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.     

Books reviews

Peter M. Blau and Marshall W. Meyer, Bureaucracy in Modern Society (3rd. ed). New York, Random House, 1987.

Gareth Morgan, Images of Organization, Beverly Hills, Sage Publications, 1986.

Malvyn Dubrovsky (ed.) Technological Change and Workers’ Movements. Explorations in the World Economy: Publications of the Fernand Braudel Center. Vol.4: Beverly Hills, Sage Publications, 1985.

Helmut Klages, Gerhard Franz, and Willi Herbert, Sozialpsychologie der Wohlfahrtgesellschaft. Zur Dynamik von Wertorientirungen, Einstellungen und Ansprüchen (Social Psychology of the Welfare State. On Dynamics of Value Orientations, Attitudes and Claims). Frankfurt ‐ New York, Campus Verlag, 1987.

Gunter Endruweit, Eduard Gauler, Wolfgang H.Stähle, and Bernhard Wilpert, eds. Handbuch der Arbeitbeziehungen. Deutschland‐Oesterreich‐Schweiz. (Handbook of Work Relations: FRG, Austria and Switzerland). Berlin ‐ New York, Walter de Gruyter, 1985.

Gerhard Lenski and Jean Lenski, Human Societies. An Introduction to Macrosociology, 5th ed., New York, McGraw‐Hill, 1987.

Stephen K.Sanderson, Macrosociology. An Introduction to Human Societies. New York, Harper and Row, 1988.

Wojciech Gasparski and Tadeusz Pszczolowski, eds. Praxiological Studies. Polish Contributions to the Science of Efficient Action. Warsaw‐Dordrecht, PWN and D.Reidel, 1983.

James S. Coleman, Individual Interests and Collective Action. Selected Essays. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1986.

Darreil Steffensmeier, The Fence: In the Shadow of Two Worlds. Totowa, Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 1986, pp. 295.

Max Kaase (ed.) Politische Wissenschaft und Politische Ordnung. Analysen zu Theorie und Empirie demokratischer Regierungsweise. Festschrift zum 65. Geburstag von Rudolf Wildenmann. Opladen, Westdeutscher Verlag, 1986.

Volker Meja, Dieter Misgeld, and Nico Stehr eds. Modern German Sociology. New York, Columbia University Press, 1987.

Feliks Gross, Ideologies, Goals and Values, Greenwood Press, 1985.     

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

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

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.     

The discretion and power of street-level bureaucrats: an example from Swedish municipal eldercare

This paper focuses on discretion in the frontline practice of social work with elderly people in Sweden. The aim is to describe and analyse how care managers in municipal eldercare use discretion and power in needs assessment and decision-making. Emanating from Lipsky's concept of discretion, we identify the conditions of decision-making, which along with the concepts of structural power and intentional power constitute the theoretical framework of our analysis. Eight care managers from four Swedish municipalities were observed and interviewed. The researchers carried out 38 observations and nine in-depth interviews. The analysis led to the identification of four techniques in the decision-making process of care managers: reject, execute, transform needs and control. The consequences of these practices are discussed at the end of the paper.

Denna artikel handlar om beslutsprocessen inom socialt arbete med äldre i Sverige. Syftet är att beskriva och analysera hur några biståndsbedömare inom kommunal äldreomsorg, som exempel på frontlinjebyråkrater, använder sitt handlingsutrymme och sin makt. Utifrån Lipsky's begrepp handlingsutrymme, beskriver vi de villkor för beslutsfattandet som tillsammans med begreppen strukturell och intentionell makt, utgör ramen för analysen av det empiriska materialet. Åtta biståndsbedömare, från fyra svenska kommuner, har observerats och intervjuats. Sammanlagt har 38 observationer och nio djupintervjuer genomförts. I analysen framträder fyra handlingssätt i biståndsbedömarnas beslutsprocess: avvisa, expediera, omvandla behov och kontrollera. Konsekvenserna av dessa handlingssätt diskuteras avslutningsvis i artikeln.

Handlingsutrymme

Strukturell Och Intentionell Makt

Frontlinjebyråkrater

Beslutsfattande

Äldreomsorg

Biståndsbedömare     

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.     

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.     

The Impact of the Physical Home Environment for Family Carers of People with Dementia: A Qualitative Study

Background: The majority of people with dementia are cared for by their families at home. This study aimed to elicit family carers' perceptions on home environmental aspects and strategies with the view to identify barriers and facilitators when caring for a person with dementia at home.

Design and methods: Thirteen co-resident family carers were engaged in semi-structured in-depth walking interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.

Results: Home environments can pose a number of challenges and opportunities. Aspects of the architectural and interior environment (e.g. size, condition, layout and accessibility, familiarity) are perceived as important (Theme 1) as well as a plethora of environmental strategies that encourage independence and comfort at home (Theme 2). Carers' scepticism, timing, costs, property characteristics and mistrust to services are some barriers to implementing environmental strategies (Theme 3).

Conclusions: Carers improvised solutions via trial and error and need further education on strategies to create an enabling and comfortable home environment.     

Book reviews

Women and phenomenology—a survey of the literature

Élites discriminadas (sobre el poder de las mujeres) María Antonia García de Leòn Santafé de Bogotà, Editorial Anthropos, 1994, 254 pp.

G. Ferrero, El Poder. Los genios invisibles de la Ciudad     

Book Reviews

Jobs, technology and people N. Chmiel London: Routledge, 1998

Trends in organizational behaviour, (Vol 4) C.L. Cooper D.H. Rousseau (Eds) Chichester: Wiley, 1997

Work, leisure and well-being J. Haworth London: Routledge, 1997     

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.     

Book reviews

Actes du Ier Congrès Mondial de Sociologie du Théâtre, Bulzoni, Roma, 1988.

Miroslawa Marody and Antoni Sulek (eds.) Rzeczywistosc Polska i Sposoby Radzenia Sobie z Nia (Polish Reality and Various Ways of Dealing with It), Warsaw, institute of Sociology, University of Warsaw, 1987, pp. 271.

Roberto Cipriani, Il Cristo Rosso. Riti e simboli, religione e politica nella cultura popolare (The Red Christ. Rites and Symbols, Religion and Politics in Popular Culture). With a foreword by Emile Poulat, Roma, Ianua, 1985, pp.XXI, 245.

Richard H. Hall, Organizations, Structures, Processes and Outcomes (4th ed.) Englewood Cliffs, Prentice Hall, 1987, pp.X, 358.

Jahrbücher für Soziologie und Sozialpolitik (Yearbooks for Sociology and Social Policy), Berlin, (D.D.R). Akademie Verlag, 1980–1986.

Shimpo, Mitsuro and Sonoko Matsuda Gendai Nihon Noson Shakai no Hendo (Degradation of a Farming Community in Japan: Mechanization and Individuation), Tokyo, Ochanomizu Shobo, 1986.     

Effects of testosterone administration on liver structure and function in aging rats

Aging males have a decrease in testosterone levels, by which the testosterone treatment may influence in a negatively fashion the liver.

Aim: This study aimed to analyze the effects of aging with or without testosterone administration on the liver components of animals.

Methods: Wistar rats were divided into three groups: 20 months’ group (G20), 24 months’ group (G24), group treated with testosterone for 16 weeks (GT). All groups were sacrificed at 24 months except for G20 that was sacrificed at 20 months.

Results: Aging and testosterone treatment alters the body weight (BW), liver weight (LW) and relative liver weight. Besides, testosterone increased the mitogen capacity of hepatocytes. Nonetheless, we reinforce the negative effects of testosterone on old animals’ liver as chronic hepatic congestion and/or cholestasis. In addition, we observed that testosterone plays an important role on hepatic glycogen stores.

Conclusions: Our study showed many implications for the knowledge about the effects of aging with or without testosterone administration on old animals’ liver.     

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.     

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.     

Book reviews

Mervin Y.T. Chen and Thomas G.Regan (1985) Work in the Changing Canadian Society. Toronto, Butterworths, pp. XIV, 289.

Walter S. Neff (1985) Work and Human Behaviour, New York, Aldine Publishing Company, 1985 (3rd edition), pp. XV, 345.

John M. Letiche and Basil Dmytryshyn (1985) Russian Statecraft: An Analysis and Translation of Iurii Krizhanic'h's “Politika”, New York, Basil Black‐well, pp. Ixxxiii, 283.

Sidney Verba and Gary G.Orren (1985) Equality in America 1. The View from the Top, Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 1985.

Panos D.Bardis, (1985) Dictionary of Quotations in Sociology, Westport, Greenwood Press, 1985, pp.xiv,356.     

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     

Architecture and Urban Development of Art Nouveau—Metropolis riga

Riga, the capital city of Latvia is a world heritage site since 1997. Its rich architectural heritage consists of buildings in a variety of styles, built in different periods from the Middle Ages up to the present day. Unlike many other cities, Riga has a very clearly perceptible, precise urban structure.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Riga experienced a real construction boom, which coincided with the development of Art Nouveau. Buildings of this style represent nearly one-third of the whole inventory of the city centre. Riga is a real Art Nouveau metropolis.

Formal variety of Art Nouveau in Riga comprises Eclectic Decorative trend, co called Perpendicular Art Nouveau and National Romanticism. Primarily local architects were active in Riga, most of them being graduates of the Riga Polytechnical Institute.

Functionalism or Modern Movement prevailed during Latvia's first period of independence. A new urban zone consisting of prefabricated panel blocks encircling the city's historical centre is the main consequence of the period of the soviet occupation. A new period in the development of architecture and urban development of Riga started after 1990, when country reclaimed its independence and a free market economy re-emerged.