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"It's All One Big Circle": Welfare Discourse And The Everyday Lives Of Urban Adolescents, Staci T. Lowe

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Welfare reform succeeded, in part, because of discourse that characterized the poverty problem as one of long-term dependency and personal irresponsibility. Adolescent pregnancy was targeted as both cause and manifestation of a welfare crisis. This study examined how welfare reform was perceived and experienced by lowincome, urban adolescents. Findings from interviews revealed that adolescents agreed with many of the basic tenets of welfare reform, largely because they had appropriated much of the discourse prevalent in wider society. However, their complex life stories contained a powerful subtext concerning structural determinants of poverty that ran counter to prevailing notions of "personal responsibility."

Review Of Gangs In The Global City: Alternatives To Traditional Criminology. John M. Hagedorn, Editor. Reviewed By Matthew T. Theriot., Matthew T. Theriot

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of John M. Hagedorn (Ed.). Gangs in the Global City: Alternatives to Traditional Criminology. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2007. $65.00 hardcover, $25.00 papercover.

Review Of Civic Service Worldwide: Impacts And Inquiry. Amanda Moore Mcbride & Michael W. Sherraden, Editors. Reviewed By Barbara J. Robles., Barbara J. Robles

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Amanda Moore McBride & Michael W. Sherraden, (Eds.). Civic Service Worldwide: Impacts and Inquiry. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe, 2007. $49.95 hardcover.

Human Behavior And The Social Environment: Models, Metaphors, And Maps For Applying Theoretical Perspectives To Practice. James Forte.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for James Forte. Human Behavior and the Social Environment: Models, Metaphors, and Maps for Applying Theoretical Perspectives to Practice. Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole, 2007. $67.95 papercover.

Tearing Down The Gates: Confronting The Class Divide In American Education. Peter Sacks.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Peter Sacks. Tearing Down the Gates: Confronting the Class Divide in American Education. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2007. $24.95 hardcover.

The First Year Out: Understanding American Teens After High School. Tim Clydesdale.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Tim Clydesdale. The First Year Out: Understanding American Teens After High School. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007. $20.00 papercover.

America Transformed: Globalization, Inequality And Power. Gary Hytrek And Kristine M. Zentgraf.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Gary Hytrek & Kristine M. Zentgraf. America Transformed: Globalization, Inequality and Power. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. $29.95 papercover.

Social Security Between Past And Future: Ambonese Networks Of Care And Support. Franz Von Benda-Beckmann And Kebeet Von Benda-Beckmann.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Franz von Benda-Beckmann & Kebeet von Benda-Beckmann. Social Security between Past and Future: Ambonese Networks of Care and Support. Berlin, Lit Verlag, 2007.

The Europeanization Of Social Protection. Jon Kvist And Juho Saari, Editors.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Jon Kvist & Juho Saari (Eds.). The Europeanization of Social Protection. Bristol: Policy Press, 2007. $39.95 papercover, $99.00 cloth.

Tracking The Transition From Welfare To Work, Cynthia Needles Fletcher, Mary Winter, An-Ti Shih

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

One of the primary goals of the 1996 federal welfare reform legislation was to reduce dependency on cash transfers and to promote self-sufficiency through employment in the paid labor force. This paper draws upon a qualitative study of 18 Iowa welfare recipients and tracks changes that occur over a three-year, post-reform period. Thick descriptions highlight the internal family dynamics of the choices made over time. The purposes of the study are twofold:first, to document changes in family composition, employment, housing, and program participation, and second, to report how recipients experience such changes. Findings reveal that the 11 families who left …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 35, No. 3 (September 2008)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

SPECIAL ISSUE: BEYOND THE NUMBERS: HOW THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN CHALLENGE THE "SUCCESS" OF WELFARE REFORM

• INTRODUCTION - Mary Gatta and Luisa S. Deprez
• WOMEN'S LIVES AND POVERTY: DEVELOPING A FRAMEWORK OF REAL REFORM FOR WELFARE - Mary Gatta and Luisa S. Deprez
• LONG-TERM TANF PARTICIPANTS AND BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT: A QUALITATIVE STUDY IN MAINE - Sandra S. Butler, Janine Corbett, Crystal Bond and Chris Hastedt
• DROPPED FROM THE ROLLS: MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS, RACE, AND RIGHTS IN THE ERA OF WELFARE REFORM - Alejandra Marchevsky and Jeanne Theoharis
• WELFARE AND FAMILY ECONOMIC SECURITY: TOWARD A PLACE-BASED POVERTY KNOWLEDGE - Deborah …

Review Of Drugs And Drug Policy: The Control Of Consciousness Alteration. Clayton J. Mosher And Scott M. Akins. Reviewed By Sean R. Hogan., Sean R. Hogan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Clayton J. Mosher & Scott M. Akins. Drugs and Drug Policy: The Control of Consciousness Alteration. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2007. $54.95 papercover, $99.95 hardcover.

Busier Than Ever: Why American Families Can't Slow Down. Charles N. Darrah, James M. Freeman And J. A. English-Leuck.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Charles N. Darrah, James M. Freeman & J. A. English-Leuck. Busier Than Ever: Why American Families Can't Slow Down. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2007. $19.95 papercover.

Reply To Joseph Ellin's Of All Professions, Prostitution Is The Oldest (Except Possibly For Teaching), Michael Davis

Center for the Study of Ethics in Society Papers

No abstract provided.

Professions "Of All Professions, Begging Is The Best" A Paper By Michael Davis. Response By Joseph Ellin. Professor Davis' Reply, Center For The Study Of Ethics In Society

Center for the Study of Ethics in Society Papers

Michael Davis' original paper was presented to the Center of the Study of Ethics in Society Western Michigan University on October 4, 2007.

"Of All Professions Begging Is The Best" - Some Problems In The Study Of Professions, Michael Davis

Center for the Study of Ethics in Society Papers

Michael Davis' original paper was presented to the Center of the Study of Ethics in Society Western Michigan University on October 4, 2007.

Of All Professions, Prostitution Is The Oldest (Except Possibly For Teaching), Joseph Ellin

Center for the Study of Ethics in Society Papers

Response by Joseph Ellin to a paper by Michael Davis Professions "Of All Professions, Begging is the Best"

Bilingual Education, Federalism, And The Political Culture Of American Public Education, 1964-1980, Robert Harold Duke

Dissertations

Five decades of English-only orthodoxy in American public schools came to an end with the passage of the Bilingual Education Act of 1968 (BEA). This research investigates how the convergence of community activism, ethnic pride, and union clout shaped and reshaped bilingual education programming at thelocal level within the broader context of post-WWII American society. By comparing and contrasting the experiences of communities in Texas and Michigan with the newly enacted BEA, this study illuminates the changing political culture of school governance from the high-water mark of Johnson-era liberalism tothe surging tide of Reaganite conservatism. It asserts that the tradition …

Evaluating Organizational Effectiveness, Wesley A. Martz

Dissertations

If organizations are to survive and achieve long-run viability, they must be effective. Yet organizational effectiveness evaluation has been limited by a variety of factors--especially the ambiguity surrounding the concept of organizational effectiveness itself. The long-established approaches used by organizational theorists to define organizational effectiveness have emphasized different perspectives with respect to the organization type and degrees of importance of the various constituency groups comprising the organization. Moreover, definitions of the organization and organizational effectiveness have focused primarily on the dissimilarities among organizations and their constituencies, conceding efforts to identify commonalities . This has led to increased fragmentation of the …

The Effects Of Defendant Race, Psychological Expert Witness Race, And Racially Salient Psychological Expert Testimony On Juror Decision Making, Lily Cheyanne (Manick) Munavu

Dissertations

The present study examined the effects of defendant race, psychological expert witness race, the racial salience of a psychological expert witness's testimony, and modern racism on juror decisions. Participants were randomly assigned to one of eight conditions that varied the race of the defendant (Black or White), the race of the psychological expert witness (Black or White), and the racial salience of the expert witness testimony (racially relevant or not racially relevant). Participants were asked to review the case documents of a criminal case in which the defendant was charged with battery and robbery. Participants rendered verdicts for both charges, …

Sustainability Evaluation: Development And Validation Of An Evaluation Checklist, Daniela C. Schroeter

Dissertations

Sustainability permeates many levels of human activity. Interest in sustainability is grounded primarily in the sustainable development field which is concerned with the survival of humans on planet earth, and with the growing demands of meeting people's long-term needs. In the North American evaluation literature, however, sustainability is primarily thought of in terms of continuing program activity beyond initial funding cycles via diversification of funding streams or institutionalization.

Two distinct perspectives for evaluating sustainability were identified. The first is concerned with micro-level issues related to the continuation of programs, policies, and other types of human action. The second is a …

Unwanted Sexual Experiences: Preliminary Development And Validation Of A Behavioral Analog Measure For Risk Perception, Response Appraisal, And Response, Robin M. Carter-Visscher

Dissertations

Based on research findings indicating that sexual victimization is a prevalent problem on college campuses and has significant consequences for victims, researchers have examined the effectiveness of sexual assault education programs on reducing incidents of sexual victimization and have found programs to be unsuccessful. Other researchers have begun to investigate behavioral factors associated with risk for sexual victimization in order to better understand mechanisms of sexual victimization and revictimization before developing and implementing interventions. One hypothesis that has received increased attention in recent years is that women with a sexual victimization history may have deficient risk perception and effective responding …

The Theory And Practice Of Drug Courts: Wolves In Sheep Clothing?, Kristen E. Devall

Dissertations

This dissertation is a case study of an adult drug court in a medium-size Midwestern city. The primary impetus behind the creation of the drug court model was the partial recognition that the "get tough" approach to crime and the "war on drugs" was ineffective in "solving the United States' drug problem. Drug courts represent an integration of a public-health approach and a public-safety strategy of fighting crime and administering "justice." The bulk of the extant research regarding drug courts addresses one central question: "Do drug courts work?" Researchers and evaluators alike have attempted to answer this question over the …

Social Work Field Instructors' Perceptions Of On-Line Training, Denise E. Dedman

Dissertations

Social work has recently identified the field placement as the signature pedagogy of the profession, yet little has been done to identify the best means of training field instructors to supervise students in their field placements. This study addressed attitudes and perceptions of social work field instructors regarding on-line training in their roles. While previous studies of university social work program field placement directors had been conducted, there exist no broad studies of the field instructors' perceptions. Some earlier qualitative studies of field instructors identified time constraints as a significant issue in their willingness to continue accepting interns. This, along …

Emotion Recognition And The Propensity To Engage In Sexually Coercive Behaviors: A Study With College Males, Beth J. Dietzel

Dissertations

Several variables have been investigated over the past years as risk factors for sexual aggression. Among them, substance use/abuse, family environment, attitudes towards women, and lack of empathy. Although researchers have identified several risk factors, predicting aggressive behaviors continues to be a difficult task. One variable that has received less attention in the literature is men's emotion recognition skills. Do men's emotion recognition skills affect their propensity to aggress?

The purpose of this study was to investigate emotion recognition skills/deficits and how such skills predict propensity to engage in sexually coercive behavior. There were two main goals of this study. …

Perceptions Of Quality Of Life Of Latinos With Diabetes Living In The U.S.: Variations By Geographic Region Of Origin, Janice M. Long

Dissertations

The Latino population, the largest ethnic minority in the United States, is a diverse group originating from numerous geographic regions of Latin America. Latinos vary in the risk for type 2 diabetes, a condition that exacts a costly burden on those who suffer with it. With the Latino population diversity, diverse strategies are needed. One strategy is to improve outcomes of life quality by improving knowledge of those who deliver health services to Latinos with type 2 diabetes. Through measurement of quality of life (QOL), the more precious aspects of living, how one feels about living with diabetes, can be …

Where Was The Government? In Inquiry Into The Events Of September 11, 2001, Elizabeth A. Bradshaw

Masters Theses

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 have forever changed the geopolitical landscape. Yet despite the significance of such an event, those working in the field of state crime have been reluctant to investigate the role of the United States government in failing to prevent the attacks. Utilizing the five criteria of state crime put forth by Kauzlarich, Mullins and Matthews (2003), the actions and inactions of the National Security Council, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the Federal Aviation Administration are examined. Drawing on the testimonies of government officials …

Supporting Divorcing Parents In Japan, Akemi Kishimoto

Masters Theses

The purpose of this current study was to investigate the level of acceptance among professionals in Japan for initiatives and services for families experiencing divorce. Questionnaires were mailed to 1963 professionals. Seventy questionnaires were returned from Family Court Officers (n = 3), Counselors at the Family Problem Information Centers (n = 8), family law attorneys (n = 2), university faculty (n = 53), and unspecified (n = 4). Results are summarized as follows: laws and rules about divorce in Japanese society, including historical aspects; focusing on children's interests; visitation and postdivorce relationships; educating the public, parents, and high school students; …

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session July 25, 2008, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

• Recommendation re Tuition - Fall 2008
• Recommendation - Extended University Programs Tuition- Fall 2008
• Recommendation re University Budget 2008-09
• Personnel Report
• Gift Report
• Grant Report

Insider Vol. 9 No. 3 Summer 2008, College Of Arts & Sciences

College of Arts and Sciences news

A Publication for Friends of the College of Arts and Sciences