Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The "Messy Middle": A Framework For Analyzing Raciolinguistic Inequity, Casey Erin Anthony

Graduate Masters Theses

Existing research has demonstrated that bilingual education in the United States is highly inequitable, providing greater benefits to white English speakers than to students from minoritized backgrounds (e.g., Babino & Stewart, 2017; Palmer, 2009). Additional research has suggested that bilingual spaces also uphold whiteness and English hegemony outside of classrooms, in spaces like parent groups to administrative decisions (e.g., Gallo, 2017; Jacobsen et al., 2019). This ethnographic case study of a Spanish-English Two-Way Dual Language (TWDL) elementary school examines raciolinguistic positioning and interactions among students, teachers, and parents. Drawing on dysconscious racism (King, 1991), LangCrit (Crump, 2014), and critical consciousness …

Landslides, Erosion, And Inequality: Assessing Social And Environmental Change At Neighboring Farmsteads In Northern Iceland, Zachary N. Guttman

Graduate Masters Theses

Hof and Hólar are adjacent farms in Hjaltadalur, North Iceland settled during the Viking Age. While Hof is mentioned prominently in the saga literature, its importance fades. Conversely, Hólar becomes the most powerful farm in North Iceland and the seat of the northern bishop after the introduction of Christianity. This thesis sheds some light on this apparent shift in power by assessing how social and environmental factors may have influenced the relationship between the two sites. Using a program of soil coring and targeted excavation, as well as a novel environmental sampling procedure, this study assesses if environmental factors such …

We Resist, We Heal, We Transform: Exploring Youth Of Color Journeys Towards Healing Justice In A Grassroots Organization In Urban Boston, Rhyann Leslie Robinson

Graduate Masters Theses

While many would say otherwise, the current system is not a broken one (Kaba, 2021). The colonial systems, frameworks, and theories we have in place are working exactly how they are supposed to: in favor of and in tandem with systems that seek to oppress marginalized communities. This realization calls for a shift, including shifts in research in ways that builds from below (Atallah & Dutta, 2021; Fernández, 2018; Tang-Yan, 2022). The current study aims to explicitly interrogate coloniality and colonial violence in a United States socio historical context, exploring youth of color development in conditions of adversity, looking at …

Solar Radiation Modification Governance In The Context Of Temperature Overshoot, Janos Pasztor

New England Journal of Public Policy

As the climate crisis escalates, governments—and recently even those in the wealthier countries in the Global North—are struggling to manage the impacts we are experiencing around the world in frightening abundance, including record-setting temperatures, fires, floods, and glacial and ice melt. Behind closed doors, policymakers are concerned as they contemplate the increasing likelihood, even under the most ambitious emission reduction pathways, that the world will overshoot the goal agreed upon in the Paris Agreement to limit global average temperature rise to 1.5oC beyond pre-industrial levels.

It is in this “overshoot context” that interest is growing in an emerging, potentially supplementary …

The Gulf: An Appeal For More Coordinated Action On Climate Change, Fareed Yasseen

New England Journal of Public Policy

This article seeks to provide the rationale behind Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Sudani’s call at the United Nations for the formation of a negotiating group within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change process that brings together all member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Iraq, and Iran. This article argues that these countries would benefit doubly from such an arrangement, because it would help them better address the direct effects of climate change, on the one hand, and to better address the effects of the measures taken to address climate change, which will affect them as fossil fuel producers, …

The Role Of Carbon Management Technologies In Meeting Net Zero, Ali Al-Saffar

New England Journal of Public Policy

The pathway toward implementing the changes necessary in the energy sector to keep global temperature rises from breaking through catastrophic barriers is narrow and tenuous and will require a range of zero- and low-carbon technologies to be dispatched at a speed and scale that is virtually unprecedented. Decarbonization through renewables, matched with the more efficient use of energy in the end-use sectors will play a large part. But there is growing realization that there will be residual fossil fuel use long into the future, and that the emissions from the burning of these fossil fuels in power plants and factories …

Results Of Cop27 And Expectations For Cop28, Cecilia Kinuthia-Njenga, Fareed Yasseen

New England Journal of Public Policy

Since 1995, government representatives from around the world have gathered nearly every year for the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP) to advance work on multilateral agreements and to provide a way forward in tackling the significant challenges of climate change. The last of these conferences took place on November 6–20, 2022, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

COP27 brought together more than 35,000 people from across the globe to deliberate on important actions for addressing the climate. Hailed as the “African COP” and “Implementation COP,” it raised expectations that decisions from previous conferences, reflecting the needs and priorities of the …

Editor's Note, Padraig O'Malley, Adanna C. Kalejaye

New England Journal of Public Policy

To coincide with COP28 in Dubai, this issue of the New England Journal of Public Policy published a series of articles on climate warming.

The Perfect Is The Enemy Of The Good: Carbon Credits And Funding For Decarbonization In Developing Countries, Andrew A. Bernstein

New England Journal of Public Policy

Carbon credits issued in the voluntary carbon market are an important source of funding for projects in developing countries designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as forest preservation and renewable energy. Beyond their potential to provide billions of dollars of private sector financing for decarbonization, carbon credits can generate economic opportunity, employment, and biodiversity. But they are controversial, mainly (but not only) because it is difficult to confirm and to quantify their emissions benefits. This article argues that policymakers should nonetheless support voluntary carbon market growth, so long as companies use carbon credits to mitigate emissions they cannot avoid …

Cop27 And The New Rise Of The Global South, Janice Golding

New England Journal of Public Policy

Developing countries require direct and indirect financial and non-financial assistance to address the climate crisis. The COP27 announcement of a new Loss and Damage Fund as well the unveiling of the Bridgetown Initiative collectively hold substantial promise to alter the course of climate multilateralism. The outcome of COP27 has presented unprecedented opportunities for the Global South to build global solidarity for climate justice, but the path ahead will not be easy. Materialization of support to developing countries may be, at best, not sustainable, or at worst, unforeseeable without consistent application of principles and values enshrined in historic, moral accountability for …

Joint Global Responsibility Fund For Climate, Conservation, And Communities: A Proposed Innovative Tax-Based Funding Mechanism, Tamar Ron

New England Journal of Public Policy

Nature-based solutions address biodiversity loss, climate change, and societal challenges at the local, national, regional, and global levels. The costs of their conservation, however, are mostly local and national in nature. Confronting the rolling dual crisis of biodiversity loss and climate change requires us to recognize nature’s intrinsic value. Moreover, we must find practical ways for their monetary valuation to be channeled as payment for the services of conservation custodians. It is suggested here to translate the value of natural assets and the understanding of the local costs and global benefits of their conservation, into an innovative and ambitious funding …

The How And Why Of Visual Practice At Un Climate Negotiations, Stéphanie Heckman

New England Journal of Public Policy

In this article Stéphanie Heckman examines the process and outcomes of her graphic recording work and other forms of visual practice in the context of UN climate negotiations, reflecting on three years of collaboration with the UN Climate Change Secretariat, particularly during the eighteen-month Global Stocktake process. After a review of the history and science behind visual storytelling, she analyses one of the graphic recordings made for the third meeting of the Technical Dialogue of the Global Stocktake through the lens of Kelvy Bird’s ‘Levels of Scribing’ model. Drawing on comments from delegates at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt and …

Age & Dementia Friendly Plymouth: A Community Needs Assessment, Caitlin E. Coyle, Beth Rouleau, Ceara Somerville

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report describes research undertaken by the Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging (CSDRA) within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, on behalf of the Town of Plymouth. The goals of this project were to investigate the needs, interests, preferences, and opinions of Plymouth’s residents age 55 or older in support of the Council on Aging’s (COA’s) objective to identify and serve the needs of all Plymouth citizens 55 and older. The contents of this report are meant to inform the Town of Plymouth, the Plymouth COA, the Center for Active Living, and organizations that …

Comparing Vr Services Rate Between Black And White Job Seekers Across The Us, Alberto Migliore, John Shepard

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

Data Note 85 explores differences in receiving VR services between Black and white job seekers. Nationally, the data indicated that there was little discrepancy between Black and white job seekers in exiting a VR program in 2022. However, the discrepancy was pronounced at the state level.

Late-Life Gender Disparities In Economic Security: Evidence From The 2022 Elder Index, Jan E. Mutchler, Nidya Velasco Roldán, Yan-Jhu Su

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

Estimates from the 2022 Elder Index illustrate the elevated risk of economic insecurity experienced by older women, especially those living alone. We use the Elder Index to calculate the percentage of older adults living in one- and two-person households with annual incomes that do not support economic security. National averages suggest that half of older women living alone, along with 42% of older men living alone, have annual incomes below the Elder Index. In addition, 21% of older couples have annual incomes below the Elder Index. Women in same-sex couples experience greater levels of disadvantage than men in same-sex couples …

Defining Intellectual And Developmental Disability: A Comparative Overview Across Five National Datasets, Daria Domin, Ryan Wedeking

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

Data Note 86 shares a comparative overview of the different definitions of intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) from five national data sources on employment outcomes: National Survey of State IDD Agency Employment and Day Services; Rehabilitation Services Administration; American Community Survey; National Core Indicators; and Social Security Administration. The goals of this Data Note are to provide clarity about how each data source defines the IDD population and support readers’ understanding of the results from each source.

Estimating The Impacts Of Legislation To Expand Affordable Quality Child Care And Early Education In Massachusetts: Initial Findings On Utilization, Employment, And Financial Assistance. Research Brief #1, Randy Albelda, Alan Clayton-Matthews, Anne Douglass, Christa Kelleher, Songtian Zeng, Laurie Nsiah-Jefferson

Publications from the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy

The UMass Boston Early Education CUSP is led by a multidisciplinary team that designed the simulator and uses it to produce current, relevant, accurate, and responsive estimates about the key impacts of proposed legislation to expand access to affordable, quality child care and early education. One of the simulator’s valuable features is that it can produce estimates for a range of policy parameters and provisions. The team will release additional briefs in the coming months to offer a more detailed look at the impacts outlined in this initial publication. Other planned briefs will examine key topics, such as impacts related …

Second-Generation Latino Immigrant Assimilation In Massachusetts, Phillip Granberry, Mary Jo Marion

Gastón Institute Publications

Approximately one-fourth of Latinos in Massachusetts are second-generation immigrants. This population is defined as having at least one foreign-born parent. Massachusetts has 216,964 second-generation Latino immigrants, which ranks fourteenth among states. However, second-generation Latinos represent a 25.5% share of all Latinos in Massachusetts, and this share ranks 35th among states. In comparison, 37.8% of all Latinos in California are second-generation immigrants. This lower share in Massachusetts is because Puerto Ricans, the largest Latino population in the Commonwealth, have birthright citizenship and therefore are not considered foreign-born.

The foreign-born have many reasons for migrating, but their children's future success is a …

Who Counts In Climate Resilience? Transient Populations And Climate Resilience In Boston And Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Johnna Flahive, Katsyris Rivera Kientz, Dlynzee Damas, Chris Watson, Evan Stewart, Ellen Douglas

Sustainable Solutions Lab

In the Northeast U.S., climate change impacts are predicted to increase and intensify unless global carbon emissions are reduced enough to mitigate impacts on local municipalities. As a result, thousands of people in Massachusetts are vulnerable to dynamic and extreme weather conditions, including temperature fuctuations and precipitation patterns, particularly those who are socially, politically, or economically marginalized. While decision-makers in Boston and Cape Cod municipalities must consider diverse stakeholder needs, one population is notably missing from most climate resilience efforts: people experiencing transience due to housing insecurity. Within the Commonwealth, there are two transient populations who are among the most …

Social Security Administration Data Trends: Key Findings On Work Incentive Programs (2000–2021), Daria Domin, John Butterworth, Jean Winsor, Ryan Wedeking

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

DataNote 84 summarizes Social Security Administration data from 2000-2021 on work incentives and their underutilization by Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients. It also compares younger recipients’ likelihood of working and participating in work incentives to older SSI recipients. Lastly, it examines the employment rate trends of SSI recipients across four disability sub-groups: intellectual disorders, developmental disability, autism spectrum disorders, and mental health disorders.

Insights Into Changes In Employment And Day Services Data From Idd Agencies During Covid-19, Agnes Zalewska, Jean Winsor

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

The COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) had a major impact on people with disabilities and the services they receive. This brief explores the impact of PHE on employment and day services of people with IDD. The focus of this product is the National Survey of State Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Agencies’ Employment and Day Services (IDD survey) and its data collection in FY2020 and FY2021. We explore the feedback from state IDD agencies on the data shifts resulting from PHE and we summarize the themes observed.

Brazilians In The U.S. And Massachusetts: A Demographic And Economic Profile, Michelle Borges, Phillip Granberry, Alvaro Lima, Victor Luis Martins

Gastón Institute Publications

Brazilians have a significant and growing presence in the United States. In 2021, when the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs estimated that 4,215,800 Brazilians were living abroad, it calculated that 42% of them were living in the U.S. Portugal (7%) was distant second, followed by Paraguay (6%), United Kingdom (5%), Japan (5%), Italy (4%), Spain (4%), Germany (3%), Canada (3%), France (2%), and a host of other countries.

It is well documented that the U.S. Census undercounts low-income populations and immigrants, particularly the undocumented. However, within this limitation, the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) produces a sampling that enables …

Brasileiros Nos Estados Unidos E Em Massachusetts: Um Perfil Demográfico E Econômico, Michelle Borges, Phillip Granberry, Alvaro Lima, Victor Luis Martins

Gastón Institute Publications

Os brasileiros têm uma presença significativa e em crescimento nos Estados Unidos. Em 2021, o Ministério das Relações Exteriores do Brasil estimou que 4.215.800 brasileiros estavam vivendo no exterior. Dentre eles, calculou-se que 42% estavam vivendo nos EUA. Portugal (7%) foi o segundo país mais procurado por Brasileiros, seguido por Paraguai (6%), Reino Unido (5%), Japão (5%), Itália (4%), Espanha (4%), Alemanha (3%), Canadá (3%), e França (2%) seguidos por uma série de outros países.

É bem documentado que o Censo dos Estados Unidos subestima as populações de baixa renda, estudantes e imigrantes, especialmente os indocumentados. No entanto, dentro dessa …

Addressing Barriers To Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion In Massachusetts Community Mediation, Madhawa Palihapitiya, Shino Yokotsuka, Karina Zeferino, Jarling Ho

Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration Publications

This report presents over three years of systematically engaging, documenting and analyzing the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) needs/gaps and assets of state funded community mediation centers in Massachusetts. The report was compiled by researchers and an in-house DEI expert at the statutory state office of dispute resolution, the Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration (MOPC) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The office has been serving as a neutral forum and state-level resource for over 30 years.

The report is based on qualitative research that falls into the category of community based participatory research conducted through a series of community …

Addressing Barriers To Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion In Massachusetts Community Mediation, Madhawa Palihapitiya, Jarling Ho, Shino Yokotsuka, Karina Zeferino

Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration Publications

This report presents over three years of systematically engaging, documenting and analyzing the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) needs/gaps and assets of state funded community mediation centers in Massachusetts. The report was compiled by researchers and an in-house DEI expert at the statutory state office of dispute resolution, the Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration (MOPC) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The office has been serving as a neutral forum and state-level resource for over 30 years.

The report is based on qualitative research that falls into the category of community based participatory research conducted through a series of community …

Datanote: The American Community Survey, Daria Domin, John Shepard, John Butterworth, Jean Winsor, Agnes Zalewska, Daria Domin, Alberto Migliore

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

The American Community Survey (ACS) offers a broad population view of employment outcomes for working-age people with disabilities. This Data Note summarizes findings from an analysis of 2021 ACS data on employment rates, weeks worked, and poverty rates of people with and without disabilities across the US. These data are compared for people with no disability, people with any disability, and people with a cognitive disability, which indicate that people with disabilities continue to have less success in the labor market, and a greater likelihood of being underemployed, compared to individuals without a disability.

Material Consumption Of An 18th-Century Middling Urban Craftsman In Boston, Massachusetts, Lauryn E. Sharp

Graduate Masters Theses

This thesis studies how Caleb Parker, a blacksmith and craftsman who lived in the early- to mid-18th century, viewed and utilized refinement and genteel behaviors using the glass and ceramic artifacts recovered from a privy at his home at 23 Unity Street in Boston’s North End. Background research explores the concept of “partible refinement,” which speaks to the notion that the “middling sorts'' at this time, including craftspeople like Caleb Parker, had the agency to selectively use different components of refined gentility according to their personal consumer choice and tastes. This resulted in middling sorts incorporating both traditional and modern …

Sartorial Practices And Daily Life: Examining Black Womanhood In Nineteenth-Century Boston, Erica A. Lang

Graduate Masters Theses

During the nineteenth century, the northern slope of Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood was home to a free African American community. Central to the Beacon Hill neighborhood was the African Meeting House, which operated as a Baptist church, home, school, and meeting space for Black community members. Archaeological investigations have revealed the story of not just the African Meeting House, but the surrounding vicinity and larger community. The African Meeting House collection provides a case study to understand the ways racism, sexism, and classism impacted the quotidian lives of Black women in freedom. Using Black feminism as a theoretical framework, this …

“Provisioned, Produced, Procured,” And Purchased?: A Macrobotanical Study Of Enslaved Individuals’ Economic Engagement In The Shenandoah Valley, Linda A. Seminario

Graduate Masters Theses

This research investigates enslaved peoples’ economic engagement in the Shenandoah Valley during the first half of the 19th century. In 2017, archaeologists excavated two features at the Belle Grove enslaved quarters in Middletown, Virginia— a root cellar and subfloor pit that were filled in when a log cabin burned down. The preservation of the macrobotanicals has allowed for an in-depth analysis of the plants with which enslaved individuals engaged and the relationship between plant acquisition and enslaved people’s regional formal economic involvement at a 19th-century plantation in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. These data sets have also allowed for an …

No Injustice So Peace: The Interaction Between Race-Related Stress, Colorblind Racial Attitudes, And Resistance And Empowerment Against Racism, Kaela A. Yamini

Graduate Masters Theses

Past research has indicated that Black people are subjected to overt and covert forms of racism that can have a range of effects on emotional and psychological wellbeing. The current study sought to explore the how race-related stress and colorblind racial ideology impact Black people’s engagement in resistance and empowerment against racism. I hypothesized that higher endorsement of colorblind racial ideology would be associated with lower engagement in resistance and empowerment against racism. Additionally, I hypothesized that moderate levels of race-related stress would be associated with higher endorsement of resistance and empowerment against racism while low and high levels of …