Mental & Social Diagnosis and the English Prison Commission 1914–1939

In this article the author argues that there was a strengthening optimism about the value of psychological treatment between 1914 and 1939 amongst medical personnel employed by the English Prison Commission. This optimism contrasted with the pessimistic eugenic notion that there was an increasing and unreformable underclass which transmitted its inferior mental and physical characteristics biologically. Prison Commission medical staff became openly critical of eugenic proposals during the interwar years and, advised by a number of its medical personnel such as medical inspector and later Medical Commissioner William Norwood East, the Prison Commission was influenced towards the mental hygienism advocated by a growing number of American and British clinicians. Fherefore the Commission initiated a number of experiments in psychological treatment and psychoanalysis in English prisons.     

Youth Cultures,Youth Movements and the Rise of a ‘Counter-Culture’

The rise of a youth culture, youth movement and, more recently, a counter-culture, may be traced to the reaction of student youth in particular against what they consider to be useless academic processing in our societies. Such characteristics as a belief in mutual aid, a spirit of community, and authenticity in interpersonal relationships are advanced to indicate the actual form and style this youthful reaction has assumed. After presenting some reservations concerning the overall worth and effectiveness of such movements within existing societies, the writer optimistically argues that these movements may well result in the rise of a new social order, dramatically different from the present one.     

Explaining with Intentional Omissions

Determining the human activity that social processes consist in is a central task for the philosophy of the social sciences. This paper asks: which conception of agency arising from contemporary action theory is the most suitable for social science explanation? It is argued that a movement-centered, Davidsonian picture of agency is not suitable for explaining certain social processes such as strikes and boycotts because, instead of intentional bodily movements, they are explained by the intentional omissions of agents. I propose that instead of intentional bodily movements, social processes are better explained by phenomena in which an agent is taking an active relation both to her mental or bodily processes as well as to what is happening around her. Thus, to fully explain social processes, a comprehensive theory of agency that can account for intentional actions and intentional omissions and a conception of agency that includes both materialist and volitionalist aspects is needed.     

Mental health and wellbeing of care leavers: Making sense of their perspectives

Despite considerable quantifiable data about the circumstances of care leavers in the United Kingdom, there is less qualitative data about how these circumstances are experienced. This article is underpinned by positioning theory, with a particular focus on the unfolding personal narratives of young care leavers in relation to their mental health and wellbeing and the role of a life‐skills programme in supporting them in this respect. The research illustrates that leaving care projects, such as the one in the current study, are more focused on employment and housing issues than on addressing the mental health and wellbeing needs of young people. Our analysis of interviews with young people illustrates the ambiguity of understandings of concepts such as “mental health” and “wellbeing,” and the complexity of responses to questioning around this area. This illustrates one of the major problems in evaluating the outputs and outcomes of such projects in terms of simplistic targets, where mental health and wellbeing are not clearly defined or understood by young people themselves. The current research provides a more complex picture. More research is needed that involves in‐depth and longitudinal assessment of specific mental health needs of care leavers and how they can be addressed successfully.     

Asian/Pacific-Americans and Group Practice

Although Asian/Pacific-Americans encounter a multitude of life stressors and have significant mental health needs, many avoid the use of psychotherapeutic services. This article argues that group practice can be efficacious in addressing their mental health needs if therapists appreciate and understand the cultural factors and historical background of these clients. Cultural and historical considerations are discussed within the context of the strategies (c.g. group content and structure, composition, and dynamics) to use.     

Power inequalities

This paper aims to give determinate sense to the claim that there are inequalities of power by outlining a procedure in terms of which individual acts of power can be measured. Noting that problems in the definition and measurement of power are closely related, the paper criticizes one analysis of power which defines the notion in purely causal terms. It argues that such a definition inevitably leads to difficulties in quantifying power, and is in any case deficient. Power is instead defined by reference to the notion of coercion, where this idea is itself explicated in terms of threats. A measure of power is developed from this definition, so that power is quantified by the degree of deprivation that one person can impose upon another. The paper concludes by noting that an adequate measure of power at the social level depends upon inter-personal welfare comparisons, but that this does not mean that the idea of power inequalities cannot be given determinate sense.     

Against difference and diversity in social work: the case of human rights

This article argues that the politics of the 'right to difference' and celebration of diversity in social work is a malign tendency that is symptomatic of the malaise of postmodernism and other fashionable trends in human rights discourse. It is suggested that a normative concept of human rights as worked through postmodern preoccupations with difference and diversity is a morally bankrupt perspective. The fixation of the 'right to difference' in social work runs parallel with neoliberalism with its celebration of diversity. The article offers a set of conceptual devices for rethinking social work ethics through the writings of Alain Badiou. His subtractive ontology of truth is presented as an essentialist alternative to the relativist discourses of difference. If social work is to recover a progressive stance, we must reinstall the concepts of sameness and equality. Therefore, social work should be 'indifferent to differences' by transcending the politics of difference.     

哈贝马斯新社会运动理论述评

哈贝马斯把新社会运动视为人的需要受到忽视的结果,通过参照"系统"与"生活世界"的分裂的观点,从"合法化"的角度来探讨新社会运动的命运。哈贝马斯认为新社会运动具有两大特点:一是这些运动能防止"生活世界殖民化",通过交往理性来维护规范共识;二是这些运动的本质要求是较少关注物质再生产,而更关注文化再生产、社会一体化和社会化。由于这些运动与传统的围绕分配而展开斗争的工人运动不同,哈贝马斯认为它们不可能被政党制度化或通过物质补偿而缓和。哈贝马斯的"新社会运动理论"对当下的和谐社会的构建具有启发意义,但其在有着理论解释力的同时也存有某些理论局限性。     

An Inclusive Approach to Knowledge for Mental Health Social Work Practice and Policy

As the integration of health and social care services progressesin the mental health sector, there is concern that mental healthsocial workers are disadvantaged, relative to health professionals,because they cannot identify the knowledge base for their practice.This paper argues that this concern is partly the product ofassuming that the knowledge base has to be premised upon randomizedcontrolled trials. Instead, it proposes a non-hierarchical frameworkbased on that developed in health research in Canada by Upshurand colleagues that generates a typology of knowledge whichis congruent with the main forms of inquiry that are relevantto mental health social work practice. The framework recognizesthe contribution of randomized controlled trials to the knowledgebase but also validates knowledge drawn from qualitative, epidemiological,practitioner and user knowledge. It is argued that the frameworkprofiles a wider knowledge base than that promoted by conventionalevidence-based practice, and also could be a basis for futuredevelopment of the research agenda in mental health social work.     

由心至身:阶层影响身体的社会心理机制

本研究应用2010年中国综合社会调查(CGSS2010)数据分析身体健康与社会阶层的关系及其社会心理机制。在区分身体健康和心理健康的基础上,整合社会学和心理学相关理智资源,将在社会科学领域中越来越具有理论意义的身体研究延伸至经验研究层面。研究表明,个体身体的健康程度在某种程度上是社会阶层在个体身上印刻的结果,而这种印刻过程是通过阶层认同、群际伤害、习得性无助和情感支持等心理过程得以达成。     

NEW DIRECTIONS FOR SOCIAL SERVICES

This article raises the question about whether or not our social services programs are taking new directions or whether there is much ado about nothing. Demographic data and their social implications are presented as background for the discussion. While rhetoric may have changed, the general impression is that we are walking in an Heraclitian stream in which there a both sameness and change.     

Populism: democracy's Pharmakon?

ABSTRACT

This paper seeks to resolve one of the key tensions in the literature on populism: whether populism is a threat to democracy or the best means of renewing and deepening democracy. The author argues that, rather than defining populism in terms of certain definite outcomes, we should view populism as a symptom of crisis, and one capable of producing a variety of possible effects, some positive and some negative. The argument is pursued in terms of highlighting certain shortcomings in terms of the dominant approaches to the issue, and also through exploring recent Spanish politics, which has seen an increase in various kinds of populist parties and movements. The renewal of democracy in Spain is offered as an example of how populist initiatives can have beneficial outcomes, as well as detrimental ones.     

New Directions for Social Services: Much Ado About Nothing

This article raises the question about whether or not our social services programs are taking new directions or whether there is much ado about nothing. Demographic data and their social implications are presented as background for the discussion. While rhetoric may have changed, the general impression is that we are walking in an Heraclitian stream in which there is both sameness and change.     

荀子论“学”思想辨析

荀子所劝之"学",不是客观知识和生产技能的获得,而是学习礼义,是为了国家社会的安治、人格的提升和性习的形成,还可有精神上和功利上的好处。其"学"的目的,是使人形成遵守礼法的行为方式和人格特点,以及养成礼治的能力,以求由此达成其理想的礼法之治。其"学"的性质,不是主体性的知识学习和能力习得,而是教化、塑造。     

释“藜”、“莱”、“藋”

古代的蔬菜是农史、饮食史研究的重要内容,以《说文解字.艸部》所收＂藜＂、＂莱＂、＂藋＂为例,单看解释,三字之间并无直接的联系。而通过考察可知,＂藜＂是古人常食较粗劣的野菜,＂莱＂为藜的别称。＂藋＂与＂藜＂同类,其＂灰藋＂一词得名之由是因其叶背面灰白且植株高大,并非因＂枝叶翘趯＂而名。＂灰藋＂后世方言音变也称＂灰涤＂、＂灰条＂。     

The democratic challenges and potential of localism: insights from deliberative democracy

This article considers the democratic challenges and potential of localism by drawing on insights from the theory and practice of deliberative democracy. On a conceptual level, the ideas embedded in localism and deliberative democracy share much in common, particularly the democratic goal of engaging citizens in decisions that affect them. Despite such commonalities, however, there has been limited conversation between relevant literatures. The article considers four democratic challenges facing localism and offers a response from a systems perspective of deliberative democracy. It argues that, for localism to realise its democratic potential, new participatory spaces are required and the design of these spaces matters. Beyond structured participatory forums, local democracy also needs an active and vibrant public sphere that promotes multiple forms of democratic expression. This requires taking seriously the democratic contributions of local associations and social movements. Finally, the article argues that, to fulfil its democratic potential, localism needs to encourage greater democratic and political connectivity between participatory forums and the broader public sphere.     

Inadequate Policy or Operational Failure? The Potential Crisis of the Korean National Pension Programme

The Korean National Pension Programme is one of the main pillars of the Korean welfare state. From its introduction in 1988, the Programme had come to include 26.8 per cent of the economically active population and had accumulated a pension fund equal to 24 per cent of government expenditure by 1994. Behind such a promising facade, the Korean National Pension Programme is likely to face financial crisis without a major reform. This paper seeks to answer the question as to whether the crisis will arise due to inadequate policy design or to operational failure. The latter cause may require privatizing the Pension Fund in order to operate more efficiently, while the former one would demand rectifying the defects of policy design. This study argues that the crisis is strongly related to inadequate policy design, which promises generous pensions and at the same time requires only a small amount in contributions; although there have also been operational inefficiencies in running the programme. It also argues that inadequacy in policy design stemmed from developmentalism embedded in the Korean welfare state, which regards the National Pension Programme mainly as a measure for mobilizing cheap capital. In conclusion, this paper argues that the Korean welfare state, created in the era of economic development, is transient in nature and that it needs a major reform not only to contain the cost but also to meet the growing demand for social welfare.     

Specification of objectives in decision problems

If a decision problem is said to be difficult, one usually assumes that there is a very complicated relationship between the decision and the corresponding outcome. The problem is considered as solved when this relationship has been sorted out and described. This means that the probelm of selecting the best outcome from a set of possible outcomes, is taken as trivial. The main, or only difficulty is to find the decision which will lead to the best of the possible outcomes. The author argues that the real difficulty may often be to specify a preference ordering over the set of outcomes. He illustrates the point with examples from economics, and discusses some investment problems, in which the outcome of a decision naturally can be considered as a stochastic process.     

科学与指向价值的行动:韦伯《科学作为天职》一百年

本文基于韦伯《科学作为天职》的演讲,将Wissenschaft als Beruf的含义重新置于韦伯科学学说的思考脉络之中。本文认为,该演讲通过“为科学而科学”的“意义”问题指涉每个人如何承担自己的价值立场问题,此问题和韦伯科学学说中行动如何承担价值的主题密切相关。一方面,每个人的价值感受是价值行动的起点,不能通过任何伦理义务将之夷平。另一方面,这样的价值感受若不通过价值理性化,就既不会变成塑造价值的力量,也有碍于行动者明白和掌握为价值而行动的自由是什么。二者之间的紧张使韦伯反对任何有机体学说意义上的文明和共同体,转而从“求真”这一充满人为努力的途径来实现行动者对价值真正的“开明”。在这一途径中,诉诸于观念类型的行动者的“开明”是他将习俗和文明由异己的传统变成自己的根本价值立场的关键。但本文结尾表明,韦伯的这个立场将所有的传统都变成了异己的传统,因此留下了现代社会科学如何面对价值的共同体的根本问题。     

From Gratitude to Lamentation: On the Moral and Psychological Economy of Gift,Gain and Loss

The passing of Nelson Mandela and other figures of (diverse) contemporary importance may prompt the interesting question of how we might or should understand the psychological, social and moral function of lamentation in human life. This paper aims to show that such responses are not just of emotional and interpersonal significance, but also of serious moral import. To this end, the paper proceeds via exploration of conceptually and morally suggestive correspondences or resonances between the logical grammar of lamentation—which, to be sure, has received almost no latter day analytical attention—and that of gratitude or thankfulness in which there has been an enormous explosion of academic interest in recent years. The paper argues that there is no less case for a moral virtue of lamentation, than for a virtue of gratitude.