Digital Commons Network^™

Relieving Human Suffering: Compassion In Social Policy, Mary E. Collins, Sarah Garlington, Kate Cooney

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Human suffering is always present in society. There is general consensus that action should be taken to address suffering, but there are differing views as to the appropriate means of doing so. In this paper we utilize a classical understanding of the virtue of compassion to answer the research question: How does contemporary U.S. policy address human suffering through compassionate response? To answer this question, we conduct a critical analysis of three policy domains (hospice care, domestic violence, and disaster relief) to determine variation in response to human suffering. Comparisons among the domains suggest the various ways in which compassion …

Differences In Experiences Of Racial And Ethnic Microaggression Among Asian, Latino/Hispanic, Black, And White Young Adults, Shandra Forrest-Bank, Jeffrey Jenson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Racial and ethnic discrimination is a significant risk factor for health and mental health problems among non-White children, adolescents, and adults. Recent evidence suggests that a form of discrimination known as microaggression, characterized by subtle and often unintentional acts of discriminatory behavior, is associated with detrimental effects on the psychological and emotional wellbeing of non-White individuals. We examined differences in microaggression experiences among a sample of 409 Asian, Latino, Black, and White young adults. The Racial and Ethnic Microaggressions Scale (Nadal, 2011) was used to measure respondents’ experiences of racial and ethnic microaggression. Young adults in all the non- White …

Health Status, Medicare Part D Enrollment, And Prescription Drug Use Among Older Adults, Jin Kim

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

To account for potential selection factors in the observed relationship between Medicare Part D coverage and prescription drug use, this study uses data from the 2010 and 2012 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to first examine the determinants of Medicare Part D enrollment, paying particular attention to the role of functional health status on the enrollment decision. Next, the study assesses whether and to what extent Medicare Part D coverage moderates the effect of functional health status on prescription drug use and monthly out-of-pocket spending among older adults. As prior studies indicate, the findings reveal that individuals …

Review Of Social Justice In Clinical Practice: A Liberation Health Framework For Social Work. Dawn Belkin Martinez And Ann Fleck-Henderson (Eds.). Reviewed By Nancy Feldman., Nancy Feldman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Dawn Belkin Martinez & Ann Fleck-Henderson (Eds.), Social Justice in Clinical Practice: A Liberation Health Framework for Social Work. Routledge (2014), 218 pages, $48.95 (paperback), $155.00 (hardcover).

Journal Of Sociology And Social Welfare Vol. 42 No. 2 (June 2015)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION TO THE SPECIAL ISSUE: NEW SCHOLARSHIP IN INSTITUTIONAL ETHNOGRAPHY Paul C. Luken and Suzanne Vaughan

CAPTURED BY CARE: AN INSTITUTIONAL ETHNOGRAPHY ON THE WORK OF BEING IN A REHABILITATION PROCESS IN NORWAY Janne Paulsen Breimo

A SERVICE DISPARITY FOR RURAL YOUTH: THE ORGANIZATION OF SOCIAL SERVICES ACROSS THE URBAN YOUTH CENTRE AND ITS RURAL BRANCH Jessica Braimoh

CATEGORIES OF EXCLUSION: THE TRANSFORMATION OF FORMERLY INCARCERATED WOMEN INTO "ABLE-BODIED ADULTS WITHOUT DEPENDENTS" IN WELFARE PROCESSING Megan Welsh

INTERROGATING THE RULING RELATIONS OF THAILAND'S POST-TSUNAMI RECONSTRUCTION: EMPIRICALLY TRACKING SOCIAL RELATIONS IN THE ABSENCE OF CONVENTIONAL TEXTS Aaron Williams …

Captured By Care: An Institutional Ethnography On The Work Of Being In A Rehabilitation Process In Norway, Janne I. Paulsen Breimo

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The Norwegian rehabilitation policies and new public management reforms share some features and are divided by others. The features that divide them are so contradictory that they create difficulties for people who are in a process of rehabilitation. Having studied the everyday life of people being in a process of rehabilitation, I argue that the continuous change in organizational structures in general makes the processes hard to endure for service users, specifically the reforms characterized by neoliberalism, because they, to a large extent, contradict the holistic rehabilitation ideology. This further illuminates the paradox that the greater and more complicated the …

Social Work Advocacy: Professional Self-Interest And Social Justice, Mary Ellen Brown, Michelle M. Livermore, Annahita R. Ball

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study employed an analysis of the advocacy-related resources and materials available through the 50 NASW state chapter websites. Results revealed that a large number of states had no information about advocacy on their websites (42%). One third of the mission statements reviewed contained language indicating that advocacy was part of the chapter mission, while nearly as many included no content related to advocacy or social justice on their homepages. Nearly two thirds of the websites contained no resources, tools or links to help with advocacy practice, promotion or education. Thirteen advocacy themes emerged, which represented policy issues within the …

Applying Sen's Capability Approach To Understand Work And Income Among Poor People In India, Mahasweta M. Banerjee

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Applying Sen's capability approach, this paper explores income poor individuals' capabilities—abilities, skills, resources, and opportunities at personal, inter-personal, and structural levels—for work and income. It reports on data collected from 92 individuals identified through purposive sampling and interviewed face-to- face. The study found that 11% of respondents had varied work capabilities and earned a relatively high income; 49% of respondents had some work capabilities and were in the medium income bracket; 40% of respondents had few work capabilities and remained below the poverty line; and 8% of respondents with even fewer work capabilities were not working. Implications include expansion of …

Relationship-Based Justice For Gender Responsive Specialty Courts, Margaret H. Lloyd

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Family drug courts (FDCs) have existed in the U.S. since 1994. Since that time, dozens of studies have found evidence that FDCs improve child welfare outcomes compared to traditional dependency courts. The level of sophistication of this research has stalled, however, arguably because the theoretical foundations of the approach are underdeveloped. The social psychological theory of procedural justice can predict and explain outcomes in treatment courts better than therapeutic jurisprudence. However, in light of evidence suggesting that gender impacts treatment court outcomes, procedural justice alone falls short as the mechanism of change in family drug courts, because women constitute the …

Race–Gender Differences In The Impact Of History Of Heavy Drinking On Current Alcohol Consumption During The Transition To Adulthood, C. André Christie-Mizell, Whitney Laster Pirtle, Benjamin D. Tyndall, David M. Merolla Phd

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

American youth transitioning to adulthood consume more alcohol than in any other period of the life course. This high level of consumption can result in serious consequences, including lost productivity, death and disability, sexual assault, and addiction. Nevertheless, relatively little is known, especially by race and gender, about how prior history of heavy drinking (e.g., in late adolescence) impacts drinking in young adulthood. Utilizing data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (1994-2004) for African Americans, Latinos, and Whites (N = 2,300), we found that Whites and Latinos drink more than African Americans, and men report drinking more than women. …

Review Of Can’T Catch A Break: Gender, Jail, Drugs, And The Limits Of Personal Responsibility. Susan Starr Sered And Maureen Norton-Hawk. Reviewed By Brandy Henry, Brandy Henry

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Susan Starr Sered and Maureen Norton-Hawk, Can’t Catch a Break: Gender, Jail, Drugs, and the Limits of Personal Responsibility. University of California Press (2014), 216 pages, $29.95 (paperback).

Review Of Ghettoside: A True Story Of Murder In America. Jill Leovy. Reviewed By John Decarlo., John Decarlo

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Jill Leovy, Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America. Spiegel & Grau (2015), 386 pages, $28.00 (hardcover).

Can People Experiencing Homelessness Acquire Financial Assets?, Allison De Marco, Molly De Marco, Alexandra Biggers, Maggie West, Jonathan Young, Rachel Levy

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Through an innovative Individual Development Account (IDA) program run by the Community Empowerment Fund (CEF), individuals at risk for or experiencing homelessness receive financial education, access matched savings accounts, and have saved a total of $89,831.55. This is notable as low-income individuals often lack access to the means to build assets, which can moderate financial distress. In this mixed-method study we examine the program's impact through administrative data, surveys, and qualitative interviews. Of the 17 interview participants, 15 opened an account, saving an average of $1,356.24 toward housing, emergency savings, cars, education, and computers. Few U.S. IDA programs have served …

A Heated Debate: Theoretical Perspectives Of Sexual Exploitation And Sex Work, Lara Gerassi

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The theoretical and often political frameworks of sexual exploitation and sex work among women are widely and enthusiastically debated among academic and legal scholars alike. The majority of theoretical literature in this area focuses on the macro perspective, while the micro-level perspective regarding causation remains sparse. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the philosophical, legal, and political perspectives pertaining to sexual exploitation of women and girls and addresses the subsequent controversies in the field.

Roles Of Government And Community Support, Flood Experience, And Flood Education In Livelihood Resilience, H. R. Tewari, P K. Bhowmick, Melinda Mccormick

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Flooding is a perennial problem in the state of Bihar, India with devastating impact on the livelihood of people. In spite of the government's measures of flood mitigation, households continue to live with suffering on account of severe damage to their material and non-material assets. In this background, the objectives of the study are: (1) to explore the differential role of the community and government support in livelihood resilience; (2) to assess the impact of flood experience and flood education in livelihood resilience; and (3) to explore the impact of level of education, reflected in average years of schooling of …

Journal Of Sociology And Social Welfare Vol. 42 No. 1 (March 2015)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Table of Contents

• SUCCESSFUL APPROACHES TO ENDING FEMALE GENITAL CUTTING - Kay Young McChesney
• THE 47 PERCENT: U.S. TRENDS IN INCOME MAINTENANCE AND MEDICAID SPENDING, 1990-2011- Elgin Mannion and Gordon C. Chang
• UNDERSTANDING FRINGE ECONOMIC BEHAVIOR: A BOURDIEUSIAN-INFORMED META-ETHNOGRAPHY - Peter A. Kindle and Mary A. Caplan
• TACTICAL DECISION-MAKING: COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS DESCRIBE ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN SOCIAL ACTION CAMPAIGNS - Donna Hardina, Mathew Ari Jendian, and Catherine Garoupa White
• RELIEVING HUMAN SUFFERING: COMPASSION IN SOCIAL POLICY - Mary Elizabeth Collins, Sarah Garlington, and Kate Cooney
• SELF-EMPLOYMENT AND PUBLIC EMERGENCY WORK IN URBAN LABOR MARKETS DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION: THE CASE OF …

Review Of Human Rights And Adolescence. Jacqueline Bhabha, Ed. Reviewed By David Tobis, David Tobis

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Jacqueline Bhabha, Ed., Human Rights and Adolescence. University of Pennsylvania Press (2014), 376 pages, $69.95 (hardcover).

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 42, No. 4 (December 2015)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Table of Contents

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: EMPIRICISM. - Robert D. Leighninger, Jr.

IS COMMUNITY-BASED WORK COMPATIBLE WITH DATA COLLECTION? - John W. Murphy, Berkeley A. Franz, and Karen A. Callaghan

IMPACT OF COMMUNITY INVESTMENT IN SAFETY NET SERVICES ON TRAJECTORIES OF UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS AMONG VETERANS - Ann Elizabeth Montgomery, Jamison D. Fargo, and Thomas H. Byrne

EBB AND FLOW: A MULTIPLE STREAMS POLICY ANALYSIS OF CHANGE IN KANSAS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE POLICY - Emily Bell-Sepulveda, Juliana Carlson, and Sara Rust-Martin

CAN PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ACQUIRE FINANCIAL ASSETS? - Allison De Marco, Molly De Marco, Alexandra Biggers, Maggie West, Jonathan Young, …

Separation, Visitation And Reunification: Michigan Child Welfare Reform And Its Implications For Siblings, Angela M. Moe, Jessica A. Church

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Removal of children from abusive or neglectful families is an unfortunate but necessary aspect of child protective services, and the separation of siblings can be especially traumatic. This paper examines the Dwayne B. v. Snyder Modified Settlement Agreement (MSA), the result of a class action lawsuit regarding the management of the child welfare foster care system by the Michigan Department of Human Services. The MSA contains several mandates regarding the handling of siblings, though various measures of compliance remain unmet. Through field observations and interviews within the Michigan foster care system, we identify several factors prohibiting effective sibling care.

Jane Case-Smith, Edd, Otr/L, Faota

OJOT Sponsor Profiles

No abstract provided.

Department Of Occupational Therapy At Western Michigan University

OJOT Sponsor Profiles

No abstract provided.

“Do You Have A Brother? I Have Two!”: The Nature Of Questions Asked And Answered In Text-Focused Pen Pal Exchanges, Elizabeth M. Hughes, Lea Evering, Jacquelynn A. Malloy, Linda B. Gambrell

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Authentic learning experiences are those in which students engage with texts as well as the behaviors of reading and writing within contexts of real-world use beyond traditional academic use. This study provides quantitative analysis of how students (n=200) engaged with an adult pen pal in a shared literacy experience. Findings indicate that students actively participated with their adult pen pals asking and answering more personal questions than literature-based questions. Data were disaggregated for reading ability and gender. Students who were considered above-grade level readers asked and answered significantly more questions than students considered below grade level in reading. Girls asked …

Preserving Social Justice Identities: Learning From One Pre-Service Literacy Teacher, Anne Swenson Ticknor

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Identities that include social justice stances are important for pre-service teachers to adopt in teacher education so they may meet the needs of all future students. However maintaining a social justice identity can be difficult when pre-service teachers are confronted with an evaluator without a social justice stance. This article examines how one pre-service teacher preserved a social justice identity by actively resisting racial and cultural stereotypes of students in her student teaching field experience. Analysis of language data illustrates that pre-service teachers can enact social justice pedagogy in elementary classrooms and preserve a social justice identity. This report reveals …

Reading Horizons Vol. 53 No. 4

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

No abstract provided.

Addressing The ‘Shift’: Preparing Preservice Secondary Teachers For The Common Core, Stephanie M. Bennett, Steven M. Hart

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Common Core represents a shift in content-area literacy instruction, broadening from a narrow focus on generalizable skills to also include a disciplinary perspective of literacies specific to the specialized language and habits of thinking within particular subjects. This requires teachers to be knowledgeable in their content and possess competence in pedagogical practices that allow them to scaffold their students’ literacy development within these disciplines. We examined how the implementation of a Disciplinary Literacy Project into a content-area literacy course influenced preservice secondary teachers’ disciplinary literacy practice. The findings suggest structured inquiry into disciplinary communities enhances preservice teachers’ understanding of disciplinary …

Gray Toad And Color Of The Season By Ōte Takuji, Dean A. Brink

Transference

Translated from the Japanese with commentary by Dean A. Brink.

Transference Vol. 2, Fall 2014, Molly Lynde-Recchia

Transference

Transference is published by the Department of World Languages and Literatures at Western Michigan University. Dedicated to the celebration of poetry in translation, the journal publishes translations from Arabic, Chinese, French and Old French, German, classical Greek, Latin, and Japanese, into English verse. Transference contains translations as well as commentaries on the art and process of translating.

Autism Project: Case Study Evaluating Behavioral Interventions For The Self-Injurious Behavior Of Biting, Brittani Rohrig

Honors Theses

Self-injurious (SIB) behavior is a common problem among the autism population, and often those who engage in SIB have done so since a very early age. There was a nine-year-old boy named Jack who was diagnosed with ASD and engaged in the self-injurious behavior of biting his hand. A functional analysis was conducted and it was found that the behavior was multiply controlled across three main conditions: alone/play, demand, and attention. The goal of this case study was to review previous interventions that did not eliminate the target behavior, analyze and revise the current protocols in place, and eliminate the …

Updates In Academic Affairs - 12/08/14, Office Of The Provost And Vice President Of Academic Affairs

Updates in Academic Affairs

• Academic Program Review and Planning progresses, nears milestone
• Nominations sought for WMU's highest faculty honor
• In gratitude for all your work

Western At War: Western Michigan College During World War Ii, Patrick Hargis

Honors Theses

This research paper examines the programs and policies put into action by Western Michigan College during World War II and how the war shaped the college. This research primarily utilized primary documents generated by the college’s wartime committee, President Paul Sangren, yearbooks and other ephemera. Little research has been done in this area focused on Western Michigan College, and the little research that has been done has focused on the Navy V-12 program that existed on campus at the time. While this research includes the V-12 program, as well as the various other military programs active at the time, a …