Social Work Commons^™

Working Families: The Transformation Of The American Home. Rosanna Herta And Nancy L. Marshall (Eds.).

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Rosanna Herta and Nancy L. Marshall (Eds.), Working Families: The Transformation of the American Home. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2001. $ 50.00 hardcover, 19.95 papercover.

Disempowering Minorities: A Critique Of Wilkinson's 'Task For Social Scientists And Practitioners', Mitch Berbrier

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In this article, I examine Wilkinson's (2000) injunction that practitioners "omit entirely the 'minority' concept" (pp. 124-25). I maintain that Wilkinson's argument disempowers groups-such as gays and the disabledwho have used a "minority" identity effectively, and speciously indicates that African-Americans would benefit from such retrenchment, thereby implying that social justice is a zero-sum game. Rather, "minority" coalitions are effectively pursuing justice for all. Moreover, Wilkinson's deconstruction of "minority" conflates conceptual breadth with conceptual vagueness, and conveniently ignores (or denies) the socially constructed character of "race" and "ethnicity." I suggest that practitioners learn more about the historical development of all of …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 29, No. 2 (June 2002)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• DISEMPOWERING MINORITIES: A CRITIQUE OF WILKINSON'S 'TASK FOR SOCIAL SCIENTISTS AND PRACTITIONERS' - Mitch Berbrier
• THE CLINICAL IRRELEVANCE AND SCIENTIFIC INVALIDITY OF THE "MINORITY" NOTION: DELETING IT FROM THE SOCIAL SCIENCE VOCABULARY - Doris Wilkinson
• PERCEIVED EFFECTS OF VOLUNTARISM ON MARITAL LIFE IN LATE ADULTHOOD - Liat Kulik
• WILL CHURCHES RESPOND TO THE CALL? RELIGION, CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY, AND SOCIAL SERVICE - Emily A. Leventhal and Daniel P. Mears
• CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENT AND CHILD VISITATION: PERSPECTIVES FROM NONRESIDENT FATHERS AND RESIDENT MOTHERS - Stacey R. Bloomer, Theresa Ann Sipe, and Danielle E. Ruedt
• SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK IN HARTFORD, …

Will Churches Respond To The Call? Religion, Civic Responsibility, And Social Service, Emily A. Leventhal, Daniel P. Mears

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Despite national calls for churches to become more involved in social service, many churches may not be willing or able to respond. Drawing on sociological theory, previous research, and interviews with pastors and parish social ministers from Catholic congregations in a large, urban city in Texas, we examine key factors linked to church-based social service efforts. Particulara ttention is given to church leadership,r ace/ethnicity,o rganizational characteristics, social and political networks, and the intersection of these factors in affecting service provision and advocacy. We then discuss the likely impacts of policies calling for religious organizations to increase their social service activities.

School Social Work In Hartford, Connecticut: Correcting The Historical Record, James G. Mccullagh

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper corrects the historical record on why and how school social work began in Hartford and who was instrumental in establishing the new service. The findings, based on a study of primary sources, revealed that a school principal, and not a psychologist as previously claimed, initiated the process that led the Hartford Charity Organization Society to appoint its Visitor, Winifred Singleton Bivin, a social caseworker, to also become the first social worker in the schools in January 1907. The social work profession, which owes its origin to the Charity Organization Movement, is also obligated to the Hartford Charity Organization …

The Disease Model Of Alcoholism: A Kuhnian Paradigm, Brian E. Bride, Larry Nackerud

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Despite the fact that the disease model of alcoholism has lost its status as paradigm in international circles, the alcoholism research and treatment community in the United States maintains steadfast allegiance to the tenets of the disease model. The disease model and the related treatment goal of abstinence continue to overwhelmingly dominate the treatment of alcoholism in the U.S. Critics have suggested that financial and political motives have served to maintain the dominance of the disease model, despite findings that violate its basic tenets. This paper presents an alternative explanation of the reluctance of the alcoholism treatment community to relinquish …

When Social Program Responsibilities Trickle Down: Impacts Of Devolution On Local Human Services Provision, Steven G. Anderson, Anthony Halter, Brian Gryzlak

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) shifted responsibility for public assistance from the federal government to the states. This study examined early impacts of this devolution and related program reductions on local service authorities in Illinois. Based on surveys from 101 large townships responsible for administering General Assistance, medical assistance, and emergency needs programs, we found that 60 percent of these localities experienced increased service demands. These demands not only placed pressure on limited local programming funds, but also transformed local service populations in subtle and unintended ways. Reports of bureaucratic mistreatment and confusion also …

Review Of Welfare And Employment In A United Europe. Giuseppe Bertola, Tito Boeri And Giuseppe Nicoleti (Eds.). Review By Martin Evans., Martin Evans

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Giuseppe Bertola, Tito Boeri and Giuseppe Nicoleti (Eds.), Welfare and Employment in a United Europe. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press 2001. $32.95

Review Of Building Community Capacity. Robert J. Chaskin, Prudence Brown, Sudhir Venkatesh And Avis Vidal. Review By Michelle Livermore., Michelle Livermore

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Robert J. Chaskin, Prudence Brown, Sudhir Venkatesh, and Avis Vidal, Building Community Capacity. Hathorne, NY: Aldine d Gruyter, 2001. $ 25.95 papercover.

Social Inclusion: Possibilities And Tensions. Peter Askonas And Angus Stewart (Eds.).

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Peter Askonas and Angus Stewart (Eds.). Social Inclusion: Possibilities and Tensions. New York: Palgrave, 2000. $ 69.95 hardcover.

Advocacy In The Human Services. Mark Ezell.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Mark Ezell, Advocacy in the Human Services. Belmont, CA: Brooks/ Cole, 2001. $ 43.50 paperback.

Challenges To Equality: Poverty And Race In America. Chester Hartman (Ed.).

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Chester Hartman (Ed.), Challenges to Equality: Poverty and Race in America. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2001. $ 68.95 hardcover, $ 26.95 papercover.

An Offer You Can't Refuse: Workforce In International Perspective. Ivar Lodemal And Heather Trickey (Eds.).

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Ivar Lodemal and Heather Trickey (Eds.), An Offer you Can't Refuse: Workfare in International Perspective. Bristol: Policy Press, 2001. $ 32.50.

Focal Point, Volume 16 Number 01, Portland State University. Regional Research Institute

Research and Training Center - Focal Point

Strengths-based practice is not just about supporting consumers as they identify and use their own positive capacities and assets. It is also about finding community assets which help link the consumer to these potential informal and community supports. For many people—consumers and providers alike—there is a great appeal to the idea of building an individual’s strengths while drawing on the community to build a supportive, individualized network of relationships and involvements. Yet when it comes down to planning and providing services and supports for children with emotional and behavioral disorders and their families, it is often difficult to see whether …

Sustaining The New Economy: Work, Family And Community In The Information Age. Martin Carnoy.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Martin Carnoy, Sustaining the New Economy: Work, Family and Community in the Information Age. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2000. $39.95 hardcover.

Review Of Reforming Social Security For Ourselves And Our Posterity. Charles P. Blahous Iii. Review By Martin B. Tracy, Martin B. Tracy

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Charles P. Blahous III, Reforming Social Security for Ourselves and Our Posterity. Westport, CT: Praegar Publishers, 2000. $39.95 hardcover

Perspectives On Wellness: Journeys On The Red Road, Hilary N. Weaver

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Wellness is a topic currently receiving considerable attention in Native American communities and among service providers who work with indigenous people. Through many professional programs and grassroots efforts strides have been made in shifting from a deficit focus to one of resilience and strength. However, substantially less has been written from a strengths or wellness perspective. Much of the positive work that has been conducted for years has never been reported in the literature and goes unnoticed by all but those directly involved. The literature on Native Americans includes primarily discussions of social and health problems including poverty, violence and …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 29, No. 1 (March 2002)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SYMPOSIUM ON NATIVE AMERICAN WELLNESS

Guest Editors - Hilary N. Weaver & Maria Napoli

• PERSPECTIVES ON WELLNESS: JOURNEYS ON THE RED ROAD - Hilary N. Weaver
• NATIVE WELLNESS FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM: THE IMPACT OF GAMING - Maria Napoli
• O'ODHAM HIMDAG AS A SOURCE OF STRENGTH AND WELLNESS AMONG THE TOHONO O'ODHAM OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA AND NORTHERN SONORA, MEXICO - Teri Knutson Woods, Karen Blaine, and Lauri Francisco
• USING REASONS FOR LIVING TO CONNECT TO AMERICAN INDIAN HEALING TRADITIONS - Thomas L. Crofoot Graham
• ENVISIONING A HEALTHY FUTURE: A RE-BECOMING OF NATIVE AMERICAN MEN - Paul Rock …

The Hoop Of Learning: A Holistic, Multisystemic Model For Facilitating Educational Resilience Among Indigenous Students, Margaret A. Waller, Scott K. Okamoto, Ted Hibbeler, Patricia Hibbeler, Patricia Mcintyre, Roland Mcallen-Walker, Audrey A. Hankerson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Indigenous communities in the United States have a wealth of cultural and social resources that can facilitate educational resilience among Native students. This article reviews the historical context, contemporary trends, and current challenges related to education of Indigenous students. The authors present an innovative middle school-to-high school-to-college bridge program as one example of many positive educational initiatives currently developing across the country.

Race, Welfare Reform, And Nonprofit Organizations, Michael Reisch, David Sommerfeld

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article presents research on the impact of welfare reform on 90 nonprofit organizations in Southeast Michigan. Utilizing a refined survey instrument, in-depth interviews and focus groups with agency executives and staff, and the analysis of agency documents, it assesses how the racial characteristics of agencies' client populations affected the organizational consequences of welfare reform. The study confirmed that welfare reform has affected the ability of nonprofit organizations to meet the increased expectations generated by recent legislation. These effects have been particularly pronounced among agencies serving a high proportion of racial minority clients.

Review Of The Living Legacy Of Marx, Durkheim And Weber. Richard Altschuler (Ed.). Reviewed By Shana Cohen., Shana Cohen

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Richard Altschuler (Ed.), The Living Legacy of Marx, Durkheim and Weber. New York: Gordion Knot Books, 2000. (2 volumes at $39.95 each in paperback).

Review Of One Third Of A Nation: Lorena Hickok Reports On The Great Depression. Richard Lowitt And Maurine Beasley (Eds.). Review By John M. Herrick, John M. Herrick

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Richard Lowitt and Maurine Beasley (Eds.), One Third of a Nation: Lorena Hickok Reports on the Great Depression. Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2000. $21.95 papercover.

Review Of Social Security And Medicare: Individual Vs. Collective Risk And Responsibility. Sheila Burke, Eric Kingson And Uwe Reinhart (Eds.). Review By Rick Hoefer, Rick Hoefer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Sheila Burke, Eric Kingson and Uwe Reinhart (Eds.), Social Security and Medicare: Individual vs. Collective Risk and Responsibility. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press and National academy of Social Insurance, 2000. $20.95 papercover.

The Disability Rights Movement: From Charity To Confrontation. Doris Zames Fleischer And Frieda Zames.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Doris Zames Fleischer and Frieda Zames, The Disability Rights Movement: From Charity to Confrontation. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press, 2001. $79.50 hardcover, $24.95 papercover.

Native Wellness For The New Millennium: The Impact Of Gaming, Maria Napoli

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The challenges confronting Native people have been studied over the years. Their plight in dealing with alcoholism, colonization, poverty and health and mental health problems still exists outnumbering all other minority groups in the United States. For decades, Native people have relied upon the federal government to provide services, which were often not sensitive to Native values. During the last decade, gaming has given Native people have an avenue to enter higher education, develop tribal enterprises, tribal courts and health and mental health programs that meet the needs of their communities. Most importantly, Native people have reclaimed their independence. Since …

O'Odham Himdag As A Source Of Strength And Wellness Among The Tohono O'Odham Of Southern Arizona And Northern Sonora, Mexico, Teri Knutson Woods, Karen Blaine, Lauri Francisco

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The Tohono O'odham are fostering strength and wellness in their community by translating increased economic self-sufficiency and resources derived from gaming into social, health, and educational services which maintain their tribal traditions, thereby providing an effective path toward the maintenance of cultural identity, or O'odham Himdag. Cultural identity serves as a source of client strength and as a protective factor contributing to client wellness. O'odham Himdag describes a way of life, encompassing Tohono O'odham culture. This article is a theoretical exploration of O'odham Himdag as a path toward cultural identity among the Tohono O'odham of Southern Arizona and Northern Sonora, …

Using Reasons For Living To Connect To American Indian Healing Traditions, Thomas L. Crofoot Graham

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Responding to high rates of suicide for American Indian youth, helping professionals often struggle to connect healing traditions from American Indian cultures to tools from European psychology. The differences between American Indian healing and European therapy can be vast. Finding connections or building bridges between these two perspectives may be more difficult than it appears (Duran & Duran, 1995). One method to bring together these worldviews is to use the Reasons for Living Questionnaire (RFL, Linehan, Goldstein, Nielsen, & Chiles, 1983); the Reasons for Living Inventory for Adolescents (RFL-A, Osman, Downs, Kopper, Barios, Besett, Linehan, Baker, & Osman, 1998), or …

Envisioning A Healthy Future: A Re-Becoming Of Native American Men, Paul Rock Krech

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Native American men have historically been important to their communities, each having a specific function in the perpetuation of cultural norms and practices. Oral tradition and communal experiential activity were pathways of maintaining a connection with others and in regenerating culture. In contrast, the modern dominant culture values and emphasizes individuation as an indicator of psychosocial growth. This influence seems to have hindered Indigenous people/men in maintaining a sense of connection with the community. Survival for Indigenous men during the establishment of encroaching nations has often occurred through relinquishment of a part of 'self' psychically. Aboriginal men report experiencing hopelessness …

E.L.D.E.R.S. Gathering For Native American Youth: Continuing Native American Traditions And Curbing Substance Abuse In Native American Youth, Warren Skye

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

E.L.D.E.R.S. Gathering for Native American youth: continuing Native American traditions and curbing substance abuse in Native American youth describes the efforts of Native American Elders, traditionalists, and non-native volunteers interested in preserving the culture and traditions of the Haudenosaunee (People of the Longhouse), also known as the Iroquois. This event is held every summer at the Ganondagan Historical site located near Victor, in upstate New York. The purpose of this week long gathering is to bring together Native American youth who are interested in learning more about their traditional ways with Native American Elders who practice these traditions. Much of …

Public Voices And Public Policy: Changing The Societal Discourse On "Welfare", Vicki Lens

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Much of the public discourse on welfare reform is subjective and value laden, a composite of socially constructed stories and myths that support the dominant ideology. This article reports on a study that examines the language used by government officials, poverty experts, advocates and others to discuss welfare reform. Statements made about welfare reform were extracted from the Washington Post and the New York Times and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Dissecting the public language of welfare provides insight into how prevailing ideologies are communicated and reinforced, and how they can be changed.