How is participation related to well-being of homeless people? An explorative qualitative study in a Dutch homeless shelter facility

The majority of homeless people is socially excluded which negatively affects their well-being. Therefore, participation-based programs are needed. The current research is conducted within a Dutch homeless shelter facility that offers educational, recreational, and labor activities to clients in an environment which is designed to feel safe (an enabling niche). The main aim of these activities is to facilitate social participation. We conducted two qualitative studies consisting of 16 semi-structured interviews, to explore clients’ experiences with participation in activities in relation to their well-being. The findings showed that clients experienced that participation had led to an improvement of physical, social, and mental well-being. In general, clients reported that due to participation in activities they have strengthened their social support network, improved their (mental and physical) health, self-esteem and personal growth. We concluded that in order to facilitate long-term positive outcomes of participation in practice, it is necessary to focus on group cohesion, and on the social worker’s behavior and attitude.     

What is the value of qualitative longitudinal research with children and young people for international development?

This paper draws on data from Young Lives, a longitudinal study of childhood poverty, to explore how international development research might be strengthened by including qualitative longitudinal research (QLR). We review three problems in development studies: (a) the relatively low status of qualitative research within the hierarchy of development knowledge, (b) the predominance of cross-sectional research, and, (c) marginality of research with children and young people. We offer examples from Young Lives research on early marriage in Ethiopia, household poverty dynamics in India and Ethiopia, and aspirations and migration in Peru, to highlight the potential of QLR to address these drawbacks. We suggest that QLR illuminates the dynamic complexities of the processes and practices of everyday life, how they are experienced by children and young people, the responses they make, and the shifting trajectories of their lives.     

What happened to the Washington Consensus? The evolution of international development policy

The term “Washington Consensus”, as Williamson the father of the term conceived it, in 1989, was a set of reforms for economic development that he judged “Washington” could agree were required in Latin America. However, the Washington Consensus has been identified as a neoliberal manifesto and calls were made for the implementation of a different set of policies, which took the form of the “Augmented Washington Consensus”. Lately, Williamson offered a new set of policies the “After the Washington Consensus”. The aim of this paper is to investigate the different interpretations and alternatives of this controversial set of policies, and to reveal the historical evolution of the implemented policies for international development.     

What is the Main Significance of Economic for Sociological Theory?

This paper reconsiders classical and neoclassical economics’ significance for or affinity and convergence with sociological theory. The paper identifies certain types or elements of classical and neoclassical economics that are potentially significant or convergent with sociological theory: pure market economics, the economics of society cum the “rational choice model”, and social or sociological economics. First, it argues that as pure economics economic theory’s significance for or affinity and convergence with sociological theory is low because the first is inconsistent with or divergent from the latter, notably theoretical economic sociology. Second, the paper suggests that as the economics of society economic theory’s significance for or affinity and convergence with sociological theory is non-existent or minimal, because the “rational choice model” is missing or an exception within conventional economics. Third, the paper proposes and demonstrates that classical and neoclassical economics’ main significance for or affinity and convergence with sociological theory lies in social economics as its second ingredient, alongside market economics. The paper aims to contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between economic and sociological theory and economics and sociology overall.     

What Chance of Change for Africa?

Book reviewed in this article: Power and Need in Africa. By Ben Wisner The State and Agriculture in Africa. Edited by Thandika Mkandawire and Naceur Bourenane Rural Transformation in Tropical Africa. Edited by Douglas Rimmer The IMF and the World Bank in Africa. Edited by Kjell J . Havnevik Mobilizing Appropriate Technology. Edited by Matthew S. Gamser Indian Agriculture: A Policy Perspective. By B.M. Bhatia     

Editorial: 1999 international year of older persons – towards a society for all ages

Abstract

Dr. Elizabeth Ozanne     

What Should Become of the Territories? Teaching the Problematic Past and Present of the “Unincorporated” Territory

Abstract

This article explores the ways in which social studies classrooms can explore the history and status of U.S. territories as “unincorporated.” We focus on the “Insular Cases” and in particular Downes v. Bidwell (1901), examine the construct of colonies as anathema to democracy, and explore the precedents court case rationale for the existence of unincorporated territories. Finally, we address the essential questions raised by this case that can be incorporated into lessons and units and suggest instructional suggestions and pathways for addressing the problematic past and present of unincorporated territories.     

What forms of rationality for sustainable development?

This article aims to help the decision-making process in the matter of sustainable development. The real dividing lines between different analyses of sustainable development are drawn on the basis of two methodological questions. The first concerns the effective inclusion or exclusion of the ecological dimension; the second concerns the choice of a rationality hypothesis. From this perspective, we explain that neoclassical theory and conventional ecology are both insufficient because they rest respectively on an economic or ecological substantive rationality. Then we posit that the analysis of the London School constitutes an attempt to combine the ecological and economic dimensions of development. However, this approach does have its limitations, ultimately using an hypothesis of expanded economic rationality that nevertheless remains basically substantive. Last, we show how an “ecological-economic” approach based on a procedural conception of rationality also employing economic- and energy-based valuation methods seems to cover more comprehensively the issues of sustainable development involving the coordination of diverse rationalities and diverse dimensions of sustainability.     

Is there a need for a theory of urban ecology?

Although urban ecosystems are governed by the same ecological laws as rural ecosystems, the relative importance of certain ecological patterns and processes differs between the two types of ecosystems. For instance, as compared to rural areas, urban habitats are usually more islandlike, more often represent early successional stages, and more easily invaded by alien species. All these features are results of the intense human influence on urban landscapes. The question then arises whether a distinct theory of urban ecology is needed for understanding ecological patterns and processes in the urban setting. The answer is no, because urban ecosystems can be successfully studied using existing ecological theories, such as the metapopulation theory. However, due to the intense human presence approaches that include the human aspect are useful in studying urban systems. For instance, the human ecosystem model, which emphasizes human impact by identifying social components with connections to ecology, is a useful approach in urban studies. This model, combined with the urban–rural gradient approach, forms an effective tool for studying key ecological features of urban ecosystems. Better understanding of these features would increase our ability to predict changes that land use causes in urban ecosystems, and would help to integrate ecology better into urban planning.     

What Has the Marriage Law Done for Women?

LAW has been drawing closer to the lives ofordinary Chinese people since the 1980s. Overthe past 10 years or so China has issued manylaws in rapid succession. Governing the statebased on law was put into the Constitution of thePRC in March 1999, laying a solid foundation forthe realization of the nation's four modernizations. I became a lawyer in 1985. Since becoming astaff member of the All-China Women'sFederation (ACWF), I have consulted on theMarriage Law and other regulations and clausesrelated to it.     

Refocusing on the Parent: What are the social issues of concern for parents of disabled children?

A questionnaire was constructed to analyse the efficacy of service provision for disabled children from the parents' perspective, as well as the needs and issues pertinent to parents (Middleton, 1998, 1992). The familial and personal data identified deep parental concerns and fears regarding professional attitudes and dominance, neglect of parental knowledge, lack of counselling and therapy, coping in the future, support, and the child's aesthetics and body (Brown, 1998). Results indicate that professionals continue to control the parent-professional relationship, assuming the role of 'expert', rather than integrating and consulting parents in a negotiate decision-making process. Parental needs and issues are prescribed by professionals (Oliver & Barnes, 1998), thus marginalising and disempowering the parent (Appleton & Minchom 1991), and reducing opportunity for parental involvement and participation in an equitable 'partnership' relationship with professionals (Dale, 1996).     

What Changes for Young Carers? A Qualitative Evaluation of the Impact of Dedicated Support Provision for Young Carers

In 2016, the Children’s Commissioner for England reported that the most frequent provision for young carers (YCs) comes from dedicated YC services. This study formed one part of a three-year evaluation of support for YCs and their families provided by the Hampshire YCs Alliance (HYCA), a county-wide collaboration of ten YC services in the UK. It set out to explore the following primary questions; (a) what are the most important changes that the YC services made to YCs and their families? (b) what is it about the services that creates those changes? Semi-structured interviews were carried out in 2017, with YCs aged 9–17 (n = 8), their parents (n = 5), HYCA staff (n = 6) and professionals from other stakeholder organisations (n = 5) and a thematic analysis was undertaken. Reflecting previous research that YCs and their families have a broad range of needs, findings also reveal how YC services support them through a diverse range of interventions. Support led to a diverse range of positive changes for YCs and their families. A number of service features that facilitate change for YCs, as well as ‘key dynamics’ important in facilitating change were identified. These findings have led to a conceptual framework of how YC services facilitate change for YCs and are important for understanding the impact these dedicated services can make to the lives of YCs and how they facilitate change. Together they have implications for the development and commissioning of interventions for YCs and families and how service providers promote their support provision.

     

Clarification? Yes! Standarization? No. Or: What Kind of Cooperation for the Sociology of Culture?

Christian Smith’s paper “The Incoherence of ‘Culture’ in American Sociology” is a valuable provocation that can prompt us to reflect on the role of concepts and on the role of agreement on the definition of concepts in scientific research. In this comment paper, I raise questions about Smith’s empirical expectation that sociologists should agree on a concept of culture based on debates in the sociology of science. I also suggest that in terms of the future agenda for the sociology of culture, we should distinguish between dialogue and clarification on the one hand, which I agree is needed, and standardization on the other hand, which seems incompatible with open-minded empirical research. Rather than work on agreement on what culture is, we might work on clarifying relevant distinctions among dimensions of culture.     

“I don't like to live nowhere but here”: The shelter as mediator of U.S. homeless youth's identity formation

Identity formation, from a sociocultural perspective, involves people choosing from among the variety of historical and cultural resources available to them for living their values, making a commitment to a particular life course, and grounding their hope in the future. Researchers in the past have argued that homeless shelters provide few such resources for children and youth to form healthy identities. At the same time, these researchers have not examined how young people themselves make sense of the shelters in which they live in the course of their own development. This article examines how children living in two small family shelters in a large southeastern city understand the shelter as a place they call home in relation to their families, friends, and themselves. Implications for the study of identity formation of homeless children and youth are discussed.     

What do the parents of tomorrow know about child care? A survey of 14–16 year olds

What do the parents of tomorrow know about child care? This study aimed to obtain a baseline measurement of child care knowledge, to ascertain any differences in knowledge between adolescents with and without mild to moderate learning difficulties (MLD). In addition, we were interested to establish the effect of school nurse health education health input on knowledge in the learning difficulties subgroup. Assessment was by self‐completed questionnaire and interview of a random sample of 14–16 year olds attending mainstream and special schools. Sixty pupils from secondary school and 33 from a MLD school took part in the study. Pupil knowledge in basic parenting and child care was dependent on the type of school attended, reading ability of those attending the MLD school and the provision of health education in the special school by the school nurse. No associations were found between pupils knowledge and their gender, family position or family size. Pupils from both schools scored lower in the areas of health service organisation and personnel, health promotion and management of common childhood conditions. Adolescents have insufficient knowledge of basic child care and services available for new parents. The effect of school based health education in these areas is promising. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

“Rigor for What?” Social Studies Teacher Conceptions and Enactments of Instructional Rigor

Taken from a larger qualitative study, this article argues that rather than an encompassing uniform definition, rigor, as understood and enacted by social studies teachers, exists on a complicated spectrum. Teacher placement on this spectrum was influenced by teacher life experience, teacher interpretation of student need, pedagogy employed, how content should be used, and the role of the teacher in the lives of students. How rigor is conceived and enacted by social studies teachers can have a profound impact on the types of citizens schools nurture and develop and the role school can play in the lives of students.     

How does post-study employment policy for international students create “skilled” migrants? The case of Japan

The recent literature on skilled migration has addressed the socially constructed nature of the notion and category of “skilled” migrants, revealing the roles of the host state and its admission policy in shaping these migrants. This article adds to the literature by examining how the host state can also socially (or politically) create “skilled” migrants through policy that facilitates the post-study employment of international students. The extant research on the social construction of skill and skilled migration informs the hypothesizing of three strategic ways in which host states seek to retain international students who may otherwise be excluded from the host labour market after graduation: (1) the creation of new work permits, (2) the discretionary relaxing of criteria for issuing work visas and (3) the provision of skilling support for finding employment. The case of Japan empirically validates all these strategies and indicates the particular significance of the second strategy.