Sociology Commons^™

The Concept Of Social Exclusion And Rural Development Policy, F. Dale Parent, Bonnie L. Lewis

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

Since the early 1970s rural research and public education programs have been intensified in efforts to improve living conditions and strengthen community life in rural America (Southern Perspectives 2000). During much of the 1990s, the nation, including the rural South, experienced a growing economy, a booming stock market, and declining unemployment rates (Gibbs 2001). However, many serious social problems traditionally associated with the rural South remain to this day (Gibbs 2001). This paper introduces the concept of social exclusion, used extensively in European countries and now part of the European Union's official lexicon. Social exclusion is defined as the process …

Faith Based Initiatives And Black Churches: Relationships In A Small City, Said Sewell Iii

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

This exploratory study examined characteristics of black churches in a small southern city that affected the likelihood that such churches would play an active role in faith-based community services. A formal mail survey of church ministers in black Protestant churches in this city was employed. Results were discussed in light of federal policies that promote faith-based initiatives to meet local social service needs. The results indicated that the majority of the black churches in this study were active in addressing local needs through indirect (sermons, lobbying local governments) rather than direct (program development and implementation) means. Among a range of …

New Opportunities For Social Research On Forest Landowners In The South, John Schelhas, Robert Zabawa, Joseph J. Molnar

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

Many of the issues of importance to forest management and policy have important social components. Yet, in the South, social research on forests has lagged behind economic and biophysical research. In this paper we identify some important new opportunities for social research on forests in the South, focusing on non industrial private forests because they represent the majority of the South's timberland. We identify six important areas for social research. One, research on diversity of forest land owners and how different landowners relate to and use their forests. Two, social relationships of forest landowners, including household and family structure and …

One Step Further: Women's Access To And Control Over Farm And Forest Resources In The U.S. South, Sarah T. Warren

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

The ownership and management of forested land by women in the United States has been largely unexamined. It may be inappropriately discounted, especially in regions such as the South, where private land ownership is extensive and forest industry is an important component of the economy. Here several data sources on female forest and woodland owner/operators are examined, focusing on the southern U.S. states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. It is clear that female-operated farms and farmlands are increasing, and that female farm operators employ different land use strategies from their male/other …

One Engineer And A Dog: Technological Change And Social Restructuring In Alabama's Pulp And Paper Industry, Peter R. Sinclair, Conner Bailey, Mark Dubois

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

We apply a commodity systems analysis to examine a series of changes that are transforming Alabama's pulp and paper industry. Alabama is a critical area for investigation because it lies at the heart of North America's principle pulp and paper production zone. Industry restructuring is a complex process involving the reorganization of capital and corporate ownership, as well as changes in technologies, which affect the labor process. For example, a recent spate of corporate mergers has resulted in concentration of mill ownership and has accelerated the prevalence of sub-contracting. Indeed, the expansion of sub-contracting into new realms raises the fundamental …

Historical Analysis Of Timber Dependency In Alabama, Glenn R. Howze, Laura J. Robinson, Joni F. Norton

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

Almost every part of Alabama is heavily forested and by most standards the forest products industry is the state's leading industry. A significant portion of the total employment and the majority of the manufacturing employment of these counties are in forest product enterprises, criteria used here to define timber dependent counties. This paper will use the historical demographic, economic, and agricultural census data to trace the development of timber dependency in rural counties in Alabama. Understanding the social and land use history is critical in examining timber dependency in Alabama today. Conclusions will be drawn between rural and timber dependent …

Regional Comparisons Of Timber Dependency: The Northwest And The Southeast, Joni F. Norton, Glenn R. Howze, Laura J. Robinson

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

We perform a comparison of the timber dependency and socioeconomic characteristics of timber dependent counties for three states in the Northwest region (Idaho, Oregon, and Washington) and three states in the Southeast region (Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi) of the United States. The purpose of this research is to examine whether two forested areas of the United States experience timber dependency in similar ways. This research defines timber dependent counties as those with 20 percent or more of the total employment in forest-based industries. Questions related to forest-based employment patterns and socioeconomic correlates of timber dependency are examined. Tests of difference …

Public Interests In Private Property: Conflicts Over Wood Chip Mills In North Carolina, Sarah T. Warren

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

The controversy over chip mills in North Carolina is part of a larger public discussion of forest policy throughout the southern Appalachians, Ozarks, and Ouachitas. Chip mills have become a symbol of forest resource exploitation in the southern Appalachians, and many studies and commissions have been established for analysis of the conflict. In this paper I describe the tensions that have arisen between new public views of appropriate property use and more traditional views of natural resource use. Based on the results of a social impact assessment conducted in the summer of 1999 as part of a broader study on …

Public Perceptions About Biotechnology, Don E. Albrecht

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

Biotechnology represents a new generation of scientific and technological advancements and has the potential to result in profound changes in twenty-first century agriculture. Since the general public are the consumers of biotechnology products, public acceptance is vital. This article presents the results of a survey of a random sample of Texas residents on two significant issues. First, to what extent is the general public supportive of biotechnology, and second, are there some segments of the population that are more supportive of biotechnology than other segments. Survey results make it apparent that the Texas general public has a clear mandate about …

Taking Stock: Women Of All Colors In Legal Education, Rachel F. Moran

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Women Of Color In Law Teaching: Shared Identities, Different Experiences, Katherine L. Vaughns

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Midcourse Corrections: Women In Legal Education, Deborah L. Rhode

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

"Where Did You Go To Law School?" Gatekeeping For The Professoriate And Its Implications For Legal Education, Richard E. Redding

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

A Continuous Body: Ongoing Conversations About Women And Legal Education, Judith Resnik

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

New Directions For Women In The Legal Academy, Deborah Jones Merritt, Barbara F. Reskin

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Methodology Matters, Sari Bashi, Maryana Iskander

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Adjusting But Not Assimilating: International Students At East Tennessee State University., Yumiko Okuda Owens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the number of international students grows, the importance of understanding them grows also. This thesis analyzes in-depth interview data from 17 international students from 12 different countries at East Tennessee State University who discussed their experiences as international students. Findings show that they are willing to adjust to the new culture and a new educational system, but they are reluctant to assimilate further. After they obtain their education, most of them want to return to their home country with their degree to work, even though situations are often better in the United States. These students serve as cultural ambassadors, …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 79, No. 28, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

• Hoang, Mai. Circuit Court Dismisses Katie Autry Suit Against Western
• Hopkins, Shawntaye. Four Dorms Converted to Single-Sex for Fall 2004 – Housing & Residence Life
• Hoang, Mai. Sponsors Help Give Diddle Arena New Look
• Coffman, Josh. Open House Discusses Proposals – Fraternities & Sororities, SKyPAC
• Clark, Ashlee. Activities Planned for Christmas Break – International Students
• Lamar, Mike. Editorial Cartoon re: Big Red Way
• The College Heights Herald’s Christmas Wish List
• Clauson, J.M. Tune Played too Early – Fight Song
• Hoang, Mai. Downing University Center Will Help Students Reach Goals …

2003 Plan For Multicultural Development, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Resources

No abstract provided.

Becoming A Sister: The Socialization Of Women Into A Sorority, Kathleen Hughes

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Adult peer groups have become more and more a topic for sociological study. It is a phenomenon that is starting to gain interest. This research focuses on one sorority on the campus of a Midwestern university and how this sorority manages to incorporate the women that they pledge through formal recruitment into the sorority and how these women fully socialize themselves into this group of women who already have bonded with each other. A synthesis of symbolic interactionism and social exchange theory helps to break down the socialization process and shows how the new members move through the stages of …

Criminality Groups And Substance Abuse, Dana Brown

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This descriptive study was designed to determine whether substance abusers could be differentially characterized by past involvement in crimes and, further, whether there is a relationship between the type of substance abused and the degree of violence of the crimes committed. By comparing the socio-demographic characteristics, substance-use, and strain-inducing events reported by 598 residential and outpatient treatment seekers in the Kentucky Treatment Outcome and Performance Pilot Studies Enhancement Project, this study provides further understanding of the crime-substance relationship. This study utilized Robert Agnew's 1992 general strain theory. Results suggest that substance addicts and substance users can be characterized in terms …

Geography Of White Supremacist Groups In The United States: Gis And Mapping, Catherine Lisa Kostyn

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to examine some of the common stereotypes related to the distribution of white supremacist groups in the United States; that the distribution of such groups are driven by education levels, poverty rates, income levels and the presence of an immigrant population. Research conducted by police departments such as the Chicago, IL and San Diego, CA police departments show no correlation between socioeconomic factors and the spatial distribution of such groups. This thesis examines the question at a national scale, and county level for a limited number of states. Statistical analysis and mapping were chosen …

The Future Of Grassroots America: Local Perspectives On Current And Emerging Issues Facing Urban, Suburban And Rural Communities, Center For Urban Research And Learning, Philip Nyden, Gwendolyn Nyden, Amanda Fox

Center for Urban Research and Learning: Publications and Other Works

CURL worked with the National Neighborhood Coalition (a coalition of national and local organizations concerned with building the capacity of neighborhood-level organizations throughout the U.S.) to collect survey data and conduct focus groups that gave NNC an understanding of current and emerging policy issues at the local level. CURL worked with NNC in presenting these results at a Neighborhood Development Trend Summit in Washington, DC in June 2003. The summit engaged community leaders, private and public sector thought-leaders, policy makers, and funders in dialogue about the most significant trends and issues affecting the future of neighborhoods.

Based on the research …

Satellite Estimation Of Population And Housing Density In Marion County, Indiana, Guiying Li

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The world population and associated housing area have experienced a high growth rate in the past century and generated great pressure on Earth resources and environments. Accurate and timely population and housing estimates and distributions become important for many applications, such as regional design and development, policy-making, etc. This research reviewed four categories of methods to estimate population and housing using remotely sensed data in a previous study and explored the potentials of integration of Landsat ETM+ data with census data to estimate population and housing density in Marion County, Indiana. Spectral signatures, principal components, vegetation indices, fraction images, texture, …

Social Disorganization, Disorder, Social Cohesion, Informal Controls, And Crime: A Reformulation And Test Of Systemic Social Disorganization Theory, Gayle M. Rhineberger

Dissertations

The primary purpose of this dissertation is to modify and test the systemic social disorganization models of crime proposed by Bursik and Grasmick (1993) and Sampson, Raudenbush, and Earls (1997), and offer an empirical test of my hypothesized model. Specifically, the model includes traditional indicators of social disorganization (racial/ethnic heterogeneity, socioeconomic status, family disruption, residential stability) as exogenous variables; social and physical disorder, social cohesion, and three levels of informal social control (private, parochial, and public) as intervening mechanisms; and official crime counts and crime victimization as dependent variables.

The data used in this study come from the Project on …

Culture And The Effectiveness Of Supplier Diversity Programs: A Test Of Predictors, Gwendolyn Whitfield

Dissertations

Increased globalization and diversity has brought with it unique interdependencies. As we experience demographical shifts unlike any other in U.S. history, the growth rate of minority-owned businesses may represent unprecedented opportunity for corporate buyers to partner with minority suppliers. According to the Minority Business Development Agency, the minority population will represent 37.4 percent of the total U.S. population by the year 2020, and will yield purchasing power of $3 trillion. Moreover, it is estimated that between the years 2000 and 2050 the majority of new business starts will originate in the minority business community (U.S. Small Business Administration 1994). Minority-owned …

A Comprehensive Analysis Of Sex And Race Inequities In Unemployment Insurance Benefits, Melissa Latimer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This research makes a unique contribution to the growing body of literature on the welfare system by examining the relationship between sex, race, and social insurance benefits in a rural state. Using data from the West Virginia Unemployment Compensation Program, this research investigates sex and race differences in (1) monetary disqualifications for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits and (2) separation issue and nonseparation issue disqualifications of UI benefits. The analyses indicate that unemployed women, people of color, younger, and low income workers are the most likely to fail the monetary qualifications for UI benefits and to lose qualified weeks of UI …

Barriers To Lesbian Health Care, Paula Bowles

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The primary purpose of this research was to examine a sample of sixteen lesbian women regarding the barriers to lesbian health-care. From this information several interpretive findings regarding lesbian health-care are made. Data were gathered via indepth interviews with each individual lesbian. The data suggest that most lesbian women do not reveal their sexual orientation to their primary-care physician for fear of reprisal. Most of the women interviewed do feel they receive adequate health-care from their physician. The women who participated in this project did so confidentially and were assigned pseudonyms. They were asked questions on a variety of topics, …

Meta-Inquiry: An Approach To Interview Success, Nancy M. Carlson, Mark Mccaslin

The Qualitative Report

Developing an effective interview strategy presents unique challenges for the novice and master researcher for if the questions one asks are not crucial, then differences in responses are not crucial either (Creswell, 1998, p. 335). To focus qualitative research in the human ecology of the study, our strategy uses an initial interview protocol and preanalysis process, called meta-inquiry, prior to developing our formal interview protocol. Meta-inquiry of initial interview data, obtained in dialogue with key informants in the researched culture, provides us with an inductive tool to assess, modify, enhance, and focus the formal interview protocol. Thus, preparing for the …

Indicators Of Resiliency Among Urban Elementary School Students At-Risk, John L. Rausch, Cheryl R. Lovett, Christopher O. Walker

The Qualitative Report

This study was designed to investigate the phenomenon of resiliency among urban elementary school students in an at-risk environment. In contrast with previous studies narrowly focused upon the identification of risk factors, this study utilized a phenomenological qualitative approach to investigate indicators of resiliency from both individual and contextual perspectives. The narrative descriptions of 25 elementary school students in an at-risk environment were analyzed. The results indicated that the participants had strong individual and contextual resiliency indicators through the fifth grade despite being educated in a school district with almost a 60% drop-out rate before high school graduation.