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Neoliberalism, Piven And Cloward's Bargaining Theory, And Wages In The United States, 1965-2006, Thomas W. Volscho

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The political economy of the United States during the last thirty years has been described as neoliberal. Part of the neoliberal turn involves reducing or eliminating income support programs such as AFDC/TANF, waging war against organized labor, and increasingly conservative (i.e., neoliberal) public policies. Following an analysis by Lewis (2001) which showed that wages increased in response to higher average monthly AFDC payments, I update and expand this test of Piven and Cloward's bargaining power theory of wages by looking at other factors which may influence worker bargaining power: unions, interest rates, policy liberalism, and economic growth. I use time-series …

Review Of Patterns Of Protest: Trajectories Of Participation In Social Movements. Catherine Corrigall-Brown. Written Out Of History: Memoirs Of Ordinary Activists. Bette Steinmuller, Nancy Teel, Beatrice Nava, Linda Stern, Steven Norris, And Kendall Hale. Reviewed By Marguerite G. Rosenthal., Marguerite G. Rosenthal

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Catherine Corrigall-Brown, Patterns of Protest: Trajectories of Participation in Social Movements (2012). Stanford University Press, $45.00 (hardcover). Bette Steinmuller, Nancy Teel, Beatrice Nava, Linda Stern, Steven Norris, & Kendall Hale, Written Out of History: Memoirs of Ordinary Activists (2011). Leapyear Press, $15.00 (paperback).

Review Of Aging Our Way: Lessons Learned For Living From 85 And Beyond. Meika Loe. Reviewed By Donna Wang., Donna Wang

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Meika Loe, Aging Our Way: Lessons Learned for Living from 85 and Beyond (2011). Oxford University Press, $29.95 (paperback).

Promoting Understanding Of Informed Consent, Michael N. Reynolds

Masters Theses

Several studies have shown that research participants who have consented to participate in a study often have limited comprehension of the information presented in the informed consent process. This study compared performance on an end-of-study consent document information retention measure between a read-and-sign consent procedure control group and an enhanced consent procedure experimental group. The enhanced consent procedure consisted of a pre-consent educational module and a question-and-answer style consent document. The control group scored an average of 78.7% correct on the multiple-choice question measure of participant retention of information contained within the consent documents. The experimental group scored an average …

Public Attitudes And Gender Policy Regimes: Coherence And Stability In Hard Times, Jing Guo, Neil Gilbert

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Drawing upon data from the European Social Survey on public attitudes and social welfare, this paper analyzes the extent to which attitudes toward gender equality in work and family life vary among 13 countries which represent different welfare regimes. The analysis also examines how these attitudes have changed with the onset of the economic recession in 2007. The findings suggest that public attitudes toward gender issues are largely consistent with welfare regimes, and most notably, reveal a clear direction of moving away from traditional views of gender, family and work issues in economic hard times.

Review Of American Dreamers: How The Left Changed A Nation. Michael Kazin. Reviewed By Kim Phillips-Fein., Kim Phillips-Fein

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Michael Kazin, American Dreamers: How the Left Changed a Nation (2011). Knopf, $27.95 (hardcover), $16.00 (paperback).

Review Of Guest Workers And Resistance To U.S. Corporate Despotism. Immanuel Ness. Reviewed By Barbara Franz., Barbara Franz

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Immanuel Ness, Guest Workers and Resistance to U.S. Corporate Despotism, University of Illinois Press (2011). $70.00 (hardcover), $25.00 (paperback).

Winds Of Change: The Historical Contingency Of State Crime, Kelly L. Faust

Dissertations

Destruction of the built environment during a natural disaster is by no means a new phenomenon. What has changed over time is how we as a society react to such destruction, as well as what we expect from the state in terms of protection from, and responses to, said destruction. This dissertation explores these changes through a political economic lens with the goal of gaining increased knowledge of the phenomena that constitute state crime. Social structure of accumulation (SSA) theory provides the basis for a view of the state as a social institution which acts according to the goals of …

The Role Of Focus Group Venue: A Comparative Study Of Face-To-Face, Telephone, And Internet Video-Based Venues, June E. Gothberg

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the equivalence or non-inferiority for comparisons of telephone focus group venue to face-to-face focus group venue, Internet video-based focus group venue to face-to-face focus group venue, and Internet video based focus group venue to telephone focus group venue. Research questions examined the equivalence and non-inferiority of five variables reported in the literature as fundamental reasons a researcher would choose focus groups as a data collection tool. The five variables were: participant interactions, breadth of conversation, depth of conversation, disclosure of sensitive information, and adherence to the topic. Variables were measured using content …

Child And Family Teams Building Social Capital For At-Risk Students: A Research Note, Toby L. Parcel, Joan Pennell

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

We argue that sociologists interested in social capital theory and social work scholars interested in child and family teams (CFTs) can productively collaborate in studying at-risk youth. Social capital theory suggests dimensions of CFTs that delineate both family meeting intervention and implementation of the resulting plan. These dimensions reflect both bonding and bridging social capital that strengthen and widen supportive networks for students and their families. We develop a model to apply to both academic and social outcomes, specifically to student grades, students' home environments, and overall family functioning. We argue that our framework may be one of substantial generality, …

Predictors Of Time Volunteering, Religious Giving, And Secular Giving: Implications For Nonprofit Organizations, Namkee G. Choi, Diana M. Dinitto

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Using data from the survey Midlife Development in the United States, 2004-2006, the present study examined characteristics associated with time volunteering, religious giving, and secular giving. Multivariate analysis, guided by the theory of volunteering, showed that education and income predicted time volunteering and both religious and secular charitable giving. Generative qualities (e.g., confidence in one's skills, desire to assist others) were significant predictors of time spent volunteering and secular giving, while religious identification was the strongest predictor of religious giving. Perceived social integration was a significant predictor of time volunteering and religious giving. Implications for nonprofit organizations that need to …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 39, No. 2 (June 2012)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• PATTERNS AND PREDICTORS OF DEBT: A PANEL STUDY, 1985-2008 - Richard K. Caputo
• SOCIAL CAPITAL, HUMAN CAPITAL, AND ECONOMIC WELL-BEING IN THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY: RESULTS FROM CANADA'S GENERAL SOCIAL SURVEY - Robert D. Weaver and Nazim Habibov
• NEOLIBERALISM, PIVEN AND CLOWARD'S BARGAINING THEORY, AND WAGES IN THE UNITED STATES, 1965-2006 - Thomas W. Volscho
• CHILD AND FAMILY TEAMS BUILDING SOCIAL CAPITAL FOR AT-RISK STUDENTS: A RESEARCH NOTE - Toby L. Parcel and Joan Pennell
• PREDICTORS OF TIME VOLUNTEERING, RELIGIOUS GIVING, AND SECULAR GIVING: IMPLICATIONS FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS - Namkee G. Choi and Diana M. DiNitto
• CLEAN NEEDLES …

Clean Needles And Bad Blood: Needle Exchange As Morality Policy, Elizabeth A. Bowen

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The morality policy framework is a lens for understanding the unique characteristics of policies that attempt to regulate personal morals and behaviors. Needle exchange, a controversial intervention for reducing the transmission of HIV in injection drug users, shares many of the hallmark characteristics of morality policies. Analyzing needle exchange from a morality policy perspective, focusing on the 21-year ban on federal funding for needle exchange, reveals how value-based arguments have been used in the needle exchange debate and explains why the issue is likely to remain controversial in the United States. This analysis adds to the understanding of moral and …

Exploring Barriers To Inclusion Of Widowed And Abandoned Women Through Microcredit Self-Help Groups: The Case Of Rural South India, Margaret Lombe, Chrisann Newransky, Karen Kayser, Paul Mike Raj

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Microcredit programs have been applauded as the magic bullet for the poor, especially women with limited financial resources. Building on previous research, this study examines effects of a microcredit self-help group (SHG) program on perceptions of social exclusion among widowed and abandoned women who participated in groups established after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami in Tamil Nadu, India (N=109). Data were collected on key aspects of the program such as loan amount and investment patterns, group experience, demographics, and perceived barriers to inclusion. Results indicate that investment patterns and group experience impacted the women's perception of barriers to social inclusion. …

Review Of Good Jobs America: Making Work Better For Everyone. Paul Osterman And Beth Shulman. Reviewed By Mary Huff Stevenson., Mary Huff Stevenson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Paul Osterman & Beth Shulman, Good Jobs America: Making Work Better for Everyone (2011). NY: Russell Sage Foundation, $24.95 (paperback).

Review Of Rights Gone Wrong: How Law Corrupts The Struggle For Equality. Richard Thompson Ford. Reviewed By Robert Costello., Robert Costello

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Richard Thompson Ford, Rights Gone Wrong: How Law Corrupts the Struggle for Equality (2011). New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux. $27.00 (hardcover).

Review Of Banished: The New Social Control In Urban America. Katherine Beckett And Steve Herbert. Reviewed By Lucia Trimbur., Lucia Trimbur

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Katherine Beckett & Steve Herbert, Banished: The New Social Control in Urban America (2011). Oxford University Press, $19.95 (paperback).

Review Of The Better Angels Of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined. Steven Pinker. Reviewed By Edward U. Murphy., Edward U. Murphy

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Steven Pinker, The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined, Viking (2011). $40.00 (hardcover).

I'M The Same Me: Communication And Renegotiation Of Identity In The Weight-Loss Surgery Experiences Of Women, Heather D. Schild

Masters Theses

Adult obesity rates are on the rise in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control (2009) which has led to an increase in obesity-related illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease. Weight-loss surgery (WLS) has become accepted as a "cure" for obesity by the medical community. There has been a dramatic increase in the number of obese individuals electing to undergo WLS every year; 82% of these individuals are women (AHRQ, 2007). More women may be electing to undergo these procedures than men due to the pressures women face in American culture to achieve social standards of …

Faculty Retirement Recognition Dinner 2012, Western Michigan University

Faculty Recognition

Faculty Retirement Recognition Dinner Program

May 31, 2012

Honored Guests:

• Roberta Allen
• Elizabeth Amidon
• Thomas Bailey
• Ellen Brinkley
• Ronald Chase
• David Cowan
• Curtis Curtis-Smith
• James Daniels
• Linda Dannison
• Eileen Evans
• Jaimy Gordon
• Martin Grant
• Bruce Haight
• Bassam Harik
• Suzanne Hedstrom
• Charles Hines
• Catherine Julien
• Trent Kynaston
• Hanjoon Lee
• Mary Lu Light
• Frederick MacDonald
• Von Washington

Western News, May 10, 2012 , Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: WMU-developed technology to have huge industry impact; Stapleton named Graduate College dean; Service anniversaries for May; On Campus with Tom Mills.

The Honogenization Of Trombone Sound Preferences: The Effects Of A More Global Society On National Styles, Alyssa B. Madeira

Honors Theses

The trombone and music in general have been greatly influenced by globalization. Over the past few decades the ideal playing style of trombone has become increasingly similar throughout the word. The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the integration of Eastern Europe into the rest of the Western world marked a turning point in the way that music was perceived and shared. More and more musicians began to blend their playing styles as they traveled across borders and oceans. Sharp contrasts by region in interpretation of literature and the ideal sound were common in the early 1990's, but …

Disability Determination Services And The State Of Michigan Media Project, Eric Hartstein

Honors Theses

I designed two informational brochures as part of a media project for both the State of Michigan Internship Program (SoMIP) and Disability Determination Services (DDS), which were both host agencies for my student internship during the spring 2012 semester. The purpose of the project is to raise awareness about the programs among college students, as well as to recruit talented students to become future interns for either of the programs. I chose this project because I felt that brochures would be a simple and effective way to distribute information regarding the programs across campuses statewide. I corresponded with both WMU …

Africa After 9/11: Rethinking U.S. Definitions And Policies, David Wiley

Distinguished Lectures on Africa

David Wiley (Ph.D. Princeton) is a professor of sociology and African studies at Michigan State University. He served as director of the African Studies Centers at Michigan State University (1978-08) and University of Wisconsin-Madison (1972-77). His research has focused on Zambia (urban housing and development); Zimbabwe (race relations, religious movements); Kenya (participatory fisheries management); South Africa (urban environment) as a Fulbright-Hays Senior Fellow at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, as well as internationalization and less commonly taught languages in the U.S. and, currently, militarization in Africa. His most recent publication is “International and Language Education for a Global Future: Fifty Years …

Wmu International News Spring 2012, Haenicke Institute For Global Education

WMU International News

In this issue:

• Globally engaged aviation program helps developing countries spread wings
• Homeland development key outcome for Afghan degree-seeker
• German-born American new CELCIS activities coordinator
• Growing global programs is key mission for WMU international administrator
• Georgian tennis ace scores on and off the court
• International activity converges in Global Business Center

Prism #62, April 2012, Office Of The Provost

Prism: Western Michigan University's Newsletter for Academic Affairs

No abstract provided.

Distinguished Lectures On Africa-Spring 2012, Center For African Development Policy Research

Distinguished Lectures on Africa

Poster for Distinguished Lectures on Africa

Dr. Bilinda Straight, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Western Michigan University

Dr. Theodore Vestal, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Oklahoma State University

Dr. David Wiley, Professor of Sociology, Former Director of African Studies Center, Michigan State University

Faithful Remembering: Constructing Dutch America In The Twentieth Century, David E. Zwart

Dissertations

The people of the Dutch-American community constructed and maintained a strong ethnoreligion identity in the twentieth despite pressures to join the mainstream of the United States. A strong institutional completeness of congregations and schools resulted from and contributed to this identity. The people in these institutions created a shared identity by demanding the loyalty of members as well as constructing narratives that convinced people of the need for the ethnoreligious institutions.

The narratives of the Dutch-American community reflected and reinforced a shared identity, which relied on a collective memory. The framing, maintaining, altering, and remodeling of the collective memory from …

Stop Snitching: Hip Hop's Influence On Crime Reporting In The Inner City, Ladel Lewis

Dissertations

The “stop snitching” phenomenon is a social epidemic that is affecting inner cities from coast to coast. These street politics have an adverse effect on the way individuals in the inner city view cooperation with police. With hip hop culture claiming a larger stake on the global stage, and mainstream artists sparking attention by denouncing cooperation with authorities while reproving others that choose to do so, this research examines if a relationship exists between individuals that adhere to the “code of silence” and self-professed hip hoppers. While much has been written about the significance of hip hop culture on the …

In Their Own Words: The Lived Experiences Of Unemployed African American Men, Kenlana R. Ferguson

Dissertations

Due to staggering unemployment rates, African American men's experience with work in the U.S. has historically received widespread attention in the media and social science literature. Terms such as black male unemployment crisis, puzzle, epidemic and catastrophe have been used to describe the unemployment woes of black. Attempts at explaining why African American men are experiencing such difficulty in the world of work has been undertaken across the disciplines, however much of this work has amounted to nothing more than acknowledgement that isolating independent factors as causes does not suffice and that a more interdisciplinary framework is needed if we …