Politics and Social Change Commons^™

Goffman, Simmel, And Chicago, Horst J. Helle

Bios Sociologicus: The Erving Goffman Archives

In summary, it seems that EG’s Frame Analysis deserves much more attention from our discipline as does the theoretical work of Georg Simmel.

Dmitri Shalin Interview With J. David Sapir About Erving Goffman Entitled "Seeing The Photographs Erving Said, "Do You Think That Those Pictures Say Anything About Reality? Absolutely Not. . ."", J. David Sapir

Bios Sociologicus: The Erving Goffman Archives

This memoir is written by Dr. J. David Sapir, Professor Emeritus at the Department of Anthropology, Virginia University, and it posted in the Goffman Archives with his permission. The extended paper from which this excerpt is taken can be found on this page,http://people.virginia.edu/~ds8s/WE-documentarystyle.pdf.

Rave Culture- A Tale Of Two Scenes, Christopher Mohr

Faculty Curated Undergraduate Works

This article compares two iterations of rave culture through the perspective on scenes as outlined by Geoff Stahl in his essay "'It's Like Canada Reduced': Setting the Scene in Montreal." By applying both communication and sociopolitical theory to the comparison of the original rave scene to that of today's, a vivid understanding of how scenes and subcultures construct themselves- both within and around the cultural environments from which they are born- will become apparent.

Media Portrayal Of Individuals In The Lower Class And Its Effects On Attributions Of Educational Hardships, Krista A. Burke

Communication Studies

This study investigated how media portrayals of individuals in the lower class affect people’s beliefs about educational hardships in lower socioeconomic areas. Specifically, this study looked at the attributions of these hardships to determine if media consumption had an effect on the internality of attributions. It was hypothesized that increased media consumption would be related to an increased tendency toward internal attributions. It was hypothesized that increased media consumption would lead to lower support for policy changes regarding education. A survey was distributed to assess media consumption habits and attitudes toward educational hardships in the lower class. Correlation results yielded …

The Value Of Conservation Easements: An Analysis Of The Effects Of Conservation Easements On Property Values In Central Vermont., Jonathan Decker

Capstone Collection

This capstone research aims to explore the possibilities of an association between changes in the fair market value of landed properties and their proximity to land parcels containing conservation easements. The study attempts to provide a greater understanding of how conservation easements provide benefits to Vermont municipalities. These benefits are described as ecosystem services, and their value was proxied by increases in the fair market value of transferred real-estate located within two distinct radiuses of the conserved land.

The study focuses on two specific properties located in the towns of Marshfield and East Montpelier. For each town, four separate datasets …

The Influence Of Peacejam’S Ambassadors Program On Youth In Relation To Their Future Career Choice, Community Involvement And Acceptance Of Diversity: A Qualitative Study Of Program Alumni From Four Affiliate Regions In The Us, Ashley Sicard

Capstone Collection

PeaceJam is a yearlong educational program for youth ranging from age 5 to 25 with a mission of creating the next generation of ‘Change Agents.’ Its curriculum focuses on the model of “Education, Inspiration and Action” with the intention of providing youth a comprehensive understanding of the complex problems of today and what is needed for them to gain the skills, knowledge and commitment to create positive change in themselves, their community, and the world in the future. Through previous research, the program has demonstrated success in achieving its short term and intermediate outcomes in the youth participants. However, no …

What Happens After The One-Child Policy?, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

The option to have multiple children could transform China’s economy.

Torch (February 2014), Brandon Baldwin, Civil Rights Team Project

Torch: The Civil Rights Team Project Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Dmitri Shalin Interview With Donald Levine About Erving Goffman Entitled "Remembering Erving Goffman", Donald Levine

Bios Sociologicus: The Erving Goffman Archives

Remembering Erving Goffman

Dmitri Shalin Interview With Peter Archibald About Erving Goffman Entitled "“If You Are Such A Great Sociologist, Why Are You Still In Canada?” My Encounter With Erving Goffman", Peter Archibald

Bios Sociologicus: The Erving Goffman Archives

Dr. Peter Archibald, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the McMaster University, wrote this memoir at the suggestion of Tony Puddephatt and the request of Dmitri Shalin and gave his permission to post the present version in the Erving Goffman Archives.

The Death Of The City? Reports Of San Francisco's Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated, Rachel Brahinsky

Politics

This article considers how the recent Bay Area turmoil spurred by the technology boom and its attendant housing crisis has revived age-old tensions over regionalism and ethics in urban politics. The author looks at activist tendencies evident in the rise of an “ethical city” framework, which benefits from alternative uses of technology, and which offers a counter-narrative to the ways that tech wealth is also uprooting communities.

An Exploration Of Volunteer Experiences For Third Level Students In Ireland From A Student Volunteer And Volunteer Manager Perspective., Caitriona Mcgrattan

Dissertations

Since the establishment of Campus Engage in 2007, student volunteering and student-led activities have received more attention on a national scale. Despite this, the area remains under researched; to date there has been no nationwide review of student volunteerism. This research aimed to explore the volunteer experiences of third level students across in a number of Higher Education Institutions in Ireland. For this qualitative study, in-depth interviews were carried out with five student volunteers and three volunteer managers across a spectrum of voluntary activity. The participants were asked to discuss their personal experiences and perceptions of student volunteering. The findings …

Willful Disobedience: The Intersection Of Social Dissent And Spirituality In The American Neo-Pagan Movement, Heather Nicole Sprouse

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Despite a history of oppression, the American Neo-Pagan movement is rapidly growing in popularity. Building on the social constructionist basis of Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann, this work investigates Neo-Pagan perspectives and social responses to the stigmatization of their Neo-Pagan identity. Utilizing phenomenological methods, this study aims to answer three main research questions: (1) Are there common experiences that have led individuals to participate in the Neo-Pagan community? (2) Are there benefits gained by those who participate in the Neo- Pagan community? If so, (3) are there mechanisms utilized by participating members to cope with the stigmatization of their Neo-Pagan …

Family Policy In China: A Snapshot Of 1950–2010, Yan Ruth Xia, Haiping Wang, Anh Do, Shen Qin

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

The Chinese family policies are shaped by the country’s political, socioeconomic, and cultural contexts and have evolved over the years. China has passed its most significant family policies and laws in marriage; child rearing; child, women, and elderly protection; family planning; and health care in the past 60 years. This chapter will cover the most important laws and policies that affect Chinese families from 1950 to 2010. The discussion focuses on policy development, implementation and analysis, and the challenges China faces in relation to these policy issues.

Strategies Employed By Inner-City Activists To Reduce Alcohol-Related Problems And Advance Social Justice, Laurie Drabble, Denise Herd

Faculty Publications

This study explored strategies employed by activists engaged in efforts to change policies and laws related to selling and promoting alcoholic beverages based on in-depth interviews with 184 social activists in seven U.S. major cities. Nine strategies aimed at improving local conditions and influencing policy were described by activists across regional contexts. Grassroots mobilization was central to all other strategies, which included the creation or enforcement of laws, meeting with elected officials, media advocacy, working with police/law enforcement, education and training, direct action, changing community norms, and negotiating with store owners.

Norm Articulation In International Organizations: Democracy, Governance, And Participation At The Undp And The World Bank, Roni Kay Marie O'Dell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Constructivist analyses of international norm articulation assume that norm articulation happens through the process of international discussion and agreement, yet such works lack a rigorous analysis of how international organizations articulate norms for the world internal to the organization. Further, analyses of international organization norm articulation almost completely ignore the important influence of leadership. This dissertation analyzes two distinct norms of gender equality and participation in two international organizations, the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank. The theory developed here argues that the leader's ability to influence norm articulation is dependent on the organizational culture which reflexively impacts …

Levers For Change -- Philanthropy In Select South East Asian Countries, Prapti Upadhyay Anand, Crystal Hayling

Lien Centre for Social Innovation: Research

Explosive economic growth in South East Asia has resulted in unparalleled wealth creation. Forbes magazine reports there are 386 billionaires in the Asia Pacific region. While the region’s emerging economies report hopeful signs of a broadening middle class, income inequality is rising faster than living standards for the majority. There is widespread agreement that the stark income disparity must be addressed or it risks threatening political and social stability. For those interested in the social economy, key questions remain unanswered: first, will philanthropic giving match the fast pace of wealth accumulation, and second, will that philanthropy be strategic and targeted …

Elect Her Campaign College Women To Win Program, Judith Puncochar

Grants

ELECT HER Campaign College Women to Win Program encourages and trains young women to run for student government on college campuses and become active in civic engagement. Northern Michigan University was one of 10 universities selected for the first ELECT HER programs. Elect Her has been an on-going annual March event at NMU since 2010. Four of the last five ASNMU presidents have received Elect Her training.

The Public Sphere As Site Of Emancipation And Enlightenment: A Discourse Theoretic Critique Of Digital Communication, David Ingram, Asaf Bar-Tura

Philosophy: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Habermas claims that an inclusive public sphere is the only deliberative forum for generating public opinion that satisfies the epistemic and normative conditions underlying legitimate decision-making. He adds that digital technologies and other mass media need not undermine – but can extend – rational deliberation when properly instituted. This paper draws from social epistemology and technology studies to demonstrate the epistemic and normative limitations of this extension. We argue that current online communication structures fall short of satisfying the required epistemic and normative conditions. Furthermore, the extent to which Internet-based communications contribute to legitimate democratic opinion and will formation depends …

Boycotts To Bombs: History, Causes, And Comparison Of The Palestinian Intifadas, Leah Wilson

Lewis Honors College Capstone Collection

One of the foremost geopolitical issues of the twenty first century, the conflict between Israel and Palestine has a complicated, ominous history, and limited signs of hope for resolution in the near future. Darkened by particularly bloody and significant events such as the 1948 Arab-Israel dispute, the 1967 Six Day War, and the continuously violent actions taken near the turn of the century, the conflict continues to detrimentally impact the security of the region, the socioeconomic livelihood of Palestinians, and the dwindling influence of international actors to curb recognizably illegal settlements and flagrant human rights violations. Particularly significant to the …