Book reviews

Nathan Glazer Ethnic Dilemmas Harvard, Harvard University Press. 1985

Giddens, Anthony The Constitution of Society, Berkeley, University of California, 1985, pp.XXXVII, 402. Notes, glossary, diagrams, bibliographic notes and index.

Jeremy Rifkin Declaration of a Heretic. Boston. London, Melbourne and Henley, Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1985, pp.X,140.

Ted Benton The Rise and Fall of Structural Marxism: Althusser and his Influence, New York, St.Martin's Press, 1984, pp. VII,259.

Raymond L. Garthoff Détente and Confrontation Washington, The Brookings Institution, 1985, pp.XVI,1126.

Joseph J. Collins The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan. A Study in the Use of Force in Soviet Foreign Policy, Massachusetts/Toronto, D.C. Heath and Company/Lexington, 1986, pp. XV, 195.

Jan Shipps Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition, Chicago, University of Illinois Press, 1985, pp.211.

Robert Jay Lifton Home from the War: Vietnam Veterans: Neither Victims nor Executioners, New York, Basic Books, 1985, pp.478     

Book reviews

Maurice Milliard and Simon Lee (eds.): The Politics of Social Policy in Europe. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing, 1997. 290 pp, ISBN 1-85898-367-3.

Jane Lewis (ed.): Lone Mothers in European Welfare Regimes: Shifting Policy Logics. London and Philadelphia, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 1997. 214 pp., ISBN 1-85302 448-1 hbk; 1-85302 461-9 pbk.

Mlta Castle-Kanerova/ School of Policy Studies, Social Research & Politics, University of North London, UK

Saul Becker: Responding to Poverty. The Politics of Cash and Care. Social Policy in Britain Series. London, Longman, 1997. 223 pp., ISBN 0-582-24322X PPR.

Gunn Strand Hutchinson and Siv Oftedal: Modeller i sosialt arbeid: fra ulike retter til samme felt (Models in Social Work: From Different Roots to the Same Field). Tano-Aschehoug, Oslo, 1996. 265 pp., ISBN 82-518-3462-7, N.Kr. 268.00.

Michael Seltzer/ Faculty of Economics, Public Administration and Social Work, Oslo College, Norway

Malcolm Payne: Modern Social Work Theory (Second edition). Basingstoke, Macmillan, 1997. xiv+ 354 pp., ISBN 0-333-67654-8, £ 13.50.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference (Frost, 1916)

Martin Davies (ed.): The Blackwell Companion to Social Work. Oxford, Blackwell, 1997. 376 pp., ISBN 0-631-19876-8 (hbk), £50.00; 0-631-19877-6 (pbk), £14.99.

Steven Shardlow/ Director of Social Work Studies, Department of Sociological Studies, University of Sheffield, UK

Malfrid Grude Flekkoy and Natalie Hevener Kaufman: The Participation Rights of the Child: Rights and Responsibilities in Family and Society. London, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 1997. 182 pp., ISBN 1-85302-490-2, £13.95.

Nigel Thomas/ Lecturer in Applied Social Studies, University of Wales Swansea

Adalbert Evers, Riita Haverinen, Kai Leischenring and Gerald Wistow (eds.): Developing Quality in Personal Social Services. Concepts, Cases and Comments. Aldershot, Ashgate, 1997. 312 pp., ISBN 1-84014-337-1.

John Harris/ Senior Lecturer in Applied Social Studies, University of Warwick, UK

Crescy Cannan and Chris Warren (eds.): Social Action with Children and Families. A Community Development Approach to Child and Family Welfare. London, Routledge, 1997. 218 pp. ISBN 0-415-13151-0.

Bert Jones/ North East Wales Institute of HE, Wrexham, North Wales, UK.     

Book reviews

The Political Sociology of Florian Znaniecki and Contemporary Politics (in Polish), Olgierd Sochacki (Ed.) Wydawnictwo Gdanskie, The Scientific Society of Gdansk, 1996

Why Read. Internal Space and the Social Function of Literature: An Investigation with. Psychoanalysts and Psychology Students, Graziella Pagliano (Ed.) Bonanno Editore, 1994

Voix Littéraires de Femmes

Cuadernos sobre Vico, Nos 5–6, José M. Sevilla et al. 1995–96

Studi in memoria di Ernesto Grassi Proceedings of the International Conference in Memory of Ernesto Grassi (Ischia, 4–6 October 1993), Emilio Hidalgo‐Serna and Massimo Marassi (Eds), Napoli, La Città del Sole, 1996

Naples Istituto Italiano per gli Studi Fiosofici, La Gittà del Sole, Napoli, 1996

Family, Women and Employment in Central‐Eastern Europe, Barbara Lobodzinska (Ed.) Greenwood Press, 1995     

Book reviews

Patrick Kenis and Bernd Marin (eds.): Managing AIDS: Organizational Responses in Six European Countries. Aldershot, Ashgate, 1997. 381 pp., ISBN 1-85972-126-5, £25.

Mark Doel and Steven Shardlow (eds.): Social Work in a Changing World: An International Perspective on Practice Learning. Aldershot, Arena, 1996. 213 pp., ISBN 1-85742-343-7.

Jack Hutten and Ada Kerkstra (eds.): Home Care in Europe. Aldershot, Arena, 1996. 317 pp., ISBN 1-85742-3364, £19.95.

Joanna Bornat, Julia Johnson, Charmaine Pereira, David Pilgrim, and Fiona Williams (eds.): Community Care: A Reader. Basingstoke, Macmillan, 1997. xi + 351 pp., ISBN 0-333-69847-9, £13.99.

UNICEF: Children at Risk in Central and Eastern Europe: Perils and Promises. Economies in Transition Studies, Regional Monitoring Report, No 4. Florence, International Child Development Centre, 1997. 170 pp., ISBN 88-85401-32-5.

Margit Harder and Keith Pringle (eds.): Protecting Children in Europe: Towards a New Millennium. Aalborg, Aalborg University Press, 1997. 176 pp., ISBN 87-7307-49-3.

Klaus Hurrelmann and Stephen F. Hamilton (eds.): Social Problems and Social Contexts in Adolescence: Perspectives across Boundaries. New York, Aldine de Gruyter, 1996. 299 pp., ISBN 0-202-36101-2.     

Book Reviews

Welfare States in Transition. National Adaptations in Global Economies. Edited by Gösta Esping-Andersen. London, Sage, 1996. 276pp., ISBN 0–7619–5048–6, £13.95.

Social Protection and the European Economic and Monetary Union. Edited by Jozef Pacolet. Aldetshot, Avebury, 1996. 305 pp., ISBN 1–8562–581–2, £40.

Valuazione e sapere sociologico (Evaluation and Sociological Knowledge). Edited by G. Bertin. Milan, Franco Angeli, 1996. 299pp., L. 38.000.

I bisogni dimenticati. Rapporto 1996 su emarginazione ed esclusione sociale (Report on Social Marginalization and Exclusion). Caritas Italiana—Fondazione E. Zancan. Milan, Feltrinelli, 1997. 292pp., L. 30.000.

Social Theory, Social Change and Social Work. Edited by Nigel Parton. London, Routledge, 1996. 238pp., ISBN 0–415–12698–3, £13.99.

Lena Dominelli: Sociology for Social Work. Basingstoke, Macmillan, 1997. ISBN 0–333–61521–2, £13.99.

Simon Goodwin: Comparative Mental Health Policy: From Institutional to Community Care. London, Sage. 183pp. ISBN 0–8039–7729–8, £13.99.

Anthony Colombo: Understanding Mentally Disordered Offenders. Aldershot, Ashgate, 1997. 226pp. ISBN 1–85972–689–5. £37.50.

Critical Approaches to Ageing and Later Life.

Edited by Anne Jamieson, Sarah Harper and Christina Victor. Buckingham, Open University Press, 1977. 195pp., ISBN 0–335–19725–6. £14.99.

Education and Fascism. Political Identity and Social Education in Nazi Germany. Edited by H. Sünker and H.-U. Otto. London, Falmer Press, 1997. 180pp., ISBN 0–7507–05919-X, £14.95.     

Book Reviews

Vic George and Peter Taylor-Gooby (eds.): European Welfare Policy. Squaring the Welfare Circle. Macmillan, London, 1996. 234 pp., ISBN 0–333–609166, hbk., £40; ISBN 0–333–609174, pbk., £12.99.

Linda Hantrais: Social Policy in the European Union. Macmillan, London, 1995. 251 pp., ISBN 0–333–61389–9, £13.50.

Ria Puhl and Udo Maas (eds.): Soziale Arbeit in Europa. Organisationsstrukturen, Arbeitsfelder und Methoden in Vergleich.

Neil Thompson: Anti-Discriminatory Practice. Second edition. BASW-Macmillan, Basingstoke, 1997. 181 pp., ISBN 0–333–69369–8, £11.50.

Peter Marsh and John Triseliotis: Ready to Practise? Social Workers and Probation Officers: Their Training and First Year in Work. Avebury, Aldershot, 1996. 241 pp., ISBN 1859724787, £30.00.

Marian Barnes: Care, Communities and Citizens. Longman, London, 1997. 187 pp., index, ISBN 0–582–25129. £13.99.

Tarja Heino: Obscure Areas of Clienthood in Child Protection. The Construction of a Child Protection Client by a Social Worker. National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health, 1997. Research Studies 77, 403 pp., ISBN 951–33–0327–6, approx. £15.00.

Dion Sommer: Barndomspsykologi–-udvikling i en forandret verden (The Psychology of Childhood–-Development in a Changed World). Hans Reitzels Forlag, K?benhaven, 1997.

Nina Oldfield: The Adequacy of Foster Care Allowances. Ashgate, Aldershot, England, 1997. 195 pp., ISBN 1–85972–427–2, £37.50.

Shulamit Ramon: Mental Health in Europe: Ends, Beginnings and Rediscoveries. Macmillan, in association with MIND publications, London, 1996. 272 pp., ISBN 0–333–59370–7, hbk., £42.50; ISBN 0–333–59371–5, pbk., £13.99.     

Book review

Wives and warriors. Women and the military in the United States and Canada L. Weinstein & C.C. White (Eds) Westport, Connecticut; London: Bergin & Garver, 1997. ISBN: 0-89789-491-X (hbk), 0-89789-526-6 (pbk)

Social skills for people with learning disabilities–A social capability approach Mark Burton & Carolyn Kagan (with Pat Clements) London: Chapman and Hall, 1995 ISBN: 0-412-43380-X (pbk)

Social Work with Children. The Educational Perspective

Jobs, Technology and People

Children in Difficulty: A Guide to Understanding and Helping

Step-parenting in the 1990s

Jobs and Economic Development Strategies and Practice

Caring to Work: accounts of working parents of disabled children

The WorWFamily Challenge. Rethinking Employment

No Place to Go. The Civil Commitment of Minors

Black Families in Corporate America     

The feasibility of goal attainment scaling to measure case resolution in elder abuse and neglect adult protective services intervention

Objectives: This pilot study describes implementation procedures of goal attainment scaling (GAS) and examines the feasibility of using GAS to measure the multifarious intervention outcome of case resolution in elder mistreatment (EM) adult protective services (APS).

Methods: Substantiated EM victims (n = 27) were recruited prospectively from the State of Maine APS. An adapted GAS approach was implemented involving development of a pre-populated goal scale menu and web-based GAS application.

Results: The GAS menu comprised 18 goals and corresponding scales spanning several domains of case resolution: social support, service access, health/functioning, enhancing independence, and protective measures. The overall GAS process had mean length 33.8 min per case. The mean GAS summary t-score (54.3) aligned with theoretical expectations.

Discussion: Without a measure of case resolution, research cannot compare the effectiveness of different EM intervention models. Findings suggest that GAS is a feasible, client-centered strategy to measure the multifarious EM intervention case resolution outcome.     

Book reviews

Law, socialism and social emancipation

Books Reviewed: M. Los, Communist Ideology, Law and Crime. St. Martin's Press: New York. 1988.

Paul Q. HirstLaw, Socialism and Democracy. London: Allen and Unwin 1986.

Citoyens et citoyennes

Review of: C. Pateman (1988), The Sexual Contract, Stanford University Press.

H.M. Hernes (1987), Welfare State and Women Power, Norwegian University Press.

Franco Crespi (1989), Azione sociale e potere, Il Mulino     

Effects of resistance training on liver structure and function of aged rats

The aging process may cause negative physiological changes. However, exercises as resistance training (RT) have been considered an important intervention to attenuate these changes. Additionally, liver plays an important role in blood glucose homeostasis in exercise.

Aim: This study aimed to analyze the effects of RT on the liver components of aged animals.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: 24 months’ group (CONTROL); and group submitted to a progressive RT protocol for 16 weeks (EXERCISE). Both groups were sacrificed at 24 months.

Results: We observed a decrease in blood flow due to the practice of resistance exercises. Besides, our results showed that hepatic tissue plays an important role in glycemic homeostasis during RT. In addition, RT increased mitogen capacity of hepatocytes.

Conclusions: Our study showed many implications for the knowledge about the effects of strength training on old animals’ liver.     

Effect of warning placement on the information processing of college students reading an OTC drug facts panel

Objective: To compare three over-the-counter (OTC) Drug Facts panel versions for information processing optimization among college students.

Participants: University of Houston students (N = 210) participated in a cross-sectional survey from January to May 2010.

Methods: A current FDA label was compared to two experimental labels developed using the theory of CHREST to test information processing by re-positioning the warning information within the Drug Facts panel. Congruency was defined as placing like information together. Information processing was evaluated using the OTC medication Label Evaluation Process Model (LEPM): label comprehension, ease-of-use, attitude toward the product, product evaluation, and purchase intention.

Results: Experimental label with chunked congruent information (uses-directions-other information-warnings) was rated significantly higher than the current FDA label and had the best average scores among the LEPM information processing variables.

Conclusion: If replications uphold these findings, the FDA label design might be revised to improve information processing.     

Book reviews

Henry Cavanna (ed.): Challenges to the Welfare State. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar, 1998. 204 pp., ISBN 1-85898-636-2, £49-95.

Robert Adams, Lena Dominelli, and Malcolm Payne (eds): Social Work: Themes, Issues and Critical Debates. London, Macmillan, 1998. 390 pp., ISBN 0-333-68818-X, £14.99-

Friedrich W. Seibel and Walter Lorenz (eds): Soziale professionen ür ein Soziales Europa/ Social Professions for a Social Europe/ Professions Sociales pour une Europe Sociale. ERASMUS-Evaluations-Konferenz, Koblenz. IKO, Frankfurt, ISBN 3-88939-443-4

Bruce A. Thyer and John S. Wodarski (eds): Handbook of Empirical Social Work Practice, i. Mental Disorders. New York, John Wiley, 1998. 470 pp., ISBN 0-471-15361-3.

Keith Pringle: Children and Social Welfare in Europe. Buckingham, Open University Press, 1998. 218 pp., ISBN 0-335-19701-9, £14.99.

Walter Hellinckx, Matthew Colton, and Margaret Williams (eds): International Perspectives on Family Support. Aldershot, Arena, 1997. 223 pp., ISBN 1-85742-347-X, £35.00.

Ulla Björnberg and Jiirgen Sass (eds): Families with Small Children in Eastern and Western Europe. Aldershoc, Ashgate, 1997. 180 pp., 1-85972-481-7, £35.00.

Deborah Padgett: Qualitative Methods in Social Work Research: Challenges and Rewards. Thousand Oaks, CA, Sage, 1998. 178 pp., ISBN 0-7619-020O-7 (hbk.); 0-7619-0201-5 (pbk.), £16.99.     

Book reviews

Brezzi Francesca, A Partire dal Gioco ‐ Per i Sentieri di un Pensiero Ludico Marinetti, Genova, 1992, pp. 134, L. 25.000

Ian McIntyre, DOGFIGHT ‐ The Transatlantic Battle over Airbus, Praeger Publishers, 112 pages, $42

Angela Ales Bello, Fenomenología dell'essere umano. Lineamenti di una filosofía al femminile, Roma, Città Nuova, 1992, pp. 170 L. 18.000

“A Critical Note on Some Literature Concerning Backwardness and Social Unbalances in Islamic Countries”     

“We Live and Breathe Through Culture”: Conceptualising Cultural Connection for Indigenous Australian Children in Out-of-home Care

Indigenous Australian children are overrepresented in the out-of-home care (OOHC) system, with numbers and rates on an upward trajectory. There is now serious concern that this overrepresentation is creating a second Stolen Generations in Australia, noted within policy campaigns such as Family Matters—Kids Safe in Culture, not in Care, and Grandmothers Against Removals. While placement in OOHC is designed to protect children’s long-term safety and wellbeing, it threatens cultural connection, which is fundamental to Indigenous identity and wellbeing. Some government policies that aim to foster cultural connection have not been effective, while others, such as the 2014 permanency legislation in Victoria, arguably threaten cultural connection. This article highlights the vital importance of cultural connection for Indigenous child development, arguing that for Indigenous children, family connection strengthens cultural connection. We argue that family needs to be recognised as a critical component of cultural connection that is equally as important as placement stability in OOHC. Consequently, statutory and community organisations responsible for Indigenous children in OOHC must focus on facilitating and strengthening family relationships, not only to foster cultural connection, but also to explore reunification possibilities.

IMPLICATIONS

• Cultural connection is fundamental to Indigenous identity and wellbeing, but requires family connection if it is to be fostered and strengthened.

• When Indigenous children live in out-of-home care, social workers in child and family welfare need to ensure that children are connected to culture.

     

Implementation of Intercultural Education Programmes based on Cooperative Learning

An intercultural programme must not overlook the elimination of racist attitudes, but should especially promote multicultural and democratic values.

In Spain, one of the most rejected groups is Gypsy people and their schooling is a problematic issue. We believe that intercultural attitude training programmes can be a practical pedagogical answer for promoting acceptance and respect for diversity.

To do this, we have chosen educational strategies of Cooperation in the Classroom, Active Participation and Persuasive Communication. All of them involve a search for new perspectives, the use of sociocognitive conflict as a driving impulse for learning, and an atmosphere of equality, respect and participation in the classroom.

We present in this paper one of the school programmes we have implemented in Valencia. This programme has been designed to be integrated within the ordinary school curriculum and not regarded as an added out‐of‐school activity. In order to implement it, we organised a teacher‐training course to analyse the intercultural model, to show the need for attitude training in education and to offer pedagogical guidance for the implementation of this type of intercultural programme.

The results of the programme show the improvement in pupils ‘ attitudes towards Gypsy people and cultural diversity in general.     

Migrants' entrepreneurship in transnational social fields: research in the Italian context

The aim of the article is to analyse the development of transnational economic activities run by migrants in Northern Italy. It is based on qualitative empirical research conducted in the three most important cities in northern Italy: Milan, Genoa, and Turin.

The article describes different kinds of transnational economic activity, identifying the subject of transnational transactions; the main clients (immigrant population or native population); the goods or services exchanged and their transnational impact; the expected social effects; and their positioning on a scale of transnational involvement.

The empirical cases considered are overland courier services on routes from Milan to Eastern Europe, shops owned by immigrants who offer ‘ethnic’ products in Milan and Genoa, and phone centres run by immigrants in Turin.

In the conclusion, the reactions of the receiving society and the question of public regulation are examined.     

Social work with vulnerable families and children in 11 Russian regions

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to describe and analyse how key actors in the social sector in Russian regions identify problems, objectives and social work achievements in connection with vulnerable families and children.

Methods. University personnel conducted 209 interviews using semi-structured questionnaires.

Results. Family problems were reported to be related to poverty, parents’ alcohol abuse, the child's behaviour, the child's lack of social skills, domestic conflicts and problems getting adequate housing. The view of the majority of the respondents was that social orphanhood depends on poverty, alcohol abuse and the family's diminished role in society. Family incomes have improved but services have become more expensive. The social workers mostly put the child, not the family, in focus. Alcohol abuse was considered to be a greater problem in wealthier regions. Analyses between key groups showed that the respondents ranked problems differently, had similar ways of defining important objectives, but had divergent opinions on what social work could achieve concerning, for example, re-establishing the child's contacts with his/her biological parents.

Conclusions. The respondents seem to be highly ambivalent toward alcohol abuse as a social problem and toward biological parents in vulnerable families. Social work in the regions is a profession in the process of formation.     

Housing in Old Age: Dynamical Interactions Between Neighborhood Attachment,Neighbor Annoyance,and Residential Satisfaction

Objective: Residential satisfaction and neighborhood quality play major roles in aging well. However, longitudinal research about the interplay between such factors is still sparse. Our 1-year study examined whether change in residential satisfaction was associated with change in two indicators of neighborhood quality: neighborhood attachment and neighbor annoyance.

Methods: Findings come from a longitudinal study with 85 community-dwelling German older adults (age range: 60 to 92 years). Participants filled out questionnaires at two measurements that were 1 year apart. The interplay between residential satisfaction and neighborhood was explored using a cross-path model.

Results: Higher levels of residential satisfaction predicted enhanced attachment and reduced annoyance over time. Moreover, attachment predicted positive change in residential satisfaction over the course of 1 year.

Conclusion: Results suggest that older adults may apply adaptive behaviors and strategies to optimize their neighborly experiences. Such findings have implications for improving residential satisfaction in community-dwelling older adults.     

Impact of metabolic status on the association of serum vitamin D with hypogonadism and lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of metabolic status on associations of serum vitamin D with hypogonadism and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)/benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Patients and methods: A total of 612 men underwent physical examination, biochemical/hormonal blood testing, and transrectal prostate ultrasound. Moreover, the subjects filled out standard questionnaires for identification and grading of LUTS and hypogonadism symptoms. Parameters were statistically compared with independent t-tests and correlation analyses.

Results: Vitamin D levels positively correlated with total testosterone (TT) but not with prostate volume or International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Patients with metabolic syndrome had significantly lower vitamin D levels, which were not correlated with TT, prostate volume, or IPSS. However, vitamin D was positively correlated with TT, and negatively correlated with prostate volume and quality-of-life IPSS in subjects without metabolic syndrome.

Conclusion: The clinical usefulness of vitamin D for treatment of hypogonadism or LUTS/BPH varies according to metabolic status.