A Model for Policy Analysis Applied to the Goodridge Case

Judicial decisions, especially Supreme Court decisions, are becoming, more than ever, major contributors to social policy creation. The political implications of such decisions have far reaching implications for policy analysts, advocates, systems, and individuals. In the case of Goodridge vs. Department of Public Health(2003), the state asked the court to limit the civil rights of a certain group of people because of their sexual orientation. Despite the impact court decisions have on policy, there are few models designed to be used to connect the impact of court decisions to the societal and personal values that underlie them. This paper describes a new model designed by the author to analyze judicial decisions, one that includes a value critical approach, and shows its application to the Goodridge(2003) ruling granting same sex couples the right to legally marry in Massachusetts.     

A Comprehensive Policy Analysis of and Recommendations for Senior Center Gambling Trips

Abstract

Gambling is one of the fastest growing industries in America. Public support is high for legalized gambling among all age groups. Because gambling is growing in popularity as an activity among those 65 and over, many senior centers are beginning to offer group trips to casinos and other gambling attractions such as dog tracks. This paper analyzes senior center casino gambling trips, with particular attention to the number of trips offered, how trips are funded, the policy implications of offering trips, and policy alternatives for state and local policymakers. Data for the study come from personal interviews with activity directors of 16 senior centers across Massachusetts and a formal survey of 30 additional senior centers in Central Massachusetts. Benefits of a new policy option, a public education strategy, are also reviewed.     

Debatable Marriages: Marriage and Child Marriage in Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

This article examines marriage and the constitution of familial relationships in Saudi Arabia, with a specific focus on one form of marriage that has recently become an issue of public, political, and religious discussion, that of “child marriage.” The situation within Saudi Arabia is compared with gendered relationships in other countries, most notably those in Western Europe, with specific attention given to the United Kingdom. It is argued that policy developments in Saudi Arabia need to be seen in the context of wider Saudi culture, Sharia law, and religious interpretations of the Koran.     

Affective rearticulations: cultural studies in and from Taiwan

ABSTRACT

This essay introduces the peculiar state of cultural studies from Taiwan by reflecting on its moments of emergence and the projects it strives to accomplish with recent updates. While it is inevitable that a survey of this nature is doomed to be cursory and selective, it hopes to delineate and address the predicaments of cultural studies in and from Taiwan and the struggles therein, as it strives not only to get its voices heard, but also to chart a critical path towards the decolonization of our consciousness.     

China' s Divorce Trends in the Transition Toward a Market Economy1

Abstract

This study examines the changes in China' s divorce patterns since 1950, identifies major factors responsible for the upsurge of divorces since the 1978 economic reform, and discusses the likely trend and socioeconomic implications. Results indicate that the number of divorces per 1,000 population increased steadily from 0.327 in 1979 to 0.954 in 1998 and the number of divorces per 1,000 married population increased from 0.820 to 1.710 over the same period. This study suggests that China' s divorce rate is likely to increase under the economic transition but the rate of increase will be determined by many factors, including the forthcoming Marriage and Family Law.     

Role of Friendship,Trust, and Love in Strong Latino Marriages

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study focuses on the role that friendship, trust, and love play in the marriages of 25 Latino couples (50 individuals) who, through a semistructured interview, reported having strong marriages. Latino couples were interviewed using questions developed within the context of Latino culture. A model of how friendship, trust, and love contribute to strong marriages is proposed. Suggestions of how these findings can be used in marriage education are provided.     

Child Marriage Laws around the World: Minimum Marriage Age,Legal Exceptions,and Gender Disparities

ABSTRACT

The marriage of children below 18 is widely recognized in international human rights agreements as a discriminatory global practice that hinders the development and well-being of hundreds of millions of girls. Using a new global policy database, we analyze national legislation regarding minimum marriage age, exceptions permitting marriage at earlier ages, and gender disparities in laws. While our longitudinal data indicate improvements in frequencies of countries with legal provisions that prohibit marriage below the age of 18, important gaps remain in eliminating legal exceptions and gender discrimination.     

Academic freedom and the university

Abstract

A review article of Louis Menand (ed) 1996: The Future of Academic Freedom. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press and Bill Readings 1996: The University in Ruins. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press.     

Measuring the Effectiveness of Experiential Date Nights: A Qualitative Study

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study examines the experience of 13 couples who attended a relationship education date night in two metropolitan areas in a western state. The intent of these date nights was to reach audiences that may not attend traditional classroom relationship education. Reasons for, benefits of attending, and impacts were explored with participants. Findings indicate that most participants had fun and enjoyed spending time together, learned qualities and skills of healthy relationships, and had positive learning experiences with other couples. Additionally, although most individuals’ reason for attending was to have fun, most experienced a positive impact on their relationships after the event, such as improved communication, increase in affection and gratitude, or spending more time together. This finding may indicate that regardless of the reasons for attending, it is possible to create an environment for learning relationship skills that can, and most likely will, extend beyond the night of the event and could potentially lead to long-term positive impacts in relationships. Based on findings and existing research, activity-based relationship education, such as date nights, needs to be taken seriously as a model for couple education and considered as part of a well-rounded approach to relationship education.     

Evaluation of the What's Real: Myths & Facts about Marriage Curriculum: Differential Impacts of Gender*

ABSTRACT

What’s Real is a high school marriage education curriculum designed to teach students how to develop healthy relationships and marriages. This study evaluated the effectiveness of this curriculum with 206 high school students who were in either the What’s Real group or a control group. Findings suggest that the curriculum increases knowledge of healthy relationship concepts, positively impacts attitudes related to students’ willingness to be involved in pre- and postmarital counseling, and increases students’ attitudes toward cohabitation avoidance. Implications for further development of the curriculum and other implications for practitioners and policymakers are discussed.     

Management of a Campus Rubella Epidemic

Abstract

Health Plan: The Only Practical Solution to the Soaring Cost of Medical Care. By Alain C. Enthoven. (Reading Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley, 1980.)

HMOs and the Politics of Health System Reform. By Joseph L. Faulkson, Ph.D. (Chicago, Illinois: American Hospital Association and Robert J. Brady Company, 1980.)     

Attitudinal and behavioral differences between cigarette users who do and do not identify as “smokers”

Objective: The current research aimed to understand differences in smoking-related identity among college students and to illustrate the distinct characteristics of nonidentified smokers (NIS). Participants: Students from 2 colleges in Massachusetts (N = 538; April 2016). Methods: Respondents reported by online survey whether or not they had smoked a cigarette in the past 30 days and if they self-identified as smokers. Nonsmokers (NIS) and identified smokers (IS) were then compared on their smoking attitudes and behavior. Results: NIS made up 12.5% of the sample and 64% of all tobacco users. NIS perceived themselves as less addicted and were more confident in their ability to quit smoking. They also were less likely to smoke alone, buy their own cigarettes, or have friends who smoked. Conclusions: College health officials can best motivate NIS to quit smoking by focusing on peer norms and the potential of long-term addiction.     

Power of Teen Motherhood in Predicting Later Educational Attainment

Abstract

This article investigates the power of teen motherhood in predicting later educational attainment. Data for mothers are extracted from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79). Findings show that teen motherhood is inversely related to later educational attainment. Poverty, welfare receipt and the number of children have a direct influence on later educational attainment. Employment, the age of the woman at the time of her first marriage, and being married currently, had a direct positive influence on educational attainment. The implications for social work practice are discussed.     

“Best-Laid Plans”: Barriers to Meeting Marital Timing Desires Over the Life Course*

Abstract

Most youth desire to marry, and often around a certain age, but many individuals marry earlier or later than originally desired. Off-time marriage could have consequences for subsequent relationship stability and mental health. Whereas barriers to marriage goals in the short term have been studied extensively, predictors of meeting marital timing expectations over the life course are less well understood. This study examined possible barriers, including socioeconomic characteristics and family experiences, both background and formation, to meeting marital timing desires by age 40 using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 cohort (NLSY79). Multinomial logistic regression revealed that greater education, religiousness, cohabitation, and premarital childbearing were associated with delayed or forgone marriage, but associations varied by gender and the age at which respondents stated their expectations.     

Same-Sex Marriage and Legalized Relationships

Abstract

At a time when heterosexual marriage rates are declining, many countries and localities are advocating for the rights of lesbians and gay men to enter legalized relationships, including marriage. This article reviews the legal status of same-sex relationships in the U.S. and other countries. Not only does the general public have mixed opinions about same-sex marriage, but so do lesbian and gay male communities. Some of the theories about pros and cons of same-sex marriage will be presented. The article reviews the very scant literature on same-sex legalized relationships and presents some ideas for future research.     

Change and Consistency in the Relation of Marital Status to Personal Happiness

Abstract

Several studies conducted in the late 1980s suggested that the effect of marital status on personal happiness was declining, meaning that the “happiness gap” between married and never-married persons was diminishing. Speculations about the causes of this diminishing positive effect of marriage ranged from changing values to the increasing role overload of married women. But there was some evidence that the decline in the “happiness gap” had reversed by the end of the 1980s. This paper uses General Social Survey data from 1972 through 2002 to show that this decline did indeed reverse, such that in recent years the difference in the happiness of married and never-married persons is as great as it has been since the inception of the GSS. Although women who are employed and/or have children in the home are slightly less happy than others, the positive effect of marriage on the happiness of these women is as strong as it has ever been.     

The Real Book of Mormon Musical: Latter-day Saint Family Home Evening as a Weekly Ritual

Abstract

Scholars of religious ritual have noted that inadequate attention has been paid to religious ritual in the social sciences. Based on what has been done, it is apparent that sacred family rituals (when done well and with relational sensitivity) can enhance structure, meaning, and family unity. The present study examines the family-level ritual practice of weekly Family Home Evening among members of 26 Latter-day Saint (LDS) families (N?=?58 individuals). Qualitative analyses found the following three themes: (a) Family Home Evening as a Conversation; (b) Challenges of Family Home Evening; and (c) The Value of Family Home Evening. Primary data that support and illustrate the three themes are presented, along with implications and applications.     

Strengthening Senior Tax Credit Programs in Massachusetts

Summary

In the last decade, property taxes have increased, creating a financial burden on senior homeowners. In Massachusetts, senior property tax credit programs have arisen to address this problem, as well as to provide cost-effective volunteer assistance for municipal departments, offer seniors meaningful work that otherwise would not have been attempted, and foster involvement in municipal government among seniors. The success of the programs in retaining senior homeowners in the community remains to be evaluated. Program specifics are detailed, policy options are considered, and recommendations are made to strengthen existing programs and assist replication.