Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

An Introduction To Right-Wing Extremism In India, Mohammed Sinan Siyech

New England Journal of Public Policy

Right-wing extremism has had a long history in India with the current atmosphere heavily tilted in favor of right-wing extremists. This article explores the history of the right wing in the nation and various factors that strengthened different actors within this spectrum of politics in India. Relying on secondary sources, it notes that the Indian caste system has played a role in bolstering the Hindu majoritarian identity that is currently dominant in India apart from various other factors, such as the incompetency of other political parties (including left-wing parties). Drawing on several examples, it argues that the unwillingness of the …

Challenges For Multilateralism In A Pre-Post-Covid World, Richard Caplan

New England Journal of Public Policy

Multilateralism today faces numerous challenges. This article offers some reflections on those challenges—what they are and how they originated—and how multilateralism can be reinvigorated. It argues that though multilateralism is not a panacea, many of the critical challenges that confront humanity today—biodiversity, cybersecurity, global warming, mass migration, arms proliferation, and the regulation of outer space, as well as the spread of infectious diseases—can be met only with states and peoples cooperating more closely.

Peace Is The Answer For Our Post-Pandemic World, Steve Killelea

New England Journal of Public Policy

Humanity is facing a series of existential threats unlike any it has experienced before in its short history. They are driven mainly by overpopulation, increasingly impactful advancements in technology, and now a pandemic. Countering these threats will require a new way of conceptualizing our relationships with each other and the ecosystems we depend on. The world needs a new approach that will allow us to adapt in the short term and reverse the decline in the long term.

Peace is central to a safe and productive society. Without peace, we will never achieve the level of trust, cooperation, and inclusiveness …

From Conflict To Covid: How Shared Experiences Shape Our World And How They Could Improve It, Harvey Whitehouse

New England Journal of Public Policy

The human capacity for cooperation is at the root of many of the most impressive accomplishments of our species—from the evolution of language and tool use to the construction of pyramids and space stations. Although some forms of cooperation are motivated by self-interest or fear of punishment, the forms of cooperation that are most likely to succeed in the face of personal costs stem from love of the group. In this article, I consider one of the most intense forms of ingroup love known to psychology—identity fusion—resulting from shared suffering, from the battlefield and football pitch to the hospital ward …

Increasing Housing Stability Through State-Funded Community Mediation Delivered By The Massachusetts Housing Mediation Program (Hmp): Evaluation Report, Madhawa Palihapitiya, David Sulewski, Kaila O. Eisenkraft, Jarling Ho

Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration Publications

This report presents findings and recommendations from a formative evaluation of the Massachusetts Housing Mediation Program (HMP) administered by the MA Office of Public Collaboration (MOPC) at the University of Massachusetts Boston in partnership with 12 Community Mediation Centers (CMCs). The program is funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and overseen by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) as part of the Baker-Polito Administration’s Eviction Diversion Initiative (EDI). The evaluation was conducted by MOPC’s research unit comprised of staff and graduate student researchers, and does not necessarily represent the views of DHCD. As a statutory state office, MOPC …

Latino Veterans In Massachusetts, Phillip Granberry, Vishakha Agarwal

Gastón Institute Publications

Among the many types of services that promote the country’s general welfare, military service is among the most noble. People in the military are keenly aware that their service can place their lives at risk so that others keep their economic, political, and social wellbeing. In addition, those with families are aware that hazardous duty pay for deployment in a war zone in no way compensates for the stress placed on their families. This report estimates that 10,674 Latino veterans live in Massachusetts and provides a descriptive comparison to both non-Latino veterans and non-veteran Latinos. These veterans are 1.2% of …

State Intellectual And Developmental Disability Agencies’ Funding For Employment Services, Fy 2019, Agnes Zalewska, Jean Winsor

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

In FY2019, states continued to vary in their ability to report on the services they provided to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and the amount of funding allocated to employment and non-work services. This Data Note examines the percentage of funds allocated to integrated employment.

Latinos In Massachusetts: Fall River, Phillip Granberry, Vishakha Agarwal

Gastón Institute Publications

Fall River is home to 9,420 Latinos according to the 2015-2019 American Community Survey. They represent 11% of the city’s population (Figure 1)—the same percentage that Latinos constitute in the state’s overall population. Fall River is geographically located in the SouthCoast region, which has a relatively small share of Latinos (7%). The city is majority non-Latino White (77%), with Blacks making up 5% and Asians 2% of the city’s population.

Latinos In Massachusetts: New Bedford, Phillip Granberry, Vishakha Agarwal

Gastón Institute Publications

New Bedford is home to 19,826 Latinos according to the 2015-2019 American Community Survey. As Figure 1 shows, they represent 21% of the city’s population, nearly twice the Latino share of the state's overall population. New Bedford is geographically located in the South Coast region, which has a relatively small share of Latinos (7%). The city is majority White (60%), with Blacks making up 6% and Asians 2% of the city’s population.

Eviction: A Story Of Displacement, Kaila O. Eisenkraft

Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration Publications

About one-third of the US household population lives in rented housing. Among the housing disputes that occur between tenants and landlords, the removal of tenants from their property – that is, their displacement – by landlords through evictions poses one of the greatest threats to housing stability. The prevalence and high stakes of eviction elevate the importance of examining this phenomenon and the efficacy of various interventions, such as financial assistance, legal representation, and mediation.

Latinos In Massachusetts: Boston, Phillip Granberry, Phillip Granberry, Vishakha Agarwal

Gastón Institute Publications

As the largest city in the Commonwealth, Boston is home to an estimated 135,757 Latinos. This is the largest Latino population in the state, though in several smaller cities (Lawrence, Chelsea, and Holyoke for example) Latinos make up larger shares of their population. In Boston, Latinos represent about one-fifth of the city’s population, a smaller share than for Whites and Blacks but a greater share than for Asians. The Latino share in Boston is also larger than Latinos' statewide share, which is 11%.

Latinos In Massachusetts: Brockton, Phillip Granberry, Vishakha Agarwal

Gastón Institute Publications

The city of Brockton, Massachusetts has a population of 95,594 residents, of whom 10,601 or 11% are Latino, according to the 2015-2019 American Community Survey. Black residents constitute the largest share (44%), followed by Whites (31%0. The Latino share in Brockton is almost exactly the same as Latinos' statewide share, which is 11%. Brockton has a large “other” population, which makes up 12% of the city’s population. This group is largely made up of Cabo Verdeans. With only 2% of the population, the Asian group will be omitted from the individual characteristics of the report. This is because such a …

Latinos In Massachusetts: Revere, Phillip Granberry, Vishakha Agarwal

Gastón Institute Publications

As the second largest city in Suffolk County, Revere’s population in the 2015-2019 American Community Survey is 53,692. The city is home to an estimated 18,042 Latinos, who are the second largest ethno-racial group and make up 34% of the city’s population. Whites are the largest population (53%), and the city has smaller Black (5.0%), Asian (4.9%), and Other (3%) populations.

Senior Center Response To Covid-19: Social Engagement And Outreach, Ceara Somerville, Saralyn Collins, Caitlin Coyle, Jan Mutchler, Center For Social And Demographic Research On Aging, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

Social isolation can have devastating effects on an individual’s mental and physical wellbeing. The COVID-19 outbreak has put older adults at greater risk of isolation and has pushed efforts to address isolation to the forefront of public health in Massachusetts. Senior centers have been working to end isolation in their communities long before COVID-19 and have continued that work in the face of a global pandemic. This fact sheet describes what Massachusetts senior centers are doing during the pandemic to address isolation among older community members.

Senior Center Response To Covid-19: Technology, Ceara Somerville, Saralyn Collins, Caitlin Coyle, Jan Mutchler, Center For Social And Demographic Research On Aging, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has made the use of technology critical to remain socially connected with others while remaining physically distance. Senior centers in Massachusetts have had to think outside of the box and adapt their programs and services to be provided remotely, by phone, email, social media, and video calls. Moreover, senior centers have become responsible for helping older adults overcome their hesitations with using technology to keep them engaged and connected while physical gathering spaces have been closed.

Senior Center Response To Covid-19: Nutrition, Ceara Somerville, Saralyn Collins, Caitlin Coyle, Jan Mutchler, Center For Social And Demographic Research On Aging, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

Older adults across the U.S. are at risk of malnutrition, which can have lasting effects on health. Councils on Aging (COAs) are at the forefront of meeting the nutritional needs of older adults in their communities. The COVID-19 pandemic has not only limited older adults’ access to food, but it has also affected COAs’ abilities to get nutritious food out to seniors. Despite the hurdles presented by the global pandemic, Massachusetts COAs have continued their efforts to meet the nutritional needs of older adults.

The Perceptions Of Academic Librarians On Their Role In Lifelong Learning, Self-Directed Learning And Heutagogy, Anna Ferri

Instructional Design Capstones Collection

This paper uses a qualitative methodology to explore the perceptions of academic librarian on the definition of lifelong learning and their roles in supporting lifelong learning. Existing research on the topic was aligned to the emergent educational model of heutagogy to identify key concepts including self-directed learning, learner agency, and the impact of technology. Heutagogy is a learning model focused on self-determined learning, often in a high technology environment, for mature learners who have high degrees of agency over the entire learning process including identifying learning goals and methods, locating resources, and designing assessments. Using loosely structured interviews of academic …

Migration And Identity In Host-Communities: Global North And South Influence On Ecuadorian Identity, Jefferson F. Cruz Ruales

Graduate Masters Theses

In the South American region that encompasses Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela, patterns of human mobility have been predominantly influenced by various forms of internal conflict and limited economic prospects. The relative political, social, and economic stability which Ecuador has experienced in the region since the beginning of the 21st century, however, has made it a desired destination for many of its neighbor’s displaced populations and opportunity seekers. Similar factors have also enticed certain populations proceeding from areas of higher global development to settle into the nation’s tranquil environment. These Ecuadorian circumstances allow two very distinct groups of individuals, who exist …

Age Friendly North Reading: A Community Needs Assessment, Caitlin Coyle

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

By the year 2030, 35% of North Reading residents will be age 60 and older1. In response to this demographic shift as well as in response to the desire of most residents to remain living in their community, the resident leaders of North Reading, with support of the Town, have embarked on the journey to become a more age friendly community. The Age-Friendly North Reading initiative means to ensure that North Reading is, and remains, a place where older adults can comfortably and safely age in place. This report describes research undertaken by the Center for Social & Demographic Research …

A Portrait Of Latino Children: The Gap With Non-Latinos In Massachusetts, Phillip Granberry, Alejandro Alvarez, Vishakha Agarwal, Fabián Torres-Ardila, Gaston Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Gastón Institute Publications

Latino children are one of Massachusetts' fastest-growing segments of the population. However, evidence suggests that the social and economic context in which Latino children live does not adequately support their development and overall wellbeing. Nearly a third of Latino children in the United States live in very low-opportunity neighborhoods as defined by a scale of educational, health, environmental, and socioeconomic outcomes. Compared to non-Latino children, Latinos are more likely to grow up in households below the federal poverty threshold and less likely to have a mother with at least a Bachelor's degree. The research included in this report aims to …

Spaces Of Time: An Archaeological Perspective On The Deborah Newman Homesite, Gary L. Ellis

Graduate Masters Theses

This thesis serves as an archaeological perspective of a Nipmuc family and their land at Hassanamisco, combining documentary and archival research with archaeological, environmental, and conservational methods. Hassanamisco was the third Indigenous community in New England to accept the teachings of John Eliot during the mid-17th century. In 1727, seven Nipmuc families sold portions of their land in what is today Grafton, MA to 40 English families. Deborah Newman was the granddaughter of one of the original Nipmuc proprietors from this sale of ancestral Hassanamisco land, and through her grandfather’s claim she held rights to land and monetary compensation from …

The Power Of Friendships: Associations Between Friendship Quality, Satisfaction, And Well-Being For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Melanie S. Feldman

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit characteristic deficits in the social domain, which can interfere with their ability to form and maintain high quality relationships with their peers. Indeed, children with ASD are generally regarded as having lower quality friendships than typically developing (TD) children. However, based on a small emerging literature, children with ASD, despite reporting having lower quality friendships, indicate that they are satisfied with their friendships at similar levels to their TD peers. This apparent discrepancy between friendship quality and satisfaction for children with ASD as compared to TD children suggests that another factor may account …

Investigating Women's Sexual Agency And Alcohol Use In The Sexual Consent Process, Julie Koven

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Among college students, sexual engagement and alcohol consumption are considered common behaviors, with many students reporting drinking prior to sexual experiences. Given the prevalence of sexual assault on campuses and connection between nonconsensual sex and drinking, colleges have adopted policies and programs with the intention of reducing risky drinking behaviors and sexual practices. The majority of these policies stipulate that students cannot give sexual consent under the influence of alcohol, but students find these policies unrealistic. Further, these policies fail to consider the larger context of traditional heteronormative gender scripts that influence sexual behavior, setting narrow expectations, especially for women’s …

Inclusion Toward Transformation: Psychosocial Disability Advocacy And Global Mental Health, Justin M. Karter

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The Movement for Global Mental Health (MGMH) has been met with criticism for reifying Western conceptions of mental disorders and diverting resources from the investigation, intervention, and education regarding the social determinants of mental health. Advocates identifying as a person with a psychosocial disability are organizing to transform the MGMH from a top-down, individualized, and universal approach toward a rights-based conception that accounts for the cultural, political, and economic conditions that produce distress and disability. Using a qualitative, hermeneutic, interpretative-phenomenological analysis (IPA), this research study focused on how people with a lived experience of mental distress and treatment come to …

Statedata: The National Report On Employment Services And Outcomes Through 2018, Jean Winsor, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, John Butterworth, Alberto Migliore, Daria Domin, Agnes Zalewska, John Shepard

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

Since 1988, the ICI has collected data from state intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) agencies, the vocational rehabilitation (VR) system, the Social Security Administration, US Census, the Department of Labor, and other entities to describe trends in day and employment services for individuals with IDD. The book contains the latest information about employment and economic self-sufficiency for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Competitive Integrated Employment For People With Autism, Esther Kamau, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

Produced in collaboration with the Autism Society of America, this toolkit supports non-employment professionals to work with families and individuals to pursue employment. It delves into the importance of competitive integrated employment and offers resources for job seekers and professionals.

Late-Life Gender Disparities In Economic Security In The Context Of Geography, Race And Ethnicity, And Age: Evidence From The 2020 Elder Index, Jan Mutchler, Nidya Velasco Roldán, Yang Li

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

New estimates from the 2020 Elder Index illustrate the elevated risk of economic insecurity experienced by older women, especially those living alone. We compare annual household incomes to the Elder Index for adults aged 65 years or older living in one- and two-person households to calculate the percentage of older adults with annual incomes that do not support economic security. National averages suggest that 54% of older women living alone, along with 45% of older men living alone, have annual incomes below the Elder Index. In addition, 24% of older adults living in couple households have annual incomes below the …

Latinx Political Leadership In Massachusetts (2021), Leyi Andrea Perez, Fabián Torres-Ardila, Christa Kelleher

Publications from the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy

Fact Sheet provides an overview of Latinx political leadership and representation in Massachusetts.

Systems Thinking: The Organisation As A Living System, Kate Mills

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Systems thinking is a paradigm that challenges the dominant paradigm of linear, or mechanistic thinking. It is a paradigm based on the perspective that everything in a system is inter-connected and interrelated and that the interplay of components in the system creates an emergent quality with its own behaviour and characteristics. Systems thinking as such is suited to be used for analysis of organisations, as organisations can be seen as a system where the interplay of its components create emergent qualities such as the culture of the organisation. Within systems thinking there are living and non-living systems. Living systems, such …

Reimagining The Role Of Physical Space In Future Human Thriving, Adrian Young

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

As a positive psychology practitioner and residential planner, I divide energy and effort into two distinct fields; one focused on human welfare and the other on optimal aesthetics and functionality of our physical surroundings. This text explores a philosophical shift in motivation for space design prompted by the experience and new potential that result from COVID-19. Rather than space as a means to epitomize style and serve utility, I urge considering the full complexity of the human experience and what would be most conducive to general well-being as a new leading priority. What influence can environmental design bring to generalized …