Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Harlemites' Preconceptions Of Unmet Human Needs And Theloss Of Harlem Culture: A Quantitative Study Of The Causes Of Conflict And Gentrification, Arnold John Banks

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the process of forced eviction (i.e., gentrification) and its influence on Harlem culture. The study quantifies four (4) significant factors involved in the influencing of a paradigm shift. The study explicitly examines the historical and traditional cultures of Harlemites' when framed in the theoretical context of unmet human needs. In this study, unmet human needs in association with theoretical constructs have demonstrated strong correlations in relation to altering attitudes that affect complex thought and human behavior. This study reports the empirical results and the investigated associations of theoretical constructs as they pertain to the various hypotheses outlined …

Identifying The Factors That Influence Changes In Aggregate Sentiment Among The Masses: An Analysis Of The Measure Of Consumer Sentiment Through A Conflict Analysis And Resolution Lens, Michael Carl Letamendi

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

The University of Michigan's Survey Research Center developed a tool to quantify how people feel towards the state of the economy. Dr. George Katona, a psychologist and professor at the University of Michigan developed the Index of Consumer Sentiment (ICS) in the 1940s. As decades of data were collected on aggregate consumer sentiment through the 50s and 60s, a discovery was made. The ICS seemed to indirectly predict the direction of the economy by accurately anticipating aggregate purchasing versus saving decisions. The index is even used today by the U.S. Government to measure consumer confidence and has been noted to …

The Axe Without The Handle: An Exploratory Analysis Of Eco-Terrorism And Its Relationships To U.S. Public Policy Towards Terrorism:1990-2010, Phillip Andrew Smith

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

From 1990-2010 ecoterrorist attacks by the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) and Earth Liberation Front (ELF) created an anomaly in the U.S. with millions of dollars in property destruction. Interestingly, in a post 9/11 era, the FBI warns that the number one threat to U.S. national security is not religious terrorism, but rather environmental-group terrorism. When examining this topic further, there is a void in analysis between examining ecoterrorist attacks and U.S. public policy. Is there a statistical significant relationship between terrorist attacks by ALF/ELF and U.S. public policy towards terrorism? Is per capita income an influence on the attacks occurring …

Academic Ethics Conflict In The Age Of Wikipedia And Turnitin.Com: A Study Assessing The Opinions Of Exiting College Students, Consuelo Doria Kelley

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Technology has wrought paradigmatic shifts in societal, institutional, and individual power to instantly share and collaboratively produce knowledge, influencing the definition and perceived significance of academic ethics (AE), a continually evolving social construct. Student disregard of AE can generate wide-ranging conflicts affecting multiple student-success stakeholders: students, their families, instructors, administrators, schools, employers of graduates, and society. Dominant AE higher education institutional strategies typically position the individual student as the problem, leaving contextual influences on their academic conduct outside the AE conflict resolution discourse. The researcher conducted an exploratory research study to ascertain undergraduate students' opinions about AE at a university …

Improving Professional Skills Through Adversity: A Phenomenological Study Of Mergers And Acquisitions, Randy Anita Rutledge

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Company mergers and acquisitions often create tremendous conflict for employees because they force them into a spiral of organizational change. In this environment, employees are challenged with redefining themselves within a new organization. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover and explain the particular conflict experiences of professional employees who experienced the merger and acquisition of their company. A phenomenological research study was conducted to discover and describe the shared conflict experiences of professional employees during the merger and acquisition of their consulting firm. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 17 self-identified professional employees. It was found through …

The Impact Of Islam As A Religion And Muslim Women On Gender Equality: A Phenomenological Research Study, Sonia D. Galloway

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine and explore the meanings, structures and essence of the lived experience of Muslim women via an Islamic theoretical (Kalam) framework. The study's goal was to describe a detailed and comprehensive description of how Muslim women use Islam to promote gender equality and improve treatment within their daily lives. The critical importance of gleaning a better understanding of Islam and the perceived invisibility of Muslim women motivated the researcher to undertake this study.

The research study included a qualitative phenomenology research approach. Data were collected from multiple sources: observations, semi-structured individual interviews and …

The New Drug War Or The New Race War: Incarceration's Impact On Minority Children, Families, And Communities, Karen P. Lawrence

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This non-experimental study examines the issues of over-representation of minorities in the criminal justice system due to drug-related incidences, race relations, and the impact such representation has on families, children, and communities. The exploration of the current criminal justice efforts against drugs is presented through a meta-analysis qualitative lens in an effort to disseminate the information on those arrested, sentenced, and subsequently incarcerated for various drug offenses. In an attempt to understand the encyclical racial disparities that promulgate the criminal justice system, the study relies on information from several key theorists to cement the discussions in the research. Qualitative data …

Conflict Between Saudi Arabia And Iran: An Examination Of Critical Factors Inhibiting Their Positive Roles In The Middle East, Ghadah Alghunaim

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Since 1979, Saudi-Iranian relations have been tense due to their position as superior powers in the Middle East. Both countries have different values and perspectives in regards to diplomatic relations with the West. As a consequence of the new developments in Iran's foreign policy and the newfound openness to the West adopted by President Rouhani, the topic has proven to be of research interest. The primary concern of this research was to explore the effect of the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran in the Middle East, and whether or not there is a possibility to overcome this conflict using …

The Human Robot: A Narrative Study Of Identity Change In Mexico Through An Analysis Of Mexican Films, Cesar Vela-Beltran-Del-Rio

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

In order to succeed in an intellectually, economically, socially, and politically controlled system, as México, one has to develop a sense of inner direction and empowerment, where critical thinking is vital yet patriarchy becomes an impediment to the development of an inner compass and empowerment when it shapes and controls the masses’ identity and behavior through different strategies, methods, and institutions. One of the most powerful and popular identity shaping strategies is film making. Film is considered by most as a source of entertainment portraying social interactions. Yet it is a powerful identity-shaping tool for the establishment. It has been …

The Effects Of Viewing Sexually Explicit Materials On Men's Body Image Satisfaction, Interest In Pursuing Cosmetic Surgery, And Body Change Behaviors, Elizabeth Schuster

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of viewing sexually explicit media on men's body image, body change behaviors, and esteem in a randomized experimental study. The purpose was to determine if a cause and effect relationship exists between viewing sexually explicit media and body image dissatisfaction in men. Participants were randomized to one of four conditions. They were asked to view a short media clip and then answer a series of questionnaires assessing their current body change strategies (e.g., pathogenic weight control practices), interest in risky body behaviors (e.g., cosmetic surgery), esteem (i.e., genital, sexual, and self-esteem), and overall body image …

Phonological Working Memory Deficits In Adhd Revisited: The Role Of Lower-Level Information Processing Deficits In Impaired Working Memory Performance, Joseph Raiker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Working memory deficits in children with ADHD are well established; however, insufficient evidence exists concerning the degree to which lower-level cognitive processes contribute to these deficits. The current study dissociates lower level information processing abilities (i.e., visual registration, orthographic conversion, and response output) in children with ADHD and typically developing children and examines the unique contribution of these processes to their phonological working memory performance. Thirty-four boys between 8 and 12 years of age (20 ADHD, 14 typically developing) were administered novel information processing and phonological working memory tasks. Between-group differences were examined and bootstrap mediation analysis was used to …

"Doing Everything Possible:" A Phenomenological Study Of Low-Income Black Female Experiences Of Managing Conflict In Romantic Relationships With Black Male Partners, Charlene Hightower

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Research on intimacy among low income Black women with their Black male partners is limited. This dissertation describes a phenomenological study conducted to understand how low-income Black women in this study navigate and cope with conflict in their relationships with their Black male partners. In this study, a qualitative approach was used to analyze narrative interview data of 10 low-income Black women over the age of twenty-one, who had been or are currently in romantic relationships with Black men that have lasted for more than five years. Ten heterosexual Black women residing in the metropolitan Charlotte, North Carolina, area participated …

Strategic Deployments Of ‘Sisterhood’ And Questions Of Solidarity At A Women’S Development Project In Janakpur, Nepal, Coralynn V. Davis

Faculty Journal Articles

Linguistic uses of ‘sisterhood’ provide a window into disparate understandings of relationality among virtual and actual interlocutors in women’s development across vectors of caste, class, ethnicity and nationality. In this essay, I examine the trope of ‘sisterhood’ as it was employed at a women’s development project in Janakpur, Nepal, in the 1990s. I demonstrate that the use of this common signifier of kinship with culturally disparate ‘signifieds’ created a confusion of meaning, and differential readings of the politics of relationality. In my view, ‘sister,’ as used at this project, was a multivalent, strategically deployed, and divergently interpreted term. In particular, …

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.

Are Payday Loans Really Evil? Controversy, Regulation, And Innovation In 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 Relationship Between Empathy And Attitudes Toward Government Intervention, M. Alex Wagaman, Elizabeth A. Segal

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Throughout history, government policy and programs have played integral roles in shaping social services. This article reports the findings of a study that explored the relationship between interpersonal empathy and attitudes toward government intervention among college students. Findings suggest that increased levels of empathy are associated with more positive attitudes toward government intervention. This relationship is even stronger for participants from marginalized identity groups. Nurturing empathy among those engaged in social welfare policy-making may support government efforts that are in the best interest of communities they are intended to help.