Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Social Protection In Africa: Beyond Safety Nets?, Leila Patel

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Social protection is one of the most recent, yet fastest growing social policy instruments in low and middle income countries to end poverty. At least 50 countries in Africa have non-contributory social protection programmes targeting poor and vulnerable households and individuals. Are these social policies an extension of residual social policies, or do they signal new directions in social policy in the Global South? This article reviews the theoretical approaches that inform social protection policies as well as their practical application in different African countries. The analysis suggest that there is a changing trend towards more expansive social investment-oriented poverty …

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 …

Review Of The Spirituality Of Awe: Challenges To The Robotic Revolution. Kirk J. Schneider. Reviewed By Daniel Liechty., Daniel Liechty

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of:

Kirk J. Schneider, The Spirituality of Awe: Challenges to the Robotic Revolution. Waterside Press (2017). 142 pages, $14.95 (paperback).

Power, Deviance, Stigma, And Control: A Sociological Reconceptualization Of Sexuality Within Social Work Services, Richard A. Brandon-Friedman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Despite shared societal and historical origins, sociology and social work have had a contentious relationship, leading some to suggest the two disciplines are inherently incompatible. This article challenges that assertion by examining how sociological conceptions of deviance, power, stigma, and control can contribute to more just social work services, particularly in the contentious area of adolescent sexuality. As respected social agents, social workers can play a role in counteracting the forces that alienate outsiders. By understanding how sociological theories contribute to their ability to contest the social discourse regarding sexuality, social workers can challenge social norms and work with clients …

Journal Of Sociology And Social Welfare Vol. 44 No. 4

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

“Children Can’t Learn on an Empty Stomach”: The Black Panther Party’s Free Breakfast Program - Husain Lateef and David Androff

Do We Know What We Think We Know About Payday Loan Borrowers? Evidence from the Survey of Consumer Finances - Mary Caplan, Peter A. Kindle, and Robert B. Nielsen

“I Play Golf With My Kids, Not My Colleagues:” Politicians, Parenting, and Unpaid Work as a Choice? - Cheryl Najarian Souza

The Influence of Socio-cultural Factors on College Students’ Attitudes toward Sexual Minorities - Mark D. Olson and Eros DeSouza

Habitus, Symbolic Violence, and Reflexivity: Applying Bourdieu’s Theories to Social Work …

Community Partnerships For The Prevention Of The Worst Forms Of Child Labor Among Migrant Children In Samut Sakhon, Thailand, Tsz Ki K. Tang, David Engstrom, Sompong Srakaew

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This policy note examined the child labor prevention model employed in Samut Sakhon, Thailand, which aims to prevent migrant children from entering the worst forms of child labor in the seafood processing industry. The model consists of transitional education and corporate social responsibility (CSR). The analysis examines the context of child labor and explores the challenges and opportunities to make anti-child labor efforts more effective.

Review Of Sorrows And Songs: One Lifetime–Many Lives. Janice Wood Wetzel. Reviewed By Marilyn S. Paul., Marilyn S. Paul

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Janice Wood Wetzel, Sorrows and Songs: One Lifetime–Many Lives. Fullarton Press (2015), 255 pages, $14.95 (paperback).

"I Play Golf With My Kids, Not My Colleagues": Politicians, Parenting, And Unpaid Work As A Choice?, Cheryl Najarian Souza

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Through in-depth interviews with thirty women and men politicians, this paper investigates their unpaid work as parents and their paid work. Using Goffman’s (1959) concepts of “front stage” and “back stage” performances, the author argues that the women and men developed strategies to do this work. Decisions about whether or not to run for their first job in politics were gendered. Another finding was that the experiences of their families and the making of public policies were gendered. The women organized their “village” while the men saw their fathering roles in terms of scheduling dad time. Finally, there were differences …

Social Networks In The Context Of Microfinance And Intimate Partner Violence In Bangladesh: A Mixed-Methods Study, Nadine S. Murshid, Allison Zippay

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This mixed-methods study draws from social network theory to examine disclosure and help seeking for intimate partner violence among microfinance participants in Bangladesh. This study uses data on women from the nationally representative Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2007 and from in-depth interviews with 30 microfinance participants in Dhaka. Propensity Score Matching analyses indicated that increase in social contacts due to microfinance participation was not associated with disclosing IPV. Responses from the urban sample indicated that reasons for nondisclosure include feelings of shame, stigma, and fear of being perceived as weak by others. Implications regarding how microfinance organizations can tap …

Are Older Adults Who Participate In The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Healthier Than Eligible Nonparticipants? Evidence From The Health And Retirement Study, Jin Kim

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This research examined the impact of participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on the health of older adults. The study used panel data from the 2004-2012 Waves of the Rand version of the Health and Retirement Study to estimate regression models of self-reported health and the number of doctor-diagnosed conditions, controlling for individual characteristics and time fixed effects. The findings revealed that program participants did not maintain or improve their health status relative to non-participants during the study period. Thus, the study confirms that program participation confers negligible benefits in maintaining and improving the health status of older adults.

How The Immigration And Deportation Systems Work: A Social Workers Guide, Carol Cleaveland

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Not only is the question of immigration controversial, it is complex -- laden with legal nuances as well as implications for human and civil rights. This article provides an overview of what happens to an immigrant who seeks to enter the country ‘legally,’ as well as the challenges for an immigrant who enters the country without authorization. Social workers who serve immigrants may find themselves called on to advocate for clients as they traverse a labyrinth court system. I introduce this system to help practitioners and students understand the paths to legal immigration in the United States, as well as …

Immigrant Health Disparities: Does Neighborliness Improve Health?, Kofi Danso

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Using data from the California Health Interview Survey, this cross-sectional study examined the differential role of neighborhood social capital and other socio-demographic variables in predicting the health of immigrants and native-born Americans. The results revealed a statistically significant association between age, marital status, and poverty level, English proficiency, education and employment, self-reported health, and immigrant and non-immigrant status. With the exception of neighborhood trust, neighborhood social capital indicators such as social cohesion, neighborhood safety, and civic participation were found to significantly predict both immigrant and non-immigrant health. Neighborhood trust was significant for non-immigrants, but was not predictive of immigrant health. …

The Influence Of Socio-Cultural Factors On College Students’ Attitudes Toward Sexual Minorities, Mark D. Olson, Eros Desouza

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Research has indicated that age is a significant predictor of tolerance toward sexual minorities. However, outdated measures and social desirability may hinder attempts to accurately detect bias. This study explores attitudes toward gay males among a sample of students in the Midwestern United States. We investigate the influence of gender, religiosity, and political orientation on students’ attitudes. Students’ political orientation was found to be the strongest predictor of attitudes. In contrast to previous research emphasizing the relationship between age and tolerance, our study suggests that socio-cultural factors have the greatest influence on bias. This has critical implications for social work …

Journal Of Sociology And Social Welfare Vol. 44 No. 2

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Serving No One Well: TANF Nearly Twenty Years Later- Kristin S. Seefeldt

Barriers to Food Security Experienced by Families Living in Extended Stay Motels- Stephanie Gonzalez Guittar

Impact of Short Lifetime Limits on Child Neglect - Vicky N. Albert and William C.

King The Policy Nexus: Panhandling, Social Capital and Policy Failure- Amanda R. Tillotson and Laura Lein

The Impact of Concentrations of African Americans and Latinos/Latinas on Neighborhood Social Cohesion in High Poverty United States Neighborhoods -Laurie A. Walker and Daniel Brisson

The Association Between Neighborhood Factors and Mexican Americans’ Mental Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review - Kai Wei …

Review Of Behind From The Start: How America’S War On The Poor Is Harming Our Most Vulnerable Children. Lenette Azzi-Lessing. Reviewed By Kristen Ravi., Kristen Ravi

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of:

Lenette Azzi-Lessing, Behind from the Start: How America’s War on the Poor is Harming Our Most Vulnerable Children. Oxford University Press (2017), 248 pages, $29.95 (hardcover).

Review Of The Money Cult: Capitalism, Christianity, And The Unmaking Of The American Dream. Chris Lehmann. Reviewed By Daniel Liechty., Daniel Liechty

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of:

Chris Lehmann, The Money Cult: Capitalism, Christianity, and the Unmaking of the American Dream. Melville House (2016), 398 pages, $28.95 (hardcover).

Editorial: A Call For Research, Bob Leighninger

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A Call for Research from editor Bob Leighninger