Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

Investing In Adoption: Exploring Child Development Accounts For Children Adopted From Foster Care, Amy Conley Wright

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Adoption is arguably the most powerful intervention available for children in foster care who are unable to be restored to their birth families. Adoption promises stability and a family for life, in contrast to foster care or guardianship, which are expected to end when the child reaches adulthood. In comparison to foster care, adoption is associated with better educational, financial, and social outcomes. However, because children adopted out of foster care have had adverse experiences, they may have additional support needs in later years. These unknown costs can be off-putting to potential adoptive parents, who may not be in the …

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 The War On Kids: How American Juvenile Justice Lost Its Way. By Cara H. Drinan, Rong Bai, Robert Fischer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of: Cara H. Drinan, The War on Kids: How American Juvenile Justice Lost Its Way. Oxford University Press (2018), 215 pages, $27.95 (hardcover).

Review Of The Human Instinct: How We Evolved To Have Reason, Consciousness And Free Will. By Kenneth R. Miller, Daniel Liechty

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of: Kenneth R. Miller, The Human Instinct: How We Evolved to Have Reason, Consciousness and Free Will. Simon and Schuster (2018). 294 pages. $26.00 (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.

Journal Of Sociology And Social Welfare Vol. 45 No. 1

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Dimensions of Charity versus Development: The Century-Old Debate in the Profession of Social Work- Héctor Luis Díaz and Antonio López Peláez

Common Law, Charity and Human Rights as Responses to the Socio-Economic Crisis in Galicia, Spain Francisco- Xabier Aguiar Fernández, Santiago Prado Conde, and Carmen Verde Diego

Maximization vs. Inclusion as a Value Conflict in Development Work- Johnny Ramírez-Johnson, Héctor Luis Díaz, and Vijayan Kumara Pillai

Use of Technology, Pedagogical Approaches and Intercultural Competence in Development - Dee Ann Sherwood, Marian Tripplett, Sarah Hoyle-Katz, and Joy Langereis

The Debate on Minimum Income in Spain: Charity, Development or Citizen Right -Arantxa …

Maximization Vs. Inclusion As A Value Conflict In Development Work, Johnny Ramírez-Johnson, Héctor Luis Díaz, Vijayan Kumara Pillai

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article builds on previous research studies strongly suggesting that high levels of social capital are positively associated with the economic and political progress of community residents. As previously proposed by the authors of this article, such findings may encourage policy makers of government and non-governmental development organizations to concentrate their efforts and resources in communities whose residents have been identified as having high levels of social capital. Policy- makers may view pre-existing high levels of social capital among community residents as a factor likely to increase the level of success of their respective socio-economic development initiatives. Such course of …

The Debate On Minimum Income In Spain: Charity, Development Or Citizen Right, Arantxa Hernández-Echegaray, Javier Pacheco-Mangas

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The current retrenchment of social protection in capitalist welfare economies has triggered the expansion of aid-based practices in response to vulnerability, far removed from the ideals of social work. This study analyzes the practices and strategies of social workers that take part in regional minimum income systems (MIS) in Spain, using a qualitative approach that makes it possible to demonstrate leading professional discourses. Findings show a limited consolidation of regional policies on minimum income in Spain, resulting in significant regional disparities. Authors emphasize the need to increase social work’s participation in formulating policies aimed at inclusion and consolidation of local …

Class Activist Lens For Teaching About Poverty, Susan Weinger, Linda C. Reeser

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The mission of social work is to serve the poor and oppressed and engage in social reform. This article proposes a conceptual framework, and teaching and practice strategies to equip students to understand poverty from a class perspective. The action component is to politicize practice and become allies with the poor in resisting injustice and promoting their social and economic development.

The Importance Of Social Work In The Latin American Association Movement Of People Affected By Low Prevalence Diseases, Enrique Pastor Seller, Juan Carrión Tudela, M. Bañón Hernández

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article analyses the experiences of the association movement in Latin America that brings together individuals and families with rare (RD) or low prevalence diseases (LPD). It also looks at their needs from global health, social, research and education perspectives. The nature of social work assessments and interventions in rare diseases helps us better understand the needs of people with RDs or LPDs and facilitates the creation of associations. Social work aims at consolidating the social fabric that will lead to the recognition of RDs as a health and social priority at an international level.

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 …

Classroom Ideas For Promoting Social Justice: Encouraging Student Activism In Intercultural And Gender Communication Courses, Amy Aldridge Sanford

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Communication courses (e.g., intercultural communication and gender communication) dedicated to the promotion of social justice often result in students’ raised consciousness regarding privilege and the oppression of people who have been marginalized historically. Affected students, however, often are at a loss about what to do with the newly acquired knowledge; consequently, they may experience anger and frustration that causes them to feel overwhelmed and leaves them with a sense of hopelessness. This essay provides 10 suggestions to help communication pedagogues guide students from anger and hopelessness to action and empowerment. Tips offered center on classroom discourse, curriculum choices, and potential …

Sexual Harassment And Assault In The Academy, Ann Olivarius

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Defective Federalism And The Emergence Of Domestic Terrorism In Nigeria, Temitope Peter Ola

International Journal of African Development

The extremist Islamic sect Boko Haram is now feared for its ability to mount both low-scale and audacious attacks in Nigeria. This study attempts a consensual explanation of the defects of Nigerian federalism to facilitate the emergence of Boko Haram terrorism. The study is descriptive and data was obtained from secondary sources. It was found that the insurgence is a manifestation of frustration on account of the national political, religious and economic systems. The paper concludes that Boko Haram insurgence is part of the cycles and trends of unrest in Nigeria; responding to the same broad families of national fixations …

In Search Of Lasting Calmness: How Sustainable Is The Federal Government’S Amnesty Program As A Peace Strategy In The Niger Delta Region Of Nigeria?, Lasisi Raimi, Nwoke N. Bieh, Kidi Zorbari

International Journal of African Development

The exploitation of natural resources and the associated marginalization of indigenous occupants of areas with such endowments continue to act as major driving forces for conflicts around the world, especially in Africa. In Nigeria’s Niger Delta Region, the major triggers of resource-based violent conflicts have been the subject matter of many academics and policy analysts. With the introduction of several peace strategies especially the Federal Government of Nigeria’s Amnesty Program notwithstanding, pockets of violent activities have generated questions as to the sustainability of the program. This study examines the sustainability of the Federal Government’s Amnesty Program in the Niger Delta …

A Framework Towards Technology Creation In Africa: Focusing On Ghana, Martin Yao Donani, Hannatu Abue Kugblenu, Azindow Bawa Fuseini

International Journal of African Development

Underdevelopment in Africa has been historical and a global concern coupled with the quest for good governance. Several efforts have been made in academia, national governments, the international community, and other institutional arrangements to reverse the trend. These efforts however are yet to produce a lasting result as Africa is still characterized by low productivity output, poverty and a widening technology gap when compared to other developing regions of the world. Conventional approaches used to address the African problem have consistently been devoid of indigenous technology development. Technology is here seen as paramount to every form of production on which …

The Aid Effectiveness Architecture In Africa: An Analysis Of Aid Structures In Kenya’S Agriculture Sector, Daniel Kipleel Borter

International Journal of African Development

This study examines in detail the development aid architecture in Kenya’s agriculture sector. The focus is on the mechanisms in place within the Kenyan government (and ministry of agriculture in particular), mechanisms among and within donor agencies, and overall coordination mechanisms that bring together the donors and the government. Findings show that coordination and harmonization activities among donors are yet to yield the desired outcomes such as the division of labor protocol and joint programming. Weaknesses are also observed on the government side where it appears authorities are yet to internalize PD concepts and interpret them to suit the country's …

The Stigma Against Tattoos In The Workplace: San Francisco Versus Kalamazoo Area, Sarah Wroblewski

Honors Theses

Tattooing is becoming a popular way for individuals, especially young adults, to express themselves. This causes a problem with the hiring process for many companies that have policies against tattoos. The following thesis is a creative representation of the stigma against tattoos in the workplace. This thesis looks at how tattoos change perceptions of employability in the Kalamazoo and San Francisco areas. This topic is portrayed by a 30-inch by 20-inch collage of photographs displaying a variety of different tattoos. There is a total of 55 photographs of tattoos in total, 25 taken in San Francisco and 30 taken in …

Helping Children Understand: Using Picture Books To Age – Appropriately Explain Dance-Movement Therapy And Childhood Cancer, Megan Schaefer

Honors Theses

Cancer is the leading cause of childhood death by disease, and there are many different therapies available to patients. One of the most promising forms of therapy is Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT). DMT is an engaging and creative form of rehabilitation, and focuses on the interaction between the body and mind. With this exercise, patients are able to express their emotional processes through physical movement, allowing for an alternate form of communication.

The way that children engage in DMT is highly influenced by their age and developmental stage. When children are presented with a new task, it may be necessary for …

How Friendships Between Heterosexual And Sexual Minority Counseling Psychology Doctoral Students Affect Anti-Heterosexist Identity Development, Amber L. Sylvan

Dissertations

As the field of counseling psychology strives to embrace diversity and social justice issues, sexual minority issues have flourished into an active area of study among scholars and an area of focus for LGBT-affirming practitioners. One area of emphasis has been on how heterosexual people develop Anti-Heterosexist Identities. Some studies have noted the importance of friendship as it relates to Anti-Heterosexist Identity Development (Asta & Vacha- Haase, 2012; Duhigg, Rostosky, & Gray, 2010; DiStefano et al., 2000; Gelberg & Chojnacki, 1995; Larson, 2012), however, no known studies have more deeply explored the role of crosssexuality friendships. The purpose of this …

Race And Sexual Orientation Lssues In Graduate Classrooms: How Faculty In Psychology Experience Them Emerging Alongside One Another, Raymond L. Sheets Jr.

Dissertations

The inclusion of sexual orientation and race-related issues into mainstream psychology has gained much needed momentum in recent years. The field of counseling psychology, in particular, has helped fuel this momentum with its appreciation for, and commitment to, developing academic and applied psychologists who attend to an evolving multicultural society. Within the academic environment, faculty members have the responsibility of facilitating student learning in their respective classrooms; this facilitation becomes challenging in the face of emotionally charged topics such as race and sexual orientation. How then do graduate faculty who teach these courses experience race and sexual orientation comingling within …

Speaking Our Truth: Gender Minority People's Experiences With Discrimination, Codie L. Stone

Dissertations

This research builds on the growing literature on gender minority identities and issues, and aims to bring to light the voices, experiences, and ideas of this marginalized population contributing to our knowledge of the ways that discrimination is experienced by gender minorities. Participants' in this study are adults who identify within a marginalized gender category, mostly transgender and gender non-binary. The purpose of this research is to provide a glimpse into the lives of these participants and showcase the extreme vulnerability and vigilance, as well as resilience, participants navigate and embody. Using an intersectional framework, this research explores the influences …

High School Seniors' Educational Experience Lnfluencing The Decision To Pursue A Career In Nursing, Ryan L. Rowe

Dissertations

Many high school students interested in nursing as an occupation choose to engage in a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program and subsequently progress through the exploration stage of Super’s Career Development Theory in a succinct, deliberate, and intentional manner. While CTE continues to serve as an educational option for many high school students interested in nursing, its value as a means for students to crystallize, specify, and implement the choice to pursue the high-wage, high-skill, and high-demand career of nursing is not understood to the extent possible. CTE is regularly overlooked as a viable educational option by high school …

A Phenomenology Of Calling Among Undergraduates At A Public University: Reliance On Faith During An Intentional Career Decision-Making Process, Justin Arnold

Dissertations

Recent studies in vocational psychology and student development have discussed the fact that many college students value spirituality, and that a spiritual calling is positively associated with desirable work traits (Astin, Astin, & Lindholm, 2011; Chickering, 2006; Dik & Duffy, 2012; Duffy & Dik, 2013; Hunter, Dik, & Banning, 2010). What has yet to be deeply explored is how undergraduates at a public university who believe they are called explore careers and make vocational decisions.

The purpose of this phenomenology was to describe and interpret the lived experiences of emerging adults at a public university who believe they are called …

Libya, The New York Times, And A Propaganda Model Of The Mass Media, Randy Laprairie

Masters Theses

This project derives a set of research expectations from the propaganda model, a structural model of the corporate news media developed by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky. The model predicts that the news media will reflect elite views and priorities and marginalize views outside the range of elite opinion. Consequently, it is expected that the media will tend to support the elite’s preferred modes of exercising state power in international affairs. This often entails demonizing official enemies of the United States in order to justify military interventions while downplaying the crimes of the United States and its allies. To …

Finding A Baseline For Accountability In Diversion Programming, Anthony G. Frontiera

Masters Theses

This present study looked at a Mid-West American Juvenile Justice institution with the hope of helping to build a baseline of understanding in terms of how their diversion programming efforts are shaping out. Historically, research and funding have not been directed into diversion efforts in the same ways that re-entry efforts have seen. Studies have shown that if diversion efforts are not effective, then another cohort of youth are consigned to 50% higher recidivism rates than otherwise. The research before you was conducted to assist this institution in understanding and then changing their course of action with regards to diversion …

25 Year Club: 36th Annual Gala, Western Michigan University

25 Year Club

25 Year Club: 36th Annual Gala

November 28, 2017

• New Inductees
• Members
• Retirees