Pluriactivity in the Moshav:: family farming in Israel

In the past several years, pluriactivity has become quite widespread among moshav farming households, especially those located within Metropolitan Tel Aviv's rural fringe. Agricultural income has been on the decline and other sources of income have appeared. This paper has a threefold aim: To identify major patterns of income sources among Moshav's households; to explain the underlying causes for choosing pluriactivity as an income-producing strategy; and to explain the reasons for the specific choice of pluriactivity patterns adopted.An analysis of the activities of moshavim¹ located in the Sharon Region indicates that the further the moshav from the metropolitan area, the greater the role of agriculture in total family income. Within a pluriactivity strategy, the main additional sources of income are wage employment and small business activity, carried out either on or off the moshav. The main factors stimulating the increase in pluriactivity are the decline in agricultural income and the desire to take advantage of vocational training. This trend is supported by other factors, such as the availability of premises for alternative uses as well as the ease of operating a business from the home.The divergence in pluriactivity patterns may indicate that the frequency of mixing agriculture with other income sources may be a temporary option adopted by households for which agriculture has been a mainstay. Those households may shift away from agriculture in the short or mid-term. We would argue that at present, for the majority of those no longer devoted solely to agriculture, pluriactivity is also aimed at helping to sustain agricultural activity. In such cases, farmers utilise the resources acquired from non-agricultural employment for investment in agriculture, including the upgrading of equipment and other assets.     

Divorce in the Kibbutz:

This study examines the main determining factors in the decision to divorce among 100 kibbutz members. The data and the conclusions are based on extensive open-ended and structured interviews. It is suggested that analysis of the reasons of divorce in the Israeli commune will contribute towards a better understanding of the intrinsic causes of divorce in modern society, since in the kibbutz the decision to terminate a marriage is based on the quality of the marital relationship per se, markedly unhindered by economic, legal or religious considerations. Following divorce, both husband and wife are assured full economic security, with equal rights as to the continued co-parenting of the children.     

Women in the Workplace:

This study examined the influence of employee sponsored child care service on employee stress level and job satisfaction. The findings revealed that women who used company sponsored child care services manifested significantly lower levels of stress and higher levels of job satisfaction than women who were not utilizing this service. In addition, a higher level of satisfaction with child care arrangements was associated with women involved in company sponsored child care service compared to women who had to make their own child care arrangements.     

Aesthetes in the marketplace: Collectors in the gun business

Marketplaces can provide settings for the appreciation of beauty and the creation of community. The author examines how gun collectors who buy and sell guns continue to see themselves as aesthetes rather than dealers. Gun collector-dealers turn economic encounters at commercial gun shows into occasions for teaching others the symbolic uses of guns — as artifacts, curios, andobjets d'art. Economic relations can produce aesthetic value even when the objects exchanged are conventionally defined as symbols of violence and not beauty.     

Multicultural Existence in the Workplace:

This essay will examine some of the issues that queer workers must deal with, with particular attention to the dynamics of multiple undervalued identities of individuals in the workplace. The interplay of racism, sexism and homophobia is explored focusing on three key areas: special challenges in the workplace; advancement concerns; and safety issues and survival strategies. It also examines the impact of internalized homophobia and horizontal hostility in each of these areas. While grounded in my personal standpoints, as a Latina and Lesbian in academia, the issues raised have broader applications for diverse indivualds across a variety of occupational settings.     

Elder Abuse in the UK:

This article evaluates the range of existing legal responses that may be utilized in cases of elder abuse in the UK. Because no single piece of applicable protective legislation exists, three possible levels of intervention have been identified: preventive measures, private law initiatives, and state intervention. In answer to the criticism of existing law, the Law Commission has published proposals for legal reform drawing on the child protection model. Questions are raised regarding the suitability of the approach given the intrinsic social and legal differences between children and adults.     

Drawing Lines in the Dirt:

Rural lesbian communities offer radical lifestyle alternatives for women by providing access to places that are safe and separate for male-dominated culture. These “lesbianlands” include a variety of emphases and have impacted mainstream society in numerous ways. However, the stressors of community living and rural life proved difficult for many, and the numbers of such groups have dropped contexts of these groups, their psychological implications, and the shape of the ongoing movement. Suggestions for clinical practice are included.     

Elderly Living in the Community:

Helping an older individual remain in the community requires the creation of living environments that maximize the individual's strengths while providing supportive services in the areas of decreasing competency. Historically, the community care system has not been viewed by reimbursers as terribly important. The aging of the population, plus the high cost of institutional care has resulted in renewed interest in services provided in one's own home. However, there are both challenges and opportunities in providing such service. Adapting supportive housing and neighborhood environments which help unstable persons remain in their homes is crucial to this effort.     

African-American Women in the Workplace:

This article looks at the perceptions and professional perspectives of African-American female EAPs who work with African-American women in various industries. It provides an exploration into the attitudes of African-American women about several workplace and personal issues including:

• sexual harassment and discrimination

• racial discrimination

• career opportunities

• work assignment disparity

• organization culture and sensitivity

• organizational supports

These concerns have been examined against a backdrop of actual demographic changes that have occurred for minority and all women over the last decade. The author has used her own experiences as an EAP professional for the last ten years, in addition to those of other African-American women EAPs, in order to highlight and identify the central issues of concern for Afiican-American female clients. The data were gathered through indepth, face-twface interviews with six African-American female Employee Assistance professionals. Their experiences illustrated the difficulty that EAPs are still having in effecting the problems of sexual discrimination and harassment, racial discrimination, and general career barriers that African-American women face in the workplace. As our current cadre of intervention strategies are not yet successful, new approaches are called for as we move toward ihe next century, especially if EAPs are to enhance our effectiveness in helping clients confront some of the most significant problems they face.     

Politics in the Consulting Room: Hate in the Countertransference Revisited

This paper focuses on the way political ideas infused the psychoanalytic treatment of Mr. N., a man who struggled with low self-esteem, paranoia, and rage. Mr. N. became increasingly identified with Republican political goals and attacked what he considered my Democratic political views and legislative advocacy. The way that his anger became focused on my political activity had a profound impact on me, leading to strong countertransference feelings of depression and hate. The ways that I tried to accept and use this countertransference in the treatment are summarized, in the context of D.W. Winnicott’s paper on “Hate in the Countertransference” and others. During the course of the treatment Mr. N. became less judgmental of others and himself, learned to give and accept love, and developed the capacity for self-reflection through use of the therapeutic relationship.     

Preface: Foresight in 2020: Race and Gender in the Upcoming Election

This essay introduces contributions to a special issue of Sociological Forum titled “Foresight in 2020: Race and Gender in the Upcoming Election.” All articles in the issue can be accessed at the journal’s website, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15737861 . They will first appear under the “Early View” tab, and later in volume 35, supplement I.