Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Doing Sensitive Research Cross-Cultural Contexts: Reflections From Fieldwork, Federica De Sisto

Distinguished Lectures on Africa

Dr. De Sisto holds a Ph.D. in peace studies from Trinity University. She is a former visiting fellow at the Arthur Mauro Centre for Peace and Justice at the University of Manitoba, Canada and at the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. Dr. De Sisto is currently involved in a European Union reconciliation project between Muslim and Christian communities in Northern Nigeria. Her research and teaching interests include conflict transformation and peace building, governance, minorities' rights, gender and development, migration and refugee studies.

Lessons From The Great Recession 2014-15, Department Of Economics

Werner Sichel Lecture Series

The 2014-2015 Sichel Lecture Series brings to WMU campus six distinguished economists whose presenta-tions will discuss the lessons from the Great Recession. This year’s Sichel Lecture Series is directed by Professor Eskander Alvi and is co-sponsored by the Department of Economics, College of Arts and Sci-ences and the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. Speakers: Laurence Ball "Can We Reverse the Damage from the Great Recession?", Gary Burtless "Lessons of the Great Recession for Economic Policymaking", Donald Kohn "Central Banking in the Great Recession", Kathryn Dominguez "International Dimensions of the Great Reces-sion and the Weak Recovery.", Barry Eichengreen "Hall of …

Zaw Thein, Ian Magnuson

International Alumni

Dramatic efforts to forge democratic reform in Myanmar (also known as Burma) inspired Zaw Thein, a graduate student at Western Michigan University, to earn a master’s degree in political science so he may more fully participate in the movement to democratize his homeland.

Counselor Education And Counseling Psychology 2014 News, College Of Education And Human Development

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology News

• Professor named fellow
• Faculty member conducts webinar
• Craig Elected President-Elect
• Adkison-Johnson to Present at National Child Welfare, Juvenile and Family Law Conference
• Wiebold Appointed to Michigan Council for Rehabilitation Services
• Burns Co-presented Interactive Webinar and will be Featured Speaker
• 2014 Awards Reception
• Hovestadt Co-presents at Conference and Accepts Board Appointment
• CECP congratulates the newest Mu Beta Members
• Students and Graduates Recently Published
• Department Hosts International Visitors
• New WMU counseling course lauded at Harvard-White House session
• Faculty members have manuscript accepted for publication
• Alumnus has Article Appear in Journal
• Faculty Members Published in APA Handbook
• CECP Presents at Conference
• Department Awarded …

Review Of To The End Of June: The Intimate Life Of American Foster Care. Cris Beam. From Pariahs To Partners: How Parents And Their Allies Changed New York City’S Child Welfare System. David Tobis. Reviewed By Julie Cooper Altman., Julie Cooper Altman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of:

Cris Beam, To the End of June: The Intimate Life of American Foster Care. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2013). $27.00 (hardcover). David Tobis, From Pariahs to Partners: How Parents and Their Allies Changed New York City’s Child Welfare System. Oxford University Press (2013). $29.95 (hardcover).

Weathering The Storm: Botswana's Culture Of Care, Lengwe-Katembula Mwansa, Gloria Jacques

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Botswana, a semi-desert southern African state ranked among the poorest in the world in the 1960s and 1970s, has emerged as an upper middle income country in the new millennium and a beacon of democracy and good governance on the continent and in the world. Since the discovery of diamonds, Botswana has prudently utilized the ensuing wealth to improve the lives of her citizens. Through a succession of National Development Plans the state has provided social services that have addressed many of the needs of the population. This trend has continued into the challenging era of the world economic crisis …

The First Faith-Based Movement: The Religious Roots Of Social Progressivism In America (1880-1912) In Historical Perspective, Steven Stritt

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This re-evaluation of the published writings of Richard T. Ely, Josiah Strong, and Jane Addams during the Progressive era (1880- 1912) explores the themes of religious idealism and nationalism that figured prominently in the early formulation of modern liberal reform ideology in the United States. A specific focus will be placed on tracing themes of the America’s millennial destiny and how they gradually evolved into prophesies of social transformation through the applied use of social science knowledge. Beyond merely satisfying historical curiosity, this inquiry provides a new perspective from which to consider the fierce clashes over social welfare policy which …

Information And Communication Technology In Child Welfare: The Need For Culture-Centered Computing, Richard J. Smith, Tara Eaton

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article discusses the introduction of information and communication technology (ICT) in the California child welfare system. Drawing from anthropological literature, the authors emphasize the role of work practice and context associated with new ICT implementation. This case study uses a documentary- historical approach to analyze interviews with 386 workers who used the Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) between 1997 and 2005. Data show the implementation of CWS/CMS impacted the work practice of the welfare system. The authors recommend culture-centered computing for future developments and upgrades of ICT in child welfare.

Individual And Country-Level Institutional Trust And Public Attitude To Welfare Expenditures In 24 Transitional Countries, Nazim Habibov

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Does institutional trust on the individual and on the country level influence public attitudes to state social welfare expenditures in transitional countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia? To answer this question, this study draws on a comparative survey conducted in 24 countries. Multilevel binomial logit regression was used to allow for the simultaneous inclusion of variables at the individual- and country-levels of analysis. Institutional trust is associated with positive attitudes to welfare expenditures on the individual level, but not on the country level. Women, older individuals, those who are less educated, and those of low-income …

Correlates Of Job Burnout Among Human Services Workers: Implications For Workforce Retention, Madhavappallil Thomas, Vandana Kohli, Jong Choi

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Job burnout has impacted workers and negatively transformed the social agency and its clients. This study examined the correlates of job burnout among human service workers in a non-urban setting in Central California. Using a convenience sample, researchers collected responses from 288 participants on a 13 item burnout scale. Findings indicated that workers experienced moderate to high levels of job burnout. Several scale items, including caseload size, age, gender, education, and experience, were significantly correlated with burnout. In addition, regression analyses revealed that caseload size was the most significant predictor of job burnout among human service workers. Implications for workforce …

The Choice Is Yours! Researchers Assign Subject Metadata To Their Own Materials In Institutional Repositories, Maira Bundza

University Libraries Faculty & Staff Publications

The Digital Commons platform for institutional repositories provides a three-tiered taxonomy of academic disciplines for each item submitted to the repository. Since faculty and departmental administrators across campuses are encouraged to submit materials to the institutional repository themselves, they must also assign disciplines or subject categories for their own work. The expandable drop-down menu of about 1,000 categories is easy to use, and facilitates the growth of the institutional repository and access to the materials through the Internet.

Vignette: Clear Communication And When To Say "No", Kathleen Langan

University Libraries Faculty & Staff Publications

This is an essay in the book One-shot Library Instruction Survival Guide and talks about the importance of good communication between librarians and course instructors with a clear understanding of the assignment so the instruction session at the library can be productive.

Avoiding Curricular Combat Fatigue: Embedding Librarians In E-Learning To Teach The Teacher, Kathleen Langan

University Libraries Faculty & Staff Publications

As information literacy (IL) becomes more accepted as a core mission for a comprehensive post-secondary education, efforts on many campuses to universally integrate it into the curriculum are thwarted by logistical and pedagogical obstacles. Using the embedded librarian model in the e-learning environment can remove many of the hurdles that present themselves in the academic library. Librarians can use e-learning to “teach the teacher” on how to provide IL education. This chapter looks at many aspects of an embedded teach-the –teacher program, and provides examples of teaching content and assessments for teacher training. A teach-the-teacher approach is not to be …

Austerity Versus Stimulus: Theoretical Perspectives And Policy Implications, James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Attempts to respond to the negative social and economic effects of the Great Recession have been cast in terms of the austerity versus stimulus debate. Although oversimplified, this debate reflects wider theoretical analyses of market economies and normative prescriptions for enhancing their functioning. Referencing the historical evolution of economic thought, these theories and their policy implications for responding to recessions are summarized and their relevance for social welfare is examined in the light of recent events.

Review Of Ethics. Sarah Banks (Ed.). Reviewed By Jennifer R. Zelnick, Jennifer R. Zelnick

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Sarah Banks (Ed.), Ethics. (Critical and Radical Debates in Social Work, I. Ferguson & M. Lavalette, series editors). Policy Press (2014). $15.00 (paperback).

Review Of The Creation Of Inequality: How Our Prehistoric Ancestors Set The Stage For Monarchy, Slavery, And Empire. Kent Flannery And Joyce Marcus. Reviewed By Kelly Mckowen., Kelly Mckowen

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of:

Kent Flannery and Joyce Marcus, The Creation of Inequality: How Our Prehistoric Ancestors Set the Stage for Monarchy, Slavery, and Empire (2012). Harvard University Press. $39.95 (hardcover).

Review Of Changing Welfare States. Anton Hemerijck. Reviewed By James Midgley., James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of:

Anton Hemerijck, Changing Welfare States. Oxford University Press (2013). $40.00 (paperback).

Review Of Coming Up Short: Working-Class Adulthood In An Age Of Uncertainty. Jennifer M. Silva. Reviewed By Marguerite G. Rosenthal., Marguerite Rosenthal

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of:

Jennifer M. Silva, Coming Up Short: Working-Class Adulthood in an Age of Uncertainty. Oxford University Press (2013). $29.95 (hardcover).

Review Of The Allure Of Order: High Hopes, Dashed Expectations, And The Troubled Quest To Remake American Schooling. Jal Mehta. Reviewed By Eva Gold., Eva Gold

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of:

Jal Mehta, The Allure of Order: High Hopes, Dashed Expectations, and the Troubled Quest to Remake American Schooling, Oxford University Press (2013). $29.95 (hardcover).

Austerity Versus Stimulus: An Introduction To The Special Issue, James Midgley, Howard Karger, Subas Risal

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

No abstract provided.

Considering Post-Crisis Stimulus Measures: Welfare Policy And Social Inclusion In Brazil, Lenore E. Matthew

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The onset of the 2007-2008 global financial crisis slowed economic growth in Brazil and threatened the country’s established trajectory of decreasing poverty and inequality. To mitigate prolonged effects of the crisis, leadership implemented a growth-with-equity stimulus plan, of which investment in income augmentation and human capital-building programs for the poor were primary elements. This article examines the economic and social impacts of the stimulus package. It shows that stimulus measures had overall positive effects on the economy, but mixed effects on the well-being of the underprivileged. Improvements in the underprivileged population’s well-being may be less profound than officials have reported, …

Review Of Family Policy And The American Safety Net. Janet Zollinger Giele. Reviewed By Mary Ann Kanieski, Mary Ann Kanieski

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Janet Zollinger Giele, Family Policy and the American Safety Net. Sage (2013). $26 (paperback).

Review Of The Idealist: Jeffrey Sachs And The Quest To End Poverty. Nina Munk. Reviewed By Edward U. Murphy, Edward U. Murphy

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Nina Munk, The Idealist: Jeffrey Sachs and the Quest to End Poverty. Doubleday (2013). $15.95 (paperback).

Income Packaging Strategies Of Economically Disconnected Women And The Implications For Social Policy And Practice, Andrea Hetling, Jinwoo Kwon, Elizabeth Mahn

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Income packaging, or piecing together cash and non-cash resources from a variety of sources, is a common financial survival strategy among low-income women. This strategy is particularly important for economically disconnected women, who lack both employment income and public cash assistance receipt. Using data from the confidential Census Bureau versions of the Survey of Income and Program Participation, this study compares the use of public and private supports between disconnected and connected low-income women, controlling for differences in state welfare rules and county unemployment rates. Findings from bivariate comparisons and multilevel logistic regressions indicate that disconnected women utilize public non-cash …

The Consolidation Of The Secondary Financial Services Market, David Stoesz

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Stagnant income and persistent debt have induced low- and middle-income households to rely on alternative financial services (AFS): buy-here-pay-here auto loans, check-cashers, payday loans, auto title loans, rent-to-own furniture and appliances, and pawnshops. A secondary financial services market has evolved to serve the secondary labor market, replete with trade associations as well as state and federal regulators. Mainstream financial institutions have marketed innovations, such as reloadable debit cards, to appeal to low- and middle-income consumers. High fees and interest rates of AFS products have fueled a volatile debate about the future of the secondary financial services market, with options including …

The Impact Of Youth Debt On College Graduation, Min Zhan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study examines the associations between educational loans and credit card debt with the possibility of college graduation among a group of youth who enrolled in college. It further investigates whether the associations differ by levels of parental assets. Results indicate that, after parental assets and other variables are considered, educational loans are positively related to college graduation; however, there is evidence that educational loans above $10,000 reduce the probability of college graduation. Parental assets are positively linked to youth’s college graduation, and the relationship between educational loans and college graduation is stronger among youth whose families have lower levels …

Deputized Brokers: A Technique For A Case Study Of Conservative Think Tanks In 1990s Welfare Reform, Sergio Romero

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study proposes a novel analytical technique in a case study of think tank brokerage. As brokers, think tanks structurally link foundations and media, yet they do so as representatives of a policy network consisting of corporate funders and affiliated think tanks. Print media sought their policy analysis regarding the welfare system and prescriptions for reform. Network and content methods are the bases for the presentation of the technique. The coupling of results from each of the technique’s components shows how resources tie actors, as well as how their conversion from one form to another is the basis for a …

Review Of Save Our Unions. Steve Early. Reviewed By Luke Elliott-Negri, Luke Elliott-Negri

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Steve Early, Save Our Unions. Monthly Review Press (2013). $19.95 (paperback), 344 pages.

Review Of The Fukushima Dai-Ichi Accident. Peter Bernard Ladkin, Christoph Goeker, And Bernd Sieker (Eds.). Reviewed By Richard York, Richard F. York

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Peter Bernard Ladkin, Christoph Goeker, and Bernd Sieker (Eds.), The Fukushima Dai-Ichi Accident. Lit Verlag (2013). $59.95 (paperback), 291 pages.

Review Of The Divide: American Injustice In The Age Of The Wealth Gap. Matt Taibbi. Reviewed By Marguerite Rosenthal, Marguerite Rosenthal

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Matt Taibbi, The Divide: American Injustice in the Age of the Wealth Gap. Spiegel & Grau (2014). $27 (hardcover), $17 (paperback), 416 pages.