From Wallflowers to Lonely Trees: Divorced Ultra-Orthodox Women in Israel

The issue of divorced women in the Israeli ultra-Orthodox Jewish community represents an important case in the study of divorced women in religious collective cultures. The unique nature of the ultra-Orthodox Israeli community, dealing with questions of segregation and internalization, conservatism and modernity, as well as inequality of women, might contribute to our understanding of divorcees in such cultures. This article sheds light on the internal process that divorced women undergo. Sixty-one phenomenological in-depth interviews were conducted with 4 groups (divorced women, divorced men, daughters of divorced parents, and professionals who deal with divorce with the ultra-Orthodox community). Results show a distinctive process of individuation that these women undertake, reflecting a fundamental tension between their inner individual perceptions and collective cultural norms. Conclusions suggest that divorced women in collective cultures are able to perform antinormative acts and still find a complex, dualistic way to be integral members of their communities.     

Symbolic Interactions and the Development of Women Leaders in Higher Education

The under‐representation of women in higher education (HE) leadership is a persistent global phenomenon. The purpose of this research is to re‐examine this issue through symbolic interactionism (SI). Eight women aspiring to leadership were invited to participate in semi‐structured interviews after attending a leadership programme specifically designed to enhance their leadership prospects. Analysis indicated ambiguities and contradictions that surround notions of leadership, in particular how the participants position themselves and are positioned in their workplace. This was evidenced by the meaning they attributed to: recognizing a leader; interactions with existing leadership; and speculation regarding their leadership capacity. Gendered notions were apparent in their constructed meanings. Similarity attraction was also evident, with men being observed as ‘paying it forward’, therefore facilitating promotion. Formal leadership training was advocated rather than experiential processes.     

Marital Disruption and Higher Education Among Women in the United States*

The general inverse relationship between marital disruption (separation and divorce) and educational status, commonly assumed by family sociologists, is demonstrated for both men and women using the 1/1000 sample of the 1970 United States Census. A minor, but interesting exception to this generally inverse relationship is noted for males with six or more years of college. This paper, however, focuses on a more dramatic and particularly significant deviation from the general pattern. Specifically, highly educated females – those with five or more years of college – have an especially high disruption rate compared to women with only four years of college. In fact, the disruption rate for women with five or more years of college exceeds that for women at every educational level except those who did not finish high school. The objective of this study was to see if those factors which differentiate women with four years of college from those with five or more are the same factors that differentiate between the "never disrupted" and the "ever disrupted" women with five or more years of college. The findings reveal that three variables – race, employment outside the home, and income – are associated with the likelihood that highly educated women will divorce or separate. These same variables also distinguish them from baccalaureate-level women. Four possible explanations, unrelated to the data analysis presented, are suggested for why a woman who enters graduate school significantly increases her probability of marital disruption.     

Body Dissatisfaction and the Relevance of Religiosity: A Focus on Ultra-Orthodox Jews in a Community Study of Adult Women

Body image dissatisfaction (BID) is one of the most robust risk factors associated with eating disturbances. However, much remains unknown about it especially regarding a potentially protective factor, namely religiosity. As shown in hundreds of studies, religiosity has consistently been associated with better health and mental health outcomes. Utilizing a large, community-based study of adult Jewish women, we compare ultra-Orthodox and Secular Jewish women, two groups at opposite ends of the religious observance spectrum. Detailed telephone interviews were conducted with a broadly representative sample of adult women (mean age 44) in Israel from distinct religious observance groups. Frequency of 13 BID symptoms was assessed in addition to two clinical correlates, weight and self-criticism. Separate hierarchical regressions use bootstrapping to explore predictors of BID severity within each group. Contrary to expectations, no significant differences in body dissatisfaction emerge between rigorously religious and non-religious Jewish respondents. In addition, the findings reveal surprisingly similar patterns of predictors of BID severity with self-criticism making a noteworthy contribution for both groups. However, despite strong similarities, it is premature to dismiss potentially protective aspects of religiosity vis-à-vis BID without additional studies. In the interim, clinical prevention and treatment interventions that focus on reducing self-criticism may be extremely important for addressing BID issues among adult women—regardless of degree of religious observance.     

The Medium Is the Danger: Discourse about Television among Amish and Ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) Women

This study shows how Old Order Amish and ultra-Orthodox women’s discourse about television can help develop a better understanding of the creation, construction, and strengthening of limits and boundaries separating enclave cultures from the world. Based on questionnaires containing both closed- and open-ended questions completed by 82 participants, approximately half from each community, I argue that both communities can be understood as interpretive communities that negatively interpret not only television content, like other religious communities, but also the medium itself. Their various negative interpretive strategies is discussed and the article shows how they are part of an “us-versus-them” attitude created to mark the boundaries and walls that enclave cultures build around themselves. The comparison between the two communities found only a few small differences but one marked similarity: The communities perceive avoidance of a tool for communication, in this case television, as part of the communities’ sharing, participation, and common culture.     

Changes in Higher Education

The social work profession has been too little concerned with policy, program, and practice issues related to human sexuality. Changing times and new knowledge require that the profession deal with this area more competently. Studies indicate that human sexuality is affected by biological, cultural, and psychological factors; that the female and male sex drives and physiological responses are similar; that the incidence of premarital and extramarital sexual relations are probably increasing along with more emphasis on the quality of the total interpersonal relationship; and that sexual behavior and values vary between socioeconomic groups.     

Elite Analysis in Applied Research on Women in Communist Society

The problems associated with the use of elite analysis for women in Communist Party states are discussed under two categories: (1) problems connected with elite analysis in general as it pertains to women, such as the relevancy of current definitions of politics and the identification of women elites; and (2) problems associated with doing research in Communist countries. These include the difficulties inherent in information gathering, the reliability and comparability of data, the sophistication of research methods, and, based on the author's interview experience, the relative unity of the interview in countries with a dominant prevailing ideology. Continued research on women elites in the Communist Party states is urged for the development of more precise comparative categories on the ways women access and manage power, and for a more thorough cross-cultural understanding of the relation between the socialization of women at home and the impact of public support for women seeking power.     

价值启蒙与生活养成——开放社会中的德性养成教育

个体道德德性的形成包含两个基本过程,一是个体道德理性的形成,一是个体道德行为习惯的养成.完整的德性养成教育实际上也包含了两个基本过程,一是个体道德理性的启蒙教育,一是个体道德行为习惯的养成教育.前者是后者的精神基础,后者是前者的生活外化.当代社会从经济、政治到文化领域,越来越多地走向开放,社会呈现的不再是单一的伦理价值体系,而是多元共存的价值图景.如何加强价值启蒙,同时注重生活养成,是当前未成年人德性养成教育的基本内容.     

Envisioning a Feminist Global Society Cypriot Women,Civil Society and Social Change

This article does not have an abstract     

洋学生在中国的日子

“人是文明交流互鉴最好的载体。深化人文交流互鉴是消除隔阂和误解、促进民心相知相通的重要途径。”2019年5月,习近平总书记在亚洲文明对话大会开幕式上发表主旨演汫。近年来,越来越多外国留学生来到中国逐梦、圆梦,在寻常生活中,与中国百姓共享开放带来的获得感。     

Social Work Practice in Higher Education

This article examines two cases of social work practice in higher education within the context of identifying a model of social practice for use in postsecondary educational settings. The case studies provide insight into a model of social work practice that reflects both the traditional clinical model, which focuses on individual change, and the school-community-pupil relations model, which focuses on system change. The author also discusses implications for social work educators who see college/university counseling centers as an arena for social work practice.     

欧美高职教育模式对我国高职教育发展的启示

近年来,我国的职业教育发展迅速,为社会提供了合格的新劳动力。但是职业教育也出现困境,主要原因是目标定位、发展模式、管理模式、课程设置和发展动力等矛盾。文章将对这些原因进行分析,并与国外的职业教育经验相结合,试图归纳出我国高职教育的发展态势,从而对高职教育的理念产生一定的影响。     

Pedophiles in the Ultra-Orthodox Haredi Sector in Israel: Thought Processes Regarding their Actions

ABSTRACT

This study explores thought patterns of Jewish Ashkenazi Ultra-Orthodox pedophiles in Israel and how they resolve the contradiction between their commitment to Jewish Law and having committed sexual offenses against minors. Ten adult men participated in this study. Using open semistructured interviews, their cognitive distortions before, during, and after the abuse were examined. Content analysis revealed that participants used cognitive distortions based on their own world of Jewish Law and social-cultural values. The insular nature of Ultra-Orthodox society and its many prohibitions, especially regarding sexuality, tempted offenders to test boundaries. When sexual drive was high, internal control mechanisms were ineffective even in presence of external control mechanisms. Some participants recognized the contradiction between their behaviors and being Ultra-Orthodox Jews, and others did not. Based on the findings, a flow chart was devised describing the cognitive processes of Jewish Ultra-Orthodox pedophiles. Theoretical and practical implications of the results were examined.     

Investigating Philanthropy Initiatives in Chinese Higher Education

Chinese public education have long been considered to be part of the social safety net, but this safety net is no longer sufficient for today’s higher education needs. The recent worldwide economic recession, the increasing cost of operation of higher education, decreasing enrollments, and government budget cuts have prompted administrators to act aggressively. This study selected a public institution in Asia Pacific–Pacific region to assess its fundraising practice, strategy, and accountability. This university is one of the few institutions in the region that successfully initiated a fundraising practice. The study found that establishing an appropriately staffed professional fundraising office is an important step. Preferably, these officers should be hired from the business and non-academic sectors. Workshops and job training should be offered rigorously. The university must set a clear fundraising goal, and the fundraisers must possess strong marketing and communication skills, understand their products, academic needs, and be able construct social networks in Asia Pacific.