Sociology Commons^™

Debunking: A Role For The Practicing Sociologist, Harris Chaiklin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Individual sociologists have been effective in solving organizational problems. They have been spectacularly unsuccessful in solving persistent social problems such as poverty. These ultimate troubles may never be solved but they must always be worked with. Sociological ideas cannot be the only knowledge system used in working with social difficulties. No reductionistic system has ever been successful. Creating the conditions which will even improve any deleterious social behavior requires a wider perspective and more resources than the sociologist, as sociologist, can muster. Practicing sociologists can make their greatest contribution to ameliorating major social malfunctions by putting increased emphasis on their …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 24, No. 3 (September 1997)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• EDITORIAL - Bob Leighninger
• ESCAPING POVERTY AND BECOMING SELF-SUFFICIENT - Richard K. Caputo
• SUCCESSFUL ADAPTATION OF IMMIGRANTS FROM THE FORMER SOVIET UNION TO PROJECT RENEWAL NEIGHBORHOODS - Haya Itzhaky
• THE FRAMING OF POLITICAL ADVOCACY AND SERVICE RESPONSES IN THE CRIME VICTIM RIGHTS MOVEMENT - Frank J. Weed
• CONCEIVING IDENTITY: BISEXUAL, LESBIAN AND GAY PARENTS CONSIDER THEIR CHILDREN'S SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS - Carrie Yang Costello
• A MAN WITHOUT A JOB IS A DEAD MAN: THE MEANING OF WORK AND WELFARE IN THE LIVES OF YOUNG MEN - Kathleen A. Kost
• MOVING ALONG: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF HOMELESS WOMEN WITH …

Conceiving Identity: Bisexual, Lesbian And Gay Parents Consider Their Children's Sexual Orientations, Carrie Yang Costello

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study demonstrates the inadequacy of the traditional theory of childhood socialization and identity formation, which holds that children are socialized to internalize the key parameters of their parents' identities. The lesbian, gay and bisexual parents studied were willing actively to foster a sexual identity different from their own in their children. This illustrates that parents may seek to shape the process of internalization so that their children are able to develop identities fundamentally different from their own. The implication for social work is that adoptive or birth parents may successfully instill identities in their children which differ from their …

A Man Without A Job Is A Dead Man: The Meaning Of Work And Welfare In The Lives Of Young Men, Kathleen A. Kost

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Little is known about the use of welfare by young men as most research and debate have concentrated on the use of welfare by families headed by single women. This research includes young men in this debate by examining the personal characteristics, events that precipitated their use, why they exited, and the barriers they faced in obtaining employment. Data are from qualitative interviews of 20 young men who resided in Madison, Wisconsin. Findings suggest that these men use General Assistance as a type of unemployment insurance between jobs. Policy, program and research recommendations are made regarding the need for assistance …

The Class Politics Of Domestic Violence, John P. Mckendy

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The claim is often voiced that wife abuse is a problem that "cuts across" all social and economic lines. Yet there is considerable research evidence suggesting an inverse relationship between wife abuse and the socioeconomic status of both victims and perpetrators. The question of the relevance of social class has generally been construed as a factual one, in principle resolvable by collecting more and better data. Doing a participant observation study of a treatment programme for men who batter, I was forced to bracket the "objective," empirical question, but freed to see how certain ideological practices worked to keep class …

An Afrocentric Perspective On Social Welfare Philosophy And Policy, Jerome H. Schiele

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Although much of the literature on American social welfare philosophy and policy is progressive and sincere in its objectives to dismantle poverty and economic oppression, the literature is limited in two important areas: 1) identifying American social welfare philosophy and policy as primarily Eurocentric in its worldview, and 2) applying the cultural values of people of color as a conceptual base to advance and diversify views on social welfare philosophy and policy. To address this gap, this paper draws on the viewpoints of a cadre of social scientists called Afrocentrists and applies the Afrocentric worldview to deseribe how it conceives …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 24, No. 2 (June 1997)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• INDOCHINESE MENTAL HEALTH IN NORTH AMERICA: MEASURES, STATUS, AND TREATMENTS - Thanh V. Tran and Donna L. Ferullo
• AN AFROCENTRIC PERSPECTIVE ON SOCIAL WELFARE PHILOSOPHY AND POLICY - Jerome H. Schiele
• TOWARD A SOCIOCULTURAL CONTEXT FOR UNDERSTANDING VIOLENCE AND DISRUPTION IN BLACK URBAN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES - Linwood H. Cousins
• RECONSTRUCTING SEX OFFENDERS AS MENTALLY ILL: A LABELING EXPLANATION - Rudolph Alexander, Jr.
• PERSONAL NARRATIVE AND THE SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE LIVES OF FORMER PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS - Robin M. Gilmartin
• ETHICS IN FIELD EDUCATION: PROMISE, PRETENSION, OR PRACTICE? - Gary Mathews, Susan Weinger, and Marion Wijnberg
• THE …

Toward A Sociocultural Context For Understanding Violence And Disruption In Black Urban Schools And Communities, Linwood H. Cousins

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article examines violence and disruption in a Black urban school and community. The author argues that an unempowering framework of culture has restricted our understanding of violence and other social issues affecting Black schools and communities. From such a backdrop, a sociocultural framework is presented that captures the strain, solidarity, and contemporary emergences that area part of school, American and Black culture, and a part of the context in which violence occurs in Black schools and communities. Broad implications are posited for human service policy, research, and direct practice.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 24, No. 1 (March 1997)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• CIVIL RIGHTS AND ASIAN AMERICANS - Gerson David and Jan Lin
• POVERTY AMONG ASIAN AMERICANS: THEORIES AND APPROACHES - Surjit Singh Dhooper
• FAMILY FUNCTIONING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING IN VIETNAMESE ADOLESCENTS - Quang Duong Tran and Cheryl A. Richey
• DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE KOREAN IMMIGRANT FAMILY - Siyon Rhee
• ASIAN-AMERICAN ELDERLY: A REVIEW OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND SOCIAL SERVICE NEEDS - Mizanur R. Miah and Dean R. Kahler
• ASIAN-AMERICAN WOMEN: AN UNDERSTUDIED MINORITY - Lina Y. S. Fong
• NOTES TOWARD A THEORY OF SECONDARY INTEGRATION: APORIAS OF A LOST PARADIGM - Brij Mohan
• ASIAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCES: …

Civil Rights And Asian Americans, Gerson David, Jan Lin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Asian American community composed of no less than 20 different ethnic groups is one of the most diverse and complex minority groups in the nation. This article examines the civil rights perspective on Asian Americans through a historical account of major Asian immigrant groups who have experienced and are confronting institutionalized discrimination and violence; and analyzes contemporary civil rights issues affecting Asian Americans in the areas of public and higher education, the work place, and voting rights.

Poverty Among Asian Americans: Theories And Approaches, Surjit Singh Dhooper

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Asian Americans are not immune to poverty and its consequences. This paper has reviewed several poverty-related concepts and theories and examined their relevance for understanding and dealing with poverty among Asian Americans. Social work interventions are proposed at both macro and micro levels together with the professional skills necessary for those interventions.

Asian-American Women: An Understudied Minority, Lina Y. S. Fong

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper describes Asian-American women with their inter-ethnic, intergenerational connections. Diversities in race, ethnicity, and socio-economic status influence their lives in family, participation in education, the labor force, and community life. Issues and implications about the myth of Asian- American as model minority, the influence of feminism, and social work service for Asian-American women are also discussed.

Asian-American Elderly: A Review Of The Quality Of Life And Social Service Needs, Mizanur R. Miah, Dean R. Kahler

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper briefly reviews the historical, cultural, and socio-economic factors that affect and define the lives of Asian-American elderly. A close examination of the present quality of life of Asian-American Elderly is made to determine if there are differences between that population and other populations. This paper provides information about existing social services and a summary of culturally relevant social work intervention. In conclusion, the paper underscores the urgent need for additional data collection regarding the Asian-American elderly that will help guide appropriate policy decisions and social services for this neglected group.

Review Of Inequality In Old Age. John A. Vincent. Reviewed By Martin Tracy, Southern Illinois University., Martin Tracy

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

John A. Vincent, Inequality in Old Age. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1996. $ 49.95 hardcover.

Community Builders: A Tale Of Neighborhood Mobilization In Two Cities. Gordana Rabrenovic.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Gordana Rabrenovic, Community Builders: A Tale of Neighborhood Mobilization in Two Cities. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press, 1996. $54.95 hardcover, $22.95 papercover.

Domestic Violence In The Korean Immigrant Family, Siyon Rhee

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article was supported in part by the University Research Grant from California State University, Los Angeles.

This study examines the prevalence of wife abuse among Korean immigrant families in the United States and factors contributing to domestic violence in this population. One of the most serious problems facing the Korean community is spouse abuse. Immigrant Korean families are reported to experience the highest rate of domestic violence among diverse Asian American groups in Los Angeles. Research findings indicate that wife abuse is much more prevalent among the immigrant Korean population in comparison to other ethnic groups. Correlates and factors …

Escaping Poverty & Becoming Self-Sufficient, Richard K. Caputo

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Using logistic regression analysis on data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, this study found that sociodemographic factors were far more influential in determining escape from poverty and becoming self sufficient than social psychological factors. The number of years respondents lived in poverty was the best predictor of escaping poverty, while the number of years respondents made use of public assistance programs was the best predictor of becoming self-sufficient. Marital status and change in the number of hours worked influenced the prospect for escaping poverty, though not becoming self-sufficient. Implications regarding the changing philosophy of social welfare from income …

Women Behind Bars: Trends And Policy Issues, Mark S. Kaplan, Jennifer E. Sasser

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In the crusade to get tough on crime, policy makers have also gotten tough on women, drawing them into prisons in rapidly growing numbers. Today, incarcerated women are predominately poor, uneducated, and unskilled; are disproportionately African American and Latina young women with children; and have severe health and mental health problems. This article examines the characteristics and needs of these women and presents recommendations for their more humane and pragmatic treatment and for social policy that is relevant for the decarceration of this country's soaring female prison population.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 23, No. 4 (December 1996)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• IMPROVING SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE WITH PERSONS WHO ARE HOMELESS AND MENTALLY ILL - Carol T. Mowbray, Shirley P. Thraser, Evan Cohen, and Deborah Bybee
• PREDICTORS OF DEPRESSION AMONG WORKERS AT THE TIME OF A PLANT CLOSING - Nancy R. Vosler and Deborah Page-Adams
• WOMEN BEHIND BARS: TRENDS AND POLICY ISSUES - Mark S. Kaplan and Jennifer E. Sasser
• IMPLICIT BELIEFS ABOUT CHANGE: A THEORY-GROUNDED MEASURE APPLIED TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS SERVING CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES - Susan B. Silverberg, Sherry C. Betts, Angela J. Huebner, and Sonia Cota-Robles
• PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING - Sung Sil Lee Sohng …

Occupational Aspiration Among African-Americans: A Case For Affirmative Action, Ronald E. Hall

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The recent attack upon Affirmative Action in the workplace demands that merit be the sole criterion of employment. Policies designed to eliminate discriminatory practices are in themselves discriminatory and suggest minorities are inferior. Such suggestions are archaic and simplistic. Each assumes that the workplace operates in a social vacuum when in fact a complex system of cultural norms precedes the influence of merit. For African-Americans color is a predcedent of merit. The present study was undertaken to determine the implications of color in the workplace by analyzing it vis a vis occupational aspiration. Using a sample of African- American college …

Participatory Research And Community Organizing, Sung Sil Lee Sohng

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The paper summarizes the political economy of knowledge production in an increasingly privatized, postindustrial world of knowledge society. This analysis is linked to the emergence of participatory research movements. It argues that the participatory approach to community research offers epistemology and methodology that address people, power and praxis in our postmodern, information society. The paper then describes howa participatory research project is carried out in community practice, articulating key moments and the roles of the researcher and participants. In order to develop this understanding further, it examines the efforts of two specific projects and shows how knowledge production can serve …

Residualism And Rural America: A Decade Later, Steve Jacob, Fern K. Willits, Leif Jensen

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Rural residents, more so than their urban counterparts are popularly believed to view the use of social welfare programs as appropriate only as last (residual) means of obtaining help. The extent to which this belief reflected reality was assessed by Camasso and Moore (1985) a decade ago using data from a 1980 survey of Pennsylvania residents. Congruent with the residualist hypotheses they found that rural residents were less supportive than urban people of social welfare programming, even when the effects of various personal sociodemographic characteristics were controlled. This paper replicates the workof Camasso and Moore by reporting findings from a …

Review Of The Youth Gang Problem: A Community Approach. Irving A. Spergel. Reviewed By James Callicut, University Of Texas, Arlington., James W. Callicutt

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Irving A. Spergel, The Youth Gang Problem: A Community Approach. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995. $24.00 papercover.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 23, No. 3 (September 1996)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• DETERMINANTS OF THE TIMING OF SOCIAL POLICY ADOPTION - Chulsoo Kim
• INCARNATING HEAVEN: MAKING THE HOSPICE PHILOSOPHY MEAN BUSINESS - Mark A. Mesler and Pamela J. Miller
• THE EFFECTS OF RACE AND MARITAL STATUS ON CHILD SUPPORT AND WORK EFFORT - Richard K. Caputo
• SYMPOSIUM ON WELFARE RECONCEPTUALIZING WOMEN'S WORK: A FOCUS ON THE DOMESTIC AND ELIGIBILITY WORK OF WOMEN ON WELFARE - Alice Abel Kemp, Pam Jenkins, and Molly Biehl
• REAL WELFARE REFORM REQUIRES JOBS: LESSONS FROM A PROGRESSIVE WELFARE AGENCY - Robert J. Sheak and Warren Haydon
• WELFARE TO WORK: WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES? - …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 23, No. 2 (June 1996)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• ERRATA
• THREE DISCOURSES ON PRACTICE: A POSTMODERN RE-APPRAISAL - Peter Leonard
• POVERTY, FAMILY SUPPORT, AND WELL-BEING OF INFANTS: MEXICAN IMMIGRANT WOMEN AND CHILDBEARING - Margaret Sherrard Sherraden and Rossana E. Barrera
• SPEAK OF THE DEVIL: RHETORIC IN CLAIMS-MAKING ABOUT THE SATANIC RITUAL ABUSE PROBLEM - Mary deYoung
• FACTORS IN LENGTH OF FOSTER CARE: WORKER ACTIVITIES AND PARENT-CHILD VISITATION - MaryEllen White, Eric Albers, and Christine Bitonti
• MOTHERS WITH CHILDREN AND MOTHERS ALONE: A COMPARISON OF HOMELESS FAMILIES - Jennifer E. Glick
• MANAGED COMPUTER SYSTEM CONCEPTUALIZATION: KNOWING WHEN TO SAY NO - Menachem Monnickendam
• PURCHASE OF SERVICE CONTRACTING …

Review Of Individual Voices, Collective Visions: Fifty Years Of Women In Sociology. Ann Goetting And Sarah Fenstermaker (Eds). Reviewed By Karen E. Campbell, Vanderbilt University., Karen E. Campbell

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Ann Goetting and Sarah Fenstermaker (Eds.) Individual Voices, Collective Vision: Fifty Years of Women in Sociology. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1995. $49.95 hardcover, $18.95 papercover.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 23, No. 1 (March 1996)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• INTRODUCTION - James Midgley
• MARKET MECHANISMS AND CONSUMER INVOLVEMENT IN THE DELIVERY OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES: A UK - US COMPARISON - Wes Shera
• THE IMPACT OF MARKET ECONOMY TRANSITION ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND SOCIAL WELFARE: THE CASE OF POLAND - Morgan Tracy and Martin B. Tracy
• THE MARGINALIZATION OF SOCIAL WELFARE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: A STUDY OF FOUR THEORIES OF SOCIAL POLICY DEVELOPMENT - K. L. Tang
• TOWARDS A DEVELOPMENTAL MODEL OF SOCIAL POLICY: RELEVANCE OF THE THIRD WORLD EXPERIENCE - James Midgley
• SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: NECESSARY PARTNERS FOR THE FUTURE IN …

The Work-Family Needs Of Single Parents: A Comparison Of American And Swedish Policy Trends, Lena Lundgren-Gaveras

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper compares recent policy trends affecting the work-family needs of women heading households, a population that has increased dramatically in both America and Sweden. Unlike existing American policy debates that largely discuss single mothers as a public welfare dependent population, this paper addresses female-headed householders as high-level users of policies and programs aimed at integrating work life and family life.

Most cross-national research and policy debate efforts argue that Swedish policy, in stark contrast to American policy, promote women combining employment with parenting responsibilities. This study argues that policy developments directly targeted to enhance an employee's ability to combine …

A Tale Of Two Hannas: Observations On Israeli And Palestinian Women's Resistance To Occupation (1991-1995), Christina Pratt

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

An observer reviews the successes and failures of grassroots strategies of non-violent resistance to military occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Particular attention is paid to the role of women's groups and peace organizations in Israel as well as in Israeli Occupied Arab Territories.

The Effects Of Race And Marital Status On Child Support And Work Effort, Richard K. Caputo

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Labor Market Experience (NLSLME), Young Women's Cohort, to assess the influence of race and marital status on levels of child support and work effort of recipients of child support in 1978,1983,1988, and 1991. Controlling for the number of children and highest completed grade of education, the study found that race exerted no effect on either level of child support payments or work effort in any of the study years. Marital status influenced level of child support in each study year and work effort only in 1983. Formerly-married mothers had the …