Relationships with death: the terminally ill talk about dying

This article describes a qualitative study exploring the experiences of terminally ill patients and their families as they lived with the inevitability of death. Frustrated by the dominant discourse surrounding the culture of dying--namely that of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's stage theory--I sought to revisit the experiences of the terminally ill by talking directly with them. Instead of focusing on how people reacted to the introduction of death into their lives, this research attended to how the dying began relating to life and death differently as a result of death's presence. Through an analysis of ethnographically collected data, the meanings participants constructed around their experiences were explored--culminating in the creation of seven "relationships" that participants shared with death.     

State family leave laws and the legal questions they raise

Some lawmakers proclaim that their vote for family leave laws is a vote for the American family. This author surveys these popular laws state by state and discovers disturbing legal questions in this new front of costs and obligations that is advancing on employers.     

What every nurse needs to know about ... juvenile firesetters. A report of the Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Project

With the number of juvenile firesetters growing each year and the amount of psychological and financial damage they create, it is essential that clinical professionals are aware of the characteristics surrounding juveniles who set fires. This study had two primary purposes: to educate nurses and mental health practitioners about the etiology and treatment of juvenile firesetters and to discuss a number of exploratory predictors, including age, gender, aggression, internalizing behaviors, level of deviancy, family dynamics, and sociability. Certain individual and environmental characteristics relate to varying levels of damage caused by the fire and the presence or absence of recidivistic behaviors. Firesetters are a group widely seen in the general population but not often identified or studied by clinical professionals. Therefore, this article has implications for the clinical practice of nurse practitioners and others who come into contact with this clinical population.     

Parental leave benefits and breastfeeding in Germany: effects of the 2007 reform

While breastfeeding is associated with health benefits for both mothers and children, it may also make it difficult for mothers to return to the labor market early. Maternity and parental leave regulations have been developed to mitigate this conflict. In 2007, Germany passed a reform introducing a new parental leave benefit (Elterngeld). In this paper, we address the question of whether the new parental leave benefit impacts breastfeeding initiation and duration in Germany. We use the reform as an exogenous policy variation to obtain causal evidence on breastfeeding behavior, applying a difference-in-differences approach. Mothers in particular benefit from the reform especially if they were employed prior to childbirth or if they have a household income above the income threshold of the previous parental leave scheme (treatment group). The reform did not bring significant changes within the first year of a child’s life for all other mothers (control group). We draw on representative survey data from the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) study. Three breastfeeding measures are used for the 2004 to 2009 cohorts: (1) breastfeeding at birth; (2) breastfeeding for at least 4 months; and (3) breastfeeding for at least 6 months. We find no effect of the Elterngeld reform on breastfeeding initiation but do observe an effect on breastfeeding duration. Our results are robust over various sensitivity tests, including placebo regressions, the application of matching approaches, and controlling for regional indicators, among others. Thus, our empirical results provide evidence that the reform’s goal of allowing parents to spend more time with their children during the first year of life also impacted breastfeeding behavior.     

Measuring policy entitlements at the micro-level: maternity and parental leave in Europe

Comparative social policy analysis has been shaped by the measurement of policy as a macro phenomenon. However, social policy theories have consistently asserted that policy entitlements vary across class, gender, ethnicity and the life-course. This paper synthesises a number of innovations to produce an approach which allows researchers to explore the policy heterogeneity within populations, across populations and over time. Using the example of maternity and parental leave, policy entitlements are identified through the calculation of financial support an individual would receive if they were to have a child, using a combination of legislative rules with representative survey sample. The results reveal far greater heterogeneity in policy entitlements than existing indicators suggest, with considerable implications for research on maternity and parental leave. This approach is not limited to maternity and parental leave benefits and demonstrates a way to explore comparative social policy in greater depth and detail.     

Therapist pregnancy and maternity leave: Maintaining and furthering therapeutic gains in the interim

A therapist's pregnancy and maternity leave is a time of multiple transitions for both patient and therapist. This article reviews the literature on therapist pregnancy and its therapeutic implications. It discusses the treatment planning choices of: trial termination, therapeutic hiatus, and temporary transfer. The article further addresses the clinical and administrative issues of planning the maternity leave as well as the issues of time-limited treatment with the interim therapist. It included illustrative case examples based on the author's experience as an interim therapist during a six month maternity leave.This paper in its original form was presented as part of the requirement for The Hunter College School of Social Work: Post Masters Program in advanced Clinical Social Work.     

Fathers at work: explaining the gaps between entitlement to leave policies and uptake

ABSTRACT

Why are fathers in Scotland unlikely to use the full range of leave benefits available to them? Taking a capabilities approach allows us to explore the perspective that some fathers may experience an agency gap and thus not have the capabilities to utilise entitlements. This paper addresses the question empirically using a mixed-methods design which includes: analysis of data from the Growing up in Scotland study, 20 in-depth qualitative interviews with fathers of young children working in the public sector in dual-earner couples, as well as an audit of extra-statutory benefits offered to fathers by employers. We argue that the reliance on an extra-statutory leave system in the UK explains at least part of the gap between fathers’ entitlement to and uptake of statutory leave, as such benefits are not routinely available to all parents. The extra-statutory entitlement is more than just a ‘top-up’ to the statutory; it is rather a conversion factor for the take up of statutory entitlement, by fathers. Organisational cultural norms support many employed fathers in taking a couple of weeks leave post-birth, but longer leave duration for fathers is not yet a usual parenting practice in Scotland, particularly lower down the income distribution.     

As gentle as little lambs: images of Huron and Montagnais-Naskapi women in the writings of the 17th century Jesuits

Les indiens Hurons et Montagnais-Naskapi qui ont vécu en Nouvelle France au 17e siècle, représentent un cas très intéressant pour 1'étude des mécanismes qui déterminent la construction et la mise en oeuvre de définitions de la Femme. Pendant la première moitié du 17e siècle, ces indiens ont subi une conversion par les missionaires jésuites. L'intention de ces jésuites était de transformer les membres de ces sociétés traditionnelles en bons catholiques francisés. Cette transformation impliquait une redéfinition des images de la Femme, de L'Homme et de leurs relations. Cet article examine ces images qui se trouvent dans les rapports annuels que chaque supérieur de mission envoyait en France et à Rome. Il recherche également L'origine de ces images dans la doctrine catholique. Il s'intéresse enfin, aux fondements de pouvoir, qui ont permis aux jésuites de parvenir ensuite, à la réalisation de ces nouvelles images de la Femme, de L'Homme et de leurs rapports dans ces deux sociétés Huron et Montagnais-Naskapi. The 17th century Huron and Montagnais-Naskapi Indians of New France provide an interesting case study of the mechanisms involved in the construction and implementation of definitions of women. During the early to mid-17th century both the Huron and the Montagnais-Naskapi were proselytized by Jesuit missionaries. It was the Jesuits' intent to transform both these groups into loyal, Catholic, Frenchified citizens. That transformation required a redefinition of the nature of women, men and their interrelations. This paper examines the images of Huron and Montagnais-Naskapi women found in the Jesuit Relations, the annual reports sent to France and Rome by the Superior of the mission in New France. It looks at the origins of those images in French Catholic doctrine and traces the dynamics of power that ultimately enabled the Jesuits to successfully implement those images in Montagnais-Naskapi and Huron societies.     

Difference and equality: Icelandic parents' division of parental leave within the context of a childcare gap

Iceland's parental leave system, granting mothers and fathers equal benefits, may be interpreted as part of the development in the Nordic countries towards a dual-earner/dual-caregiver model. Even though uptake studies show fathers' increased participation in childcare, the use of the entitlement varies and a gendered pattern persists. This paper is based on interviews with 14 Icelandic couples who find themselves in a situation where they have to bridge a care gap between parental leave and state-subsidized childcare. While mothers tend to stretch their part of the leave on the argument that six months is too short a leave, fathers generally find three months to be long enough. The discussion revolves around the question of the relationship between difference and equality, inspired by Andrea Doucet's (2006) concept of strategic essentialism. May we envision a policy system that takes into consideration the way people invest in gender and at the same time develop policy measures that facilitate gender equality?     

Organizational climate and child welfare workers' degree of intent to leave the job: Evidence from New York

With increasingly unstable workforce in child welfare agencies, it is critical to understand what organizational factors lead to intent to leave the job based on job search behaviors. Using recent survey data collected among 359 child welfare workers from eight agencies in New York State during 2009–2011 and a Structural Equation Model (SEM) method, this study examines the relationship between employee perceptions of organizational climate and the degree of intent to leave the job (thinking, looking and taking actions related to a new job). Fifty-seven percent (n = 205) reported that they had considered looking for a new job in the past year. Bivariate analyses indicated that there were significant differences between those who looked for a job and those who did not look for a job in the past year. SEM analysis revealed that four organizational climate factors were predictive of decreasing the degree of intent to leave the job: Perceptions on organizational justice was most predictive factor for thinking of a new job followed by organizational support, work overload and job importance. The findings of this study help us understand the employee perceptions of different organizational factors that impact employee turnover especially from the time an employee thinks of leaving the job to actually taking concrete actions related to a new job.     

A comprehensive workplace intervention and its outcome with regard to lifestyle, health and sick leave: the AHA study

This study is a prospective multicentre cohort study entitled Work and Health in the Processing and Engineering Industries, the AHA Study (AHA is the Swedish abbreviation for the study). Four large workplaces in Sweden participated during the years from 2000 to 2003. The present report has two objectives: (1) to present a comprehensive occupational health intervention programme and (2) to evaluate this programme with a focus on lifestyle (smoking and exercise), health related quality of life (HRQoL) and sick leave. Interventions were provided on an individual and group level, including evidence-based methods for four health/focus areas (individual level) and a group intervention based on a survey-feedback methodology. The analyses in this report were exclusively employed at an organizational level. The proportion of smokers decreased at three companies and the course of the HRQoL was advantageous at two of the companies as compared to a gainfully employed reference group. A significant decrease in sick leave was revealed at one company, whereas a break in an ascending sick-leave trend appeared at a second company as compared to their respective corporate groups. This comprehensive workplace intervention programme appears to have had positive effects on smoking habits, HRQoL and sick leave.     

Infusing Content about Jews and about Anti-Semitism into the Curricula

Abstract

The social work profession has overlooked the topic of Jews as a cultural-religious minority group and the problem of anti-Semitism. Yet, current accreditation standards mandate that social work programs educate students about the differences among ethnic, racial, and cultural groups. This article traces the history of the Jews and the dynamics of anti-Semitism. The author suggests that this content be incorporated into the social work curricula at the micro practice level. Students should explore their own ethnic identities and religious backgrounds. This self-exploration will enable them to be open to new information and to be aware of misinformation about other groups. At the macro practice level, role plays would help students practice their responses to anti-Semitic incidents and would sensitize them to the feelings of members of oppressed groups. Overall, the profession needs to research this content and work to eliminate anti-Semitism.     

Foundations of the open society: discourse ethics and the logic of inquiry

A jury is called upon to debate the guilt or innocence of a woman accused of murder. The jury can deliberate or ask for more information about the case. They want to achieve a maximally truth-like verdict: they want to be as close as possible in their estimation of the woman’s degree of responsibility for the murder to her actual degree of responsibility at the time of the murder. What principles should guide their verbal interaction? What rules of discourse and dialogue should they follow if they want to achieve maximal truth likeness in their verdict? How do current deliberation procedures and practices depart from the ideal of an open or authentic debate? This paper contributes to both the normative and the positive dimensions of the debate concerning the discursive forms of the open society, in two ways. First, it addresses the link between the rules for ethical discourse proposed by Karl Otto Apel and Robert Alexy some twenty years ago and the logic of inquiry proposed by Karl Popper as a normative approach to scientific process some fifty years ago. It is found that if a group’s members abide by the rules of ethical discourse, then the process of discovery that their process as a whole instantiates will abide by the Popperian logic of scientific inquiry. Second, it provides an analysis of the ways in which forms of social organization that we are familiar with (markets, representative democracies) depart from the discursive ideals of the open society. I will end the paper by arguing that going from current ‘crippled’ forms of discourse that bound correspondingly ‘closed’ societies cannot be accomplished merely by asserting and guaranteeing the exercise of a right to ‘freedom of expression; a more comprehensive ‘discourse ethics’ is needed in order to bring about the development of the open society.     

Study. Be silent. Die: indeterminate architecture and the dispositif of studentification

This paper aims to explore the relationship between architecture and social movements in general and the indeterminate architecture of ruin and an event of squatter protest in particular. As a speculative project it reflects upon an architectural setting in which a protest took place in 2011 at the University of Sydney in Australia. Examining the architecture of this specific event and the ways architecture allows such turbulent moments to emerge are the focus of this paper. In this examination I combine the Foucauldian notion of dispositif with the emerging notion of studentification (formulated within the disciplines of geography, sociology and urban planning) in order to understand the role of architecture as a significant element in the rise of urban uprisings.