in Society Western Michigan University

The Globalization Of The Food Retail Sector In Southern Mexico, Alexandra Teachout

Masters Theses

The practices and policies of transnational corporations have now taken hold in the geo-economy, and the effects of globalization can be seen worldwide. Current research trends in economic geography focus on these policies and their transformations with regards to specific sectors. These theories predict and explain how transnational corporations should act, interact, and influence host countries. This foreign presence in host countries not only influences the corporate sector, but creates unique changes and challenges for producers and consumers. Consequently, the need to understand how the evolution of the global space affects the transformation of the local space, as well as …

Competitive Effects Of Uranyl-Organic Complexes On U(Vi) Reduction By Shewanella Putrefaciens, Abraham M. Northup

Masters Theses

Haas and DiChristina (2002) have demonstrated that Fe(III) reduction by the facultative Fe(III)-reducing bacterium S. putrefaciens is mediated by competitive speciation among dissolved organic ligands and functional groups on the cell surface. They also showed that rates of Fe(III) reduction by S. putrefaciens correlate with the thermodynamic stability constants of the Fe(III)-organic ligand complexes. S. putrefaciens can also use U(VI) as a terminal electron acceptor, coupling U(VI) reduction to growth. In this study, S. putrefaciens was incubated in experimental media containing U(VI) in the form of aqueous complexes with a variety of organic ligands that differ significantly in structure and …

Considering The Rationality Of African Ritual Behavior, Joel Grant Mort

Dissertations

The traditional social scientific method undervalues the role that cognitive processes play in human behavior and instead focuses on posited external causal forces, the most common of which is 'culture.' Normative models of rationality, on the other hand, often do suggest and emphasize cognitive reasoning strategies. What is lacking is a familiarity and understanding of what human beings actually do which is, ironically, something social scientists do know something about. Both assume a sort of rational normative baseline cognitive structure and then try to discover those circumstances in which this structure is compromised by the culture, the environment, learning, and …

The War On Drugs V. The War On Pain: Do Controlled Prescribing Laws Have A Role?, Susanne F. Homant

Dissertations

The illegal use of prescription drugs and the under-treatment of chronic pain are both considered serious public health issues in this country. Strong medicines classified as controlled substances by the DEA are often used to treat chronic pain conditions and are also known to be diverted to non-medical uses, thus a solution to one problem may happen at the expense o f the other. Prescription Monitoring Programs (PMPs) are public policies that are felt by many to address diversion of controlled substances, and are generally welcomed by law enforcement as an excellent tool in the war against drugs. A number …

New Estimators Of A Circular Median, Sauwanit Ratanaruamkarn

Dissertations

The specific properties of probability distributions on a circle require different definitions of several statistical concepts. For example, a median that can always be found for linear data not always exists on the circle. Several estimators of a circular median were proposed, lately by Otieno (2002), Otieno and Anderson - Cook (2003). Their work is, however, focused on the "preferred direction" which coincides with the median, mean and mode in the case of symmetric, unimodal distributions. This dissertation is focused on the estimators of a population median in a wider range of population distributions on a circle including distributions with …

Investigating The Effects Of Real-Time Visual Feedback On Computer Workstation Posture, Sigurdur Oli Sigurdsson

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a package intervention that included discrimination training, real-time visual feedback, and self-monitoring on postural behavior at a computer workstation in a simulated office environment. A total of 21 participants were screened for participation, and eight of those participated throughout the study. A non-concurrent multiple baseline design across participants was used to assess the effects of the interventions across three postural variables. Following an information-only phase, participants were exposed to the intervention for the lowest stable postural variable. For most targeted postural variables, the intervention implemented in this study led …

Dance Club Culture, Amy M. Iseler

Masters Theses

My research examines the dance club culture in a mid-sized Northwestern city. I explore this subject through participant observation and interviews with dance club patrons. The issues I address in my research include dance club music, music videos, alcohol, clothing, sexual behavior, non-verbal communication and the dance club environment. The purpose of this Masters Thesis is to determine whether dance club culture perpetuates sexist attitudes and beliefs within its patrons.

This original piece of research is based in existing literature which informs the individual elements of the dance club culture. The experiences of dance club patrons demonstrate how these elements …

Using Geographic Information Systems To Assess Risk For Elevated Blood Lead Levels In Children In Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Amatun Noor

Masters Theses

Lead-based paint is the major source of childhood lead poisoning for children under six in the United States and was commonly used in pre-1950 homes. The main objective of this study for Kalamazoo County, Michigan is to identify risk homes to for public health workers, and determine common socioeconomic factors from the US Census that can be used to identify relative risk across census tracts. A Geographic Information System (GIS) is applied to locate the risk homes of 485 children provided at the aggregate level by the Michigan Department of Community Health. Independent variables were derived from the U.S. 2000 …

Budgeted Money In Staff Development And Technology Integration, Chad Frerichs

Masters Theses

Many studies have been done on the different styles of professional staff development for teachers and administrators in the area of technology and its integration into the classroom. One element has been consistently ignored in recent studies, the amount of money being spent on staff development.

This research attempted to uncover the relationship between expenditures on staff development activities for educational technology and the extent of technology integration occurring in K-12 schools. With shrinking budgets throughout the education system in this country, an answer is needed. As Butler says in her review of the research, "Further studies of this type …

Which Islam-Ism? Diversity In Islamic Society And Its Implications For Democracy, Christopher M. Ebsch

Masters Theses

This study aims to refute claims of Islamic exceptionalism in the midst of recent waves of democratization, thereby disproving assumptions of any incompatibility between democracy and Islam. My research will show that such sweeping assumptions gloss over significant, developmental democratic movements within Muslim nations as well as several uniquely Islamic supports for democratic ideals and institutions.

I begin by examining recent political activities conducive to democracy in Muslim states, by distinguishing between divergent principles in the Qur' an, some of which have been used by moderate, democratically-oriented Islamists, and by realizing the historical, political antecedents leading to a rise in …

The Relationship Between Perceived English Proficiency And Success In Clinical Work: A Survey Of Asian International Music Therapy Students And Music Therapy Instructors/Supervisors, Yayoi Nakai

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was (1) to identify the students' and instructors'/supervisors' perceptions regarding Asian international music therapy students' English proficiency, and (2) to identify successful strategies students use or instructors/supervisors suggest for resolution regarding English proficiency in clinical situations. The participants of this study were Asian international music therapy students who are currently enrolled in practicum classes or internships in the United States, and instructors/supervisors who have supervised Asian international music therapy students. It was found that there were various difficulties for Asian international music therapy students using English in clinical situations; however, overall both students and instructors/supervisors …

A Market Analysis Of Consumer Behavior For Companies In A Self-Insurance Group, Bismarck J. Manes

Masters Theses

This study examined variables that influenced the purchase of costly safety equipment by small business owners. Participants were 21 members of a self-insurance group (SIG) comprised of auto recyclers. Eight sets of variables were examined: (a) marketing tools (video, graphic safety data, and price discount), (b) business demographics, (c) worker’s compensation history, (d) personal history, (e) available technology, (f) safety management practices, (g) safety products purchased in the past, and (h) interest in safety services provided by the SIG. Purchasers (N=7) and nonpurchasers (N=14) were divided into groups, and independent t-tests were calculated for each variable. Only one of 45 …

Western News, March 9, 2006, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: Obare gets NSF grant for solar energy research; New economy study released; Kominz is lead author of journal article on rising sea levels; On Campus with John Greenhoe.