Social Work Commons^™

Getting To The Grassroots: Feminist Standpoints Within The Welfare Rights Movement, Cynthia Edmonds-Cady

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article presents historical evidence of how standpoints were used in women's participation in the welfare rights movement from 1964-1972. Results of a qualitative study using archival sources and oral history interviews are presented. An intersectional analysis of race, class, and gender, informed by feminist standpoint theory, provides lessons for current social movement work. Findings reveal that class-based standpoints were strong motivators for the recipients of welfare in their movement participation. Genderbased standpoints were important in non-recipients' participation in the movement; however, race formed a strong standpoint for the African American non-recipients in this study. Participants in social movements may …

Chat-Room Voices Of Divorced Non-Residential Fathers, Pauline Irit Erera, Nehami Baum

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study uses postings by divorced fathers to an unmoderated Internet chat room to sound and analyze their voices. The findings show that the posters expressed an acute sense of powerlessness with respect to their status as non-residential fathers, the imposition of child support, the mothers of their children, the family courts, and lawyers and helping professionals. Although most of their grievances have already been reported in the literature on non-custodial post-divorce parenting, the anonymous postings allow us to hear an intensity of feeling that comes through much more faintly in studies based on interviews or focus groups. Since the …

Building Their Readiness For Economic "Freedom": The New Poor Law And Emancipation, Anne O'Connell

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Contemporary studies that track the new racialization of poverty in Canada require an historical account. The history we invoke in North America is often borrowed from the British poor laws, a literature that is severed from its counterpart: the histories of racial slavery, racial thinking, White bourgeois power and the making of White settler societies. The effects of severing the history of poor relief from racial classifications and racism(s) are far reaching. Systems of oppression come to be seen as separate structures in which the New Poor Law appears as a domestic policy in Britain unrelated to racial thinking and …

Ethnicity Matters: The Socioeconomic Gradient In Health Among Asian Americans, Emily S. Ihara

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study examines the relationship between socioeconomic indicators and health status among Asian Americans using data from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), a population-based random-digit-dial survey with race-ethnic supplemental samples. Multivariate logistic regression analyses show that the inverse relationship between socioeconomic position and health status is similar for Asian Americans when measured as an aggregate group compared to Whites. However, when specific Asian American ethnic groups are examined, the relationship varies greatly. For example, among Chinese Americans and Vietnamese Americans, education is a significant predictor of poor health status, but household income is more significant among Korean Americans. …

Women's Experiences Of Victimization And Survival, Margaret Severson, Judy L. Postmus, Marianne Berry

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In an effort to more fully understand the experiences and aftermath of girlhood and adult woman physical, sexual and psychological victimization, research was undertaken that explored the prevalence and the consequences of such victimization, and the survival strategies women activate at various points in their lifespan in the aftermath of that violence. Women participants were recruited from five different communities; three urban, one rural and the only correctional facility for women in a Midwestern state. These venues were selected as ideal sites in which to secure a racially, ethnically and geographically diverse sample of women age 18 and older. Findings …

Expectations Of The Consequences Of New International Adoption Policy In The U.S., Jo Daugherty Bailey

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In 2006, the State Department published its Final Rules for implementation of the Hague Convention and the Intercountry Adoption Act. This new rule, which took effect in 2008, signifies a departure from previous practice by specifying national, uniform conditions and terms for international adoption practice by U.S. agencies and professionals. Interviews with adoption professionals reveal their predictions regarding the potential consequences of the new rule. Participants indicate the new rule will protect children and families from unscrupulous adoption practices, thereby fulfilling its stated purposes. Paradoxically, they also predict that the new rule will have latent consequences that will negatively impact …

Review Of Low Income, Social Growth And Good Health: A History Of Twelve Countries. James C. Riley. Reviewed By Kristen Gustavson., Kristen Gustavson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of James C. Riley, Low Income, Social Growth and Good Health: A History of Twelve Countries. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2007. $24.95 papercover.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 36, No. 1 (March 2009)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• PREVALENCE AND CORRELATES OF ADOLESCENT DATING VIOLENCE IN BANGKOK, THAILAND - Penchan Pradubmook-Sherer
• CHILD CARE DEVELOPMENT FUND: A POLICY ANALYSIS - Colleen K. Vesely and Elaine A. Anderson
• PARENTAL ASSETS: A PATHWAY TO POSITIVE CHILD EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES - Michal Grins tein-Weiss, Yeong Hun Yeo, Kate Irish, and Min Zhan
• PROMOTING POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR HEALTHY YOUTH DEVELOPMENT: UTILIZING SOCIAL CAPITAL THEORY - Julie Anne Laser and George Stuart Leibowitz
• THE FAILURES OF AMERICAN POVERTY MEASURES - Stephen Pimpare
• STRUCTURATION THEORY AND CRITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS: POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE - Jennifer Wheeler-Brooks
• WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD: DOES WHERE …

Review Of Mexican Immigration To The United States. George J. Borjas, Editor. Reviewed By Michelle Johnson., Michelle Johnson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of George J. Borjas (Ed.), Mexican Immigration to the United States. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2007. $60.00 hardcover.

Review Of The Origins Of The Welfare State: Women, Work, And The French Revolution. Lisa Dicaprio. Reviewed By James Midgley., James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Lisa DiCaprio, The Origins of the Welfare State: Women, Work, and the French Revolution. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2007. $ 40.00 hardcover.

Child Care And Development Fund: A Policy Analysis, Colleen K. Vesely, Elaine A. Anderson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Legislated as part of welfare reform, the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is the main source of child care government funding earmarked for low-income families. As a block grant, with broad federal guidelines, states have significant freedom in implementing this legislation to meet the needs of their citizens. This diverse implementation has challenged legislators and scholars trying to assess the success of CCDF across the United States. In considering the evaluation research of CCDF, as well as the original goals of this legislation, several major themes related to the diverse state implementation emerged, including access, equity, and stability. This …

Parental Assets: A Pathway To Positive Child Educational Outcomes, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Yeong Hun Yeo, Kate Irish, Min Zhan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A growing body of evidence suggests parental assets have positive effects on children's well-being. Using 2004 data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation, this study tests the effect of parental asset holding on child educational outcomes, and explores whether parental involvement and expectations mediate this relationship. Results indicate that assets are a significant predictor of all child academic outcomes of our study; however, income is not a significant predictor for school outcomes when controlling for assets. The mediation analyses show the effect of assets on school outcomes is mediated by two of the three parenting measures: parental expectations …

The Failures Of American Poverty Measures, Stephen Pimpare

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

How we think about need or deprivation-how we judge its severity, its causes and effects, and the progress we have made (or not made) over time in reducing it-has much to do with how we define and then measure it. And, we measure it poorly. The insufficiencies of official data on American poverty are reasonably well known, yet they continue, nonetheless, to be the principal means by which we gauge need in the United States. After a review of such official measures, this article discusses alternative means of evaluating need in the United States, highlighting the benefits of examining poverty …

Testing The Relationship Of Formal Bonding, Informal Bonding, And Formal Bridging Social Capital On Key Outcomes For Families In Low-Income Neighborhoods, Daniel Brisson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The development of social capital among families living in low income neighborhoods has become a popular poverty reduction and economic advancement strategy. However conceptual scholarship suggests the broad use of social capital has diminished its importance. Scholars have begun to identify the multiple and overlapping characteristics of social capital and the field now needs empirical studies to show how specific types of social capital are important for families living in low-income neighborhoods. This study tests the relationship between three types of social capital (informal bonding social capital, formal bonding social capital and formal bridging social capital) and important outcomes for …

Review Of The Battle For Welfare Rights: Politics And Poverty In Modern America. Felicia Kornbluh. Reviewed By James Midgley., James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Felicia Kornbluh, The Battle for Welfare Rights: Politics and Poverty in Modern America. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2007. $49.95 hardcover, $24.95 papercover.

Review Of Why America Lost The War On Poverty-And How To Win It. Frank Stricker. Reviewed By Mary Ager Caplan., Mary Ager Caplan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review for Frank Stricker, Why America Lost the War on Poverty - And How to Win It. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2007. $59.95 hardcover, $19.95 papercover.

Review Of The Other Invisible Hand: Delivery Public Services Through Choice And Competition. Julian Le Grand. Reviewed By James Midgley., James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Julian Le Grand, The Other Invisible Hand: Delivery Public Services Book Reviews through Choice and Competition. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2007. $24.95 papercover.

Prevalence And Correlates Of Adolescent Dating Violence In Bangkok, Thailand, Penchan Pradubmook-Sherer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study explored the incidence and severity of violence in dating relationships, and identified variables that explain dating violence perpetration by Thai youths. The sample consisted of 1,296 adolescents from high schools, vocational schools, and out-of-school adolescents, between the ages of 14 and 19. Findings indicate that Thai youths maintain very intensive dating relationships. The out-of-school adolescents hold the highest dating violent behaviors. While males' dating violence scores were higher, the females were involved in all types of dating violence, exceeding the males on verbal/emotional violence. The results provide useful information about cultural influences on dating violence, and have practical …

Promoting Positive Outcomes For Healthy Youth Development: Utilizing Social Capital Theory, Julie Anne Laser, George Stuart Leibowitz

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article discusses the central tenets of the theories of social capital, which include exchanges, trust, obligation, bonding, bridging, and issues concerning the marginalization of certain groups. Included is an exploration of the limitations of the approaches of the key theorists, followed by the presentation of a theoretical framework and model of the development of social capital among youth. Additionally, the article discusses the relevancy of social capital for social work practice.

Structuration Theory And Critical Consciousness: Potential Applications For Social Work Practice, Jennifer Wheeler-Brooks

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Anthony Giddens' structuration theory provides concepts that can be used to think differently about oppression and consciousness raising. Structuration sees society as being recursively created through its members' social practices, and oppression as being but one of these social practices. Consciousness raising, then, is recognizing that a given social practice is oppressive, and then deliberately working to change the practice. This is done by altering one's social performance and disrupting the recursive process that maintains the oppressive practice. Implications follow for empowerment-oriented social work practice and narrowing the gap between clinical and community social work practice.

Welcome To The Neighborhood: Does Where You Live Affect The Use Of Nutrition, Health, And Welfare Programs?, Molly De Marco, Allison C. De Marco

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Despite the recent upsurge in neighborhood effects research, few studies have examined the impact of neighborhood characteristics on the use of nutrition, health, and welfare programs. To explore these issues, this study used data from Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three-City Study, a longitudinal dataset comprised of low-income neighborhoods in Boston, San Antonio, and Chicago (n=1,712). Using hierarchical linear models, the results indicated that both individual (education, employment, and marriage) and perceived neighborhood disorder factors were related to social service use.

Review Of The Political Sociology Of The Welfare State: Institutions, Social Cleavages And Orientation. Stefan Svallfors, Editor. Reviewed By Richard J. Smith., Richard J. Smith

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Stefan Svallfors (Ed.). The Political Sociology of the Welfare State: Institutions, Social Cleavages and Orientation. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2007. $55.00 hardcover.

Review Of Differential Diagnosis: A Comparative History Of Health Care Problems And Solutions In The United States And France. Paul V. Dutton. Reviewed By Krista Drescher Burke., Krista Drescher Burke

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Paul V. Dutton, Differential Diagnosis: A Comparative History of Health Care Problems and Solutions in the United States and France. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2007. $29.95 hardcover, $19.95 papercover.

Review Of Challenges Of An Aging Society; Ethical Dilemmas, Political Issues. Rachel A. Pruchno And Michael Smyer, Editors. Reviewed By Erica Yoonkyung Auh., Erica Yoonkyung Auh

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Rachel A. Pruchno and Michael Smyer (Eds.), Challenges of an Aging Society; Ethical Dilemmas, Political Issues. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007. $49.95 hardcover.

Review Of Grassroots Struggles For Sustainability In Central America. Lynn R. Horton. Reviewed By Ian W. Holloway., Ian W. Holloway

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review for Lynn R. Horton, Grassroots Struggles for Sustainability in Central America. Boulder, CO: University of Colorado Press, 2007. $55.00 hardcover.

Review Of The Sandbox Investment: The Preschool Movement And Kids-First Politics. David L. Kirp. Reviewed By James Midgley., James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of David L. Kirp, The Sandbox Investment: The Preschool Movement and Kids-First Politics. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2007. $26.95 hardcover.

Review Of Blue-Chip Black: Race, Class, And Status In The New Black Middle Class. Karyn R. Lacy. Reviewed By Paul G. Wright., Paul G. Wright

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Karyn R. Lacy, Blue-Chip Black: Race, Class, and Status in the New Black Middle Class. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2007. $60 hardcover, $22.95 papercover.

Review Of The Great American Crime Decline. Franklin E. Zimring. Reviewed By Matthew T. Theriot., Matthew T. Theriot

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Franklin E. Zimring, The Great American Crime Decline. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. $35.00 hardcover, $21.95 papercover.

Community Encounter, Linda C. Reeser

Academic Leadership Academy

The purpose of this project is to inform more students about the baccalaureate social work degree and the possibility of a career in social work and also to provide students with an educational opportunity before they decide on or embark upon a career, to get a greater appreciation of the realities and hardships some people face in living and surviving (e.g. poverty, homelessness, immigration). This project will potentially increase student interest in a social work/human service career. The methods used will be discussion with students in their classes and at a reception and offering students a community experience for two …

The Social Construction Of Client Participation: The Evolution And Transformation Of The Role Of Service Recipients In Child Welfare And Mental Disabilities, Terry Mizrahi, Mayra Humphreys-Lopez, Denise Torres

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article presents a comparative analysis of client participation (CP) in child welfare and mental health and mental retardation systems. It identifies three rationales for client participation (philosophical, pragmatic, and political), along with the limitations surrounding each rationale. It uses social construction theory to examine the historical and ideological underpinnings of organized, institutionally-sanctioned client involvement inside and outside government. In order to enhance the capacity of clients to influence service and benefit systems, their role must evolve through the mutual efforts of government-strengthening client participation policies and independent organizing from the bottom up through community development and advocacy programs.