On the Relationship Between the Diversity of the Aging Population and Public Policy

The elderly are a highly diverse population, and demographic projections indicate that the older population will increase in its diversity along lines of gender, race, ability, and income. The article examines the political implications of U.S. policy toward the elderly and the sensitivity of different policies to the increasing heterogeneity. The passage and repeal of the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act of 1988 is used as an example of the dangers posed by fissuring of elderly constituencies. The authors assert that focused, targeted, and specific policies are necessary in order to help the vulnerable people left unprotected by the broad-based policies of the past.     

Divergent Pathways to Assimilation? Local Marriage Markets and Intermarriage Among U.S. Hispanics

The growing diversity of the U.S. population raises questions about integration among America's fastest growing minority population—Hispanics. The canonical view is that intermarriage with the native‐born White population represents a pathway to assimilation that varies over geographic space in response to uneven marital opportunities. Using data on past‐year marriage from the 2009–2014 American Community Survey, the authors demonstrate high rates of intermarriage among Hispanics. The analyses identify whether Hispanics marry coethnics, non‐co‐ethnic Hispanics, non‐Hispanic Whites, non‐Hispanic Blacks, or other minorities. The authors highlight variation by race, nativity, and socioeconomic status and reveal that Hispanics living in new immigrant destinations are more likely to intermarry than those living in traditional Hispanic gateways. Indeed, the higher out‐marriage in new destinations disappears when the demographic context of reception is taken into account. The analysis underscores that patterns of marital assimilation among Hispanics are neither monolithic nor expressed uniformly across geographic space.     

Perspectives on the Biodemography of Longevity and Aging

Biodemography is a timely and exciting area of research that has been emerging over the past 15–20 years and might arguably be the most quickly growing area of demography. From the perspective of longevity and aging, questions arise that touch on the biological foundation of aging. With a focus on mortality, this article offers a perspective on recent developments in evolutionary biodemography. These include new theories, methods, and data that have resulted in striking new findings on the diversity of life courses (including the option of escape from aging for some species) that is licensed by nature across the tree of life. As the human life course is rapidly changing due to unimpeded population aging, advances in development of biodemographic theories, methods and databases may prove useful and inspire advances in sociology.     

Agrarian Transformation and Rural Diversity in Globalizing East Asia

Abstract: In East Asia the rural society is not a society based upon agricultural industry anymore and the peasant society with its long history has been disappearing. The occupation and income sources of rural inhabitants have diversified and among them those who specialized in farming are the minority. There is a shortage of rural labor, which used to be abundant in the past, and presently it is not as easy to hire the farm workers. The reason for the diversification of the rural occupations is, to put it simply, because people cannot live merely on farm income. Indeed the farm operation costs have become more expensive due to labor saving techniques, but the livelihood costs have become more expensive due the new uniform lifestyle standards from globalization. Electric machines and education are the typical of these increased costs. The background of this rural change is industrialization and urbanization in the context of globalization and its strong impact is penetrating into the rural society through the regional urban center as the relay point of the global mechanism. This change is different based upon the location of each rural society. Generally, rural societies around a big urban center enjoy opportunities for the younger generation, but remote areas have serious problems with few employment opportunities and a smaller youth population. To reproduce and sustain the regional society as a whole, it is necessary to attract younger people and make them stay. We should plan to develop a variety of industries and the resultant diversified work opportunities in the broader region beyond the narrowly demarcated village and community. Subsistence and commercial agriculture might merely be a part of such diversity.     

The development of intercultural pedagogy and its influences on primary schools: conclusions and perspectives

The integration debate in Germany is closely connected to the education debate. Both are related to recent societal changes. Discussions at the social and political level in the past couple of years have shown how highly emotionally charged attitudes towards migration and integration in this country truly are. This article aims to provide an overview of intercultural developments in German educational contexts, especially those related to primary schools, against the background of societal change. We trace the developments in Germany from foreigner pedagogy and intercultural pedagogy to a pedagogy incorporating antiracism elements and subsequently a pedagogical approach focused on diversity (diversity pedagogy). We conclude that though many gains have been made, there is presently a danger that we will lose sight of cultural heterogeneity as diversity pedagogy in Germany has expanded to incorporate social inclusion.     

Remarriage and Stepfamilies: Strategic Sites for Family Scholarship in the 21st Century

This article reviews areas of advancement over the past decade in our understanding of remarriage and stepfamilies and suggests promising new directions for future work. Profound shifts in the demographic context of family life motivate central themes in recent scholarship on remarriage and stepfamilies, including the diversity and complexity of stepfamily structures and processes, the consequences of multiple partnerships for adults and children, and potential selectivity in the characteristics of individuals entering remarried families and stepfamilies. Despite challenges to further progress, I argue that remarriage and stepfamilies offer strategic opportunities to investigate many core concerns of family scholars.     

The Latinization of the Central Shenandoah Valley

Virginia is among a number of southern states in the United States, such as North Carolina, Arkansas and Georgia, which have experienced a sudden growth in Latino immigration during the past decade. Not only is the volume of growth unprecedented, but many of the destinations are new and located in rural areas. Places that have not hosted immigrant populations for generations are quickly becoming multicultural. The small city of Harrisonburg (population 43,500 according to the 2005 estimate), which is located in the rural Central Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, is perhaps the premier example of this new pattern of change. While local advertising once promoted Harrisonburg for its "99.2% American-born and 93.7% white" population, the area today holds the distinction of hosting the most diverse public school enrollment in the state (in 2006-2007), with students from 64 countries who speak 44 languages. Among them are Spanish speakers from at least 14 different countries. Drawing on social network theory, the paper examines how social networks among Latino immigrants become activated in new settlement areas. It presents a case history of the historic process of "Latinization" involving the settlement of a number of diverse Latino populations (from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Cuba and Uruguay) in Harrisonburg and the surrounding Central Shenandoah Valley. The study demonstrates how a number of key institutions, including local agricultural industries (apples and poultry), a refugee resettlement office and churches recruited "pioneers" from these immigrant groups to the area and how "pioneers" subsequently engaged in further social network recruitment, thus creating multiple transnational "daughter communities" in the Harrisonburg area. The policy implications of this historical process are explored.     

Framing diversity: A qualitative content analysis of public relations industry publications

This qualitative content analysis used framing theory to examine how gender and diversity have been framed over the past decade in modern public relations industry publications. Findings revealed that diversity is most often set aside in its own issue or column and not integrated throughout the whole of the publications. Most articles about diverse populations mentioned primarily Hispanic or Latino populations and Blacks or African Americans. Diversity is framed as different, a journey or process, a language problem, a responsibility, inclusion, transforming workplace culture, enhancing the profession, resource intensive, power driven, needing to be justified, and impacting the bottom line. Disparities in public relations still exist among gender, racial, and ethnic groups with less power and must be addressed more fully in public relations professional publications.     

Understanding Puberty and Its Measurement: Ideas for Research in a New Generation

The measurement of puberty is an intricate and precise task, requiring a match between participants’ developmental age and appropriate techniques to identify and capture variations in maturation. Much of the foundational work on puberty and its psychosocial correlates was conducted several decades ago. In this article, we review the biological foundation of puberty; the operationalization of puberty in statistical analyses; and strategies for considering diversity and social context in research to help researchers align measurement with meaningful conceptual questions. These three areas are particularly important, given new statistical techniques, greater awareness of individual variations in development, and key differences between past cohorts and youth coming of age today.     

Social Integration in Post‐Multiculturalism: An Analysis of Social Integration Policy in Post‐war Britain

Social integration is one of the most urgent issues in Western countries, where cultural diversity has been recognized to make social unity danger. In the past, social integration used to be tackled by multiculturalism, which was an effort to recognize cultural diversity as a positive aspect of society. However, multiculturalism is losing the moral support of society because multiculturalism itself could not be a social glue among different people; rather it is thought to make society unstable. Thus, a new philosophy and policy is required to manage the issues of social integration in a globalized social environment. In order to create social integration, on one hand, people with different backgrounds need to share the same concept of society. On the other hand, people have to become accustomed to cultural diversity. However, this is not easily accomplished because both measures for social integration seem to be politically contradictory and incompatible. How, and by what reasons, could these two conditions of social integration be satisfied? To answer this question, this paper scrutinizes the changes in social integration policy in post‐war Britain. I divide social integration policy in Britain into three stages focusing on the relationship between social unity and cultural diversity: from after World War II to 1979; Thatcher's and Major's Conservative Governments; and Blair's new Labour Government. The social integration policy and philosophy of the new Labour Government in particular is important because it represents post‐multiculturalism discourse for social integration. The Labour Government tried to establish social integration by introducing an abstract common identity, which both the majority and minority groups could accept and which is compatible with various cultural or religious conventions and teaching, as it were, citizenship and Britishness, as a set of liberal values. Although the Labour Government's policy itself was controversial, it is giving us a reference point for the debate on social integration in a post‐multicultural era.     

Religiöse Diversität und Sozialintegration im internationalen Vergleich

Following Robert D. Putnams (2007) thesis that ethnic diversity weakens social cohesion, this study addresses the social consequences of religious diversity. Instead of contrasting social-psychological mechanisms it takes a macro-sociological perspective that focuses on different structural forms of religious diversity and relates them to the trust relations within a population. The empirical results based on a cross-national comparison of 41 European and Non-European societies show that religious macro-structures are indeed related to social trust. But contrary to Putnam’s “hunkering down” thesis religious diversity does not lead to social anomia and isolation but has different effects on social trust toward religious in- and out-groups. Key is the result that different macro-structural forms of religious diversity have different consequences for social cohesion. The question, whether religious diversity poses a threat or opportunity for the social integration of society, therefore crucially depends on its concrete form.     

Changing ruralities, changing landscapes: exploring social recomposition using a multi-scale approach

Changes in agricultural practices have led to declines in the farming population and significant changes within the landscape. Paradoxically, many rural areas are recording significant demographic growth. Given the extent of rural areas experiencing these changes, little attention has been devoted to the relationship between rural migration processes and landscape developments. Therefore, the various rural dynamics resulting from these phenomena merit closer investigation. Moreover, we should explore these complex processes at scales where they are most evident. Through the multi-scale research approach used in this study, these processes are investigated in their regional, local, and domestic contexts.As shown by regional typological outlines, the great diversity of the rural areas indicates an increasing dissociation between the agricultural and socio-demographic trajectories. From our local-scale study, changes in lot occupation revealed new residential settlement patterns induced by an influx of in-migrants. Specific landscape characteristics seem to be a determining force shaping these population flows. At the same time, these population movements have dissimilar influences on evolving landscape dynamics. With the exception of isolated agricultural abandonment trajectories, migrant relocation does not seem to affect specific local-scale land use development. However, it is significantly associated with individual domestic practices. These practices are indicative of the migrant's identity in the rural landscape; further, they suggest specific values for the landscape's qualitative dimensions. These emerging urban and non-farming interests in rural landscapes challenge planning policies to guide the landscape's evolution for the benefit of its “producers” and “consumers”.     

How a Catastrophe Found the Past Hurricane Floyd and the Rise of Historical Consciousness in Princeville,North Carolina

History has no voice. It requires those who care enough about the past to put it into words. But to narrate the past, we must be conscious of it. This paper is an inquiry into how a small town in North Carolina found its unique history in the wake of a catastrophic hurricane. In 1885, Princeville, North Carolina became the oldest town in America charted by free Blacks. In spite of its historical significance, over time the town's storied past was silenced. By the latter half of the 20th century, the unique place of Princeville in African-American history, indeed in United States history, was known to only a few elderly people; and they did not talk about it. The reasons a muted past begins to matter are themselves rooted in history. In 1999 Princeville was flooded by the deluge that was Hurricane Floyd. In the midst of mayhem this wordless past found a voice. In this paper we explore how a massive storm created space for the emergence of an historical consciousness among the town's residents. We also look at how the people of Princeville are leveraging their new found past to secure a safer, more predictable future.     

Transitioning youth: Policies and outcomes

The primary policies and outcome studies regarding youth transitioning from foster care and young adults who have aged out of foster care over the past quarter of a century are reviewed. Although several policies have increased services and funding for this population, overall, their outcomes have not significantly improved. In terms of educational achievement, employment, and well-being, many continue to fare poorly in young adulthood. Further policies and practice improvements may need to be implemented. The population of youth transitioning has far outpaced the funding available, state and program eligibility requirements may be eliminating the most vulnerable from services, in many states there is an inadequate provision of basic needs such as housing and healthcare, the expectations of self-sufficiency for this population now exceed societal norms, and the restrictions and placement instability associated with many older adolescents in care may be in contrast to their developmental needs. In order to more fully address the needs of youth transitioning from foster care, child welfare policies and practices may need to focus more attention on the relational and social development of youth while in foster care. Furthermore, during young adulthood, policies and practices may need to provide greater safety nets and resources to this population.     

Frequency and types of partner violence among Mexican American college women

OBJECTIVE AND PARTICIPANTS: The authors studied the prevalence of partner violence, by type, among Mexican American college women aged 18 to 35 years (N = 149; response rate = 85%). RESULTS: Twelve percent of women who reported a dating partner in the past year were physically or sexually assaulted, 12.1% were stalked, and 9.1% scored as psychologically abused. Among those experiencing partner violence, almost half experienced stalking and 89% reported psychological abuse. Few women (25%) who experienced physical violence believed violence was a problem in their relationship. CONCLUSIONS: Partner violence was prevalent in this population, and participants experienced many forms of violence. Because few women experiencing physical violence report that violence is a problem in their relationship, interventions must address perceptions of violence and its impact on women's mental and physical health in college populations.     

Aesthetics of arrival: spectacle,capital, novelty in post-reform India

India’s celebrated ‘arrival on the global stage’ as a desirable ‘emerging market’ for global investors signals the spectacular moment that is said to have ruptured the barriers between the first and third worlds. If the notion of arrival anticipates the long-awaited acceleration in the pace of history, it also harnesses a euphoric India to the limitless future promised by the new. In this special issue, we set our focus on the aesthetics of arrival that signal novelty, visibility and celebration of post-reform India within and outside the nation. We ask how novelty is manufactured and experienced when the majority of the population remains excluded from new India. The answer probably lies in the way in which this other India is signified as the past, as ‘old India’ that holds back the nation. The novelty, we propose, is not only experienced in the promise of the future, but also in the aesthetic force of the promise to overcome a humiliating past, tainted by colonialism, in order to realise a truer and more timeless ‘new’ India     

Effects of habitat fragment size and isolation on the density and genetics of urban red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus)

Urban expansion is creating environmental stressors through land use change, habitat fragmentation, and habitat loss. These stressors, along with a host of others, are driving precipitous declines in vertebrate taxa around the world. Amphibians, often requiring a narrow range of environmental conditions, can be especially susceptible to the stressors of environmental change. Despite habitat loss and degradation, some amphibian species continue to persist in altered urban landscapes. The red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus) is one such- species and in this study, we assess how habitat patch size affects population density and genetic diversity of salamander populations in and around an urban center in Ohio, United States. Further, we examined patterns of genetic differentiation and landscape connectivity to understand gene flow between populations and tested for historic demographic bottleneck effects. Populations were sampled from 9 urban forest patches ranging in size from less than 1 ha to approximately 250 ha. There was no apparent effect of contiguous habitat patch size on salamander density nor genetic diversity, but we did observe significant genetic differentiation between 97% of pairwise population comparisons. The differentiation observed was not a result of overland distance or effective distance due to landscape resistance. There was evidence of historic bottlenecks at every site. These results suggest that density is driven by within-patch heterogeneity and that genetic diversity is affected by drivers other than patch size or contemporary population density. Our study demonstrates that red-backed salamanders can persist in wooded, urban parks, but that genetic diversity remains susceptible to demographic changes.

     

A Literature Review of Cultural Stereotypes Associated with Motherhood and Fatherhood

In many societies, the iconic image of the family is that of a White, American middle-class, first-marriage nuclear family with two heterosexual parents and biological children. Research, however, has often neglected the complexity that exists within specific populations, particularly the impact of racial and ethnic diversity. The current review explores how motherhood and fatherhood, outside of the dominant North American cultural discourse, have been stereotyped in the research literature over the past decade. While results show few singularities in studies relating to fatherhood stereotypes, singularities in the findings associated with motherhood stereotypes are more abundant.     

The supply of housing: A bid for urban planning and development in Africa

In the past two decades, Africa has been undergoing an unprecedented upsurge in population and experiencing a phenomenal growth in its urban population. One of the critical issues in the urbanisation process in Africa has been the provision of adequate housing in both quantitative and qualitative terms for the increasing urban population. The paper emphasises the importance of housing in economic and social development and discusses the existing housing conditions in many urban centres of Africa. The criteria for assessment of the need for housing in Africa are outlined and measures for facing the housing challenge in the urbanisation process of Africa outlined. The paper concludes by emphasising the need for integrating investment in housing with investment in other sectors of the developing economy of Africa.     

Ethnic Integration and Spatial Segregation of the Chinese Population

Because of the overwhelming numerical dominance of the Han within the Chinese population and the highly localised distributions of most minority groups, it is difficult to assess the level of either segregation or ethnic integration in China in a systematic or meaningful manner. Previous studies have either been limited to mapping the locations of minority groups or have been based on provincial data, which for analytical purposes are too coarse to characterise the geographical distribution of minority populations at the sub-provincial level. In this paper, county-level data were used to calculate a diversity index for each county to illustrate the level of ethnic diversity. The results of these analyses indicate that high levels of diversity for a particular province are limited to a specific geographic region within it (especially along the international boundary and in some mountainous areas), rather than characterising the province as a whole. The approach used in this paper also employs a new measure based upon the idea of a standard deviational ellipse—a measure that is used to evaluate the level of spatial segregation between ethnic groups. An index illustrating the degree of spatial correlation between ethnic groups was derived for each province using county-level data. The results indicate that, although major population groups in southern and western China display a low level of spatial correlation (i.e. they are highly segregated), these same areas nevertheless exhibit relatively high levels of ethnic diversity.