Sociology Commons^™

The Theoretical Status Of The Concept Of Civilization, Roger W. Wescott

Comparative Civilizations Review

This paper may be regarded as an effort to answer some questions concerning the conceptualization of civilization.

1. Whether or not concepts are essentially verbal, is the concept of civilization primarily denotative (referential) or connotative (emotive) in meaning?

2. If the concept of civilization is primarily emotive, is its emotive force predominantly laudatory or derogatory in effect?

3. When the concept of civilization is derogatory, is it decadence or outdatedness that is primarily derogated?

4. If the concept of civilization is primarily denotative, is its denotation primarily abstract (referring to culture and associated mentifacts) or primarily concrete (referring to people …

Monitoring Wise Civilization By Creating An Index, Andrew Targowski

Comparative Civilizations Review

The Wise Civilization Index will assess how wise we are in developing and living in a sustainable civilization.

Recently, people have started to worry about the state of the climate. This has been reflected in the finding that the climate temperature should be kept to a growth of below two degrees Celsius by 2100 to save our species from a slow death (The Paris Agreement of 2015). After all, raising the human body temperature by two degrees threatens illness and even death by four degrees. The same (relatively) can be done with Earth. However, apart from the climate, the problem …

Book Review: Erich S. Gruen. Cultural Identity In The Ancient Mediterranean, John Berteaux

Comparative Civilizations Review

Erich S. Gruen’s edited collection Cultural Identity in the Ancient Mediterranean first appeared in 2011. I feel the significance of this collection is that it teases out and asks us to assess unreflective assumptions that inform not only our vision of the past, but also our grasp of present-day collective identities. Early on Gruen reports that while moderns tend to focus on difference, dissimilarity, or contrast when distinguishing cultures, in the eight sections of this text scholars identify and investigate complex connections that resulted in the cultural identities we associate with the ancient Mediterranean world. The essence of Gruen’s argument …

Book Review: Michael Farmer. An Atlas Of The Tibetan Plateau. Volume 50 In Brill’S Tibetan Studies Library Series, Constance Wilkinson

Comparative Civilizations Review

An Atlas of the Tibetan Plateau is a masterful melding of science and art created by British architect and cartographer Michael Farmer. Based on extensive contemporary data painstakingly woven from satellite imagery, the intrepid and apparently indefatigable Mr. Farmer has, over decades, produced a unique and indispensable reference work

The Mything Link: Why Sacred Storytelling Is A Key Human Survival Strategy, Ken Baskin

Comparative Civilizations Review

For several decades, societies across the globe have faced a real existential threat with challenges such as global warming. Yet no one in the elite has been able to do anything to improve conditions. We seem to be trapped in the kind of situation that Einstein described when he discussed problems that can’t be solved with the logic that created them.

Buber The Radical Egalitarian And Buber And Psychology, Kenneth Feigenbaum

Comparative Civilizations Review

My first iteration for this paper was to present Martin Buber in the context of radical politics in Germany and to focus upon his relationship to the anarchist Gustav Landauer. After a brief search, I found too few sources that were easily accessible from here in the United States, so as part of this presentation I situate Buber in the radical politics extant mostly during his time in Germany and in Berlin. I focus here on Buber’s psychology but include several intellectual side trips visiting aspects of Buber’s philosophy and his politics. I cannot separate them in discussing Buber and …

Full Issue

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

“Early Covid” Changes In Parenting, Education, And Work On Parental Stress: A Gendered Comparison Of Canadian Parents, Holly Harris

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In May 2020, data were collected through survey as the COVID-19 pandemic was unfolding and still in its “early” months. The sample N=1,208 is of Canadian parents in a residential romantic relationship, who live with a residential child under the age of eighteen years old, who have access to the internet, and speak English or French. I examine how disruptions to child’s education/daycare, work, and parental childcare activities predicted parental stress through regression models. Findings indicate that fathers and mothers stress since the onset of COVID-19 were the same and that gender was not a moderator to parental stress. A …

Analyzing The Continuum Of Control And Freedom In Intimate Relationships: A Grounded Theory, Daniel Smedley

Theses and Dissertations

Although research identifying and addressing extreme forms of control exists, all relationships experience some amount of control and some amount of the opposite of control, which is freedom. Large gaps in prevalence estimates and varied definitions of control suggest a need to better define the spectrum of control from mild to extreme forms, including looking at non-physically violent forms of coercive control. The purpose of this study was to expand knowledge of control in intimate relationships by examining the continuum of mild and extreme experiences of both control and freedom. Using constructivist grounded theory methods, the two categories of control …

Securely Ever After: Attachment,Trust, And Commitment In Married Adult Adoptees, Jill P. Burgon

Theses and Dissertations

Past research suggests that adoptees face a higher risk of insecure attachment and encounter more challenges related to trust and commitment in their romantic relationships compared to nonadopted individuals. This study examines the association between adoption status and marital security among newly married couples, with a focus on the potential moderating role of gender. Using data from a representative sample of newly married couples in the United States (n = 2,110), the relationship between adoption status and multiple measures of marital security were measured using OLS regression. Findings indicate that, during the early stages of marriage, adult adoptees exhibited comparable …

Presenting Issue Agreement And The Therapeutic Alliance In Family Therapy, Emilee Oldroyd

Theses and Dissertations

Research has consistently shown a positive association between the therapeutic alliance and family therapy outcome. Theory and preliminary research suggest that parent and adolescent agreement on the presenting problem would be a significant predictor of the therapeutic alliance in family therapy. This study used de-identified data from the Marriage and Family Therapy Practice Research Network. The presenting problem was assessed at the first session, and agreement in presenting problems was determined by matching the responses between the parents and adolescents. The within-system alliance item of the Intersession Alliance Measures-Family (IAM-F), assessed at the fourth session, was used to measure the …

Emotion Regulation Difficulties And Couple Relationship Quality Across Eight Sessions: A Dyadic Analysis With Latent Growth Curve Modeling, Min Xu

Theses and Dissertations

While previous studies have demonstrated significant associations between partners' emotion regulation and overall well-being, few studies provide knowledge on emotion regulation in clinical couples, especially across couple therapy sessions. With 168 heterosexual couples who attended at least the initial eight sessions of couple therapy, the current study was designed to examine the intra- and inter-personal effects of emotion regulation difficulties (i.e., lack of awareness, nonacceptance, limited strategies, and impulsivity) on the development of relationship quality over the course of couple therapy. The results of the current study provide a few important findings. First, gender differences exist in emotion regulation and …

The Hidden Power Of “Thank You”: Exploring Aspects, Expressions, And The Influence Of Gratitude In Religious Families, Joe M. Chelladurai, Loren D. Marks, David C. Dollahite, Heather H. Kelley, David B. Allsop

Faculty Publications

Gratitude has been extensively studied over the past two decades. Among several predictors, aspects of religiosity and spirituality have been consistent predictors of gratitude. To explore the religious motivations and processes that foster the practice of gratitude, we undertook a systematic thematic analysis using interview data from a national qualitative project of 198 highly religious families. Participants (n = 476) included mothers, fathers, and children from various socioeconomic backgrounds and from diverse religious, racial, and ethnic backgrounds in the United States of America. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in the participants’ homes. Data for this study were analyzed using a team-based …

The Affirm Model For Navigating Challenges In Divergent-Interfaith And Consistent-Interfaith Marriages, Justin J. Hendricks

Theses and Dissertations

The current study utilized a qualitative approach to identify the specific processes and principles that promote stability and happiness in exemplary interfaith marriages. In-depth interviews were conducted with 32 interfaith couples (N = 63) that had been recruited through purposive sampling who reported being happily married on average 20 years. Six core themes were identified through team-based systematic analysis using NVivo 12. Many couples reported several significant challenges because of their religious differences, as discussed in our first theme. We organized the five themes regarding how couples navigated religious differences into the AFFIRM model. That is, the adaptive processes and …

Did Covid Change Everything Or Nothing At All? Canadian Family Life During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Carlee Guenther Dynes

Theses and Dissertations

In March of 2020, Canada, along with the rest of the world, declared the COVID-19 pandemic a national emergency and responded with society-wide lockdowns, granting exceptions only for essential workers. Canadians across all demographic categories were significantly impacted, and many parents of children under 18 faced the difficult task of caring for their children while simultaneously meeting their work obligations. Using novel in-depth interview data from 30 Canadian parents (in 15 couples) collected between April 2022 and May 2023, I explore three main changes to family life resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic: expanded family-friendly work practices, increased time with nuclear …

The Effect Of Therapeutic Alliance Quality On Relationship Quality, With Latino Ethnicity As A Moderator: An Exploratory Study, Ivana Elisa Borba Gomez

Theses and Dissertations

A strong therapeutic alliance is consistently related to successful outcomes in couple therapy. However, most of the research done on therapeutic alliance has been done among non-Latino White individuals and couples, failing to account for other ethnic minorities like Latinos. Latinos tend to share certain commonalities as opposed to non-Latino clients that may alter the relationship between alliance quality and relationship quality. This exploratory study was designed to understand whether Latino clients have higher initial levels of alliance and a stronger alliance-outcome relationship in couple therapy when compared to non-Latino White couples. The sample consisted of 567 couples seeking therapy …

Returning Home: The Thesis Of A Master, Yang Thai Vang

Theses and Dissertations

Over centuries, Hmong people have moved from mountain to mountain, home to home, country to country, crossing rivers and valleys in search of an escape from oppression. The Txiv Xaiv (Plig) ritual and chant has survived serial exodus and diaspora that Hmong people have experienced. This ritual encodes Hmong historical and cosmological understandings as an oral text, passed down from master to student, and performed at funerals to apply that understanding in the management of souls--ultimately to send them home. The Txiv Xaiv (Plig) serves as a glue, connecting the past generations to the generation of today and the generations …

Meaning Making And Athletic Gender Discrimination: Associations Between Sports Participation And Gender Discrimination Among Adolescent Females, Chenae Christensen Duerden

Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that participation in athletics provides adolescent females with a variety of positive mental and physical benefits. While Title IX paved the way for increased female participation in organized sports, female athletes, including adolescents, continue to face various forms of gender discrimination. Research also suggests that females with a strong feminist identity are more likely to identify and speak out against gender discrimination. Accordingly, this study seeks to examine the association between gender discrimination and sports participation and the potential moderating role of feminist identity and cognitive appraisals of discrimination on this relationship. Participants were 580 adolescent females (age …

What Do Refugees Need Most, Micah Stepan, Hayley Gorham

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Refugees often struggle in their new country upon arrival. After fleeing their war-torn homeland and daring to survive an equally perilous journey to freedom through unknown landscapes, refugees often find that adjusting to the new country providing them shelter and safety is just as difficult as the journey it took them to get there. When refugees arrive in their new country, everything is new. Often, they arrive with just what is on their backs, and they begin a new fight for survival at the bottom of the economic food chain. In short, everything is a challenge.

Refugees And Migrants - A World On The Move, Beverli J. Dewalt

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

With the increasing numbers of refugees and migrants worldwide, particularly over the past decade, being informed about current issues and trends is important for nonprofits working in this arena. This article gives an overview of statistics, trends, data, and policies related to refugees and migrants. This article also briefly reviews key areas nonprofits help in this sector and encourages collaboration and community involvement. Additional resources for further reading are also provided.

Helping Refugees Heal Through Yoga - The Healing Method, Yoga Will Heal

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Refugees have often gone through traumatic experiences, which opens the opportunity for healing tools to be presented in refugee camps and community groups. The Mental Health Foundation states that “trauma can make you more vulnerable to developing mental health problems. It can also directly cause post-traumatic stress disorder” (Mental Health Foundation, 2023). The Healing Method: A Mental Health Approach to Yoga can be a healing tool for many refugees in coping with areas of mental health and trauma.

Migrants And Refugees

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Migrants, Refugees And Human Trafficking, Angie Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

As the migrant and refugee numbers show a continual growth around the world, there is a pressing need to find solutions to end the suffering of migrant women, men, and children as they become victims of human trafficking. Understanding the current situation and the challenges that exist with migrants and refugees can lead to finding ways of developing preventive measures, including (1) prosecuting traffickers, (2) protecting victims and (3) cooperating in counter-trafficking efforts, according to the World Migration Report in 2022 and the Survivor Inclusion Initiative in 2021. New research needs to be pursued, policies and programs need to be …

Reach Out Today, Micah Stepan, Hayley Gorham

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

HQ: Utah, USA

Mission: Identify and alleviate gaps in the lives of Utah’s vulnerable children and at-risk youth to provide relief and hope.

Latest Research Summaries (Migrants And Refugees)

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Lifting Hands International, Walker Frahm, Hayley Smith

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

HQ: Utah, USA

Mission: Lifting Hands International (LHI) provides aid to refugees at home and abroad. No politics, simply humanitarian. We respond rapidly to forced migration situations, carefully investigating conditions on the ground, and working with partners to fill gaps in the provision of timely and impactful aid to those in need.

Remembering And Forgetting: The Commemoration Of The First World War And The Spanish Influenza Pandemic In Salt Lake City, Utah, Bethany Kathleen Gustafson

Theses and Dissertations

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, American culture has experienced a renewed interest in pandemic events, including the Spanish Influenza pandemic of 1918-1919. Based on research carried out in cemeteries and monuments in Salt Lake City, Utah, this paper compares commemoration practices relating to the Spanish Influenza pandemic and the simultaneous events of First World War within the city. Such research provides evidence that warfare enjoys a greater presence in places of social memory than does disease, suggesting an inequality in the cultural value placed on different causes of death. This outcome is the result of numerous factors and …

Meet Them Where They Scroll: A Meta-Analytic Review Of Teen And Young Adult Dating Violence Prevention Programs, Aeriel Grace Halstead

Theses and Dissertations

The public is often surprised by the high prevalence of relationship violence. With more than 50% of adults experiencing some form of physical or psychological violence in their intimate relationships during their lifetime, IPV is a public health crisis that particularly affects marginalized communities (Breiding et al., 2015; Johns et al., 2019, 2020; Stockman et al., 2015). The variable results of perpetrator and victim treatments make prevention particularly important if it is effective (Anderson & Van Ee, 2018; Babcock et al., 2004; Cheng et al., 2021; Karakurt et al., 2019; Maguire, 2018; Stith, Rosen, et al., 2004; Stover et al., …

Marital Stability In Newlywed Remarried Couple Relationships: Positive Communication And Marital Interactions In Shared Moments Or Activities, Colette Hickman-Evans

Theses and Dissertations

Remarriages are more structurally diverse, last less time, are more vulnerable, and at greater risk for divorce than first marriages. The newlywed stage of marriage is a critical time when relationship patterns are established or reinforced that can impact a relationship for years to come, yet very few studies have examined remarried relationships in the newlywed stage. This study examined the association between marital interaction, positive communication, and marital instability in 348 newlywed remarried couple participants from a nationally representative sample. Using structural equation modeling (SEM) and actor-partner interdependence model with mediation (APIMeM), the findings indicated that positive communication was …

Group Therapy For Externalizing Behavior Problems In Youth: A Meta-Analysis, Rachel Anne Arnold

Theses and Dissertations

Externalizing behavior problems are a common concern among youth and can be associated with significant problems. As such, the need for effective treatment is evident. While research on psychosocial interventions has been promising, the specific efficacy of youth group therapy has not been assessed in a meta-analysis. Objectives: to assess group therapy's efficacy for youth with behavioral issues and whether treatment effects are moderated by study, patient, leader, or group characteristics. Method: major databases were used to identify and screen potential articles based on inclusion criteria. Included studied were analyzed in a random effects meta-analysis, and potential moderators were assessed. …