Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Impact Of Water Scarcity On The World's Future: An Analysis, Laura Colmenero

Great Plains Sociologist

The issue of water, or a lack of it, is predicted to have profound transformational effects on the world in the coming century. Robert Kaplan, Ann Baer, and Thomas Franklin Homer-Dixon provide us with common scenarios of this near future focusing on issues of conflict, control, manipulation, violence, and power. This article will review the scenarios presented by them and then present their findings within a sociological framework.

Front Matter

Great Plains Sociologist

Front Matter
Editorial Policy Statement
Contents

Book Reviews

Great Plains Sociologist

Diane Kayongo-Male, reviewer
People, Land, and Community
Hildegarde Hannum

Elizabeth Evenson Williams, reviewer
Contested Countryside Cultures: Otherness, Marginalisation, and Rurality
Paul Cloke and Jo Little, editors

Janet Kelly Moen, reviewer
Changing Rural Social Systems: Adaptation and Survival
Nan E. Johnson and Ching-li Wang, editors

Carol J. Cumber, reviewer
Rural Employment: An International Perspective
Ray D. Bollman and John M. Bryden, editors

Laura Colmenero, reviewer
Writing the Range: Race, Class, and Culture in the Women's West
Elizabeth Jameson and Susan Armitage, editors

William J. Swart, reviewer
Harvest of Rage: Why Oklahoma City is Only the Beginning
Joel Dyer

Ellen Baird, reviewer …

Book Reviews In The Great Plains Sociologist: The Continuation Of A Regional Tradition, Kathleen A. Tiemann, Morten G. Ender

Great Plains Sociologist

On the tenth anniversary of publication of The Great Plains Sociologist, we examine the book section for content and for participation by residents of the Great Plains. Since the inception of this journal feature in 1991, women have published 57 percent (N=57) of all book reviews. Moreover, women at masters and doctoral degree granting institutions have published a greater number of book reviews (52%. N=52) than their male counterparts (41%, N=41) and than women or men at 2-year,four-year, and tribal colleges (5%, N=5 and 2%, N=2 respectively). While there are differences in the topical areas evaluated by women and men, …

The Role Of Economics And Culture In Determining Fertility Rates In Kenya, Randall Rogers

Great Plains Sociologist

The role of both economic and cultural factors are investigated for their impact on fertility rates in Kenya. Economic factors tend to favor rational control of fertility while cultural factors favor uncontrolled fertility. Both demand and supply side reasons are presented to show that fertility decision making is becoming based more on economics and rationality than on tradition. Policy implications are investigated.

A Radical Critique Of Juvenile Boot Camps: A Critical Analysis Of The Juvenile Boot Camp And The Rationale Behind This Form Of Corrections From A Socialist Humanist Perspective, Matt Vidal

Great Plains Sociologist

This paper is a critique of boot camps as a method of juvenile delinquency treatment Humanist theory is applied to suggest that boot camps fail to meet basic treatment philosophy of adaptation to normal communities and reintegration of youth into society as specified by the primary goal of juvenile courts, rehabilitation.

Data Analysis Made Easy: An Undergraduate Student's Guide To Choosing Appropriate Statistical Tests For Social Research, A. Olu Oyinlade

Great Plains Sociologist

This article is written as a guide for undergraduate students in using statistics in the social sciences. Some general guidelines are provided for deciding which statistic to use with different types of data (nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio). Four sections are presented: identifying variables, choosing appropriate statistics, computation, and understanding results. This article is not written as a "nuts and bolts" guide to teaching all of statistics but instead is a guide to help students. Instructors of this material may also benefit from these discussions.

Front Matter

Great Plains Sociologist

Front Matter
Editorial Policy Statement
Table of Contents

Book Reviews

Great Plains Sociologist

Diane Kayongo-Male, reviewer
Gendered Fields: Rural Women, Agriculture, and Environment
Carolyn Sachs

Henry B. Sirgo, reviewer
Green Culture: Environmental Rhetoric in Contemporary America
Carl G. Herndl and Stuart C. Brown

Janet Kelly Moen, reviewer
New Government for Rural America: Creating Intergovernmental Partnerships
Beryl A. Radin, Robert Aganoff, Ann O'M Bowman, C. Gregory Buntz, Steven Ott, Barbara S. Romzek, and Robert H. Wilson

Jon Flanagin, reviewer
Wanted Dead or Alive: The American Westin Popular Culture
Richard Aquila, editor

Laura Colmenero, reviewer
Contented Among Strangers: Rural German-Speaking Women and Their Families in the Nineteenth-Century Midwest
Linda Schelbitzki Pickle

Elizabeth Evenson Williams, reviewer …

Ethnic Minorities In The People's Republic Of China, Mary Jo Benton Lee

Great Plains Sociologist

In the People's Republic of China, the term "minority nationality" denotes a member of one of China's 55 officially recognized ethnic minority groups. Minority nationalities have traditionally been regarded as those who have cultures (particularly languages and religions) that atv distinct from the Han Chine.ie majority. This article focuses on ethnic minorities in China-their significance to the PRC as a whole, the official classification system by which the government identifies them and the history of their interaction with the majority Han population. Higher education in the PRC is discussed with an emphasis on national minority institutes. Two macro issues relating …

Making A Living: Adaptation Strategies Of The Rural Underemployed, Curtis W. Stofferahn

Great Plains Sociologist

This paper examines the methods that underemployed families use to manage their resources to meet their needs. Data for the analysis is from survey and in-depth interviews of 33 respondents to the Rural Life Poll. It attempts to combine rural labor market analysis with anthropological field studies to describe the employment characteristics of the rural underemployed as well as the ways by which the underemployed household supports itself The under-employed worker's attitudes towards work, and how underemployed households combine resources to support a family are examined. These resources include the income from other family member's employment, domestic production for home …

Yes, But...Ruminations On Discounted Membership And Reference Group Rationalizations, Scott Magnuson-Martinson, Mouraine R. Baker

Great Plains Sociologist

Reference group theory posits that people attempt to identify themselves with groups that are esteemed in order to enhance their sense of self-worth. However, it is not uncommon that actors may find themselves being identified with, or identifying with, stigmatized groups or categories. In order to avoid the personally pejorative implications of these associations, these actors often engage in various strategies that take a form similar to accounts which attempt to neutralize possible stigma. Two fundamental normalizations, disidentification and deflected stigma are presented and compared to previous articulations in the literature of stigma management.

Infant Mortality On Northern Plains Reservations, Linda Neuerburg, Janet Kelly Moen

Great Plains Sociologist

The infant mortality among Indian people living on the Northern Plains reservations (18.4per 1,000) is nearly double that of the U.S. infant mortality rate (9.8per 1,000). Data were collected for 19 reservations through the Healthy Start Program established to combat this problem, using the reservation as the unit of analysis. Relationships were hypothesized between reservations with high infant mortality rates and high alcohol consumption, tobacco use, poverty levels, and low availability of certain social services. The analysis substantiated only one major variable—poverty. Further analysis suggested that mortality rates were higher on reservations that did not provide social support programs such …

'Who Am I?': Autophotography As A Teaching And Learning Tool, Morten G. Ender

Great Plains Sociologist

This paper describes a low cost, high student appeal technique for teaching and learning about the self concept via student produced photographs. Autophotography (AP) is a photographic approach to understanding the social world from the perspective of the respondent with reference to one's self concept. The technique's use is described relative to social psychology, the self, and the traditional symbolic interactionist measure -- the Twenty Statement Test (TST). The AP course assignment, evaluation, assessment, and limitations are presented Learnings for both the undergraduate student and sociology instructor are discussed.

Community Economic Change And Depression Evidence From The 1980'S Farm Crisis, David R. Johnson, Suzanne T. Ortega, Betty J. Craft

Great Plains Sociologist

This paper examines the effect of aggregate economic conditions in communities on individual levels of depression. While the effect of economic conditions on mental health has been examined at the aggregate level and at the individual level, models including both individual and aggregate processes are necessary to differentiate contextual from individual processes impacting mental health status. Both cross-sectional and panel data from a sample of respondents representative of a Great Plains state on which data were available in 1981,1986, and1989 were used in the analysis. The cross-sectional analysis in 1989 consisted of2,485 respondents. Panel data from 916 respondents in1981-1986 and …

Front Matter

Great Plains Sociologist

Front Matter
Editorial Policy Statement
Table of Contents

[Black] Teachers Resisting Damaged-Centered Research: Community Listening Exchanges As A Reciprocal Research Tool In A Gentrifying City, Thais Council, Shaeroya Earls, Shakale George, Rebecca Graham

Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Publications

Gentrification impacts many cities across the nation. Affordable housing task forces and legislation meant to address housing inequities are becoming more common, yet the authentic experiences of those affected are often unacknowledged. Absent from the discussion of gentrification are the voices of those deeply impacted, some who are at the center of the work to maintain communities: Black teachers, Black students, and Black families. In many school districts, teachers do not have the opportunity to address the systemic issues that impact their students and communities. Still, it is impossible to ignore the ways societal injustice seeps into the classroom. This …

Mosque Library: History, Function And Research Map, Sudana Sudana, Aam Slamet Rusydiana, Nur Fahmiyati

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The existence of the mosque is a holy place for Muslims. Apart from being a place of worship, it also functions as a center for Muslim activities in regulating the life of Muslims. Mosques have many functions, one of which is as an educational institution. So that this function can support activities related to the life of the people and run well and optimally, it is necessary to have supporting facilities and infrastructure. One of the supporting facilities and infrastructure for mosques as educational institutions is a library, which will provide reading facilities that can increase knowledge and religious insight …

Slis Connecting, Volume 10, Issue 2 Fall/Winter, Stacy Creel, Ph.D.

SLIS Connecting

SLIS Connecting -- the whole issue with all three Columns, one editorial, one professional article, and seven research articles.

Common Ground: How The First Amendment And Intellectual Freedom Provide Room For Diverse Voices, Heather Smith, Mlis

SLIS Connecting

This study examined the legal history and evolution of the LIS core value of intellectual freedom in the United States of America, explained how the convictions of both conservative and liberal ideations are rooted in this common national foundation, and, thereby, endeavored to reconcile perceived enemies and dispel misconceptions and prejudices within the world of information science.

Lgbtq+ Picture Books: A Collection Assessment Of Lonesome Pine Regional Library System, Stephanie Griffin, Mlis

SLIS Connecting

This study assessed the ownership of Rainbow List LGBTQ+ picture books within the Lonesome Pine Regional Library. It looked at which titles were owned, the classification of the title, and collection placement.

Analysis Of Free Browser-Based Accessibility Tools: Wcag 2.1 Evaluation Of Mississippi Gulf Coast Public Library Websites, Jessica Dawn Brown, Mlis

SLIS Connecting

This webometrics study compared free browser-based accessibility tools and determine the WCAG2.1 compliance levels of Mississippi Gulf Coast public library websites based on homepage analysis through free browser-based accessibility tools—ARC Toolkit, Lighthouse, Accessibility Insights for the Web, and Axe Accessibility.

Censorship In Libraries: A Retrospective Study Of Banned And Challenged Books, Jessica Aucoin, Mlis

SLIS Connecting

This study surveyed the ALA’s Top 100 Most Banned and Challenged Books lists from the past 30 years to see if there was a change in the themes and age groups of the books that are being challenged or banned.

Ransomware: A Bibliometric Research Study, Allyce Andrew Sears, Mlis

SLIS Connecting

This study gathered and analyzed data of published scholarly literature regarding ransomware in order to share this knowledge with LIS professionals for their own use and education. It focused on scholarly journals over the last decade (2010-2020).

Pathways To Discovery For Lgbtq+ Archival Materials: An Analysis Of Discovery Tools And Descriptive Quality In Online Finding Aids, Ashlee Dale Parker, Mlis

SLIS Connecting

This study investigated and assessed the availability of online archival finding aids and descriptive metadata for LGBTQ+ materials at research universities in the Southeastern United States.

A Quantitative Analysis Of Digitized Archival Collections From Mississippi’S Public Universities, Sarah Parrish, Mlis

SLIS Connecting

This study provides a quantitative analysis of the digitized archival collections made available online by public, 4-year universities in Mississippi to determine how many collections have been digitized and to reveal which topics are most represented in digitized archival materials.

Archives And Cemeteries, Jeffery Hirschy, Ph.D.

SLIS Connecting

After a conversation on alternative definitions of archives in LIS 646: Introduction to Archival Theory, Mandy Hornsby, of the Biloxi Public Library, invited classmates to a tour of the Old Biloxi Cemetery in Biloxi, Mississippi. These types of valuable experiences offer connecting with students and fostering a sense of community here at the School of Library and Information Science.

Poster Presentation, Sarah Williams, Stacy Creel, Ph.D.

SLIS Connecting

Posters are an important part of scholarly and professional communication. In an effort to encourage students at the School of Library & Information Science to be active participants in these types of events, students may participate in an optional student symposium, but they are required to create research posters in their capstone LIS 695. These are helpful resources and recent examples.

From The Gas: Congratulations, Publications, Presentations, Stacy Creel, Ph.D., Teresa S. Welsh, Ph.D.

SLIS Connecting

Words from the SLIS graduate assistants about what makes being a SLIS GA "a good thing" beyond the job duties: outreach, office work, recruitment, teaching, research, data collection, transcribing, course preparation, and social media creation. News, updates, and congratulations from students, alumni, and faculty.

Spotlights: Faculty, Alum, Kaigler Children's Book Festival, Stacy Creel, Ph.D.

SLIS Connecting

Dr. Sarah Mangrum joined the School of Library and Information Science faculty at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) as an Assistant Teaching Professor in Fall 2021. Carlos B. Crockett, Reference Library at the Terrebonne Parish Main Library earned his Master’s in Library and Information Science at The University of Southern Mississippi (2013). A star-studded Virtual 2022 Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival takes place on April 6-8, 2022 with Brian Selznick (Medallion winner), Jen Bryant, Nic Stone and Angie Thomas, Lesa Cline-Ransome and James Ransome, Raúl the Third, Eric L. Tribunella and Donna Washington.