The practices of collective action: Practice theory,sustainability transitions and social change

Developing theory for understanding social transformation is essential for environmental sustainability, yet mainstream accounts of collective action neglect the dynamics of daily life. Theories of practice have proved generative for the study of sustainable consumption but struggle to accommodate the roles of collective actors, strategic action and purposive collective projects in social change. In response, this paper develops a practice theoretical account of collective action pertinent to processes of large scale social change, with specific focus on transitions towards sustainability. We consider three ideal types of collective—bureaucratic organisations, groupings and latent networks—and, drawing on existing social theoretical resources that are ontologically compatible with a practice account, explore the kinds of practices and arrangements which compose them. Processes concerning strategy, bureaucracy, management, social worlds and collective identity are identified as important combinations of practices and arrangements. We suggest a key contribution of practice theory has been to identify a type of collective action we call dispersed collective activity, and we suggest how this type of activity may give rise to collectives. We conclude by suggesting further development for the realisation of the project's contribution to the analysis of sustainability transitions.     

Discourse change and policy development in social assistance in China

Zhang H. Discourse change and policy development in social assistance in China Since the introduction of a new social assistance programme in urban China, the state was eventually able to expand the programme to rural areas as a further step towards integrating the development of social assistance in urban and rural areas. This article argues that the development of social assistance in China can be explained by the change of discourse among the officials and the elites in central government. The discourse on social assistance can be conceptualised in three periods: the urban‐first discourse (1999–2003); the discourse debate (2003–2007); and the urban–rural integration discourse (2007–present). Through scrutinising specific discourses and the policy development of social assistance in these three periods, it appears that in company with the change in the discourse process, rural social assistance was developed rapidly in order to construct an integrated social assistance system. The article concludes that discourse plays a significant role in Chinese social assistance policy development.     

Biased abortion counseling laws and abortion demand

Since the U.S. Supreme Court's 1992 Casey decision many states have enacted biased abortion counseling laws. These laws mandate that abortion providers furnish to women with unwanted pregnancies state-approved medical information about possible side effects from having an abortion that are false. The most egregious falsehoods are that abortion is linked to mental health problems (e.g., suicide, postabortion traumatic stress syndrome, and depression), breast cancer, infertility and fetal pain. This paper investigates whether these four biased abortion falsehoods have an impact on the demand for abortions in the year 2000. The empirical results find that these four biased abortion falsehoods have no significant impact on the abortion demand of pregnant women of childbearing age (15–44 years), adult pregnant women (18–44 years) or pregnant teen minors (15–17 years). The findings remain robust even after controlling for regional differences in antiabortion attitudes.     

Dynamic social security: A framework for directing change and extending coverage

The developmental path of social security organizations has typically been one of incremental but steady adaptation in order to realize improvements in organizational performance and desired social security programme outcomes. In the evolving context of ageing society and globalization, there is increasing pressure for further and more rapid adaptation. To this end, this article proposes a unifying framework for action to help all social security organizations better realize improvements in performance and desired programme outcomes. This proposed framework is called "dynamic social security". By seeking to link social security organizations' aspirations and actions more closely and positively with those of economies and society, the aim is to help better realize, at least, a basic level of social security for all.     

Single-parent,female-headed families in Western Europe: social change and response

Trends in single-parent, female-headed families in Western Europe are analyzed and compared. The authors "explore the 'single-parent family' phenomenon in Western Europe, the factors that account for the growth in the numbers of these families, how these families are perceived and the policy responses in the different countries; we also note some patterns." Data are from a variety of sources. Some comparisons are made with the situation in the United States.     

Social work students and social change: on the link between views on poverty, social work goals and policy practice

This article seeks to contribute to a better understanding of the factors that are associated with social work students' willingness to engage in policy practice. It examines a model according to which the willingness to engage in policy practice is linked to the importance that students attribute to the goals of social work and to their views on poverty. The sample consisted of 138 social work students in one of Israel's leading universities. The measures consisted of four questionnaires developed specifically for this study. The findings revealed strong relationships between students' views regarding the causes of poverty and their attitudes towards the preferred ways to deal with poverty. In addition, strong relationships were found between the importance that students attributed to the goals of social work and their willingness to engage in policy practice. However, no significant relationships were found between students' views on poverty and their willingness to engage in policy practice. Different explanations for these findings are advanced in the article.     

Creating aging-enriched social work education:a process of curricular and organizational change

The CSWE Geriatric Enrichment in Social Work Education Project, funded by the John A. Hartford foundation, aimed to change curricula and organizational structure in 67 GeroRich projects so that all students would graduate with foundation knowledge and skills to work effectively with older adults and their families. The emphasis was on change processes to infuse and sustain gerontological competencies and curricular resources in foundation courses. This article presents lessons learned and strategies for engaging faculty, practitioners and students in the curriculum and organizational change process.     

Climate change: social workers' roles and contributions to policy debates and interventions1

Dominelli L. Climate change: social workers' roles and contributions to policy debates and interventions Int J Soc Welfare 2011: 20: 430–438 © 2011 The Author(s), International Journal of Social Welfare © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare. Climate change is seldom discussed in mainstream social work. Its first presentations on the world stage occurred in Copenhagen during the Conference of the Parties (COP15). This article argues that the profession has an important role to play in: helping people understand the issues; promoting sustainable energy production and consumption; mobilising people to protect their futures through community social work; and proposing solutions to greenhouse gas emissions as indicated in two case studies, one based on a community initiative in the Global South, and the other in the Global North. The article also demonstrates that social workers can foster climate change endeavours that are equitable for all, for example the Equitable Carbon Sharing Scheme.     

The perception and utilisation of social support in times of cultural change: the case of Arabs in Israel

Arabs in Israel are currently undergoing a modernisation process characterised by a gradual shift from a collectivistic to an individualistic cultural orientation. During such a transition, perceptions and utilisation of social support assume great significance. This article examines perceptions and utilisation patterns of social support networks among Arabs in Israel. The research population consisted of 507 respondents, representative of the Arab population, randomly selected by means of a telephone survey. Findings are discussed within the context of modernisation processes, collectivistic and individualistic cultural orientations, and their association with the perception and utilisation of social support.     

Institutional evolution and abrupt change: Reforming the administration of social assistance in Finland

Historical institutionalist studies have explained institutional change as resulting from critical junctures that interrupt long periods of stability or from endogenous, incremental evolution. Building on these theories, discursive institutionalists have focused on the roles of agency, ideas and discourse as explainers of change. Combining these approaches, this article analyses Finland’s decision in 2014 to transfer the administration of basic social assistance from municipalities to the central government. This study demonstrates that institutional change can be both abrupt and evolutionary. Due to sudden, exceptional political circumstances, the decision in question was made quickly and under pressure, circumventing possible veto players. However, it was possible only because of the incremental, endogenous change that had occurred in the way in which social assistance was administered at the municipal level. It enabled a change in political discourse, which eroded the credibility of the ideational frames that policy actors had previously utilised to reject the centralised model.     

Food fights: irritating for social change among Auckland's alternative food initiatives

ABSTRACT

This article explores alternative food initiatives (AFI) and their performances of benign transgression. Through collaborative activist-and-academic-storytelling we tease apart the divergent practices of AFIs to question what mediates these performances in the grey area between conventional and alternative practice. Grounded examples of AFIs performing alternative economy and related acts of ‘irritant’ civil disobedience show how subverting normative practices of power and authority can catalyse social reproduction of difference, and tangibly alter the conventional food system.     

人的全面发展:社会发展的最高目标

人的全面发展思想是马克思主义的重要组成部分。人的全面发展就是人的本质的全面发展,这种发展是不断提高、不断完善的历史过程。社会主义为人的全面发展提供了必要的条件和保证,促进人的全面发展是社会主义的本质要求,是社会发展的最高目标。     

Inheriting a political career: The justices of the United States and Louisiana Supreme Courts

Sixty-three percent of the members of the United States Supreme Court (1789–1988) and forty-four percent of the members of the Louisiana Supreme Court (1812–1988) came from politically active families. Inheritors on both courts were preceded in office by close relatives and usually by more than one kinsman. Inheriting a political career is not as common as it once was but the dramatic decline in that pattern with respect to the courts is unique to those institutions. The careers of followers and nonfollowers are different. A family political legacy, which includes knowledge, skills, contacts, and a greater sense of political efficacy, confers career advantages which can be observed and measured.     

Providing social security in a context of change: Experience and challenges in Latin America

Over the past two decades Latin America has experienced major demographic, economic and social changes. The trend towards accelerated ageing of the population in most countries, together with the financial restrictions faced by social protection systems, has brought sweeping changes in pension programmes. The new demographic and labour context presents challenges for these new programmes which, unless they make the necessary adaptations, will definitely be unable to attain their stated objective of providing universal coverage and eliminating poverty in old age. This article offers a general discussion of the processes that the region is undergoing, as well as the limitations and challenges imposed by existing welfare systems. Finally, it examines the options available to retain the objective of universal coverage and thus ensure the economic needs of the elderly population.