Digital Commons Network^™

Models Of Earning And Caring: Trends, Determinants And Implications, Roderic Beaujot, Zenaida Ravanera, Jianye Liu

PSC Discussion Papers Series

Families may be defined as people who share resources and care for each other. These earning and caring activities have undergone change, especially in terms of the de-linking of gender to their division in families. After considering the basis of change in families, in the economy and in models of earning and caring, this paper updates the average hours of paid and unpaid work of women and men, based on the Statistics Canada time use surveys of 1986, 1992, 1998 and 2005. The focus is on gender as well as marital, parental and employment status over the life course.

We …

Sociology Multiple Course Revisions 02/16/09, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Reports

No abstract provided.

Sociology 3112 Course Proposal 02/03/09, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Reports

No abstract provided.

Sociology 3103 Course Proposal 02/02/09, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Reports

No abstract provided.

Sociology 3403 Course Proposal 02/02/09, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Reports

No abstract provided.

Sociology 3123 Course Proposal 01/29/09, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Reports

No abstract provided.

On Time And Off Time Career Trajectories In The New Economy: The Case Of Information Technology Work, Emily Vera Jovic

Digitized Theses

There are significant changes happening in the world of work, under the guise of a 'new' economy that embraces innovation and technology, flexible labour, and risk and uncertainty. With the proliferation of less conventional work arrangements and new career forms, traditional notions of employment careers and life trajectories are in flux. To better understand these trends and potential consequences for workers, this research considers the relative timing of entry to a prototypical new economy sector, information technology (IT). Using the life course perspective as a guide, I investigate entry pathways to IT, assessing who is 'on time' (i.e., made a …

City, Sweet City: A Study Of The Implementation Of New Urbanism And The Public Process, David A. Banks

Theses & ETDs

In October of 2007 the city government of Sarasota, Florida embarked on a planning effort called the "Bayfront Connectivity Charrette." Employing New Urbanist design principles, the city employed a contractor to hold an intense four-day design studio. In those four days, hundreds of residents interacted with public officials, professionals, and other residents to come up with a plan for a more pedestrianfriendly US-41 corridor. Through direct observation, document analysis, and follow-up interviews, this thesis tracks the public decision-making process in downtown Sarasota, Florida and asks the general question, "What are the perceptions of individuals' roles in the process; and how …

Relegation, Rejection, And Revolts: The Spatial Isolation Of The French Banlieue, Aaron Phillips

Theses & ETDs

No single word in the English language carries all the connotations of the French “banlieue.” Scholars, politicians, and residents offer dissonant renditions of these neighborhoods that vary from suburb and outskirt to ghetto and slum. This thesis analyzes the construction of the banlieue, both as a physical space and a site of contested meaning. Following the Second Word War, France poured reconstruction funds into public housing. Guided by Le Corbusier's utilitarian, modernist philosophy, the state outfitted hundreds of cités (projects) on the cheap land outside major cities with massive residential high-rises. This originally improved sanitation and quality of life for …

Instability Among Middle Class Families And The Impact Of Health Insurance, Sarah A. Savage

Doctoral Dissertations

What it takes to be middle class in the United States has changed dramatically from the post World War II period to the 1970s and the present. At the same time the requirements for attaining the income and assets associated with a middle class position changed, many financial protections available to the middle class weakened. The new economic landscape following a period of economic restructuring has made it harder to earn a position in the middle class while the changed political landscape has possibly made it harder to maintain one's position. This research examines the extent to which middle class …

"Racism Is A Misunderstanding": Rhetorically Listening To White Students' Performances Of Race, Meagan Rodgers

Doctoral Dissertations

This study describes white student talk about race in terms of performance. I show what white talk regarding race looked like in my study, thus inviting the reader to reflect on her own experiences in terms of performativity and common sense. Recognizing student talk as a complex performance enables us to introduce the practice of rhetorical listening into the classroom in order to encourage students with differing common senses to work toward mutual understanding.

The dissertation is based on an empirical multivocal study in which white first year writing students and teachers were asked to comment on a racial text, …

Seriousness Perceptions Of Computer Crime Vs Traditional Crime, Abbie Beaulieu

Master's Theses and Capstones

With the various advancements made in technology over the last few decades, computer crime has evolved and many are used to victimize more and more American internet users every year (NW3C, 2008). However, no researcher has examined neither how computer crime seriousness is perceived by internet users nor which (if any) social factors affect how the seriousness of computer crime is perceived. The current study attempted to determine internet users' perceptions of computer crime seriousness versus traditional crime seriousness. In addition, the study tried to determine the effects of the following factors as they relate to computer crime seriousness: personal …

Apco Project 25 Wireless Data Services Over Land Mobile Radio Channel For Smaller Law Enforcement Agencies, Ivan Elhart

Master's Theses and Capstones

Digital data messages are very important in modern communication systems and advanced mobile data technologies have opened the door to a wide range of applications and services in the public safety environment. Still, the availability of mobile data services among public safety agencies is hampered by two issues of the implementation of data communication: the reliability of commercial data services and the high cost of the equipment needed to support mixed voice and data transmissions over private land mobile radio channels.

This thesis describes the design and development of an inexpensive Software Defined APCO Project 25 Data Base Station that …

Correctional Group Treatment For Victims Of Sexual Assault, Todd Derbyshire

Master's Theses and Capstones

There is a lack of research regarding therapeutic treatment for inmates who suffer from suicidal ideation after being sexually victimized. This paper reviews the existing research on sexual assault in prisons and the various impacts an event can lead to including suicidal ideation. A model is proposed in using reality therapy to introduce a new perspective in treatment for inmates that suffer suicidal ideation from being sexually victimized.

Many psychological theories are suggested when working with the sexually victimized population. The uniqueness of the correctional population emphasizes the strengths of reality therapy. In reality therapy the individual is limited only …

Poverty Alleviation And Job Creation: Integrating Social Investment Funds With Corporate Social Responsibility As Possible Solutions, Samir T. Ishak

Seidman Business Review

“In West Michigan today, more families are struggling to put food on their tables and lacking basic necessities than any time in the past 15 years.” So wrote Sharon Parks in The Grand Rapids Press (September 13, 2008: Growing poverty in Michigan needs emergency response). The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the rate of poverty jumped 14%, one in five live in poverty, and the unemployment rate jumped to 8.5%. Apparently Michigan joined the rest of the world where two billion people live on one dollar a day, except we are in a relatively better position. Incidence and magnitude of …

Chronic Pain As The Result Of Traumatic Injury: A Group Counseling Model For Survivors, Corianne S. Woodard

Master's Theses and Capstones

Millions of Americans live with chronic pain as the result of traumatic injury. These individuals face countless challenges as they attempt to cope with daily pain and grieve the many losses caused by their injuries. The physical and emotional stresses associated with chronic pain and traumatic injury place these survivors at significant psychological risk and contribute to the perpetuation of their chronic pain. Group counseling with a grief model emphasis is a cost effective way to meet the specific needs of survivors living with chronic pain. These needs include: the establishment of a social support system, an opportunity to grieve …

Substance Use Among New Hampshire Adolescents: Attitudes As Predictors Of Substance Use Behavior, Jessica Aimee Bean

Master's Theses and Capstones

The purpose of this thesis was to examine the relationship between substance-related attitudes and substance use behaviors among a sample of New Hampshire adolescents. Data from the New Hampshire Youth Survey, a longitudinal survey of deviance among adolescents, were used, yielding a sample of 760 middle- and high-school students. Hypotheses tested include whether substance use and attitudes varied by sex or age, whether attitudes and behaviors had predictive ability on one another, and whether that predictive ability varied by sex or age. Data were analyzed through a series of logistic and ordered logistic regression models. Findings showed that (1) age, …

The Federal Art Project In Provincetown, Massachusetts: The Impact Of A Relief Program On An Established Art Colony, Whitney E. Smith

Master's Theses and Capstones

The Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration had a lasting impact on the American art scene. The experiences of artists associated with the Provincetown, Massachusetts art colony make evident the impact of the federal relief programs. The importance of the Provincetown art colony to the American art scene survived through the 1930s because of federal support. The focus on Provincetown and this smaller group of artists allows for comparisons to be made with the national society and art scene. The value of the Federal Art Project did not lie mainly in the finished artwork, but rather in the …

The Effects Of Perceived Risk And Responsibility On The Acceptance Of A Human Papillomavirus Vaccine By College Men, Angela Marie Mitiguy

Master's Theses and Capstones

In the summer of 2006 the Food and Drug Administration approved a new vaccine to prevent four types of the Human Papillomavirus believed to cause the majority of genital warts and cervical cancer in women. Since that time the vaccine has experienced considerable uptake among women while it has also been met by some criticism. Current medical research aims to understand if the vaccine, which has been approved only for women, could be used to prevent HPV in men.

Little empirical research has been conducted to understand whether or not men would be willing to receive a vaccine for a …

Child Sexual Abuse In The Boy Scouts Of America, 1970--1984, Jenna Kline

Master's Theses and Capstones

The present study examined child sexual abuse in the Boy Scouts of America (1970 to 1984). In particular, this study explored the role of the institution in child sexual abuse. The data analyzed was gathered from the Boy Scouts Ineligible Volunteer File system and included a sample of 529 adult males who had volunteered to serve as adult role models for the Boys Scouts and were suspected of alleged misbehavior. Analysis of the data revealed a profile of the alleged abusers. These men were typically in their mid-30s, single and had spent an average of 41.4 months in the Boy …

Pubs, Punters, And Pints: Anthropological Reflections On Pub Life In Ireland, Jason Cucchiara

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ireland is a country with a rich and unique cultural heritage. It is difficult to imagine that certain facets of Irish culture (e.g. Saint Patrick's Day, the Blarney Stone, or the Ring of Kerry) can ever be taken for granted since they are so widely recognized internationally. One common feature of Irish life that possibly warrants more scholarly attention is the public house or pub. Much has been written about pubs as quaint institutions in popular literature and fiction. Curiously, they remain largely overlooked as vital aspects of Irish culture by anthropologists and others in the social sciences. In many …

A Study Of Regional Language And Identities In A Small Occitan Village, Patrick Sacleux

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory study utilized qualitative methods to approach regional language abilities of local respondents and how it affects their regional identity. The theoretical framework of this study explored some of the tenets of symbolic interaction emphasizing on identity theory and how the flexible aspect of face-to-face interaction can define the self and someone's regional identity as it relates to their regional language use. Data for this study were collected in a small Occitan village in Southern France. In particular, the study explored the link between an individual residential setting, his/her age and his/her ability to speak the regional language. The …

Masculine Gender Roles And Therapy: A Conceptual Workshop, Sara Lindsey Gray

Master's Theses and Capstones

Traditional gender stereotypes, no matter how inaccurate they may be, still greatly affect how we view ourselves as men and women in our society. While all these stereotypes are constricting male stereotypes present some of the most limiting expectations for individuals. Within the realm of counseling and psychotherapy, these stereotypes conflict with such ideals as self exploration and emotional awareness and expression.

This paper reviews past and recent research and theories on the development and reiteration of male stereotypes as well as how these expectations play a role in therapeutic techniques. A conceptual workshop model is also presented as an …

A Compatibilist Theory Of Justice And Desert, Matthew John Cutler

Master's Theses and Capstones

This thesis argues against the asymmetry of desert observed across theories of distribution and retribution. While distributive theories have downplayed the significance of desert, retributive theories have outwardly embraced the role of desert in punishment. At the heart of this imbalance rests an unresolved tension between determinism and freedom. In the interest of bringing symmetry to theories of justice, this thesis reconciles determinism and freedom as two compatible notions of human actions and traits.

Additionally, this thesis argues for an increase in opportunities afforded to the least advantaged in order to balance punishments and benefits. This position stems from an …

Future Of Mediation: A Sociological Perspective, The, Brian Jarrett

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Arguably, these sociological pressures are central to the future direction of the mediation field and, in the aggregate, provide a useful building block in the development of an emerging sociology of mediation-a development that could fill the theory-to-practice gap which currently bedevils the mediation field. Understanding sociological forces reminds us of the constraints within which mediators, as social actors, must work. More importantly, an awareness of these pressures is, conceivably, essential to the development of an autonomous and discernible profession that remains capable of welcoming a diversity of practitioners and their respective approaches. I summarize each of these pressures below …

Urban Planning, Transportation, And Land -Use Planning: The Effects On Attitudes And Political Behaviors, Abraham Goldberg

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Public policy decisions made across levels of government have an effect on the way in which cities and city neighborhoods are built and maintained. Places vary in several ways including by the level of diversity or uniformity of the types of available amenities, transportation options, cleanliness, safety, affordability, and the availability of basic services. A growing body of literature, through empirical research, demonstrates that these variations affect several domains of people's lives. Personal health, the natural environment, and social capital have all been linked to characteristics of the built environment and attributes of the public realm. In line with this …

Tradition And Change In Urban China : A Critical Hermeneutic Inquiry Of Language, Culture And Identity In Shanghai, Amy E. Pierovich

Doctoral Dissertations

unavailable

Re-Reading Weber In Law And Development: A Critical Intellectual History Of "Good Governance" Reform, Chantal Thomas

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

The "Weberianism" of the modern age derives from the influence of three theoretical concepts in Weber's work. First, Weber described the development of "logically formal rationality" in governance as central to the rise of Western capitalist democracy. Second, Weber posited that Protestant religious ethics had helped to promote certain economic behaviors associated with contemporary capitalism. Third, Weber identified the rise of bureaucratic governance, as the primary means of realizing logically formal rationality, as distinctly modern.

This essay examines the influence of these basic insights on discourse on legal reform in developing countries. The prioritization of legal and institutional reforms to …

Appropriating The City: Space, Theory, And Bike Messengers, Jeffrey L. Kidder

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Over the last 30 years, social theorists have increasingly emphasized the importance of space. However, in empirical research, the dialectical relationship between social interaction and the physical environment is still a largely neglected issue. Using the theory of structuration, I provide a concrete example of why and how space matters in the cultural analysis of an urban social world. I argue that bike messengers—individuals who deliver time-sensitive materials in downtown cores of major cities—cannot be understood outside an analysis of space. Specifically, I connect the cultural significance of messenger practices to the emplacement of those practices inside the urban environment.

Gender Dependence And Attitudes Toward The Distribution Of Household Labor: A Comparative And Multilevel Analysis, Sheri L. Kunovich, Robert M. Kunovich

Sociology Research

We use comparative and multilevel methods to examine attitudes toward the distribution of household labor in 32 countries. We test hypotheses derived from Baxter and Kane’s (1995) gender dependence theory, which suggests complex relationships between societal-level gender dependence, individual-level gender dependence, and gender attitudes. Country-level data are from the United Nations and survey data are from the International Social Survey Programme’s 2002 Family and Changing Gender Roles III module. Our analysis is among the first to combine societal and individual indicators of gender dependence using multilevel modeling and to test for cross-level interactions between societal and individual gender dependence. Results …