Trust, child care technology choice and female labor force participation

In this paper we investigate whether trust has an effect on the choice of child care technology and on female labor force participation. Mothers with less trust in others may decide to stay at home with their child instead of working. To do this, we sketch a simple model to show why this effect may be taking place, we measure trust using the European Social Survey and we test its influence on the choice of child care technology. To measure trust, we use the methodology proposed by Spady (Semiparametric methods for the measurement of latent attitudes and the estimation of their behavioural consequences. To measure trust, we use a recent semiparametric item response model. Compared to other measures of trust, using this technique has several advantages: it allows the aggregation of information from several questions and exploits additional information from personal and demographic characteristics. It also imposes very few parametric assumptions. The results show that trust matters for the degree of externalness of the child care technology people choose. It can therefore be a possible explanation for differences in female labor force participation across countries and across sociological groups.     

Monsters in cyberspace cyberphobia and cultural panic in the information age

This paper explores popular attitudes toward the Internet (and computer-mediated communication more generally) by mapping some of the more threatening, transgressive and 'monstrous' images associated with cyberspace. An account of risk consciousness is developed in three parts: (1) comparisons with earlier information technologies reveals similarities and differences with regard to public attitudes toward cyberspace and its risks; (2) the development of a model of contemporary teratological space derived from images of boundary-dissolving threats, intrusive alterities and existential ambivalences created by the erosion of binary distinctions and hierarchies; and (3) possible historical and sociological explanations of cyberpanic drawing on recent theorizations of globalization (capitalism/information society theory, risk society theory, reflexive modernization theory, and alterity theory).     

Cooperating,reflecting, making open and meta-dialogue — Outline of a systemic approach on constructivist grounds

In this paper the authors first describe the theoretical background of their constructivist approach to therapy: the Kiel-Meyn-Consultation-Model. They then outline their guidelines “cooperating, reflecting, making open” for interviewing, briefly describe the “meta-dialogue” and point out some basic helpful attitudes consultants can hold. Annotated excerpts from a consultation are then presented to give an idea of how the model works. The paper closes with summaries of follow-up sessions and their evaluation by the therapist.     

The global animus: in the tracks of world consciousness

In recent years, much has been made of the idea that under conditions of globalization, more and more people in different parts of the planet conceive of themselves as part of a ‘global society’ or ‘global culture’. Often it has been alleged that forms of consciousness centred around a disposition to see one's own life as a single part of the ‘world as a whole’ are relatively recent products. In this paper we argue that such tendencies, or something very much like them, in fact were present in the ancient Mediterranean world. We examine how ways of thinking and feeling, that bear in certain ways close correspondence to modern ideas as to ‘globality’, were prevalent amongst certain social groups in the Roman empire. Those persons regarded themselves as part of a world that was rapidly shrinking through increasing levels of political, commercial and other modes of interconnection between its geographically disparate parts. By examining these ancient attitudes, we demonstrate an important aspect of the pre-history of modern sensibilities as to the nature of a ‘globalizing/globalized world’. Moreover, by attending to ancient evidence as to ‘global’ attitudes and ‘global consciousness’, one may begin to overcome the presentism implicit in many contemporary accounts of globalization.     

Identity development and cultural production in the Chinese diaspora to the United States, 1850–2004: new perspectives

Diaspora studies have grown in importance in the modern world as world travel and relocation have become more feasible; as the numbers of persecuted peoples and those seeking exile or new beginnings in new lands has increased; as globalization has created new classes of diaspora movement based on economic motivations; and as technology and modern communication has linked people worldwide and made virtual diasporas and identities readily possible. In the present time, the concept of the diaspora has become the most relevant and usefully adaptable way to view global cultural interaction and human situational practices. This paper examines change and development in Chinese diaspora populations in the US, which have encountered the entire range of diaspora experience, old and new, from 1850 to the present day. The aim is threefold: (1) comparatively to sketch new ideas in diaspora studies, add to them where possible, and employ them in an analysis of individual and community identity construction in the Chinese diaspora, while comparing and contrasting these experiences with those of the Jewish and black diasporas; (2) to present a four-stage model of diasporic literary production and attendant personal and community identity construction, through which varied examples of Chinese American writing will be examined; and (3) within this model, to give extended attention to Chinese American writer Maxine Hong Kingston's China Men (1980), a pivotal text defining and describing Chinese American diaspora identity and experience in the US. The paper concludes with a look forward, and thoughts about possible new conditions modifying ‘new diasporas’.     

Attitudes towards globalization and cosmopolitanism: cultural diversity, personal consumption and the national economy

One of the widely accepted consequences of globalization is the development of individual outlooks, behaviours and feelings that transcend local and national boundaries. This has encouraged a re-assessment of important assumptions about the nature of community, personal attachment and belonging in the face of unprecedented opportunities for culture, identities and politics to shape, and be shaped by, global events and processes. Recently, the upsurge of interest in the concept of cosmopolitanism has provided a promising new framework for understanding the nexus between cosmopolitan dispositions and global interconnectedness across cultural, political and economic realms. Using data from a representative social survey of Australians this paper investigates the negotiation of belonging under the conditions of globalization. The data tap into attitudes and behaviours associated with a broad gamut of cosmopolitan traits in the domains of culture, consumption, human rights, citizenship, and international governance. They show how cosmopolitan outlooks are shaped by social structural factors, and how forms of identification with humanity and the globe are fractured by boundaries of self and others, threats and opportunities, and the value of things global and local.     

Managing International Migration: Rethinking Transaction Costs,Red Tape,and Their Impact

The debate on migration is bound to be tough and uneasy, and yet it is necessary to ask the difficult questions and listen to arguments that we may not like. Only in this way, it will be possible to have a solid and healthy discussion on the prospect of an efficient global governance regime. This Special Section addresses this imperative by exploring the prospect of turning away from ad hoc migration management towards holistic global migration governance. Migration defies any moral judgment and imposes moral obligations on those more fortunate. Tools and, so, policies are needed to follow this moral imperative of serving without harming. Transaction costs and red tape are nevertheless central in the debate. This Special Section sheds some light on it.     

Social return on investment—Development and convergence

Social return on investment (SROI) is a relatively new approach to assessing the value created by human activity. This paper explores the development of SROI since its creation in 1996 and concludes by outlining areas for future development. SROI is compared with mainstream global approaches to generating standardized information that informs resource allocation decisions, financial accounting in general, sustainability accounting in the private sector and cost benefit analysis in the public sector.     

The ambivalence of ordinary cosmopolitanism: Investigating the limits of cosmopolitan openness

Despite diverse understandings of cosmopolitanism, most authors agree that cosmopolitans espouse a broadly defined disposition of ‘openness’ toward others, people, things and experiences whose origin is non‐local. It is argued that such an attitude is expressed by an emotional and ethical commitment towards universalism, selflessness, worldliness and communitarianism, and that such values should be identifiable in the practices, attitudes and identifications of individuals. By using data generated through qualitative focus group research, this paper extends the development of Lamont and Aksartova's (2002 ) category of ‘ordinary cosmopolitanism’. The participants in this study saw themselves as beneficiaries of an increasingly interconnected world, and they generally expressed cosmopolitan sentiments by referring to easily accepted opportunities associated with globalisation (eg. travel, cuisine, music) rather than the more difficult aspects of openness such as showing hospitality to strangers, or accepting human interest ahead of perceived national interests. Their positive views were counterbalanced, however, by sentiments of ‘dilution of national culture’ and ‘culture loss’. We argue that cosmopolitanism is a set of structurally grounded, discursive resources available to social actors which is variably deployed to deal with issues like cultural diversity, the global, and otherness. Ironically these discourses, which are the basis of the everyday accounts we describe, mirror academic debates on globalisation, suggesting the immersion of theorists in these discursive webs of meaning that structure responses to things global.     

Super's Life-Span,Life-Space Approach and Its Outlook for Refinement

The major elements of Super's life-span, life-space approach, their origins, and their evolution are briefly described. Five categories of possible future refinements in Super's approach are suggested.     

Ethics in an Age of Information Seekers: A Survey of Licensed Healthcare Providers about Online Social Networking

The present study explores how licensed health care providers use social media. The researchers utilized a survey to explore 88 licensed psychologists, physicians, and social workers average numbers of Facebook© friends, social groups, and photo albums as well as attitudes toward possible regulation of online social networking by professional organizations. Statistically significant differences were found among groups regarding the degree to which they wanted guidance on ethically managing this new technology, with psychologists and social workers desiring more guidance than physicians. Overall, this study shows that the majority of the psychologists, physicians, and social workers who participated in this study now frequently use Facebook, often providing information on profiles that may include that which is not generally disclosed in a client–therapist relationship.     

A world without Down’s syndrome? Online resistance on Twitter: #worldwithoutdowns and #justaboutcoping

Presented by actress and comedian Sally Phillips, A World Without Down’s Syndrome has brought important ethical debates regarding prenatal screening into the public domain. By talking to people with Down’s syndrome, family members, and professionals, Sally has presented a nuanced and thorough examination of the type of world we are living in. Following the documentary, Twitter users have continued to engage with debates and have created a resilient platform for challenging public attitudes. This paper explores the ways in which Twitter hashtags have provided a space for such important and long overdue conversations. While it would not be possible to provide a full overview of the topical conversations that the two hashtags have provoked, I aim to focus on some of the most prominent topics. The following, then, will explore the potential of alternative narratives that resist, and disrupt, normative notions of the human using the hashtags #worldwithoutdowns and #justaboutcoping.     

Editorial

Drawing on texts written by young people aged 14–17 years in a school context in response to an invitation to write a page describing themselves and their vision of Ireland and to use the reverse side creatively for drawings, poems or songs, this article illustrates the methodological difficulties of exploring globalization and individualization in such texts. The indicators of globalization were global entertainment and consumer culture, global technology, references to international travel, and global concerns. The indicators of individualization were the absence of references to structural location, or the presence of references to choices, hopes or plans and related images. There were insurmountable methodological difficulties in differentiating between individualization in these terms and stereotypical ways of ‘doing boy/girl’. Hence, the typology that was created focussed on the global content of the main texts and back pages and their gendered content.     

Relation of Parental Caring to Conspicuous Consumption Attitudes in Adolescents

Adolescent conspicuous consumption attitudes are perversely rooted in human relationships and interfere with personal growth and engagement in adult roles. Negative associations between parental caring and conspicuous consumption could be evidence of a compensatory motive to seek for the passing admiration of others when parent–child relationships fail to fulfill basic needs of competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Very little support, however, was found for Veblen’s original hypothesis that conspicuous consumption attitudes are driven by perceived social class distinctions. Yet, immersion in the consumer culture promoted by the media predicted higher levels of conspicuous consumption attitudes which were also more prominent among older adolescents. This small-scale study of 257, predominantly middle-class adolescents, calls attention to the need for more family socialization studies of adolescent money attitudes.     

The Islamic Crescent: Islam,Culture and Globalization

This paper is an interdisciplinary consideration of Islam in general, and of Islam within the Islamic crescent in particular. Scholarly approaches to the study of Islam are explored, as well as the unity and commonality of attitudes and sentiments that exists right across the Islamic world. This last point is contrasted with differences within Islamic countries in the crescent, particularly in the context of culture. Indeed, this paper stresses the need to understand the relationship between culture and Islam. The paper concludes with an analysis of Islam and globalization, paying particular attention to modernization and Islamic identity.     

How user diversity and country of origin impact the readiness to adopt E-health technologies: an intercultural comparison

In recent years, due to the demographical change and the resulting overload of healthcare systems, there has been an increasing interest focusing on the global proliferation of assistive medical technologies (=E-health) in home environments. The present study examines how users' diversity influences the readiness to adopt novel medical technologies, comparing users' attitudes in terms of perceived advantages and disadvantages in three technically and culturally different countries: Germany, Poland and Turkey. This investigation also intended to verify if acceptance of information and communication technologies is associated with the sensitive acceptance of E-health. Results revealed overall a considerably higher motivation to use medical technology compared to perceived barriers, with Polish users more willing to use E-health, higher than German or Turkish ones. Older participants showed a highly positive attitude, comparable to young and middle-aged respondents' receptiveness, differing from the latter in terms of greater appreciation of the advantage of higher independency when being supported by medical technology. With respect to gender, woman showed higher motivation to use E-health technology than men, although utilization barriers were not gendered. Following these results, an unconditional transfer of acceptance from information and communication to medical technology is not justified.     

Impact of Culture on Lactation Policies: The Case of United States and Liberia

ABSTRACT

Programs or policies that are effective in reducing social problems have several things in common: They acknowledge the realities of culture, respect the sociocultural underpinnings of the community, and are often built on an innovative understanding of the issues. Policies that are created without regard for the culture in which they are to operate are destined to fail. This study discusses cultural attributes of different motivations, benefits, and approaches to breast-feeding, depending on the development of their infrastructure, scientific understanding, reliance on myths to understand their environment, and social norms. It argues that in some cases ignorance and lack of scientific information result in policies (both formal and informal) that negatively impact breast-feeding, whereas in other cases cultural or social norms drive policy decisions. Three examples of policies that impact breast-feeding negatively are discussed in this article. Two of them relate to developing nations and the third occurred in the United States, although it could also occur anywhere people lack basic information about the impact of hormones on normal human physiology and human sexual response.     

Making Southern universities web-enabled: From leapfrogging to antelope jumping

Information and communication technology (ICT) has become a very important factor for national economic growth in Southern (or developing) nations, where a societal history in technology and industrial innovation is missing. Online learning implies a redefinition of traditional education, it connects teachers and students in a less formal way, and it affects the structure as well as the culture of education. In this article we highlight the specific requirements and possible solutions needed to make Southern universities web-enabled. We look at the transinstitutional context, portability of content, the threat of global monoculturalism, and teacher training.     

High tech and high performance: Managing appraisal in the information age

Conclusion Information technology leaders recognize that the greatest impediments to success are often people related rather than information, technology, and systems related (Roepke et al., 2000). Obviously, the human component is a central concern when organizations introduce technology to the performance-management process. After all, combining people and technology successfully is critically important to firms. While the potential for accelerating positive HRM outcomes through various technology applications clearly exists, implementation that fails to consider trust, fairness, system factors, objectivity, personality, or computer literacy and training (among other concepts) has negative implications for an organization’s distinct and inimitable human component. Possible gains in efficiency, objectivity, or accuracy that a high technology approach to performance management produces could turn out to be costly for firms if they bring about user dissatisfaction leading to diminished job attitudes, poor performance, or increased turnover.     

Information

Information technology is increasingly being used in the human services, but reports suggest that some professionals are resisting its introduction. Some accounts for this resistance emphasise the role of the technology's physical attributes. It may, however, be due more to mistaken assumptions by some professionals about the role of the technology in generating information in human service contexts. Information as a concept has different interpretations according to its usage. It is the author's contention that there has been a failure to differentiate between the use of the concept in different settings and this is a possible causal factor in producing resistance. This paper examines information as used in communication theory and the human services and emphasises the need for a thorough examination of the role of information in professional social work education and practice.