Sociology Commons^™

Quality Of Life In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska: 2011 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bradley Lubben, Connie I. Reimers-Hild

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Nebraska appeared to survive the recent economic recession better than most other states. The state's unemployment rate has been one of the lowest in the nation in recent years. The agricultural economy has also been strong. Farm income levels reached record levels in 2010 and are expected to remain strong this year. Given the challenges and uncertainties of recent years, how do rural Nebraskans believe they are doing and how do they view their future? Have these views changed over the past sixteen years? How satisfied are they with various items that influence their well-being? How happy are rural Nebraskans? …

New Americans: Child Care Decision-Making Of Refugee And Immigrant Parents Of English Language Learners, Helen Ward Jd, Erin E. Oldham Lachance Phd, Julie Atkins Ma

Children, Youth, & Families

The immigrant and refugee communities in the United States continue to increase. Denver, Colorado and Portland, Maine are two U.S. cities that reflect the changing demographics across the country. As these cities evolve and adjust to serve new populations, it becomes necessary to rethink deep-rooted culturally constructed patterns and traditions that do not take into account the beliefs and practices of these new cultures. One such tradition is child care. Because of the important link between preschool experiences and later school success, understanding refugee and immigrant families’ beliefs and decisions about child care is extremely important. From a policy perspective, …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 38, No. 3 (September 2011)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• NET WORTH ACCUMULATION BY DIFFERENT INCOME QUINTILES OF OLDER ADULTS APPROACHING RETIREMENT AGE AND 10 YEARS LATER - Martha N. Ozawa and Yeong H. Yeo
• FOSTER CARE WORKERS' EMOTIONAL RESPONSES TO THEIR WORK - Alissa Schwartz
• SOCIAL WORK AND CONDITIONAL CASH TRANSFERS IN LATIN AMERICA - Cindy Calvo
• CHILD SUPPORT AS LABOR REGULATION - Yiyoon Chung
• ANYTHING GOES: SCIENCE AND SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONS IN COMPETING DISCOURSES - Philip Dybicz
• THE ROLE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN MAKING WELFARE REFORM POSSIBLE - David I. Siegel
• SANCTIONING POLICIES-AUSTRALIAN, AMERICAN AND BRITISH CROSS NATIONAL REFLECTIONS AND COMPARISONS - Harry Savelsberg

BOOK REVIEWS …

Chab Dai Charter, Helen Sworn

Annual Interdisciplinary Conference on Human Trafficking: 3rd (2011)

• 'Chab Dai' means 'joining hands' in Khmer • Coalition began in 2006 understanding the need to work together to address trafficking & sexual abuse issues in Cambodia • Currently 50 members • Collaborative activities today include focus forums, bi-annual member meetings, daily emails, resource sharing & staff capacity-building trainings

How it Began
The Charter
Stakeholder Groups
Member Participation
Implementation Tool Overview
Self-Assessment Tool
Scoring
Action Plans
Training & Support
M&E
Chab Dai Charter Expected Outcomes
Expected Individual Organization Impact
Expected Collective Impact
Upcoming Plans

The Chab Dai Study On (Re-­) Integration: Researching The Life-Cycle Of Survivors Of Sexual Exploitation And Trafficking -- Mid 2011 Report, Glenn Miles, Siobhan Miles

Annual Interdisciplinary Conference on Human Trafficking: 3rd (2011)

In 2010 Chab Dai (translation “Hands Together”) started a ten-year longitudinal ‘Butterfly’ research study in Cambodia with the aim to understand the re-integration process of children/young people who have experienced sexual exploitation and trafficking. The preliminary phase was conducted during 2010 and the focus was to explain the research to potential After-care shelters and stakeholders working in the field. During this phase a preliminary survey of interested and potential Aftercare shelters was conducted in order to understand their perspective of (re-) integration and how their programs operated. Focus group work with girls from three shelters and later one with boys …

The Un Security Council On Syria: Radical Change Or Continuity?, Thomas Pegram

Human Rights & Human Welfare

The Presidential Statement issued by the UN Security Council on August 3 condemning the widespread violation of human rights by Syrian authorities was hailed by some as signaling the collapse of the pro-Syrian "defiance coalition."

This "defiance coalition," comprised of the so-called "BRICs" (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) along with Lebanon, did indeed relent, begrudgingly, to growing international pressure for action on Syria. However, whether a statement containing little actionable content signals the crumbling of defiance rather than a diplomatic maneuver as calculations are recalibrated in light of developments is another matter.

Gerontology Newsletter, September 2011, University Of Northern Iowa. Gerontology Program.

Gerontology Newsletter

Inside this issue:

-- Rural Aging Conference
-- Congratulations Graduates
-- Webiner
-- New Website
-- Recent Cuts to the State Budget

Civic Attitude And Activity Of Loma Linda University Dental Graduates, Gregory W. Olson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Introduction: Dentistry is regarded as a profession and granted certain privileges, such as self-regulation. Associated with this status are stated and implied responsibilities which are widely debated. In recent years, dental professionalism seems to be on the decline. Evidence cited includes access-to-care issues and decreased public trust in dentists. In response, academia and professional organizations have developed curricula and statements intended to bolster professionalism. Meanwhile little is known about practicing dentists’ attitudes or participation in health-related civic matters. Objectives: This study seeks to examine the importance Loma Linda University (LLU) dental graduates place on public roles, their reported participation in …

Mountain Monitor-2nd Quarter 2011, Mark Muro, Kenan Fikri

Mountain Monitor Quarterly

Data through the second quarter of 2011 raise new questions about the pace and certainty of recovery in the Intermountain West. Even places like Denver, Colorado Springs, and Ogden—which only suffered mild setbacks in the early quarters of the recession—have stagnated in the wake of the nation’s worst economic slump since the Great Depression. Output and employment increased hesitantly in eight of the 10 major metros of the Intermountain West in the second quarter while the housing market slumped to new lows everywhere.

An Extension Of Life Course Theory Into The Child Welfare System, Shaun M. Gann

Theses and Dissertations

Over the past 20 years, Sampson and Laub's age-graded theory of informal social control, or life course theory, has become the epitome of developmental criminological theories. Life course theory is based on the premise of life trajectories that are influenced by turning points. Much research has examined possible turning points in the adult life course, such as marriage, employment, military service, and childbirth. However, few studies have attempted to determine possible turning points in the juvenile life course. In an attempt to address this lack of knowledge on juvenile turning points, this thesis presents an extension of life course theory …

About Phi Alpha Theta, Amelia K. Barker

Psi Sigma Siren

Founded in 1921, Phi Alpha Theta is the international history honor society. “We are a professional society whose mission is to promote the study of history through the encouragement of research, good teaching, publication, and the exchange of learning and ideas among historians. We seek to bring students, teachers, and writers of history together for intellectual and social exchanges, which promote and assist historical research and publication by our members in a variety of ways.”

Marriage And Cohabitation, Kara Joyner

Sociology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Religiosity, Delinquency, And The Deterrent Effects Of Informal Sanctions, Andrew L. Spivak, Miyuki Fukushima, Margaret S. Kelley, Tiffany Sanford Jenson

Sociology & Criminology Faculty Publications

Past research in deterrence theory suggests that informal social sanctions intervene in the effect of religiosity on criminal and delinquent behavior, such that more religious individuals tend to perceive stronger informal sanctions (Grasmick, Bursik and Cochran 1991a; Grasmick, Kinsey and Cochran 1991b). This study examines the influence of religiosity and social deterrence on college students' delinquent behavior, as measured by anticipated violation of a university's alcohol policy. Data were collected through a survey of undergraduate students (n = 484) at a large South-Midwestern public university that instituted a campus alcohol ban. The survey took place three months after the ban …

A Multicultural Grassroots Effort To Reduce Ethnic And Racial Social Distance Among Middle School Students, David Brandwein, Christopher Donoghue

Department of Sociology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Raising tolerance for people of different ethnic and racial groups is the goal of the Multicultural Mosaic program, a grass-roots multicultural education effort initiated by a small group of middle school teachers in a private school in the northeast. After years of enjoying the comforts of a modern, but European-based, curriculum, these teachers took the initiative to pursue an ambitious transformation of their entire school's approach to pedagogy. Not only would the English teachers introduce new texts by foreign authors and the social studies teachers introduce new materials on the history of non-Western cultures, but also the teachers of mathematics …

Disrupting Cultural Selves: Constructing Gay And Lesbian Identities In Rural Locales, Emily Kazyak

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Research points to the increasing geographical diversity of gays and lesbians, in contrast to cultural narratives that link gay and lesbian sexualities to urban spaces. Examining the sexual identity constructions of rural gays and lesbians thus provides an opportunity to analyze the connection between cultural and personal levels of narrative identity. Drawing on data from thirty interviews with rural gays and lesbians, I address how this group negotiates cultural narratives about queerness and constructs sexual identities in rural locales. I find that their interpretations of geography make clear distinctions between urban/rural and draw on elements in rural culture. These interpretations …

Filling The Gaps In Accessible Transportation, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Independent Living and Community Participation

Since 1975, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has used grant programs as a mechanism to fill transportation gaps so that people with disabilities and older individuals can effectively use public transportation. The first state grants in the Section 5310 program were awarded in 1975. SAFETEA-LU (2005) created the New Freedom Program (Section 5317), and made the Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC, Section 5316) available to all states. All three programs are similarly administered at the state level and are contingent on inclusion in a locally developed coordinated public transit - human services transportation plan. Congress and the Administration have recommended …

Coming Of Age In Marshfield: A Needs Assessment Of Aging Services, Jan Mutchler, Sandra Mccoskrie Blanchette

Gerontology Institute Publications

The purpose of this needs assessment is to investigate the needs, interests, and opinions of mature residents of Marshfield, Massachusetts, relating to their aging experiences and needs for age‐related services. On behalf of the Marshfield Council on Aging (COA), this assessment was conducted by the Collins Center for Public Management and the Gerontology Institute of the McCormack Graduate School at UMass Boston. The focus of this report is on Marshfield residents aged 60+ (referred to here as “Seniors”) and residents aged 45‐59 (referred to here as “Boomers”). Information about these two age groups was obtained both through the U.S. Census …

Massachusetts Senior Legal Assistance Project Needs Evaluation: Current Demand For Legal Services, Alison Gottlieb, Lauren A. Martin, Ellen A. Bruce

Gerontology Institute Publications

The Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston was contracted to conduct a statewide needs assessment for the MSLAP. As agreed upon by the MSLAP Advisory Board, the focus of this assessment was to analyze the demand for services Massachusetts legal service providers have experienced recently as a means to understanding the legal needs of Massachusetts elders (age 60 and older). A second needs assessment was conducted by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs. That needs assessment surveyed home care workers and other elder agency personnel to gauge their assessment of elders’ legal needs in Massachusetts. Read together, …

Relationship Formation And Stability In Emerging Adulthood: Do Sex Ratios Matter?, Tara D. Warner, Wendy D. Manning, Peggy C. Giordano, Monica A. Longmore

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Research links sex ratios with the likelihood of marriage and divorce. However, whether sex ratios similarly influence precursors to marriage (transitions in and out of dating or cohabiting relationships) is unknown. Utilizing data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study and the 2000 U.S. Census, this study assesses whether sex ratios influence the formation and stability of emerging adults’ romantic relationships. Findings show that relationship formation is unaffected by partner availability, yet the presence of partners increases women’s odds of cohabiting, decreases men’s odds of cohabiting, and increases number of dating partners and cheating among men. It appears that sex ratios …

Visiting 'Home': Contacts With The Homeland, Self-Reflexivity And Emergent Migrant Bilingual Identities, Alan Williams, Charlotte Setijadi

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

There has been increasing interest recently in the way that additional language learners' identities are affected and changed by their experiences in developing proficiency in another language. In the case of migrants, this is also affected by familiarity with their new country and language, and their transition into life in a new social and cultural environment. National and linguistic elements of identity are only part of people's multifaceted identities. However, these are of particular significance for language teachers and central to identity shifts involved in language acquisition and settlement in a new country. We present data from two adult EAL …

Examining Juvenile Transfer Practices In Arkansas For The Years 2000-2005., Joseph Mcsherry

Theses and Dissertations

There has been a trend over recent decades to hold juvenile offenders more accountable for their actions and punish them more severely, which has resulted in more diverse avenues to transfer these offenders to adult court. This research examines emerging literature related to transfer and sentencing of juvenile offenders in criminal court. Further, this research will explore the characteristics of juvenile offenders transferred in Arkansas between 2000 and 2005. Results of the analysis will be discussed along with implications and limitations of the study.

The Anthropology And Sociology Of Proponent And Opponent Worldviews In Central Arkansas Regarding Same-Sex Issues And Constitutionally Protected Rights: An Interdisciplinary Perspective, Rohn Muse

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis autoethnographically examines divergent worldviews, specifically with respect to the contentious issues of same-sex marriage and adoption/foster-parenting of children by unmarried cohabitating couples in Arkansas. Moral panics and moral politics are central to current debates about each. This thesis integrates and synthesizes interdisciplinary perspectives and insights while deconstructing and unpacking dissimilar beliefs and behaviors found in this Bible-belt state. Selected GLBTQQ/SGL narratives, interwoven with my story, compare left-leaning liberalism with ultraconservative cognitive framing utilized to oppose gay rights. Vicious targeting of gays prevails in absolute opposition to gay issues when strictly based in faith and resolute religious dogma. Humanism …

Globalization, Modernity, And Migration: The Changing Visage Of Social Imagination, Darlene Machell Espena

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In this article, I assert that the recent phenomenon of migration is one apparent and fundamental process that shapes human communities, transforming cultural variation, and distorts the constructs of distance and space. The boundaries of nation-states and identities are constantly being challenged, restructured and interrogated and the trends of modernity and globalization, new ways of projecting feelings and diffusing cultures among displaced communities are produced. The article looks for the new stories that are produced with this vibrant intersection of globalization, modernity and migration. In particular, I focus on the distinct Sikh migrant community in the Philippines: how they have …

Net Worth Accumulation By Different Quintiles Of Older Adults Approaching Retirement Age And 10 Years Later, Martha N. Ozawa, Yeong H. Yeo

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The shift in responsibility for income security from the government to individuals makes the accumulation of net worth a vital issue. We investigated the rate of net worth accumulation for people aged 51 to 61 in 1991 (N=7,544) and 61 to 71 in 2001 (N=5,711) using the RAND Health and Retirement Study. We found that the rate of net worth accumulation by the fifth (top) quintile was extremely high in 1991, and the distribution of net worth became more skewed in favor of the wealthy in 2001. Older adults in the first and second quintiles are unable to face the …

The Arab Spring: Endgames As Framing Battle, Colm Campbell

Human Rights & Human Welfare

The narrative of the Arab Spring (including the Syrian uprising) in the mainstream media appears clear and linear: a cruel dictator is challenged in a series of street demonstrations that rapidly coalesce to become a popular uprising. The dictator resorts to increasingly brutal repression, but this fails to end the challenge. Within a relatively short time the dictator is overthrown. Elections within a reasonable period are announced, promising the creation of a democracy that is representative not only of the protest movement, but of society as a whole. Raghida Dergham's Huffington Post article largely reflects this perspective, drawing attention to …

September Roundtable: "The Syrian Spring" And Human Rights, Introduction, Raslan Ibrahim

Human Rights & Human Welfare

An annotation of:

“The UN Security Council's Pro-Syrian 'Defiance Coalition' Crumbles”. By Raghida Dergham. Huffington Post, August 2011.

White Noise, White Heat, Therese O'Donnell

Human Rights & Human Welfare

If, as former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson famously uttered, "A week is a long time in politics," then the Six weeks since Raghida Dergham's article could be a lifetime and the last six months of the "Arab Spring" an aeon.

The Moral International Sphere As A New "Civic Virtue", Claudia Heiss

Human Rights & Human Welfare

Liberal political theory, the predominant paradigm at least since the 1970s, rules out as oppressive the imposition of any substantive notion of a "good way of life" and proposes instead a neutral conception where each individual should have the right to pursue his or her own preferred project of life. This opposition of an ancient "virtue" and a modern "freedom" seems challenged by current debates about morality and the responsibility to protect innocent civilians from massive crimes. The moral outrage of the international community may be interpreted as a signal of a perhaps minimal notion of civic virtue, which translates …

The Self-Assessed Literacy Index: Reliability And Validity, Kristen Olson, Jolene D. Smyth, Ying Wang, Jennie E. Pearson

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Literacy is associated with many outcomes of research interest as well as with respondents’ ability to even participate in surveys, yet very few surveys attempt to measure it because doing so is often complex, requiring extensive tests. The central goal of this paper is to develop a parsimonious measure of respondents’ reading ability that does not require a complex literacy test. We use data from the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy to identify correlates of reading ability to form a literacy index. These correlates include self-assessments of one’s ability to understand, read and write English, and literacy practices at …

Shared Responsibility In A New Egypt: A Strategy For Refugee Protection, Michael Kagan

Faculty Journal Articles

Refugees in Egypt have endured roughly five years of protection crisis. But as the High Commissioner for Refugees recently said, there is today an opportunity for “a new beginning for refugee protection in Egypt.”Taking advantage of this opportunity requires a bold strategy that addresses both the rights of refugees under law and the interests of Egypt as a country. The best way forward is for UNHCR to ask the Government of Egypt to re-negotiate the 1954 Memorandum of Understanding with the stated purpose of implementing Egypt’s obligations under international law, based on the principle of shared responsibility.