Race and Gender Inequality in Homeownership: Does Place Make a Difference?*

Abstract Racial differences in homeownership have long been a topic of sociological study. Previous studies, however, neglected to consider differences in levels of homeownership between nonmarried black and white women in the context of place. Accordingly this paper focuses on the interaction between place, race, and gender and its impact on homeownership for nonmarried persons. The study employs the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) and logistic regression analysis to address the following questions: Has the racial differential in homeownership for nonmarried women changed from 1970 to 1990? How do place, race, and gender interact to determine the levels of homeownership for nonmarried women? The findings reveal that, although black women were less likely than white women to own homes, the racial differential declined dramatically in rural areas over the two‐decade period. The overall trend of decline was opposite to that for urban areas.     

The production of space in the negotiation of water and electricity supply in a bosti of Dhaka

Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) and Dhaka Electricity Supply Company (DESCO) do not provide any direct utility supply in the informal settlements of Dhaka where more than one third of the total city population live. Large numbers of the population thus access utilities from local vendors who maintain relationships with administrative staff of the authorities concerned, political leaders and influential community leaders, thus making the supply available in the settlement and continuing their informal utility business. Access to these utilities is negotiated in the continuously changing arrangements of a complex hybrid institutional sphere and under informal regulation. In this process, the changing nature of the state and urban groups and the complicated and dynamic relationship between and within urban groups indicate that urban governance operates in a ‘third space’ of constant negotiation and contestation. Against this background this paper presents the informal practice of water and electricity supply by a local association, the regulations in place, and the inter-linkage between different forms of regulatory space whose presence is a necessary condition for the continuation of the informal practice.     

Sustainability when capital management has stochastic consequences

Sustainability is usually defined as a requirement of each generation to manage its stocks of man-made and natural capital such that the utility that it ensures itself can be shared by all future generations. Here we extend this definition to the case where capital management does not have deterministic consequences. A characterization is offered where the sustainability of one generation's behavior can be determined by comparing its utility with the utility of the succeeding generation, provided that the latter behaves in a sustainable manner. The properties of the definition are investigated and illustrated. Received: 26 April 1994/Accepted: 15 April 2002     

Exotic monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) in New Jersey: nest site selection, rebuilding following removal, and their urban wildlife appeal

Understanding how birds exist in highly urban cities is important to maintaining biodiversity within these environments, and exotic species pose a unique opportunity to examine adaptation. The non-native monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) nests mainly in cities in the United States, and in some places, is considered a nuisance by utility companies. Monk parakeets nest communally (many nests in one nest structure) and colonially (many nest structures in one area). We studied monk parakeets in urban New Jersey to determine where they nested, if nest sites were similar among parakeets nesting in trees and utility poles, and if they rebuilt following removal. Of the 51 nest structures we studied, 37% were on utility poles, 8% were on a man-made gazebo, and the rest were in trees. Nest structures located on poles were located closer to the ground, had fewer nest holes, and the distance to nearest tree was greater than for tree nest structures. The pole nest structures were closer to the top of the “canopy” or structure, and were always located on or around the pole rather than out on one of the cross beams. The nest structures were similar in size and shape whether they were located on poles, other man-made objects, or in trees. Thus monk parakeets built similar nest structures, and located them about the same distance from the ground and from houses whether they were in utility poles or in trees, leading to the conclusion that poles provide suitable sites for them. The parakeets persisted in nesting on the utility poles and another man-made gazebo despite being removed over several years, and despite the presence of other nearby unused trees. After parakeet nest structures were removed from poles by the utility company, most birds began rebuilding within the day. The persistence, despite persecution, of the monk parakeet on poles, and the fact that poles provide attractive and secure support for nest structures, suggest that they will continue to do so. Managers must either learn to live with the parakeets, redesign the utility pole structure to be less appealing to the birds, provide them with alternative nest sites on the utility poles or nearby, or continue to forcibly remove them. Local support for the parakeets, and their potential to serve as urban icons, have resulted in New Jersey’s utility company working with local enthusiasts and scientists to ensure the birds are not harmed during nest removal.     

Why Do Transnationally Mobile People Volunteer? Insights From a Swiss Case Study

Based on 44 qualitative interviews with transnationally mobile people engaged in 28 different associations in Switzerland, this article tries to understand the motives behind the choice to volunteer, i.e. to actively and regularly engage in associations. These interviews reveal the great importance of associations in fostering inclusion in both the new living place and the place of origin. They further reveal that mobile people, no matter where they come from or why they are on the move, turn to associations for similar motives. In order of importance, they turn to associations to secure material advantages, to find ways of defining their identity in a manner that is both coherent and compatible with the host society and to socialize with people who are thought of as trustworthy.     

The Unique Coping Strategies of African American Families With a Loved One With Schizophrenia: The Use of the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scale

This study assesses how a sample of African American families with a loved one with schizophrenia cope using a commonly used family coping scale (F-COPES). The scale's overall performance and psychometric properties were tested to highlight how such families cope. The results demonstrated that families used proactive verses passive ways of coping. An exploratory factor analysis also demonstrated several unique ways in which this sample coped that were not included in the original subscales of the scale. The utility of using a family coping scale such as the F-COPES for practice and research with similar populations is reviewed.     

If money doesn’t make us happy, why do we act as if it does?

Research on income and subjective well-being shows that among the non-poor, increased income has little or no lasting impact on happiness. Yet the desire for more income remains a powerful motive among many people at all income levels. Is this simply because many people are misinformed and believe that higher incomes will make them happier, or are they motivated by something other than the pursuit of happiness? This paper argues for the latter. The paper begins by exploring this question, reviewing the literature on income and subjective well-being, and discussing of the role of utility in decision making. This paper then argues that three main factors lead us to value increased income even if it does not make us happier. First, happiness is just one value among many, and not the only conscious goal people set for themselves. Second, even when people are striving to maximize happiness, our tendency to overweight short-term payoffs leads us to overvalue the short-term rewards that income provides. Finally, I argue that our values-based decision making competes with other motivational systems and evolutionary drives. Three evolutionary desires are discussed: (1) to store resources, (2) to be sexually attractive, and (3) to manage our social relationships and our personal identity within those relationships. While all three motivations play a role in our desire for increased income, this paper argues that it is the third – the use of money and consumption as a social tool – that has the most important overall influence on our desire for increased income past the point where it ceases to increase personal happiness.     

Displacement and local linguistic practices: R‐lessness in post‐Katrina Greater New Orleans

Variable r‐lessness in New Orleans English is a salient linguistic feature tied to local place‐based identity. In this study, I examine rates of r‐lessness in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, which caused large‐scale displacement in the region. Participants come from the linguistically conservative suburb of Chalmette, where r‐lessness is more robust than in New Orleans proper. Participants’ connections to Chalmette were measured in two ways: (1) post‐Katrina location status, i.e. whether participants returned or relocated after the storm; (2) place orientation, captured via an ethnographically informed, multifaceted measure of stance and exposure to places outside of Chalmette. Analysis revealed that place orientation better predicts rates of r‐lessness than post‐Katrina location. I argue that the marked quality of r‐lessness makes it available for identity‐driven use to express a connection to Chalmette. This study demonstrates one way to account for the linguistic implications of individuals’ shifting allegiances to places they live(d).     

FLEXIBLE CONTRACTS AND SUBJECTIVE WELL‐BEING

Theory suggests that when workers choose between permanent and flexible contracts, their utility should tend to equalize across contract types. New estimates of job satisfaction show the critical role played by unmeasured worker heterogeneity. They reveal that flexible contracts are a strong negative determinant of satisfaction with job security but are often a positive determinant of other dimensions of job satisfaction. As a consequence, flexible contracts have either a weak negative influence or no influence on overall job satisfaction. Moreover, flexible contracts generally have no impact on overall life satisfaction of the employed. These results appear broadly consistent with the presence of equalizing differences. (JEL J28, J41)     

A reappraisal of Delphi 2.0 for public relations research

This paper introduces, analyzes, and explains the Delphi method of research, particularly as it applies to the public relations industry. The Delphi technique became known some 50 years ago when the RAND Corporation used it for forecasting. Since then, scholars and forecasters have used it periodically for qualitative explorations into complex issues or domains. The overall purpose of the Delphi is to facilitate formal discussion among selected experts in a given domain around a particular topic; it is particularly useful when those experts cannot easily gather in one place. The method encourages the sharing of diverging worldviews over a few “rounds” or iterations in the hope that the views may converge into some direction around the given topic. For this reason, the Delphi has often been used in situations or environments that tend to be somewhat ambiguous and where interviews and surveys are neither timely nor appropriate.     

Multidisciplinary Team Involvement and Prosecutorial Decisions in Child Sexual Abuse Cases

This study examines the impact of multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) coordinated by Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) on the prosecutorial decision to accept or reject cases of child sexual abuse (CSA). This analysis is part of an examination of the utility of CACs as it relates to prosecutorial decisions. Case specific information was obtained on all cases with both child protective services (CPS) law enforcement involvement processed through one Texas CAC, serving multiple counties, from 2010 to 2013. For the purposes of this study one county is listed as rural and one is listed as urban. The study site also unofficially serves several more rural counties. The urban county accounts for approximately 75% of all cases processed through the CAC. The final analyses included 553 cases of alleged CSA. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the utility of MDTs and case coordination among law enforcement and CPS as they relate to prosecutorial decisions. The number of participants at MDT meetings was correlated with an increase in prosecutorial acceptance rates by approximately 30%. Prosecutor presence at MDT meetings was correlated with an increase in acceptance rates by approximately 80%. Official case coordination between law enforcement and CPS was not statistically significant. Results of this study suggest that the MDT model provides a useful tool for prosecutors when determining whether to accept or reject cases of CSA, while official coordination may be less impactful.     

Ground Zero: reflections on trauma,in/distinction and response

This essay traces practices of tourism and memory at Ground Zero in New York in 2001 in an attempt to understand the perceived significance of what had happened and what it was that had been seen as traumatic. It describes the endless circling of the site, and the need for people to see for themselves. It argues that what happened included not just the impact of the planes but the collapse of the twin towers and the wound to the cityscape that followed. This exploration leads the paper to propose a more all‐embracing view of trauma, not as an injury to the flesh, to the psyche, to the community, or to the built environment, but as the name for an event where the very distinctions between body, psyche, community and environment are called into question. Practices that took place after 9.11 reveal how visitors and rescue workers sought, for example by taking photographs and in their insistent search for remains, to reinstate distinctions that had been obliterated, and how they struggled not only against the use of victims as a means that took place that day, but the ongoing instrumentalisation of life that takes place anyway under contemporary systems of sovereign power.     

Estimating customer utility of energy efficiency standards for refrigerators

A frequent argument against efficiency standards is that they prohibit products that represent optimal choices for customers and thus lead to reduced customer utility. In this paper we propose and test a method to estimate such losses. Conjoint analysis is used to estimate utility functions for individuals that have recently bought a refrigerator. The utility functions are used to calculate the individuals' utility of all the refrigerators available in the market. Revealed utility losses due to non-optimal choices by the customers seem consistent with other data on customer behaviour. The same utility estimates are used to find losses due to energy efficiency standards that remove products from the market. Contrary to previous claims, we find that efficiency standards can lead to increased utility for the average customer. This is possible because customers do not make perfect choices in the first place.     

Exploring youths' perceptions of the hidden practice of youth work in increasing social capital with young people considered NEET in Scotland

This small-scale research explores the generation of social capital in young people growing up in one urban area and one rural area in Scotland via community-led youth work projects that aim to re-engage young people categorised as NEET (Not in Employment Education or Training). By looking at their varied and complex biographies, it considers young people's experiences and perceptions of their communities and their transitions from education to the workplace. Using social capital as a theoretical lens, we examined the impact that youth work can have not just on these important transitions but also upon the young people themselves. By visiting two different sites of engagement we were able to explore whether the type of initiative (media or sports) or place (urban or rural) had an impact on the generation of capital for young people. The youth work practice in both areas acted as a glue between the young people and their communities, creating opportunities where the two could be bound together and relationships created. This occurred in both sites regardless of the area or type of initiative and confirmed in this study that youth work acts as a site of capital building.     

Back to Basics

Nonprofits are under increased accountability pressures to demonstrate their effectiveness. Output measurement (how much is produced) is disregarded as simplistic. Emphasis is made instead on measuring outcomes (changes in the lives of beneficiaries) or impacts (effects developed relative to the mission of the nonprofit, or the overall public good), and a growing portion of organizations state that they measure these effects. However, we question the assumption that outputs such as the number of beneficiaries served are being adequately measured. We first review existing research gaps on results measurement practices and discuss the main types of obstacles to the quality and utility of evaluation data. In this context, we argue for the need to reground nonprofit evaluation in the profound knowledge available about beneficiary populations. We discuss the potential and limitations of reach, a basic output indicator that is defined as the number of individuals directly affected by a nonprofit, and explore the organizational drivers of reach measurement. Evidence from 2,229 nonprofits shows they still lack adequate data on the beneficiaries they serve, face relevant conceptual and practical hurdles when trying to identify them, and are significantly influenced by organizational factors in their capacity to track them. Our research not only shows that nonprofits fail to adequately measure outputs, but also that measuring the number of beneficiaries served and how they are served is not as straightforward as outcome and impact advocates suggest. Practitioners and funders are reminded of the need to place beneficiaries at the core of their evaluation efforts.     

The Influence of Attachment Styles on Sexual Communication Behavior

Attachment theory is one of the major theoretical frameworks for understanding romantic relationships. Attachment styles are formed through interactions with caregivers and shape an individual’s expectations of subsequent interpersonal relationships. In this study, we examined how attachment styles influence participants’ ability to communicate with their partners about problems in their sexual relationship. A community sample of 81 couples engaged in two video-recorded discussions, one representing an aspect of the couple’s sexual relationship where the male partner wanted change and the second representing an aspect of the sexual relationship where the female partner wanted change. Conversations were then coded, with each person being rated on three positive communication dimensions (positive affect, offering solutions, and responsiveness) and three negative communication dimensions (hostility, negative affect, and unskilled communication behaviors). As predicted, attachment avoidance was related to more negative and less positive communication for both the individual and his or her partner. Our observational data did not reveal any significant effects of attachment anxiety on sexual communication. These results can be contrasted with findings from self-report studies that do suggest an anxious attachment adversely impacts sexual communication.     

Ready or not: The influence of readiness on healthy marriage and relationship education training outcomes

This exploratory study utilizes a sample of human service providers and administrators to examine personal, agency, and collaborative readiness as predictors of training outcomes (utility reaction, gains in knowledge, and transfer of learning). The study is informed by the child welfare training evaluation model to address the effect of participants' (n = 58) readiness indicators and learning impact in relation to the transfer of learning that takes place following a one-day training. Participants' personal and agency readiness predicted their utility reaction, while personal readiness predicted gains in knowledge. The association between agency readiness and transfer of learning was partially mediated by utility reaction. Implications are drawn for both human service providers and researchers.     

TigerPlace, A State-Academic-Private Project to Revolutionize Traditional Long-Term Care

The Aging in Place Project at the University of Missouri (MU) required legislation in 1999 and 2001 to be fully realized. An innovative home health agency was initiated by the Sinclair School of Nursing specifically to help older adults age in place in the environment of their choice. In 2004, an innovative independent living environment was built and is operated by a private long term care company, as a special facility where residents can truly age in place and never fear being moved to a traditional nursing home unless they choose to do so. With care provided by the home care agency with registered nurse care coordination services, residents receive preventative and early illness recognition assistance that have markedly improved their lives. Evaluation of aging in place reveal registered nurse care coordination improves outcomes of cognition, depression, activities of daily living, incontinence, pain, and shortness of breath as well as delaying or preventing nursing home placement. Links with MU students, faculty, and nearly every school or college on campus enrich the lives of the students and residents of the housing environment. Research projects are encouraged and residents who choose to participate are enjoying helping with developing cutting technology to help other seniors age in place.     

Lagos in London: Finding the Space of Home

ABSTRACT

The term “home” is loaded with normative notions about insiderness, sociality, dwelling, spatiality, and tends generally to be associated with a particular architectural mode of dwelling, classically a house, and with a particular set of people related by blood and/or marriage. In keeping with the contemporary theoretical movements about what and where a home resides, this paper also questions the validity of limiting these modes of being and being among as the sole confine of the domestic sphere. It suggests that rather than searching for these only within the classic scenario, the elements of what constitutes a home can be found outside of that sphere, through particular social and spatial negotiations of public spaces. These practices and spatial negotiations in the public space can then be compared with similar ones in the domestic setting. Taken together they reveal much more about the process of home making than either one would individually. Thus what is proposed in this article is a definition of home that is seen less as a particular geographical and/or architectural entity, and more as a space where specific forms of sociality take place.